The Disappearing Duchess (9 page)

She sighed, her throat tight with emotion. ‘I think I have killed your affection for me. I fear this marriage will not work.’

‘We shall not let it fail.’ The pressure of his fingers was almost painful as he looked down at her. For a moment passion blazed in his eyes and then he bent his head, brushing his mouth softly over hers. Her lips parted on a sigh and his tongue entered her mouth as he
deepened the kiss. Lucinda’s fingers moved at his nape as she relished his caress, a little shiver running through her. Her body had begun to heat and she wanted to cling to him, but held back for fear of displeasing him. His eyes darkened and he frowned as he withdrew. ‘Go to bed, Lucinda. I shall not disturb you.’

Her disappointment was sharp. For a moment she’d thought he had forgiven her, but then she’d sensed his withdrawal. What had she done wrong?

‘Very well, good night, Justin.’

Walking away from him, she felt the sting of tears, but fought against them. She must learn not to be hurt by his moods and his harsh words. If this was to be her life, she had to learn to cope with her secret grief and show a smiling face to the world.

* * *

Lucinda walked swiftly, wanting to be home before Justin came to look for her. Their quarrel of the previous evening was still sharp in her mind and she had no wish to cause a breach between them.

It was as she was walking across the smooth lawns that she saw her husband coming towards her and knew that she had been discovered.

‘You are up early, Lucinda?’

‘You know that I enjoy a walk early in the morning,’ she said with a smile that covered her trepidation. ‘Do you not recall the morning that you took me to see the swans?’

‘The swans…?’ Justin was puzzled, then he smiled. ‘Yes, of course. You were staying with Jane Lanchester
and expressed a wish to see the new cygnets on the lake. I came for you early and we had breakfast here.’

Lucinda nodded. ‘It was that day you proposed to me, Justin. We had such a lovely time. We went for a long walk and you arranged a picnic by the lake. I fed croissants to the swans and you said they would do much better on the special pellets you keep for them—but you did not scold me.’

‘It is not my wish to scold you, Lucinda.’ Justin looked rueful as he offered her his arm. ‘I shall try to do better, my love—if you will forgive me for my shocking temper.’

‘Of course I forgive you. You are my husband.’

‘Perhaps you would like to go for a drive later?’

‘Yes, thank you. I should enjoy that very much.’

‘Then it will be my pleasure to take you.’

Lucinda’s hand trembled slightly on his arm. His manner was charming and he was once more the man she had married—but his mood would turn to anger again if he guessed where she had been that morning.

How much longer could she keep her guilty secret?

* * *

For the next ten days Lucinda had coped by getting up very early. She was at the cottage by seven each morning and returned by nine-thirty, giving her maid instructions that she would breakfast alone in her room at a quarter to ten. Since most ladies did not leave their rooms much before noon, she was able to see her beloved daughter and attend to her duties in the house without occasioning notice.

On the day of the ball she returned at nine-thirty as usual to discover Justin sitting in a chair in her boudoir. He rose as she entered, his eyes taking note of the plainness of her gown and her hair hanging loose about her face.

‘Is it your habit to rise so early on the day of an important ball? I should have thought you would take the opportunity to rest, Lucinda.’

‘You know I like to walk,’ she replied with quiet dignity. ‘Since it is necessary for me to fulfil my duties here, I have found it convenient to walk before breakfast. The business of the day is done before nuncheon and I am free to spend my afternoon with you should you wish for company—or to receive friends.’

‘I like to ride before breaking my fast,’ he said. ‘It would be pleasant if you could accompany me sometimes.’

‘Yes, of course if you wish it—if you let me know in time.’

‘Very well. In future I shall mention my preference before we part for the evening. I did not think I should need to make an appointment with my own wife, but since you are so busy I must make it a rule.’

It seemed that nothing she did was right for her husband and her eyes stung with the tears she would not shed. These past few days had been pleasant enough on the surface; for a moment as he’d kissed her, she’d believed the old Justin was back—but his resentment was still there, eating at him. At times she saw passion
in his eyes and believed he was close to making love to her, but each time he drew back, retreating behind that cool reserve.

‘If you wish, I can change into a suitable gown now.’

‘I think not,’ he said and moved towards the door, glancing back at her. ‘Did you happen to meet anyone on your walk this morning?’

‘I glimpsed one of your keepers in the wood, but other than that saw no one. Should I have seen someone or something?’

‘It was merely an idle question,’ he said. For a moment his eyes dwelled on her, as if questioning or searching for answers he could not find. ‘Everything is ready for this evening. You should rest while you can, Lucinda. You will not wish to be tired this evening.’

‘I shall not tire myself, Justin. However, I wish to see for myself that everything is as it ought to be. This is our first ball and I want everything to be perfect for your friends.’

‘I hope they will be your friends too, Lucinda,’ he said, frowning as he went out.

She sat down at her dressing table, her heart racing. Why had Justin been waiting for her to return? Could he have discovered her secret?

She might have to tell him soon, but not yet. If they quarrelled again before the ball, it would create an atmosphere. She must wait until after this evening and then perhaps she would confess her secret. If Justin understood why she went for a walk every day, he might not be so suspicious.

* * *

Guests began arriving soon after eleven that morning. Justin had advised Lucinda to rest, but since he had gone riding alone and not returned, she was left with the duty of greeting his friends and arranging for them to be shown to their rooms.

‘Some of his Grace’s relatives have special rooms that are kept for their use,’ Mrs Mann had told her a few days previously. ‘And other friends like to be put at the rear of the house rather than the front, but I have a list of accommodation for you to approve.’

Lucinda glanced at the list. ‘I have no fault to find, but I would like to see the rooms once they are ready, just in case anything else is needed.’

At the start the housekeeper had been disapproving, but she was gradually warming towards Lucinda. When she had suggested that there should be flowers in all the guestrooms, brandy for the gentlemen, wine and sweetmeats for the ladies, her housekeeper had smiled and agreed.

‘They are the kind of things that guests like to find in their rooms, because it saves them asking for extras to be brought. Some people ring their bell for service all the time, but others do not like to seem too demanding.’

‘I think it is nice to have something at hand in that time between going up to your room and dressing for the evening—and before bed. So if all the rooms are supplied earlier in the afternoon, it will save the maids having to run upstairs a dozen times before dinner.’

‘That is thoughtful of you, my lady. I suppose you have not had the time to consider what should be done for the attic rooms?’

‘I need a little more time to consider.’

Lucinda had put the matter to the back of her mind, because the ball was more pressing and Angela had seemed fairly settled at the cottage. She still cried when her mother left her, but she was becoming less clinging, growing used to the idea that her mother came and went each day.

What would she do if Justin decided to take her to Paris or perhaps London? It was bound to happen in time. Lucinda could only hope that by the time he was ready for such a visit her daughter would be happier, content to stay with Nanny.

With the arrival of her guests, Lucinda had no time to give her daughter more than a passing thought. She was constantly greeting people, many of whom she had never seen before. It was a relief when Justin returned at noon and apologised for leaving her to cope alone.

‘I managed well enough. However, I am sure your guests will be pleased to see you.’

‘Our guests, Lucinda,’ he reminded her. ‘You are the hostess here, my dear.’

‘Yes, of course.’

* * *

Jane and Andrew Lanchester did not arrive until the early evening, when everyone was gathering for the ball. The guests who were staying had been served high tea and given sandwiches, lemon barley, brandy and
wine in their rooms. A lavish supper would be served at about ten and the dancing began at seven.

Everyone was excited when they took off their cloaks, exclaiming over each other’s costumes. Jane was wearing a flowing green gown, because she said it was the true colour for witches. She wore her long dark hair loose about her face and a pendent of lapis lazuli about her neck

‘The lapis has magic powers,’ she said with a smile. ‘I am, of course, a white witch and use my magic only for good—some of your other guests look more sinister.’

Their guests had various ideas of what a witch or wizard should look like. Most of the men had chosen black and taken what could only be described as a medieval theme, wearing tight hose and tunics that fitted to the waist or fell in loose folds to mid-thigh, depending on their age and stature. The ladies were less adventurous, though several had dressed in flowing medieval style gowns similar to Jane’s. One lady had very long nails, which she had dyed with a green colour that looked very effective; some wore a velvet mask, and others had a pointed hat, which they soon discarded.

Andrew Lanchester had come dressed as a medieval knight. He grinned at Lucinda as he saw that she was wearing a green-and-white gown with fronds, which fluttered like leaves of silk, hanging from an embroidered band beneath her breasts. On her head she wore a tiny skullcap of gold threads.

‘I think you must be the Queen of the elves,’ he said.
‘I am Sir Lancelot and I’ve come prepared to rescue any ladies in danger of being enchanted by these wicked wizards.’

Lucinda laughed. ‘I am not sure that any ladies are in danger at the moment,’ she said. She glanced at her husband, who was wearing a green-velvet tunic that fitted into his waist and then flared out in little pleats, his tight-fitting hose in a matching shade. He had a little fringed cape of black silk and beads that fell in a point over one shoulder. Again it was the medieval style, but had something of an elfish look. ‘I am quite disappointed that no one dressed up as a troll to frighten us all.’

‘I doubt that anyone was certain of what a troll should look like,’ Andrew said. ‘I do not believe I have ever met one—what does a troll do, do you imagine?’

‘He or she lives under a bridge, eats rotten fruit, has exceedingly bad manners and is very aggressive,’ Lucinda replied laughingly.

‘Indeed?’ Andrew raised his right eyebrow. ‘I believe I have met one or two after all, but they do not appear to be here this evening. Clearly, you had the good sense not to invite them.’

‘Trolls need no invitation,’ Lucinda said. ‘Perhaps it is as well that they have decided to stay away.’

The servants were circulating with trays and people helped themselves to glasses of champagne. To give the ball an atmosphere, Lucinda had asked the servants to hang banners of green-and-black silk, from which dangled
little spiders, toads and black cats, which she had made herself from paper, ribbon and scraps of velvet. Justin had discovered a beautiful crystal ball, which had been set in the middle of a display of prickly holly, some white lilies and little dishes of biscuits in the shapes of witches, wizards, toads and black cats.

Outside the ballroom there were lanterns hung in the trees and Lucinda had painted silhouettes of witches, wizards and black cats on the glass so that when it got dark they would throw shadows onto the lawns. There was to be a firework display at the end of the evening, which the gardeners had been busy setting up all day, and the guests would watch from the safety of the veranda.

Lucinda and Justin opened the ball together. Everyone smiled and applauded them as they performed alone for a few minutes, then gradually other couples joined in and soon everyone was dancing. As soon as Justin released her, Lucinda was besieged by gentlemen wishing to dance with her.

‘This is a jolly fine evening, duchess,’ one rather portly gentleman told her. ‘These clothes are a deal more comfortable than the tight breeches they make us wear these days.’

‘You make an excellent wizard, Sir John,’ she said and smiled at her husband’s cousin. ‘I am so glad you are enjoying yourself.’

‘I can’t recall when I’ve enjoyed an evening more.
Your decorations are enchanting—naïve and different. Justin tells me you did it all yourself?’

‘Yes, I thought it would be amusing. I copied the silhouettes from a children’s book I found in the nursery.’

‘Well, I like it better than some of these fancy affairs they hold in London where everything is so formal and professional—there is a bit of fun about what you’ve done, m’dear. Not enough of it about if you ask me. Justin is a lucky dog.’

‘How kind of you to say so, sir.’

Since his remarks were more or less what everyone was saying, Lucinda felt relieved. She had not had time to send to London for professionally made decorations, but had enjoyed making them herself.

‘You were always good at drawing,’ Jane said when they spoke later. ‘I was thinking we might employ a designer for our Christmas ball this year, but I think I shall not bother. Perhaps you will help me decide on something pretty to decorate our ballroom?’

‘I shall be delighted to,’ Lucinda said and smiled as Andrew came towards them. ‘I was a little anxious—I did not know I was expected to have a theme until your brother mentioned it, but everything has turned out well.’