‘Last night was not planned, but when you came to my room—how could any man resist you?’
Her chin went up. ‘Easily.’ Her voice trembled. ‘I know I am no beauty, I have been told often that I was fortunate to find a husband, let alone such a good one as Sir Evelyn.’
‘Stop it!’ He caught her arms, frowning. ‘You are beautiful. And desirable. I have wanted you for weeks now, you know that.’
She tore herself free.
‘You want any woman who crosses your path,’ she hissed. ‘You are a rake. That is what they do. But you shall not have Ellen, not for your precious wager, not ever.’
‘I do not want Ellen. Phyllida, it is you I want. I love you.’ The words were out before he could stop them. So much for caution, for taking his time and earning her trust. He caught her hands and dropped to one knee, saying with a reckless laugh, ‘My darling girl, will you marry me?’
Thus the practised rake made his first proposal of marriage. Even to his own ears it sounded awkward and insincere. Phyllida’s cheeks, at first red, now turned white with rage.
‘How dare you laugh at me?’ She snatched her hands away.
‘I am not laughing at you. I am very much in earnest. Blister it, I should be in a pickle if I went around proposing to ladies without meaning it. What if one of them accepted me?’
Richard jumped to his feet. Good God, what had happened to his wits? Where was his fabled charm? He was making a bad situation worse! Phyllida was staring at him as if he had run mad.
‘You need not be anxious about it on this occasion,’ she threw at him. ‘Oh, what a fool I have been. How easy a conquest. From the start you have tried to win my approval. From the very first time you came to Charles Street, pretending to remember that we had danced together at Almack’s. You knew it was very likely to have happened, since we were in town at the same time.’
‘Yes, it was a lucky guess,’ he admitted. ‘But I recalled it later.’
You witless fool!
Richard cursed. It was as if he was standing outside his own body, watching himself do everything he could to turn Phyllida against him.
‘Oh, I am sure you did.’ Her scathing tone told him clearly she did not believe him. ‘No doubt you remember every plain, tongue-tied débutante you have been obliged to stand up with.’ She started towards the house again, saying bitterly, ‘Oh, you were very clever, Mr Arrandale. You knew I was suspicious so you never overtly courted Ellen, instead you made a friend of her and pretended to be concerned for her safety.’
‘I am concerned for it. I even sent extra men down here knowing that someone was likely to make a final bid to seduce her.’
‘You were protecting your investment. No doubt it amused you to keep the wager going to the very last minute, to wait to make your move on Ellen until today, Michaelmas itself.’ She stopped again, dashing away a tear. ‘And when I presented myself in your room last night, you could not resist the opportunity to add the chaperon to your list of conquests.’
‘There is no list!’ he retorted. ‘Phyllida, I have not looked at another woman since I came to Bath, only you.’ He grabbed her shoulders. ‘I will show you!’
He dragged her into his arms and kissed her. It was a savage, angry kiss and she stood perfectly still, like a rock against his onslaught. At last he let her go, his breathing ragged and laboured.
Her eyes blazed at him, darts of green fire that accentuated her deathly white face. Slowly she raised her hand and drew the back of it across her lips, as if to wipe away the taste of him.
‘What does that show me, except that you are practised in the arts of the libertine.’ She uttered the words with a slow, icy deliberation. ‘I know your true self now, Richard Arrandale, you shall not beguile me again with your rakish charm.’
She turned on her heel and walked away from him, rigid with fury, head held high, and Richard watched her go.
He had lost her.
* * *
As soon as she reached the house Phyllida went in search of her hostess, to inform her that she and Ellen were leaving.
Lady Hune was all concern.
‘My dear, will you not wait until tomorrow, then we may all travel back to Bath together.’
‘I am very sorry, ma’am, but it is impossible. We cannot stay.’
‘Will you not tell me why you must go?’ Her sharp eyes were searching. ‘It has something to do with Richard, does it not?’
Phyllida fought with her conscience, but she could not lie.
‘Forgive me, I do not consider you responsible for your great-nephew’s actions, ma’am, I know you hold him in esteem and think him misunderstood, but I do not—cannot—share your opinion of him. He has deceived me most grievously. He contrived this whole visit as an elaborate charade to seduce Ellen.’
‘And has he succeeded?’
‘No.’ Phyllida bit her lip. She could not bring herself to admit her own weakness. ‘But there is still time, if we remain here,’ she continued. ‘He knows now that I would forbid the banns, but even so, there is ten thousand pounds to be won just for...for ruining my stepdaughter. A man would have to be a saint to forgo such a sum.’
And Richard Arrandale had proved himself to be no saint.
For a long moment Sophia did not speak.
‘I find it hard to believe that Richard has deceived me so completely,’ she said at last. ‘I cannot believe it.’
‘I do not ask it of you, ma’am. Just as I would never ask you to choose between a friend—and I do count myself as your friend—and a family member. That is why Ellen and I must leave.’
‘Have you told her yet?’
Phyllida sighed. ‘No, but I must do so without delay. If you will be good enough to order the carriage, we will pack immediately.’
‘Of course. I hope our acquaintance can continue, my dear. I value your friendship.’
‘And I yours, Lady Hune, but I fear it will be difficult, while your great-nephew is in Bath.’
‘I live in hope that it is all some misunderstanding.’
‘Oh, my dear ma’am...’ Phyllida tried to blink away the threatening tears ‘...you do not know how much I wish it could be!’
She left the room quickly and Sophia rang for her butler. She gave him precise instructions for the travelling carriage to be prepared for Lady Phyllida and asked him to send her great-nephew to her. Croft returned in a very few minutes with the news that Mr Arrandale was nowhere to be found.
‘His man thinks he might be in the park, my lady,’ Croft offered.
Sophia nodded. ‘Very well, that will be all. Send Mr Arrandale to me as soon as he comes in.’ She added, when the door had closed behind her servant, ‘I do not know what he is about, but I fear he has made a mull of it.’
* * *
It was not to be expected that Ellen would submit quietly to the news that they were leaving, but Phyllida’s clear distress kept her from protesting too much. They returned to Bath in one carriage, which meant that Matlock travelled with them, but even when the maid fell asleep Ellen forbore to press Phyllida for her reasons for leaving Shrewton so suddenly.
Phyllida was thankful for the respite. She knew it was time to tell Ellen the whole story of Richard’s perfidious actions, and she was not looking forward to it. She tried to sleep in the carriage, but when she closed her eyes she could not stop the memory of that final kiss from intruding. It had taken every ounce of willpower for her to remain unmoved. Her body had screamed to respond and if he had not released her when he did she thought she might well have surrendered, even though she knew it was wrong, even though she knew he was making a fool of her. It was that knowledge that had given her the strength to walk away from him.
* * *
It was raining when they reached Bath and the chill dampness in the air a
nnounced that summer was finally over. Hirst was surprised to see them return a day early, but being an excellent servant he soon had the candles burning in the main rooms and a cheerful fire blazing in the drawing room. It was here, after dinner and sitting in the comfortably cushioned chairs flanking the hearth that Ellen finally demanded to know the truth and Phyllida told her everything. Well, nearly everything. She stopped short of revealing that she had spent the night in Richard’s bed.
Ellen was remarkably unmoved.
‘I knew about the wager,’ she told Phyllida. ‘I heard a rumour and Richard confirmed it to me, but you have it wrong, Philly. Richard was doing his best to protect me.’
‘He was saving you for himself, Ellen.’
‘I do not believe it for a moment. We are friends, that is all, and he knows I have no intention of marrying for a long time yet.’
‘It is part of his charm that he is so very...likeable,’ said Phyllida, pleating the folds of her skirt between her fingers. ‘He draws one in, puts one at ease. When you are with him it is as if you are the only person in the world who matters.’
Ellen looked at her closely.
‘You are in love with him.’
‘I am not!’
Phyllida’s cheeks flamed, giving the lie to her words, and Ellen clapped her hands.
‘Oh, by all that is famous, I knew it! How I shall tease Richard when I see him.’
‘You will not see him. I forbid you to see or speak to Mr Arrandale again. And in fact, we shall not be in Bath much longer. We are going to Tatham Park.’
‘But why? The wager is over, there can be no danger now, and the Bath season is about to begin.’
‘The idea of coming here was to give you a taste of society. You have had that, even before the season, so we shall return to Tatham. It is only for the winter months. I am sure Bath in the dead of winter cannot be so very entertaining.’
‘It will be more so than Tatham,’ Ellen retorted. ‘You said yourself you were bored to screaming point when you were there.’
‘But that was because I was in deep mourning, and I was there alone. This time we shall have each other, and...and we will be able to dine with our friends there, and attend the local assemblies.’
She expected Ellen to point out that all her particular friends had moved away but instead she merely asked how soon they were leaving Bath.
‘It is Friday tomorrow, a day or so to pack up...I think we can be away on Monday.’
‘No!’ Ellen flew out of her chair and dropped to her knees before Phyllida. ‘There are preparations to be made, packing to be done. The house at Tatham will need to be opened and made ready for us.’
‘That can all be done in a trice.’
‘No, no—’ Ellen shook her head vehemently ‘—we have friends here, we must take leave of them.’
‘We may write notes to them. That can be done in a morning. If it were possible I would be away from here before Lady Hune’s party returns—’
‘That would set everyone gossiping. They are bound to discover we left Shrewton a day early and if we fly from Bath in such a hurried manner it will be assumed we have something to hide.’
Phyllida bit her lip. Ellen was right, and the most likely guess would be that Richard had seduced Ellen. Not that she cared a jot for Richard’s reputation, of course, but Ellen’s good name must not be questioned.
‘There is also the sketching party,’ Ellen continued, sensing victory. ‘Lady Wakefield has invited me to go with them to Beechen Hill next week. On Wednesday, if the weather permits, and I would dearly like a sketch of Bath to remind me of my stay here.’ She caught Phyllida’s hands and squeezed them. ‘Do say we may stay for that, Philly dearest. We would then have time to order some new winter gowns. And to take a proper leave of all our friends.’
Phyllida felt herself weakening. She was relieved by Ellen’s acceptance of the situation. She had been braced for tears, even tantrums and even another full week in Bath was a small price to pay to reward her stepdaughter’s co-operation.
‘Very well, we will delay our departure until Thursday.’ A sudden gust of wind sent the rain pattering against the window and she added, ‘But if the sketching outing is postponed for inclement weather you must give up the idea. I shall not stay longer.’
‘No, of course not, dearest Stepmama.’
Ellen jumped up, smiling. Her blue eyes were glowing as if they had been discussing a special treat rather than their imminent withdrawal to the country. Phyllida frowned, but before she could speak Ellen gave a yawn.
‘Goodness, the journey has made me very tired. I think I shall go to bed.’ She bent and hugged Phyllida. ‘Goodnight, Philly, my love. Sleep well, and do not be too unhappy. Everything will work out for the best, you will see.’
Phyllida returned her embrace and wished her a goodnight, too exhausted to question Ellen’s words or her behaviour.
* * *
The continuing dank, dismal weather of the next few days mirrored Phyllida’s spirits as she made her preparations to leave Bath. She gave strict instructions that Mr Arrandale was on no account to be admitted, should he call at Charles Street. That he was still in Bath she learned from his great-aunt when they met in the Pump Room a few days later. Phyllida was determined not to mention his name, but Ellen was not so reticent.
‘Yes, he is staying with me a little longer,’ said Lady Hune, in response to Ellen’s direct enquiry. ‘Richard has given me his word he will remain until the doctor tells him I am well enough to live alone, and since my doctor is out of town he must kick his heels in Bath a few more days. There is nothing wrong with me,’ she added quickly, observing Phyllida’s look of concern. ‘It is merely that the trip to Shrewton Lodge was more tiring than I anticipated.’
‘I am so sorry you had to put yourself to such trouble for us all,’ said Phyllida quickly.
‘It was merely that I am unused to so much travelling in such a short time. The visit itself was delightful. I am only sorry you felt it necessary to leave so precipitately.’
‘Yes, so was I,’ put in Ellen. ‘Especially when you and I were getting along so famously, ma’am.’
‘Ellen!’ Phyllida frowned at her stepdaughter’s forthright speech.
‘Do not scold her, Lady Phyllida, I enjoy Miss Tatham’s company, she cheers me up.’ The dowager’s attention was claimed by another acquaintance and as Lady Wakefield arrived in the Pump Room at that moment, Phyllida carried Ellen off to talk to Julia. They had not met since Phyllida’s departure from Shrewton and the girls soon had their heads together. Phyllida took the opportunity to inform Lady Wakefield of her plans to leave Bath.
‘We shall be sorry to lose you, of course,’ returned that lady. ‘But I am not surprised, it is clear something has upset you.’ She patted Phyllida’s arm. ‘Do not worry, my dear, I do not mean to pry, although I can guess that you have had some sort of falling out with Mr Arrandale.’
Phyllida could not prevent herself from saying bitterly, ‘I am not convinced he is so innocent as everyone seems to believe.’
‘Truly? I know he has a fearsome reputation, but he has been behaving himself in Bath.’ A sudden inquisitorial gleam came into Lady Wakefield’s eye. ‘Or am I mistaken?’
Phyllida felt the betraying blush rising through her body. She said hastily, ‘He was involved in the wager to seduce Ellen.’
‘That is very bad, of course. I cannot understand why gentlemen must act so reprehensibly. It does make it very hard for those of us with daughters to look after. However, I believe he is regretting his rash behaviour, and we have certainly seen nothing of it. Indeed, Adrian informs me Mr Arrandale has turned over a new leaf.’
Phyllida shook her head. ‘I do not believe in repentant rakes,’ she muttered darkly.
‘How soon do you intend to leave?�
� asked Lady Wakefield.
‘Thursday at the earliest,’ said Phyllida. ‘Ellen persuaded me to allow her to stay for your sketching party to Beechen Hill on Wednesday.’
‘Really? I do not recall setting a day for it, but no doubt the girls have arranged it between themselves.’
Lady Wakefield glanced up, smiling as an elderly matron came up to speak to her and Phyllida moved on. The Pump Room was crowded with her acquaintances and she would use this opportunity to take her leave of them. Ellen remained with Julia, but Phyllida was not concerned for her. Richard Arrandale was not in the Pump Room. In fact none of the gentlemen whose attentions to Ellen had been so marked were in evidence, which convinced Phyllida that they had all been party to that horrid wager. Thankfully Ellen did not appear worried to have lost the majority of her suitors and Phyllida was now happy for her to go off with her friends.
* * *
When it was time to leave Phyllida found her stepdaughter sitting beside the marchioness. They were deep in conversation but they broke off as she approached.
‘Well, now,’ she said, forcing a smile, ‘what is this talk of bishops, Lady Hune? Is my stepdaughter showing a healthy interest in religion?’
‘I regret not,’ replied Sophia. ‘She has an unhealthy interest in special licences.’
‘I wondered how easy it was to obtain one,’ said Ellen. ‘One of my friends at Mrs Ackroyd’s Academy ran off and was married by special licence.’ She laughed. ‘Do not look so concerned, Philly, Lady Hune has explained that the marriage would still not be legal without a guardian’s permission, if the bride is underage. I promise you I am not thinking of one for myself.’
‘You should not be thinking of such things at all,’ retorted Phyllida. ‘Lady Hune must be shocked by your conversation.’
‘Not at all,’ Sophia assured her. ‘I find Ellen very entertaining. I shall miss you both when you have gone to Tatham Park.’
They took their leave, and Phyllida felt a pang of regret that her friendship with the marchioness must be suspended, at least for the present.
The Chaperon's Seduction Page 22
