Not Just Lovely Laura

by Jessica Spencer

  He might have to do the same. After he took a wife and installed her as his duchess, he could not expect anything more than duty from her.

  Philip, his cousin and now his heir, used to openly sneer at him for trying to gain his wife’s favor. Philip liked to create trouble. Unfortunately, Margaret had been taken in by his extravagant compliments. She hadn’t seen beyond his charming manners and his fashionable clothes.

  ***

  Lady Stanton’s garden party was a select affair. Unlike a ball or a big ton event, guests could talk to each other comfortably. Lady Eversham greeted Anthony as soon as he came in.

  “Your Grace, may I present my sister, Lady Redcliff? I persuaded her to come to London. The poor dear didn’t want to put off her mourning. I was afraid she would go into a decline!”

  Anthony inclined his head. Lady Redcliff, he noted, was in no danger of going into a decline. She looked the picture of health, with a glowing face and a mass of shining curls. Going by the arched look she was giving him, the late Lord Redcliff was no longer lamented.

  “Please accept my condolences, Madam,” Anthony said.

  Lady Redcliff dabbed at her eyes with a lacy handkerchief. Lady Eversham, instead of offering her comfort, vanished.

  “My sister persuades me to try to be happy. You must know how painful it is, your Grace. You have also been bereaved,” Lady Redcliff said, availing herself of Anthony’s arm.

  Anthony led Lady Redcliff to a nearby sofa and watched dispassionately as she dried invisible tears and gave him a brave little smile. A few minutes later, when she deemed him sufficiently interested, she tapped him flirtatiously with her fan and informed him how terribly lonely she had become.

  By the time Anthony made his excuses and stood up, he was sure of one thing: Lady Redcliff would find someone to take the place of Lord Redcliff easily enough. She has come armed for the kill. Most gentlemen wouldn’t stand a chance.

  He wouldn’t either if he wasn’t determined to take care of Mary Jane’s best interests. He hadn’t forgotten what Laura had said two years ago: A cruel stepmother will be worse than a cruel governess. You will not be able to dismiss her.

  Anyone as self-centered and self-serving as Lady Redcliff would ride roughshod over a little girl. A few minutes later, he left the party. He had promised to escort Lady Malloy to the theater.

  ***

  Laura smiled as she entered the theater. It was by no means her first visit but she liked it above all the other attractions London had to offer. She would have enjoyed it more if the ton did not make a practice of walking in as a play was in progress. At times they even hailed friends and acquaintances. She found it most annoying but there was nothing to be done.

  When Anthony entered the theater, he saw Gareth and raised a hand in salute. Laura didn’t notice him. She was engrossed in the play. During the intermission, he came over to the Daventon’s box. “Lady Laura, I needn't ask whether you are enjoying the performances,” he said, smiling down at her.

  “This play is by far the best I've seen,” Laura answered, taking a moment to compose herself.

  Anthony sat down beside her. “I missed the first half. Tell me about it.”

  Laura looked about her, frantically trying to think up an excuse to avoid him. Gareth had escorted Lady Maria outside. Lady Catherine was deep in conversation with another lady. Laura took a deep breath and launched into a description of the first two acts.

  Anthony bent an attentive ear as Laura told him about the play. At first, she sounded stilted but soon gave a candid account of the first two acts and performances.

  When the play resumed, Anthony continued to sit beside Laura. She grew self-conscious and fidgeted with her hair. Without saying a word, he moved to another chair. It gave him an even better view of her profile. For the rest of the act, he looked at her, enjoying the play of emotions on her expressive face.

  He was reminded of the time when he had felt the same wonder. For how long would Laura retain it before she became jaded like the rest of them? She was already changing. Two years ago she was infatuated with him. Now she didn’t care to be in his company.

  He had often thought about her. He knew she had feelings for him. He had seen it in her eyes. That was why he had not visited Daventon Manor. Mary Jane had wanted him to take her to meet Lady Laura. It wouldn’t have been difficult to arrange.

  But Laura was only eighteen. She wasn’t like other ton ladies. She reminded him of himself at that age. Eager to fall in love, with unbounded belief in a fairy tale ending of happily ever after. He didn’t know whether he was capable of that kind of love. If he failed her, as Margaret had failed him, she would suffer. He had decided he would wait for her to grow up and know her mind.

  He frequently found himself regretting his decision.

  ***

  After the play, Lady Maria and Lady Catherine walked with Gareth to the carriage. Anthony escorted Laura. She kept her eyes firmly to the ground and answered him in monosyllables. When the carriage arrived, she took Gareth’s arm.

  Anthony waited until the carriage left and hailed a hack. He had already informed Lady Malloy he would be returning to his townhouse and not accompanying her party.

  He hadn't suspected his aunt to be so underhanded. Her request for his escort had been a ploy to thrust her protégé in front of him. Lady Victoria was pretty enough but absurdly young. His aunt said she was seventeen. He suspected she was close to sixteen.

  His aunt had sent a message that she was in need of an escort to the theater. Being the obliging nephew, and she his favorite aunt, he had punctiliously arrived at her doorstep. Lady Victoria and her brother were ensconced in the drawing room. Looking guileless, his aunt had told him it was indeed fortunate Lady Victoria had called, and it would be most delightful if she attended the theater with them. She had latched on to the brother’s arm as if she was in danger of falling on her face. Seething, Anthony had offered his arm to Lady Victoria.

  Luckily, his heir Philip had come to the box during intermission, to pay his respects to Lady Malloy. He had seized the opportunity to escape whatever plans Lady Malloy had made for the rest of the evening. He wouldn’t put it beyond her to disappear with the brother and leave him alone with Lady Victoria.

  “Philip, escort Lady Malloy home after the play,” he had said.

  “How will you go home? We came in your carriage!”

  “It is of no import. I can call a hack.”

  “But ...”

  Before his aunt could come up with an objection, he had left.

  The hack was rather shabby but he didn't notice. His thoughts were about Laura. She was an enchanting combination of innocence and wisdom. She also had a kind heart. Kindness was rare. She would make a good mother to his daughter.

  He sighed. If he could find a lady of unexceptional birth who was practical and kind, he would procure a special license and marry her without further ado. The sooner he left London, the better it was for his peace of mind.

  The hack pulled up outside the imposing townhouse that had been in the Wimberley family for more than a century. Anthony gave the driver a handsome tip and sent him on his way. A shadow detached itself from a niche in the wall.

  “I been wanting to speak to you, Guvnor,” a man said, coming into the light spilling from the gatepost. He looked ill and unkempt.

  “What's this about?” Anthony demanded, reeling back from the strong odors emanating from the ramshackle person.

  “A child, Guvnor! You must do the right thing by Annie!”

  Chapter 20

  Gareth was surprised to have Anthony call at such an early hour. One look at his face told him all was not well.

  Briefly, Anthony told him about the unsavory character who had surprised him at his house.

  “Are you sure he is telling the truth?” Gareth asked.

  “As sure as one can be in such cases.”

  “What do you plan on doing? This can become a scandal.”

  “A scandal will
affect my sister's chances. She is making her come out next year.”

  “You can't leave the child there.”

  “I know that. I shall visit the home this afternoon and speak to Annie.”

  “Annie?”

  “The child. She is five, a year younger than Mary Jane.”

  “Do you want me to accompany you?” Gareth asked even though he had already made plans with Lady Daventon to visit Kew Gardens. Anthony looked shattered and in need of support.

  “I have to do this alone. I will meet the child and speak to the woman running the home. I have to find a way of taking care of the child without any gossip. I'm thankful my mother isn't in London. But then, if there is scandal, it will find its way into Harrogate society soon enough.”

  ***

  Mrs. Forsyth received Anthony with cool courtesy. After hearing him out she asked, “Your Grace, what are your intentions regarding the child?”

  “I will take Annie and see to it that she is brought up well. But I need a little time to make the arrangements. Is there someone who will take her in for a few days, until I see my way clearly? I will recompense, of course.”

  Mrs. Forsyth pursed her lips. “She is well enough here. Much better than she has ever been in her young life.”

  “May I speak to her?”

  “I cannot stop you, your Grace. But I must say it will be ill-advised. Sometimes good intentions have to be set aside for practical considerations. Annie is a sensitive child. It will be better if you speak to her after you decide her future.”

  “May I at least see her?”

  Mrs. Forsyth took him to a window opening into the walled garden. Annie was sitting by herself, apart from the other children. She was looking at the pictures in a book. Anthony spotted her immediately. She took after the Wimberleys and looked like his sister had as a child. He felt tears prick his eyes at how thin she was. He wanted to snatch her up and take her away with him. But there were others he had to think about. His mother, especially. She would be devastated.

  “When Annie was brought to us, she was like a tortoise hiding in a shell. The ordeal of watching her mother die a slow painful death had proved too much for her. Fortunately, one of our volunteers has taken an interest in her. She visits her often, bringing toys and books.”

  Anthony came out of the house and hailed a hack. As he was getting into it, a dark carriage came to a stop and a young woman alighted out of it. He couldn't see her face. She wore a nondescript pelisse and a cap. As she hurried to the small entrance at the side, he was reminded of Lady Laura.

  He shook his head. Lady Laura was often intruding into his thoughts. He had to stop thinking about her. He had a big responsibility now. What was he to do about Annie?

  ***

  “It sounds intriguing,” Laura said as their carriage entered the road lined with grand equipages. Lady Norwich was having a musicale. She would be playing the harp to accompany an Italian singer.

  Lady Norwich was known for two things: her amiable nature and her hobbies. Every now and then she would develop a new interest. She would hire masters to teach her and hustle up a party of friends to exhibit her newly found talent. This year she had taken to playing the harp. Her good nature, a rare commodity in the ton, and her supremely talented French cook ensured that her invitations were seldom turned down.

  Lady Maria laughed. “One Season she invited us to have a look at her sculptures. There were three of them, and were made from clay.”

  “Were they good?”

  “They were misshapen lumps. We stood around them with solemn faces. Some offered suggestions, even praise until Lady Norwich said it was no use, she would never be able to sculpt even if it was to make a likeness of her dear departed husband, so it was better we stopped looking at the lumps. They might give us indigestion and we might blame it on her cook, and that would be most unfair.”

  Lady Norwich met them at the entrance, beaming at each arrival. “I'm so excited! I believe I have finally found something I like. My mother played the harp. My music teacher tried to make me play but I was forever escaping into the garden! Perhaps not forever because many of those lessons came back to me when I took it up again.”

  Lady Maria stopped to speak to a friend. Laura made her way to the row of chairs facing the clearing with the raised platform. For a moment she debated whether she should choose a seat to the back of the room. If Lady Norwich saw her sitting at the back with all the empty rows in front of her, she would feel bad. She slipped into the second row.

  Many of the guests had arrived but instead of sitting down, they stood in clusters. The buzz of conversation filled the room. Laura realized they were all partaking of the latest morsel of scandal.

  “Lady Laura! I was right in cautioning you!” Lady Goodall said before plonking down on the chair beside her.

  “When you made your come out, I warned you about Wimberley. Lady Selena guessed he had no intention to wed and kept her distance. I fear you weren't so circumspect. You persisted in making yourself conspicuous by hanging on to him. Flighty Fanny is in town and she has Wimberley firmly in her coil! You must be careful of your reputation. It takes so little to ruin a good name. Now if your own Mama would have a care, I wouldn't have to tell you any of this.”

  Laura held on to her temper but only with difficulty.

  “Remember, he has no plans to wed.”

  “Who has no plans to wed?” Lady Maria asked, coming over on seeing Lady Goodall with Laura.

  “Lord Wimberley is much taken with Flighty Fanny.”

  “You mean Lady Mannering?”

  Lady Goodall sniffed, her nostrils pinched in her scrawny face. “You may call her what you will but my dear, a leopard doesn't change its spots! She has a past. My cousin comes from those parts. I remember every word of what she told me about Fanny.”

  Lady Maria smiled sweetly. “Of course you do, Lady Goodall. What would happen to us if you didn't have such a good memory?”

  The sarcasm was lost on Lady Goodall. She preened and sailed away.

  “What was she telling you?” Lady Maria asked.

  “That...that Anthony...I mean his Grace ...”

  Lady Maria squeezed Laura's hand. “You don't have to say anything. Lady Goodall and her niece were at the theater. I saw them looking at you and his Grace. They think the duke has transferred his attentions to you. Lady Goodall was trying to keep you away from him.”

  “Why?”

  “She thinks if you don't encourage him, Lady Selena will have a chance. In truth, Lady Selena has no hopes in that direction. She is building a castle on the basis of a few dances, some of them engineered by her and her aunt.”

  Laura felt her heart lighten. There was nothing between Anthony and Lady Mannering. “Did Lady Goodall start the rumor about his Grace?” she asked.

  “His Grace has been seeing Lady Mannering. I met him when he called on her. He was leaving when I arrived. There was nothing clandestine about it. I think Lady Goodall would have heard of his visit. She manages to know about everything. ‘Pon rep, the woman has spies in every street.”

  Laura was not interested in Lady Goodall. She wanted to know about the rumor. “If there is nothing clandestine about the visit, why is everyone speaking ill of Lady Mannering?”

  “That is the way of the ton, my dear. I hope Fanny does not leave London. Not that I would blame her. She was made the object of vicious rumors in her first Season.”

  “Do you know Lady Mannering well? Do you think his Grace will offer for her?” Laura asked.

  “Gareth has been telling me about his efforts at finding a mother for his daughter. That is why he has been seeking out older women. I know Fanny. She will make a wonderful mother to his daughter. But I'm not sure she is looking to wed again. Her visit to London during the Season is a coincidence. She has told me she does not want to attend any social events. If she was looking for a husband, she would not cloister herself with her cousin.”

  There was no time for more quest
ions. Lady Norwich had taken her place behind the harp. The Italian singer was also ready. She was a middle-aged woman with a homely face. Lady Norwich first played solo and later accompanied the singer. She gave a credible performance. The singer was also good.

  In all, it was a pleasant performance and did not intrude upon Laura's thoughts. She went over Lady Goodall’s words, that Lady Mannering had Anthony in her coils and he would not wed. Heat bloomed in her cheeks as she worked out the implication. She vaguely knew that gentlemen entered into liaisons with women. Her visit to the foundling home had brought her face to face with the result of such connections.

  But Lady Mannering was Maria's friend and she spoke highly of her. And she held Anthony in high regard. Lady Goodall was mistaken. Anthony must have plans of marrying Lady Mannering. She was a widow and it was perfectly respectable for him to call on her.

  No! Her heart protested. He mustn't! He's mine!

  “What's the matter?” Lady Maria asked. “You look dazed.”

  Laura gave a feeble smile. She felt stunned, as if hit by a brick on the head though she had never been hit by a brick on the head.

  Her resolve to turn her heart away from Anthony was a farce, a pretense. She didn’t mean it at all! She could not stop loving him. She had always known it. His fleeting touch during their dance had disturbed her. Waltzing in his arms had made her feel complete. The mere thought of him marrying Lady Mannering had seared her heart with pain.

  She would not deny the truth. At least not to herself. She wanted to be Anthony’s wife. To be by his side for the rest of her days.

  One turbaned matron, tightly laced in an obnoxious gown, tottered over to them. Speaking in hushed tones, she said, “Lady Maria! Have you heard of Lady Mannering’s scandalous conduct? She has trapped Wimberley and is carrying on with him shamelessly. Lady Goodall feels it keenly. She had hoped Lady Selena would bring him up to scratch.”