Earl from India

by Oliver, Marina

'Yes, and I was hoping to call on them. I understand they are living in town, for Fanny to make her come out.'

  'Miss Holbeck is having her Season,' his aunt said, stressing the title, but refraining from telling him the address.

  Silas swallowed his resentment. Was he going to have to ask outright for Fanny's direction? He was damned if he would! There would be other ways of discovering it. He stood up abruptly. He was tempted to tell this woman just what he thought of her manners, but prudence kept him silent. He could not afford to quarrel with people who were influential in Society, and who would delight in traducing his reputation and damaging his prospects.

  'I must go, I will see Lucien and Amanda another time. I have a great many things to do, old friends to see.'

  He had not even been offered the normal courtesy of a glass of wine, he mused as he left the house. Lady Charlotte had not suggested he called again, even to meet Lucien and Amanda. He would show her! He could make his way without her patronage. He still had old friends who might help him. He might even be able to become a member of White's, and surely he would be welcome at Almack's, where, as he recalled it, eligible men needed no sponsors.

  *

  CHAPTER 6

  'There's Fanny!'

  Amanda, wearing a new habit in a dark grey with a military cut, but made less severe by reveres and cuffs of pink, had halted her mare and was waving energetically. Lucien looked to where she was pointing with her whip and saw Jane and Fanny walking along one of the paths.

  'By all means let us speak to them,' he said, hoping his voice sounded normal and turning his horse towards them. 'You must introduce me to Miss Holbeck.'

  As they rode up to the two ladies Lucien slipped out of the saddle. He had no desire to loom over Fanny. Amanda grinned at him and remained in the saddle. He had a sudden suspicion she had guessed his motives and groaned inwardly. She would tease him unmercifully, as she invariably did whenever he had shown any interest in girls amongst their neighbours in Shropshire.

  'Lucien, it's months since I saw you,' Jane said. 'Fanny, this is my cousin Lucien, Amanda's brother. Miss Holbeck is a neighbour. She has just returned from India.'

  'So Aunt Charlotte said. I believe I once knew your brother, Miss Holbeck. Is he in town? If so, I must renew my acquaintance.'

  Fanny smiled at him, and he swallowed hard. She had the most enchanting smile, soft red lips and white, even teeth. The corners of her eyes crinkled, and a rosy blush spread over her cheeks. She looked delightful, but afterwards all he could recall was a pale blue poke bonnet that framed her face.

  'He is very busy, as he has had to take over the business since my father died, but I am sure he would be delighted to see you again.'

  Lucien knew from an indignant Amanda that Fanny would not be admitted to Almack's. There was no hope of meeting her casually there.

  'Perhaps we can make up a party to visit Vauxhall,' he said. 'I know Amanda wishes to go. Jane, will you and Douglas join a party if I arrange it?'

  'Gerard was planning a visit,' Fanny said. She sounded breathless. 'Perhaps you ought to join forces?' Then she blushed delightfully at her boldness, and hid her face by turning away from him.

  He smiled, relieved. She was delightful.

  'I will call on him. A good notion.'

  'I'll come so long as it does not clash with any of the parties Mama is arranging,' Jane said. 'There seems to be one every day. I almost wish Douglas and I could drive to Gretna Green and get married without all this fuss!'

  'I believe all girls relish a big wedding,' Lucien said, suddenly lighthearted and laughing at her. 'I will call on your mother and arrange a suitable date. What about you, Miss Holbeck? I ought to call on your brother and we can make sure the date does not clash with anything your mother is arranging.'

  Fanny sighed. 'Mama has been ill, and does not arrange many parties. She does not know many people, she says. I can only attend parties if Gerard can escort me, or Lady Short or Amanda's aunt. But Gerard is going to arrange a ball for me too.'

  'Then we must fix a date with Gerard. May I call on you when I have seen my cousin Barbara?'

  'Poor Fanny,' Amanda commented as they rode back to Berkeley Square. 'Her Mama is not, I'm sure, really ill. She could make more of an effort to take Fanny about, especially if she wants to find her a husband and not keep her at her side. Fanny says she has set her sights on John and no one else will do. Our cousin, John,' she explained. 'They sailed home on the same boat, and Mrs Holbeck was certain he meant to offer for Fanny, but for some reason Gerard does not like him, and warned him away. Fanny is a little afraid of him, from what she told me. I must say it makes me eager to meet John and see just what sort of man he is to frighten her so.'

  'I imagine he will soon be introducing himself,' Lucien said. 'I did not warm to him when we met at Towcester, but that may have been because of all the bad things Uncle William and Aunt Charlotte have told me about him. Perhaps India has changed him. It must have been a difficult life, sent out there alone to make his own way.'

  'He wasn't quite alone. I thought Silas Evans went with him?'

  'From all accounts he was just as bad. You know he was John's half-brother, I suppose?'

  'Oh yes. Aunt Charlotte has told me. Wasn't one of the maids at the Priory his mother?'

  'Jenny Evans. Uncle William let her live in the gatehouse. She is still there, and must have been very sad to learn her son died just before they were due to sail home. She was devastated when he decided to go to India, but from hints Aunt Charlotte has dropped, I understand he was just as much to blame as John for the trouble they got into. It would have been worse for her if he had been put in prison. It's a miracle John survived in India, from all I hear. Disease is rife, and a lot of the soldiers and others die.'

  Thank goodness Gerard survived, she thought. How dreadful it would have been if she had never known him.

  'If John had died, you'd have been the Earl,' Amanda said thoughtfully.

  'With a virtual ruin at the Priory? I may be wealthy, but I don't have enough to restore that house. Besides, I like Beech Court.'

  *

  Before Lucien could make arrangements for his party to Vauxhall Gardens it was the evening of the ball at Almack's. Amanda was looking forward to seeing this place of which she had heard so much. She didn't believe Jane's strictures, thinking it was simply because Jane was a year older than she was, and had done all the usual debutante things the previous year.

  She had a new evening gown of white satin with an overdress of spider gauze, trimmed with ruffles of a delicate shade of pink. A spray of white roses had been delivered to the house and brought up to Amanda's room as she was dressing. She blushed with pleasure and took out the card.

  'From Sir Martin,' she said, and suppressed a pang of disappointment. Of course Gerard Holbeck would not send her flowers. He was not going to the Assembly, he might not even know she was going unless Fanny had told him, and why should she? Shrugging, she permitted her maid to pin them to her gown, and realised she would be expected to grant Sir Martin at least one dance.

  Despite her impatience to be there, Aunt Charlotte had decreed they must not arrive too early.

  'You don't want to look too eager,' she said as they were having dinner the previous day, and laughing at Amanda. 'Try for a little sophistication.'

  Amanda pouted, then laughed. Her aunt, after launching five daughters and some granddaughters on the ton must know what the best tactics were.

  'Do we arrive at five minutes to eleven, then?'

  'Oh, a little before that. It would not do if the clocks were fast and we were not admitted because they had closed the doors!'

  'I heard they turned the Duke himself away once,' Amanda said, awed. 'How dared they?'

  Lucien laughed. 'He was wearing trousers, and everyone must wear knee breeches.'

  'Knee breeches? How old-fashioned!'

  When they gathered in the drawing room however, she looked in awe at her brother.

&n
bsp; 'Oh, how smart you look! And I can quite see that when men have such shapely calves as you do, Lucien, they love showing them off!'

  'Amanda!' her aunt said, but she was laughing.

  Amanda twinkled at her.

  'I won't say anything like that in public,' she promised.

  'Who sent the roses?' Aunt Charlotte asked.

  'Sir Martin.' Amanda heaved a sigh. 'I suppose I had to wear them, as no one else sent me anything.'

  Lucien was frowning.

  'Is he being a nuisance? He's too old for you. He's been pursuing heiresses ever since I've been coming to London. Shall I warn him off?'

  'I don't like him very much,' Amanda admitted, 'but Eliza says it's a triumph to attach his interest for more than two weeks, and we have been in London for more than that.'

  'He will have some competition after tonight,' Lady Charlotte predicted. 'I think we might go, now. The rooms will not be empty.'

  'And there will be enough men there to partner me,' Amanda said.

  *

  Silas arrived at Almack's early. He wanted to be in position to be introduced to heiresses before other men stole the advantage. He had obtained his vouchers from Lady Sefton, who had known his father well before he and John were sent to India. When he called on her in Arlington Street she had welcomed him back to London, commiserated about his father's death, and asked what he had been doing in India for the past twenty years.

  'In the army at first, then working for the Company, most of the time,' he said. He dared not admit to anyone how he and John had really spent their time, and he could not claim to have been in the army still, someone might know he had left. The Company, on the other hand, employed so many people in many different places, no one would be able to contradict him.

  'Why do you wish to go to Almack's?' she asked. 'Is our club not too sedate for you?'

  He laughed. He had decided to be frank and she might be of assistance.

  'I made no fortune in India, so I urgently need to find an heiress to wed. It seems the best place to start looking.'

  She tapped her fan on his hand and tried to look disapproving, but there was a twinkle in her eyes.

  'You were always a bad boy! But if you find an heiress will that keep you out of trouble?'

  He grinned at her, then sighed.

  'I'm no longer a bad boy. India cured me of youthful follies.'

  Next he had to equip himself with the correct evening clothes. He found a young tailor who had not been in business twenty years ago, so had never been owed money by John and himself. He meant to stay out of debt as much as possible this time, but until now had found no opportunity to play cards and add to the money he had won on the journey south, which was almost gone. He had, however, heard of a discreet gaming house in St James's Square where he would be welcome, and even more so if he could introduce wealthy young men. He would meet some of these at Almack's as well as heiresses.

  There were not many people in the rooms when he arrived. He handed over his new hat and evening cloak, along with a cane the tailor had told him was all the crack. Lady Sefton smiled at him, and introduced him to some of her younger friends. She was by far the oldest of the Patronesses, and the friendliest. He hoped the others would not know much about his and John's activities before they left England, but he surprised a disapproving look from Mrs Drummond-Burrell. Giving her a bland smile he trusted he might have found and captured his heiress before she found a reason to ban him, as he felt certain she would.

  It was a pity little Fanny Holbeck would not be able to attend. He would have had more opportunities of dancing with her here than if he had to depend on being invited to the same balls. Clearly his Aunt Charlotte had no intention of assisting him. She might even put a spoke in his wheel by bad-mouthing him to her friends.

  As he was thinking about these unpleasant prospects Lady Sefton approached and led him across the room to introduce him to a Miss Pawlett.

  'She an orphan and has twenty thousand a year,' she said quietly. 'Just what you want.'

  She would need it, Silas thought. She was pale and unprepossessing, with frizzy sandy hair and a tall, thin figure. Could he, even for twenty thousand a year, endure to be married to her?

  When he invited her to dance she hesitated. Surely, he thought in some surprise, she was not going to refuse him? He was an Earl, and not bad looking even though he was forty years old. She would be fortunate to acquire partners at all. Then she nodded, and he led her onto the floor to join a set for a country dance.

  Before the dance ended he saw Lady Charlotte, accompanied by Lucien and a girl he assumed was Amanda enter the room. How odd, he thought, he had not yet met Amanda. She was a pretty wench, and had her own fortune from her grandmother. A pity they were cousins. He was so absorbed in his reflections he missed the next step, and Miss Pawlett not only glared at him, she asked him if he really knew the steps. He flushed with mortification, and vowed to himself he would not even speak to the unmannerly wench once this dance was over. In silence he escorted her back to the woman who was presumably her chaperone, bowed slightly, and moved away. He hoped Lady Sefton had some more attractive heiresses for him.

  *

  'I wonder how John obtained vouchers?' Lady Charlotte asked. 'His reputation before he was sent to India was unsavoury, to say the least.'

  'Is John here?' Amanda asked. 'Do point him out to me! I've never known anyone really wicked!'

  'No need, he's coming to speak to us,' Lucien said. 'I suppose we have to acknowledge him? At least until he reverts to his old ways and does something unpardonable. I wonder how soon that will be?'

  Silas gave Lady Charlotte an obsequious bow, then nodded to Lucien and took Amanda's hand in his and raised it to his lips.

  'So this is my pretty little cousin,' he murmured. 'I predict you will be receiving many offers this Season.'

  He had actually kissed her hand. All the other men had merely put their lips close to it. Amanda tugged her hand free and rather childishly put both hands behind her back. His hand had been unpleasantly damp, his lips wet and making her shudder with revulsion, and she had wanted to wipe her own hand the moment she recovered it. She sent her brother an appealing glance.

  'Which of our starchy Patronesses was persuaded to give you vouchers?' Lady Charlotte asked, making no attempt to suppress her contempt.

  Silas gave her a nasty look. It was clearly impossible to try and make a friend of her.

  'Not everyone is so willing to condemn me for youthful follies,' he said. 'Cousin Amanda, will you partner me in this waltz they are just beginning?'

  'I – I can't!' Amanda said, breathing a sigh of relief. She had no wish to be clasped in his arms.

  'Really, John, do you not know a girl cannot waltz until one of the Patronesses has given her permission?' Lady Charlotte said. 'Lucien, take your sister for some refreshments, while I talk to John.'

  Amanda had recovered her poise by the time they reached the refreshments room, and was giggling. Lucien fetched her a glass of orgeat and a plate of small cakes.

  'He's dreadful! Oh, Lucien, his mouth was all fleshy and wet! I'd hate to have him kiss me properly!'

  'And what do you know of proper kisses, Miss?'

  Lucien was laughing and she knew she had not really offended him.

  'Well, nothing from personal experience, of course, but the heroines in the romances I've read all seem to swoon when the hero kisses them. If John kissed me I'd die of horror!'

  'Then make sure you are never alone with him, or any other young man who might forget himself!'

  He sounded unusually stern, and Amanda blushed. She had been thinking of how different Gerard's kisses would be. Then she sighed. It was unlikely he would ever kiss her. Though he had appeared to admire her, he would have that outmoded attitude that a man in business could never marry a girl so far above him in the social scale. She lapsed into a daydream, not listening to Lucien. The moment she had seen Gerard she had known he was the man she wanted to ma
rry. How on earth she could have decided that after a mere few moments she did not know, but she had never been more certain of anything.

  When Lucien chided her for inattention she laughed, and permitted him to take her back into the ballroom, where she danced for the rest of the evening with the young men who were presented to her, and to her relief avoided John.

  'Well, did you find Almack's all you thought?' Lady Charlotte asked as they were driven home.

  Amanda had to banish thoughts of Gerard. She could never admit to her aunt her dreams about him.

  'Yes, thank you,' she replied meekly. 'But you were right about the refreshments. The cakes were stale!'

  *

  Silas was feeling disgruntled. After that one introduction to Miss Pawlett, Lady Sefton had ignored him. He knew full well his Aunt Charlotte would not be of any assistance, and if he had not seen a man he and John had known at Oxford, and persuaded him to introduce him to some females, he would have left well before eleven, when the doors were closed to newcomers.

  This man, Sir Humphrey Smithers, had welcomed him and been eager to reminisce about their Oxford days. He was a keen if incompetent card player, but during his time at Oxford his wealthy father had laughed and paid all his gambling debts. Silas, explaining how he was new to London, and had few acquaintances, was gratified to be invited to join a small card party the following evening.

  It had not been a totally wasted evening, he told himself as he walked back to his rooms in Ryder Street a short distance away. Through Sir Humphrey he would meet other card players, perhaps gain admittance to some of the many clubs. He would soon have money, even if his prospects of an heiress were so far bleak. None of his partners that evening had been either handsome or rich. He concluded Almack's was the resort of the desperate, those females who had no other prospects. He would not waste his time going there again.

  On the following day he felt more optimistic. Playing carefully, trying not to draw too much attention to himself, he rose at the end of the evening a moderate winner. He hadn't even had to use any of the tricks by which he and John had ensured victory in India. If only, he thought as he walked back home, they had known such tricks when they were young! Then they would not have been caught, getting further and further into debt so that they were banished. It had been on the boat going out to India they had met and learned from a fellow exile. He had been sent away by his family because he had been caught cheating, not because he was in debt. When John had intervened to save him from the fury of one of the ship's officers, so enraged he was threatening to toss the fellow overboard, he had shown his gratitude. The officer had calmed down by the following day, and left the ship in Lisbon. They learnt and practised, but on the advice of their new friend, did not seek to employ their knowledge until they were in India.