Miss Verey’s Proposal

by Nicola Cornick

  ‘You heard the lady, sirrah! Be off with you!’

  The man was very drunk. He let go of the girl abruptly and swung his fist at Simon, making contact instead with the stone coping. With a howl of mingled rage and pain, he stormed off into the night. There was a silence. The girl smoothed down her torn domino, which was showing a dress of silvery gauze beneath.

  ‘You’re very kind, sir.’ Her voice shook a little with agitation and Simon put out an instinctive hand.

  ‘You must let me take you back to your chaperon,’ he said gruffly. ‘However appealing a breath of fresh air may be, it is not safe to be alone out here.’

  He thought he saw her smile a little in the darkness. ‘Oh, I have no chaperon to take care of me,’ she said, with bitter amusement, ‘but I thank you for your concern, sir.’

  Simon stared at her through the darkness. Her words suggested that she was married or worse-better?-that she was a Cyprian who had attended the masquerade in the hope of attracting a rich protector. It was scarcely unknown, but Simon’s whole being rejected the idea. She neither spoke nor acted like a courtesan and she had had every opportunity to try to engage his interest earlier, yet she had made no push to do so. Nor, indeed, had she encouraged the drunken overtures of Lord Hewetson, whom he had just seen off…

  ‘Who are you?’ Simon asked abruptly. ‘You must be here as part of a party, you must have some protection! Let me escort you back inside-’

  ‘I thank you, but no.’ The girl’s voice was low but firm. There was some kind of accent that gave it an added charm, elusive but very sweet. ‘You misunderstand me, sir. I am quite alone, but I have no need of your escort. Please excuse me…’ And she walked away, her footsteps fading away across the stone terrace.

  Simon followed more slowly, determined to keep her within view and puzzling over what she had said. He had completely forgotten his intention of finding Jane and Sophia and escorting them home.

  The girl could be seen hurrying along the edge of the ballroom towards the main door, her torn domino flapping behind her. She kept the hood up, held closely about her face, but her long silver-gilt hair streamed behind her. For the first time Simon reflected that she might have told him the literal truth when she had said that she was attending the ball alone. If so, she had to be a barque of frailty, for no respectable girl would ever attend a ball like this unescorted. And yet-

  A scream pierced the air. Startled, Simon saw that the girl had checked in the doorway, restrained by the clutching hands of the Duchess of Merrion. The girl was pulling in one direction and the Duchess in the other, and they were making a comic spectacle of themselves. The Duchess was still screaming.

  ‘My dress! She’s wearing my dress!’

  Everybody was staring. The Duchess had a very loud and penetrating voice. Simon tried to push his way through the gathering crowd.

  ‘Dear ma’am, there must be some mistake-’ he heard the girl say as she tried to prise herself free. Her hood had fallen back and strands of the silver fair hair tumbled over her shoulders. Her face was thin with high cheekbones, like a drawing from a fairy story. She still had her mask on and behind it her eyes shone with a blue fire. Simon stared, completely bewitched.

  The old Duchess clung tighter. ‘Mistake! I promised a fortune to Celestine for that dress! The only one, she said! It was to be delivered tomorrow! Where did you get it from? Who are you?’

  With a gasp the girl wrenched herself free and ran into the hall. Her jade green domino slid from her shoulders and crumpled on the floor.

  ‘Stop her, she’s stealing my dress!’ The Duchess shrieked, completely over-excited. For a moment no one moved, then a babble of conversation broke out, but no one made any move after the girl.

  ‘Kitchen maid tricked up in her mistress’ dress…’ someone said.

  ‘Dashed pretty girl…’

  ‘Any old riff-raff at these events…’

  People began to move away. Simon bent to pick up the discarded jade green domino. A faint sweet scent still clung to its folds, immediately evocative of its wearer. Simon was astonished to feel desire stirring in him. He knew that he had to find her. Whoever she was, he had to see her again.

  Chapter Six

  The trouble with the Season, Jane thought, as she prepared for yet another evening’s entertainment, was that it gave one so little time to think and plan. She could well believe Miss Brantledge’s smug assertion that she had attended fifty balls, twenty-six dinners and fourteen picnics the previous year. Miss Brantledge would be sure to have counted every one. And since the object of the entire exercise appeared to be to wear oneself to a thread as well as find a husband, Jane could see that it worked very well. However, the social demands gave her no chance to develop her scheme for avoiding the marriage with Lord Philip. Jane snapped her fan together sharply in frustration, causing one of the struts to splinter. That evening they were to be the guests of the Duke of Delahaye for a concert at Vauxhall Gardens. Jane’s natural pleasure in visiting so exciting a place was tempered by the thought of close chaperonage and the embarrassment of being in Alex’s company for the first time since the masquerade.

  The memory of that evening a week ago was still disturbing to Jane. She had promised herself that she would think of it no more, but she could not help herself. There had been a moment, there in the darkened study, when Jane had been sure Alex was about to kiss her. The look in his eyes, compounded of exasperation and tenderness, had held her rooted to the spot. And she had wanted him to kiss her, had quite ached to be in his arms, with a desperation that puzzled and worried her. Surely it was not at all refined to be subject to such strong feelings? The mutual respect and comfort she had hoped to find one day in marriage were pale and cold in comparison.

  Yet evidently Alex had not felt the same. He had had plenty of opportunities to seek her out in the past week-even if it was only to ring a peal over her for her conduct-and he had not chosen to do so. Clearly she had read far more into his behaviour than he had ever intended; the flirtation that she had found so exciting had no doubt seemed tame to him, a diversion quickly forgotten. It was shaming now to remember how his touch had stirred her senses and how much pleasure she had taken in his company.

  Besides, Alex was now too occupied with the odious Lady Dennery to have a moment’s thought for Jane. The whole of society was talking about them; they had been seen driving in the Park and Alex squired her to any number of events. Sighing, Jane tried to fix the splintered struts of her fan together again, then cast it away in exasperation. No doubt Lady Dennery would be there that evening and the prospect did not entice.

  In one respect only were matters shaping quite well. Lord Philip and Sophia were clearly smitten with each other and therefore quite willing to give Jane as much tacit support as she needed. It only required for her to suggest that she and Sophia exchange partners for a dance, or escorts for a walk, and the substitution was accomplished. However, this could not be achieved as often as Jane would wish under Lady Verey’s beady gaze. She was obliged to endure several tedious dances with Lord Philip during which he spoke in monosyllables, if at all. Jane decided that she would soon need to seek his more active participation in her plans.

  They approached Vauxhall by river that evening and the gardens looked remarkably pretty in the fading dusk, with their lantern-lit walks and arbours. Jane thought that it looked very romantic and her sense of humour was tickled at the thought of their ill-assorted party. Lord Philip and Sophia were surely the only true romantics in the group and even if Lord Philip’s intentions were of the purest, he could not declare them openly. Lady Dennery was hunting Alexander Delahaye with a single-minded concentration that had very little to do with romance, as far as Jane could see. Simon seemed forlorn and quiet, and she herself felt quite out of step with the brightly coloured illusion all around.

  The concert and the supper were both excellent, despite Lady Dennery’s somewhat sharp asides.

  ‘What charming children!’ she had
said to Lady Verey when first introduced, for all the world, Jane thought, as though she and Sophia were still in leading-reins! Lady Dennery then took it upon herself to intersperse intimate little remarks to Alex with observations on the conduct of young ladies, until Jane was heartily sick of her.

  ‘Why, Miss Verey, you have a most robust appetite!’ she said archly, picking at her dessert and smiling at Alex. ‘You will find that the gentlemen prefer young ladies who show less partiality for their food! No doubt Lord Philip will bear me out!’

  Philip, who had been gazing soulfully at Sophia and had not heard the comment, grunted non-committally. Jane’s cheeks flamed. Lady Dennery’s laugh tinkled out as her sharp gaze appraised Jane’s neat figure. ‘Lud, Miss Verey, I think you should restrain yourself now! Over-indulgence at the table is often a sign of a sadly unsteady character! There is no knowing where such a lack of discipline will lead you later!’

  Lady Verey and Lady Eleanor exchanged a horrified look at such vulgarity. Fortunately Jane and Sophia were both looking quite blank, for neither of them had taken her ladyship’s coarse allusion. Simon, catching his mother’s eye, got up and suggested a short stroll in the interval before the concert resumed. He offered his arm to Sophia and in short order Jane and Lord Philip had joined them. The others declined the exercise, making Jane almost burst as she tried to repress a remark on the benefits of activity for a healthy figure.

  They admired the little pools and grottoes and sauntered amidst the crowds. All of them studiously avoided speaking of Lady Dennery and more particularly of the possibility that she might become the next Duchess of Delahaye.

  Sophia and Philip paused to admire a group of marble statuary whilst Simon and Jane walked on ahead.

  ‘Are you enjoying all this or do you miss Ambergate, Janey?’ Simon asked suddenly, gesturing at the crowded gardens.

  Jane smiled. ‘A little of both, I suppose! I am enjoying the Season, but I shall not be sorry when it ends.’ A shadow fell across her face as she realised that the matter of the marriage to Lord Philip would have to be resolved once and for all by then. In an effort to be cheerful she turned a smile on her brother.

  ‘What about you, Simon? I suppose you’ll be going home in a couple of months?’

  ‘I’ll spend some time at Ambergate,’ Simon agreed, ‘but Alex has invited me to Yorkshire for the shooting in August.’

  ‘Has he!’ Jane realised that she was out-of-proportion cross. The Duke of Delahaye seemed to interfere in everything! ‘After you have helped him marry me off to his brother, I suppose!’

  Simon flashed her an ironic glance. ‘We shall have to be quick about it then, or else Philip will have eloped with Sophia!’

  Jane sighed, sliding her hand through his arm. ‘So you have noticed it! Yes, their affection is becoming a little too apparent! And whilst it would solve one problem, I suppose-’

  ‘It would only cause another,’ Simon finished grimly. ‘Alex would be furious and matters would be off to a very bad start!’

  ‘Yes…’ Jane looked round to see if Sophia and Philip were within earshot. To her surprise they were nowhere to be seen. The empty walks stretched away on either side of the gravel path, dark with their high hedges.

  ‘Oh! It is too bad! They should have more sense than to slip away together at a place like this! Sophia should be more careful of her reputation and if Lord Philip does not have honourable intentions-’ Jane broke off, afflicted by a powerful guilt. She was all too aware that she had encouraged the couple to spend time together.

  Simon was frowning as he scanned the crowds.

  ‘They cannot have gone far. We may see them if we walk towards the pavilion-’ He broke off suddenly, staring over the heads of the crowd. ‘Well, I’ll be…’

  Jane saw that her brother was watching a slender blonde girl who was walking swiftly away from them. At her side, a portly man in a striped red and white waistcoat appeared to be talking to her urgently, almost running to keep up with her. Jane saw her shake her head once, decisively, then the man tried to catch her arm. The couple turned down one of the dark walks, and at the same time, Simon dropped Jane’s arm and darted off after them without another word. Jane stared in stupefaction.

  To have gone from being in a party of four to being alone seemed strange and vexatious, but Jane was a sensible girl and realised that she could find her way back to the rotunda with little trouble. There were plenty of people about and she felt quite safe. Far more provoking was Simon’s erratic behaviour. Evidently he had recognised either the girl or her companion, but as to why he had rushed off without a word…Jane started to walk slowly back towards the rotunda. As she passed the pool with the statuary, she thought she saw Philip and Sophia just disappearing around the corner of one of the walks to the right of her. At the same time, Jane glimpsed the tall but unmistakable figure of the Duke of Delahaye coming towards her. She was not sure if he had seen her, but did not want to wait and find out. The first difficult explanation-why she was alone-was linked too closely to the second-where Sophia and Philip were. And if his Grace of Delahaye should come across Lord Philip with Sophia down one of the dark walks…Without further ado, Jane whisked around the hedge and hurried after the disappearing couple.

  Although the crowds were thick only a few yards away, here between the high hedges it was dark and silent. Jane came to a crossroads, where a marble nymph reclined in a mossy bower. Looking around, she felt as though she had entered a maze. Any moment she would lose her sense of direction and become completely lost. She was about to abandon Sophia to her fate, turn around and retrace her steps, when she heard a faint noise.

  Jane realised that the walk was not as deserted as she had at first thought. The portly gentleman she had seen earlier crossed her view briefly as he turned down a parallel path. The girl was no longer with him and he was skulking in the shadow of the hedge. For some reason Jane shrank back, praying that the gossamer white of her dress would not betray her. There was something so furtive in the man’s behaviour that it made her deeply uneasy.

  Then she froze. There was a summerhouse ahead of her at a point where five of the walks converged, and she had just noticed Alex’s tall figure stride into the centre in order to scan the crowds thronging along the main walks. And she could also see the portly gentleman, stalking as quietly as a cat, up the shadowy edge of the nearby path. The moonlight glinted on the white stripes of his waistcoat and on the silver blade in his hand. It seemed ludicrous, yet there was a stealth about the man that was infinitely frightening, and each step took him closer to Alex’s unsuspecting back.

  Jane did not wait another moment. She flew down the walk, making as much noise as possible, raced up the steps and tumbled into Alex’s arms. To her left she heard the rustle of leaves and saw the shadows move as the man slipped away as silently as he had come.

  ‘Your Grace!’

  ‘Miss Verey? I have been looking for you!’ There was a lazy amusement in Alex’s voice. ‘Whatever can you have-?’ His tone sharpened as he felt her knees give way and she sagged against him. He took her by the upper arms and shook her slightly.

  ‘What has happened? Has somebody hurt you? Answer me!’

  ‘No! Oh, you must come away…’ Jane could hear her voice breaking shamefully. Now that the immediate danger was over she found that she was able to neither stand nor speak properly. Alex’s face was very close to hers, his eyes blazing. If he had not held her, she knew she would have fallen.

  ‘Jane? You must tell me what is wrong!’

  Jane took a deep breath. ‘You must come away from this place, your Grace! There is a man with a knife-’

  Alex took a swift look around. ‘A pickpocket-’

  ‘No!’ Jane said, beating her hands against his chest in her agitation. ‘A murderer! He has a knife!’

  ‘Very well. We will go at once.’ Alex captured both her hands in his own, infinitely reassuring, grip. His voice was very calm. He saw that she was shaking and wrapped his cloak
close about her, at the same time urging her forward and down the summerhouse steps towards the crowded paths.

  ‘Can you manage to walk back to the others, Miss Verey? It is but a step and you are quite safe.’

  With Alex’s arm around her and one of her hands still resting in his, Jane managed to walk shakily back towards the main path. Once they had rejoined the press of people wandering back towards the rotunda, Alex let her go and offered her his arm in a more circumspect manner. Jane let out a huge shaky breath.

  ‘Oh, thank goodness! What a horrid thing to happen!’ She glanced up at Alex’s face and saw that he was frowning. He drew her into one of the lit alcoves and helped her to a seat.

  Seeing her look of surprise, he said quickly, ‘We shall go back to the others directly. But first, Miss Verey, can you tell me what happened?’

  He was so matter of fact that Jane was determined not to be missish. ‘I saw the man earlier when I was walking with Simon,’ she said, as calmly as possible. ‘He was a fat man in a bulging waistcoat, not some ragged pickpocket. Then, just before I saw you in the summerhouse, I heard a noise and saw him creeping down the walk towards you. He had a knife in his hand! I saw it!’

  Alex remained silent. His dark brows were drawn and he looked to be thinking of something far beyond the brightly lit pleasure gardens. Whatever his thoughts were, Jane could tell that they were not pleasant. She shivered.

  ‘An opportunist thief,’ Alex said easily, after a moment. ‘It was foolish of me to step aside from the crowds, for Vauxhall is well known for its petty thieves and criminals. I am sorry that you should have had such a shocking experience, Miss Verey, but I beg you to forget it. The man missed his chance and will be long gone by now.’

  Jane did not reply. Something in her wanted to protest that the man had been no simple thief, but what proof did she have? It was the most obvious explanation. After all, who would intentionally seek Alex out with murder in mind? The idea seemed ridiculous.