The Duchess (5 page)

“Fortunately Arthur left monies in his will for both Sirena's season and her dowry. It is identical to that of
my two elder daughters, and more than adequate,” Lady Abbott said proudly

“And being in the company of her cousin won't hurt either,” the redoubtable lady replied. “I assume Septimius is giving them both a ball? What a house this is for entertaining! What a pity it is only used by Lord Morgan when he is in town managing his many affairs.”

“My father does not cheesepare, madame,” Allegra spoke up boldly. “Of course he will give a ball for both of us. Sirena's will be at the beginning of May, and mine at the end of that month. If you wish to know the dates, I can call Mr. Trent. He keeps track of such matters for us.”

“Allegra!”
Lady Abbott's voice was anguished.

“Bless me, the gel is hardly shy,” Lady Bellingham chuckled. “Don't scold her, Olympia. I like her. She is not the usual simpering miss I meet each season.” Her gaze swung about to Allegra. “Have Charles Trent check with me regarding the dates of your balls, my dear. You don't want to find out when it is too late that there is a more important event those nights. And you will want Prinny at your balls. Nothing adds the stamp of success to a gel's own ball than having Prinny there.”

“Tea, m'lady?” Marker asked, prepared to pour from the silver pot.

“Gracious, yes!” Lady Bellingham replied. “Septimius keeps the best store of tea in town, I am told.” She sniffed the steam arising from the cup that Marker had handed her. “Ohh, yes!” she approved and, spilling some into her deep saucer, sipped. “Ah, indeed!”

Lady Abbott felt weak with relief. Clarice Bellingham had approved both of the girls despite Allegra's quick tongue. Their entry into society was therefore assured. She sipped her own tea, and once fortified said, “It is so nice of you to call on us, Clarice. I cannot take the girls
out until their new wardrobes are ready. We must not make a bad impression, or give rise to jealous gossip from the other mamas.”

“Rightly so!” Lady Bellingham responded. “When Miss Allegra and Lady Sirena first appear, they must be seen as the height of fashion. I assume Madame Paul is doing the gowns.”

“She sent her assistant down to Morgan Court to measure,” Lady Abbott divulged proudly. “A footman has already been sent to her shop to inform her we are here, and ready for fittings.”

Lady Bellingham nodded. “Have you obtained a date for your gels to be presented at court yet?”

“Clarice! We are just arrived several hours ago,” Lady Abbott protested, half laughing.

“I will have Bellingham arrange it for them immediately. They should be presented in the first wave of young ladies. Make certain that Madame Paul has their court gowns ready first. I will send to you when a date has been obtained.”

“Are court gowns different from the others, madame?” Allegra asked the older woman.

“Indeed they are, my dear. Hooped skirts are still required at court, not to mention elaborate wigs with ridiculous decor atop them.”

“I have never worn a wig,” Allegra told her.

Lady Bellingham smiled. “And you are unlikely to after you have been presented at court. It is such a needless yet necessary expense, for it is required, although I do not know why.”

“Gracious! I have forgotten the wig maker!” Lady Abbott cried.

“Have Mr. Trent make an appointment with Monsieur Dupont, and say that I recommended you to him.
Charles knows how to handle it,” Lady Bellingham replied with a smile.

“Your faith in me is deeply appreciated,” Mr. Trent said as he came into the garden. Taking Lady Belling-ham's hand up, he kissed it, smiling. “You are as magnificent as ever, madame,” he told her.

Lady Bellingham chuckled. It was a deep, rich sound. “What a pity you are the youngest, Charles,” she said. “You have the bearing of an earl, but you are still a rogue. Since your father yet survives, it is to be hoped that your eldest brother will either gain some sense before his demise, or die himself from the drink so your brother out in India can inherit. He probably will one day, anyway,” she finished frankly.

A shadow of a smile passed over Charles Trent's face. Then he said, “The first of May for Lady Sirena, and the thirtieth of the month for Miss Allegra?”

Lady Bellingham thought a moment. “Yes,” she finally said. “There are some unimportant events being given by some unimportant people those nights. Get your invitations out immediately, Charles.”

“They are already written,” he replied, now smiling openly.

“Rogue!” she repeated with a chuckle. “Then why did you ask if you already knew?”

“Because, madame, you know more than I do, and usually before I do,” he explained. “Besides, I value your approval.” He bowed to her. “You ladies will excuse me,” he said, and hurried off.

“Clever of Septimius to engage him,” Lady Bellingham said. “He is utterly invaluable, but I do not believe for one moment that I know anything before he does. What a flattering devil he is.” She chuckled again. Then she grew serious. “I understand there will be an unusual
number of young eligible gentlemen this season, and fewer ladies than is usual. Both of you should have husbands before it is all over.” Then she thought a moment before she spoke again. “Olympia! My ball is in ten days' time. It is always considered the official opening of the season. Do not accept any invitations before then for your gels. Those silly chits, just out of their schoolrooms, are even now parading themselves about the park, giggling behind their hands at the gentlemen. There isn't one of them that I've yet seen who can hold a candle to either of your two gels. Of course everyone knows they have come to town, but keep them out of sight until the night of the ball. It will make their first appearance and entry into society spectacular!” She chortled wickedly. “All the men will want to meet them that evening. The doting mamas will be absolutely furious.”

“What a wonderful idea, Clarice!” Lady Abbott agreed. “And as you have assured me that there are plenty of gentlemen to go around this year, I need not feel a bit guilty about using such a tactic.”

“Zounds, Aunt, is that not devilishly wicked of you?” Allegra teased.

“My child, do not use language like that,” Lady Abbott replied. “It is so common. There is nothing wrong with you and Sirena making a unique entrance into this world you are going to inhabit for the rest of your lives. It is really the best way to get you noticed immediately.”

“Oyez! Oyez!
Two prime young virgins with proper dowries, ready to wed. What am I bid, gentlemen?” Allegra mocked.

“Allegra!”
her aunt cried, distressed, but Sirena giggled.

Lady Bellingham, however, burst out laughing. “She's absolutely right, Olympia.” Then she turned to
Allegra. “Yet, m'dear, how else are you to meet proper gentlemen?”

“I am not certain I want a proper gentleman, madame,” Allegra responded, half seriously, half mischievously

“The naughty ones are more fun, I will agree, and I speak from experience,” Lady Bellingham said with a twinkle in her eye, “but it is the proper ones we marry For our sakes. And for our families'. Sometimes you will find a unique gentleman with both naughty
and
proper qualities. However, they are very rare, m'dear. Do not fear, Allegra Morgan. I will be your guide. I will advise you myself, for I know all about the ten thousand, or the ton as some are now calling us. Trust me, and I will bring you safely through your first season. Hopefully your
only
season.”

“I fear I shall need a pilot to traverse the choppy waters of society, madame. I cannot simper, or be coy. I think those attributes ridiculous. A gentleman with no more on his mind than cards and racing is as much of a featherbrain as a girl who thinks about nothing but gowns and balls,” Allegra said. “I shall be a difficult match, I fear.”

Lady Bellingham reached out, and patted the girl's hand with her own plump white one, which sported three beautiful rings. “There, there, my child,” she said. “There is someone for everyone. Of that I am certain.” Then she heaved her ample bulk from the bench, saying as she did so, “I have surely overstayed my welcome. Olympia, walk with me. Good-bye, my dear gels. I shall look forward to seeing you at my ball.”

When the two older women left the garden Sirena spoke. “Mama says she is a power to be reckoned with in London society.”

“She will be a good friend to us, and I suspect that we are fortunate in that,” Allegra noted shrewdly.

“Do you think that she is right?” Sirena asked her cousin.

“About what in particular?” Allegra replied.

“That there is someone for everyone,” Sirena answered. “What if we go through the entire season, and do not find husbands?”

“We will come back next year,” Allegra said practically. “Not everyone, I am told, bags a husband their first time out.”

“But we will be eighteen in December,” Sirena said.

“And we are seventeen now,” Allegra responded laughing. “Oh, sweet coz, I am not sure I am ready to be married yet. We are just out of the schoolroom. I should like to see something of life and the world before I am settled down into a dull married existence.”

“But I want to be married!”
Sirena said plaintively. “Mama won't move into the dower house until I am safely settled with a husband. I hate living at the hall now. Charlotte so obviously dislikes us. She begrudges Mama and me every mouthful we eat or drink.”

“Marrying to escape your sister-in-law is a rather bad idea,” Allegra said. “If we do not find husbands this season, sweet coz, then you shall spend the summer with me, and in the autumn I shall have Papa take us abroad for the winter months. We will return next season refreshed and most sophisticated from our travels. It will make us far more interesting than the schoolroom chits joining us next year. We shall be utterly fascinating to the gentlemen.”

“Oh, Allegra, you are so sensible! I wish I could be more like you, but I really do want to find the man of my dreams, and have my own home.”

“If that is what you wish,” Allegra responded, “then
it is what I want for you, too, Sirena. You will not have a difficult time in finding suitors. Your background is impeccable. Mine, however, is not. Papa's title is not very old, and my mother's behavior will surely lead the gossips to believe I am like her.”

“But you are so
rich!”
Sirena said frankly. “Mama says all else will be forgotten regarding your background because of your papa's wealth.”

“Oh, yes, my status as Papa's heiress. But I don't want a man marrying me just because I am my father's daughter,” Allegra said.

“You cannot escape what is fact,” Sirena replied.

“I suppose I cannot,” was the thoughtful answer, “but I can certainly judge a man's sincerity, I hope, which may keep me from an unhappy misalliance. My mother married Papa for his wealth when she did not really love him. If she had loved him she could not have fallen in love with her count and run away with him, could she?”

“I suppose not,” Sirena said softly. Her mother had always cautioned her to avoid any prolonged discussion of Allegra's mama. Pandora had, Lady Abbott told her daughter, been the youngest of their father's children. Beautiful, winning when she chose to be, and utterly selfish from her birth, Lady Abbott said. Her divorce from Lord Morgan had been all her fault, not his; and as she would not allow Allegra to suffer because of her mother's bad behavior, Sirena must avoid all conversation leading in that direction with anyone, including Allegra.

It was at that moment that Lady Abbott hurried back into the garden. “Oh, my dears, you have made such a good impression upon Clarice Bellingham! She will lead you both through the season, she has assured me. Her approval is a guarantee of your success!” the good lady
burbled. Then she hugged them both. “And Madame Paul, herself, has arrived with her assistants to personally oversee your fittings. I have explained to her that you must each have a ball gown ready for the Belling-ham ball, and your court dresses almost immediately. Come along, now!”

“Do you think Madame Paul will be as sparrowlike as Mademoiselle Francine?” Allegra whispered to her cousin as they hurried back indoors and up the main staircase of the house to their shared bedchamber suite.

“I don't know,” Sirena whispered back. “She is probably more formidable, for Mademoiselle was very deferential when she spoke of her.”

Madame Paul turned out to be a tall, gaunt woman with iron gray hair, black eyes, and a commanding nature. When the girls entered the room set aside for the fittings she immediately cried, “Off with your gowns, mademoiselles.
Vite! Vite!
The time, it is precious!”

Madame's two little assistants quickly stripped them down to their chemises. Madame clucked and fussed with seemingly shapeless piles of material while Lady Abbott sat expectantly in a high-back tapestried chair.

“Mademoiselle Morgan,” Madame said, beckoning Allegra with a bony finger.
“Ici, s'il vous plaît.
Bess! The cream gown!”

The garment, high waisted with a gently bouffant skirt, a gathered bodice, and short, tight sleeves with exquisite silver lace that hung just to above her elbow, was fitted on Allegra. The skirt's hemline came just off the ground, and had a delicate silver lace overskirt. The rounded neckline was lower than any gown she had ever worn, and seeing her young breasts swelling above the gown's fabric made Allegra blush. She struggled to pull the silk up.

Madame yanked it down with a severe look at her client. “It is the fashion, mademoiselle,” she said in a stern voice.

“Even for such a young girl?” Lady Abbott ventured hesitantly.

“Madame,” the modiste said, “you are offering a new product. Do you not wish it to be seen to its best advantage? Necklines are low this year. Your niece has a pretty bosom, unlike some my studio is dressing, who will need certain … um, aids to show their wares.”

“The gown is indeed lovely,” Lady Abbott said softly.

“Of course it is,” Madame Paul responded. “No one takes the measurements like Francine. Come, mademoiselle, to the looking glass. I would have your opinion, for you are to wear the gown.”