“But Papa,” Lavina laughed, “when people say that, they never mean it literally.”
“Then he shouldn’t have said it,” the Earl replied. “We are visiting them as an act of courtesy, to mark your betrothal.”
“Then they are to believe that we are really engaged?” the Marquis asked.
“Would that not be best?” the Earl asked.
“Certainly. The fewer people who know the truth the better.”
At last McEwuan Castle came into view. It was not a great castle, but it had towers and turrets, and presented a very romantic appearance.
“There is my cousin!” the Earl exclaimed suddenly.
A large, well-built man came out of the front door and stood regarding them as they approached. His face wore a big grin, and he waved to them, not seeming in the least put out by their sudden appearance.
“Ian!” the Earl called out.
Sir Ian McEwuan hurried forward so that he reached the carriage as it stopped. Without waiting for the coachman he pulled open the door, grabbed his cousin by the hand and almost yanked him out to a crushing embrace.
“So you decided to accept my invitation, after all! This is wonderful! Come on out everybody! They’re here after all this time!”
The last words were directed inside the house, and at once a young man came running out. He was very good-looking and seemed only a little older than Lavina.
“This is my son, Andrew,” Sir Ian said. “Now, Andrew, here is your Cousin Edward, whom you haven’t met since you were very young, and your Cousin Lavina whom you’ve never met at all.”
By this time the coachman had handed Lavina down, and the Marquis had followed. Now he was standing watching the commotion with an expression of faint amusement.
The young man held out his hand.
“Cousin Edward, Cousin Lavina, it’s wonderful to meet you at last.”
Then the Earl suddenly remembered they had a guest with them and said,
“I want you to meet our guest, the Marquis of Elswick, who has come with us to Scotland. He wants to see if it is as wonderful as we have told him.”
This remark was very well received. The McEwuans ushered them joyfully through the front door into the castle.
“Welcome! Welcome!” Sir Ian said to them all. “I’ve been hoping for years that you would come and visit me. Now, almost as if you had dropped down from heaven, you have arrived.”
“We are very pleased to be here,” the Earl replied. “As we left England unexpectedly we didn’t have the time to warn you of our arrival.”
“We need no warning,” Sir Ian said. “This is Scotland. The door is always open to friends and family.”
Sir Ian took them up the stairs to what Lavina thought must be the drawing-room where their hostess was waiting to receive them.
She was a handsome woman in her early fifties, with red hair and a smiling face.
“This is a great surprise,” she said to the Earl, “but a delightful one. I’m having rooms prepared for you at once, and in the meantime, let us have sherry.”
Looking around, Lavina realised that the inside of the house was charming, and far more comfortable and pretty than she had expected. She had thought that because it was in the far north, that the house would be somewhat chilly and austere.
Instead she found everywhere comfortably furnished with pictures which she was sure were very valuable. There were curtains and carpets which would have been acceptable in any drawing-room in Mayfair.
“I do hope that you’ll stay long enough for our friends to meet you,” Lady McEwuan said.
“We want to see as much of Scotland as we can,” Lavina said.
“But we have another reason for coming,” the Earl added. “And that is, to announce the engagement of Lord Elswick to my daughter.”
Everyone expressed their delight. There were toasts and more toasts. The Marquis stood beside Lavina, receiving congratulations with an air of ease, but she wondered how this felt to him.
Even after last night, when they had played music together and she had felt a sweet communication between them, she had no insight into his mind.
He had withdrawn into himself again. Although his manner this morning was coolly friendly, the wonderful moment might never have been.
Yet now he played his part to perfection, apparently the devoted fiancé. But when she looked into his eyes, she saw nothing there.
CHAPTER SIX
Dressing for dinner that evening, Lavina took great care about her appearance. She wanted to make an excellent impression on her new relatives.
It was only when she went downstairs that she discovered that there were other guests for dinner, who had been out fishing that day.
“Cousin Lavina,” said Andrew, “let me introduce my friend, Sir James McVein, whose estate runs next to this one.”
Sir James was six feet tall and had been, she learnt later, in the army until he came into his father’s title. He had then retired to look after his very large estate.
She found herself sitting next to him at dinner, and realised that he was definitely one of the best looking young men she had ever seen. Also one of the most amusing.
He kept her laughing by telling her the things which had happened in the north since he had served in the army and the difficulties he had encountered since he became a land owner.
“My father was Scottish and my mother was English,” he told Lavina. “So when I have a problem to solve I ask myself which will be the most sensible or the most valuable.”
Lavina laughed.
“One always gets back to money in the south,” she replied. “I am sure people in the north are the same, although I expect you to be more patriotic.”
“I think we are patriotic,” the Scotsman agreed. “At the same time we try to be sensible and not in any way so easily aroused to anger as our ancestors were.”
Lavina laughed again.
“As far as I remember, the history of Scotland is full of battles and I have always felt I should be careful in case I insulted anyone, and suffered in consequence.”
Sir James smiled.
“I think you are quite safe,” he said. “I assure you the Scots love beauty, whether it is a flower or a woman. You will find yourself admired wherever you go.”
Lavina blushed.
“Thank you,” she said. “Now I will not be so frightened of saying or doing the wrong thing.”
“Then Scotland welcomes you with open arms,” he replied. “I will give a party immediately in your honour at my own house.”
“I shall be delighted to accept,” she said. “And so, of course, will my fiancé.”
“Your fiancé?” he asked in dismay.
Then she realised that he had not been there for the announcement of her engagement.
“Tell me it isn’t true,” he said. “This is an imaginary fiancé.”
“No, he’s sitting over there, next to Lady McEwuan, Lord Elswick.”
There was silence. Then the young man said,
“That makes me more sad than I can say.”
As he spoke Lavina looked up into his eyes. She felt for a moment as if they held her captive.
Then she blushed and turned away, feeling that something strange and unusual had happened.
*
In the following days the whole neighbourhood opened its arms to them. There were dinners, lunches, dances. Something happened every night.
Sir James invited them to his estate, so that he could show them his horses which, everyone agreed, were the best for miles around.
The Marquis seemed to think so too, for he studied the horses with admiration, and spent a long time discussing them with Sir James. Nobody noticed that now and then the Marquis regarded him with cool hostility that sat oddly with his friendly words.
Lavina, glancing across at them from a few yards away, saw only that the Marquis seemed at ease, and was reassured.
When she was alone with her father she could not he
lp saying to him,
“You know, Papa, I think this visit to Scotland is doing us all a great deal of good, but most especially the Marquis. He is becoming almost human.”
Her father laughed.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked.
“You know exactly what I mean,” Lavina replied. “He was laughing and talking about the horses and going from one to another. He found them as marvellous as we did and I thought he was becoming almost human.”
“He was certainly very amusing at dinner last night after the ladies had left the room,” the Earl said. “He told us stories which I had never heard before and some of the jokes, while not for female ears, were extremely witty and amusing.”
Lavina stared.
“Lord Elswick knows jokes that are unfit for females?” she echoed. “I don’t believe you, Papa.”
“My dear, every gentleman knows jokes that are unfit for females,” her father declared firmly.
“Good heavens! You too?”
“I do after listening to Elswick last night,” he said mischievously.
Sir James produced a dainty, spirited little mare for Lavina to ride, and accompanied her on a short trip around his grounds.
“We’ll go for a longer ride together tomorrow,” he said. “At least, I hope you’ll want to.”
“But are you not going fishing tomorrow?” Lavina asked. “I’m sure that Papa and Lord Elswick – ”
“They’re going fishing,” Sir James answered. “But I’m not.”
The expression in his eyes made Lavina look away because she was blushing.
“I – I don’t think I can,” she said, wishing she were free to flirt with this handsome young man.
“You could if you really wanted to,” he said. “Surely your ‘lord and master’ would not object to an innocent ride?”
“My lord and master?” she echoed in astonishment. “Whoever do you mean?”
“You told me that you were betrothed to Lord Elswick.”
“Which makes him my fiancé, not my lord and master.”
“Isn’t it the same thing?”
“Certainly not!” she said indignantly.
“But does he see it that way? To my eyes he looks like a tyrannical kind of man.”
“I do not permit him to order me around,” Lavina said loftily.
“Then you’ll come riding with me tomorrow?”
“Yes, I will.”
Impulsively he seized her hand and kissed it.
Despite her confident words Lavina was a little unsure exactly how Lord Elswick would react. So that evening, just before everyone went up to bed, she wished him a good day’s fishing, and informed him that she would be riding with Sir James McVein.
“I hope you enjoy the day, ma’am.”
“You do not object?”
“Why should I? You will of course be properly accompanied by a groom – ”
“Well, I – ”
“In fact, I’ll mention it to Sir Ian immediately.” He gave her a smile. “Just in case you should happen to forget.”
He went off immediately to speak to Sir Ian, and returned with the news that two of the McEwuan daughters would also be accompanying them.
Then he told her that he hoped she would sleep well, and went upstairs, leaving her fuming.
The following day she and Sir James set out on horseback, accompanied by Isabel and Geraldine McEwuan, and a groom. At the end of an extremely dull day she returned home, in a mood to quarrel.
She was unable to quarrel with the Marquis, however, as he was not there. The gentlemen arrived home while she was dressing for dinner.
As always the table was enlarged by several neighbours, one of whom, Eglantine McCaddy, was the local beauty, also known for her singing.
At dinner she had the honour of being seated next to the Marquis, who paid her a great deal of flattering attention, seemingly entranced by her charms.
For the life of her, Lavina could not see what he found to admire. To her the ‘beauty’ seemed overblown and vulgar, her attractions obvious, her laughter too noisy.
And this was the man who loathed and abominated women, bowing down before this coarse temptress, while his fiancée looked on!
Her singing was no better. Her voice was loud, which was about the best that could be said for it. Why the Marquis had to insist on accompanying her was beyond Lavina.
Somehow it was this that upset her most. His piano playing had been a secret between them, hinting at a greater closeness, possible in the future. By revealing it to the world he had mysteriously devalued it, and that hurt her more than she wanted to admit.
When the performance was over there was loud applause, which the two performers received with a theatrical simulation of modesty that made Lavina want to throw something at one – or both – of them.
As the party repaired for the night the Marquis drew Lavina aside for a private word. There was a glint in his eyes that might have been amusement, or perhaps something more disturbing.
“Are you angry with me?” he asked.
“I have every reason to be – carrying on like that in front of everyone.”
“At least I didn’t kiss her hand, or try to slip away for a private tryst, as you attempted.”
“We were going riding,” she snapped.
“To be sure you were! Did you enjoy it?”
She glowered at him.
“What do you see in him, Lavina?”
“He is charming company,” she said stiffly.
“And I’m not. I’m a curmudgeon with rough manners. But it was to me that you turned for help, because the very qualities that make me a disaster in society make me strong enough to help you.
“You cannot have it both ways. If you are falling in love with that man then say so. I’ll withdraw my suit and leave you to him.”
“Oh no, you mustn’t – ”
“But I will if you give me cause. Think about it. Perhaps an engagement to him would serve your purpose just as well.”
“I do not wish to be engaged to him,” she said with soft vehemence.
“Just to flirt with him? I see. Let me warn you against that. I will not be made a fool of. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. In that case I will bid you goodnight.”
He walked ahead without a backward look, leaving her to run to her room, throw herself on the bed and thump the pillow.
*
Despite this, life moved on fairly contentedly for another week. Lavina was entranced by the beauties of Scotland, and when she rode it was mostly at Lord Elswick’s side. When not annoyed he was good company.
She was almost allowing herself to relax and push her fears aside, when, one morning, Lady McEwuan came rushing into the drawing room, full of excitement.
“There’s a carriage coming up the drive, and it has the royal crest on the panels.”
Lavina’s blood ran cold, and her frantic eyes sought her father’s.
He rose to his feet, pale but determined. The family would have followed him, but Sir Ian said firmly,
“It will be confidential business from Her Majesty. We will not intrude.”
Holding each other’s hand for comfort, the Earl and Lavina went out into the hall to greet whoever should appear. The front door was pulled open.
“Papa,” Lavina said in horror, “Look who it is!”
The man who appeared was Sir Richard Peyton, the same man that they had deluded and left behind at The Towers. Lavina and father exchanged alarmed glances, wondering what he could be doing here.
Sir Richard approached them, his face rigid, paused and gave a small, curt nod.
“What are you doing this far north, Peyton?” the Earl asked with an attempt at geniality.
“I am with Her Majesty at Balmoral,” the man replied stiffly.
“Balmoral?” The Earl exclaimed. “It’s too early in the year for that. The Queen never comes north until next month.”
“He
r Majesty has decided to make an exception this year,” Sir Richard declared. “She has a special guest who particularly wished to see the glories of Scotland.”
Lavina felt as though the world had stood still. There was a strange ringing in her ears, and suddenly she was full of dread.
“What – special guest?” Lord Ringwood asked in a hollow voice.
Sir Richard drew himself up until he was practically standing to attention. In a loud voice he announced,
“Her Majesty has been pleased to invite Lord Ringwood, and his daughter, Lady Lavina Ringwood, to a reception tomorrow evening, at which they will have the honour of meeting Prince Stanislaus of Kadradtz.”
A ghastly silence greeted this pronouncement. Sir Richard then handed over the invitation card.
“But – er – ” the Earl stammered, “Is there not another invitation, for Lord Elswick?”
“Her Majesty is unaware of Lord Elswick’s presence in the neighbourhood, and has therefore not been able to include him on the list.”
“But now that she is aware – ”
A shout of laughter interrupted him. Everyone turned to look at the Marquis strolling into the hall, his face alight with hilarity.
“It’s no use, Ringwood,” he said. “Wild horses wouldn’t persuade the Queen to acknowledge my presence if it meant inviting me to a reception to which, in any case, I do not wish to attend.”
At the sight of the Marquis Sir Richard drew himself up.
“My Lord, I consider you treated me most shabbily at our last meeting.”
“No choice. Anyway, you seem to have got your own back. I wonder how the Queen knew where we were?”
Sir Richard glared at him.
“You told her, of course, and how did you know where we were?” the Marquis mused.
“Your butler was as misleading as you instructed him to be,” Sir Richard said stiffly.
“But you managed to bribe some of the others, I suppose. I dare say there was one listening at the library keyhole the night before. Well, I hope Her Majesty rewards you for it, but I doubt it. She doesn’t like sneaks any more than I do, even though she isn’t above using their services. You can leave now.”
“I have to take back an answer.”
An Introduction to the Pink Collection Page 21
