Miss Dower's Paragon (13 page)

If Mr. Hawkins hoped to enjoy something of a tête-à-tête with Miss Dower, his ambitions were speedily dashed.

Miss Sparrow and her sister Maria were already seated at one table, the remains of their supper evident on the plates before them. Miss Sparrow, espying Evelyn and Mr. Hawkins, immediately waved them over.

“Do join us, Evelyn! Mr. Hawkins, surely you have met Miss Woodthorpe and her brother, John?”

Acknowledging Miss Sparrow’s greeting and Maria’s shy smile, Mr. Hawkins glanced at the other two occupants at the table. Seated beside Miss Woodthorpe was a gentleman whose youthful countenance bore a strong resemblance to the lady’s own. “I have not previously had that pleasure, no.”

“Miss Woodthorpe and John are two of my particular friends,” said Evelyn, glancing up at her escort’s face.

She felt a half beat of disappointment when his expression did not reflect some annoyance that he was not to have her company to himself. Evelyn inwardly sighed, knowing it would hardly have been in character for the gentleman to be so rude as to reveal any such thing in light of her declaration.

Instead, Mr. Hawkins said all that was pleasant as he seated her at the table. Then he inquired after Evelyn’s preferences and excused himself to go fetch a plate for her and himself.

Evelyn watched him go, and when she turned her head back to her friends, she discovered that Miss Sparrow and Miss Woodthorpe were both looking at her with varying degrees of amusement in their expressions. “I shan’t hear a word from either of you,” she said defensively.

“I would not dream of it, Evelyn,” said Miss Woodthorpe.

“Nor I,” said Miss Sparrow gravely, then marred her solemnity by the lightest of laughs. “I do think Mr. Hawkins is the dearest of gentlemen, however. The lady who entertains his suit will be exceptionally fortunate.”

“Oh yes, indeed. He is ever so kind. I should like to marry him myself,” said Maria with a vigorous nod.

“What a thing to say! Why, you’re just a baby,” said John Woodthorpe in surprise.

Maria threw a mutinous look at him. “I am quite sixteen and very nearly out. And I have already been assured that I have the admiration of two gentlemen, at least.”

John Woodthorpe made a derisive sound.

Maria flushed. “It is true! Mrs. Culpepper’s sons paid me the most lovely compliments.”

“Ned and Robert Culpepper? Are you daft? Why, they are the greatest gudgeons alive. I shouldn’t want
my
sisters to receive their attentions,” said John with brutal honesty.

Maria burst into tears. “Oh, you are horrid, horrid!”

At once, Miss Sparrow put her arms about the younger girl, speaking to her soothingly. “Never mind, Maria. I am certain the Culpeppers are as esteemable as one could wish. Young gentlemen often speak critically of their peers, never meaning the half of what is said.”

“Well, I like that!” exclaimed John indignantly. “I have been truthful as can be.”

“John, that is quite enough.” said Miss Woodthorpe.

The young gentleman appealed to his sister. “Well, but it is true! You know it is. Ned and Robert have always been pattern cards of the stiffest respectability and jobbers to boot.”

Miss Sparrow rose, her arms still about her sister’s shoulders so that she drew the weeping Maria from her chair as well. “I think that I shall take Maria upstairs for a few moments to compose herself. It has been such a very exciting evening. Evelyn, if Mr. Fiddle should return before I do, will you tell him where I have gone?”

“Of course I shall,” said Evelyn sympathetically.

Miss Sparrow smiled at her gratefully and led her sister away.

Miss Woodthorpe gave her younger brother a rakedown for his indiscretion. “Whatever your own feelings, John, you should not have paraded them so emphatically. I do think that Maria is owed an apology.”

“Yes, of course,” he muttered. He jerkily excused himself, his thin face flushed, and went off.

Miss Woodthorpe coolly looked over at Evelyn and raised a slender brow. “Well, the sensitive topic of Mr. Hawkins was conveniently passed over, was it not?”

Evelyn spluttered on a laugh. “Yes, perhaps it was,” she owned. “But I shan’t say more than that, Pol.”

“I did not expect that you would,” said Miss Woodthorpe imperturbably.

Mr. Hawkins returned, accompanied by Viscount Waithe. Evelyn introduced the viscount to Miss Woodthorpe and explained the sudden lessening of numbers of their party. The remainder of dinner was very pleasant and uninterrupted except for Mr. Fiddle’s reappearance. Once apprised of the situation, however, that gentleman went off again in search of the Misses Sparrow.

Evelyn did not expect that Mr. Hawkins would claim her company further once dinner was done with, but he surprised her again by requesting her hand in a set.

“If you wish it, Mr. Hawkins,” she said.

“I wish for nothing else but this particular honor,” said Mr. Hawkins gravely.

Evelyn was aware at once of Miss Woodthorpe’s amusement and the viscount’s slight frown. She knew that Mr. Hawkins’s statement had fueled her friend’s speculations, but there was nothing that she could do to remedy the impression. As for Viscount Waithe, though his expression was pleasant and gave no further hint of his thoughts, Evelyn suspected that he felt somewhat abandoned. She was confident, however, that Miss Woodthorpe would keep Viscount Waithe sufficiently entertained, and she went away in good spirits with her hand laid on Mr. Hawkins’s elbow.

Evelyn discovered that Mr. Hawkins was a superb dancer. “You astound me, sir. Is there no end to your perfections?” she asked.

Mr. Hawkins looked down at her and gave her a smile of such dazzling charm that she blinked. “I do believe that is the first compliment that you have ever paid me, Miss Dower.”

“Oh no, surely not,” said Evelyn, her color heightening.

“I assure you that it is. I hope to elicit several more accolades from you before the Season is finished,” said Mr. Hawkins, still smiling.

There was a certain warm intensity in his gaze that made Evelyn’s heart flutter. “I believe it is the lady who is generally thought to harbor such hopes,” she said.

“But you are an unusual lady. Miss Dower, as I trust that you will acknowledge one day,” said Mr. Hawkins quietly. “I have never laid my heart at the feet of any other.”

Evelyn stiffened in his arms. Her eyes flashed at him. “Indeed, sir! I can well imagine that you have not, if her ladyship had anything to say of the matter.”

Mr. Hawkins appeared a good deal astonished. “What do you mean, Miss Dower?”

The music came to an end. Evelyn instantly moved apart from him. “I believe you know very well, Mr. Hawkins. And I assure you that I wish no part of such a scheme. I am sorry to wound you, Mr. Hawkins, but I could never accept your suit knowing what I know.”

She started to turn away, but she was caught fast by her elbow. She looked up, astonished that the correct Mr. Hawkins would so detain her. She was even more surprised by the grimness of his expression. “Sir!” she directed a meaningful glance down at his fingers clasped about her arm.

“I apologize for my heavy-handedness, Miss Dower. However, I should like to hear what it is that you say you know,” he said. He gestured courteously with his free hand, as though requesting her company, but the pressure of his fingers left little doubt in Evelyn’s mind that he was quite determined that she accompany him.

Evelyn threw another glance up at his profile when she realized that he was drawing her over to a settee against the wall. She could scarcely believe that this most proper of gentlemen would actually dare to defy convention in even such a small matter.

“Pray be seated, Miss Dower.”

Evelyn sat down, perforce because she did not wish to make a scene, but she sat bolt upright with her hands held tight in her lap. Her eyes lowered, she said, “I do not wish to discuss this matter with you, Mr. Hawkins.”

“Nevertheless, Miss Dower, you may begin with your reference to my grandmother. That is apparently the crux,” he said quietly.

Evelyn rounded on him, stung out of proportion by his reasonable tone. “How could it be otherwise, sir? I was never more insulted in my life. And that you fell in with her ladyship’s suggestion with the greatest of indifference—! I suppose it would not have mattered if I had been squint-eyed and possessed of a madwoman’s temperament, as long as I had Lady Pomerancy’s stamp of approval!”

Mr. Hawkins regarded her with the beginning dawn of understanding, which became swiftly intermingled with amusement. “My dear Miss Dower, I assure you that was not quite the way things proceeded.”

Evelyn was further incensed by the springing of laughter into his eyes. “Oh, naturally not! I imagine that her ladyship had only to present to you how very
proper
such a match would be,” she retorted.

Mr. Hawkins had the audacity to laugh.

She rose hastily from the settee. “Excuse me, Mr. Hawkins. I must not neglect my mother’s other guests.” She swept past him, her head held high.

Evelyn’s wrist was caught in a gentle yet commanding grasp. Evelyn was consternated as she turned to face the gentleman. More and more Mr. Hawkins was surprising her, throwing her increasingly off balance. “Unhand me!” she hissed softly.

“I do not think so, Miss Dower. You have thrown a hard accusation in my teeth. I ask that you do me the courtesy of finishing this conversation,” said Mr. Hawkins. “Pray sit down again, Miss Dower.”

Evelyn regarded him with some resentment. She glanced down at the imprisoning fingers about her wrist. “I have little choice but to do so, it seems.”

Mr. Hawkins smiled slightly, even regretfully. “Believe me, this is not my usual style.”

Evelyn resumed her place on the settee. She lifted a significant brow as he let go of her. She rubbed her wrist, though it felt not so much pained from his fingers as it did branded. “No, it is not, Mr. Hawkins. I am profoundly shocked, I assure you.”

“No more than I, Miss Dower. I was not aware of several things about myself until this evening,” said Mr. Hawkins reflectively. At her look of impatient confusion, he smiled. “Forgive me, ma’am. I digress to little purpose, it seems. Pray continue. You were on the point of explaining your aversion to my suit.”

“How could it be otherwise, Mr. Hawkins? A lady prefers to know that she is the gentleman’s choice, not the object of a proposed marriage of convenience,” said Evelyn tightly, not looking at his face.

There was a short silence. When she dared to glance up, it was to meet a contemplative regard from his blue eyes. Evelyn felt herself flush. “I am sorry to put it so baldly, sir.”

“I am glad that you did so, Miss Dower.” Mr. Hawkins was silent a moment, then sighed. “Miss Dower, I wish to assure you that it has ever been my choice to court you.”

Evelyn was discomfited. “I did not mean to imply that you did so under false pretenses, Mr. Hawkins.”

“No.”

She looked up quickly. The expression in his eyes was somber. The amazing thought came to her that she could have been mistaken. Perhaps he did care for her.

Evelyn bent her head, feeling more vulnerable than she ever had. Carefully she pleated her skirt. “I—I wanted only to be assured of your true regard.” With shortened breath she awaited his reply. Surely with such blatant encouragement he would declare himself.

“Quite.”

“Oh!” Bitter disappointment flooded her, dashing her trembling hopes. Evelyn sprang up. “You are utterly impossible!” She ran away across the dance floor, her progress noted by curious glances.

Mr. Hawkins did not follow her.

For the next hour, Evelyn was careful not to be unattended so that Mr. Hawkins would not have an opportunity to pursue their abortive conversation. However, that gentleman did not seem the least inclined to do so. Instead, Mr. Hawkins led out several ladies, both young and old, and to all appearances enjoyed himself. Evelyn was by turns infuriated or felt herself driven perilously close to tears by Mr. Hawkins’s seeming indifference toward her. She did not know whether she was glad or unhappy when he finally took his leave, but she put on a bright smile to show him how utterly inconsequential his leave-taking was to her.

Soon after Mr. Hawkins’s departure, other guests also began to make their excuses. Evelyn was astonished that the hours were so swift to depart, but she was not altogether regretting that it was so. She had never been in such a whirl and the unaccustomed excitement inevitably took its toll of her.

By the end of the evening, Mrs. Dower was flushed with the success of the dinner party. “You are well and truly launched, Evelyn! I do not think that I ever saw you without at least one gentleman in attendance. And the kind words and the invitations that I received on your behalf! Why, we shall be quite run off our feet with all the treats in store, I promise you.”

“I am happy to hear it, Mama,” said Evelyn, covering a wide yawn. “But truthfully, it matters little to me at the moment.”

“You are exhausted, poor dear, and no wonder,” said Mrs. Dower sympathetically. “Go up to your bed now and catch as much sleep as you possibly can, for tomorrow we shall receive innumerable callers.”

“Do you truly think so?”

“Depend upon it, dearest. You have made an impression on our little society. I dare say we shall not have a moment to ourselves, nor shall we be able to set foot outside to make our own visits,” said Mrs. Dower in a surprisingly dry tone.

“But what of you, Mama? Are you not taking tea with Lady Pomerancy tomorrow?” asked Evelyn.

Mrs. Dower was dismayed. “Oh dear, I had quite forgotten!” Deep gloom settled onto her countenance as she contemplated her fate. Suddenly her expression lightened and an artless laugh escaped her. “I fear that I shall be forced to send my excuses to her ladyship, Evelyn. Certainly I cannot neglect my duty and leave my daughter unchaperoned whilst she receives gentlemen callers.”

“You are a complete hand. Mama,” said Evelyn, marveling at that lady’s ingenuity.

Chapter Thirteen

Evelyn’s come-out was marked by singular success. There followed a delightful round of parties, teas, soirees, and picnics. Evelyn knew herself to be a social success and it was a heady feeling. Gentlemen came to call or sent sweet nosegays. They flocked flatteringly about her at routs and assemblies. Several gentlemen even professed themselves to be at her feet, including two or three whose declarations truly astonished her.