Drusilla descended on her wanting to gossip about the frivolities that occupied her thoughts these days. It took time to convince her that Gina was here to work seriously. After accepting that fact, she regarded her oddly, as though Gina had descended from another planet.
But, however frivolous she was, Drusilla had shrewd eyes where feminine finery was concerned and she did not miss the fact that Gina's clothes were created from the best materials. Her gowns were not fashionable, but her underwear was made of the softest linen, delicately embroidered.
"Have you ever been to London?" she asked, lounging on Gina's bed.
"Oh, yes, my parents took me there last winter. We had such a wonderful time, going to the Opera and seeing Shakespeare."
Drusilla made a face.
"But didn't you go to any balls?"
"One of Papa's friends gave a dance for his daughter and we did attend."
"But didn't your father give you a Season and a coming out ball?"
"Why should I want one? Seasons are for ladies in High Society, like you. I expect you will be having a ball soon."
"If I can persuade my mean brother to give me one."
Gina made no reply. She seemed struck by some thought that held her still, musing. Slowly she sat down on the bed, still lost in thought.
After trying to attract her attention Drusilla gave up in disgust and flounced out.
At last Lady Evelyn appeared, wanting to know if she had everything she wanted.
"I am very happy with my room, thank you, ma'am. All I want to do is get to work, so I think I will join Mr. Faber in the library."
"I will have refreshments sent to you there."
Suddenly she looked directly at Gina and said softly,
"Dear Gina, do you think it will work?"
"I don't know ma'am. That is – if you mean –"
Lady Evelyn met her eyes.
"You know exactly what I mean. I have done my part by inviting you –"
Gina giggled.
"He wasn't pleased at that, was he, ma'am?"
"Oh, never mind him. I am trusting you to win."
"I will do my best, ma'am."
Descending to the library, she found Ambrose going over lists. As she sat down Sonia appeared with the refreshments.
As a special mark of attention Lady Evelyn personally brought in the coffee and sandwiches.
"I hope I am not disturbing you, Mr. Faber."
"Not at all, ma'am."
He rose quickly to his feet and helped her with the cups, smiling. When they were finished he escorted her to the door and held it open as she passed through. Lady Evelyn gave him her most dazzling smile before disappearing.
Catching Gina's interested eyes on him, Ambrose coughed awkwardly. He was blushing.
"Lady Evelyn is so lovely, isn't she?" Gina asked.
"A most gracious lady. Shall we have our coffee and then return to work? I have just made a start on the invitations."
"Oh, dear, have you written many?"
"Only a few. I thought you would be pleased."
"The fact is there might be a slight change of plan."
Ambrose gave her a quizzical look.
"How slight?"
"Well –"
The door opened and John strode in. One look was enough to show that he was exasperated.
"Sisters!" he said with loathing. "I wish Drusilla would understand that there is no hope of my giving her a ball."
"But you must!" Gina exclaimed.
"What?" He stared at her.
"That is absolutely what you must do."
"Gina, this is going too far."
"But don't you see, it is the perfect way of getting people together?"
"I thought we were just going to invite them to a reception?"
"We were, but this is much better. I have been thinking of it ever since Drusilla mentioned it this morning. Invite people to a ball and let them see the castle 'in action'.
"During the ball we show small groups around and then return them to the dancing. If you just invite them to ask for their money, it might be a little awkward, but if there is something else going on at the same time, it will be easier."
"It's a very good idea," admitted Ambrose.
John could see that this was true. But he had a practical objection.
"How on earth can I afford to stage a ball here?"
"I think it might be managed with some patching up," Gina said. "And it doesn't matter if the place still looks shabby, because that is the whole point."
"But I have no servants."
"You have Pharaoh and Jeremiah, and the twins, and Harry, and actually there are several more."
"Pharaoh has been telling me."
"And I am sure my parents will lend us one or two of their servants," she continued, concentrating on something she was writing.
"That is most kind of them, but I couldn't dream of leaving them without servants for the evening."
"But they will hardly notice it, since they will be guests at the ball," Ambrose put in.
Gina sent him silent thanks. She would have died rather than explain to John that her parents had enough servants to stock the castle twice over.
Drusilla was ecstatic at the news that she was to have a ball after all. But when they went to take a look at the ballroom everyone fell silent with dismay. It was the worst room in the castle.
"It's not fair," Drusilla cried. "I will have a ball, I will!"
"But my dear, what can we do?" Lady Evelyn asked. "The only other room big enough is the great picture gallery."
"Then why don't we take a look at that?" Gina suggested.
To everyone's relief the picture gallery was still in reasonably good condition. It was warm and dry and only needed cleaning to make it usable.
There were vacant places on some of the walls, where pictures had been sold.
"And the ones that are left are not valuable," John observed. "Family portraits, painted for vanity, of no value to anyone but us."
"These are your ancestors?" Gina asked, taking a keen interest.
"This one is supposed to be Guy le Chester, painted in the days before artists used perspective."
"Is that why he seems to have two eyes on the same side of his face?" Gina asked, chuckling.
"No, I think he got that way in battle. He was a ferocious warrior by all accounts. And this Knight on a white horse is Baron Franken Chester."
"Ah," Gina sighed. "That's better!"
"The family was given an Earldom by Henry VIII and a Dukedom by Charles II. They supported him against Cromwell and even supposedly let him hide in the castle when he was escaping to France. When he gained the throne he rewarded them with the highest title in his power. This is the first Duke, Lionel. Splendid fellow, isn't he, in that full wig?"
"Very handsome. No wonder he had all those mistresses."
"What was that?" John asked, wondering if he had heard aright.
"The story is that he had a different mistress in every single tower of the castle and his wife never discovered any of them."
John stared at her, speechless.
"Mind you," Gina went on, "I should think she probably did know."
"Really?" John said in the most discouraging tone he could manage.
"A man should not assume that a woman knows nothing just because she says nothing."
"Would you like to see any more pictures?" he enquired frostily.
"Yes, please."
But the next picture caused him even more problems.
How, he wondered, had this outrageous creation ended up in the middle of these virtuous family portraits?
It showed several females, not so much clothed as draped, reclining on sofas. One was playing a lyre, one was looking into a mirror. The rest were being primped by attendants.
"Never mind that one," he said hastily.
"But I am fascinated by it. They are odalisques, aren't they?"
"Yes," John said, with a wild note in his
voice, "they are odalisques."
"And you are wondering how I know what an odalisque is. It comes from having a classical education, I am afraid."
"You mean," he said carefully, "that you actually know what – I mean –"
"An odalisque is a concubine, a lady of the harem, trained from early years to think of nothing but what pleases her Master. Poor creature."
"I don't see that at all. They lived in pampered luxury."
"There is no luxury in the world that could compensate for the boredom of such an existence. Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir. No man could possibly be worth it."
"You are probably right. Shall we continue? This gentleman here –"
"Did you meet any odalisques in your travels, John?" Gina asked impishly.
"This gentleman here is the third Duke," he persisted determinedly.
To his relief he saw his mother advancing on him.
"This will do wonderfully," she exclaimed.
"Oh, I can see me now," Drusilla sighed, "waltzing to the sound of violins, all eyes upon me –"
"I will get to work straight away," Gina said.
The rest of the day was taken up with invitations to a grand 'coming out' ball, given by the Duke of Chesterton for his sister Lady Drusilla. Since people were now being invited from far and wide the date was put back a week.
"How delightful," sighed Lady Evelyn. "Your brothers will be home from school by then."
"What?" John and Drusilla spoke with one dismayed voice.
"They will be here just in time. Isn't that delightful?"
Admirably concealing their delight, John and Drusilla competed with each other to explain why the idea was simply impossible.
"Mama, if you think I am going to have those two little fiends at my coming out ball –"
"Things are quite bad enough, Mama, without –"
"But my dears," Lady Evelyn placated them, "what else can we do? We cannot hold the ball earlier, because there won't be time for the invitations to reach the farthest guests. I am sure Timmy and Roly will behave like little angels."
Having thus disposed of the problem to her own satisfaction, she floated away, leaving John and Drusilla, for once in harmony looking at each other aghast.
The argument was revived over dinner and was still simmering when the family gathered in the drawing room later that evening. But there was nothing to be done, so John reverted to his chief worry.
"The more distant guests will have to be accommodated for the night," he said. "So it becomes vital to patch this place up. I don't know if we can do it."
"It can be cleaned," his mother advised. "And, as Gina so wisely says, we want people to see the place looking shabby."
"Do we want them to fall out of the beds, which are collapsing?" John asked ironically.
"Calum could take care of that," Gina said. "I believe he is very good with his hands."
"I don't think I have encountered Calum," John observed.
"He works in the stables," Gina informed him. "Pharaoh says he is very good."
"And I can help," Benedict said. "I am a dab hand with a hammer and nails. In my home you had to be. I have mended my sisters' dolls, my mother's chairs, my father's desk."
"Splendid," John said robustly. "You can start on the beds in this place."
Benedict's arrival had proved a godsend. His beautiful manners and merry spirit had made him an immediate favourite with Lady Evelyn and when not talking to her he cracked jokes with Gina.
John was slightly annoyed to note that Benedict seemed much taken with Gina. After all, he had made his own disapproval of her plain.
A man could not trust his friends these days.
"What a smashing girl!" Benedict exclaimed to John privately later.
"Hmm."
"Just because you cannot make out what she is talking about, it doesn't mean that no other man can understand her," Benedict said with a grin. "Some of us are quite brainy, you know. Not brainy by her standards, of course, but she makes allowances, which I think is very nice of her, considering that she –"
"I take your point," John said frostily. "There is no need to elaborate."
It was not lost on John that Gina had been talking to Pharaoh, who was clearly confiding more in her than in himself.
This impression was confirmed when he subsequently discovered her having a conference with the twins, Pharaoh, Jeremiah and Harry. At least, it seemed like a conference to him. Gina insisted that it was nothing but a cosy gossip.
But whatever the word, it was clear that she was organising his house, the way she had organised the ball and would probably organise his life, if he let her.
But that he definitely would not allow.
The evening was drawing to a close. Drusilla, in a good mood now that she knew she was going to have her ball, was practising waltzes around the drawing room, gallantly partnered by Benedict.
Lady Evelyn and Ambrose were playing a card game. Imelda brought in the tea tray and Gina was just handing round the cups when there came the sound of the front doorbell.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up, wondering who would come calling to the castle so late.
After a moment it came again, a heavy clanking sound that echoed right through the old building.
They looked at each other, puzzled.
Then they heard the sound of footsteps, the front door being opened and more footsteps approaching them. At last the butler appeared.
"There is a lady at the door, Your Grace," he announced loftily. "Her carriage has broken down and as it is too dark to travel further – she asks your assistance."
"Of course," John said at once. "Please show her in."
Tennison departed and returned a moment later, standing stiffly and bellowing,
"Miss Athene Wicks-Henderson."
Into the room floated a vision. There were no other words to describe her. In her early twenties, divinely fair, with a skin like peaches and huge blue eyes, Miss Wicks-Henderson came out of any man's dreams.
She wore a travelling dress of deep blue velvet with lacy ruffles down the bosom. At her throat twinkled a diamond.
But it was her beauty that held the attention of every man in the room. Such enchanting fair curls, dancing about her face, such depths to her blue eyes, such a provocative pout to her rosy mouth!
John, Benedict and Ambrose all stood staring in the most vulgar fashion. Even Tennison was transfixed, until recalled to his duties by a basilisk stare from another female who had entered behind the lady.
John stepped forward, clearing his throat.
"Good evening, madam. Chesterton, at your service."
The lady spoke and it was like the soft splash of spring water.
"Your Grace is too kind. Do forgive me for intruding on you at this late hour."
"Any hour that brought you to my house would be acceptable, madam," John managed to say gallantly. "Tell me how I may assist you."
"My carriage is broken and lies out on the road. And my coachman took a tumble and injured himself. Even if the carriage could travel, the poor fellow can go no further."
"Then you must bring him here, ma'am. I will send for a doctor and my own people will bring the carriage into the stables for repair. And, of course, my best accommodation is yours."
She gave him the full effect of her dazzling eyes.
"Sir, I do not know what to say."
"Only say that I may serve you and I have no more to wish for."
Then, before the startled eyes of everyone in the room, John took her hand and reverently kissed the back of it.
After that everyone managed to pull themselves together. John introduced Miss Wicks-Henderson to his mother, his sister and then to Benedict. And finally –"May I introduce Miss Gina –"
"Gina!"
In the first sign of real animation that she had shown, the vision opened her arms and clasped Gina to her.
"Hallo Athene," Gina said. "Fancy seeing you."
She returned the hug, but seemed to be eyeing Athene with a certain wryness.
"You know each other?" Lady Evelyn asked.
"Athene and I were at school together," Gina informed her briefly.
"We were such friends," Athene gushed. "Gina used to help me with my work, because I am such a ninny. Ginny darling, it is so good to see you again."
She clasped Gina in another scented embrace, while John was left wondering at this girl who actually addressed the formidable Gina as 'Ginny'. For himself, he would never have dared, for fear of being struck by lightning.
It seemed that accommodating Athene for the night was a more complicated business than it had seemed at first.
The large, ferocious female immediately behind her was Mrs. Conway, her companion. Two smaller females who brought up the rear were a maid and a dresser.
Rooms would need to be found for them all, not to mention a coachman, a groom and two outriders. Miss Wicks-Henderson travelled in style.
"It might be simpler if Athene and Mrs. Conway joined me," Gina told John. "There is a second bed in my room and one in the attached dressing room."
"That's very kind of you."
Lady Evelyn made Athene sit beside her on the sofa while Gina made the necessary arrangements, shepherding Mrs. Conway and the other two servants upstairs to her room.
When accommodation had been found for the dresser and the maid, she returned to the drawing room, to find John sitting with Athene on the sofa, deep in conversation with her. From his expression he clearly admired her greatly.
Lady Evelyn was preparing to retire for the night. She personally escorted Athene out of the room, with Sonia and Imelda bringing up the rear like Ladies-in-Waiting. Benedict and Drusilla followed them.
Gina would also have followed, but John detained her with a light hand on her arm.
"So this lady is a school-friend of yours?"
"Yes. Of course, I was only there for two terms, but we became friends."
John looked at her keenly.
"Well, you gave me fair warning."
"Did I?"
"This morning. I take it that she is the great heiress that you promised me? But of course she is. You wouldn't neglect to check a detail like that. My dear Gina! Fancy managing to produce an heiress out of a hat. Is there no end to your talents?"
Love Finds the Way Page 8
