Lady Jane clasped Henry's hands fondly. "My dear Miss Eardley, such a delight to see you in London."
"Well, ma'am, what do you think of me now? It's been such a long time — I'd just arrived at school when I met you. Elegant, am I not?"
The older woman laughed. "Indeed, très élégant — you're a charming young lady now. Everyone at school must be proud of you."
"Miss Eardley," Eva said coolly, and didn't offer her hand when Anne introduced Henry.
"Oh, you must both call me Henry, of course. Whenever I hear Miss Eardley, I think of Elaine," Henry smiled.
Over dinner, Anne realized that Henry had changed so much that Pierce didn't know how to treat her. He sat opposite Henry, and stared. When he was leaving — he had a evening commitment — he muttered to Anne that he didn't like it. "What don't you like?" Anne struggled to keep amusement from her tone.
"It's as if Henry's gone, my lady. I tell you frankly that I miss her. I don't know what to make of Miss Eardley. She's not Henry."
He sounded so disgruntled that Anne did laugh aloud. "Pierce, she's Henry, I promise you. She's acquired a little polish, that's true — but she's Henry for all that. You saw how irritated she looked when you spoke of your new carriage horses, did you not? She's still competitive. She's sent poor Mr. Kettering to Tattersall's to pick up a new town hack for her, with very strict orders of precisely what she wants… She's horse-loving Henry, never fear."
Later that night, Anne realized that she hoped that Henry hadn't changed too much. No wonder Pierce was shocked. When he'd last seen her, he'd been engaged to Lady Burnley. That had made Henry ferociously angry with him because as far as the Eardleys knew, he'd been engaged to Melly.
Pierce was used to quarreling with Henry, and treating her just as he would a brother. Now he'd realized that hoydenish Henry was gone. Henry didn't seem to know how to treat him either. She'd avoided looking at him, and speaking with him.
She sighed and wondered. What of Catherine?
Catherine wouldn't be pleased that Henry had left her school, but the school had done everything that Catherine expected. Although Catherine had been determined that something be done to turn Henry into a young lady, she would be shocked at the result.
"Mrs. Wentworth, and Miss Wentworth," Weston intoned at the drawing room doors.
Anne rose from her chair and pasted a smile on her face to welcome the ladies.
A week after Henry's arrival, Anne was having another At Home, and this time, her drawing room contained fewer ladies than before. Once it had become known that you'd find the Wentworths if you visited Lady Kingston, Anne's flow of visitors slowed.
Annoyed, Anne realized that Eva was to blame for the Wentworths' constant visits to Kingston House. Eva and Belinda Wentworth saw each other daily. Either the Wentworths called, or Eva and her maid went to visit them in their lodgings in Half Moon Street.
Mrs. Wentworth and her daughter were here today, with Mrs. Smythe. They spoke with Eva, and another young lady.
Henry had taken herself to the mews. She told Anne that she couldn't abide Belinda Wentworth. "I asked Miss Bywater to ride with me, but she'd rather walk with Miss Wentworth." She shook her head. "Besides, Miss Bywater is much too fashionable for me, and that's your doing!"
Anne was guiltily aware that it was. She'd spent too much, and decided that she'd slow her spending on Eva and her wardrobe. She'd meant Eva to look well, but not to out-shine all the other young ladies readying themselves for their first season.
Since Henry was still Henry, she'd been spying on Eva. "I've been in her dressing room, and I've spoken to her two maids. Two, mark that. Did you know that she has five carriage dresses, at least ten walking gowns, and three ball gowns, with another three on order, or so Madame Lola tells me."
"I overdid it," Anne admitted. She wondered whether it was too late to cancel her order for the ball gowns.
"Well, you did. I hope you don't intend dragging me to shops and seamstresses when I have my come out." Henry had looked disgusted, and her tone was belligerent. She'd put her hands on her hips and glared at her sister. "I won't have it. I'm not Elaine, nor am I Miss Bywater. I admit that I like to look well, but I won't be a dressmaker's figure for you or anyone."
Anne remembered that Mr. Kettering was calling tomorrow. He'd already taken her to task over the sums she was spending on outfitting Miss Bywater. She knew he'd have more to say on that.
Forcing her guilty thoughts of Eva and her over-spending from her mind, Eva greeted the new At Home guests with a warm smile.
Later that afternoon, in Anne's second floor sitting room Henry told Anne that she had visited Sommerforth's aunt that morning. "Lady Merrill said that you're making a mistake with Miss Wentworth. The Wentworths are mushrooms… and gold diggers besides. Tell Miss Bywater to hint them away."
Anne and Henry were alone, except for Three, who dozed in her basket beside the fire. Lady Jane and Eva had gone shopping. Anne had heard Eva telling Belinda that she'd meet her at Gunter's Tea Shop.
Henry was waiting impatiently for Mr. Kettering, who'd once again attended Tattersall's on Henry's behalf. Henry had sold her horses in York, and had spent days perusing Tattersall's catalogue.
"Eva likes Belinda Wentworth," Anne pointed out.
Henry snorted inelegantly. "Well I don't like either of them. Eva is odd, and sly. I saw her at your desk drawers in the library. She said that she'd lost an earring… And Barbara tells me that she sneaks down to the library at night… She's up to something. And she may say that she likes the Wentworths, but no one else does, je vous assure. You should have scotched that friendship immediately."
Anne knew that Henry resented Eva because Eva was a slightly better rider. Moreover, once Eva had seen that Henry wore riding boots made for her by George Hoby, Eva visited Hoby's shop at the corner of Piccadilly and St James’s Street to order her own.
"Should I indeed? And how would I do that?"
"Oh for goodness sake, Anne. You speak as if butter wouldn't melt, yet you shot Lord Wallwood. I wish I'd been here to see that… you can manage the Wentworths if anyone can. Mind you, I wish that Catherine were here. She'd soon put a period on their pretensions."
Once Henry had heard a whisper about Anne and Wallwood, Anne had been forced to tell her what had happened. Henry was outraged. She said that she couldn't wait until Wallwood returned to his house next door. She'd make him sorry that he'd ever bothered her sister.
Anne was pleased he hadn't returned. Henry was quite capable of causing mayhem.
"Besides, there's Pierce," Henry said, her annoyance getting the better of her.
"Well — he's a young man, and their heads are easily turned." Anne knew that Pierce was the crux of the matter. Henry hated that Pierce was infatuated with Belinda Wentworth.
Thomas tapped on the door, and put his head inside. "Mr. Weston's compliments ma'am — Lord Delmere has called."
"Ask Mr. Weston to show his lordship into the drawing room. Henry and I will be down in a moment." When Thomas had closed the door, she turned to her sister. "Lord Delmere escorted Eva to town."
"Did he indeed — I've heard of him. He has horses. Isn't he amazingly wealthy — a nabob?"
"He's no nabob, my dear. He fought in the war. Indeed, you'll see that he has a scar. He calls on us, to check on Eva. He has estates in the north, and post horses along the way, so Lady Fraser asked him to bring Eva to me."
Anne took more care with her hair than she normally did before she went downstairs. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, she saw that her color had heightened. Her heart was beating faster too. She'd hadn't seen Lord Delmere in some time. She realized that she was looking forward to seeing him again, and wondered at herself.
She mustn't become attached to him. She was a widow. It was widely known that he was a widower twice over, and had sworn off marriage forever. She couldn't encourage him, even if she had wanted to do that. If he called too often at Kingston House gossip would start.
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When Anne arrived in the drawing room with Three at her heels, she found that Delmere and Henry were chatting about horses, quite as if they were old friends. She hid a smile. Henry had a gift for friendship. She'd speak to anyone, and within minutes would be firm friends with them.
Catherine had insisted that Henry be sent away to school when Henry had made friends of all the grooms not only in their own stables at Gostwicke Hall, but also in the stables at The Oaks.
"Lord Delmere," Anne said, and curtsied to him when he rose and bowed to her. She felt her face heat when he looked at her. He took her hand, and held it so long that she had to pull her hand away.
She sat on the sofa beside Henry. Delmere bowed again, and took a chair opposite.
To Anne's surprise, Three sat down beside Delmere's chair, and looked up him pleadingly until he noticed her, and scratched behind her ears. For reasons known only to dogdom, Three had decided that Delmere was her close friend.
Not that she was any better than Three, Anne realized. The man grew more attractive the more often she saw him. Whatever was the matter with her? Delmere was a friend, that was all. She shuddered. She had no intention of marrying again — and neither did he, that was well known.
"Did you know that Delmere's standing Smolensko at Peyton Park?" Henry asked. "I must see him. He was the winner of the 1813 Epson Derby. We could send a couple of mares to him, don't you think?"
"My dear, it's not appropriate for you to discuss —"
"You may see him," Delmere said quickly and grinned at Henry. "If Lady Kingston agrees, I hope that you, and she — and the other ladies too, will join us at Peyton Park for a small house party early in December."
He continued to Anne, "my mother's sending invitations. It will a small gathering, just a few friends for a week. I know you'll be attending Sommerforth's Christmas house party, so we could all travel on to Sommerforth Abbey together afterwards."
"Do let's go, Anne. I want to see Lord Delmere's horses. Besides, you've nothing left to do in town. You've well and truly outfitted Eva for three seasons, not merely one. So there's no reason for us to remain in town, is there?"
Anne shook her head. She didn't know what to say. Although Henry clearly was on fire to go, she didn't know Lady Tertsville well enough to accept the invitation without careful thought. If they joined the house party, she would spend a week with Lord Delmere — and he would be at Sommerforth's house party as well.
"Say yes, Anne. You love hunting, and you had no chance to hunt for years when you were married to Kingston."
Anne flushed. She shook her head slightly, but she didn't refuse. She would need to speak with Mr. Kettering. There was one benefit: if they went to Peyton Park, Eva wouldn't see the Wentworths again until Anne brought her to London for the season next year.
She looked up at a tap at the doors. Thomas opened them, and Mr. Weston entered. "Lady Jane Vernon and Miss Eva, ma'am — and Mrs. Smythe, and Miss Wentworth."
Anne rose, and kept her expression bland.
Of course, she was forced to introduce the ladies to Lord Delmere, who bowed over the ladies' hands perfectly correctly.
Henry joined Anne and Weston at the drawing room doors while everyone else chatted.
She waited until Anne had finished ordering refreshments, then muttered to Anne: "You should have told Weston that you're not at home to the Wentworths without specific instructions. Really Anne, you're giving Miss Bywater far too much freedom — she's ruling the house."
"Hush, my dear." Was Henry right, Anne wondered? Was she giving Eva too much freedom? Catherine had warned her about what a burden young ladies could be.
To Anne's surprise, Delmere was engaged in chatting with Miss Wentworth at the drawing room windows. She blinked, wondering at herself — why was she surprised? Delmere was a man, after all, and Belinda Wentworth was beautiful enough to turn anyone's head.
Anne set herself to be a gracious hostess, and entertain Mrs. Smythe while Delmere was engaged with that lady's charge.
"London prices, my lady," Mrs. Smythe said. "They're ruinous to anyone on a fixed income — Mrs. Wentworth and I both feel it. Mrs. Wentworth couldn't believe the rents in town."
Anne made soothing noises, but thought that for someone who was crying poverty, Mrs. Wentworth had managed to dress Belinda well. Where had the money come from?
"Lord Delmere is taking me to see his horses!" Belinda chirped.
Anne tried to keep her eyes from widening when Delmere, with Belinda's hand tucked under his arm, led her from the room. "Stay, Three," she called softly to her spaniel, who trotted after Delmere.
Anne met Henry's gaze, and Lady Jane's. She tilted her head slightly, and Lady Jane nodded. "A moment, Miss Wentworth," Lady Jane said sharply. "Miss Bywater and I will accompany you."
"So will I," Henry said.
Belinda glared at Lady Jane. "No —"
"Of course we will," Lady Jane said firmly. "We want to see the horses too."
"We certainly do!" Henry winked at Anne.
"Well, would you look at that," Mrs. Smythe said when the drawing room doors had closed on the group. "If I don't mistake, Lord Delmere is having his head turned by our dear Miss Wentworth. And who's surprised at that? I said to her mother that she must bring Belinda to town — she's the sweetest girl. His lordship is a man of some fortune, is he not?"
Anne cleared her throat, and rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache and forced herself to concentrate. She asked whether Mrs. Smythe was staying in town for Christmas.
Late that night, when Anne was working on her accounts to ready them for Mr. Kettering, Thomas opened the library doors for Henry.
"It's late," Anne told her sister. "Why are you still up? I thought you were riding early tomorrow?"
Henry was wearing her banyan, and lay down on the sofa. "That wretched Wentworth girl — can you believe it? Somehow she learned about Delmere's house party, and angled for an invitation. Well, he didn't give it — that's up to Lady Tertsville. But don't be surprised if we meet the Wentworths there."
6
Anne had always known that Delmere was a man of considerable fortune, but when they arrived at Peyton Park she realized how considerable that fortune must be.
The enormous house was said to have some 400 rooms; the estate comprised thousands of acres, and four villages.
"You should marry Delmere," Henry said to Anne, in Anne's comfortable suite of rooms, several hours after their arrival. Henry had already visited the stables.
Anne laughed aloud. "Why? So that you can enjoy his lordship's stables?"
To her surprise, Henry looked serious. "No, because I like him — he's very kind. He showed me Smolensko — do you know that the horse has three grooms to look after him? He's wonderful. Delmere had his grooms bring him Smolensko out, and lunge him in the round yard, so that I could see his paces. Three likes him too."
"Three likes Smolensko?" At the sound of her name, Three looked up from her basket. Anne told her to go to sleep, and Three snuggled deeper into the basket.
"No, Three likes Delmere. Dogs are good judges of character. His own dogs adore him too — you can tell that he's kind."
Henry looked at Anne, and Anne realized that Henry suspected that Lord Kingston had not been a kind husband.
Heat rose to her face. She'd never wanted anyone to know what her marriage had been like. For that reason, she had never said a word to her family about how Kingston had treated her.
"Yes, he is kind," Anne said. There was nothing overbearing about Delmere. He'd allowed Belinda Wentworth familiarities that he need not have done. She gauged that he'd assessed Belinda's situation, and had put himself out to be generous to her.
"Just think, you'd be mistress of this house, and —"
At that, Anne lifted her hand. "Enough, my dear. I couldn't imagine anything worse. You forget that Kingston left me several estates, and they take up a great deal of time…" She glared at Henry. "I do realize that you're being a
musing, but please don't hint to anyone that I've set my cap at Delmere. That would cause no end of gossip, and would upset Lady Tertsville besides. I've no wish to do that."
Initially, Anne had refused Lady Tertsville's invitation to Peyton Park, but Lady Tertsville had prevailed. She had made it impossible for Anne to refuse. Anne remembered the interview that she had had with that determined lady with more than a little discomfort.
When Anne had sent Thomas to Lady Tertsville with a note refusing the invitation, Lady Tertsville had sent for her. Anne knew that Lady Tertsville was a friend of her mother's, so she couldn't ignore the summons.
When Anne entered the lady's comfortable private sitting room at Delmere House, Lady Tertsville surveyed Anne through her lorgnette, looking her up and down. Anne felt as if she'd returned to her school days.
Lady Tertsville made her opinion clear at once. "You shall not refuse my invitation, my dear. I think you should come, so you will come," Lady Tertsville said. "I spoke to Miss Eardley yesterday, at my son's stables — she wants to come. So why should you not? Besides, I hear that Wallwood is returning to town."
Anne strove to remain expressionless, but she swallowed hard. Henry had told her that Wallwood had vanished, and that Lord Delmere intended to offer him a challenge as soon as he returned to London.
Of course Henry thought it wonderful, but Anne fervently hoped that it was mere gossip. Henry hadn't given up her habit of making friends with stable lads, grooms, and horse trainers, and claimed to have the news of the intended duel directly from Lord Delmere's personal groom.
"Oh come, Lady Kingston. Do you take me for a fool?" Lady Tertsville continued impatiently when Anne remained silent. She looked her up and down. "You'd never think it to look at you, but you're quite as formidable as Catherine, in your own way. It's a shame that Catherine and Angarad are in Scotland... I enjoy Catherine. I admit that I never thought that you had the spirit that she does, but perhaps you do, eh?"
Anne swore to herself that she'd never admit that she'd shot Lord Wallwood, which was obviously what Lady Tertsville hoped. The woman was a dragon. However, as Lady Tertsville had expected, the news that Wallwood was returning forced her to realize that she needed to be out of town.
The Lady And The Man Of Fortune_A Wicked Secret_The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 3 Page 6
