Scandal's Daughter

by Emma V. Leech

  For a moment Georgiana's mind flitted back to an afternoon with Beau and the way she had cried out when his hand slid under the skirts of her dress. Her cheeks flamed but her uncle just chuckled, thankfully perfectly ignorant of the path her thoughts had taken.

  "So I believe you know that the earl has recently married, in fact I met his wife this afternoon and a more delightful creature you never did meet. I think you'll be enchanted by her. She's very young mind, but nonetheless as a married woman she can bring you out in society and indeed she has very graciously agreed to do just that. And damn me, but with the Earl of Falmouth giving his name to your cause, you just let the bloody Baron do his worst! We'll face them all down, Georgiana, and come out of this the winners. You mark my words!"

  This impassioned speech did much to restore Georgiana's spirits, though she felt very close to fainting once more when her uncle gave her the quite stunning information that he believed she was worth close to fifty thousand pounds. The staggering amount of money made her head spin and her uncle's next words, about bewaring fortune hunters for they'd be on her like bees on honey, quite went over her head. And the rejuvenating effect of this plan on Aunt Jane, though, was something close to miraculous.

  She was swept away to Truro where several new gowns were purchased so that she wouldn't be put to the blush when she was presented to the countess the next day.

  "But, Aunt Jane," she whispered, out of hearing of the shopkeeper. "I don't inherit until I'm twenty one, that's a year and a half away. How on earth ..."

  "Hush, love!" her aunt scolded her, pausing a moment to throw a smile at the shop keeper who had glanced in their direction. "Lord Falmouth has advanced you a sum to cover all of your expenses, which of course you will repay him when you come into your inheritance."

  Georgiana looked at her aunt, quite aghast. "B--but he's never set eyes on me, I mean ... how ... why?" she stammered, becoming so flustered that that her aunt held her vinaigrette close under her nose until Georgiana squealed with disgust. It did however bring her back to earth.

  "That will be quite enough fretting, Georgiana," her aunt said, with quite astonishing severity from one who was usually so mild. "It just so happens that the earl holds the Baron in as much contempt as you would wish and is more than happy to help you thwart his plans." She lowered her voice a little more, whispering to Georgiana. "According to Joseph he has some other, private reasons for his involvement that he didn't wish to discuss, but suffice to say your success would please him very much. Now your uncle and the earl have arranged it all for you and all you need do is enjoy the nicer parts of it, like the shopping and making new friends with ladies like the countess.” Her aunt came closer and touched her face with empathy. “Of course facing the haut ton is going to wear on your nerves I know, child. But there is nothing like being properly attired to be able to stare down those who would say wicked things about you, take it from me!"

  Seeing as her aunt must have run the gauntlet of just such kinds of ill-natured gossip when her family disowned her, Georgiana could readily believe the truth of it. Either way, there was little she could do. Everything was apparently arranged to everyone's satisfaction. All she had to do was play her part, do and say nothing scandalous, and hopefully her mother's infamy would not continue to taint her own future.

  ***

  Both her aunt and uncle were right about one thing. The Countess of Falmouth was an absolute darling.

  Setting foot inside the vast doors of Tregothnan was by far the most terrifying thing Georgiana had ever done. She was greeted by an elderly butler of such grave dignity that she might have been of a mind to turn around and flee, had it not been for Aunt Jane's iron grip on her arm. They were led into a lavish drawing room, painted in the palest duck egg blue and with massive gilt framed pictures lining the panelled walls. It was exquisitely furnished, and in every direction her eyes alighted on some beautiful piece to delight the eye. Nothing in the room however could compare to the vision that rose to greet them.

  With the widest, bluest eyes Georgiana had ever seen, surrounded by an artless arrangement of guinea gold curls - that she could well believe had taken hours to achieve - the countess rushed over to greet them. She wore a dress of amber silk with a rich lace trim around the bust, and was quite the most dazzling creature Georgiana had ever seen. Holding her hands outstretched she drew Georgiana to her and kissed both of her cheeks.

  "Oh, Miss Dalton," she said, with a pretty French accent that Georgiana thought utterly charming. "I am so 'appy you are coming to London with us. I 'ave the most wonderful things planned for us both. Oh, where are my manners, do please sit down and I will ring for some tea."

  The niceties of any afternoon call were observed as the three ladies exchanged pleasantries but then, to Georgiana's amusement, the countess changed the subject.

  "Well now all the pretty nothings are done, we can talk properly, hein?" She said, giving an irrepressible grin, mischief glittering in those lovely blue eyes. It gave Georgiana no problem at all to imagine how this engaging creature had brought a confirmed bachelor and notorious rake like the earl to propose to her. She strongly doubted he'd had any choice, for surely no one could resist a smile like that.

  "I want you to know that I do not care this much," the countess said snapping her pretty fingers, much to the shock of Aunt Jane. "For what anyone says about your mama. And you just see if they dare in front of Alex, ha!" She winked at Georgiana and then glanced at Aunt Jane with an apologetic expression.

  "Oh dear, I 'ave shocked you, yes? Aunt Seymour will scold me, and I 'ave been trying very hard to be a good English lady."

  "What the devil would you want to do a thing like that for?" said a cultured male voice from the corner of the room.

  "Oh, Alex!"

  Céleste, as the countess had insisted they call her, leapt to her feet as her husband strode into the room. For a moment Georgiana was struck with a dreadful case of jealousy as she saw the way the two of them looked at each other, as if neither her nor Aunt Jane even existed. The earl looked down at her with obvious adoration before planting a light kiss on her mouth to the delighted amusement of Aunt Jane. In that moment Georgiana found her longing for Beau a physical thing, a weight that hung about her heart and never allowed her to fully enjoy anything that might pass. If only she could be with him in such an easy, open manner.

  The countess returned to her guests looking a little flushed and obviously believing Aunt Jane would be shocked by such behaviour. But her aunt, being so happily married herself, was only too pleased to see two people so well matched.

  Once the formalities were over, Georgiana allowed herself to look the earl over while he spoke to Aunt Jane. He was a tall and forbidding looking man, broad and well made, with thick black hair and a stern, uncompromising face. There was a cruel edge to his mouth that made her believe he was not someone who you should make an enemy of. But every trace of that harsh cynicism vanished whenever he laid eyes on his lovely wife.

  "Well then, Miss Dalton," he said at last, turning his attention to her. "I understand we are to have the pleasure of escorting you to London with us to make your come out?"

  "Yes, my Lord," she said, smiling at him with real gratitude. "And I can only imagine that my uncle must have done you the greatest of favours, for I am well aware of the singular honour you do me in the circumstances, and I will be forever in your debt."

  "Circumstances be dam ... dashed," he amended at a nudge from the countess. "Baron Dalton is ..." He glanced at his wife who was biting her lip in amusement. "Well," he said with a sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't disparage your uncle in front of you but safe to say I don't like the man, and his treatment of you is beyond anything. It would give me the greatest satisfaction to thwart any plans he may have and so I tell you, you owe me nothing. I shall enjoy putting his nose out of joint beyond anything."

  Aunt Jane nodded and looked at him with great satisfaction. "I know I shouldn't say it, the Baron being my brother and a
ll, but you need have no compunction about cutting up his character before us. After the way he treated us ..."

  At this point her voice broke and she was forced to hunt for her handkerchief and press it to her lips while Georgiana hunted through her reticule for her aunt's vinaigrette. This had the effect of unsettling the earl to the point that he made his excuses.

  "I shall look forward to seeing you in London, Miss Dalton," he said before he took his leave of them. "I confess I am relieved that the countess will have someone young and amusing to bear her company in case she tires of her ancient husband." This was said with a very grave face, forcing his wife to exclaim,

  "Bah! What a rapper! Indeed, Alex, you are looking for me to compliment you, and now I shan't, so run along and leave us ladies to talk in peace."

  The earl looked at her in amusement, one eyebrow raised. "I shall do just that, but I will also be speaking to my cousin Aubrey, as I have no doubt that is where you learned such a vulgar expression. Good day, ladies."

  Once divested of her husband, the countess turned to Georgiana and grasped her hands.

  "Indeed, I am so looking forward to this season. The last season I was there ..." She paused and looked a little uncomfortable before smiling and carrying on. "Well, it was my first and it all went in rather a blur. I think I will enjoy it much more this year, especially now I 'ave a friend to accompany me."

  Georgiana, tried to smile in return and then imagined the scorn of the ton when they discovered she was the daughter of the scandalous Lady Dalton.

  Apparently well aware of her train of thought, the countess gave her hands a squeeze. "I know what it is to face scandal," he said in a whisper. "Alex is the dearest man but ... well I am sure you are aware of his reputation?"

  Georgiana opened and closed her mouth, glancing to her aunt for help as she didn't really know how to reply to that question, but Céleste just laughed.

  "Oh, don't worry, I know all of it, and most of it is quite true after all," she added with an irrepressible chortle of delight that made Georgiana chuckle in reply. "In fact we are having to apply to his Aunt Seymour to try and get you vouchers for Almack's because poor Alex is banned! Can you imagine? Not that he cares a rush of course, but we will need to go for your sake and I admit I should love to see the marriage mart at first hand."

  This last put Georgiana quite at ease and she felt sure that in the countess ... Céleste, she had found a friend with whom she could face the trial before her - if not with equanimity, then at least with courage.

  Chapter 14

  "Wherein Lady Russell weighs in and a grim winter passes."

  As parliament didn't sit until February this season, and as most men were out of town to enjoy the hunting season, they found London in November practically devoid of company. As it happened this suited Georgiana down to the ground, meaning she could find her feet a little and indulge in some serious shopping without having to endure stares and whispers as word got about as to who she really was. Céleste was as good as her word and introduced her to a small circle of friends who were in town early for various reasons and who, in Céleste's words, didn't care a fig about her scandalous parent.

  Their trips were hampered somewhat by the weather which was remarkably bad at times, to the point they often had to light candles during the day as the cloud cover was so very thick. On the nineteenth there was much excitement at the prospect of a solar eclipse, but in the event it was so cloudy that little could be seen of it.

  Georgiana’s enjoyment was not dimmed, though, as Lord Falmouth's home was luxurious in the extreme and Céleste's company a delight. She was further indulged by them allowing her to bring Conrad with her, which had been something that had been on her mind. She was afraid her faithful dog would have pined for her if she left him too long. As it was he and Céleste's naughty scrap of a spaniel, Bandit, became firm friends and caused mischief wherever they went, much to Falmouth's consternation.

  Aware that Lord Falmouth and his wife were in fact newlyweds, Georgiana often retired early of an evening to leave them alone. Seeing as she had the run of his lordship's vast and well stocked library, however, she found no hardship in repairing to her lavish bedroom, with a fire that burned all day and night, and indulging in her favourite past time.

  Indeed the only note of sorrow in a very pleasant visit was that she had been unable to discover any news about the Marquis of Beaumont. She had heard in passing that he was staying with friends until the season began, but further than that, even the scandal rags had fallen silent. Her thoughts were rarely far from him, and despite knowing he wasn't in town, she found herself searching the faces of the people they passed as his lordship's carriage bore them around the freezing streets, hoping for a glimpse of him.

  And so it was that November turned to December in a very pleasant fashion with intimate dinner and rout parties and a great deal of shopping. Never before having had money to spend, and being used to being thrifty, mending tears and turning cuffs, this was a revelation. To find herself suddenly with a vast fortune - if not at her fingertips, then certainly on the horizon, the amount of clothes that she was able to invest in and which Céleste had encouraged her to buy, was quite staggering.

  Céleste had in fact divulged a little of her own background, which was beyond any penny pinching that Georgiana had been forced to contend with, and indeed made her feel quite shame faced for considering she had been in any way hard up. But it meant that for the two of them, shopping was a new and delightful treat which was beyond anything they had enjoyed before.

  Céleste’s favourite haunt was a modiste on Conduit Street. A charming French émigrés by the name of Madame Lisabeth. When the two women got together Georgiana would be lost in a flurry of rapid fire French until they remembered their manners and switched back to English. Madame Lisabeth had exceptional taste, however, with a great eye for colour and line, and Georgiana never failed to walk away without her purse a great deal lighter. Her favourite purchase was a gown of green sarsnet finished with a border of deeper green ribband, appliqué. As Madame Lisabeth had predicted it looked glorious against the red of her hair and she indulged herself with a little daydream of walking into a ball and finding Beau staring up at her with wonder and admiration.

  The week before Christmas she awaited with impatience a visit from her aunt and uncle whom Lord Falmouth had graciously invited to stay. Before that happy time however, she had to face a visit from Lady Seymour Russell.

  "You'll be quite terrified of 'er of course," Céleste explained at breakfast with a mischievous grin. "And quite right too."

  She gave a gurgle of laughter at the obvious panic in Georgiana's eyes.

  "Oh, she's a sweetheart really, I promise," she said, waving a morsel of plum cake at her between elegant fingers. "And don't worry," she added. "I will protect you!"

  "But why is she coming?" Georgiana asked, terrified that Lord Falmouth's aunt, the daunting Lady Russell who was known as the scourge of the ton would take one look at her and advise her nephew to cast her off. Though she doubted anyone but his wife, who could clearly wrap him around his finger, could get the earl to do anything he didn't wish to.

  "Why because she's having the most terrible trouble getting us vouchers for Almack's and she wants to meet you before she goes to the trouble of blackmailing Lady Jersey."

  Georgiana almost choked on her hot chocolate. "Blackmail!"

  Céleste grinned at her and nodded. "It appears Aunt 'as the dirt on most of the ton and doesn't scruple to use it if she feels it necessary. Seymour and Lady Jersey - that's one of the patronesses of Almack's - 'ave been at daggers drawn for years according to Alex." She paused to cut off another slice of plum cake and deposit it on the pretty gold edged Sevres plate. "Anyway, her mother-in-law of course you know was the Prince Regent's mistress, and I'm sure you've heard all the scandals ..." She winked at Georgiana and raised an elegant eyebrow. "Except you haven't. Apparently Seymour has proof of some dreadful misdemeanor that Lady Jer
sey would much rather keep away from the gossips. So she's coming to see if you are worthy of deploying 'er most lethal weapon."

  "Good God," Georgiana replied, blinking at her. But Céleste just continued her breakfast, apparently unconcerned.

  Dressed demurely in a soft sprig muslin with a pale green fichu and green silk slippers, Georgiana sat by the fire in the drawing room and tried to apply herself to some embroidery. Céleste said Seymour had a lot of rather old fashioned notions about how young ladies should behave and to find them thus employed would please her. Georgiana looked down at the little circle of crooked stitching on her own sewing frame and sighed. It was supposed to be a daisy chain but looked rather like a row of rather odd shaped splodges. She didn't have long to fret over it though as the butler announced Lady Seymour Russell, and the two young women put aside their sewing and got to their feet.

  Georgiana bit back a nervous giggle as a tall, elegant older woman, dressed all in dove grey and lilac looked them over with clear scepticism in her cool grey eyes.

  "Very pretty, I'm sure, child. Did you arrange this pleasing little scene for my benefit?" She looked at Céleste with the slightest twitch of her lips as the countess ran to greet her and kiss both her cheeks. "Oh, Aunt! As if you could believe such a thing of two such nice, English ladies."

  Lady Russell gave a snort but allowed Céleste to fuss around her and get her settled before ringing for tea.

  Shortly everyone was supplied with tea and biscuits to fortify their nerves, not that Lady Russell looked in anyway that she needed them as she raised her quizzing glass to survey Georgiana in a way that made her blush to the roots of her hair.

  "So, you're the Siren's daughter," she said, her tone considering. Georgiana bristled. She had heard from her uncle that this had become her mother's nickname when she made her come out. She had been a huge success, not only because of her beauty but because of her vivacity and lively nature. Many men had vied for her attention, but it had been the cold and cruel Baron Dalton that had finally won her, though no one knew why she had chosen a mere Baron over some of the far worthier offers she'd had. But sparks had flown, to all accounts, when they were together and they had married against everyone's advice. It soon became clear to all that the marriage was a disaster. The Baron was jealous and despotic but Lady Dalton refused to be cowed by him, becoming ever more extreme in her behaviour and her affairs. Until she caught the eye of the Duke of Sindalton. It had apparently been love at first sight and their scandalous affair and the bloody end it came to had rocked the ton and kept the gossips talking for years after.