A Date with Dishonor

by Mary Brendan

  Abruptly depriving Mr Whittiker of Fiona’s company had put the fellow’s nose out of joint—Maude noted he was looking exceptionally sulky, but gave it little heed. There had been no talk yet of an engagement and Maude was glad about that as she watched the viscount paying courteous attention to her girls. Although Maude wanted her eldest wed before she got any older, in truth she knew the idea of having James as a son-in-law would be hugely disappointing. The niceties over, she dejectedly noticed the viscount’s eyes straying again to Elise Dewey and inwardly sighed. Mr Whittiker might have to do if Fiona were not to sit for ever on the shelf...

  ‘You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.’

  The whispered words made Elise snap her unblinking gaze back to Verity. She forced a smile. ‘Do I?’

  ‘He is rather gorgeous,’ Verity said with a light chuckle, ‘But please don’t swoon even if he does stare at you.’

  ‘I won’t swoon over him, I assure you,’ Elise announced hoarsely, having brought some of her shock under control. But still she sensed her heart racing and moisture was dampening her clenched palms.

  She wished he’d not made his attention to her quite so obvious. But he wouldn’t betray her antics earlier that evening, she reasoned. He’d hardly behaved well and wouldn’t want his part in the risible drama disclosed any more than would she. He and his friend Mr Best—suddenly Elise shot an enlightened glance at Hugh Kendrick and inwardly groaned. Of course! A fellow with no prospects to look forward to might be grateful for a spinster’s few thousand pounds. Elise let her eyes travel on to her sister, noticing, with no satisfaction, that Bea seemed on sparkling form as she chattered away to Hugh.

  ‘Will you come with me to join the other ladies and get closer to his lordship?’

  Verity’s teasing words penetrated Elise’s troubled thoughts.

  ‘It might be the only chance I get to bask in such exalted company and be the envy of every lady here this evening,’ Verity continued on a theatrical sigh. ‘Miss Clemence’s mama has been sending us daggers for ten minutes or more.’ Verity inclined her head at a sweet-faced brunette, chaperoned by her mother. Caro Clemence had recently made her come out and was expected to do very well in this Season’s marriage mart.

  ‘Go ahead and join them all,’ Elise urged ruefully. ‘I intend to go and keep your papa company. I have hardly exchanged a word with him all evening.’ Elise had noticed that Mr Chapman was on his own now James Whittiker had sidled off to eavesdrop on conversations.

  Anthony Chapman was feeling happier now he was free of Fiona’s beau’s tedious company. He could tell the fellow was irked at having been thoroughly cast into the shade by the arrival of two handsome young bucks. Anthony remained unruffled at the sight of his wife and the other middle-aged ladies fluttering more feverishly about the charming fellows than were the youngsters. He was aware Maude was anxious to find husbands for their girls. But Anthony knew that if his wife’s aspirations now included Alex Blackthorne she was clutching at straws. He was utterly out of their league in that respect and, in Anthony’s opinion, was merely being polite in coming over to renew his acquaintance with Hugh’s aunt. Anthony expected both gentlemen would take themselves off quite soon, although young Kendrick did seem partial to the older Dewey sister, and, in turn, Beatrice seemed to have taken to him.

  As for the viscount, Anthony had spotted him earlier with the pretty little lady he was rumoured to have recently set up in style. No sane fellow would leave Celia Chase at a loose end for too long. She was reputed to have a circle of gallants drawn from the finest Mayfair addresses. Anthony had not heard that Blackthorne was on the lookout for a wife and, when he did decide to get an heir, the fellow’s connections and bank balance would make a duke delighted to have him come calling on his daughter.

  ‘We have turned into a lively gathering,’ Mr Chapman greeted Elise’s arrival at his side with that cheery comment.

  ‘Indeed we are lucky,’ Elise said, attempting to sound sincere as her eyes glided over the saturnine features of a man who held the power to destroy her life. ‘But...it is a shame that the entertainment is drawing to a close.’ She glanced at the podium where the musicians were starting to pack away their instruments.

  ‘Perhaps we may have entertainment of a different sort,’ Anthony remarked with mild humour. He nodded to where a gaggle of ladies were stealthily approaching their party. ‘I could have sworn my wife told me Mrs Porter cut her dead in Baldwin’s fabric emporium the other day.’ His head vibrated in feigned surprise. ‘Yet it looks as though the woman and her friends are now desirous of catching Maude’s eye. I wonder why that might be?’

  Elise chuckled—she found Mr Chapman’s amusing manner relaxing. Several young women had joined Mrs Porter and her cronies, hovering on the perimeter of their circle hoping for an opportunity to butt in and draw the viscount’s notice. Mrs Porter’s patience expired and she tapped Maude on the shoulder, then squeezed a place beside her. Her friends began delicately elbowing some space, too.

  ‘I imagine the hour is getting quite late,’ Elise remarked. She glanced up at a crescent moon shimmering in a starlit sky of navy blue. Despite the danger in which she had foolishly placed herself earlier she had to admit it had been an exciting evening. Viscount Blackthorne, as she now knew him to be, might forget her before he reached home that night, but she would never be able to put him from her mind, or what he’d done to her. Heat stole into her cheeks at the memory of a sensual mouth moving on hers, of cool night air on her skin as he bared her body to his hands. And tomorrow, she inwardly scolded, when you are sane once more, you will realise just how much you risked for that sordid thrill.

  ‘It is almost a half past ten, my dear,’ Anthony supplied, returning his watch to a pocket. ‘I’m afraid it will soon be time to hail our transport home, if I can drag the other ladies away.’

  ‘We have not had an opportunity to talk properly this evening. How do you do, sir? And you, Miss Dewey?’

  Unnoticed by Anthony and Elise, Alex had detached himself from the press of female admirers to stroll to join them, unaffected by the disappointed sighs drifting in his wake.

  Mr Chapman allowed his hand to be taken in a firm grip. Although he rarely socialised in the same circles as the aristocracy he’d seen this fellow in his club and had approved of the fact the viscount never felt the need to impress his status on lesser mortals.

  ‘Glad you and Mr Kendrick have come over to liven things up, sir,’ Anthony said cordially. ‘Was feeling rather outnumbered by the ladies—just Mr Whittiker and myself, you see...’ He cast on his daughter’s suitor a mournful look.

  ‘And how are you, Miss Dewey?’

  ‘Very well, sir, thank you,’ Elise replied in an admirably level tone despite the fact her heart had a moment ago leapt to block her dry throat.

  ‘Are you staying long in town?’

  Elise’s tawny eyes clashed on a deep-brown gaze, but he wasn’t deterred by her hostile stare.

  ‘Your sister mentioned a moment ago that you reside in Hertfordshire with your father.’

  ‘We do, sir, and will be in town a very short while as guests of Mr and Mrs Chapman.’

  ‘Always welcome...you know that...’ Mr Chapman chipped in.

  Anthony had always thought Elise very pretty in a quiet way. Her sister had a popular beauty with her petite figure and pale hair and skin, but in his opinion Elise’s warm character made her the more attractive of the two. ‘You must stay as long as you like, my dear,’ he offered magnanimously.

  ‘Thank you, you are very kind, but we cannot accept...’ Elise began evenly.

  ‘I shall speak to Mrs Chapman about a few more days with us.’ Anthony patted one of Elise’s hands comfortingly. ‘There’s...no need to feel it will put us out. I assure you it won’t. Besides, now your aunt Dolly knows you are in the capital, I expect she’ll like you to go ab
out with her to a few places, won’t she.’ He gave her a beam. ‘Now I really must tell the ladies it is time to go or we will not find a ride home till goodness only knows what hour.’ He ambled off, leaving a very tense atmosphere in his wake.

  Chapter Seven

  ‘Am I forgiven yet?’ Alex asked quietly as soon as Mr Chapman was out of earshot.

  ‘Forgiven?’ Elise echoed, eyeing him warily. ‘Why...what have you done, sir?’ She pounced on the possibility that he was about to admit to having betrayed her.

  ‘I confused you with a woman of ill repute for a while,’ Alex murmured, amusement far back in his eyes. ‘Too reckless and loyal to a fault...I’ll accuse you of that, but a hussy? No...I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I apologise for that and what followed.’

  A fizz of heat prickled Elise’s cheeks at what he was alluding to. But she realised there was still hope their meeting remained a secret. ‘I trust you have not mentioned to anybody...?’ she murmured, attempting to suffocate a note of panic in her tone.

  ‘Did you imagine I would?’

  Elise gave a small shake of the head and even managed to bestow a shaky smile. ‘I guessed you would not want to be plunged into a scandal any more than I.’

  ‘And the irony is...’ Alex let his eyes drift sideways to where his friend and Elise’s sister were merrily laughing within a group of friends and relatives ‘...they seem to have taken to one another without our help.’

  ‘Hugh Kendrick is Mr Best, isn’t he?’

  Alex gave a sardonic smile that was answer enough for her.

  ‘He has no prospects and I imagine no proper interest in a woman without a dowry.’ She sighed. ‘I can assure you he would be disappointed in my sister. It would be best to deter him in a subtle manner, if indeed he needs to be dissuaded from pursuing her. Perhaps he likes to flirt as well as fortune hunt.’

  ‘Who told you Hugh has no prospects?’

  ‘His aunt...but she meant no harm in it, I assure you,’ Elise quickly added. ‘Mrs Vickers made it clear she is very fond of Hugh and prefers him to his brother, who has inherited everything.’

  ‘Sensible woman,’ Alex muttered drily. ‘So, your sister has lied about having a little fortune.’

  Elise bristled at the implied criticism, warranted though it was.

  ‘Your friend has not behaved impeccably either, sir, by encouraging a gentlewoman to arrange a clandestine tryst, and neither have you,’ she added sharply.

  ‘How were we to know she was a gentlewoman?’

  ‘How were you to know she was not?’ Elise returned immediately.

  ‘Only you have behaved decently, Miss Dewey, is that it?’

  ‘I have done my utmost to prevent Beatrice from getting embroiled in this lunacy from the very start—’ Elise broke off to nibble her lower lip; he didn’t know her efforts had worked and her sister had been more sensible than she in staying put with Aunt Dolly earlier. ‘When you waylaid me—no...abducted me,’ she spluttered in an angry undertone, ‘my intention was to find my sister and return her to safety.’ Elise shot him an accusing glower from beneath dusky lashes. ‘You were going to report back to your friend, thus prolonging the madness, whereas I was determined to bring it to an end.’

  ‘I’ve not yet found an opportunity to tell Hugh my opinion on the woman he despatched me to meet.’ Alex slid a sideways glance at Hugh before his eyes captured Elise’s anxious gaze.

  She inched up her chin, aware of the mordant humour in his attitude. ‘And now you’ve met Lady Lonesome, is she to your liking, sir?’ She discreetly tilted her head in her sister’s direction. ‘Do you approve of Beatrice and will you be advising Mr Kendrick to carry on? Or will you do the honourable thing and say the woman you met was a fraud and advise him to forget all about her?’

  ‘I’m not a convincing liar; the woman I met wasn’t a fraud, far from it. But I’ll advise him to forget about her, although I doubt I will,’ he finished self-mockingly.

  ‘I think you will, sir, quite quickly,’ Elise rebuffed coolly although his words had enhanced the pink in her complexion. The memory of what they’d done was for her not easily pushed aside and she was sure he knew it. He, however, might have forgotten the colour of her hair by tomorrow. ‘Now I must join the others. Mr Chapman is keen for us to leave soon before all the hackneys are taken.’ A light touch of his fingers on her arm made her start and momentarily she halted close by.

  ‘Will you own up to your sister about what happened and that you know Mr Best’s identity?’

  Elise hesitated, then shook her head. She didn’t want to lie or tell half-truths but she knew she had no option but to do so. Beatrice was a lively gossip and might unwittingly betray her confidence, thus bringing disaster upon them both. She glanced up at the viscount about to say goodbye, but suddenly became aware that their conversation had been under scrutiny by many people. With a curt bob for him she ignored the whispering behind gloved hands and, head high, joined her family and friends with a smile pinned to her lips.

  * * *

  ‘Well, I must say, the trip to Vauxhall turned into a thorough success.’ Maude Chapman bit into her toast and beamed at the four young ladies seated at the breakfast table with her. She seemed oblivious to the fact that her daughters and their guests seemed unusually quiet as each of them pondered on the previous evening’s excitement.

  Beatrice was looking dreamy-eyed while pushing kedgeree to and fro and thinking of Hugh Kendrick’s warm hazel eyes. She was also congratulating herself on having sensibly refrained from going to meet Mr Best and vowed henceforth to chase all such nonsense from her mind. She determined to tell Elise of her decision as soon as possible and apologise for worrying her over it all.

  Verity was smiling privately while attacking her poached eggs. In her opinion the Dewey sisters—and by association, she and Fiona also—were undoubtedly under animated discussion at many a breakfast table right now. She had observed several ladies yesterday who appeared ready to surrender their eye teeth for a chance to swap places with Elise and keep moody Viscount Blackthorne company.

  Fiona was forcefully banging a spoon on a boiled egg while wistfully hoping that Mr Whittiker would stay away today and give her an opportunity to finish the still life she’d started some weeks ago. She knew she had a duty to her parents, and her mama in particular wanted to see her married, but she’d sooner keep the status quo if they could afford to and send James to look elsewhere for a wife.

  Elise darted glances at reflective expressions and took a sip of tea, but felt little inclined to eat anything other than a slice of toast. A new day had brought no lessening of the turbulent emotions she felt over her behaviour last night with Viscount Blackthorne. Added to which Beatrice was no closer to realising her wish to have a husband and a move to town. During the journey home yesterday evening her sister had chattered on about charming Mr Kendrick and how she hoped their paths would cross again before they returned to Hertfordshire. Elise knew dispiritedly that she must nag Beatrice to pay attention to the fact that Hugh Kendrick had no prospects.

  Maude Chapman patted her lips with a napkin. She’d been happily mulling over the events at Vauxhall while she ate and could find nothing wrong in what had occurred despite the fact that the Dewey girls had obviously netted the attention of two handsome bachelors and it had drawn spiteful comments from green-eyed people. Were the girls’ success with the gentlemen to give rise to gossip...so much the better in Maude’s opinion. She knew that she and her daughters had long remained on the fringes of the ton, but she had a feeling all that was about to change thanks to Elise and Beatrice.

  The post was soon due to arrive and Maude was confident it would bear exciting news. She anticipated receiving cards from families who a week ago would have overlooked her and her daughters when drawing up their guest lists. Before the day was out Maude was expecting her
mantelshelf to be littered with invitations for them all to go to balls and parties. She knew the workings of the minds of mothers keen to pair off their spinster daughters: women such as she herself wanted present at their soirées people sure to lure the rich and influential to their doors. Maude had an inkling—as she was certain did many other ambitious hostesses—that if Elise Dewey were to attend a party Viscount Blackthorne might turn up, too. And, of course, he had many eligible bachelor friends and one thing might lead to another...

  Maude saw exciting opportunities opening up for her two daughters. Of course, gowns would be needed; she couldn’t allow her girls to be made a laughing stock by appearing plainly dressed while mingling with the cream of society. But Mr Chapman would understand that the expense of a few new frocks and fripperies would be an investment in their daughters’ futures. She frowned, wondering whether to ask her husband to pen a note to Mr Dewey and hint that his girls might require a few additional clothes as they were doing well socially and were welcome to stay longer in town. It was a delicate matter to broach; Maude knew Walter Dewey was under siege financially with no likelihood of a change in circumstances, but Anthony would have to find a way of raising it with the fellow. It would be unfair to expect the Dewey girls to go about clad in the same dresses every evening. If Beatrice and Elise chose to return home rather than feel humiliated all plans would go awry... Maude rose abruptly from her chair.

  ‘I have to speak to Mr Chapman before he goes off out,’ she told the girls, hurrying away.

  * * *

  ‘She didn’t turn up?’ Hugh sounded indignant. ‘In that case I’m glad I didn’t bother traipsing off to the lake pavilion to meet her.’

  ‘As I recall, you gave me the task so I might waste my time instead,’ Alex returned sardonically as he expertly negotiated a zigzagging path between a brewer’s dray and a coal cart. The phaeton returned to an even keel as Alex eased the spirited thoroughbreds to a more sedate pace.