Not Just Lovely Laura

by Jessica Spencer

  “What do you do? Watch?” he asked irritably.

  “I stay on guard,” the pleasant-faced man replied with a broad smile that displayed a gold tooth.

  Philip made for a sagging chair and slumped into it. “It looks like his Grace hasn't been obliging,” Mr. Baxter said, taking a liberal pinch of snuff.

  “He'll come to his senses or he'll face the consequences,” Philip said and told him about Anthony’s decision and how they would not be able to blackmail him.

  “Give him a day to think the matter over. See him tomorrow. Play it cool. In my extensive experience of such delicate matters, it is better to present the proposition in a sympathetic matter.”

  Philip sneered. “Your last caper with a peer had you locked up.”

  “Only for three months! I know how to work the system. Don't worry. I always land on my feet. It's people like you who have a problem. Pampered and cosseted, you are all as helpless as a babe in swaddling clothes!”

  “What should I do? My information about the brat is of use only if Wimberley pays for me to keep silent. I'd love to drag his name in the mud, for revenge, but what of my debts? A nasty fellow threatened me this morning about a gaming debt.”

  “Give me the details. I'll take care of it.”

  “Baxter, you are a good sort.”

  Baxter flashed his gold tooth. “So I'm. But I have to live. That's why my goodness has a price. I believe you are on to something big but you must play the game the way I tell you.”

  “What do I have to do?”

  “That will depend. Do you know whether the duke has plans of leaving London?”

  “He is leaving for Harrogate in a day or two.”

  “Does he have many friends?”

  “He doesn’t have enemies, that’s for sure. He is close to Lord Daventon.”

  Something like admiration came into Baxter’s eyes. “Good with his fists, Lord Daventon is. And a deep one too.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “My lips are sealed. All I will say is he numbers among the very few failures in my illustrious career.”

  “Baxter, did I tell you about Lady Mannering? It struck me in Wimberley's study that the brat could be hers. Wimberley was always soft on her.”

  “Why don't you send her a note? Ladies are more reasonable when it comes to paying up.”

  “She has nothing.”

  “Then what good will it do to drag her in?”

  “Revenge.”

  Baxter shook his head in disgust. “Keep it simple, lordie. Keep it only about money.”

  “What should we do now? You were sure Wimberley would buy my silence. But he wants to acknowledge the brat!”

  Baxter smiled. “We kidnap the brat.”

  “Eh?”

  “I’ll tell you by and by. First, you must go out among the nobs and hint at your cousin’s doings.”

  Chapter 27

  “Bessie, I want to change my gown!” Laura said, frowning at her reflection.

  “Do you, my lady? The gown you are wearing becomes you well.”

  Laura plucked at the neckline of the blue sprigged muslin. “Doesn't it make me look too young?”

  Bessie rolled her eyes. What had got into her mistress? “You look very pretty, Lady Laura.”

  Laura examined her image again, turning to look over her shoulder. The gown was among her favorites. “Do my hair again.”

  “How do you want it, my lady?”

  Laura bit her lip. She looked into the mirror again. Bessie had dressed her hair in a new style. An artless cluster of curls framed her face and the ribbon through her hair matched the blue of her gown.

  Laura knew she was being silly about the visit. It mattered not a whit if Lady Mannering cast her in the shade. Anthony was not likely to be present. It wouldn’t matter if he was present. A man who would fix his attentions solely on the basis of good looks was not worth having.

  “You are right, Bessie. This gown will do very well. Shall I wear the bonnet with the pink rosette? It is of the same shade as the gown’s trim.”

  ***

  Laura followed Lady Maria to the terrace house. A blushing maid ushered them into a parlor. Lady Mannering was seated beside the window with an open book placed face down on the small table beside her. She rose to welcome them.

  Laura murmured all that was appropriate. Maria sat down beside Lady Mannering. Laura took a seat a little away from them.

  “Fanny, we've come to invite you to a select gathering at Severn House,” Maria said.

  “Lady Daventon...”

  “I thought you had agreed to address me by my given name.”

  “And I thought I had already told you I don't mean to attend any of the ton activities.”

  “Don't be a goose! You know the tabbies. They'll think you have something to hide and will slander you all the more!”

  “I don't care what they think. I came to London because the present Lord Mannering is odious. He had the gall to suggest I.... I shall be all right, Maria.”

  “I'm not saying you won't. All I'm asking of you is to spend an evening out instead of being cooped up at home. Your cousin is busy with her work. Surely, there is a limit to the number of books you can read.”

  Laura was most surprised by Lady Mannering. She wore a plain gown with a small pearl brooch as her only ornamentation. Her hair was pulled back from her face and bundled into a knot at the top of her head. She was undeniably beautiful but it owed nothing to artifice. And she did not look in the least to indulge in a sordid flirtation.

  Maria leaned forward and clasped Lady Mannering's hands. “Fanny, you know I have a great fondness for you. The last time you were in London, you were young and inexperienced. I suspect you knew who was behind the campaign to vilify you. The pamphlets and the lampooning bore the mark of an attack aimed to destroy your reputation. I don't blame you for running away. I would have done the same. Now you are a woman. A strong woman. I don't mean to disrespect the dead but it is common knowledge your life with Lord Mannering wouldn't have been one of conjugal bliss. You survived two years with him. You are strong, Fanny! I know you don't care about the ton's approval. Neither do I.

  “I want you to reclaim your rightful position. Your father was a powerful baron. Your husband belonged to an ancient family. I want you to show everyone what you are made of. This isn't about finding a husband or enjoying the Season. It is about coming out and fighting for your good name. You may think to escape into the country but tell me, in honesty, can you become a part of the yeomanry? You will need social intercourse. A country squire or a vicar at a village church is capable of being as snobbish as a peer. It is natural. They depend for many things on their lord.”

  Lady Mannering smiled. “You sound like his Grace, Lord Wimberley. He has been badgering me with such talk. I am almost glad that he is to leave for Harrogate soon. Did he send you here?”

  Laura flinched. Anthony was going to Harrogate! He had taken the trouble to inform Lady Mannering of his plans; she must hold a special place in his affections.

  “What makes you think I'm not concerned about you? You were the first friend I made. I haven't forgotten how kind you were. In spite of your troubles, you stood up for me.”

  Lady Mannering retreated into silence as Lady Maria continued to press her. Finally, she surrendered. “I'll come,” she said.

  “Good. The day after tomorrow, there is a small gathering at Severn House. I'll send my maid in the afternoon. She'll help you get ready. The carriage should be here by five.”

  Fanny didn't protest. She knew it was futile.

  “We must take leave now,” Lady Maria said, pulling on her gloves. “Laura dear, will you please wait for me in the carriage? I'll be with you in a moment.”

  Laura hid her surprise. She said, “Lady Mannering, I look forward to seeing you again. I know my mother would like to make your acquaintance.”

  Laura got into the carriage. Minutes later, Lady Maria joined her. “We will first sto
p at Madame Jolie's Establishment,” she said, looking flustered.

  “Why are we stopping there? Are you ordering a gown?”

  “I'm picking up some gowns for Fanny. She is lately come out of mourning and doesn't have anything suitable. Not that she cares, the silly creature! She will march in dressed in sackcloth and still manage to look regal. But that will only cause tongues to wag all the more.”

  Laura smiled. “I remember your advice when Mother attended Lady Malloy's ball. It was her first appearance in years. You wanted her to wear a gown of the first stare.”

  “Precisely! You mustn't let on that you know the gowns come from me. Fanny is proud. If she wasn't, she would have stayed on at Savage Lodge and put up with whatever humiliation the current Lord Mannering heaped on her. He has refused to give her what is her due under the marriage settlement. I cannot sully your ears with what he expects her to do!”

  “Is that why Lady Mannering is living with her cousin?”

  “She left everything behind except her mother’s jewels. Her father’s man of business has taken it upon himself to wrest what is due to her. It is quite a sum. Lord Mannering was a boor but he was wealthy.”

  “Is Lady Fanny in financial straits?” Laura asked delicately.

  It was bad manners to probe, that too about money. But she was intrigued. The picture Lady Selena had painted, referring to her scornfully as Flighty Fanny, implicating her of scandalous behavior didn't sit well with the woman she had met. The plainness of Lady Fanny's gown or the arrangement of hair did not disguise that she was a lady of breeding and of character. Doubtless, there was a reason why Anthony was visiting her. If the relationship was of a sordid nature, Lady Fanny would not have referred to him without a blush. Also, Lady Maria was going to a lot of trouble to help her.

  All of Laura's disquiet fell away. She wouldn't speculate or judge. She wasn't a gossipmonger. She knew how the ton was, eager to tear apart a lady’s reputation for sport. And if the lady was without the protection of a powerful family, she could never expect to defend herself. Laura saw the wisdom of her sister-in-law’s words. Even if Lady Mannering retired from society, the shadow of scandal would blight her life.

  The carriage pulled to a stop outside Madame Jolie's establishment. The hour was still early. Most of the shop's patrons were either sipping hot chocolate in bed or partaking of a leisurely breakfast.

  Mme. Jolie was all smiles. “What shall it be today, my lady? A shipment of the most exquisite muslin and rich brocade has arrived from India.”

  “I will return to look at the bolts of fabric later. Now I want readymade gowns. A friend has arrived from the country. She's a married lady. We're almost the same size.”

  Madame Jolie chose gowns in designs that could be easily altered if needed.

  “This one!” Laura exclaimed, picking up a gown in midnight blue. Made of rich silk, it had a square neckline and long sleeves. The waist was nipped in. The only ornamentation was a silver rosette below the left shoulder. Lady Maria asked Mme. Jolie for one of the gauzy stoles that were quite the rage. She draped it around the dress.

  “Wait! I have something better!” Mme Jolie darted into a workshop and came back holding a bustle in the same material. She pinned it to the gown. “This is to go on another gown but no matter. If you like it, I'll have it stitched to this gown.

  “What do you think, Laura?”

  “It looks wonderful.”

  Lady Maria nodded and Madame Jolie immediately set a seamstress to work. They chose two more gowns, one in green velvet with French lace and the other in warm peach sarsanet.

  “Shall we also take the plum satin? I think it will suit Lady Mannering,” Laura asked.

  “So do I. But it will be an uphill task to make Fanny accept the three gowns we have selected.”

  ***

  Gareth reined in his horse when he saw Anthony.

  “Gareth, I want a private word with you.”

  “Here, in Hyde Park?” Gareth asked.

  Anthony shrugged. “We could ride to that clump of trees.”

  Gareth turned his horse. Anthony rode alongside him. He looked serious.

  “What’s the matter?” Gareth asked after they dismounted.

  Anthony started pacing the ground.

  “Out with it! What’s bothering you? Has the abominable Lancing come clean about the threat?”

  “Philip? No. Nothing of the sort.”

  “You look deuced uncomfortable. Has Lady Selena inveigled you into offering for her?”

  Anthony took a deep breath. “Daventon, I want your permission to court Lady Laura. I know I am too old for her but I will do my best to make her happy.”

  “Drat it! You aren’t too old for her! You must understand I have to think of my sister’s happiness. We don’t know what Philip is planning. There is the matter of Annie, too.”

  “You are in the right. I hoped you would allow me to speak to Lady Laura. I want to tell her everything. If she is still willing, I thought to apply for a special license. I believe she isn’t indifferent to me.”

  “I know she isn’t. But she is young. She may come to care for someone else.”

  Anthony didn’t argue the matter. He couldn’t. Gareth had voiced what he had been thinking all along. It wasn’t right to drag Laura through the muck that lay in store for him. It was also wrong to leave the decision to her. He was older and more experienced in the ways of the world.

  He held out his hand. “You have my word. I shall stay away from Lady Laura. I hope this will not come in the way of our friendship.”

  Gareth stared at him for a moment through narrowed eyes. “I don’t relish doing this, Wimberley. I don’t even know whether Laura would want me to decide on her behalf. We’ll leave things as they are until you return from Harrogate. Join me for breakfast at Daventon House.”

  “Thank you,” Anthony said and turned away. He was touched by his friend’s trust in him.

  ***

  Laura came down for breakfast is a happy frame of mind. Her visit to Lady Mannering had lifted her spirits. She breezed through the door and saw Anthony seated at the table.

  “Lady Laura, you are a sight for sore eyes!” he said, smiling as he stood up to greet her.

  Laura blushed prettily and gave him an arch look. “Am I to understand that your Grace is already tired of the Season?”

  Gareth cleared his throat but whatever he meant to say remained unsaid. He had never seen Laura look so radiant. So confident. He chuckled at the look on his friend’s face. Anthony was gawking at her like a stuffed fish.

  “Your Grace, I am feeling sadly neglected. We have been in London this many weeks but Gareth has no time to take me to Hyde Park in his phaeton,” Laura said, peeking at Anthony through her lashes.

  If Gareth was not surprised, he would have been annoyed. His sweet sister who preferred to be silent in male company was flirting! Anthony gave him a pleading look. After his promise to keep away, he couldn’t do the gentlemanly thing and invite Laura for a ride in his phaeton.

  Gareth came to his rescue. “Laura, dear. Anthony is busy this afternoon.”

  Laura pouted. Pouted. Anthony looked stunned. Gareth couldn’t believe his eyes. What game was Laura playing?

  “We will leave you to breakfast in peace, Laura,” Gareth said and steered Anthony out of the room.

  Laura gave a happy sigh. It had not been difficult in the least! Before falling asleep, she had come to a decision. She would make Anthony see her as a young woman who was interested in him.

  Laura finished her breakfast and went in search of her sister-in-law. She was in the morning room, going through the mail.

  “My dear, you look especially lovely this morning! I was starting to fear the Season was wearing you down.”

  Laura smiled. After complimenting Maria on her gown she asked, “Are you going over to Severn House after breakfast?”

  Maria nodded. “Grandma will become anxious about tomorrow’s soiree if I don’t.”
/>
  “Do you need me to go with you?”

  “I am always glad of your company, dear. But there isn’t much to be done at Severn House. The housekeeper is quite competent. She has everything in hand. It is to be a small gathering of less than a hundred guests.”

  “I think I shall visit the children’s home today.”

  Maria frowned. “I wish you would reconsider. You were in danger of being recognized last week.”

  “It was an accident, dearest. Adam was able to right the carriage soon. I wasn’t in any danger at all!”

  Lady Maria didn't look too happy but Laura persuaded her. Lucy immediately requested permission to go with her, to see her niece. An hour later, Laura hurried through the entrance of The Home for Unfortunate Children.

  “Lady Laura!” Mrs. Forsyth stood up, a welcoming smile on her face. “I'm so glad you were able to come! Annie has been worried she would leave without seeing you.”

  “Where is Annie going? Have you found people who will bring her up as their daughter?”

  Mrs. Forsyth beamed. “Something even better! Annie's own family is taking her in!”

  “You mean her father! Who is he?” Laura asked.

  “I'm sorry, dear. I can't reveal that. I understand she is to be acknowledged. That is bound to cause enough of a stir that it will reach your ears. I hope your family will allow you to visit with Annie. I can never decide whether it is good for these children to know the truth about their unfortunate birth.”

  Suddenly there were raised voices in the passage. Mrs. Forsyth flung open a door. “Quick, get into the anteroom! You mustn't be seen!”

  Laura dived inside. The next minute the door to Mrs. Forsyth’s office was flung open. Laura put her eye to the keyhole. It provided her with the uninteresting view of a cupboard. She put her ear against the keyhole instead.

  “Madam, we tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen!”

  “That's all right. Wait outside the door in case I need you.”

  Laura heard a chair being pulled. The visitor must be insolent, to sit without being invited.