The Toast of the Town

by Alice Chetwynd Ley

‘How dare you?’ she blazed.

  ‘And how dare you?’ he retaliated. ‘Let me inform you that I was holding your left ankle, whereas it was your right which you strained. I pity your sufferings, indeed, if you can’t even tell the difference!’

  ‘Oh!’ For a moment, she looked seriously taken aback. Then she made a quick recovery. ‘Well, whichever it was, it did hurt most vilely, for you were very rough with it!’

  ‘Not as rough as I would like to be,’ he said, grimly. ‘Allow me to tell you, madam, that there’s nothing whatever wrong with either of your ankles, and you may walk on them whenever you’ve a mind to do so.’

  ‘How do you know that?’ she demanded, indignantly. ‘You haven’t so much as looked at the injured one, as yet!’

  ‘I’ve seen enough to judge. There’s no swelling or bruising — moreover, I observed that when you came to table, you could very well have used it, had you wished.’

  ‘How dare you!’ she repeated, fiercely. ‘You are insufferable!’

  He laughed shortly. ‘Come, this is better, isn’t it? This is more in your usual vein! I thought it might have been the shock to your system which made you so vastly disagreeable the other day, but now I see it is your natural state, after all. I can’t pretend to guess why it has pleased you to treat me with so much civility and charm this evening; but I’ll wager it’s for some purpose of your own, and not just the politeness you feel is due to a guest. You are not likely to concern yourself with such things.’

  ‘Nor are you, it seems!’

  ‘I am the guest, not yourself. Is this your notion of hospitality in England — to play off hoaxes on those who are so unfortunate or misguided as to find themselves under your roof? ’Pon my soul, you might be any schoolroom hoyden, instead of ‘ He stopped abruptly.

  ‘Instead of what?’ she demanded, with chilling dignity.

  ‘No matter! It’s all of a piece, I suppose. Females of your standing in the world have no rational worthwhile occupation, so they are reduced to passing their tedious hours in buffoonery of this kind.’

  ‘A hoyden, a buffoon,’ she repeated, dangerously calm. ‘Pray have you any more graceful compliments to pay me, doctor?’

  For a moment he stared in silence at the lovely face with its arrogantly tilted chin and blazing green eyes, framed by the tumbled red-gold curls. He drew in his breath sharply.

  ‘No. I have done,’ he replied, harshly.

  The door opened while he was still standing there staring down at her, and Stevens entered, clutching the vinaigrette.

  ‘Here it is, madam. I couldn’t find it at first.’ She unstoppered the bottle, and held it under Georgy’s nose, her lips quivering with suppressed mirth. ‘There, how do you feel now, Miss Georgiana?’

  Georgy waved the bottle away. ‘I feel capital, thank you, Stevens. But I think perhaps you should offer the bottle to Dr. Graham.’

  CHAPTER 7

  Freddy Is Optimistic

  John Graham did not stay long after his interview with Georgy. He was hailed as a miracle-worker when she walked unaided into the drawingroom a little ahead of him; but her slightly flushed face told Beau Eversley, at any rate, that the miracle had failed to please her. He discussed it with Susan later on, in the privacy of her bedchamber. She was leaning back against the pillows, attired in a demure nightgown of white lawn, with her dark hair loosely tied back from her face by a knot of pink ribbon.

  He took her hand, and pressed it to his lips before clasping it in both his own as he sat beside her on the bed.

  ‘You look weary, my own,’ he said, gently.

  She gave him the soft confiding smile that he often saw on baby Maria’s small face.

  ‘A little,’ she acknowledged. ‘I’m so heavy and clumsy these days, everything takes more energy than it used to do.’

  ‘You’re quite sure that you feel no ill effects from that abominable escapade of Georgy’s?’ he asked, solicitously. ‘I know that George’s medico friend is confident no harm has been done, and he seems a sound enough chap — ‘ He broke off, frowning ominously. ‘I may tell you, Sue, I could cheerfully have throttled that girl when I thought of the risk in which she involved you! I gave her a thorough dressing down this morning; let’s hope it did some good.’

  ‘Poor Georgy!’ replied his wife, with a sigh. ‘She didn’t mean any harm, you know, Hugh. But she suddenly takes a notion into her head, and nothing will do but she must carry it out, with never a thought of the consequences. I understand her — after all, I was once just the same myself, as I needn’t tell you, dearest.’

  ‘No, you were not,’ he said, with energy. ‘Oh, yes, you were impetuous, and perhaps given’ — he softened the criticism with a smile — ‘to occasional flights of fancy, shall we say?’ He pressed her imprisoned hand, and leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the tip of her nose. ‘But you were never so wild and outrageous as Georgy. She gets up to the most hare-brained starts for absolutely no reason at all that anyone can see. And it isn’t even as if she were too young and naive to realize the outcome of her larks, as you were then — why, you were scarce eighteen when I married you. But Georgy is turned one-and-twenty, and as well up to snuff as anyone, when she chooses. Damned if I know what ails the girl? Evelina was nothing like the same trouble. But there we are — she’s headstrong, and my father indulges her. If mother had lived, it would have been a different story. She could always manage Georgy all right.’

  ‘I don’t think,’ said Sue, doubtfully, ‘that she’s really very happy, you know, Hugh.’

  ‘Why should she not be happy?’ he demanded, incredulously. ‘She has everything she could want; health, fortune, rank, friends and admirers — no wonder they call her the Toast of the Town, for some misguided man or other is always at her heels. Added to which, she already has an establishment of her own without having to call any man master in order to get it ‘

  ‘Perhaps that is the trouble,’ said Susan, with a wise look which had the effect of making her appear more childlike. ‘Perhaps she would be happier if she had a husband to master her.’

  He laughed. ‘Let me tell you, I wouldn’t envy him the task. She’s been unschooled for too long. Breaking her to the bit will be a job for a very patient, not to say practised, hand.’

  ‘Well, and I think there might be someone not very far away who could do it,’ said Susan, mysteriously.

  He raised one eyebrow at her, a mannerism of his which she found irresistible. ‘You do, eh? Do you mean to tell me who this conqueror is?’

  ‘Lord Pamyngton,’ she answered simply.

  He pursed his lips consideringly. ‘Pam? Yes, perhaps. Certainly madam treats him with slightly more respect than she accords to most of her admirers. But does Pam intend marriage? And, if he does, would Georgy accept him?’

  ‘You must be a better judge of his intentions than I can pretend to be, dearest. After all, he is a friend of yours.’

  ‘Well, yes — Peter Radley sees more of him than I do, in fact, but I doubt if even he is in Pam’s confidence on that score. However, judging from what I know of Pam, I would say he’s very smitten with Georgy, but doesn’t mean to wear his heart on his sleeve. Perhaps that’s why Georgy does not use him so abominably as she does some of her other admirers! Sometimes I wonder she has any left, from what I see of her cavalier treatment of them.’

  ‘She does lead them a dance at times,’ admitted Susan, with a laugh. ‘But she has such a deal of natural, unstudied charm that it robs her words and actions of any offence. And she is so lovely, Hugh! When she comes into a room, you can see every gentleman there sitting up and taking notice. Her admirers are quite ready to overlook a little liveliness of disposition that may at times seem to take a delight in tormenting them.’

  Beau Eversley frowned. ‘Do you know what her feelings are for Pam? I imagine she would confide in you, if she would in anybody.’

  ‘She has said nothing, and I haven’t taxed her with questions,’ replied Susan, shaking her head. ‘
But I know Georgy, and I can see that she likes him more than all the rest put together. Sometimes I think that it needs something — a crisis of some kind, though I wouldn’t for the world wish either of them any misfortune, to be sure! — but some event which would show them what they mean to each other. Just as you and I, dearest, needed to be shown the way to our happiness — remember?’

  ‘Shall I ever forget?’ He leaned forward and took her into his arms.

  For a time, there was silence in the room.

  ‘Hugh,’ said Susan, at length, drawing a little away from him, ‘why do you suppose Georgy was pretending this evening that her ankle was worse than it really was? She was walking on it well enough this morning when she came into my bedchamber while I was drinking my chocolate. She said then that she scarce felt a twinge. Yet this evening she came into the room in the wheel chair, and asked the doctor to take a look at it ‘ she broke off, and sighed. ‘I must confess it puzzled me no end; but, of course, I said nothing to betray her, for I suppose I must have been the only one who saw her walking on it, and I would not for worlds divulge anything that she wished to keep secret! But what could she mean by it? Have you any notion?’

  ‘Oh, the devil take my sister!’ exclaimed Hugh, drawing his wife close again. ‘We’ve talked of her for quite long enough. I’ve no thought to spare for any other woman than you, my sweet and only love!’

  ‘He bubbled you, then,’ said Freddy, listening on the following morning to Georgiana’s light-hearted account of her interview with Dr. Graham. ‘Pity. It would have made a capital excuse for bringing you together, if only you could have made him believe the ankle pained you, and needed constant attention. Too much to expect, though, that a competent medico could be so taken in, unless it suited his book to pretend he was. And our Dr. Graham’ — he chuckled — ‘doesn’t dote on you to the extent that he’s glad of any excuse to call on you. No, sister, you’ve a deal of hard work to put in there, I promise you! You’re at a bit of a stand, now, my dear — reckon I’ll win this wager, damme if I don’t.’

  ‘Don’t count your chickens!’ retorted Georgy, with spirit. ‘You must think me a very poor creature, if you don’t suppose I shall contrive to throw myself in the dear doctor’s way. Besides, George wants to see something of him while he is down here, so I can reasonably expect that he will be visiting us quite often — and then he will be calling in on Susan occasionally, in the way of duty. Oh, it won’t be too difficult! I think I’ll suggest to Susan that she should give a ball,’ she added, thoughtfully. ‘There’s nothing like dancing to bring people together, and provide opportunities for a little dalliance.’

  ‘Well, I will wish you luck, Georgy, for I think you’ll need it!’ scoffed Freddy, as he left her. ‘Your blunt’s as good as in my pocket already, in my view!’

  Privately, Georgiana thought so herself. It was plain that Dr. Graham was not going to be such a ready victim as she had at first supposed. She had come to accept her undoubted power over men in no boastful spirit, but as one of the facts of existence. They had always flocked to her side without any conscious effort on her part to attract them; so it had never occurred to her to doubt her ability to succeed with any man whom she deliberately set out to please. It was a shock to discover that she was wrong, but she did not despair. Instead, she blamed her tactics. Evidently she had been too obvious. She had made the mistake of underestimating her quarry.

  But although the doctor had resisted her attempts at entangling him, she knew that he had not remained entirely impervious to her feminine appeal. Her quick perception sensed that she had awakened some masculine reaction, although obviously he had no intention of giving it rein.

  What was to be done now? The one thing she was quite determined against was to abandon the chase. The difficulties had only added a stronger sporting element to the wager with Freddy. Besides, she wanted to bring the man to his knees, she told herself fiercely. He had insulted and mocked her, he had dared to deride where others could do nothing but admire …

  If only she understood his character better, her task might be easier. Most people had a vulnerable point that could be played upon. Although she herself had always scorned such tricks, she had watched other females at them often enough, especially in their dealings with men. Some men could never resist the flattery of wide-eyed innocents who hung on their every word in wonder; others would more readily succumb to the appeal of a helpless, clinging female who made a great play of needing a strong arm to support her. She had seen such bait offered countless times, and swallowed nearly as often, she thought contemptuously. And was she not about to indulge in such despicable antics herself? She smiled cynically, looking for a moment very like her brother Hugh. At least, she consoled herself, it was revenge and not vanity that prompted her to do what in truth went very much against the grain. Perhaps George would be able to throw some light on his friend’s character. But no! George was certainly not one to analyse his fellow man. To use his own terms, Graham was a very good sort of chap, and that was enough for George. Besides, she had no wish to arouse her brother’s curiosity by showing any particular interest in his friend. It would never do for George to learn of the wager between herself and Freddy. There seemed nothing to be done at present but to await the next time when she and the doctor would be thrown together, and to make the best use she could of their meeting.

  After two days had gone by without any such encounter taking place, she began to feel impatient. She had barely three weeks in which to make her conquest, and she had not even made a beginning. If events would not happen of their own accord, then she must make them happen. But how? Feverishly, she revolved plans whenever she had a moment’s solitude.

  Solitude was not easy to find at present. Some scheme for the day was always afoot — walking, driving, or else visiting the neighbouring gentry. Sometimes the whole party went on these expeditions, sometimes there was one plan for the ladies and another for the gentlemen. It rarely happened that Georgy found herself alone except in the privacy of her bed-chamber. This frustration tended at times to make her thoughtful in company.

  Pamyngton taxed her with it on one occasion.

  The whole party was returning from a call on a neighbour who lived only a short distance away. Georgy had managed to avoid being shut up in the family carriage, choosing instead to ride with Pamyngton in his curricle, which he had brought down with him from London. Curshawe, who had not had the forethought to bring his own vehicle to Fulmer Towers, was obviously very put out by her choice, and inclined to sulk. He himself was on horseback, and took every opportunity of riding beside them and sharing their conversation, which was inclined to be spasmodic owing to Georgy’s abstraction.

  ‘Perhaps,’ said Pamyngton, with a sigh, ‘you don’t agree with my observation, and that is why you keep silent.’

  Georgy started, conscious of having been addressed before, but not having the faintest notion of what had been said to her. ‘I beg your pardon — I didn’t quite catch what you said.’

  ‘No,’ he agreed, with a gently teasing smile. ‘My voice, I realize, is not of any great power. And we are sitting so far apart, of course.’

  She laughed. ‘Oh, Pam, you are absurd! I must confess I was thinking of something else. What did you say to me?’

  ‘Nothing of any great moment. Some observations on the scenery, which no doubt you will find done rather better in one of the poets. But I would like to know,’ he added, ‘what inspires so much deep thought in you, Miss Georgy?’ He stared ahead at the horses for a moment ‘Can anything be troubling you? If so, perhaps I could be of assistance? I am always yours to command, you know.’

  His tone was quite light but she sensed a deeper feeling behind it that slightly embarrassed her for a moment

  ‘Oh, no! It was nothing — sometimes one daydreams ‘ He turned towards her, and she looked hastily away from the deep blue eyes.

  ‘As you say,’ he replied quietly. ‘But I should not have supposed that you were much
afflicted with that malady.’

  She did not quite know how to answer, but she was saved the effort by Curshawe, who had once more drawn alongside them.

  ‘What malady is Miss Georgiana afflicted with, Pamyngton?’ he asked, in a loud, bright tone. ‘She’d best consult that doctor fellow, hadn’t she?’ He laughed unconvincingly, then gestured ahead with his whip. ‘Talk of the devil! If I’m not much mistaken, here he comes, too!’

  They both looked ahead and saw the doctor’s gig approaching. Georgy’s face at once took on more animation.

  ‘We must stop for a moment,’ she said, quickly, ‘just to have a word with him.’

  ‘As you wish,’ said Pamyngton, studying her face thoughtfully.

  He reined in the horses as they drew abreast of the gig, and called out a cheerful good day. But it seemed that Dr. Graham was in a hurry. He doffed his hat, bowed, returned the greeting with a polite smile, called out ‘Sorry, can’t stop — on my way to a case,’ and passed them in a whirl of dust.

  ‘Well, really!’ exclaimed Curshawe, when the gig was well past and still travelling at what must have been the limit of poor old Nelly’s powers. ‘One would have thought common civility might have made the fellow pull up and pay his respects to you, Miss Eversley.’

  ‘Oh, come,’ said Pamyngton, mildly. ‘He might be on his way to a death bed, you know.’

  Curshawe made some reply, but Georgy did not hear what it was, for she was deep in thought again. Pamyngton noticed this with misgiving.

  CHAPTER 8

  The Rescue

  Georgy retired to bed that night with her head full of half-fledged schemes that seemed, on closer scrutiny, to be feeble in the extreme. Yawning widely, she dropped off to sleep at last on the wondering thought that no wager in the world was worth half the trouble she was taking over this one.

  Surprisingly, she awoke with a clear mind and the certainty of what she meant to do. This was no less than to eat humble pie for Dr. Graham’s benefit; she intended to apologize to the gentleman for the jest she had played upon him the other evening.