My Wayward Lady (24 page)
221
My Wayward Lady
by Evelyn Richardson
Rose had been more than reassured by Lord Chalfont's batman who had finally caught up with her as she was emerging from Madame Celeste's, a puzzled frown on her face. Rose had considered it rather odd that Harriet had sent Mrs. Lovington's new maid to ask Rose to wait for her at the modiste's, but Rose, the most dependable of servants, had not thought to question her mistress's instructions until she had waited at the shop a good deal later than the time she and Harriet customarily arrived from the Temple of Venus. Wondering at her mistress's tardiness. Rose began to review the events of the past hour in her mind and was not at all reassured by these reflections.
The more she considered it, the more she became aware that the young maid was completely unfamiliar to her. Naturally Rose had kept her dignity and her distance as far as the members of Mrs. Lovington's unusual household were concerned, but the establishment was not a large one, and Harriet's maid was reasonably certain that she could at least recognize everyone who worked there. The person in question had been a complete stranger to her, however, and this realization filled Rose with a vague sense of unease. Deciding that the only way to set her mind at rest was to return to the Temple of Venus and inquire after this particular person. Rose was just closing the glossy yellow door of Madame Celeste's behind her when a wiry little man with a leathery face and the bearing of a soldier cautiously approached her. Lifting her nose with some hauteur and twitching her skirts. Rose was about to sweep by him when the man addressed her.
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"Excuse me, Miss Rose, but I am come to you at the instructions of my master, the Marquess of Kidderham, who most earnestly begs your assistance." Though it pained her to acknowledge such a low person, Rose stopped, looking him up and down without uttering a word. Certainly his accent and address indicated the proper respect, but Rose was not accustomed to associating with anything but the most rigidly proper of gentlemen's gentlemen and this person, though appropriately enough attired, had none of the fine obsequiousness that distinguished such persons. But the mention of the Marquess of Kidderham's name did go a long way. "Yes? What is it?" she demanded impatiently.
Richards had not become Lord Chalfont's batman for nothing. It was as much for his diplomacy as his resourcefulness and courage that he had been appointed to his present position and granted his lordship's trust and reliance. Maintaining his attitude of deepest respect for Rose's exalted position as maid to Lady Harriet, he gestured in a most deferential way for her to walk on. "Believe me. Miss Rose, I should never "approach you in such a manner if it was not of the utmost importance," he began in such a confidential tone that she was forced to lean quite close to him in order to hear, "but, as you no doubt know, Lord Chalfont has been quite concerned about Lady Harriet's safety for some time."
Rose had not known this, but she was definitely not going to let on such ignorance to this person, no matter how gentlemanly his manners might turn out to be. He certainly 223
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conducted himself more properly than one might first expect from his rather rugged appearance. Unbending a little, she nodded graciously, inviting him to continue with his story.
"Well, the long and short of it is that he asked me to keep an eye on her."
"What? Follow my lady? Why I never heard of such impertinence!" The frostiness had returned to Rose's voice and her chin rose just a fraction of a degree.
"Lord Chalfont begs that you and your lady forgive him for his presumption, but he felt it was best for both of you that you remain unaware of this plan so that you would continue to behave as naturally as possible." In truth, Richards thought, the maid seemed to possess the same prickly independence that characterized the mistress and that had made Lord Chalfont's task so difficult. Naturally, the marquess had not confided in him on this point, but the batman, ever sensitive to his master's needs, had most certainly been aware of it.
"Oh." Rose was at a loss as to a reply. Richards pressed his advantage. "Yes, and all has worked according to plan." That was not precisely true for Lord Chalfont had not counted on Lady Harriet's abduction, but it would never do to admit such a thing to this haughty young woman. "Even now, my lord is rescuing her from Sir Neville and will be restoring her to her family with the utmost expedience."
"What!" Completely forgetting the dignified air that was due her position. Rose clapped one hand to her mouth while 224
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with the other she gripped her companion's arm in a most agitated manner.
"Naturally, being aware of Sir Neville's villainous reputation and his vengeful nature, you have been as concerned as his lordship that something like this might occur. You may now rest easy that the scoundrel will not bother her again." Richards lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Now, you who know the lady's brother far better than my master does, must realize that Lord Chalfont thought it far more likely that the entire affair could be successfully hushed up if the captain were kept in the dark as long as possible." Well aware of Harriet's brother's propensity to act first and think later. Rose nodded slowly, wondering what further astonishments this man had in store for her. His countenance might be rather vulgar, but he did appear to have a good head on his shoulders, and certainly the marquess who was, according to Captain Fareham, a man well accustomed to difficult and dangerous situations, would not have an idiot in his employ.
"But what are we to do?" Rose wondered aloud. Richards quickly suppressed the smile of satisfaction that rose to his lips. Good. He had won her confidence and now he could proceed with the rest of Lord Chalfont's plan. "I have been charged to deliver a letter to Lady Harriet's brother instructing him to give you a message to take to Berkeley Square, informing the family that encountering his sister in Bond Street, he decided to escort her to the Egyptian Hall and then for a stroll in the park. His lordship knew he could rely on you to keep all of them in Berkeley Square in ignorance of 225
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the entire episode, and I can quite see from your manner that his trust in you was well founded."
Here Richards allowed himself an approving nod in Rose's direction. Except for her brief exclamation, she had behaved most creditably, with no screams or fainting fits. Like mistress, like maid, he remarked to himself. No wonder the marquess was so taken with Lady Harriet. If she exhibited half as much self-possession and quickness of understanding as her servant did, then she was a rare woman indeed. Richards decided that once this escapade was over, it would behoove him to pay more attention to Lady Harriet Fareham, for it was obvious that whatever the present impediments were, she was the lady for his master. At the moment the batman was not sure how he was going to do so, but he vowed to see that his master was freed from the selfcentered clutches of the Honorable Alicia De Villiers and happily allied with someone who could bring vitality and happiness to his lordship's life and share his interests.
"Very well, I shall do as you say," Rose agreed, surprised that she should feel so gratified by this stranger's obvious trust in her capabilities.
"Thank you. And now I must hasten to Portman Street to speak to the captain." With a quick bow, he turned and was gone leaving Rose less puzzled, but no less thoughtful. Like her mistress, the maid had at first had her doubts about a gentleman who was so often encountered at the Temple of Venus, but unlike Harriet, Rose, who had been blessed with the more objective point of view of an observer, had quickly arrived at the conclusion that the chief attraction for the 226
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marquess at Mrs. Lovington's establishment was Lady Harriet and no one else. Of course, Rose would have died rather than discuss such a thing with the Temple of Venus's inhabitants, but she was not above eavesdropping where her mistress's welfare was at stake, and she had soon learned that Mrs. Lovington's ladies shared her opinion.
Rose was also aware of his lordship's betrothal to Miss De Villiers, but she was equally aware of the warmth in his eyes whenever they rested on her mistress and the animation in his voice whenever he spoke with her. One would have to be very dull indeed not to recognize how strongly the two of them were drawn to each other.
Underneath Rose's rigidly proper exterior, there beat the heart of a true romantic and the maid, though she freely acknowledged the difficulties raised by the marquess's prior engagement, was steadfast in her belief that somehow all would come out right where true love was concerned. Of course, it was not true love at the moment, but the recent turn of events seemed likely to encourage its development. And certainly there was no woman who deserved true love more than her own dear mistress. To be sure, Lady Harriet was less biddable than her elder sister and far more likely to tumble into scrapes, but she was nonetheless a sweettempered young woman. If at times she hid this under a mischievous facade, it was only to protect herself from her all-too-ready sympathy for her fellow creatures. As far back as Rose could remember, Harriet had sprung to the defense of anyone in distress, animal or human, and many of her misadventures as well as her reputation for being something 227
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of a scamp, had resulted directly from this incurable desire to help others. At last it seemed that she was being repaid for this and being rescued herself.
In spite of her concern for her mistress. Rose returned to Berkeley Square in a most optimistic frame of mind. The man, Richards, seemed thoroughly assured of his master's ability to effect a rescue without anyone being the wiser and, from the little she had seen of the Marquess of Kidderham, Rose was inclined to agree with him. To be sure, his lordship had a teasing, irreverent way about him, but she had watched the expression in his eyes change in an instant from laughter to an intensity of interest and purpose not commonly observed among men of his class. There was no doubt that Lord Chalfont's commanding figure and masterful air had even caused the little maid's heart to beat faster, no matter how loyal she was to dear Jem, her childhood sweetheart and the son of a prosperous farmer back in Thornby. While Rose was busy with these speculations, Richards was at the Portman Street barracks inquiring after Harriet's brother who, it appeared, had just returned from guard duty at St. James. The captain was on his way to his quarters when one of his fellow officers pointed to Richards waiting for him, note in hand.
Charlie cocked a questioning eyebrow at the batman before taking the note and scanning it quickly. "The. damned—"
"Gently, sir, gently," Richards admonished, leading him off to a corner. "Now the marquess is as capable a gentleman as ever drew breath. He'll put things to rights, sir, never fear. 228
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Your going after him will only upset his plans. Furthermore, I believe he would consider it insubordination on your part were you to interfere," he remonstrated sternly at the sight of young Fareham's flushed face and clenched fists. The severity of his tone had its desired effect. The captain sank into a nearby chair and frowned ferociously at the floor.
"Besides, there is the rest of the note in which his lordship asks you to take care of things on this end, things that are equally important for helping the, er, young lady in question. You know ladies, sir, their reputations are as precious to them as their lives."
Charlie snorted, "Not my—"
"Shhh. No names, please." Richards held a warning finger to his lips. "Discretion is all. His lordship needs you for this task because it is one that only you can accomplish. Now, let me explain it further."
Quickly and quietly the batman outlined Lord Chalfont's plan and supervised the writing of the note that would inform the household of Charlie escorting his sister to the Egyptian Hall.
"And now if you'll just wait here, sir, all right and tight, I shall come find you when they have returned and you can conduct her to Berkeley Square with no one the wiser." After faithfully promising Charlie that he would be included in any further punishment exacted from Sir Neville, should the man have the temerity to return to London, Richards bid him a cheery good day and made his way back to Mount Street, secure in the knowledge that he had done a respectable day's work.
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The carriage bowled along at a slapping pace and for some time Harriet gazed unseeingly out the window, comparing this trip with the one she had taken only a few hours earlier. How desperate she had felt then, and how secure now. Thinking this, she could not help turning to the man who had effected this miraculous transformation and smiling at him gratefully. Harriet struggled for a way to convey her thanks and to let him know how indebted she felt, but the words would not come. How did a person thank someone for saving one's life—
for that was most certainly what Lord Chalfont had done. Harriet knew she could not have borne to live if Sir Neville had accomplished all that he had set out to do. Even now, her repugnance for him made it difficult to accept the fact that he had touched her. She wanted nothing so much as to get home where Rose would pour her a bath and she could wash every trace of contact with him from her.
"I cannot tell you how—" Harriet began and then stopped. She had been going to say that she was grateful, but
grateful
was a pale expression of her true feelings and
thank you
was no better, but it was all she could come up with. "I cannot think why you went to such trouble to save me, but—"
