The Muse (47 page)

THE ball was the first formal occasion given by the Everleys of Everfell, and since it was a celebration in honor of the Rothvale marriage, it really served two purposes.

Imogene felt like a princess in the lustrous, silvery ball gown, adorned with the emerald and pearl jewels Graham had given her.  She also wore the pearl and diamond tiara that had belonged to his grandmother, as it was reminiscent of a bridal wreath.  He complemented her colours with a new formal coat in dark green.

Imogene was relieved to know that of the three waltzes played tonight, two would be danced with her husband.  They would lead on the dance floor to open the ball and would do so again for the final dance to close it.  Both would give the other waltz to their hosts—Imogene would dance with Jules, and Graham with Mina.

“You look ravishing,
chérie
, and I am so happy right now, with you in my arms, dancing the waltz with you.  No problem or worry is going to reach down into this night to cloud the moment for me.”

“I am happy, too, so happy, so blessed.  And you—you look just as ravishing, my lord, but then you have always looked so to me.”

“And,
chérie
, are you well?  I want you to enjoy the dancing, but if you start to feel the slightest bit unsteady or queasy, you are to tell me right away, so I can escort you out.”  He spoke with great concern.  “Please tell me you’ll say if you feel unwell.”

“I promise, my darling, I absolutely will.  Now
you
must promise me that you will not worry overmuch or succumb to fussing.  I want you to enjoy the evening as well.  Won’t you take pleasure in the company of your friend Mr. Gravelle this eve?  You have not had his companionship for a long time.”

“
Chérie
, your concern for me touches my heart.  I promise to enjoy the evening, but can honestly say it will be near impossible for me not to fuss over you when I know you are
enceinte
.  How can I not?  You are more precious to me than words can convey.  And now that you carry our child, I know I’ll not be able to keep from thinking about it no matter how hard I try.  As for Gravelle, I’d like to invite him for a stay with us.  What do you think?”

“I think you should invite him.  It’s always good to have your friends by your side.”

CLIVE Gravelle and Colin Everley both watched dancing couples circling the ballroom.

“Look at Pellton ogling Elle.  God!  She is a young girl and he is an ill repute of the worst kind.  I don’t like how he is looking at her like she is something to be devoured.” That Colin Everley was clearly not amused with any man looking at Ellenora Vickering was evident even to Gravelle’s unpolished eye.

“Yes, well he is admiring her to be sure, but, Everley, you must realize she is as good as grown-up now and beautiful.  It is to be expected that men will look at her.”

“Bleh, Pellton though.  He is not trustworthy.  Have you heard some of the stories about him?” Everley snorted in disgust, his arms folded.  “I cannot fathom why Jules even extended him an invitation tonight.”

“If you are so concerned about her maybe you should alert her cousin, Nicky Hargreave.

He kills men for a living, being in the Army.”

“True, but he is busy at the moment dancing with Cariss Wilton, and from the looks of him, he is oblivious to everything else,” Everley said dryly.

“I see what you mean.”  Gravelle frowned, watching every move of the smiling colonel dancing with the lovely Miss Wilton.  The colonel looked a little too entranced for his liking.  “And what of your journey together from Kent?  I hear you escorted her, and she was a girl all alone,” he charged.

“What?  What do you imply, Gravelle?  Her parents asked if I would.  They know and trust me.  Cariss is the best sort of girl and I consider her family, like a sister really.  They couldn’t send her up in a coach on her own, now could they?  I rode outside the coach and saw that she was safely delivered.  God!  Why am I explaining all this ridiculousness to you?”  He grew flustered.  “Gravelle, I think
you
have an itch for Cariss Wilton.  Do us all a favour and ask her to dance, would you?”

Everley stalked off, leaving a chastened Gravelle standing at the edge of the ballroom, his eyes never wavering from the charming Cariss.  He moved forward, his mind decided.  But before he could reach her across the room, that rakehell Edgar Pellton stepped up and claimed the dance.

Gravelle did not like that.  His eyes narrowed and his frown deepened, and he clenched his fists as he watched Pellton dance with the most beautiful girl in the room.

No, he did not like it one bit.

ON the other side of the ballroom, Jules and Graham surveyed the dancing.  “Did you know, Graham, how Nicky once told me he would have offered for Mina first, if she had promised a greater dowry?  Sometimes the way he looks at her, like right now—God, I hate it.  I hate the way he looks at her.”

“Jules, he does no harm.  You can trust him with your life, and your wife.  This I know to be true,” Graham admonished his cousin.  “He is a hard-working soldier in the British Army.  Nicky is entitled to a little diversion of a beautiful woman on a dance floor.  I think you could give him that.”

“Oh, really?  Is that what you think?  You know, Graham, you should count your blessings he did not get wind of Imogene before you did.  With her fortune and rank, she is exactly the kind of wife he needs.  My uncle, Sir Thomas, said as much to me.  He is quite vexed you won her and not Nicky—or me for that matter.”  He rolled his eyes and shook his head in disgust.

Graham scowled and his lip curled.  “That is just out of bounds,” he snorted.  “You know, I’ve never cared much for your uncle.  He is a pompous ass, most severe.”

“True that, Graham.” Jules had to agree.

IN the early hours of the morning as the ball quietly came to a close, and the many guests had departed, the family gathered at the foot of the grand stairwell to say goodnight.

“The ball was just lovely, Mina.  You are sure to be hailed as
the
hostess of the shire.  Thank you again for honoring us.” Imogene expressed her gratitude.

“Our pleasure, Imogene.  I had a fabulous time myself.  And Elle and Cariss, how did you find the evening?”

“It was perfect,” Elle answered.

Cariss announced, “I can’t remember when I’ve had a better ball.”

Mina glowed with satisfaction. “Well, we should do it again, soon, since this was such a success.  What do you say, Julian?”

“Yes, of course.” Jules lied to his wife.  “Whatever you wish, my dearest.”

Colin raised his eyebrows, thinking he could do without the slathering dogs after Elle.

God!  Must we? 
Graham thought, as he gazed adoringly at his bride.

Because the birthday of my life

Is come, my love is come to me.

Christina Rossetti   ~ ‘A Birthday’, 1862

THE
return to Gavandon after a fortnight at Everfell was welcome.  For all that they had relished being with family, it was good to be home again.  Imogene delighted in having Cariss return with her and was happy Colin could stay at Gavandon for a month, which she knew, was easing for Graham.

There was also the additional appreciation of moving back into their old rooms.  The renovations and bathing room addition were now complete.  Imogene was more than satisfied with her redecorated chamber.  The wall coverings, upholsteries and bed trimmings were reflective of her. It was now a soothing and peaceful retreat, reminiscent of nature.  But the
piece de resistance
however, was the massive portrait Tristan had done of Terra and Triton on the grounds of Gavandon.  To Imogene, it was breathtaking.  On their first night back, Graham had come in to find her sitting on the floor hugging her knees, gazing up at it in rapt meditation.

“There you are,
chérie
.  Ah, are you enjoying your new painting?”

“Oh, Graham, I love it.  It is just what I like, and my rooms—they are perfect.”  She held her arms up.  “All of this.  It’s so, so perfect and beautiful, a comfortable sanctuary I shall adore.”

Graham sat down on the floor next to her, slowly perusing the finished room.  “
Chérie,
I am thrilled that they are as you wish them to be.  May I say that you have made excellent selections.  The palette of colours is divine and suits you so well.  You have created a space that reflects you, totally.  The blues, and greens, the warm browns, the English oak, they all work wonderfully together.  Corporeal.  You’ve brought the sky and the grass and the earth indoors to be enjoyed.  I love it in here now, and I hope you’ll invite me in often.”

She laughed softly.  “You know you are always welcome in my rooms, and are to come in whenever you wish.  Now what do you think of my painting?”

“It makes the room, for truth.”

“I know it does.  Tristan is so talented.  I am amazed at what he can do,” Imogene agreed.

“He is unique and we are fortunate to have him here with us, but it will not always be so.  Some day he will want to go…and he should.  Great distinction will be his one day, I predict.  Hopefully he’ll stay long enough for us to get more beautiful works like this from him.”

“Graham, now that my rooms are done, we must really think about the next project.  Can you guess what it is?”

“I know,
chérie
, for I have also thought of it.  The nursery.  And believe me, it needs attention for the last occupant to spend any time there was Colin.  I suppose I must call the draper and the painters back straight away.”

“Bravo!  You’re exactly right.  How should it be done do you think?”

“Refreshed mostly.  Maybe Tristan could do a series of paintings to go ’round the room.  Fairy tales or something similar?  Knights in armor, princesses, dragons, unicorns?”

“I love your ideas.  You are so brilliant.  My very own, brilliant Professor Adonis.”  She
leaned toward him for a kiss.  “Would you like to sleep here in my room tonight,
Professor
?”

“Most assuredly.”  The professor appeared distracted however, his thoughts no longer focused on the beautiful new rooms or their plans for the nursery.  As he kissed into her neck, he had more engaging activities in mind, and for the very immediate future, Imogene guessed his plans did not involve sleep.

SHE arose hesitantly each morning, Hester with her tea and toast at the ready to help with the morning sickness.  Thankfully, it usually passed by mid-morning and Imogene was able to attend to her duties for the most part.  She found that the convenience of the bathing room and the ease of getting water up to her room a timely luxury.  The baths were very comforting in lessening the discomforts of pregnancy.

Graham fussed over her terribly at first, and she had to tell him, quite firmly, that his over-attentiveness was most unwelcome.  He took her criticism well enough, in his easy way, but she knew it pained him not to fuss.  They settled back into their regular routines and looked forward to the warming weather of late spring.

A letter from Jocelyn Charleston was waiting when she returned home to Gavandon.  Jocelyn stated that Mr. Thornton was a mature gentleman, and while he was older, he wasn’t unattractive.  She didn’t think their age difference much of a concern.  He was serious and sombre but had paid his particular attentions to her alone.  His offer of marriage was honorable and respectable considering her dowry was not substantial, and he was well situated on a profitable estate, close enough to her parents that she would have opportunity to see them occasionally.  She was anxious to make her way in a life of her own and figured that Mr. Thornton would suit as well as any other.  She had no illusions of making a love match as

Imogene had done.  Her only regret was that she would not be able to visit Warwickshire this year and couldn’t possibly know when she might ever.  She promised to write often, hoping to see Imogene again whenever she stopped in Kent to visit her family possibly on a trip to London.

Imogene wrote back to Jocelyn straight away.  She offered congratulations and shared her happy news of expecting a baby in November.  She pledged to write and assured to visit on their way when they made the trip to Town, which would come eventually as Graham had obligations to Parliament.  She still felt the pang of uneasiness regarding Jocelyn’s choice when she posted her reply, realizing that by the time Jocelyn got her letter, her wedding day would have nearly dawned.

With the help of Mrs. Griffin and the companionship of Cariss, Imogene resumed the tenant visits.  So far they had gone off smoothly and the tenants seemed honored by the attentions of the new mistress.  It was clear they respected Graham.  They were well pleased the master had returned from his sojourn to Ireland and further gratified he had brought back with him a kind and benevolent wife.

30th April, 1812

“I cannot find my watch,” Graham grumbled at breakfast.  “I took it off last night and set it in the usual spot at my bedside table.  I am certain I did.”

“I am sorry, my darling.  I’ll look for you when I go back upstairs.”  She grinned.  “You are getting forgetful in your dotage?”

He narrowed his eyes at her.  “What are you up to,
chérie
?”

“La!  You didn’t think you’d get away with it passing and no observance, did you?”

He looked sheepish.  “I did hold out hope, I admit.  But you didn’t answer my question,
chérie
.  What have you concocted?”

“Just a simple birthday supper tonight; a few friends will join us is all,” she replied demurely.  “So look sharp and wear your merriest face.  That is all I am telling you.”

“
Chérie
?” he warned.

“What?  Can a wife not honor her husband on his birthday? I could not allow your birthday to pass without acknowledgment, now could I?  Not when I have the best, most loving, handsomest, most gallant, and adoring husband in the world.”

He drew her into his arms and gazed down.  “I
am
honored. He kissed her lingeringly, bringing his hands to the sides of her face.

“Good.  I have a special gift for you, but I’ll give it to you tonight, when it’s just us, in private.”

“Ah, I cannot wait,” he answered knowingly, eyes gleaming wickedly as his hands reached around to grip her bottom.

“It’s not that, you scamp.  It’s not what you’re thinking, but you know you’d probably get that anyway,” she said more quietly.  “It is a tangible gift and I think you will like it.  I hope so.”

“Oh,
chérie
, I will love it, no matter what it is, but you should know that you have already given me the best gifts of all, your love and…this.”  He brought his hands to rest on her stomach.  “How is our precious cargo this day?”

“Well, I believe, and firmly in place, still making me sick each morning, so he must be strong and stalwart like his father,” she teased with a smile.

“That’s the baby making you sick, and not me I hope?”

“I hope he is just like you.”

“You think it a boy then?”

“I don’t have any idea, really.  And you?”

“I see a bouncing, blonde-haired angel, demanding a pony ride.”

She laughed at that vision.  “Why do I feel as if you are drawing up a fiction of me as a child?”

“But is it fiction,
chérie
?  I bet I am spot on.  I can see you bounding into your father’s study and stamping your foot, telling him your need for an immediate ride on your pony.  I am sure your entreaties worked quite seamlessly in gaining your desired end.  He was helpless against you and did what any doting papa would do: dropped whatever he was doing and seeing to a pony ride with his princess.”  He smiled as if imagining it.  “I would love that for myself.”

“You’re going to be such a wonderful father.”  His eyes sparkled at her as she placed her hands over his.

“GRAHAM darling, Tristan is arriving first.  I think we should be ready to greet him.”