After that there was nothing particularly remarkable about the arrival of the guests except when Miss Pottinger came through the door, accompanied by her parents. Letty saw at once what Archie had meant when he described her. She was a trifle stout, had one of those rather colourless complexions that lack charm even when young, and a smile that lifted her face from the plain to the ordinary – but no further. Compassion having unexpectedly surfaced in Letty’s character during the last few hours, she looked sympathetically upon the young woman and greeted her with almost excessive warmth for she knew that, whether or not Miss Pottinger’s heart beat faster for Lord Archibald, it would beat in vain.
When the greetings were over, the Earl made his way towards Aspasia, who was still with the Major.
Fielding, who had witnessed the arrival and partial collapse of the Mott-Ripleys, along with the shock sustained by Mrs Ripley, was, although suspicious, uncertain of the exact cause of her agitation. Not wanting to pry into what he assumed she would not wish to divulge, he had done his best to speak on dull subjects in as reassuring a manner as he could achieve. Now, having secured her consent to stand up with him for the first dance, he was leading her in the direction of the ballroom.
Aspasia, almost undone by the sight of the Colonel, was grateful for Major Fielding’s comforting presence and, not unaware of the intention behind his talk of flower arrangements and other such mundane matters, responded with almost automatic murmurs of assent.
When the Earl arrived beside them, both stopped and the Major, meeting his lordship’s eyes briefly and understanding the message in them, immediately recalled something he must do elsewhere, promised to return in time to lead Mrs Ripley out and slipped away.
The Earl, taking Aspasia’s hand and tucking it firmly into his arm, led her through a door into a small room barely larger than a cupboard which, it seemed, was a repository for a vast number of glasses of every shape and size.
“I don’t think we’ll be disturbed here,” he said, pushing her gently on to one of two unpretentious chairs.
She sat down obediently. It struck him that the shock had turned her into something resembling a mechanical doll. She moved, she even spoke more or less appropriately, but her eyes were unnervingly fixed and the light behind them – the intelligence, compassion and humanity with which he had fallen in love – had been extinguished.
He sat down in the other chair, facing her, and asked bluntly, “Is Colonel Mott-Ripley your husband?”
She blinked, shook herself – more internally than externally – and said, “I thought he was, but now I realise that he cannot have been.”
The Earl, understanding her meaning perfectly, said, “You recognised him, did you not? And I am fairly certain, from his reaction when he first saw Letty, that for a moment he thought she was you.”
“She is very like me – what I was,” she answered. “And then the name …”
“Indeed. How fortunate that I did not mention her name on the invitation for, if I had, he would not have come. I take it that is the man you married sixteen years ago?”
“Yes, although he has changed a good deal - or I have misremembered him. I almost thought, at first, that he might be a brother and, knowing something of the story, recognised the name rather than Letty’s face. It was only when he walked away with the footman that I was certain - although he was not used to totter in that disconcerting manner – like an old man.”
“The face changes with the years,” Stonegate said gently, “but I must suppose that the movements, although they become stiffer and more halting with time, retain something of their essential characteristics.”
“Where is he now?”
“I’m not sure. I imagine Bert took him into the small saloon – which is why I brought you in here – but he may have left. What would you like me to do?”
Aspasia was beginning to recover something of her usual sangfroid in the Earl’s reassuringly pragmatic company. She frowned in an effort of concentration, but her eyes had ceased to stare, and colour was returning to her cheeks.
“I don’t know. I don’t think a confrontation will be of much benefit to anyone – it is obvious that he was already married when he took me to Gretna Green so that revealing all to his wife and children will only hurt them and, in truth, they have in a sense been betrayed more than I have.”
“You are generous,” he said, “but it will be necessary to inform the authorities that the marriage was bigamous so that it can be struck from the records.”
“Yes,” she said faintly, beginning to show signs of returning agitation. Her breath grew short and quick and something like disgust passed across her features. “But we need not do that now, need we? If we – you – I – one or both of us confront him immediately I am afraid there might be a disagreeable scene which will spoil the evening for everyone.”
“Do you want to ignore what happened?”
“Yes, for the time being. I own I do not feel quite strong enough to set anything drastic in train just at present; and you, my lord, do not look well: you should return to your bed.”
“I will when I have led Letitia out for the first dance. I intend to slip away immediately after that, although I would like to return later to stand up with you.”
“Do you think I should make myself scarce too? I do not think anyone else noticed, although Major Fielding certainly perceived my agitation.”
“I see no reason why that man should drive you away; to my mind, he has done you quite enough damage already.”
Chapter 33
In the end Aspasia consented to remain at least until after the first dance, which she had promised to Major Fielding, whose exemplary conduct made her reluctant to let him down.
The musicians did not strike up until they received a nod from the Earl, when they raised their instruments and began to play. He found Letty and led her out.
She was not an experienced dancer – indeed she had never attended a ball before – but she was a graceful young woman and had an adequate sense of rhythm to perform the steps without mishap. The Earl guided her with firm movements and low-voiced instructions so that she managed to complete the figure without too much difficulty. Once she began to forget that everyone was looking at her, she even began to enjoy herself.
“I hope you will forgive me if I retire for a little while,” he said as he returned her to a chair beside the Dowager. “I own I am not feeling robust but hope to come back later. In the meantime, Archibald will be in charge.”
“You need not have dragged yourself from your bed, you know,” the old lady said as Letty was led out by Lord Sharpthorne for the next dance. “Archibald can manage perfectly well.”
“I am aware of that, Mama, but did not think I could delegate standing up for the first dance with Letitia. It might have caused confusion.”
“There seems to be plenty of that in any event,” she said. “What was going on with the Mott-Ripley party? He looked as though he’d seen a ghost. The girl is pretty, though, is she not?”
“Yes, very; to whom shall we attempt to assign her, Mama? I’m persuaded you wouldn’t welcome a female from such a vulgar household into this family.”
“Probably not, although she seems to have very pretty manners. Had Mott-Ripley met Letitia before? It was her name – or perhaps her face – which undid him.”
“How very observant you are, Mama. I think she reminded him of someone.”
She frowned but, although sometimes her emotionally incontinent manner indicated a degree of advancing senility, there was nothing amiss with her memory.
“Ripley! Do not, I implore you, tell me he mistook Letitia for Aspasia! Is he the errant husband? I must admit I was wrong: I thought he had run off with another woman; it never occurred to me that our Mrs Ripley was the other woman and, when he tired of her, he merely returned to his wife. Oh dear, how will she ever lift up her head again?”
“I cannot see the least difficulty, Mama; she has done nothing wrong.”
“No, but to be married bigamously! It is disgraceful! Where is she? Has she retired to hide her shame?”
“Certainly not! She was dancing with Major Fielding a moment ago and now seems to have stood up with Lord Hudson. You have guessed correctly, Mama, but I beg you to say nothing to anybody this evening; it would be horrifying for poor Letitia to discover the truth at such a moment.”
“Very well,” Lady Stonegate said with surprising humility. “I will keep my lips closed on the subject. Where are they – the Mott-Ripleys?”
“I am not certain but suspect they may have left.”
“I hope so. I am sure I do not want such people under my roof! I suppose I should be glad you are too unwell to seek him out and issue him with some absurd challenge.”
“The Devil! I own I had not even thought of that although I did rather long to knock him down. Good God, do you think I should?”
“Certainly not! He is not a gentleman and does not deserve to be treated as one. A kick into the gutter would be more appropriate!”
“Thank you, Mama,” the Earl said, giving her a warm smile and kissing her hand.
“Good lord, don’t go soft on me!” she retorted, colour rising in her thin cheeks.
Letty, having acquitted herself adequately on the dance floor with her betrothed, took to it with enthusiasm. She was soon besieged by gentlemen wishing to lead her out and began to enjoy herself enormously. It was not until the supper interval that she found Lord Archibald beside her.
“Since I cannot dance, I wonder if you would allow me to stand in for my brother and lead you in to supper,” he said.
“Can you not dance? Some of the measures do not require much more than walking round in circles, so far as I can see.”
He took this as acquiescence, tucked her hand into his arm and led the way into the supper room.
“Would you like to stand up with me then?” he asked.
“I own I would.”
“Then, if I can get past all your admirers, we will essay a very sedate number after we have eaten. Where, by the way, is your aunt?”
“I don’t know, but I am sure she cannot have gone far.”
Aspasia, not having sat down since standing up with the Major for the first dance, had slipped away to visit Lord Stonegate.
She knocked upon his door and, on being bidden to enter, did so with a rather embarrassed look.
“I hope I have not woken you but wanted to see if you were in good fettle.”
“No, you did not and, even if you had, waking to see you in my room would have instantly made me feel wonderfully better. Have I told you how charming the gown is and that you are the most beautiful woman in the Castle?”
“I think you did mention the former but not the latter – which is, in any event, not true. I am not a patch on Letty.”
“I disagree. Come here. Will you consent to sit upon my bed? I promise I will not take advantage of you.”
“I am not quite sure how you would do that, sir,” she responded, sitting down.
“Shall I show you?”
“No; yes; pray do not tease me.”
“Why not? I thought you liked it. I will not kiss you, though, although there is nothing I want to do more, because I am still not altogether convinced that my indisposition was caused by something which disagreed with me.”
“Archie tasted the brandy.”
“I know – and found nothing amiss with it – or do you think he was lying to encourage me to drink more and thus put a period to my existence?”
“I cannot believe that of him. Do you truly think he wants to step into your shoes?”
“No, although his own are not very comfortable – rather too tight, I suspect. I would give him more if I had it.”
“I suppose you would if you married Letty.”
“Let us not go there again, for Heaven’s sake. I will not marry Letty; I want to marry you and, now that we know that you have not in point of fact already got a husband, I see no reason why we cannot go ahead. Will you have me, Aspasia? I suppose you are still Miss Denton; indeed, as you know, I have already sent a notice to the Gazette, announcing that the Earl of Stonegate is to marry Miss Denton. Will you, dearest Miss Denton, do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
“Do you really not object to marrying a woman who has been bigamously married before and whose soi-disant husband still lives?”
“I have no objection at all and – if you are reluctant to tie the knot while your scoundrel of a counterfeit husband still lives, there is always the oubliette, down which I will be happy to push him. You have only to say the word, my love!”
She smiled. “Would it be very improper for me to accept your kind offer before we have obtained the necessary annulment?”
“Not in the least – and certainly no more improper than your sitting here on my bed with no chaperone.”
“Oh! I am sorry, but then you already know that I am not a respectable person.”
“On the contrary, I think you an exceedingly respectable person, and presumably so did Mr Ripley for he clearly did not expect you to run away with him without marriage.”
“I suppose not. How has he become Colonel Ripley and do you suppose he was always Mott-Ripley but suppressed the Mott when he married me?”
“Was he not a soldier when you met him?”
“Oh no; at least I did not know that he was, and we were married for the best part of a year. Surely, if he had been in the army, he would have had to report for duty at some point?”
“Yes, he would. He must have joined up after he left you and, in view of the fact that he is not quite a gentleman and cannot have had anyone to put him forward for a commission, I can only admire the way he must have conducted himself in the army. He has done extraordinarily well. I have met him before – at someone else’s house – and disliked him, as I told you, but I think we must acknowledge that he has risen in the ranks with quite remarkable speed, especially when you consider that his wife cannot have been much help socially.”
“No; I own I feel quite sorry for her, although she does not look like the sort of female who would put up with him slapping her. I should think she could give as good as she gets on that score.”
“I hope you are right because, while she may be vulgar and dress badly – as Mama is quick to point out – she does not deserve to be treated roughly. Mama, by the way, has put two and two together and come up with the right answer. She has, however, sworn to keep her lips closed tonight.”
She nodded; it did not surprise her for the Countess’s sharp eyes were impossible to avoid and her conclusions, if they erred at all, were inclined to the cynical.
“She is not slow to assess a situation, although she generally puts as unpleasant a slant upon it as possible. On this occasion, I should imagine she would have been hard put to find anything worse than the truth. Are you attached to her?”
“No, I cannot say that I am. She has rarely been less than odious to me and has wished, often in so many words, that I would die and leave Archibald to inherit.”
He accompanied this unusually sour remark with a smile, no doubt intended to show that he did not, in spite of having every reason to do so, feel bitter, and added, “You had better go back to the ball, my love, for you are missing it all sitting up here with a sick man.”
“I would rather be with you,” she said simply. “But I can see that you are tired.”
“I will rest a little and then I hope to come downstairs again later. Does Major Fielding know aught about Colonel Mott-Ripley? I know they are in different regiments so that he would not have come across him in the army, but he may still have heard rumours. From the way he looked at me earlier, I felt he had a pretty good idea of the nature of the man – and had perhaps guessed that he was your husband.”
“I think he may have done, yes. He is another who is unusually observant – but is kind with it, I think.”
“He’s probably in love with you.”
�
�I am much afraid you may be right, but I don’t think he ever expected anything to come of it on account of the uncertainty over my position. Why do you ask?”
“Because I am anxious about your safety and must hope that the Major will keep an eye on you while I am hidden away up here. Colonel Mott-Riley has a horrifyingly good reason to want to remove you. I know I said earlier that he should not be permitted to spoil your evening, but I had not then considered that he might want to expunge altogether the main witness to his crime. He must be cursing the day he accepted the invitation – which he did from purely snobbish reasons because I am certain he likes me no more than I like him. You could make his life very uncomfortable and his position in the army untenable if it gets out that he contracted a bigamous marriage. I would not imagine he would want his pretty daughter or his son finding out either. Have a care, my love!”
“I will, but I should think it far more likely that he invented a sudden illness and went home.”
Chapter 34
Letty, on her way into supper with Lord Archibald, was quizzed by several people on the whereabouts of her fiancé. She explained that he was not feeling quite the thing and had retired to his chamber for a space. His brother, she explained, was standing in for him.
“He won’t want him to get into the habit of doing that too often,” one jovial gentleman remarked.
“Why not?” Letty asked innocently.
“He’s a good bit older than this sprig,” the man said with a meaning glance at Archie.
“And a good deal more able-bodied,” his lordship retorted.
After supper, having requested the musicians play a cotillion, a dance which did not require much running about, Lord Archibald led her out as promised. He knew the steps better than she so that, although his movements were halting, he managed to acquit himself well.
Letitia Or The Convalescent Heart Page 28
