He
grinned. Slipping an arm around her waist, he guided her towards a
divan and they sat, arms entwined. ‘I was testing the waters. Many
congratulated me on my marriage.’
‘
Did they?’ she said doubtfully.
‘
They did.’
‘
Do you really think that tomorrow night might be anything but
a disaster?’ She didn’t see how it could be a triumph. It simply
wasn’t possible.
‘
We shall have to wait and see. Shall we see what’s in those
envelopes?’
Thirty minutes
later, Rachel and Worsley shared a look. ‘Only two refusals,’ she
murmured, stunned. ‘Good God!’
‘My poor
love,’ Nash reached across the desk they had used to dissect the
flood of mail. ‘We are doomed! If Society is prepared to extend the
hand of friendship to us it is clearly time to abandon England and
make our way to France. I propose we commandeer Adam’s
chateau.’
This made
Rachel laugh. ‘I’m half inclined to go. I had not expected…
this.’
He
sobered abruptly. ‘Are you all right? We do not have to do
this.’
She was silent for a moment. ‘Is it so very important to
you that I am accepted by the
ton
? I had warned you, before we married, that we would likely
be shunned.’
Worsley was on his feet in a minute and heading around the
desk. He dropped to his knees in front of her and took her hands in
his. ‘I do not want this because of
me
. I could not give a damn what any of them think
of me. But I loathe the idea that they have maligned you and I know
it troubles you. Because of your family.’
It was true, of course. She smiled at him, looking so out
of place on the floor at her feet. It was not a position a man like
Nash
Guthrie
would usually adopt, for he was an impressive creature. ‘If it
fails, this grand venture, I do not want you to be upset. Whilst I
would like to be less…’ she hesitated over the word for a moment
before settling on, ‘unpopular, it is true my family have always
assured me that I mind far more than they do.’
‘
Except Charity.’
‘Except
Charity,’ she agreed, a dimple peeping out. ‘I was surprised to see
her acceptance among the others. I thought she was determined to
cut me.’
‘I do
believe James has taken a hand in that. Your brother has come to
realize he is made of sterner stuff.’
‘Has he
really? How delightful.’
‘
I don’t expect she will think so.’ Rising to his feet, he held
out a hand to her. ‘You look a little tired, my love. Would you
care for a nap?’
Rachel looked
up at him consideringly. ‘I do feel rather weary,’ she agreed. ‘All
of this entertaining business is very wearing. Perhaps you could
think of a way to help me relax?’
‘
I can think of innumerable ways,’ he assured her, as they
headed towards the door. ‘Each one more relaxing than the
last.’
‘
That sounds very soothing, my lord.’
‘
I am a very soothing man.’
The grand
ballroom at the townhouse of Lord and Lady Worsley was radiant with
the golden glow of many candles and the glitter of the chandeliers
in which they burned, throwing sparkling patterns across the
expanse of polished floor. Flowers, great bunches of lilies and
apple blossoms, gladioli and delphiniums stood in urns around the
room, their scent weaving through the mild spring air that floated
through the French doors, left ajar to let some of the room’s heat
escape.
It was a
very crowded room and yet more people filled the adjoining
parlors.
Very few people
had been able to bring themselves to stay away from this particular
ball.
On the edges of the crowd,
Lady Partridge stood with her great good
friend, the Baroness Brunswick. Their pince-nez were raised and
they were surveying the room with jaundiced eyes. Specifically,
they were surveying the dazzling creature that was Rachel, Countess
of Worsley.
‘
Why are we here again?’ the baroness drawled.
Elizabeth
Partridge, known to her close associates as Bess, rolled her pale
blue eyes. ‘You know perfectly well why we’re here. To look over
That Woman.’ So much portent was contained in the two words that
they elicited capitals. ‘Partridge told me young Worsley had been
lobbying on her behalf.’
‘
So I have heard.’
Once
again, they studied Rachel with the intensity of naturalists ogling
a particularly interesting specimen.
‘
She is pretty enough, I’ll give her that,’ the baroness
allowed grudgingly.
‘She’s a
damn sight more than pretty. Diamond of the first water. Looks come
from her mother’s side. Margaret Meredith was always a fine looking
woman.’
The baroness
sniffed. ‘I suppose it isn’t difficult to see why Worsley’s
succumbed. He is only a man, after all.’
Between them,
the two friends shared a great many years and a few quiet scandals.
They knew all they needed to know about men.
‘
We can’t condone her re-entry into Society,’ the baroness aid
abruptly. ‘What about that sordid romp with Salinger?’
‘
It’s not as if we haven’t had the occasional sordid romp, my
dear.’
‘Yes, but
we
did not have the misfortunate to get caught.’
‘
I have heard a whisper that nothing happened. She smacked the
stupid fellow on the head with a club or some such thing, just
before the father arrived.’
‘Did she
indeed? Although it hardly matters, does it? She was
seen.’
‘Oh
pfffst. I am growing hideously bored with those limp young
creatures who parade themselves around as articles of
respectability. It might be interesting to juice up the mix, a
little.’
‘
You are always so crude, Bess.’
‘
I prefer to think of it as honest.’
A voice,
airy and tinkling, hailed them and both of the elderly leaders of
Society turned to see Mary Whitlock standing before them. She was
five years younger than the pair and considered herself doyen of
her social set. Not everybody agreed; certainly not the two women
she was standing with. They had cordially loathed the woman for
years. She was a thin, wispy creature who looked deceptively frail.
Beneath her pallid exterior beat the heart of a tiny
tyrant.
‘
What a crush!’ she gasped as she joined them. ‘I cannot
believe that so many people came.’
‘
Indeed?’ Lady Partridge raised an eye. ‘And why is
that?’
‘Well, my dear… it is Rachel
Sheridan
. I would not have thought so many people
could have forgotten her past.’
‘
And yet you are here,’ the baroness pointed out
sardonically.
‘Well, yes. But I am here in the capacity of observer. It
would never do to let certain people
encroach
on Polite Society. Don’t you agree?’ She
looked from one to the other, trying to gauge their reactions.
While Mrs. Whitlock was certainly an influential woman, many
considered Elizabeth Partridge and Florence Brunswick to be the
arbiters. If they did not approve of one, then approval was
unlikely to be given by anybody else. They could be crushing in
their polite disinterest.
The childhood
friends – and occasional rivals – exchanged a glance. Nothing was
said but a great many things were understood.
‘I am not
sure what you mean, my dear,’ Lady Partridge pursed her lips,
creating a cracked mosaic of soft old skin around her mouth. ‘The
baroness and I were just discussing what a refreshing chit young
Lady Worsley is. Weren’t we Florence?’
‘Indeed,’
the baroness agreed smoothly. ‘She has a certain piquant charm,
wouldn’t you say? And I do so approve of that dress.’ She arched a
thin eyebrow at Mrs. Whitlock who was nonplussed.
‘You are going to
promote
her?’ she asked, unable to keep the incredulity
out of her voice.
‘
Oh, certainly.’ Bess Partridge widened her pale blue eyes,
just a little. It had always been very effective in quashing the
pretentions of others. ‘Aren’t you?’
The
question flustered Mrs. Whitlock. It was obvious she did not have
an answer and she took herself off shortly after, obviously
determined to rethink her strategy. Her ladyship and the baroness
watched her go.
‘
Do you actually think we can carry this off?’ the baroness
asked, after a moment had passed.
‘
Oh I think so.’ Lady Partridge refocused on Rachel who was
dancing with her husband, held closer than might generally be
considered acceptable. They were newly married, after all but she
made a mental note to have a word with the girl. Some social mores
must be maintained. ‘Indeed, we have a good deal to work with. I
think we can make her a sensation in five weeks.’
‘Four,’
the baroness corrected. ‘Within four weeks she will be the talk of
the Season. This time, for all the right reasons.’
‘
Amen to that,’ Bess murmured and looked around for a chair the
better to take the weight off her old feet. They would have their
work cut out with this one, she knew that. But she was sure that
she and Florence could make something out of the new Countess of
Worsley in no time and she smiled to herself as she hobbled towards
some chairs.
Life could be so dreary when one was approaching one’s
seventieth year, but t
his, she was certain was going to be
fun.