Felicity and the Damaged Reputation: A witty, sweet Regency Romance

by Alicia Cameron

  ‘Sally, dear one,’ said Aurora, laying off her gloves and sitting down at the table opposite Lady Jersey who was eyeing her aghast, ‘You look ravishing today. Where did you get that bronze gauze? So sophisticated a colour!’

  ‘It’s no use Aurora, there is nothing I can do. Whatever the truth of last night’s debacle, I have already received letters from shocked mamas begging that I will not taint Almacks’ fair halls with Miss Oldfield’s presence. I like the girl, but it makes no odds, I cannot issue any more vouchers. You know our rules!’

  ‘I am not asking for more vouchers, dear Sally. I have some for tonight already, you know!’

  ‘You cannot mean to throw that young girl to the wolves! It would be too cruel!’ she ate a piece of a sweet tart, ‘Anyway, she would be denied entry which would be embarrassing for you all.’

  ‘Sally, if you knew the truth—’ said Aurora calmly.

  ‘It makes no odds, I tell you. She will be shunned whatever. It went too far when Durant went after her.’

  ‘It is only that Durant is a concerned friend of our family that made him do so.’

  ‘I don’t remember that Wilbert Fenton has ever been particularly intimate with Durant.’

  ‘Don’t you? And normally, you know everything…’

  ‘If asked, I might remember their friendship,’ said Lady Jersey. ‘But that is all I can do.’

  ‘There is another thing. Ensure that we do not get turned away at the door tonight.’

  ‘Of what good will that be if we never issue vouchers again?’

  ‘It will be a start.’ Lady Aurora abandoned her teasing and became serious. ‘Consider the source of the rumour—’

  ‘Lady Letitia is much too pert, but her background is—’

  ‘I know, I know. But Durant has informed us this morning that it was all because Felicity was enlisted to stop one of Lady Letitia’s peevish starts that she bears her a grudge. It is more to do with her resentment at Durant seeking to curb her excesses than any other thing—’

  ‘Do not tell me, Aurora, it will do no good. Lady Letitia is a spoilt child, I will own, but what difference can it make if I understand? There is a shade about Miss Oldfield’s name now that even I cannot dispel. Something occurred, it is plain.’

  ‘Merely that she accompanied him in an open carriage. It is done all the time.’

  ‘In the park, in town, yes. But not in quiet country lanes.’

  There was a pause and Lady Aurora sighed.

  ‘Make sure we are not turned away at the door. I ask no more than this, Sally.’

  Lady Jersey sniffed. ‘Even that will be practically impossible. The other patronesses might have left instructions already.’

  ‘Then you must rescind them. Please, Sally.’

  ‘Well, if you wish to subject that young girl to the cold shoulder of the World, you are more heartless than I thought.’

  ‘Then you will?’

  ‘Very well. But don’t come crying to me when Miss Oldfield suffers a decline.’

  ‘Not she. She is the bravest and best girl I know.’

  ‘You sound as though she were your daughter, not just a friend.’

  ‘I would be so proud if she were.’ Lady Aurora got up and went around to kiss her friend resoundingly on the cheek. ‘Goodbye, Sally. And thank you.’ She drew on her gloves. ‘I must go. I have a great deal to accomplish this morning.’

  What Lady Aurora accomplished and what she did not, left her with a smaller list of friends than she thought she had. But this was good knowledge, she thought, not bad.

  As the tilbury travelled at a sedate pace around the park, Captain Benedict Fenton rode beside it, keeping the ladies amused. The pace was slow enough to give people a chance to approach the carriage, but humiliatingly, few people did. Mrs Drummond-Burrell, in a passing phaeton, obviously intended to give Felicity the cut direct, driving past with her face forward. This was somewhat mitigated by Benedict, whose excellent eye had seen the tilting of that ladies head from a distance, and who quickly drew Felicity’s attention to himself as the Burrell’s carriage passed. The drive for Felicity was horrid.

  Two persons who had obviously not heard the gossip did stop and talk, Mr Simon Rush begging to take Felicity for a spin in his new gig, but as Mr Rush, who might have been granted such a boon on the day before, had a reputation with the ladies, Lady Sumner excused her charge. ‘I’m afraid that we have errands to attend to today, Mr Rush.’

  Felicity surprised him with a rather sad smile, and Rush took himself off, determined to go to Almacks tonight to try his luck with the beauty.

  Her delicate feelings had noted Miss Althorpe’s mama, who had previously been negligently kind to Felicity, move her daughter to another path, so as to avoid the tilbury. She saw a group of gentlemen turn their backs so as to effect not to see them. Not quite a cut, but still a wound. Genevieve hissed, ‘Hold up your head and smile at me.’ And Felicity did so, by rote. Then Genevieve groaned, ‘Oh, drat it!’

  Benedict, hearing said, ‘What on earth—?’ Then he looked ahead at a rather old fashioned but grand equipage approaching them. ‘Oh, no! Not old Lady Harrington.’

  ‘I have to stop!’ said Genevieve to Felicity. ‘It is an aunt of my husband’s.’

  The two equipages stopped abreast of each other, and Felicity saw that the landaulet had a handsome crest on the side and that a plump old lady, richly dressed in a mustard velvet pelisse with a high crowned bonnet lined with the same shade of ruched silk, was regarding her curiously.

  ‘Lady Sumner! I did not know you were in town,’ she said to Genevieve, formally. ‘And my beloved great-nephew?’

  ‘Lady Harrington!’ Genevieve bowed her head. ‘Lord Sumner is with me, also. I thought your ladyship in Somerset or we would have called.’

  ‘I passed Sumner House, it is closed.’ The old lady reminded Felicity vaguely of her own aunt, but as the lady’s attention was all on Genevieve, she was able to relax somewhat. The high purple plumes in Lady Harrington’s hat amused her and she smiled.

  ‘And who, pray, is this?’ the tone told Felicity that she already knew, and she flushed.

  ‘Hold fast!’ whispered Benedict, beside her on his horse.

  ‘May I present my friend Miss Felicity Oldfield, niece of Lady Ellingham? We are both residing with Mrs Fenton at the moment, while Miss Oldfield makes her debut.’

  The old woman’s eyes swept Felicity over, and though Felicity managed not to drop her chin, she flushed even more.

  ‘Stop it!’ said Genevieve, and Lady Harrington’s eyes went swiftly to hers. ‘You obviously have heard the rumours from last night, and I tell you there is no truth to the vile implications.’ Lady Harrington’s eyes were hard. ‘For once in your life you might be of use, if only you would take Felicity in your carriage round the park, showing that you give the rumours no credence.’

  ‘And you will hold back visits from Lord Sumner if I do not, I suppose?’ the old woman said resentfully.

  ‘Oswald is attached to your ladyship. Why would I wish to do anything so harmful to him?’ said Genevieve directly.

  The old lady’s eyes glittered. ‘I find I do not have the time to take Miss Oldfied with me today.’ Genevieve tightened her mouth. ‘Perhaps on another occasion.’ She smiled and knocked on the floor of her carriage as a sign that she would drive on.

  ‘At least she made no scene.’

  ‘She reminds me a little of my Aunt Ellingham, though with a newer bonnet.’

  Genevieve laughed, and Mr Fenton said, ‘Yes, they are both selfish martinets!’

  Felicity gave a genuine gurgle of mirth, and Mr James Temple, seeing her thus, raised a hand in greeting and bowed to her as she passed, thus annoying his mama whom he was accompanying that morning.

  Durant walked in on Letitia and said, ‘We shall attend Almacks this evening, cousin.’

  ‘We shall? I thought you said there would be no further entertainments—’ she looked at his cold face. ‘Anyway, I don
’t think I quite feel up to Almacks this evening. After last night, everyone will ask me—’

  ‘I do not care what you wish, cousin. Tell your maid.’

  Benedict took another pass around the park. ‘Fluff!’ he called, at a young man riding towards him.

  The man, who could be seen to a fair young man in a tall hat and elegant riding coat whose face seemed to be missing the whole idea of a chin, pulled up his black hunter and grinned. ‘Dickie! By all that’s holy!’ said Lord Carstairs — Fluff to his friends.

  ‘I did call, but they said you were out of town.’

  ‘Just got back. The truth is, my mother’s not well.’

  ‘Oh, sorry to hear that, Fluff!’

  ‘She was looking a bit more the thing by the time I left, so I suppose she’ll outlive me. Come over tonight, Dickie. We can get some others for cards, if you promise not to cheat.’

  Benedict grinned. ‘Not me!’ he said, remembering the simpler days when he had learnt (for the purest of motives) how to fuzz the cards and driven his friend crazy with his skill. Benedict had been almost glad when he’d called and found Fluff from home when he’d arrived in town this time. He didn’t feel comfortable these days away from his military friends who knew what he knew about death. But now, Fluff was the very man to help him.

  ‘Let’s go to the club, Fluff. We have to write a list.’

  ‘I’m game! A list of what?’

  ‘Friends who are in town. Then we have to go to Almacks tonight.’

  ‘Nothing short of my mother could get me into that house of horrors, Dickie — and you know it.’

  ‘Is it still torture?’

  ‘Worse than. Won’t go.’ Said his friend shuddering at the thought.

  ‘Thing is, Fluff — I need you.’ He leaned forward and placed his hand on his lordship’s shoulder.

  Lord Carstairs looked at his friend’s face. ‘Oh, well then—’ he said resignedly.

  Chapter 10

  Almacks Once More

  After the drive, Felicity had been allowed to sleep for an hour before she had been expected to go shopping with Lady Aurora. Miss Fleet met them at the circulating library, not their usual day. Felicity understood that this was in response to a note from Lady Aurora, but she met her friend with a hug.

  ‘Now, now, ladies — this is a usual meeting to gossip and discuss books, no tears or sentimentality, please.’

  The ladies sat, Felicity smiling as gamely as she could at the little lady and clasping her hand briefly in response to her evident concern. Miss Fleet followed suit and the company were served some refreshments while her ladyship asked the attendant for the latest novels. Lady Aurora nodded vaguely at an acquaintance and turned back to her companions before that lady could show her disdain or not. Miss Fleet stood up after her allotted fifteen minutes and said, in a much louder tone than her usual mousy squeak, ‘Lady Ellingham may not see you tonight at Almacks, my dear Miss Oldfield, but looks to see you soon.’ She blushed at this near falsehood. Lady Ellingham had indeed wanted to see Felicity, but only to tell her what she thought of her.

  When Miss Fleet left, Lady Aurora was heartened to see a few tables with some ladies discussing this start with frowns on their faces. One lady even went so far as to bow to Lady Aurora and her companion as they left.

  ‘That was well done. Miss Fleet was quite a champion today.’

  Felicity smiled. She knew though that one change of heart was hardly enough.

  She thought of the ordeals to come and could only bear them for Lady Aurora. That lady was tarnished by her stand for Felicity, and the least Felicity could do was to help by keeping her chin up. But she did not for a moment think it would work. They went from shop to shop buying ribbons and gloves and a new gauze shawl for Felicity to wear tonight, and everywhere they went Felicity was conscious of eyes on her, as she tried to join in with Lady Aurora’s constant chatter. ‘This pink gauze will suit, my dear girl. Lady Jersey said to me only this morning how well you look in pink.’

  Felicity smiled and chattered on, too. And other ladies looked on, some bowing and some turning a shoulder at her in a most deliberate way. The shop keepers, aware of Lady Aurora’s deep purse, were very attentive at least, and the shopping trip was declared a triumph. Felicity, back in her room, thought that if it wasn’t so very ungrateful to her wonderful hosts, she would pack her carpet bag and go, even though she had no position as yet. But courage is what they required of her now and though she had no hope of success as they did, and every turned shoulder or cold look was a torture to her, Felicity would carry out their plan. The words of last night had never happened, she had only felt ill and been taken home. She was fully recovered now and ready for another evening of dancing. That was all.

  No one would dance with her tonight she was sure, where before every dance had been taken. Now she fully understood the less fortunate ladies who sat with their mamas with frozen smiles in place. Sometimes she had urged a partner to dance with one of them, hardly able to bear their brave misery.

  Almacks! She would dress and smile as best she could until they relented and took her home.

  Durant arrived early with his cousin and their Aunt Augusta, whose sharp eye was on Letitia tonight like a steel trap, ready to squeeze if she deviated from Durant’s instructions.

  Half an hour later he was glad to see the Fenton party arrive, Felicity pretty in a pale pink silk gown with only a simple flounce at the bottom, and a pink gauze shawl on her arms. As per the plan, he wandered across to greet them, bowing over the hands of all three ladies casually, slapping Benedict on the back in a friendly fashion and bearing Mr Wilbert Fenton off to the card room, his hand draped on one shoulder. They chatted as they left the room, conscious of many eyes upon them, then laughed. ‘Do you think it served?’

  Fenton smiled back, lazily, but his serious tone belied it, ‘Perhaps. Let’s have a game and keep it up. Nothing too forced.’

  They sat with Alvanley and the Duke of Clarence, a brother of the Prince Regent, neither of whom raised Felicity’s name at all. Merely dealt the cards.

  Felicity’s first dance was claimed by Lt Sloane, a trifle embarrassed by this morning’s interview, but Felicity got rid of her own nerves by comforting his and soon they were on easier terms. Some of the others in the set were a trifle stiff, but Felicity found herself able to bear it.

  The second country dance was squired by Captain Fenton, and she had the humiliation of two couples leaving the dance floor before the air started, and the only other couple looking uncomfortably on. Felicity was about to beg the Captain to take her back to her party, when she heard a squawk of ‘Felicity, my dear!’ She saw that Miss Althorpe was dragging her partner from another set into hers and soon Miss Carter-Phipps did likewise. The music started, Felicity smiled on them and then saw Miss Althorpe’s mama at some benches at the side of the floor, looking grim. Her dear friends would pay for this, she feared. But with Benedict’s nonsense and the girls’ high spirits, she could not be other than grateful, so she smiled and danced, for all the world like a girl with no thought in her head but pleasure.

  Lady Sumner and her friend looked on. ‘It might work.’

  ‘Too early to say. There are a lot of turned heads. I heard Miss Friel’s mama say to Lady Ashbourne that she was shocked that the patronesses had let her in.’

  ‘Benedict has a number of military men lined up to dance with her, and then there might be others not scared away.’

  Lt Sloane was talking to two of his friends. ‘Is it true,’ said one Captain Wallace, ‘that you danced with the Oldfield girl?’

  ‘I did, a very lovely girl. And Bishop is booked to dance with her next. Do you wish for an introduction?’

  ‘Certainly not. Have you no notion what people are saying of her? I’m surprised that you are to dance with her, Bishop.’

  ‘Well,’ said Bishop, lazily, ‘I’m not proposing you know, just standing up for the waltz. May as well see if she’s the racy filly they say she
is.’

  ‘I will trouble you, Wallace, and you Bishop, not to speak so about Miss Oldfield. Or you will answer to me!’ Sloane turned on his heels, then turned back. ‘And you will dance the waltz as planned, Bishop, or I shall take it very ill indeed.’

  ‘What will you do, Sloane,’ said Bishop, laughing, ‘call the whole ballroom out?’

  Sloan strode off, but was surprised by a small hand halting his progress. Miss Carter-Phipps, the pocket Venus of this morning, blocked his way. ‘I think, sir, that your character is the most splendid I have yet encountered.’ Sloane blinked. ‘Mr Lawson approaches to claim me for the waltz, but I beg you to take me away. We must talk.’

  Lt Sloane, quite bemused, put a hand around her waist, and led her into the waltz.

  ‘My mother saw me converse with Felicity and she is not pleased — indeed, she is threatening to restrict my movements if I do so again.’ They twirled in response to the music. ‘You are a quite wonderful dancer, sir.’

  ‘As are you.’ The lieutenant was picking up on Miss Carter-Phipps’ verbal rhythm. ‘And by the way, I think that your character is splendid too.’

  She smiled, nodding at him as though he had solved an interesting puzzle. ‘I have had a thought, lieutenant. It is all in aid of Miss Oldfield, of course.’ Sloane stared down at her fascinating brown eyes in her little determined face, and was entranced. ‘I think that, as you failed in your noble proposal to Felicity, you should propose to me.’ He blinked again, then grinned, and she frowned a little, to depress his flirtatious eyes. ‘Our mothers are friends, you know, and you are the elder son,’ she explained, ‘so I can see no objection from the family. And as an engaged lady, I shall have much more freedom.’ Lieutenant Sloane kept his countenance, but his eyes danced. She went on in an instructive mode, a trifle put off by the expression in the Lieutenant’s flirtatious eyes, ‘If my affianced husband is on friendly terms with the Fentons, then so will I be, naturally. You will become the arbiter of my behaviour, not my mama, you see? She cannot object.’

  ‘I will propose at once,’ said Sloane, suspiciously swiftly. She had expected to wield a little persuasion. ‘I shall seek an audience with your father directly.’