Eugenie and the Earl

by Marina Oliver

  Eugenie forgot about George as she prepared for the dinner party. She wore a new evening gown, in a shimmering rose silk, with an overgown of silver lace. Arabella insisted she wore a diamond pendant, and the hairdresser came to sweep up her hair into ringlets. She was nervous when at last she was ready and went down to the drawing room. Her uncle was already there, consulting his watch. She had never seen him looking so elegant in his impeccable evening dress. He smiled at her, but still looked anxious.

  'Arabella must be ready by now. She cannot be later than our guests, and the Countess of Argyle is always prompt to the second!'

  As the first knock came at the front door Arabella ran into the room.

  'Oh, thank goodness, I'm not late,' she gasped. 'Jenny could not fasten the catch on my bracelet. I will have to send it to Rundell and Bridge to be altered.'

  The door opened and Compton ceremoniously announced the Countess of Argyle, who swept into the room and looked about her suspiciously.

  'Am I the first? My dear Arabella, and Jerome, how good to see you back in town. And this must be your little niece. I was great friends with your mama, child, and so very sad to hear that she had died. I never did think Switzerland was good for people of her constitution, and had I been consulted I would have advised against your going there. Especially as the situation on the continent was so very unstable.'

  Eugenie blinked, but was saved from having to respond by Compton announcing another guest. This, she realised, smothering a laugh, was the red hair and huge stomach, and she was certain she could hear the creaking of stays as he bent over Arabella to kiss her hand. Arabella cast her a mischievous glance over his head, but then the guests were arriving one after the other. The handsome one had not yet arrived, Eugenie thought. One or two of the younger men might have been called handsome, but they did not match Arabella's description of the most handsome in Mayfair.

  All but two of the guests had arrived, and the Duke was again glancing at his watch when Compton once more entered the drawing room.

  'Lady Emily Carruthers and the Earl of Lyndhurst.'

  It was the girl from the theatre, the loveliest girl Eugenie had yet seen in London, who swept into the room, wearing a simple white gown that clung to her slender figure. But after the first glance Eugenie had no eyes for this blonde beauty. She had caught sight of the man behind her. It couldn't be! But it was. As Arabella moved forward to greet these two guests she took a step towards him.

  'Hugues! Is it really you?'

  *

  Arabella glanced at Eugenie, then up at her husband when the Duke appeared at her side.

  'Welcome, Hugh, and Lady Emily. Do come across and meet the Countess of Argyle. Eugenie, my dear, your dinner partner, Gregory Sanders, is over there. Arabella, have they been introduced?'

  Eugenie was whisked way by Arabella, but though she managed to make the conventional responses to Mr Sanders, her thoughts were in a turmoil. Her Hugues was here in London, with a title, and it did not make sense. Was he really an earl? Surely an earl would not have been there in one of the worst Paris slums? And few Englishmen ever went to France now England was at war with Napoleon? Somehow she had to speak to him.

  When they went to the dining room the Earl was seated next to Arabella, while Eugenie and Mr Sanders were half way along the table, on the same side, so that she could only see him by craning forward, and even in her anxiety to see him she did not wish to draw attention to herself by such behaviour. It would not help her speak to him. Maybe after dinner she would have an opportunity to talk to him.

  And who, she wondered at last, was this Lady Emily? The Earl had led her down to the dining room, and she was sitting beside him now. What was she to him? Eugenie could not see her, but she recalled the blonde ringlets, the perfect, porcelain skin, the big blue eyes, and the slender figure. What was she to the Earl?

  There were no answers. Not yet, but soon she would be able to talk to Hugues. She ate almost nothing, her thoughts were so chaotic. Mr Sanders and her other neighbour, the man with red hair and creaking stays, talked to her, but she afterwards had no recollection of what she had said in return. She had to be nudged by Mr Sanders when Arabella rose and the ladies left the room. She was the last to go, and at the doorway looked back to see Hugues – she could not think of him by any other name – smiling towards her. Almost she turned back, but Compton was holding the door and almost pushed her out of the room. Later, she told herself, later she could ask all those questions.

  In the drawing room Arabella was talking to the blonde beauty, Lady Emily. For the first time Eugenie wondered about her family. Did she have parents here tonight? Eugenie frantically tried to recall the list of names Arabella had given her, but she could remember no more than half a dozen. Where were her wits? Had they been scattered to the four winds just because she had seen a man who might be Hugues? His name, she remembered, was Hugh. He was exactly like Hugues, except he was now dressed in immaculate evening clothes, not dirty breeches and a torn shirt. Was it possible there could be two men so similar in looks she could confuse them? No, surely not. It was her Hugues, she was certain. So why had he been in Paris, when had he returned to England, and when would she find answers to these questions?

  Arabella caught her glance and beckoned her over. 'Come and talk to Lady Emily. She lives in Somerset, you are practically neighbours.'

  Eugenie pulled herself together. So far this evening she had not been of any help to Arabella in entertaining the guests, and she supposed she was in a sort of way like a daughter of the house. She took the seat indicated and looked at Lady Emily. Close to she was even more ravishing, and when she spoke her voice was low and seductive.

  'I'm told you have been living in Switzerland? I am longing for this wretched war to be over so that I might travel on the continent. But you did not choose to go, I understand? I am so sorry about the deaths of your poor parents. And Arabella tells me you travelled back to England on your own, working to earn the money? How very, very brave of you!'

  Had Arabella not told her of the help she had received from Hugues? 'There was no alternative,' she said. 'The only money I had was what I could earn.'

  'But you had to work in taverns! That must have been so unpleasant. I could not have done it.'

  'You would have done if the alternative had been starvation!'

  Lady Emily smiled. 'But surely there were men who might have helped you?'

  Was she ignorant or naive? 'I'm sure there would be many who would offer to help you, my lady,' she said, 'but would you have been willing to pay the price they asked?'

  For a moment the other girl looked puzzled, then a blush spread over her cheeks.

  'You mean – ? Oh, but that is dreadful!'

  'So you understand why I chose to be a barmaid or chambermaid?'

  Lady Emily nodded. 'I really meant men in Switzerland, men your parents would have known.'

  'We lived such a quiet life, my mother being so ill. I did apply to the two I thought would be most sympathetic, but they both wanted the sort of price I meant.'

  'Oh, how beastly, when you were in trouble! Men can be so horrid! You must have been so brave, all alone, and in a hostile country. You speak French though? I suppose that helped.'

  'It was essential, yes. I would have been lost without it, if they had known I was English.'

  'Eugenie – may I call you that? – you must come and visit me soon and tell me more about it. I live in Berkeley Square, the house next to the Earl of Lyndhurst. Arabella will tell you, but I will send a carriage soon, when we can arrange a suitable time.'

  Eugenie could not dislike her, she was so friendly. Was it because they lived in adjoining houses that explained their arrival together? They had no more time to chat for the men then came into the drawing room, and found seats. Lady Emily gave Eugenie a somewhat distrait smile and moved away to cross the room and begin to talk to the Earl.

  Much as she wanted to speak to him, Eugenie did not dare attempt it while there we
re so many other people about who might overhear her. She tried hard not to stare, and began to regain her senses and talk to some of the other guests. Then, as they began to leave, the Earl came across the room towards her.

  'May I drive you in the Park tomorrow?'

  *

  Eugenie could do no more than nod. For some reason she was unable to speak. She looked at him closely. This was the nearest she had been to him all evening, but now she was totally sure he was her Hugues.

  'Then I will call for you. For now, Miss Eugenie, good night.'

  At last all the guests were gone, and Eugenie turned to her uncle. 'Was that Hughes?' she asked bluntly.

  'The Earl of Lyndhurst? My dear, I cannot reveal any of his secrets. If it is your Parisian friend, and he wishes you to know, he will no doubt tell you. I understand he means to drive out with you tomorrow.'

  Frustrated, Eugenie nodded. Her uncle knew something, she was sure, but why could he not tell her? Did he not trust her? 'But why must it be a secret?'

  'Please, Eugenie, wait until he has spoken to you. Don't breathe a word of your suspicions to anyone else. It could be dangerous for him.'

  He would say no more, and Eugenie went to bed to lie sleepless, trying to make sense of the mystery. What did her uncle know? Why could he not tell her? And why would it be dangerous for Hugues? She supposed any Englishman caught in France might be in danger, but was there something extra to make the Earl's presence there worse than normal? Was he, for instance a spy? No doubt if that were suspected he would face some dreadful death, probably torture as well as execution.

  Then she began to consider what he might have been doing in Paris. He had been in one of the worst quarters, and had a poor garret room. Would any spy live like that? She had few notions of what spies did, but to gain information, which was the most likely objective of a spy, surely he would need to be in touch with important men, probably military commanders, not slum dwellers, the hoi polloi who would know nothing of affairs? Or did he live like that to evade such people?

  It was an insoluble problem, and she turned over and punched her pillow. Tomorrow, she thought as she drifted into sleep, she might find some answers.

  On the following day she consulted Arabella about what to wear to drive with the Earl. Arabella clearly knew something of the mystery, for she was chattering even more inconsequentially than usual during breakfast, ignoring Eugenie's questions, and afterwards said she was worried that little Sophie had a nasty cold, and she must go and spend some time with her.

  'Wear? Oh, that new blue muslin walking dress, and your new pelisse. And Jenny can trim your new hat with some flowers. Now I must go to Sophie. I don't think Nurse is aware how serious a bad cold can be for a little girl.'

  Eugenie looked after her, puzzled. Her new pelisse was a dark green, and the blue dress was quite a deep shade, with no hint of green, and did not, in her opinion, look well against the dark green. Nor did the hat, also dark blue, look well with the pelisse. Was Arabella simply not concentrating, or did she, for some unknown reason, want her not to look her best when she drove out with the Earl? Arabella had been so very friendly, almost like a sister, but now they were in London did she have other priorities that caused her to change her attitude? Did she, for instance, want to promote a match between the Earl and Lady Emily? They had seemed on very good terms last night. But surely she could not possibly consider Eugenie a threat to the lovely blonde girl? It was a ridiculous notion, and Eugenie determined to push all such suspicions from her mind. But she would not wear the blue dress, so she had better survey her wardrobe and choose something she felt would be more acceptable.

  In the end she chose a simple white gown, one of the first Mrs Johnston had made for her, and she and Jenny spent the morning trimming it and a plain straw bonnet with new, green ribbons. Arabella remained in the nursery, and sent down a message to wish Eugenie a pleasant drive. What was the matter? Jenny said the nurse had been in the kitchen fetching Arabella a cup of tea and had reported that little Sophie had sneezed a few times the previous day, but was playing happily with her sisters. Arabella for some reason wanted to avoid Eugenie, and the Duke had been out all day. She was puzzled, but soon her thoughts were absorbed by the prospect of driving in the Park with Hugues, and learning some of the secrets that surrounded him. Then, perhaps, Arabella's strange behaviour might be explained.

  *

  The Earl was driving a high perch phaeton, a carriage Eugenie had never before ridden in. As he helped her climb in he grinned and asked if she were afraid.

  'Some young ladies refuse to drive with me, they prefer a curricle,' he added.

  'If you are still alive after driving it, I cannot be afraid,' she said, laughing.

  'Good. I won't need you any more, Tapper,' he added to his groom as he climbed in beside her and took the reins.

  The groom touched his forehead and set off towards Grosvenor Square, but not before Eugenie had seen him trying to suppress a smile. Was it because the Earl was defying convention and dispensing with his groom in order to speak confidentially with his companion? Normally, Eugenie knew, such privacy was obtained for romantic encounters, but this was not the situation today. He must intend to explain his dual life.

  The Earl did not speak again until he turned his team of perfectly matched greys into the Park. The traffic was heavy, and finding a path amongst the chaises, the delivery carts and other sporting carriages needed full concentration. Eugenie sat back and admired the Earl's skill. On more than one occasion she felt sure they would touch the sides or wheels of another vehicle, but the Earl knew to the inch what gaps he could clear. Once in the Park he urged his greys to a swift trot and soon they had left behind the more crowded paths. He slowed the team to a walk and turned to smile at her.

  'Yes, I am Hugues,' he said. 'I'm sorry we met so unexpectedly, and it startled you. I didn't know you were in London with your uncle. There are reasons why I need to keep my two lives separate.'

  'Oh. But I am glad to have the opportunity of thanking you for all you did to help me get home,' Eugenie said. 'And I must repay the money you gave me, when I have access to my own. That is taking some time, while the bankers and others make certain I am who I claim to be.'

  'I don't need your money. I was pleased to be able to help an Englishwoman. But you need to know why I was in Paris, though I must ask you never to speak of it. There are some Frenchmen who are fighting against Napoleon and hoping for the restoration of the King. I am acting as liaison between them and people in the government here. My mother was French, so I speak it well and can be taken for a native. As you could be.'

  'I see. But why were you in such a dreadful part of Paris? Don't these people live in better areas? Surely, if they support the King, they must have money or influence?'

  'They did,' he said, 'but their estates have been confiscated. They have no income but what they can earn for themselves, so many of them are working as ostlers or waiters. And they are living as cheaply as possible if they do not have accommodation where they work. Paris is very different from what it used to be.'

  'I suppose it must be. I hadn't thought.'

  'Why should you know what conditions are like? Your uncle knows about me. He came to London soon after you reached Castle Tempus, and talked with me, but he said he would not tell you until I had a chance to explain to you myself.'

  'And I suppose Arabella knows, which is why she has been avoiding me today. But surely she knew yesterday, before the dinner party, so why did she say nothing to me? Warn me!'

  He laughed. 'I imagine your uncle asked her not to speak of it, and she was confused.'

  'Yes. May I talk to her and my uncle about it?'

  'Only if you are utterly certain no one, none of the servants, can overhear you. Some might be willing to earn extra money by revealing secrets and putting me and the Frenchmen in danger. Napoleon has agents here who would try to kill me. And particularly not if your cousin George is in the house.'

  'W
e have no idea where George is.'

  'Your uncle told me, and I am trying to find him. Since he has been trying to induce my sister to marry him, even if it means eloping to Gretna, I want to speak with him myself.'

  'Does your sister know what you are doing?'

  'No, and I hope to keep her in ignorance. She has no sense of discretion. I suppose she is too young, and the aunt who was looking after her when my parents died was not very sensible.'

  'Can you tell me who the man was on the boat? The thin man who didn't speak a word. I didn't know if he was English or even a Frenchman.'

  'I'm afraid I cannot tell you. I knew him, of course. I would never have permitted you to be on a boat with anyone I did not know and trust.'

  Eugenie frowned. 'I see that. But he left immediately we reached shore, and I did not know where he went. Then, here in London, I was waiting for the coach to Winchester, and walking round to see something of the city, and I found myself in Whitehall. I saw him, I was sure it was him, going into one of those huge buildings that I understand are government offices.'

  'I see.' The Earl was silent, then he nodded to himself. 'You can be trusted, and I do not wish you to mention him to anyone else. He is just a messenger, but his life would be put in danger if he were known to the French.'

  'I see. Thank you for trusting me, and of course I will never speak of him.'

  'I can trust you. But enough of gloomy subjects. What entertainments have been planned for your stay in London?'

  *

  Chapter 7

  Eugenie realised Arabella's prediction of a busy social round was correct. As soon as their friends knew the Duke and Duchess were in town invitations poured in. Eugenie was always included, being asked to dinner parties, routs, balls, musical performances, card parties, breakfasts, masquerades and theatre parties. While the weather was still mild there were picnics, and almost every day they walked or drove in the Park. Several young men craved introductions to Eugenie, and begged her to drive with them, but none of them had such a sporting carriage as the Earl's perch phaeton, and she found riding in a curricle a tame affair after that.