Ianthe and the Fighting Foxes: The Fentons Book 4

by Alicia Cameron

  Lady Fox did not even glance at the others, but Curtis gave them a cold nod, and the whole party was led towards the open door of great salon, decorated in the French style, and quite the prettiest room Sally had ever seen.

  There were a number of people present, but the marquis himself came forward to greet them, wearing formal evening wear. His high shirt points grazed his chiselled jaw, the bronze hair was more strictly pomaded to look artfully casual, his hooded eyes lifting in a polite smile, and Sally heard her mother gasp. Or was it she?

  Audley made his greetings to Lady Fox, with a nice mix of formality and openness, but was met by a cold response that seemed to affect him very little. He shook Curtis' hand, and when he met with a similar response to that of Her Ladyship, his eyes took on a cool amusement. He greeted Lord Edward next, and Fox was his usual contained self, the marquis more genuinely warm. Sally was beginning to note, however, that Lord Fox's reserved nature held no ire and believed, in observing the continued openness in the marquis' expression, that he knew this too. Audley now bowed to all the other ladies of the party and as one they responded, the marquis giving a particularly kind smile to her mother. His eyes had not met hers, and Sally was congratulating him silently. Perfectly politely ignoring her.

  He went onto the introductions, and Sally could judge from his expression what he thought of each of his guests, even though his charming mask did not falter. The Misses Popper (thirty-five and forty respectively) and their papa had obviously been invited for Lady Fox's sake. The sisters, to Sally’s amusement, alternated their faces into expressions of superiority (to Studham’s poor relations) and obsequiousness (to the rest of the august company). The Poppers visited Studham often, Sally knew, as Her Ladyship enjoyed lording it over them (as vulgar parlance would have it) and as all three seemed to enjoy the same sour view of the world as Lady Fox herself. They were comfortably off, but were sufficiently below Lady Fox in rank as to make her really enjoy her superiority. Tonight, it rather decreased the air of ice that Her Ladyship had sought to bring to the party to have the plain Poppers instantly at her side. Mr Popper, a stout balding man of sixty, was oleaginous in his greeting to Her Ladyship and his daughters similarly deferential. Sally exchanged a quick glance with Ianthe and shared their amusement.

  For the rest, there were two younger gentlemen, obviously friends of the marquis, a Mr Markham who had a pleasant open face and easy disposition that Sally liked, and his very handsome friend Lord Jeffries who, with his mass of brown curls and his bright blue eyes, looked more mischievous and daring. Both gentlemen, noted Sally, eyed Ianthe Eames with obvious admiration. The marquis' eyes beamed his appreciation of these two friends, and of a quiet gentleman, in his late thirties perhaps, who came forward quietly and who was introduced as Mr Oscar Steadman. Sally liked his calm face and his serious demeanour. He too was attractive, with brown hair that was swept severely from his long brow. He stepped back as soon as he was able, not a man to impose his personality. Sally thought he looked over to one side of her with a peculiarly arrested expression. No doubt another gentleman entranced by Ianthe.

  An elegant blonde lady in silk turned out to be the widowed Lady Sophia Markham, evidently a trifle younger than her stepson's thirty years. It was evident that the marquis admired Lady Sophia's beauty, all large eyes and rosebud lips, with a kind of sophistication Sally knew she would never possess even when she might catch her up in age, perhaps some six or seven years hence. She blinked as the marquis exchanged the briefest of intimate glances with the lady. Sally felt Ianthe's glance upon her but did not meet it.

  They sat down, and the appointment of the table was seen to be a masterpiece of planning. Lady Fox was given the honour of the seat to the end of the table, with Mr Popper and Curtis at either side. Then came the Popper ladies, and Her Ladyship's ice had been efficiently sealed off from the rest of the gathering, who were free to enjoy the evening as they pleased. Sally was seated between Mr Markham and Mr Steadman and was very pleased to be so. Ianthe was directly opposite, beside Lord Jeffries and Lord Fox. At the head of the table was the marquis, with Lady Sophia his amusing companion at one side and a Mrs Rosling at the other. Both were handsome women, but Sally could see that he was a friend of one and rather more to the other, who gave him intimate looks. Sally's mother seemed to have made friends with her dinner companions, too, for she was the other side of Steadman and flanked by the young vicar, Mr Bart, on the other, with Miss Bart and the curate opposite. The table was a merry one, even Lord Fox being involved in some sporting conversations, and some laughter about a bet that had gone wrong for the marquis. He told the story against himself with ease, protesting that his horse had strained a fetlock and that his skill as a rider could not be doubted. The gentlemen joshed him — Fox being drawn into it too.

  When the ladies left for the withdrawing room, there was a convivial air, and a general decision to pay little but the politest attention to Lady Fox's frost.

  When the gentlemen arrived again, the marquis made the round of the guests, Sally noting his change of pace in speaking to each, his smiles changing from social politeness to great good humour depending on the recipient. He stopped at Ianthe and Sally, and said quietly to Ianthe, 'You must ride tomorrow. I brook no opposition.' His eyes were playful, and Ianthe responded in kind.

  'I have no objection. But why tomorrow?'

  'You will see. And you must both breakfast here.'

  'I can make some excuses for us tonight,' said Ianthe conspiratorially, after a thought. 'Mmmm. Did Her Ladyship have the turbot?'

  'I shall enquire of Grayson,' said the marquis, matching her air.

  Ianthe smiled and turned to Lord Jeffries, who had approached, and Audley leaned a little farther towards Sally for the briefest of seconds, not meeting her eye, but looking over her shoulder.

  'If you wish me to ignore you, Miss Richards, you should not regard me so all evening.'

  Sally gasped, but he had already gone, and a sound like a laugh moved off with him. She was shocked to acknowledge that he was right, her eyes had really sought him all night — but only to observe what Ianthe had called his famous social dexterity. It had fascinated her, and she had been even more fascinated to know that she had been able to see what was beneath each polite or charming expression and descry, as she believed, his true feeling in each case. Now Audley seemed to be teasingly suggesting that she was another of his admirers. She took a teacup from Mr Markham and chatted amiably with him for some minutes but was inwardly seething. Her embarrassment that Audley could really believe what he suggested distracted her and made her even more cross. The thought that he only did so to annoy her was even worse. As she drank her tea her eyes sought his as he flirted with Lady Sophia Markham. He looked over, and she glared at him before turning away to laugh at something Mr Markham had said about the Duchess of Rutland's Ball, which they had both attended, though they had not then been acquainted. She responded merrily to Mr Markham, and then glanced back at the marquis, whose eyes she had felt upon her. This would never do. If her mama saw, she would certainly make a wrong assumption. Sally glanced at her mama in case she had noticed but was relieved that she was being entertained in the group comprising Jeffries, Ianthe and Steadman. Sally was tempted to give Audley back his just deserts for his impudence earlier, but she dare not glare again at him now lest her mama see. She could hardly wait until tomorrow to do so.

  As they gained the carriage home, all three ladies sighed in contentment. 'It was a lovely evening!' said Lady Richards, for them all.

  'All is set for the ride tomorrow,' Ianthe informed her.

  'You ride at Audley again?' asked Lord Edward. 'There is no need. I can have your mare brought to our stables.'

  'And poor Sally?'

  'I'm sure there is a horse suitable-' said Lord Fox.

  '—for a lady? Not you, too,' said Sally aggrieved.

  'My love—' protested Lady Richards, but Fox looked amused.

  'That won't do,' said Ianthe with
decision. 'Lady Fox will hear of it and will be displeased that her orders have been disobeyed—'

  'It is for me to say—' began Fox.

  'Yes, yes,' interrupted Ianthe, 'but there is no sense in provoking Her Ladyship over every little thing, and it is Sally who would have to deal with the unpleasantness, not you.' His Lordship gulped. 'Anyway, Audley wants us to breakfast there tomorrow for some reason, and so I have already begun making excuses, saying to Her Ladyship that Sally and I have stomach cramps — suspecting that the turbot was bad, you know.'

  'Oh, so that was why you asked the marquis if she ate the fish?' remarked Sally, impressed.

  'Indeed. And fortunately, she had not.' Ianthe looked at Lord Fox. 'Why are you frowning?'

  'I shall accompany you tomorrow.'

  Ianthe laughed. 'Because of Audley's shocking reputation?'

  'Every handsome man has a shocking reputation, I find,' said Lady Richards musingly. 'But I noticed that the marquis flirted with Lady Sophia with great decorum. Never over the line. And the single young ladies,' here she glanced at Sally and Ianthe both, 'he did not mind at all.' She sighed, a little sadly. 'Of course, he does not wish to give rise to speculation. But it is a pity.' Ianthe and Sally shared an amused look. 'I was not previously aware of how excruciatingly handsome he is.'

  'Excruciatingly?' laughed Ianthe.

  'A figure such as he was built to cause pain to the weaker sex,' said Lady Richards with certainty.

  'I do not find him particularly handsome,' remarked Fox, a trifle sullen. Three sets of eyes regarded him with withering pity and Her Ladyship resumed.

  'Such manners! And his handling of your step-mama!' Lady Richards gazed guiltily at Fox. 'Oh, I beg your pardon, my lord.'

  'I do not understand. How did he deal with her precisely?'

  'Why,' said Ianthe, looking at him in amusement, 'he cut her off at the start.'

  'He did?'

  'Oh, yes,' said Lady Richards. 'Did you not notice?'

  'Has he been a soldier?' joined in Sally. 'It was carried out with military precision.'

  'I saw no precision. Did he even speak to my stepmother beyond the greeting?'

  'No, of course not. He foresaw the tactics of the enemy and diverted them from the beginning.'

  'I do not see…'

  'He invited the Poppers!' said Lady Richards.

  A look of dawning enlightenment struck His Lordship. 'He did that on purpose?'

  'Why? Did you think them his intimates?' laughed Ianthe. 'Yes, it was quite brilliant! It stopped Lady Fox conversing widely and entertained her, all at once.'

  'And whatever unpleasant thing she had to say—' Sally looked conscious, 'Oh excuse me, your lordship-'

  'We're past that,' he replied, frankly. 'Let us agree that Lady Fox is a lady of … of uncertain temper. We all live in the same house and you know how we are fixed.' We, he thought. It was strange to be a “we”.

  Sally sighed in relief. 'Well, whatever unpleasant thing she had to say she could say to the Poppers and the rest of us did not have to hear any of it.'

  'And you think that was his intention?' said Fox, amazed.

  'I do. I was quite looking forward to his dealing with Lady Fox's acid remarks — as a tutorial to you, you know, who lose your temper too easily,' continued Ianthe breezily. Sally and her mother exchanged looks, and then gazed down at their toes as Fox shot her a glance of dislike. 'But Audley jumped over the fence neatly without the need to engage. Really, it was most accomplished. I would imagine that the Poppers must have been astounded to receive the invitation.'

  'Oh, it was their first visit to Audley. Mildred Popper told me so,' Sally said.

  'You see? It was not likely that he sought their acquaintance. They are not the most convivial of companions.'

  'Indeed not.’ Fox remarked. ‘I leave the vicinity as soon as Jenkins tells me they are visiting.'

  This was his first confidence to them, and he blushed slightly as Lady Richards replied. 'Quite right, Lord Fox! I should have escaped myself if I had the power.'

  Fox seemed struck by this. His manner caused silence, as the ladies waited for him to speak. 'I do not at all see why you are not free to do as you wish in my home. You are my relatives and my guests.'

  'Yes, you do see,' chided Ianthe, but gently, 'you have just not considered it before.'

  He began to see now, it was true. He had been so wrapped up in his own dispute with the other two members of his family that he had used the presence of the Richards as a diversionary tactic. People who stood between him and the other Foxes. He had not considered their feelings in all of this at all. To them he had been scrupulously polite but had left them to cope with whatever his mother dealt out to them in private without a thought. He had kept to himself and expected the servants to make provisions for them, never considering that Lady Fox would make it her business to limit those provisions.

  'Do you have fires lit in your rooms?' he said suddenly.

  'Eh?' asked Sally Richards, with less than usual erudition. Ianthe was looking amused. 'Well, no. But the weather is—'

  'I shall give orders for fires to be lit in the morning and evening. And if you should have need of it, do not hesitate to send for coals at any hour.'

  'There is really no need…' began Lady Richards.

  'I insist, ma'am. I have been lax in my hospitality and I apologise. It is my cursed temper that prevents me from … I am sorry, your ladyship, not to have seen what I ought.'

  'My dear boy, how kind!'

  'Edward,’ he instructed her.

  'I really could not call you…'

  'We have shared the best part of two summers together, ma'am, and known each other years before that. Give me leave to call you Cousin Emma.'

  'I should be delighted.'

  'Shall you call me by my given name, sir?' asked Sally, amused at Lord Fox's obvious guilt.

  'Sarah.' He laughed, embarrassed. 'I shall attempt it if you do not mind it.'

  'Call me Sally, sir. All my friends do.'

  He blushed again at the word "friends", then looked a little wicked. 'It will terrify Lady Fox.'

  Ianthe said with relish, 'Won't it just? I believe Studham is going to begin to be a much happier place to live in. What shall you call me, sir?'

  'Miss Eames,' he said shortly. 'Our acquaintance is not of long standing,' he added with dislike.

  'Oh, dear Edward!' His Lordship blanched at Ianthe's dulcet tones. 'We are family after all. You may call me Ianthe.' She batted her eyelids at him sweetly.

  'As well call you a vixen!' said Fox shortly.

  Ianthe put a hand to her bosom in shock. 'The fox's mate? Really, sir! I believe you are flirting with me.'

  Fox looked shocked and astounded both, but the free laughter of all three of the ladies warmed him a little. 'I do not flirt,' he said with an attempt at his old gruff voice, but his amusement leaked through.

  'It is a skill you are still to gain, it is true,' said Ianthe. 'Watch Audley if you wish to see a master at work.'

  Fox made a dismissive noise and then said to Ianthe, 'And does he flirt with you?'

  'Oh, always! It is his habit, you know, but he does not really mean it. He does it to provoke me.'

  'He should not.'

  'But because I am his friend, he does. He cannot otherwise practise his skills on young ladies for fear of reprisals.'

  'Nevertheless, I shall go with you to Audley in the morning.'

  'If you must,' shrugged Ianthe with impolite lack of enthusiasm. She had a thought. 'Actually, it might be better. As we are to return after breakfast, you can create a diversion so that we ladies can re-enter the side door without being discovered, should Lady Fox have risen.'

  'Don't you notice, Lord F— … Cousin Edward, that Ianthe seems to turn the littlest things into an adventure?' smiled Lady Richards fondly.

  'I hesitate to disagree, Cousin Emma, but I believe that is more likely disaster than adventure,' said Fox, and closed his eyes to lay
back on the squabs while the ladies exchanged smiles.

  Chapter Ten

  The Third Ride and the Secret Breakfast

  Fox rode over to Audley before them the next morning, and so both he and the marquis were mounted before Ianthe Eames had handed the groom the gig reins and sprung down. Both Purity and Sapphire were ready-saddled, and Lord Edward had the good fortune to witness Miss Richards mount the tall horse with remarkable ease. It was evident that both ladies were excellent horsewomen, but Sally was soon seen to be exceptional.

  His Lordship, here to play the proprieties, he'd thought, somehow got drawn into the ease of the other three. Audley who, although a few years older, he still remembered as a boy, displayed his sardonic humour and charm by turns, and the face he turned to Fox was one of an old companion with whom he had climbed trees and swum as a child. Fox, whose stiff air did not seem to have much starch left in it these last few days, soon relented and enjoyed the ride, still keeping at Ianthe Eames’ side in case his first suspicion might be proved correct. Ianthe and the marquis did spar, but Audley seemed perfectly happy to be ousted from Ianthe's side to gallop ahead with Sally Richards. The pair waited for them several times, and strangely Miss Richards seemed to display neither maidenly shyness nor the servile timidity she displayed with Lady Fox.