Pascale Duguay (7 page)

Her aunt seemed to think they were in the middle of a fairytale instead of some bizarre nightmare.

Patience tried another course. “Lady Rutherford also looked as if she needed to adjust to the situation herself. I did not get the feeling she is in favour of this marriage, aunt.”

“Of course she is! Do not imagine she does not want you for a daughter-in-law. I know for a fact that she is thrilled at the notion.”

“How would you know such a thing?” At her aunt’s sudden guilty look, a suspicious thought crossed her mind. “Aunt, have you been discussing me with Lady Rutherford?”

“Do not glare at me like that, child! What if I did? Mothers do that, you know. They probe here and there to test the waters so to speak. Since your mother is not around to look after you and your father had shown no interest in the matter up until now with this crazy notion of pairing you up with Carlton, someone had to. And who better than me?”

“But how could you think Julius and I would suit? He has never liked me and the feeling is quite mutual!”

“Come now. Both of you have changed a great deal in the last ten years. Julius has grown into a handsome, responsible man and you into a beautiful and charming girl. Had you really not been able to stand each other still, you would not be so attracted to each other physically, as is obviously the case from what I saw last night.”

“Whether we are attracted to each other on a physical level does not mean we are meant to form a happy couple! Even if Julius truly is attracted by my body, I am afraid that will not be enough to sway his feelings toward me, Aunt. Not to mention Lady Rutherford’s.”

Lady Westbury shook her head at that. “The situation is not as it appears. Lady Rutherford’s concern over this marriage is not aimed at herself but at you. You see, she had a very disastrous marriage. Julius’ father was a drunk and a brute who took out his frustrations on his wife. She never discusses that part of her life, but I know for a fact that he beat her more than once. I was never more glad than on the day he died. I suspect she is simply worried that you may be heading for just such a marriage.”

At her niece’s stricken look she added hastily, “Not that she thinks her son would do all the bad things his father did, of course! However, she holds very strong feelings against forced marriages as she had no say in marrying Rutherford. Like me, she would have preferred had you willingly chosen each other instead of being compromised. But knowing the two of you as I do, I am certain things will turn out for the best.”

Patience could see that it was no use pursuing the subject. However, another point still needed to be discussed.

“What about Papa?”

“Oh, do not worry about him. I will immediately set to write him a letter telling him of your whereabouts and your forthcoming engagement. That should put an end to his schemes. I am sure he will see the advantages in you marrying an Earl instead of that old coot of a squire.” Lady Westbury frowned. “I must say, I wonder what put that idea into his head? Your father certainly used to be a different man when your mother was around. He has always been reckless, of course, no more so than when he eloped with Lilly. But in his defence, one could at least say that he did it for love and not money. Although Lilly’s family had considerable wealth, he knew very well they would cut all ties and disown them should they go so far as to elope. Had your mother lived, you would have had a very different upbringing. Robert only took to gambling after Lilly’s death. One would have thought he would transfer his affection to his only child. But he was a selfish man by nature except with your mother, whom he would have given the moon had he been able to. We Binghams love only once, your grandfather used to say. You could do much worse than give your heart to Julius, child.”

Patience held back a groan. For now she would have to be satisfied that her father and Sir Rupert would not be troubling her anymore. She would just have to find a way to get rid of Julius on her own. She still had hope that Lady Rutherford was not merely concerned about her happiness. After seeing her pale countenance last night, it was difficult to imagine otherwise.

“Now leave me to my chocolate and my letter, child.”

But before Patience had taken more than two steps, her aunt added, “Don’t you have anything more fetching to wear, dear, than that abominable grey garment?”

“I am afraid not. I had to leave all of my dresses behind.”

“No matter. Henrietta and I will see to that later. But for now, go to the wardrobe and take out the yellow muslin. Yes, that one. Hold it in front of you.”

Patience held the garment against her body while her aunt examined her with an expert eye.

“Yes, that should do. You and I are pretty much of the same size and shape. If any adjustments are needed, my woman will take care of it. Oh, and take the matching slippers and scarf. Those rustic shoes are simply not the thing and those red marks on your neck will occasion too much talk. Now, run along to your room and change. Lady Rutherford is expecting us in the Blue Salon at eleven. And for heaven’s sake, get rid of that awful dress and those shoes. I never want to set eyes on them again!”

Patience returned to her room to try the new garment. As her aunt had predicted, it fit her perfectly. But as for discarding her grey dress and serviceable shoes, she had no intention of doing so. She could not imagine traipsing around the countryside in satin slippers and muslin dresses. They would be ruined in no time. She meant to visit the Marlows to apologize for the deception and any embarrassment she may have caused them. If she went for her walks early in the mornings, her aunt would not be subjected to the sight of them and therefore could not have any objections. She placed the two articles in the empty armoire. Fixing the scarf around her neck so that it hid the red marks, she made her way to the Blue Salon.

She arrived first and took a turn about the room.
This must be what it feels like to be standing at the bottom of the sea.
The walls were covered in pale blue wallpaper while the curtains, furniture coverings, and rugs were of various matching shades of blue. Her aunt and Lady Rutherford came in shortly after, choosing to sit side by side on an azure settee, while Patience sat facing them in one of the surrounding turquoise armchairs.

Now that Patience had more leisure to study the Earl’s mother, she did so hoping to catch any hint of disapproval in the woman’s face or manners. But Lady Rutherford showed no sign of wishing Patience at Jericho. She was all amiability this morning, her languid movements and serene disposition in sharp contrast with her aunt’s vivid and colourful personality.

“I suppose you will wish to return to London after the ball?” Patience heard Lady Rutherford say.

“As much as I hate to leave you, my dear Henrietta, we will have so much to do that I fear we will not be able to linger. Patience must be introduced into Society as soon after the party as possible if we are to set tongues to rest.”

“Oh, were you planning on holding a ball, Lady Rutherford?” Patience asked. “I hope my presence will not inconvenience you.”

“Silly child!” exclaimed her aunt. “You will be the guest of honour! This is to be your engagement party.”

Patience gazed at them stunned before managing to say, “Isn’t it too soon? Surely there must be plenty of time for that at a later date!”

“The sooner we hold your engagement party, the sooner we can stop tongues waggling,” explained her aunt. “By the time we set foot in London, your indiscretion will be a thing of the past and invitations to the most select outings will be piled high to the ceiling!”

“But the Earl and I barely know each other.” Patience knew she was grasping at straws, but she was running out of excuses faced with such a determined pair.

“Do not fret, child.” Her aunt waved a hand dismissively. “You will have plenty of opportunity to appreciate what a fine husband you will be getting. A month should be more than sufficient.”

“A month! You plan on having this wedding in a month?” Patience jumped to her feet, unable to contain herself any longer.

“Why, yes. What is there to wait for? Doing so would only start the rumour going that we were stalling for time and waiting to find a way out.”

As this was exactly what Patience had hoped for in delaying the wedding, she could only throw up her hands in frustration. It seemed the two older ladies were a force to be reckoned with.

“Besides, we thought it would be the perfect way to celebrate your coming of age, dear, as it will be held on your birthday.”

Patience could not have agreed less. She paced the room frowning darkly at the navy blue rug. She vaguely heard that the engagement party was to be held this coming Thursday, only five days from now. Of course, Lady Westbury would have her London modiste sent for immediately. That lady would be more than happy to be called upon to provide the ball gown of the future Countess Rutherford, no matter that it was such short notice.

“Of course,” grumbled Patience under her breath.

“And it just so happens that a very tolerable group of musicians is to be had nearby,” added Lady Rutherford.

Patience stopped pacing, hope budding within her breast. “I cannot dance. Surely you do not expect me to sit out at my own ball or to make a spectacle of myself.”

“Not to worry. We will teach you in no time. Julius is such a fine dancer that we could do no better with the best dancing master in attendance,” Lady Rutherford assured her.

If her father thought Miss Thimble a dragon then what would he think of these two? Patience resumed her pacing. The day had hardly begun and she felt as if it were spiralling out of control.

Julius returned from a long ride astride his black stallion to learn that his mother was waiting for him in her private parlour. Whatever beneficial effects he had derived from the exercise dissipated instantly. One could not keep reality at bay for long, it seemed. Even so, he allowed himself an extra half-hour of freedom by changing into clothing more suitable for his mother’s parlour. Arrayed in a green coat of impeccable cut and fawn-coloured breeches tucked into tasselled Hessians, he was presently admitted into this lady’s apartments.

Lady Rutherford was seated on a plush reclining chair, a book lying open on her lap as she stared into space, lost in thought. At the sound of his name being announced by her maid, she looked up, produced a welcoming smile and offered him her hand. Julius took it and kissed it affectionately before sitting down on an adjoining chair.

Lady Rutherford dismissed her maid before asking, “How are you this morning, Julius? I hear you have been out riding? I hope your injury has not bothered you?”

“Not in the least, Mother. I found I greatly needed the exercise after being kept abed for so long.”

The words were out before he realized what he had just said. Seeing the red spots suddenly tinting his mother’s cheeks, he knew she was aware of the double entendre.

“That girl must be a magician to have been able to perform such a feat! I have never known anyone else capable of keeping you to your bed when you were ill.”

Now it was his turn to blush.

“Indeed.” Julius glared at the toes of his highly polished Hessians. “It would seem she has managed to perform many feats, including ensnaring me into her net!”

“Come now. Don’t you think you are overreacting? I am sure that if you knew the whole, you would see her in a very different light.”

“Then by all means, pray do enlighten me.”

Lady Rutherford paused. She looked out the window as if seeking inspiration to find the words most likely to soothe her son’s temper. When her gaze returned to Julius she said, “Patience did not ensnare you as you would like to believe. She was simply running away from a bad situation at home. Her father suddenly made up his mind to marry her off to an old friend of his. She did not wish for such a match, but her odious father left her no choice in the matter, so she ran away in the hope of meeting her aunt, whom she knew to be staying with me.”

“Ah yes, Lord Bingham,” Julius snarled. “Now why can’t I make myself believe that he had no hand in bringing us together, especially since such a connection would provide him with the funds necessary to pursue his gambling activities?”

“Lord Bingham is a gambler?” Lady Rutherford put a hand to her throat. “Oh, my, Louisa said no such thing to me. That does put a spoke in our plan.”

“Plan? What plan?”

The hand at her throat fluttered. “Do not pay me any heed. I was just thinking out loud.”

“I am still very curious about these thoughts, Mother.”

Lady Rutherford’s composure faltered under her son’s levelled gaze. “It was not a plan, exactly. Lady Westbury and I just wanted to give the two of you an opportunity to get to know each other better. I am aware that Patience did not show to best advantage as an eleven-year-old girl. I was hoping you would see her in a better light now that she has reached womanhood.”

Julius scoffed. “Trust me, Mother. After spending nearly a week in her company, I can well assert that she has not changed one bit, nor have my feelings toward her improved in any way. But to tell me you had sent for me for the express purpose of setting me up to be that little witch’s beau, is the outside of enough!”

“You make it sound as if I were planning to marry you off to a veritable monster! Most parents have a say as to whom their offspring marries, you know. There is nothing amiss with a mother wishing to see her son properly married, and there is nothing amiss with Patience, either. Her father may be a gambler, but she comes from very good stock. Her mother was daughter to a marquess, no less. Her aunt swears by her gentle and generous nature, as well as her superior intellect. And do not tell me, Julius, that you do not find her attractive!”

Lady Rutherford stared at her son fixedly, making her meaning quite clear.

Julius nearly squirmed in his chair as he remembered the way he had been found in bed with Patience, his hands full of her voluptuous breasts.

“May I remind you that if you had not intended to marry the girl, you should most certainly not have shared a bed with an unwed lady of quality?”

“There is no need to remind me, but had your innocent lady of quality revealed her true identity at the outset instead of running off from her home in the guise of quite a different kind of female, this would never have happened in the first place. Be that as it may, rest assured that I will do everything that is proper, even though the lady in question seems quite unaware of proper behaviour!”

“I am happy to hear that, Julius, since the engagement ball is to be held on Thursday.”

“So soon! Don’t you find you are being rather too precipitous, Mother?”

“Not at all. As her aunt and I have already explained to Patience, it is the only way to set tongues to rest at once. Patience will never be accepted by Society otherwise when she goes to London. And by having the wedding a month hence, we will be assured that this story will be quickly forgotten.”

“Won’t rushing into this marriage set tongues waggling in another direction? I am sure all the old tabbies will be counting the exact days from our marriage to the birth of our first born!”

“If, as you say, nothing happened, then that will not be an issue.”

“But how will you manage to have an engagement party ready in time and guests invited on such short notice?”

“It is short notice to be sure, but no one will want to miss the biggest surprise engagement of the season. I will find myself astonished if this party does not turn out to be a success. The ton is always eager to attend such events, especially as Patience is still an unknown and much mystery shrouds this affair.”

His mother had covered all the angles, it seemed. Julius had run out of pretexts, if not to get out of marrying Patience, at least to postpone the engagement. Knowing there was nothing left to be said on the matter, he bowed himself out and escaped to his study to brood over recent events.

He poured himself a drink and slumped in the leather chair behind his desk, turning to stare out the floor-to-ceiling windows giving onto the south lawns. His life used to be as well ordered as the immaculate scenery spread before him. Like Mitchell, his gardener, he had been the king of his domain: every blade of grass, every flower was in its place because he had allowed it. But it had taken only a little red-haired imp to turn his whole life upside down. An imp that could not remain still for more than a few seconds at a time; an imp that caused havoc wherever she went; an imp with an adorable dimple in her left cheek and devilishly alluring curves that would turn any sensible male mind to mush. And that same imp would drive him crazy within a se’nnight if he were to be married to her, which it seemed was exactly what would happen unless a miracle walked in right at this moment.

The door to his study flew open, jerking the Earl out of his reveries.

“Jule, best of good fellows, I knew I would find you here!”

A tall young man in his early twenties strode into the room and fell onto the couch opposite Julius’ desk. A ray of sunlight fell onto his blond hair, turning it to gold. His expressive blue eyes were fringed with thick lashes more suited for a girl, but which fitted his cherubic features perfectly.

“My dear Philip. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” asked Julius in a wooden voice.

“Come now, Jule, do not put on these high airs with me! Do I need an excuse to visit my favourite cousin?”

“As it is widely known that you do not like the country, it seems a bit unusual for you to come see me here, so far from London’s fashionable quarters.”

Philip made a comical moue. “Had you returned to your town house when you were supposed to, I would not have felt obliged to endure the rigours of country life to see how fared my benefactor.”

“May I infer by this that you are short of funds again, Philip?”

“Not short precisely. Just in need of a greater sum than I currently have available!”

“What is it this time? An opera dancer or a new curricle?”

“Actually, it is a pair of matched bays. But I won’t tell you more as you would surely outbid me were you to lay eyes on such a perfect pair!”

Julius unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk, removed a pile of bills and handed the lot to his ward.

“Since I trust your judgement when it comes to horseflesh, I feel no qualms in handing these bills over to you. Who knows, I may even buy this fine pair off of you next time we meet.”

Philip rose and took the bills.

“I would not count on it, Julius! I do not intend to part with them for a long time to come! But now I must be off if I do not wish to have a march stolen on me. Charles Wilbury was very keen to get his hands on them also. That reminds me, Charles wished to know if ever I managed to find you, why you did not keep your appointment with him yesterday. I was surprised to hear that my saintly cousin could act so shabbily toward his best friend.”

Julius had completely forgotten about his appointment with Charles. As there was nothing he could do about it now, he simply shrugged off his cousin’s comment. “You can tell him I ran into an unfortunate contretemps, and offer him my most sincere apologies.”

Philip nodded, opened the door, took a step outside and stumbled into a soft body swathed in yellow muslin. Catching the damsel before she could fall to the floor, he helped her steady herself on her feet. He immediately withdrew his hands, though he did not move away from her and his surprised smile took on a more mischievous look.

“Jule, you old dog, you never told me you had such a pretty creature within your walls. No wonder you’ve been holed up here for so long!”

Julius watched as Patience lifted her eyes to the tall man beside her and smiled. His chest tightened at the charming picture they made. Quickly discarding the unwelcome feeling, he said, “Philip must you molest every pretty girl you meet? I am sure Miss Bingham no longer requires your excessive proximity.”

Philip laughed before stepping back from the pretty girl in question and bowing elegantly over her hand.

“Please, pardon my atrocious manners. My only excuse is that my senses deserted me as soon as I laid eyes on such beautiful features.” He gave a mischievous wink, causing Patience to giggle.

“It is difficult to take offence at such a prettily worded speech. Your excuses are accepted, sir.”

Philip did not take his gaze from her face, but spoke to Julius. “May I have the pleasure of an introduction, Julius? You cannot continue to leave me in suspense about the identity of this angel.”

“This,” said Julius suddenly appearing at their side and taking back the hand that Philip was still holding, “is Miss Patience Bingham, a guest in my home, and as of very recently, my fiancée. Miss Bingham, please allow me to introduce Philip Rutherford, my cousin and ward.”

“Your fiancée?” Philip finally looked away from Patience. “This is a surprise indeed!”

“Yes, now didn’t you have urgent business to attend to, Philip?” asked Julius, waving him toward the door.

“No, nothing that I cannot send my man to conclude in my stead. In fact, I believe that some country air would do me wonders at the moment. I think I will stay on for a while.”

The Earl’s brows drew together in a forbidding line. He had enough on his plate already and was not in the mood for more. He could have done without his puppy of a cousin making a nuisance of himself as Julius was certain he would do. Knowing he would not leave unless forcibly thrown off the premises, however, he walked to the bell pull and rang for the butler.

When the butler appeared Julius said, “Simmons, please show Mister Rutherford to his usual quarters and make sure his belongings are unpacked to his satisfaction. We will see you later at luncheon, Philip.”

“May I interpret this to mean that I am dismissed?”

“You have interpreted me correctly.”

“Then I will bid you
au revoir
, Miss Bingham. I look forward to meeting you again later.” Philip bowed and gave her another mischievous wink before straightening up and walking away with a jaunty step.

Julius closed the door on his impudent cousin. Now that he thought about it, maybe he should be grateful for the lad’s presence at this time. His flirting nature and good looks might be just what he needed to get him out of this unwanted marriage. He would have to give it more consideration, but first he needed to deal with this new interruption.

He turned to Patience. “Was there something you wished to see me about, Miss Bingham?”

“I wanted to know whether you were aware that an engagement party was to take place this Thursday.”

“If by that you are referring to ‘our’ engagement party, then yes, I am very well aware of it.”

“I thought that as neither of us wishes to be married to the other, surely we could come up with a plan to stop this before it goes too far. Once our engagement is announced, this will be much more difficult to accomplish. We only have a few days, so we must act quickly.”

Julius raised an eyebrow at this little speech. After their encounter in the breakfast room that morning, did she still think he was fool enough to believe she would not wish to marry him? No female in her right mind would refuse his offer of marriage, especially a Bingham. What did she think to accomplish by pretending otherwise?

“Why, have you come up with another fantastic story to bamboozle Society this time? Your lies did not get you far with simple country folk. I sincerely doubt they will be effective on a grander scale.”

At these words, her conciliating tone was suddenly replaced with anger. “If you had not meddled in my affairs, I would be safely with my aunt at the moment preparing to enjoy my first come out! All I asked of you was to drive me to the Blue Boar. If you had let me go as soon as we got there, I would not have missed the coach, suffered the advances of that lewd innkeeper, been waylaid by a highwayman, flung out of your curricle, and ended up having to nurse the most disagreeable man it has ever been my misfortune to meet!”