‘I suppose even a nonpareil like Lord Bramwell cannot be in two places at once,’ she acknowledged, ‘but I am tempted to dislike him from what I have heard.’ Isabella had not told her aunt of Lord Bramwell’s remark about kissing her – it would not be wise when Harriet often entertained the most ridiculous romantic notions about Isabella’s future.
‘Well, you will have the opportunity of discovering more on Friday. We received a card this morning advising that he intends to visit then with his sister.’
‘B – But I did not expect him to call,’ said Isabella, a look of disquiet skimming her features. ‘I thought he was merely indulging in polite conversation.’
‘Well, it appears he was not,’ replied Harriet with an enigmatic smile.
In Berkeley Square the following morning, Lord Bramwell’s sister shared Isabella’s vexation.
Lady Julia Cavanagh had arrived in London the previous afternoon, accompanied by her mother. Lady Julia was a petite, raven-haired beauty whose slumbrous dark eyes, full lips and golden skin threatened, according to her mama, to take London by storm. But Lady Julia was as candid as she was lovely and she was singularly unimpressed to discover that her elder brother had arranged this social call.
‘But who is she, Hal?’ she queried, a sliver of annoyance in her voice. ‘I have never heard of Lady Vane and I venture neither has Mama.’
‘She has just recently arrived in London,’ explained her brother, leaning his broad shoulders against the fireplace and watching his sister’s animated features. ‘Any facts about her existence up to that point are unknown – and she seems determined it should remain a mystery. All that is known is that she is a widow of four-and-twenty and she is accompanied by her aunt, who is also a widow, and her six-year-old son.’
‘Well, I am sorry she finds herself a widow at such a young age, but what has this to do with me?’ protested Julia. ‘I have no time to oblige a woman who is only anxious to further her social standing.’
‘That is too severe of you, Julia. On the contrary, Lady Vane is unwilling to venture into society much – she has even declined to receive several very eligible gentlemen eager to further their acquaintance. I’m surprised she agreed to receive us, although I admit that I left her little choice.’
Her brown eyes regarded him steadily, amusement now twinkling in their handsome depths. ‘Ah, I begin to understand. Is Lady Vane beautiful?’
‘Exquisitely.’
Julia laughed. ‘Now I see! You wish to further your cause with this paragon and have had the audacity to use me as an excuse.’ She tilted her head and gave him a quizzical look. ‘But this is not your usual style – you have not required assistance in the past with your occasional amours.’
‘And what do you know of my amours, miss?’ asked Hal with an amused look.
‘Only that none of them has been serious,’ she replied frankly. ‘Is Lady Vane so different then?’
‘She is, but I cannot explain why. Our meeting was brief, but she already disapproves of me and yet, in spite of that disapproval, I feel compelled to discover more about her—’
‘Naturally, if she is exquisitely beautiful,’ interjected Julia, in a dry voice.
He shook his head. ‘It is not just her beauty, although that is extraordinary; she has an air of diffidence, sadness even, which is elusive and difficult to describe. Lady Vane is not much older than you in years, but her manner is very different – perhaps you will understand when you meet her yourself.’
His sister regarded him thoughtfully. ‘Your description of the lovely Isabella is intriguing, Hal. Very well; I agree to your abominable coercion and will accompany you. At least then you shall not suffer the ignominy of being turned away!’
Hal grinned. ‘As always, your presence will lend me respectable countenance. You are more than passable bedecked in all your London finery, Julia.’ He studied her sprigged muslin dress in an exaggerated manner, eyes brimful of laughter. ‘I suppose I must address the bills for what you and Mama have spent at various modistes and milliners?’
At that moment, Marguerite, The Dowager Countess of Bramwell, entered. She was a tall, graceful woman possessed of thick dark hair like her children, but her own was sprinkled with grey. She was one of those fortunate women for whom the passing of years only added to their elegance. She placed an affectionate kiss on her son’s cheek in greeting, smiled and said, ‘Good morning. I am afraid I did not perfectly understand your comment just now, Hal – what particular crime are Julia and I accused of?’
‘Spending too much of Hal’s fortune on the nonsensical fripperies of fashion, Mama,’ said Julia gaily.
‘Pray tell me when fashion became nonsensical?’ asked Lady Bramwell, a gleam of amusement in her eyes. ‘It is one of the most important matters for a young woman who is about to enjoy her first season, and you cannot begrudge Julia one penny, for it has all been well spent. Wait until you see her blue ball gown!’
‘Spare me the details of the blue ball gown,’ he said, smiling. ‘You have no need to justify the expense; every penny will have been wisely spent as you both have ineffable taste. In my opinion, Julia needs little embellishment to improve upon nature and I am sure Freddy will agree.’
Lady Julia coloured at this mention of Mr Isherwood. ‘It will be pleasant to see Freddy again, but I hope he does not expect to monopolize my attentions – I am determined to enjoy my season to the full.’
Her brother gave a nonchalant shrug. ‘Freddy has expressed no such pretensions to your time.’ When Julia looked downcast, Lady Bramwell and her son exchanged brief but knowing glances. ‘He will be calling in the next few days to pay his respects to you, ma’am,’ said Hal innocently.
‘Of course,’ said Lady Bramwell, ‘Freddy will wish to deliver all the news from his mother. You do not need to be present if you have another engagement, Julia.’
The flush in Julia’s cheeks deepened. ‘Oh! Well, I – I cannot say where I shall be with all the invitations we have received and now Hal has arranged another morning call,’ She gave her brother an arch look as she added, ‘In recompense of which, Hal, I demand that you accompany us to Almack’s on Wednesday.’
He groaned in mock disgust. ‘Very well, but do not fail me in my request.’
‘I shall be happy to oblige, dear Brother,’ said Julia. After reminding her mother she wished to travel to Bond Street to collect her new evening slippers, she left the drawing-room.
When Julia had gone, Lady Bramwell subjected her eldest son to a careful scrutiny. ‘You look well, Hal. London appears to suit you although no doubt by the end of the season, I shall be anxious to return to Chenning. Have you heard from Theodore? I received a letter from him last week, but it made no mention of his recent troubles.’
‘Because he does not wish to worry you,’ explained Hal. ‘The matter is resolved – I wrote to his tutor at Oxford, who assured me it was no more than a prank which got out of hand. Theo has been reprimanded and will be encouraged to rusticate until the fuss dies down. I expect him to arrive in London during the next few weeks, as he will surely not miss the opportunity to descend on us while we are here.’
‘‘I suppose driving a herd of cows on to the college green was childish rather than dangerous, but I shudder to think what wild scheme Theodore will think of next,’ said Lady Marguerite, shaking her head. ‘At least you can guide him; London can be a perilous place for a young man with money and time to enjoy himself.’
‘Do not concern yourself unduly about Theo, ma’am – it is just youthful high spirits.’
‘You are right, of course.’ Lady Bramwell hesitated for a moment, then continued with a quizzical look, ‘And what of you, Hal? What engagement have you thought it necessary to add to Julia’s list?’
‘I have asked her to accompany me on a morning call,’ said Hal. ‘The lady in question is a young widow, Isabella, Lady Vane, who has recently arrived in Town. Do you know her?’
‘I do not believe so. However, if you are k
een to visit and introduce your sister, you must consider Lady Vane worth the effort,’ she ventured.
‘Yes,’ he replied, with a grin.
‘Then I shall not enquire further until you are ready to tell me,’ declared the countess. ‘A mother who delves into her adult son’s affairs is someone to be pitied, don’t you agree?’
He was obliged to laugh at this, but merely said, ‘Matters are not what you may think: we have met only once and she already regards me with disdain.’
Lady Bramwell looked at him in astonishment, ‘Whatever for?’
‘I don’t know exactly, but I intend to find out.’
‘Well, that is certainly not the reaction you would hope for,’ exclaimed Lady Bramwell. ‘How curious; I look forward to meeting Lady Vane myself.’
Chapter 5
As she waited for Lord Bramwell and his sister to arrive, Isabella grew more nervous even though she chastized herself for being faint-hearted. What harm could a morning visit do? It would be over within an hour and yet still she could not relax. The beautiful posy of yellow roses she had received an hour ago, along with Lord Bramwell’s card and compliments, had already brought the colour rushing to her cheeks. Instinct told her that Lord Bramwell threatened her current calm and ordered existence, something she had longed for during the turbulent years of her marriage, and indeed, he had haunted her thoughts in recent days with tormenting regularity.
As an antidote, she reminded herself of his reckless character, but in this she enjoyed limited success; Isabella was honest enough to admit that it was unreasonable to allow Sir Seymour’s comments to dictate her view. Harriet had heard nothing exceptionable about Lord Bramwell – he was, she confided to Isabella, considered a Corinthian and a nonesuch, but his sporting wagers were generally thought to be great fun and stylish rather than the reckless madcap schemes epitomized by the likes of the Earl of March. Despite the fact that sport and gambling was woven into everyday life and that most men, both young and old, devised wagers and tests of stamina to occupy their time, Isabella remained wary. Gambling held painful memories for her and she determined to keep Lord Bramwell firmly at arm’s length and treat his visit in the same way as she had Sir Seymour’s. But when Silwood informed her of his arrival, her treacherous heart defied this resolution and began to beat faster. Clasping her hands together and taking a deep breath, Isabella fervently hoped that this ordeal would be brief.
The butler announced her visitors and Lord Bramwell strode into the first-floor saloon. ‘Good Morning, Lady Vane,’ he said. ‘May I introduce my sister, Lady Julia Cavanagh?’
He moved aside to allow his sister to come forward, and Isabella found herself looking into a pair of brown eyes which twinkled with friendly amusement. ‘Delighted to meet you,’ declared Julia, ‘and I see that descriptions of your beauty have not been exaggerated.’
Isabella blushed and replied quietly, ‘It is kind of you to say so, but since my beauty or otherwise is of no importance to my family, it is of no consequence to me. I admire your gown, Lady Julia – it is by Mrs Trentham of Bruton Street, is it not?’
‘Why, yes,’ said Julia in surprise. ‘How clever of you to notice.’
Isabella smiled. ‘Not really – my aunt ordered a gown from Mrs Trentham recently and I recognized her particular style.’
‘Are Mrs Forster and your son well?’ enquired Lord Bramwell.
Isabella, aware that he had not removed his gaze from her face, endured his scrutiny with all the self-control she could muster. After thanking him for the roses, she murmured, ‘Yes, they are both in good health. Harriet is helping Dominic learn his letters; we share the task and spend an hour with him each morning. He is progressing so well that he will need a tutor when we to move to Haystacks— that is to say, our new home in the country.’ Isabella bit her lip in annoyance; she had not meant to reveal even this small detail and hoped that her visitors had not noticed.
‘When my brothers were young, they found it extremely annoying to be confined to London,’ said Julia. ‘They were never happier than when in the countryside, climbing trees, riding their ponies, or fishing.’
‘We were the grubbiest urchins in the neighbourhood and roamed the Chenning estate from dawn until dusk,’ said Hal, with a smile. ‘And although you would not think it from her elegant appearance today, Julia was never far behind, begging to be allowed to join in.’
Julia laughed. ‘It’s true – I was a hoyden who didn’t enjoy the more sedate activities that girls are supposed to adhere to.’
‘Then you have four older brothers, Lady Julia?’ queried Isabella, a trace of envy in her voice. As a child, with no mother and only an elderly father for company, she had spent many lonely hours longing for siblings and the halcyon view of childhood described by Lord Bramwell struck a chord – it was exactly what she would wish for Dominic.
‘Oh no – Hal and Theodore are older, but Lukas and Hugo, who are twins, are sixteen and still at school.’ Julia gave Isabella a mischievous smile and added, ‘However, it is only Hal who tries to be high-handed with me—’
‘—and fails miserably,’ observed her brother in a dry voice. ‘Julia is more than a match for her brothers, Lady Vane, both in spirit and obduracy.’
Isabella joined in with the laughter that followed this remark and began to relax. Julia’s manner was warm and refreshingly open and it was clear that Lord Bramwell was very fond of his sister.
Half an hour later, Isabella had also realized that he was knowledgeable, with intelligent opinions on a number of subjects. He was well versed on the situation in Europe, including Wellington’s imminent replacement at the Congress of Vienna, but he interspersed this with gently satirical observations on some of the ridiculous figures in London society and gave sensible advice on which attractions to visit and which to avoid. She found herself enjoying his company more than she had anticipated, but the instant this thought registered, she became alarmed at her weakness and her reserve returned. Isabella knew she would be happy to cultivate a friendship with Lady Julia, but her nerves soon felt strained to breaking point by Lord Bramwell’s presence. She managed to remain outwardly self-possessed, willing the visit to end, and yet, when her visitors rose to leave, disappointment mingled with her relief.
‘I am certain, Isabella—’ Julia hesitated as she collected her reticule. ‘You do not mind if I call you Isabella? I feel as if we have been acquainted for far longer than an hour.’
‘Not at all – indeed, I wish you would,’ replied Isabella.
‘Then I am certain, Isabella, that we shall be firm friends. I shall introduce you to my mother as soon as can be arranged and, as well as sending you an invitation to my come-out ball, Mama and I will ensure you receive Almack’s vouchers.’
Isabella paled and stammered, ‘Th-thank you, but it is out of the question – we cannot attend.’
‘Why ever not?’ said Julia, looking at her in surprise. ‘I understood you have put off your black gloves?’
‘No! I mean, yes, I am not in mourning any longer, but …’ began Isabella.
Julia raised her brows and remarked brightly, ‘Then I shall allow no objections – to keep your beauty hidden would be scandalous and besides, you deserve a little enjoyment and we shall have the pleasure of providing some of it. Don’t you agree, Hal?’
‘It would be a pity to deny the ton your company, Lady Vane,’ he said, smiling.
Isabella had no choice but to accede, even though the notion of going into society filled her with dread. Since she could not articulate her reasons for this, she remained silent. Her cheeks grew warm under Lord Bramwell’s shrewd grey gaze and she felt relieved that his visit was about to end.
But just as she was preparing to show her visitors out, the door was flung open by a tearful Dominic, who rushed into the room and threw his arms around his mother.
‘Mama! You must come!’ he cried. ‘I let Jemima out of her cage, and then Joshua came in the room and tried to catch her. Now she won’t
come down and … and … Joshua is stuck on top of the fireplace! Aunt Harriet has tried to help, but she couldn’t catch him, and Mary and Silwood both look very cross. They said I shouldn’t disturb you, but I knew that was fudge and you wouldn’t mind.’ Dominic hiccupped on a sob. ‘Please come and help me – no one else knows what to do.’
‘Pray don’t get upset, love,’ said Isabella, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. ‘When our visitors have left, I shall come upstairs and—’
‘Please do not let us detain you, Lady Vane,’ interjected Lord Bramwell gently. ‘Can we assist in any way?’
Dominic regarded Lord Bramwell through tear-drenched lashes. He sniffed and said, ‘Can you catch parrots, sir? I should be grateful if you can; Jemima is very quick and even Mama finds it difficult getting her back to her cage.’
‘Dominic!’ muttered Isabella, horrified. ‘This is Lord Bramwell and his sister – you must not ask for their help with something so trivial.’
‘On the contrary, I have no further engagements until this afternoon and am happy to place myself at your son’s disposal.’ Hal turned to his sister, his lips curved in amusement. ‘Are you willing to help this young gentleman retrieve his errant parrot, Julia?’
‘But of course,’ she cried.
‘Then we are at your service, Master Dominic,’ said Lord Bramwell, bowing. ‘Lead us to the scene of this domestic crisis.’
Smiling broadly at this offer of help from an unexpected but impressive-looking source, Dominic showed no restraint; he took Lord Bramwell firmly by the hand and led the way. Following on behind with Julia, Isabella found herself incredulous at this sudden turn of events. Lord Bramwell had been on the point of leaving, and now Dominic was taking him to catch a parrot and retrieve a stranded kitten. She could scarcely believe a leader of the ton had agreed – he must be wishing himself elsewhere – and yet, to his credit, he had not questioned the situation and seemed prepared to indulge a small child he had only just met.
Lady Vane's Secret (Regency Secrets and Scandals Book 1) Page 5
