Miss Verey’s Proposal

by Nicola Cornick

  ‘I think,’ Alex added, very deliberately, ‘that we should not worry the others with this story, Miss Verey. The ladies, in particular, would be most distressed. Which reminds me to ask…’ the frown deepened on his brow ‘…whatever were you doing alone in the dark walks?’

  Jane hesitated. This was tricky, since she had no wish to cause trouble for the others. ‘I became separated from the others by accident,’ she said evasively, ‘and was looking for them again when I saw you-and the thief.’

  ‘I see,’ Alex said drily. ‘How very vague, Miss Verey! You were alone, I suppose?’

  ‘What do you mean-?’ Jane broke off and blushed. ‘Your Grace!’

  ‘Well?’

  ‘Would it have been preferable for me to have been accompanied or alone in such a situation?’ Jane asked spiritedly.

  Alex raised an eyebrow. He got up and helped Jane to her feet. ‘Ah, now I know that you are feeling more yourself, Miss Verey! And there you have me, for I am not at all sure!’

  They walked back to the rotunda slowly. The music had already started again. Sophia and Philip were sitting several feet apart, looking on her part demure and on his suspiciously cheerful. Simon caught Jane’s eye. His own expression was sheepish. Jane raised a cautionary finger to her lips and he kept obediently silent. She did not wish him to say anything that might contradict the sparse tale that she had already told Alex.

  It was only as she was turning back to the orchestra that Jane realised that Alex had also seen her clandestine gesture and was watching her with a look that was both interested and deeply speculative.

  Lady Eleanor Fane called at Haye House the following morning at a time that most members of the ton would have considered quite uncivilised. As she let the knocker fall she had a moment of doubt, for she had just remembered how much attention Alex had been lavishing on Lady Dennery the previous night. If she had managed to fix Alex’s interest he would scarcely be receiving guests that morning…Lady Eleanor set her lips firmly as the door started to open. Too late!

  Tredpole’s impassive face gave nothing away.

  ‘I will inquire if his Grace is at home,’ the butler murmured, his stately progress across the hall suggesting that though the answer to his question might be in doubt, he would be equal to any eventuality. Left alone to wait in the drawing-room, Lady Eleanor peered critically into the mirror and fidgeted with her silver-topped stick.

  Fortunately the Duke was receiving and did not keep her waiting long.

  ‘His Grace begs you to join him in the library, my lady,’ Tredpole murmured, preceding Lady Eleanor across the hall.

  ‘Humph!’ Lady Eleanor replied, secretly relieved not to have found her godson in flagrante.

  Alex was sitting at his desk, slowly sipping a cup of coffee, the pungent fumes of which Lady Eleanor could smell across the room. She sniffed appreciatively.

  ‘Tredpole, another cup, if you please!’ Alex said with a grin, coming forward to kiss his aunt. ‘What can bring you here so early, Aunt Eleanor? You might have found me otherwise occupied!’

  Lady Eleanor fixed him with a repressive gaze. ‘Perhaps that accounts for your deplorably high spirits, Alexander!’ she said tartly. ‘I shall not inquire!’ Then, as her nephew’s grin broadened, she added, ‘It is another lady I have come to speak about-Miss Verey! I have been thinking that Philip’s suit progresses very ill. According to Maria Winchester, Philip was spotted in the dark walks with Miss Marchment last night! I begged Maria to keep quiet for the sake of our friendship, but if Philip is pursuing other game…Meanwhile, the on dit is that Blakeney is hoping to fix his interest with Miss Verey, engagement or no! He has certainly been very attentive of late!’

  Alex’s smile faded. ‘Blakeney? Are you sure, Aunt Eleanor?’

  ‘What does it matter if it is Blakeney or some other gentleman?’ Lady Eleanor demanded discontentedly. ‘First the business at Lady Winterstoke’s dinner and now this! Why, it seems to me that the little minx is running rings around you!’

  Alex sat down on the corner of his desk, one leg swinging. ‘Do you think so, Aunt Eleanor? It is early days yet, you know!’

  Lady Eleanor took a reviving draught of the strong coffee. ‘Decisive action is what is called for here, Alex, not shilly-shallying! Why, anyone would think that you enjoyed crossing swords with the chit!’ She drained her cup, thereby missing her godson’s fleetingly rueful expression. ‘Whilst you are playing games, Philip is engaging the affections of another lady entirely! I should have thought that that would exercise your mind considerably!’

  Alex did not seem either surprised or disturbed by this statement. ‘I collect that by that you mean Miss Marchment? Philip has fallen in and out of love more times than I care to count, Aunt! You know that! It means nothing-he will marry where the money dictates!’

  ‘Miss Marchment is no lightskirt to help Philip while away the time until he weds!’ Lady Eleanor snapped. ‘The girl has fallen head over ears in love with him and this time…this time, Alex, I do believe that Philip may feel the same!’

  Alex was examining a paperweight, turning it over in his hands so that the light struck sparks off the deep blue interior. His head was bent and Lady Eleanor could not see his expression.

  ‘I am certain that you must be mistaken,’ he said levelly. ‘Philip has never shown any sign of attaching himself to a respectable female!’

  ‘Never before!’ Lady Eleanor tapped her stick on the floor in her agitation. ‘If you do not act quickly, Alex, the Verey match will be lost forever and then how will you square your promise to your grandfather with events?’

  Alex looked up, the expression in his dark eyes quite unreadable. ‘No doubt I should think of something…’ he murmured. ‘But I suspect that you had more in mind than to come here to berate me for my lack of action, did you not, ma’am? Unless I miss my guess, you have a plan!’

  Lady Eleanor smiled reluctantly, soothed by both her nephew’s teasing and the excellent coffee.

  ‘Well, well…I thought to lend a helping hand! I had the idea of inviting the Vereys to Malladon!’

  Alex put the paperweight down gently. ‘You intend for me to open up Malladon for a house party? Now? In the middle of the Season?’

  ‘Precisely!’ Lady Eleanor leaned forward. ‘It would not be a party Alex, only a few guests, and not for long! And I would act as hostess for you!’

  ‘Good of you, ma’am!’ her nephew murmured with irony.

  Lady Eleanor was not to be deterred. ‘I know it is the middle of the Season, but I thought that a few days in the country would be the very thing! The trouble with the Season is that too many people are milling around! It is easier to concentrate attention in a smaller group!’

  ‘One of Miss Verey’s tactics has been to employ others as a distraction,’ Alex observed thoughtfully. ‘It is true that she would find it less easy to be so evasive in so small a group. You realise, however, that Miss Marchment will have to be invited too? Courtesy demands that she should be included.’

  ‘I suppose we cannot leave the wretched girl behind,’ Lady Eleanor concurred, ‘and really it is too bad of me to describe her thus, for she is the sweetest child, only a threat to your plans!’

  ‘Plans can always be changed, ma’am,’ Alex observed, but before his aunt could ask for further clarification, he continued. ‘I am gratified to see, however, that you have come round to my way of thinking! Originally you were berating me for believing Miss Verey to be anything other than a witty and charming girl!’

  Lady Eleanor smoothed her skirts. ‘Well, I confess that at first I had difficulty in imagining Jane Verey as the artful schemer you described, Alex! But now I have seen the evidence with my own eyes! Oh, she is both witty and charming, I do not dispute that, but therein lies the problem! Girls these day,’ Lady Eleanor said severely, ‘can be too clever for their own good! A little feminine modesty would be more becoming!’

  ‘Come now, Aunt Eleanor…’ Alex straightened up and stroll
ed over to the mantelpiece ‘…you are too harsh! Miss Verey is not precisely immodest! And she may be wilful but she is still beautiful and engaging-’ He broke off as he saw the arrested expression on Lady Eleanor’s face and finished a little hastily, ‘The perfect wife for Philip, in fact!’

  ‘For Philip! Of course!’ Lady Eleanor’s lips twitched a little as a certain truth made its presence felt. ‘I am persuaded that Miss Verey will settle quickly enough once the match is made. I am anxious only to avoid a monstrous scandal if Philip takes it into his head to elope with Miss Marchment! That could not be borne, for although the girl is from an entirely respectable family, they have no estate or connections or fortune, and it could not be deemed suitable! So Philip-and Miss Verey-must be brought to the point as soon as may be!’

  ‘Indeed!’ Alex turned away. ‘I believe that you are correct in thinking that the more intimate atmosphere of the house party might promote our cause. Besides, if the signs are not auspicious, we can always contrive to compromise Miss Verey sufficiently for a betrothal to follow!’

  Lady Eleanor looked appalled. ‘Alex! You would not! Your deceit-’

  ‘Is matched only by that of Miss Verey, I assure you! If she can outwit me then I shall concede defeat gracefully. If not-well, we shall see who is the winner!’

  Lady Eleanor said no more, but as she took her leave she found herself scanning once more her nephew’s impervious features and wondering whether she had imagined the moment earlier when Alex had betrayed his own interest in Jane Verey. The way his voice had softened as he spoke of Jane’s beauty and charm, and the indulgent note she had detected…Lady Eleanor suddenly remembered Alex’s sharpened interest when she had mentioned Lord Blakeney paying court to Jane. She smiled a little as she stepped out in the direction of her home in Lower Brook Street. Perhaps she had dreamed it, but she did not think so. And if Alex was already aware of his own feelings, just what did he have in mind for Jane Verey? Certainly not marriage to his brother! The more she thought about it, the more equivocal some of Alex’s remarks seemed, to the point where Lady Eleanor suddenly wondered just which of the Delahaye brothers Miss Jane Verey would be compromised into marrying.

  Unaware of the unexpected invitation that was about to come their way, Jane, Sophia and Lady Verey spent the morning in Bond Street attending to some essential shopping. Most improbably, Simon had expressed a wish to accompany them. He had murmured some excuse about needing a new hat and Jane, unusually distracted by the purchase of a white evening gown with an overdress of pale gold, did not at first notice the piercing looks he was giving to all the staff in the modiste’s shop. It was only when her brother had peered behind a curtain and startled a shop assistant who was preparing to model a dress for them that Jane had dragged him to one side.

  ‘Simon! What on earth are you doing?’ she whispered fiercely. ‘You will have us all expelled from the shop if you keep spying on models in their undergarments!’

  Her brother gave her a harassed look. ‘This is Celestine’s, isn’t it, Jane?’

  ‘Yes of course! That is Celestine herself over there glaring at you! But what is that to the purpose?’

  Simon glanced at his mother and Sophia, who were chattering over a dress of pale green. ‘Come outside for a moment and I will tell you.’

  The whole story of Simon’s encounter at the masquerade came tumbling out, including how he had danced with a girl then lost her for a while, only to find her again out on the terrace in need of his help.

  ‘She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, Jane,’ he said unselfconsciously. ‘At first I thought she was a Cyprian come to the masquerade to-’ Simon broke off, grinning at his sister’s rapt expression. ‘Anyway, she ain’t. I could tell. So then I thought she might be a maid, tricked out in her mistress’ dress for the ball, but…’ he wrinkled up his nose ‘…she was no servant. I could tell that too.’

  Jane stepped to one side to allow a couple to squeeze past them on the pavement.

  ‘Yet she would not give you her name?’

  ‘No, only that she had come alone to the ball. She ran away from me,’ Simon finished. ‘After I’d saved her from Hewetson she simply walked off. Her domino was torn in the struggle and the old Duchess of Merrion spotted her, and thought she recognised the dress underneath. It was extraordinary, Jane! The Duchess was ranting and raving, swearing that the girl had stolen the dress because Celestine had promised her that there had been only one, then the girl just turned on her heel and left, and everyone was speculating about her identity…Can’t think how you missed it!’ He frowned. ‘Where were you, anyway?’

  Jane, realising that she had been closeted in the study with the Duke of Delahaye whilst this drama had been unfolding, chose to ignore this question. It would involve too many difficult explanations and also involve an examination of her own feelings. She shrugged, trying to look vague.

  ‘Goodness knows…But what size was she, Simon?’

  Simon looked confused. ‘Size? Who? The Duchess of Merrion?’

  ‘No, of course not! Your wits have gone a-begging along with your heart!’ Jane said severely. ‘I refer to your young lady! If she was small and slender then a dress made for the Duchess might well have fitted her. The Duchess of Merrion is a short woman, after all! But if she was taller then it is unlikely that it was the same dress, in which case the Duchess might well have made a mistake!’

  Simon looked totally baffled. ‘Don’t know what the deuce you’re talking about, Jane! All I know is that I must find her again! Last night-’

  ‘Yes!’ Jane said wrathfully, remembering that she had not yet had the chance to take him to task for deserting her at Vauxhall. ‘What did you mean by leaving me all alone like that? Why, anything might have happened!’

  Simon looked self-conscious. ‘Yes, I do apologise, Janey! I thought I saw her again, you see, so I had no thought but to rush after her! Anyway, it was no good, for she had disappeared. But you must see that I have to find her!’

  ‘Why?’ Jane asked bluntly. ‘Have you truly thought about this, Simon? You say she was no servant, but how do you know? She might be a governess or a confectioner’s assistant or-’

  Simon blushed bright red. ‘Never put you down as a snob, Jane!’

  ‘Oh, don’t be so foolish! That was not what I meant!’ Jane frowned at him. ‘Think about this, Simon-what would such a girl believe, if a peer of the realm came to find her and tell her that he wished to pursue an acquaintance with her?’

  ‘Why, that-’ Simon stopped dead.

  ‘Exactly,’ his sister said drily.

  ‘Then I should persuade her of my good intentions-’

  ‘Intentions? Then you wish to marry her?’

  Simon thrust a hand through his fair hair. ‘Devil take it, Jane, I don’t know! All I know is that I need to find her! I-’ He broke off, realising that he was about to say that he loved her. It seemed so extraordinary. He had seen the girl twice, for such a brief time. He did not even know her name, and yet…

  ‘I suppose you think me run quite mad,’ he finished glumly.

  Jane looked a little rueful. Privately she thought that her own feelings for Alex made her ill-equipped to judge anyone else. ‘Not really, Simon. I can only respect your feelings. So I shall go and ask Celestine if she can help us. Wait here for me!’

  Presently Jane, Sophia and Lady Verey all came out of the modiste’s talking nineteen to the dozen. As they strolled slowly up the pavement in the sunshine, Jane caught her brother’s eye and fell back a little. She took his arm as Lady Verey and Sophia walked on ahead.

  ‘Well?’ Simon could scarcely contain himself.

  ‘I spoke to Celestine,’ Jane said softly. ‘There is a girl-her name is Thérèse.’ She felt his arm jerk under her hand, as though she had shocked him. ‘Try to look as though we are talking of something inconsequential,’ she added humorously, ‘unless you wish to acquaint Mama of your plans at this early stage! I hope we are speaking of the same person,’
she added. ‘Slender and very fair?’

  Simon nodded speechlessly.

  ‘Celestine says that she did piece work for her. Bits and pieces of sewing,’ Jane added, seeing that her brother was looking puzzled. ‘It is cheaper for the modiste to employ people only when she needs them. She says that Thérèse was a very good seamstress but that she had to dismiss her because of a complaint from the Duchess of Merrion. Apparently Thérèse borrowed the Duchess’s gown for a masquerade and the Duchess threatened to take all her custom elsewhere…’

  They walked on a little in silence.

  ‘Thérèse…’ Simon said slowly, ‘…is she French?’

  ‘Yes, an émigrée, Celestine said. She knows little more about her,’ Jane warned. ‘She said that Thérèse kept very much to herself and told no one of her circumstances.’

  ‘But did she have an address for her? Surely she must…’

  Jane gave him an old-fashioned look. ‘You think that she would be anxious to part with such information? She was already deeply suspicious of me and your peering into cupboards and around doors hardly helped! For all that I told her that Thérèse had been recommended to me and I wished her to do some work for me, I believe she thought me a procuress!’

  ‘Jane!’

  Jane delved into her reticule. ‘This is the address she gave me. Do not be surprised if she has already sent to warn her-’

  Simon grabbed the paper and held it triumphantly high. ‘Thank you, Jane!’ He kissed her cheek and dashed off down the street.

  Lady Verey and Sophia turned to look at Jane in astonishment.

  ‘Simon has forgotten the hat he wanted,’ Jane said foolishly, grasping at the first excuse that came into her head. ‘He has the details written on the piece of paper. He will join us later for luncheon.’ And he may bring you your new daughter-in-law, she added silently, looking at her mother’s unsuspecting face and wondering a little apprehensively what on earth would happen if he did.

  Chapter Seven

  In the event, Simon did not reappear for the whole day. Jane was left torn by speculation and worry. She would have warned her brother to be prepared for disappointment, but she knew that he would not have heeded her words. Simon had been alight with excitement and anticipation, and nothing she could say would have touched him. Of more serious concern to Jane was Simon’s assertion that he had seen Thérèse at Vauxhall the previous night. If she had been the girl with Alex’s assailant, Simon could be getting himself into more trouble than he bargained for. Jane’s mind fretted away at the problem and she was so quiet that Lady Verey asked if she was feeling unwell.