The Miser's Sister (16 page)

So Oliver went to Lady Owington’s ball. The Pardoes arrived late, Sir Edward having dined with a business associate. Sir John Hadrick had been on the lookout for them, and he at once whisked Sir Edward and Lady Pardoe off to be introduced to several acquaintances of his. Rose was pounced on by Lieutenant Drake, and Oliver was left to make his own way into the ballroom.

He had no difficulty in spotting Ruth at once. The cherry-red satin glowed in the arms of Lord Theodore Barrington, and Oliver was not to know that Theo was making do with Ruth as a substitute for Rose. He scowled.

At last the dance was over. Lord Theodore led Ruth to a seat and promptly disappeared, having seen Rose’s arrival. By the time Oliver had made his way across the crowded room Ruth was surrounded by jostling admirers. With an enchanting smile she impartially denied all requests for her hand.

“My card is quite full up!” she pointed out, waving it, “You see, Sir Ernest, Mr Franklin
...
Oliver!”

Already turning away, he did not hear her through the clamour. Her card was quite full up, there was no room for him in her life.

Ruth wanted to jump up and run after him, but that would create a scene and give rise to all the suspicions she was most anxious to avoid. If he made no effort to speak to her, it was because he did not care enough.

All the glittering glamour of the ball turned to worthless tinsel in her eyes. She smiled and chatted to partner after partner, but she scarcely knew one from the next.

Her air of distraction lent a certain mystery, and she was more sought after than ever. Only Lord Sarbury had noticed the incident with Oliver, and he resolved to make it his business to comfort and console her. He was almost glad to see a breach in the self-sufficiency she had till now displayed to the world.

Oliver went straight home and packed, and the next morning he left for Manchester. He wished to consult John Dalton about safety lamps, he explained curtly.

Chapter 15

Lady Hadrick was in a seventh heaven. All morning a stream of callers passed through her drawing room, mostly gentlemen, but with a sprinkling of noble ladies upon whom she would never have ventured to call. Her nieces’ success was beyond her wildest dreams. How wise she had been when she had so generously extended to them the hospitality of her home!

If anything remained to irk her ladyship, it was that Ruth’s admirers seemed both more numerous and generally of higher rank than Letty’s. Letty, she felt, was her own creation, while Ruth had stubbornly refused to be guided by her aunt. However, her visitors did not know that, and Lady Hadrick was soon able to forget as she received compliment after compliment on Ruth’s dashing style.

Lady Laetitia was much in demand, but she could not deny to herself that her sister’s triumph was greater. She was furious. It was supposed to be her season, was it not? Ruth was a selfish old maid who was stealing her glory when she was quite beyond the age to have any use for it herself. Most of Letty’s beaux were callow youths, still tied to their mothers’ apron strings. What business had Ruth monopolising all the handsome Corinthians, the smartest dandies, and worse, the Peers of an age to be looking out for a wife?

Lord Sarbury had been one of the first to arrive, bearing a huge bouquet of cherry-red roses. He had seated himself beside Ruth at once, and refused to be ousted by any of the envious fellows who had not made the effort to rise early. He was a good-looking gentleman in his late twenties who, after several years on the town making a reputation for himself as a Nonpareil and a bit of a rake, had recently inherited his title and the estates that accompanied it.

Immediately abandoning his former way of life, he took his new responsibilities seriously. He claimed his seat in the House of Lords and made a thoughtful and well-received maiden speech on the Corn Laws and Enclosure Acts. His next obligation, his mother had convinced him, was to find a bride and settle down to improve his land and provide her with grandchildren.

Lady Ruth Penderric seemed to him to fit the requirements to perfection. She was a charming companion, a serious-minded young woman who would assist him admirably in his duties, her rank was equal to his own, and as an unexpected bonus, he had fallen in love with her.

Lord Sarbury was more than ready to enter upon a formal courtship.

Lord Theodore was also present that morning, escorting his mama, the formidable dowager Marchioness of Radnor. Lady Radnor wished to meet the young person who was occupying so much of her youngest son’s time.

Theo, whose mama rendered him as speechless as anyone and was probably to blame for his disability, had managed to give the impression that Lady Ruth was the recipient of his attentions. His groom, who reported regularly on his master’s activities, had confirmed that Lord Theodore frequented the house in Curzon Street and was to be seen driving Lady Ruth and a companion in the park almost daily.

Ruth was subjected to an inspection and interrogation that made her understand absolutely why Theo had chosen a diplomatic career. The great object of his life must be to escape from England and the marchioness. He stood by helplessly, looking at Ruth with beseeching spaniel eyes, while Lady Radnor enquired as to her family, her fortune, her brother’s politics, the extent of the Cornish estate, and added a number of personal questions.

Lord Sarbury was filled with admiration at the way she fielded those questions she did not wish to answer, without offending her ladyship. Without ever straying from the truth, she succeeded in reinforcing Lady Radnor’s conviction that she was the object of Theo’s affection.

At last the marchioness graciously and majestically pronounced herself pleased and rose to take her leave.

“I shall be happy if you will take a dish of tea with me one afternoon, Lady Ruth,” she declared. “I shall be at home on Tuesday next.”

Ruth curtsied, feeling that she had received a royal command. At the last minute, Theo found his tongue.

“Thank you,” he whispered gratefully, and added, with a defiant look after the marchioness, “I am going to the City now.”

“Yes, do,” said Ruth, shaking his hand warmly.

Aware that Theo was not a rival, Lord Sarbury was free to express his admiration of the way Ruth had managed Lady Radnor.

“Our
corps diplomatique
loses a great deal by not employing females,” he told her. “You would clearly be a vast improvement over poor Barrington. I don’t know when I have seen a neater cross cut.”

Ruth looked enquiry.

“I beg your pardon, Lady Ruth. Boxing cant. A successful cross cut requires a certain talent at misdirection.”

Ruth blushed.

“I hope you do not think I am in the habit of misleading people, Lord Sarbury. Theo looked so despairing, I could not fail him. I suppose his mama would not approve of Rose.”

“I’m afraid not. Lady Radnor is notoriously high in the instep. However, with you as their friend, I daresay they will come about. If there is anything I can do to help, you must not hesitate to ask.”

“How kind you are, sir,” said Ruth absently. “I wonder if she knows how
rich
the Pardoes are? After all, Theo is a younger son.

“I hope you do not mean to ask me to drop a word in Lady Radnor’s ear!” Lord Sarbury laughed, slightly nervously.

“No, of course not. All the same
...
”

His lordship, who had noticed a family resemblance between Miss Pardoe and the mysterious Oliver, was not at all willing to allow Lady Ruth to dwell on the Pardoe wealth. Not that he would for a moment suspect her of being mercenary, but he thought it just as well to remind her of his own wide estates and his plans for increasing the revenue therefrom.

* * * *

When Theo arrived at the Pardoes’, he found Rose holding court. Two or three of the gentlemen surrounding her were gazetted fortune hunters, as he noted with displeasure. However, one was a viscount he knew to be almost as rich as Golden Ball. Not for a minute did he regard any of these rivals as serious competition. Without any exchange of vows, he and Rose were as certain of each other as if the Archbishop of Canterbury had married them years before.

Rose saw that he was anxious to speak to her alone, and soon showed her diplomacy to be quite the equal of Ruth’s. Within ten minutes, five gentlemen had departed, unaware that they had been dismissed. Lieutenant Drake took a little longer.

“That was amazingly neat,” he commented admiringly. “I know any number of ladies who would give their souls to have that knack. Now, how do you propose to get rid of me, Miss Pardoe?”

“I had thought of asking Lord Theodore to take you by the scruff of the neck,” she answered sweetly. “I hope it will not prove necessary, sir?”

“Not at all, not at all,” he said in mock alarm. “I concede the field, Theo. Do not waste your victory!”

Lady Pardoe was deep in conversation with Lady Holland, the great Whig hostess, who had honoured her with a visit after being introduced at the Owingtons’ ball.

Seating himself on the sofa beside Rose, Theo told her about his mother’s interview with Ruth.

“I know it is spineless of me,” he confessed, “but I am terrified of Mama. I always was, even when I was a child. My mind just goes blank when she speaks to me, and my sisters are almost as bad. You are the first woman I have ever been comfortable with, Rosie.”

“I expect Lady Radnor and your sisters were not kind to you when you were little. Such things make a great impression on a small child and are not easily overcome later in life. You are very sure that your mama will disapprove of me?”

“I’m afraid so, Rose, for when Elvira married Sir Henry she was up in the boughs forever because he was only a baronet. And he is from an old County family, so you see
...
”

“I see, Theo, but perhaps you have not considered that Papa is very wealthy. Would not Lady Radnor
...
”

“Rose, you do not think that I am after your money, do you? I could not bear that you should think so.”

“Indeed, I do not! I hope I know you better. I never thought it for a minute, pray do not look so downcast. Only you will not be offended if I say that perhaps it may be otherwise with your mother. She must wish to see you comfortably established, you know.”

“I know nothing of the sort,” he responded gloomily. “Sometimes I think all she cares for is her own consequence. However, I do not like to deceive her, and I cannot pretend forever that it is Lady Ruth I wish to marry.”

Since this was the first time Lord Theodore had actually mentioned marriage, Rose took it as a sort of backhanded proposal. This was not, she felt, the proper time to tease him about it.

“Suppose you were to visit me here in Curzon Street,” she suggested. “Your mama would be bound to find out, and then you might gauge her feelings.”

Theo shivered and then squared his shoulders.

“I do not like to think of her reaction,” he admitted, “but I cannot go on being a lily-livered coward all my life. Lend me your strength, Rosie.”

She took his hand and pressed it. “Everything I have is yours, Theo, and together we can face anything.”

“Besides,” he pointed out practically, “I shall soon be sent abroad again, and then we shall be quite safe.”

They turned to a delightful discussion of the various parts of the world he might be sent to and the pleasures of living in the different capitals of Europe.

Lady Holland, rising to leave, saw the two heads bent together over some sketches of Madrid.

“Is not that Radnor’s brother?” she asked her hostess in her loud voice. “If he can catch your daughter, ma’am, he does well for himself, very well. Tories to a man, the Barringtons, and always have been. Goodbye, Lady Pardoe. I hope I will see you and Sir Edward at my next dinner.”

Nodding regally to Theo and Rose, who stood bowing and curtsying in confusion, she swept out.

Lady Pardoe, who had met Lord Theodore only once and was but vaguely aware that Rose had seen him frequently at the Hadricks’, was somewhat confused herself.

“I do beg your pardon, my lord,” she began in a flustered way.

Theo at once tried to put her at ease.

“Do not consider it, I beg you, ma’am.” Stunned to find himself fluently addressing a lady he scarcely knew, he rushed on. “Lady Holland is known for her
...
frankness, and besides, I agree with her. I shall consider myself the happiest and luckiest man in the world if Miss Pardoe will wed me.”

Two second-hand proposals in one day, thought Rose, and kissed him on the cheek.

Neither the speech nor the action was calculated to soothe Lady Pardoe’s nerves. Fortunately she was not in the least given to hysterics, and soon the situation had been explained to her.

“I intend to marry Rose whatever my mother says,” Theo announced firmly. Proposal number three, counted Rose. “But naturally I should prefer her consent. And, of course, I shall ask Sir Edward’s permission to pay my addresses.”

“And I should wish for your blessing, Mama, and Papa’s too, but I intend to marry Theo regardless. I’ll live with him in a garret in Moscow if necessary!”

“I hardly think it will prove necessary, Rosie!” Lady Pardoe did not know whether to laugh or cry. “You know that even if Papa disapproved of your choice he would never cast you off. I
...
I hope we shall have the opportunity of becoming better acquainted with Lord Theodore before he carries you off to China.”

Theo promised fervently that he would spend as much time in her house as he was permitted.

As a result, Ruth saw nothing of Rose for several days. She was very busy herself, and her aunt would not allow her to cry off any of her engagements in order to visit the Pardoes. Though she had little time for repining, when she found an odd minute to herself she wondered if Oliver had persuaded Rose to stay away. She was sure he would not do so deliberately, but perhaps he had let drop something that had had that effect.

Lady Hadrick was pleased at the Pardoes’ absence.

“It will not do, you know, to have them always on our doorstep,” she said with satisfaction. “Such callers as we receive these days will not be wishing to meet with Cits at every turn.”