The Paradise Will (19 page)

The squire was of the opinion that any compliance would have been on Gil’s side as Caroline always knew best, but he thought it wiser not to mention this. ‘Do you love him, Caroline, or even hold him in affection?’ he asked.

‘No – but I’m astonished he should act like a love-sick youth towards Miss Paradise rather than realize the tangible benefits of marriage to me.’

‘Dash it all, it is hardly proper to dictate who Giles should fall in love with when you do not care a fig for him yourself!’ declared the squire, impatiently.

‘Men are fools, too easily won over by flattery and smiles,’ observed his daughter tartly, and sailed out of the room.

‘And that,’ said the squire to his wife later, when she approached him in his study, ‘is the final word I intend to say upon the subject. While I understand Caroline’s pride is hurt, I am out of patience with her and cannot contemplate her view that marriage is simply a means to improve one’s status. That is not the example we set for her.’

‘But it is too bad, Henry!’ declared his wife tearfully, wringing her
handkerchief
and taking refuge once again in the smelling salts which had been her constant companion since hearing the news. The shock she felt on learning Caroline was not to marry Sir Giles, and that he in turn was to marry Miss Paradise, was severe. Her reaction had been similar when she had learnt Mrs Franklin had married off her youngest daughter, who suffered sadly from a squint, to the wealthy Duke of Umberslake; the breath was driven from her lungs and she opened and closed her mouth to no avail – not a single sound emerged.

Now, she rallied valiantly and harangued her husband for several minutes on the injustice of it all. She received no response until the squire vouchsafed an unexpectedly sharp set down: he would brook no condemnation of either Sir Giles or Miss Paradise for falling in love and challenged his wife to name one occasion when Caroline had spoken of her affection for Giles. Mrs Nash
stuttered
and prevaricated but could not provide an answer and was eventually forced to concur that, while her daughter coveted the social advantages afforded by Sir Giles, she held little affection for him otherwise.

‘Even so, Henry, I had hoped Caroline was to marry him and now.…’ Her voice trailed off unhappily. Misty images of her daughter becomingly dressed in orange blossom and lace as the new Lady Maxton were diminishing.

‘She admits she does not care for him, Eugenie. Can marriage be right or proper in those circumstances? I think not, and you know it too,’ he said. ‘There is little hope of attraction developing in the years that follow, especially bearing in mind Caroline’s unyielding nature. Only recall how much we were in love: nothing would have kept us from marrying, even your mother’s displeasure.’

She dabbed her handkerchief to her eyes and sniffed. ‘Oh yes! To be sure, I did not wish to marry that awful Lord Beesbury whose addresses she wished me to accept – with his bulbous eyes and drooping thick-lipped mouth, he resembled a fish, and a miserable one at that. My sister and I could not decide whether he looked more like a trout or a carp! You know, I thought he favoured a trout but Selina always argued he looked exactly like the carp Father caught the previous summer. We could never agree upon it, and whenever Lord Beesbury came to call, I found myself tongue-tied and staring at him, which vexed Mama greatly. Poor man! He was extraordinarily ill-favoured whereas you were very handsome, my love, and I desperately wanted to be your bride,’ said Mrs Nash, adding with a sigh, ‘It was excessively romantic.’

The squire grinned. ‘Beesbury! Lord, yes – I recall him. Rich as a nabob but an ugly countenance with a character to match. Thank God I saved you from a man like a despondent fish.’

‘Only imagine if I
had
married Lord Beesbury and been forced to sit across the breakfast table from him every morning. It does not bear thinking of.’ She could not repress a shudder at the idea. ‘Oh, but Sir Giles does not resemble a miserable fish in the least.’

‘Of course not! There is no comparison,’ said Henry, in surprise. ‘I may say though, Eugenie, I believe you were right and Selina was wrong: Beesbury did bear a startling resemblance to a trout and, being an angler myself, I have seen many—’ He broke off, suddenly recollecting himself. ‘Hmph! Yes. Well. That is as may be but we are moving away from the point. Surely you cannot wish to see your daughter trapped in an unhappy marriage, my dear?’

‘If you put it in those terms, no, but—’

‘Neither would I,’ he interjected. ‘I have seen far too many such marriages. Caroline is in the fortunate position of not having to marry for money; she may choose her partner in life, freely and without coercion. I believe a trip to your sister Daphne will be just the thing now. She is a pretty girl with a handsome portion, and she’ll have no shortage of admirers. I hope she will find a man with whom she’s more in tune and holds in a modicum of affection.’

‘Such a pity she is not to be Lady Maxton. Of course, she should care for her future husband, but a title would have been agreeable.’

‘All the more reason for Caroline to go to Bath. Dukes, earls, viscounts … the place is crawling with peers of the realm and their eligible sons, and our
daughter
will be mixing with them all. She’ll be decked out in expensive style too, I give you my word. Daphne’s a pinch-penny so I won’t rely on her to bear the cost.’

His wife’s expression brightened at last and she began to feel something might be salvaged from this setback. For Mrs Nash, the faint scent of orange blossom was once more in the air, its fragrance sweeter still when accompanied by the vision of Caroline walking down the aisle as a countess. ‘You are very good, my dear. Caroline’s disappointment will soon dissipate when she moves in such company. Dukes, you say? Well, we cannot be hopeful of attracting a duke – Caroline is only comfortably situated with her dowry – but there is no reason why she should not engage an earl or a viscount. Indeed, I begin to be sanguine she can make an even more advantageous match if she goes to Bath – Daphne is extremely well connected.’

‘Your sister has more starch than I care for, but there’s no denying she has the entrée to every exclusive event and Caroline should take advantage of that. Perhaps you would enjoy a visit there, my dear? That is, if Daphne and her husband can accommodate you in that huge mausoleum of a house?’

‘Oh, I would like that above all things! Shops, the concerts, the plays – there is pleasure to be had at every turn, and if you will not mind me accompanying Caroline, I should be happy to go.’

‘Not at all,’ smiled the squire, envisaging uninterrupted afternoon naps,
fishing
or reading his newspaper in peace. ‘It’ll be a mite lonely here, but I’ll bear up. Go and enjoy yourself!’

‘But, Henry,’ said Mrs Nash, a sudden thought occurring to her, ‘if Sir Giles is to marry Miss Paradise, will it not be excessively awkward tomorrow? Caroline is furious.’

‘Perhaps at first, but it will pass. Can you imagine the speculation that would arise if they did not come?’

‘Goodness, yes! Mrs Bailey would think something was amiss at once, and ask me all manner of questions I would not know how to answer. And I could not be untruthful – the news will be all over the county soon.’

‘Exactly so. I have spoken to Gil on this and there will be no hint of how things stand to give rise to comment from our other guests, or cause Caroline further upset.’ He raised his brows quizzically, and murmured, ‘I need not add it behoves you to be a gracious hostess to both Gil and Miss Paradise.’

‘Naturally,’ said Mrs Nash, indignant. ‘Miss Paradise is unconventional, but I cannot fault her manners, and if Sir Giles has fallen in love with her, there is nothing to more to be done. I suppose he never offered marriage so he has acted honourably towards our daughter.’

‘I knew I could rely on you, Eugenie,’ he said, nodding with satisfaction. ‘As long as Caroline does not let her anger outweigh her judgement, the evening will not go awry.’

‘Oh, I hope it does not,’ she said. ‘This is the most important event of the year. It takes weeks of planning, you know, and I have even managed to obtain ostrich feathers, just as Mr Kilworth suggested! I want my appearance to be as much of a surprise for you as it will be for our other guests, my dear!’

The squire swallowed and a pained expression passed over his face; the thought of his wife in connection with ostrich feathers brought no rest to his soul.

‘Good Lord!’ he said. ‘Well, well. Indeed. Yes, indeed. Ostrich feathers, eh?’ Rendered temporarily bereft of speech, he cleared his throat as a method of breaching this awkward lull. He pottered over to his desk and picked up a sheet of paper. ‘Perhaps we had best continue our discussion of the menu…?’

When the guests began arriving at eight o’clock the following evening, the squire was heartily thankful the moment was here. He could not comprehend why there needed to be so much deliberation over where the card tables should be situated; where the food must be laid out; how much room needed to be set aside for dancing; the numbers of chairs provided for those unfortunate enough not to have partners or who merely wished to watch and criticize.

He should have known better because it was the same every year. In the hours leading up to this event, his house resembled all the calm of a chicken coop being attacked by a fox, but he had learnt that it was useless to complain and ambled from room to room, regarding the preparations with bemused vagueness.

He did not always avoid the servants rushing back and forth, or indeed his wife and daughter, who tut-tutted at his ability to be constantly in the way. To be a mere onlooker in this hive of activity made the squire’s head spin and the one coherent thought that brought him succour was the sanctuary of his study and the tantalus of reserve port residing there. The annual ball called for the best and a restorative bracer of finest reserve, taken secretly during the early evening, meant he could greet his guests with equanimity at the appointed time.

Disaster having only narrowly been avoided when it was discovered that the incorrect coloured lanterns had been put out to light the gardens, Mrs Nash was late completing her toilette and, as a result, and had not yet come downstairs. It was therefore left to the squire and his daughter to welcome their first guests. Although he had heard her say little, Caroline’s mood seemed reasonable. She looked attractive dressed in a jonquil gown, long evening gloves, and wearing her maternal grandmother’s emerald necklace, and she had made an effort to bestow a smile and murmur a pleasant greeting to everyone who had arrived thus far. If his daughter could stifle her resentment, the squire was hopeful this gracious approach would be maintained towards Sir Giles and Miss Paradise.

He was to be disappointed. When the squire saw Giles and the lovely young woman he took to be Alyssa approaching, he glanced hopefully at Caroline standing next to him. But instead of feeling uplifted by an urbane courteous expression, he almost had to clutch the wall behind him for support; the glare Caroline directed first towards Gil, and then towards Miss Paradise, was one of metaphoric disembowelling.

Gil had been waiting for Alyssa to arrive, and his breath caught in his throat when he saw her alighting from the carriage. She was wearing a blue silk dress over a figured white lace slip, with darker blue ribbons at the hem and sleeves. Sapphire drops glistened in her ears, a gossamer gauze scarf was draped around her
shoulders
and her hair was gathered up, with blue flowers placed amongst the silken chestnut curls. She walked towards him and, eyes twinkling, held out one
white-gloved
hand in greeting.

‘You look enchanting,’ he murmured thickly, raising her fingers slowly to his lips. ‘Every man here will want to be at your side.’

She smiled a little shyly. ‘Do you think so? Well, that is flattering, but my thoughts will be with you.’ Alyssa then added softly, ‘I have written to Charles.’

‘Do you think Brook will come here when he receives your letter?’

‘Knowing Charles, he will want to repudiate me in person.’

‘Good God, only let him try!’

Alyssa placed one hand on his sleeve. ‘He can be dealt with another time and this evening will be difficult enough as it is. I received your note that we were still expected – have you spoken to Miss Nash and her father then?’

He nodded. ‘Henry was very understanding. Caroline was’ – he grimaced – ‘less so. I think we should expect one or two spiteful comments this evening, my love, but I don’t believe Caroline will cause a major scene.’

Alyssa saw Letty was walking towards them. ‘Letty knows about us, Gil,’ she murmured. ‘I could not hide my delight from her.’

He chuckled. ‘I’m surprised no one has asked me why I am sporting a
permanent
grin like a half-wit!’

Letty joined them; she was dressed in an ivory sarsnet gown with tiny pearl buttons down the bodice, a deceptively simple design which showed her trim figure to advantage. Ivory evening slippers and a matching reticule completed the ensemble and she wore a single string of pearls and artificial sprays of lily of the valley in her hair, threaded through with ribbon to match that on her gown.

They entered the hall a few moments later to find Squire Nash and his
daughter
greeting their guests.

Gil whispered, ‘Remember I love you,’ into Alyssa’s ear, before stepping away to let the squire greet Alyssa effusively.

‘Miss Paradise! I have been looking forward to meeting you. Caroline and Eugenie spoke of you, and of course Gil – that is to say, Gil told me of your illness. You have recovered, I hope?’ Henry Nash was not a pusillanimous man but he could not help casting another nervous glance at his daughter, standing to his left.

‘Why, yes, thank you!’

‘Excellent! And I am not disappointed in what I see,’ he said with a grin. ‘Good Lord, I had no idea an old curmudgeon like Tom Paradise possessed such a lovely niece! Charming, absolutely charming.’

Alyssa blushed and laughed, then introduced Letty with whom the squire was equally enamoured and murmured, ‘Good Lord’, ‘Charming’ and ‘Delightful’ before he moved on to speak to Gil.