“The Foot Guards boast of three hundred Officers,” Lady Evelyn said, “but of those only six are admitted to the Club.”
“Do the gentlemen gamble?” Sharon asked, who had been reading about some of the other Clubs in London.
“It was suggested a short while ago,” Lady Evelyn replied, “but the patronesses said that if card tables were introduced, the girls would lose all their partners. Men would always rather play than dance!”
She laughed.
“No, you are the entertainment tonight, and make sure that you don’t miss this opportunity.”
It would be difficult for most girls, Andrina thought later, to be noticed when the patronesses of Almack’s were themselves so beautiful.
Lady Cowper who greeted them was at twenty-nine at the height of perfection. She had an almost classic profile, large expressive eyes and a head that was set proudly on graceful shoulders.
Andrina was to learn later that Lady Cowper was much the sweetest and kindest of all the patronesses, but she could understand too why Lady Jersey, who was known as ‘Silence’ amongst her friends because she never stopped talking, was fascinating.
Lady Sefton, another patroness, was amiable and the Princess de Lieven, the wife of the Russian Ambassador, had a personality it was impossible for anyone to ignore.
She had an infinite capacity for making mischief and power was an obsession with her.
She entertained all the influential men in London in her husband’s Embassy in Ashburnham Street and she believed that she could sway in Russia’s favour the opinions of men like the Duke of Wellington, Lord Castlereagh, and Lord Palmerston.
Yet she was not clever enough to realise that they saw through her.
In fact Lady Evelyn told Andrina that the Duke of Wellington had said that the Princess was a femme d’esprit who can and will betray everyone in turn if it should suit her purpose.
It had been the Princess who had presented Count Ivan Birkendorff to Sharon and when he had taken her onto the dance floor a great number of those present had turned to look at two such handsome and attractive young people waltzing together.
The Princess de Lieven had introduced the waltz at Almack’s, which was considered at first to be extremely immoral.
“Even Lord Byron was shocked by it!” Lady Evelyn told Andrina, “and he only permitted Lady Caroline Lamb to waltz after he had grown tired of her!”
Although Lord Byron had gone to Italy the previous year, the scandal he had caused with Caroline Lamb was still the on dit, Andrina found, by the ladies who called on Lady Evelyn.
But at the moment she was concerned only that there should be no gossip about Cheryl and Sharon.
She was also very anxious that Sharon should not waste her beauty, her wit and her fascinations on ineligible young men.
‘After all,’ she told herself with a little sigh, ‘we have so little time.’
Two months – only two months in which to find Cheryl and Sharon husbands! And, if they failed, there was only an ignominious return to Bigger Stukeby and the loneliness and boredom of the Manor House.
It was something she hardly dared to contemplate and yet always at the back of her mind there was the spectre of failure. Every tick of the clock brought them nearer to the moment when their money would have run out and they could no longer impose on the Duke’s hospitality.
Andrina had made it her business to find out all that she could about Count Ivan Birkendorff.
She learnt that he came of a distinguished Russian family, but he was not at all rich and was only a very junior diplomat. It was expected by the gossips that with his good looks and undeniable charm, he would marry into the British aristocracy and choose a bride with money. Andrina had related this to Sharon and yet, here at the ball, she was dancing with the Count again and looking exceedingly lovely as she did so.
‘How can she be so foolish tonight of all nights?’ Andrina asked herself, ‘when every Nobleman of importance is here?’
Could any girls have been luckier than to have a ball given for them that was graced by the Prince Regent and for which every hostess of stature in London had given a dinner party?
Andrina was determined to speak to Sharon and, as her sister waltzing round the room came near her, she stepped forward.
The Count saw her and stopped dancing, but his arms still encircled his partner’s waist.
“Your skirt is caught up a little,” Andrina said.
Then as she pretended to adjust it and Sharon turned her head to see what was wrong, she said in a whisper,
“Dance with the Duke. If he does not ask you, you must ask him!”
She did not wait for her sister’s reply, but stood back as if she had completed her task and smiled at the Count.
“I hope you are enjoying the ball!” she said.
“How could I be anything but rapturously happy at the moment?” he replied.
He bowed, but when he would have resumed the waltz the band stopped playing.
“You dance divinely!” Andrina heard him say to Sharon. “When will you honour me again?”
Andrina had the feeling that Sharon was going to give him another dance and putting her hand on her sister’s arm she insisted,
“I think, dearest, we must find Lady Evelyn.”
She thought that Sharon was about to refuse, when at that very moment a voice at her elbow said,
“I have been told by Lady Evelyn to discover if you both have plenty of partners?”
It was the Duke and Andrina replied,
“We have indeed, Your Grace, but, of course, we are still waiting for our host to lead us onto the floor, as is, I believe, correct.”
“I am afraid my etiquette in such matters is limited,” the Duke replied, “but naturally if you – ”
Andrina, realising that he was about to invite her to be his partner, quickly drew Sharon forward.
“Sharon has been hoping all the evening that Your Grace would dance with her,” she said. “Is that not so, dearest?”
Her fingers pressed her sister’s arm as she spoke and obediently Sharon replied,
“I should be very disappointed if you did not consider me suitable enough, Your Grace.”
“I think, as we are talking about matters of protocol,” the Duke replied with a hint of laughter in his voice that told Andrina quite clearly that he had realised what she was doing. “I should take my protégées in order, starting with the eldest.”
Andrina, looking at him, saw a cynical twist to his lips and guessed that he knew that the last thing she wanted was to dance with him.
“It is an honour, Your Grace,” she said, “but unfortunately I am already promised for this dance.”
She looked around hastily as she spoke seeking a familiar face amongst the men standing talking with each other or escorting their partners back to their chaperones.
She could not immediately recognise anyone.
Then a voice she most disliked piped up,
“I think, fair charmer, you are promised to me!”
Andrina gave a start and saw standing behind her was the man she had taken a dislike to at the first dinner party they had attended – Lord Crowhurst.
She had in fact seen him in the distance at Almack’s, but he had been with Lady Castlereagh and the Princess Esterhazy and, although he had bowed, he had not sought her company nor asked her for a dance.
He had obviously overheard what she said to the Duke and it was impossible to refuse him without being rude. Besides it meant that in the circumstances the Duke would be obliged to partner Sharon.
“I think you must be right, my Lord,” she said. “I am afraid I have muddled my partners into such a tangle that is beyond unravelling.”
‘“Don’t let us trouble our heads about anyone else but ourselves,” Lord Crowhurst answered.
The band started up and, without looking again at the Duke, Andrina allowed Lord Crowhurst to lead her onto the dance floor.
He danced well, wh
ich surprised her. At the same time she knew that she disliked him and there was something within her that was revolted by the touch of his hand, even though she was wearing gloves.
Fortunately the dance was not a waltz, where they would have been closer, but a quadrille, so that it was impossible to have an intimate conversation.
When the dance was over, Lord Crowhurst put his hand under Andrina’s elbow and moved her skilfully through one of the open French windows into the garden outside.
She hardly realised where he was leading her because as she tried to do during the dance she was still looking to see whether Sharon was dancing with the Duke.
The room had been so crowded that she had not been able to observe them, although she thought that she saw Cheryl’s white gown disappearing down one of the lighted paths.
Because she thought it was somewhat indiscreet for Cheryl to leave the ballroom with the Marquis and it might incur the censure of the more stiff-necked Dowagers, she hurried after the white gown.
It was only when with the Earl beside her she had reached almost the centre of the garden that she realised that the girl in front who had stopped with her partner to look at a small fountain was not Cheryl. She merely wore a white dress that in some way resembled that of her sister’s.
Andrina gave an audible sigh of relief and realised that she and the Earl had walked quickly but had in fact said nothing to each other.
She turned for the first time to look at him and she could see him quite clearly in the light of the Chinese lanterns that hung from the branches of the trees.
He seemed to her to be more unpleasant looking than she remembered with his deep-set eyes and dark lines of debauchery beneath them and his thick sensual lips.
“Do you always chaperone your sisters with such ardour?” the Earl enquired.
Andrina felt confused.
She had not thought he would realise that she had been pursuing the girl in the white gown.
“Cheryl and Sharon are very young,” she replied. “They have never been in London before. Because they are so lovely, I have to look after them.”
“And who looks after you?” the Earl enquired.
There was something caressing in the way he said the last word and Andrina replied lightly,
“I assure you, my Lord, I can look after myself!”
“I am glad to hear that,” he replied. “Come, I have something to say to you.”
He took her hand as he spoke and led her down a little path. Without thinking, Andrina acquiesced, her thoughts once again on Cheryl.
It was only as the path came to an end, and she found herself in a tiny arbour containing a seat where there were several silk cushions, that she said quickly,
“I must go back to the ballroom!”
“There is no hurry,” the Earl replied.
“On the contrary, my Lord,” Andrina contradicted, “the next dance will have started by now and my partner will be looking for me.”
“Let him look,” the Earl answered. “I want to talk to you, Andrina, and here we shall not be disturbed.”
She noticed the use of her Christian name and said in a reproving tone,
“This is only the second time we have met, my Lord!”
The Earl did not pretend to misunderstand her.
“That is something I wish to talk to you about,” he said. “Let’s sit down.”
He stood between Andrina and the path and she thought it would be undignified and rather childish to make a fuss.
She seated herself down on one of the silk cushions and said,
“This is just the sort of place that I was trying to prevent my sister Cheryl from finding!”
“As you have already told me, Cheryl is young,” the Earl said, “but you can look after yourself!”
Andrina hoped that he was right.
She was uncomfortably aware that he had now sat down nearer to her than was necessary. In the dim light he looked even more unpleasant and she was extremely conscious of the distaste he aroused in her.
“You are very beautiful, Andrina!” he cooed softly.
“I have already pointed out, my Lord, that on such short acquaintance my name is Miss Maldon, or if you prefer, Miss Andrina!”
“There are many ways in which I intend to address you,” the Earl replied, “and none of them starts with ‘Miss’!”
Andrina felt that he had drawn even nearer and she said quickly,
“I must return. What was it you wished to say to me?”
“I wish to tell you that you are delightful, entrancing, admirable and that I think – no, I am sure – that I have fallen in love!”
“That is ridiculous, as you well know!” Andrina said sharply. “No one falls in love at first sight except in a novel.”
“But you must have learnt that the exception proves the rule,” the Earl replied. “The moment I saw you, Andrina, I knew that we belonged to each other!”
Andrina was tense.
“I am sorry – my Lord – I can stay no longer,” she said quickly. “Please forget what you have – said to me, because I assure you I do not take it – seriously!”
“Then I must convince you that I am serious,” the Earl replied, “very serious, Andrina!”
As he spoke he put his arm round her waist.
Andrina instantly turned her head away from him and said in what she hoped was a cold and icy tone,
“Don’t touch me, my Lord! If you do, I shall scream and that would be extremely undignified!”
“I doubt if anyone would hear you,” the Earl said with a smile, “and, if they did and came to your rescue, think how much gossip it would cause!”
He knew how to make things difficult, Andrina thought.
Rather than go on arguing she tried to rise to her feet, but it was impossible with the Earl’s arm round her waist pulling her against him and now he took her other hand in his.
“As I have already said, you are lovely, Andrina, and you excite me!”
As he spoke he bent forward and his lips were on her bare shoulder, hard against the softness of her skin.
It took her by surprise because her head was turned away from him.
Then, as she felt his mouth hot and insistent, it disgusted her.
She struggled but he was too strong and now he pulled her against him and his lips were on her neck.
“No – no!” she cried.
His kisses grew more passionate and Andrina was terrified that his mouth would possess hers.
She twisted her face away from him, but found it impossible to move her arms.
Then suddenly driven by fear, with a super-human effort and a strength she did not know she possessed, she fought herself free.
As the Earl clutched at her dress, she escaped him, and was running frantically down the path back towards the ballroom.
The dancing had started again and there were only a few people left in the garden.
Andrina’s eyes were fixed on the brilliant lights coming from the uncurtained windows, until on the terrace, just before she reached the ballroom windows, she bumped into someone.
As she did so, she realised that a man had deliberately stepped in front of her and looking up at him she saw that it was the Duke.
Her breath was coming quickly between her lips and for a moment it was impossible to speak.
The impact with which she had bumped into him had unsteadied her, so that he reached out to stop her from falling.
“What have you been doing,” the Duke asked harshly, “or is that an unnecessary question?”
With difficulty Andrina forced herself to reply breathlessly,
“I-I thought I was – late for the – dance!”
“Don’t lie to me!” the Duke retorted. “You have been with Crowhurst! If he has frightened you, it is everything you deserve!”
Andrina did not answer.
She was fighting for self-control and, although the Duke had taken his hands from her, she still felt unsteady on her f
eet.
She wanted to leave him and to go into the ballroom, but somehow was unable to move.
“Have you not enough sense, enough knowledge of proper behaviour, not to go into a garden with a man of that type?”
The Duke’s voice was scathing.
“I did not – think,” she stammered after a moment.
“You never do,” he replied, “or is it that you have a predilection for dangerous situations and of being alone with strange men?”
“That is not – fair!” Andrina cried hotly, stung by the contempt in his voice and by the insinuation that she enjoyed such encounters.
“Fair?” the Duke ejaculated. “It is, if you like, crass stupidity! But it is hardly what one expects from someone of your age who pretends to be looking after her younger sisters!”
“I went into the – garden, because I – thought I saw Cheryl ahead of – me,” Andrina quavered.
She felt that she had to explain, she had to make the Duke understand that she had not deliberately sought to be alone with the Earl in the darkness.
“It is typical that you should be fussing over your sisters instead of setting them an example by your own behaviour,” the Duke snapped. “You are not such a nitwit, Andrina, as to think that a man with Crowhurst’s reputation would take you into the garden except to make love to you.”
He paused to say sternly,
“If he has scared and shocked you on this occasion, perhaps it will be a lesson that you will remember the next time you go philandering!”
“How dare you – speak to me like – that!” Andrina cried, unable to repress her anger at what she thought were unjust accusations on the Duke’s part.
“You forget,” he said icily, “that it was you who insisted that we are related. I can hardly be expected to stand by and watch my so-called cousin disport herself in a manner which, to say the least of it, is reprehensible!”
Andrina drew in her breath sharply.
“I hate you!” she blurted out without considering her words.
The Duke looked over her shoulder.
“As I see your ardent admirer approaching, I suggest you straighten your wreath and that we will, with something approaching dignity, go into the ballroom.”
The Husband Hunters Page 9
