by Three Graces
“Not at all.”
“Well, I haven’t trod on your toes or tripped on my gown, so I suppose I am getting on fairly well.”
Lord Fanshawe laughed. “You remain an original, Miss Hartington.”
“Do I?” She considered this. “I wonder if that’s good? It sounds rather frightening. Shall I turn out to be as eccentric as my aunt, then?” As soon as she said this, Euphie was appalled. “Oh, no!”
He laughed again. “The two things are quite different. You are in no danger, I assure you.”
“How are they different?”
“Well, ah… you do take one up, don’t you? Let me think. An original shows freshness, an attractive unspoiled quality, which is unusual without being at all odd. An eccentric, on the other hand, is, well…”
“Eccentric,” finished Euphie with a laugh.
“Precisely.” He smiled down at her, thinking that she was clearly the most charming of the charming Hartington sisters.
“Well, that does not tell me a great deal, does it? But as I think it over, I believe I shouldn’t mind if I were eccentric, so long as it was in some kindly way. In fact, I think I shall be, when I am older.”
“And what will your particular eccentricity be? Not cats?”
“Like my aunt? Oh, no. I haven’t decided.” She paused a moment, then added, “Perhaps I shall keep an orchestra always at the ready in my house, so that I can have music whenever I choose.”
“A charming peculiarity.”
“Isn’t it? How wonderful it would be.” Euphie fell into a reverie, and the earl watched her face. They continued to dance through a short silence; then Euphie looked up abruptly. “What nonsense I have been talking. You must turn the subject.”
“Must I?”
“Yes, tell me something witty. What have you been doing since the ball?”
“Nothing very amusing.”
“You always say that. How dreary your life must be.” Euphie’s eyes twinkled.
“Indeed yes. Unspeakably so. It is only when I can escape for a moment to Almack’s, or balls like my mother’s, that I find any amusement at all.”
Euphie burst out laughing. “What a plumper! I know you must think Almack’s abominably slow. All the men do.”
“All?” he answered teasingly.
“They say so, and someone told me that you do not set foot here more than once or twice a season.”
“Ah, that was in the past. The place somehow seems a great deal more interesting now.”
Euphie raised her eyes to his, startled. This sounded very like the compliments she received from other partners, but she had not expected such from him. And her own reaction was unsettling. She found it difficult to breathe for a moment and had to look down again hastily.
Behind them, at the edge of the floor, Thalia stood in a window embrasure and tried to look inconspicuous. She felt both agitated and ridiculous, but when she had seen James Elguard actually walk into the room, she had suddenly found herself unable to face him. In the weeks since she had left the Chadbourne School, through all the changes in that time, she had convinced herself that the episode with Mr. Elguard had been just that—a transitory friendship. Even her meeting with his mother had not altered her position, but now that she saw the man himself, she realized that she had been mistaken. For her response to Elguard’s presence in the ballroom was far beyond what she would have confidently predicted. And because of this, she was confused and upset.
James Elguard, for his part, had been scanning the room alertly since he came in. He did not seek a partner for the waltz, but stood beside his mother and watched the dancers. At last, seeming impatient, he said something to her and started to stroll along the wall. Thalia, seeing him, swallowed and wondered if she could reach the exit without being seen.
She could not. And while she stood irresolutely alone, Elguard saw her and hurried over.
“Miss Hartington!”
“H-hello,” Thalia managed, though she could not seem to raise her eyes. Silence fell and lengthened. At last, able to bear no more, she looked up. James Elguard, as blond and handsome as ever, was surveying her with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.
As their eyes met, a flood of recollection hit both. Thalia flushed, and Elguard’s mouth moved uncertainly. “I hardly know what to say to you,” he ventured then. “I have heard about everything from my mother, of course.” Now he flushed. “I should perhaps apologize, or—”
“Don’t.”
He looked at her, then agreed. “No. That is irrelevant.” There was another silence. He seemed to gather himself. “Why did you run away from me without a word?” he said then, his voice full of emotion.
“From you?” Thalia was startled into retorting.
“Didn’t it amount to that?”
“Of course not.”
“Ah.”
There was a somewhat longer pause. Thalia felt a desperate urge to say something, but she could not frame a sentence.
“I haven’t congratulated you on your good fortune,” said Elguard stiffly then. “I was very glad to hear that your aunt did not fail to provide for you after all.”
“Yes,” murmured Thalia, then cursed herself for stupidity.
“Your situation has changed radically.” He indicated the ballroom. “And for the better, of course. I am very glad.” As he repeated this commonplace, he did not sound very glad.
Thalia summoned all her faculties and replied, “It is a very superficial change, however. My sisters and I remain the same despite a few new gowns.”
He seemed to find this encouraging for a moment. “Indeed, externals cannot really alter the character.” But then his face fell. “In the eyes of the world, however, the change is complete. You will be treated differently, and this will eventually change you as well.”
“It won’t,” she said, with more conviction than politeness.
Their eyes met again, more easily this time; some understanding seemed to pass between them. “Nonetheless,” he went on, “my position…”
Thalia shrugged and turned a little away from him. “Money has nothing to do with friendship,” she said.
He hesitated, watching her face. “Indeed, with friendship, very little.”
“How are your studies progressing?” asked the girl determinedly. “Were you not sorry to leave them again so soon?”
Mr. Elguard sighed imperceptibly and replied, “Not entirely. They are going well, and I can work here in London too, of course.”
She nodded. “Tell me—”
But a voice broke in just then to wish them good evening. They turned to find Lady Agnes Crewe on the arm of her partner, coming away at the end of the set. “Isn’t it a lovely dance?” she added, her tone poisonously sweet as she looked from one to the other of them.
Thalia nodded briefly. Elguard looked bewildered.
“Not as pleasant, of course, as meeting old friends,” added Lady Agnes. She had dropped her partner’s arm by this time and showed signs of settling next to James Elguard. The other young man, unintroduced, hovered uncomfortably nearby. “I think that is one of the nicest things there is, don’t you, Mr. Elguard?” Lady Agnes raised her blue eyes meltingly and touched Elguard’s arm.
The gentleman, obviously mystified, muttered, “Ah, yes, to be sure.”
Lady Agnes gave him a blinding smile and moved still closer. “Why, Mr. Elguard, I do believe you have forgotten me. And you said you never would when we met in Bath, at your mother’s evening party. You do remember?” She gazed up at him again, her fingers still resting on his forearm.
Thalia, her jaw clamped tightly, said, “I think my sister is beckoning; if you will excuse—”
“By Jove,” burst out Elguard, “so is my mother. Allow me to escort you, Miss Hartington.” He hurriedly offered his arm, and Thalia, with one brief upward glance, took it. Lady Agnes’s silvery laughter followed them across the floor.
“Who in blazes was that?” asked James when they were out of e
arshot. “I’ve never seen her before in my life.”
“Haven’t you?”
“No, I haven’t!”
Thalia looked at him. “That is Lady Agnes Crewe, one of my former pupils.”
“Crewe? Wasn’t she the one…?”
“Yes.”
“Well, of all the dashed impudent… I’ve half a mind to go back there and tell her so.”
Thalia shrugged. The scene just past had suggested something to her. “Mr. Elguard, do you know a family called Warrington? Most particularly a Mr. Alan Warrington?”
He frowned down at her, puzzled. “What has that to do with—?”
“It does.”
He shrugged. “I know Alan. He was up at Oxford with me. He came to town, and I stayed on to work for a fellowship.”
“Will you introduce him to me, please?”
“Why are you interested in Warrington?”
“Because of Lady Agnes, and another friend of mine, who, I think, is fond of him.”
The man digested this. “I see. Or, rather, I don’t see, but I have some idea.” He looked around the room. “I don’t think he’s here… No, wait, there he is. Come along, if you’re serious.”
“I am,” replied Thalia positively, and they started across the floor toward a group of young people which included the Warrington children.
Twenty-three
The next morning, Thalia came to Aggie’s bedchamber after breakfast and heard the whole story of John Dudley. It was told haltingly and with many pauses, but she listened in silence to the end. “And so, you see,” finished Aggie, “he changed. And I don’t know why. I think that is the worst part, receiving that cold reply to my letter and not understanding what I had done.”
Thalia looked at her. Aggie’s skin was paler than usual, and there were dark smudges under her eyes. She seemed more tired with each day in London. “My dear Aggie,” she began, “don’t you see that—”
But before she could complete the sentence, there was a knock at the door. Aggie opened it, revealing Euphie in the corridor outside. “Oh,” said the youngest sister. “I was looking for someone to help me pin up this flounce. Am I interrupting? I’m sorry.” She looked a little hurt.
Thalia looked at Aggie, who said, “Of course not. Come in. I was just telling Thalia about something that happened to me in Hampshire. She asked.”
Euphie looked from one to the other of her sisters.
“I meant to tell you, too, of course,” continued the oldest. “I suppose I must say it all again.”
She looked so gloomy at the prospect that Euphie said, “You needn’t if you don’t want to.”
“No, no.”
“Well, perhaps I can make it easier by saying that I think I know why he acted so,” put in Thalia.
Aggie turned abruptly toward her. “Why?”
“Tell Euphie the story, then we will see what both of you think of my idea.”
Aggie obeyed, speaking more rapidly this time and adding detail in response to questions from Thalia. When she had finished, she turned back to her and said, “Well?”
“The more I hear, the more I am convinced that I am right,” answered the other. “It was the money, you dear goose.”
“Money?”
“Yes, I see,” said Euphie.
Aggie frowned. “You mean, Aunt Elvira’s money?”
“Yes. Think back. According to your story, Mr. Dudley changed radically just after you got the letter. And nothing else happened. It must be that. He didn’t want to be thought a fortune hunter, you see.”
“But that is ridiculous!” exclaimed Aggie.
“Of course it is,” agreed Thalia. “But very possible, don’t you think? Here is a man about to offer for a charming girl without a penny, and suddenly he finds she is a great heiress. If he had spoken before he knew, all would be well. But to speak after?”
“It didn’t make the least difference,” insisted Aggie.
“I know, dear. But men have such queer notions of honor, don’t they?”
This gave Aggie pause; she frowned and considered it.
“You must be right,” said Euphie then. “Nothing else explains it. But what are we going to do?”
Thalia smiled at her. “Your perennial question.”
“Well, that’s the important thing, isn’t it? How are we to rid this poor man of his silly idea?”
Thalia laughed.
“It isn’t silly,” retorted Aggie. “I think it is very noble.”
The other two sisters grimaced. “There’s no doubt she’s in love,” added Euphie.
Aggie frowned at her.
“Yes,” said Thalia. “And as for what we are to do, I have already done something.”
Euphie looked interested, Aggie alarmed. “Thalia, you haven’t…!” began the latter.
The middle sister moved self-consciously in her chair. She felt a bit embarrassed about her talk with Mrs. Wellfleet. “I haven’t done anything terrible. Anne Wellfleet has written to Mr. Dudley. She is going to get him to come up to town.”
“Anne?” Aggie looked surprised.
“Yes. She noticed you were looking, uh, unhappy, and we talked it over.” To Thalia’s relief, her sister did not seem offended.
“And when he gets here,” said Euphie, “you must let him know that the money doesn’t matter a jot. And then everything will be as it was.”
Aggie was thoughtful. “Yes,” she replied slowly, “but how?”
“That must be up to you.”
Thalia agreed. “But now that you know the problem, you will be able to deal with it.”
After a moment, Aggie nodded meditatively. “Perhaps I will.” She drifted into reverie. The other two sisters exchanged a smile.
After a pause, Euphie said, “Now, will someone help me with this flounce?”
Thalia laughed, and Aggie started. “Here, I will,” said Aggie. “Give it to me.”
“And I shall leave you to it,” added Thalia, rising, “How I hate sewing.”
They all laughed, and Thalia went out and walked down the corridor to her own bedchamber. At the door, she met one of the housemaids. “Oh, miss,” said the girl, “I just left a letter on your dressing table. Mr. Jenkins told me to bring it up, being as the messenger said it was private.”
Puzzled, Thalia thanked her and went into the room. She took up the envelope and tore it open. It was from Mrs. Wellfleet, and as she read it, Thalia began to smile. It went:
Dear Thalia,
Such news! John Dudley has arrived in London all on his own. He left before he got my letter. Poor dear, he looks ghastly. Isn’t it wonderful? It is my belief that he couldn’t bear to stay away any longer. I shall bring him to the Butlers’ evening party tonight. I leave the rest to you.
Affectionately,
Anne Wellfleet
Thalia put the sheet down, her smile broadening. This was splendid. All would be settled very quickly indeed. And she turned to go back to Aggie and tell her the news.
Thus, it was an excited group that left Lady Fanshawe’s townhouse for the Butlers’ later that day. Aggie, in particular, was distracted, but she looked far happier than she had in days. The other two girls watched her with pleasure, and the countess asked plaintively what they were up to, to be so gay.
They arrived early; only a few guests stood about the Butler drawing room. This was to be a musical evening, so there were extra chairs and a piano and music stand at one end of the room. The Hartingtons greeted their hostess and then went to join a group opposite the door, where they could see all
who entered.
They saw many acquaintances. Lady Agnes came in soon after them, and Mary Deming and her mother. Thalia noticed the Warringtons and, with a slight tremor, the Elguards. But there was no sign of the Wellfleets until just before the entertainment was to begin. Then, they came in with a rush, as if afraid they were late. And behind them, diffidently, walked John Dudley.
Aggie’s fingers tightened on Thalia’s arm whe
n she saw him. Mr. Dudley did not seem aware of the girls at first. He looked rather nervous. And before they could make any move to reveal themselves, their hostess began urging people to chairs for the music, and all opportunity for private conversation was at an end.
More than one guest looked impatient during the quite admirable program Mrs. Butler had organized. Aggie clearly did not listen, but spent the time twisting her hands in her lap. And though Euphie was soon wrapped up in the music, Thalia divided her attention between her older sister and John Dudley, whom she could just see on the opposite side of the room. She noted that he did not seem particularly enthralled either. And Anne Wellfleet met Thalia’s eyes more than once, each time with a roguish smile. Out of sight behind the Hartingtons, James Elguard also exhibited signs of impatience.
At last the entertainment was over. Guests stood and began to walk about, some going into the adjoining room, where a cold supper had been laid out. The Hartington girls were soon surrounded by a crowd of admirers. But John Dudley was not among them. He had by this time discovered Aggie and her sisters, but after one stunned glance at the three of them, he had retreated to one of the window embrasures, there to stare painfully at Aggie and shift from foot to foot. Thalia was soon quite out of patience with him. But when she turned again and saw her sister’s face, she said, “You must go and speak to him, Aggie. He is afraid to approach you among all these strangers.”
“In front of everyone?” murmured the other.
“I see no other way.”
Aggie nodded, swallowed, and excused herself to the young man who had been addressing outrageous gallantries to her for some minutes without effect. She took a deep breath and started across the room to Dudley. He, seeing her coming, stepped forward, and they met just beside the window.
“He is not so dashing as I would have imagined,” whispered Euphie to Thalia as they watched the couple.
“No, not dashing. But his face looks kind and sensible, and I think he will do very well.”
Euphie considered this as she surveyed Mr. Dudley. “Perhaps. But I should prefer a bit more… oh, something myself.”
Thalia laughed “I daresay. Fortunately, what you prefer is not the issue.”
