They could not sit here wallowing in recriminations and misery, it would be bad for her and the babies. ‘Papa, would you be so kind as to order coffee and refreshments to be brought here. It might be some time before Fitzwilliam can join us, and we need to have come up with some ideas before he does get here. Also I think that Jane and Bingley should be fetched from next door.’
Giving him something to do was the right move, he straightened his shoulders and began to look more like a man that she recognised, and not the shrivelled old gentleman he had temporarily become. Jane and Bingley arrived at the same time as the refreshments. When they had both read the letters they were equally distressed.
‘Darcy and I must depart for London at once – God knows how many villains Wickham might have drawn into his scheme.’ Bingley was not famous for his decision-making but today he appeared quite fierce.
‘If we send a letter by express delivery that should arrive before either you or Darcy, should it not?’ Jane said.
‘I believe it would, they are delivered night or day. I well remember the one that came to Longbourn announcing that Lydia had run off with Wickham without benefit of clergy.’ Papa was on his feet. ‘I shall go at once and write a letter to King telling him what has transpired; he must be warned to be extra vigilant until we can apprehend the thieves.’
Lizzy exchanged a worried glance with her sister. ‘He has taken Lydia’s perfidy badly, Jane, I fear he will hand both of them over to the magistrate when they are found. I shall never be able to forgive our sister, but I would not wish for her to be thrown into jail.’
‘I’m sure it will not come to that, although I should be sanguine about Wickham being incarcerated. Perhaps we can arrange for them to move permanently abroad thus avoiding a scandal at Pemberley.’
The pounding of heavy boots alerted her to the arrival of Fitzwilliam. The doors crashed open and he erupted into the room his face ashen and his hair in disarray. His sudden entry caused her to drop her coffee cup into her lap.
This accident was enough to restore his equilibrium ‘My darling, I feared you had had a mishap or gone into premature labour. Whatever the reason for my summons, it cannot be as bad as what I feared.’
‘Don’t stand there grinning at me like that, sir, help me to my feet so that I might return to our apartment and put on something dry. I shall explain why you were needed as we go.’
When he had heard the appalling story he was less upset than she was. ‘I think you are refining too much on this, sweetheart, however much Wickham and Lydia stole it will not be sufficient to gain them entry to the ton. I think they will do their best to spread malicious rumours, but even if it reaches the ears of those that matter, they will dismiss it for what it is.’
He was acting as her lady’s maid as they had no wish to have their conversation listened to by anyone, even staff as loyal as those working at Pemberley. Once she was freshly attired he put his arm around her and gently guided her back to join the others in the small drawing room.
More coffee had been fetched and the atmosphere in the chamber was a little less fraught. Her father had written his letter and Jane and Bingley were reading it.
‘Lizzy and I think that there is no need to overreact. A letter should suffice to warn King to pay extra vigilance when Georgiana is out and about.’ He gestured to the missive. ‘Might I be permitted to also read that, Mr Bennet?’
The paper was handed across and she watched him study it before he handed it to her. Now she understood the blank expressions upon her sister’s and her husband’s faces. The letter was so extreme in its vehemence, so exaggerated in the risk involved, that it could not possibly be sent.
Fitzwilliam nodded and folded the letter. ‘Leave this to me, sir, I shall frank it myself and get it sent. If you would excuse me, I will deal with it immediately.’ He was able to whisper to her as he pretended to fuss with her comforter. ‘I shall pen another, he will never know.’
Chapter Seventeen
The musicale was as tedious as Georgiana had anticipated, even the appearance of Stefania Rovedino, a famous opera singer, could not save the evening. Mary was invited to perform but politely declined and the five of them left as early as was considered polite. Cousin Anthea had declined to accompany them, claiming she had the headache.
In the carriage on the way back she sat with Mary and Kitty on either side and Adam and Jonathan were opposite. Despite the lateness of the hour the streets were busy; dozens of carriages rumbled in each direction over the cobbles and countless gentlemen, resplendent in top hats and cloaks, strode along the pavements.
‘I sincerely hope we are not committed to attending another evening of such excruciating boredom,’ Adam said from the darkness.
‘I believe there are no more such events before our ball,’ Georgiana told him. ‘We are going to a private supper party tomorrow night – no, I should say tonight – and the following evening we go to the come out ball for Lord Barnstable’s daughter.’
‘I can hardly wait, my love, but I fear that so much excitement is not good for a rough soldier.’
Georgiana was tempted to kick him but in her thin slippers she would come off worse. ‘I cannot imagine why you gentlemen complain. We are the ones that are obliged to suffer on these grand occasions.’
The coach rocked as he sat upright and his knees pressed into hers. ‘How is that possible? You ladies flit about in your beautiful gowns leaving us poor fellows to flounder in your wake.’
‘You have no need to spend an age getting dressed – have to make so many difficult decisions about what items to put on – you can appear in your uniform and Adam in his black, but Mary, Kitty and I cannot be seen in the same outfit twice.’
Kitty took up the refrain. ‘Georgiana is quite correct. It would be easier if we were debutantes, then we could appear in white and one white gown looks very much like another.’
The carriage rocked to a halt outside their house and further conversation on this interesting topic was abandoned. Mary, who had fallen asleep, was picked up by Adam and carried in.
‘My sister will not be happy about this, Georgiana, she does not like to be touched by anyone.’
‘Your husband is being kind, Kitty, how can she object to that? Anyway, she probably will not remember how she got from the carriage to her bedchamber. I saw her consume two glasses of champagne and I believe the alcohol has sent her prematurely to sleep.’
Georgiana hurried ahead to open Mary’s bedroom door for Adam. He placed his burden gently on the coverlet and with a friendly smile hurried after Kitty – no doubt to indulge in bedroom sport. A delicious warmth flooded through her at the thought of what that this might entail. She could not wait until she was a wife like her dearest friend. She left Mary in the hands of her maid and stepped out into the flickering light of the sconces.
The passageway was deserted, Jonathan had his room on the far side of the building and Kitty and Adam had not waited to say goodnight. Her beloved had told her this evening that he could only spend two more nights away from his regiment and this meant she would be obliged to attend functions without his protection.
Her engagement was official; and she proudly wore the pretty diamond ring Jonathan had given her. Even without a ring on her finger no one could be in any doubt that she and Jonathan were betrothed. He had guarded her like a mother hen with a single chick and she had not been approached by either hopeful gentlemen or their mamas.
She wanted to return home when he left, she had no wish to remain in Town without him to escort her. In fact, strangely enough, Mary was the only member of their party who seemed eager to stay. Having originally insisted that she did not like gaiety of any sort, she had now quite changed her mind and was the liveliest of the three of them.
As Georgiana settled for the night she tried to recall the names of the gentlemen who had paid Mary attention tonight. None of them were exceptional, although one did seem to have caught Mary’s eye. What was his name? She frowned in
the darkness trying to bring his features to the forefront of her mind.
The young man had been above average height with mouse-brown hair and regular features – she could not recall his name however hard she tried – but she did remember he had eyes of a strange violet colour and a charming smile. He had escorted Mary into supper and she had enjoyed his attention.
She must ask Kitty if he was eligible before Mary’s affections were engaged. The fact that Fitzwilliam had made Mary a substantial heiress, as well as her being an attractive young lady, had elevated her to the status of being one of the most sought-after young ladies of the year. How much had changed in the last six months and all of it for the better.
The informal supper party turned out to be a far grander occasion than any of them had anticipated. There were more than a hundred guests and provision had been made for those who wished to play cards, for those who wished to converse in a quiet environment, but also for those that wished to dance. A trio of elderly aunts were to take turns at the piano throughout the evening.
The only drawback had been the sad squash in the carriage. Mary had been obliged to sit on Adam’s lap in order to accommodate Cousin Anthea.
‘Well, my dears, this is all most satisfactory,’ Cousin Anthea said as she looked around the gathering. ‘Sufficient people to make the evening interesting, but not so many as to make it a crush.’
‘Mary, Mr Colby is approaching. Do you wish to dance with him or shall I scare him off?’
‘I would prefer to stay with you all for the moment, Mr King, so I would be most grateful if you could prevent him from asking me. If I refuse then I shall be unable to dance later if I change my mind.’
Adam intercepted the young man and spoke quietly to him, Mr Colby nodded and headed off towards the card room.
‘What did you say to him? I do hope he didn’t take offence,’ Mary said when Adam returned.
‘I told him you intended to play cards but would be delighted to dance after supper. So I suppose we had better find a table and play a hand or two.’
The card room was filling up and they had difficulty finding a table with six empty chairs, but between them Adam and Jonathan succeeded. Once they were all seated Cousin Anthea took charge.
‘Shall we play a hand or two of Loo? I assume that all of you know the rules and it is a game that can accommodate any number of players.’
After an enjoyable half an hour Georgiana put down her cards. ‘I think it is silly for us to be playing cards here when we could do so perfectly well at home. I wish to dance, I am sure that I overheard someone saying there was to be a waltz or two played tonight and I have yet to perform this in public.’
Kitty was on her feet immediately. ‘We must go at once, I too long to waltz with my husband.’
‘Mary, my dear, you must not accept an invitation to waltz – in my opinion it is a fast dance and best left to young ladies who are already spoken for.’
‘I believe that might be the case, ma’am, at Almack’s and if one was a debutante. But I have been out these past two years and believe it will be acceptable for me to waltz if I am invited.’ Mary’s eyes were sparkling and she looked quite enchanting.
‘In which case, I shall say no more. However, I would suggest that you don’t dance with anyone you have not been formally introduced to. I’m sure that you have no wish to appear a flighty miss.’
Mary dipped in a curtsy but did not reply. As they made their way towards the sound of the piano being played with more verve than skill Georgiana took Jonathan’s arm.
‘No doubt Mary will be waiting for an invitation from Mr Colby. He seems a pleasant enough young man but I wish we knew more about him.’
‘Adam and I can make enquiries tomorrow. Until then we will keep a sharp eye on them and see that nothing untoward takes place.’
When they reached the room set aside for dancing there was an eager buzz of anticipation amongst those waiting there. At the first notes of a waltz a ripple of excitement flooded through her. Jonathan took her hand and led her onto the floor.
The experience was magical, she felt like a princess in a fairy tale as she was whisked around the floor in the arms of the man she loved. She scarcely had time to take notice of who else was dancing but when the waltz came to an end she glanced around.
‘Look, Mary did dance with Mr Colby.’ As she watched, the young man bowed and led his partner back to Cousin Anthea. Only then did Georgiana become aware that the beady eyes of several tabbies appeared to be fixed on Mary.
‘Do you see that, Jonathan? I fear Mary might have become the focus of disapproval from the matrons sitting over there.’
‘My cousin appears to have drawn the same conclusion. She has sent Mr Colby packing and is on her feet. I believe we are beating a retreat before insurmountable opposition.’
Despite the gravity of the situation she could not stop a bubble of mirth escaping. ‘We cannot leave until we have Kitty and Adam. They are not on the dance floor – surely they participated? Kitty was so eager to waltz.’
Cousin Anthea greeted them with a tight smile. ‘This is an unmitigated disaster, I knew Mary should not waltz in public but she would go her own way and now her reputation is in tatters.’
‘That’s coming it a bit strong, Cousin. This is an informal party, she was supervised at all times, how can this have damaged her good name?’
They were now heading for the stairs and Kitty and Adam were waiting for them, their expressions grave. Throughout this retreat Mary had been silent, she did not protest at being removed from the gaiety, indeed, a small smile played about her lips as if she knew something they did not.
Once they were safely in their carriage the reason for the hurried exit became clear. ‘It would seem that Colby is not what he appears. He has a reputation for playing fast and loose with a young lady’s affections.’
‘How dreadful! But hopefully the damage has been minimal, Mary has only danced with him twice and has never been alone in his company.’ Georgiana put her hand on Mary’s but she moved hers away as if resenting her touch.
As soon as they were home Mary retired leaving the five of them to discuss the disaster. Cousin Anthea said what they were all thinking. ‘Mary spent far too much time with Mr Colby at the musicale and this was also noted by those who were there. She seems in a fair way to falling under his spell.’
‘I have discovered Colby is the son of a wealthy landowner and although not exactly rich, he has more than enough blunt not to be considered a fortune hunter,’ Adam said.
‘I’m not sure if that is worse than being a philanderer,’ Cousin Anthea said gloomily. ‘We must endeavour to keep Mary safe from him. In future she must dance only with gentlemen that have been vetted by us.’ She put down her teacup and saucer. ‘I shall retire. I apologise for my failure tonight – I should have been more vigilant.’
Kitty and Adam soon followed Cousin Anthea leaving her and Jonathan alone. He yawned and then apologised. ‘I find all this gallivanting damnably tiring, sweetheart. I would much rather be outside in the fresh air than cooped up with overdressed, over perfumed strangers.’
‘I agree with you, I am not enjoying my time in Town. Does that make me an unnatural young lady? Are we not supposed to enjoy every minute of our Season?’
‘In which case, you will not be sad to return to Pemberley after the ball?’
‘I should like to go back immediately; I don’t like to be away whilst Lizzy and Jane are in an interesting condition.’
He moved slowly towards her and her heart skipped a beat. She closed the gap and he encircled her with his arms, drawing her closer until her cheek rested against the rough fabric of his uniform. She sighed, relaxing into his embrace, knowing this was where she was meant to be.
They stood like this for a few moments and then he kissed the top of her head. ‘We must retire, we are keeping the servants up unnecessarily. I am counting the days until you become my wife. Even though you have said you wish to remai
n with your brother until I am discharged, I’m beginning to think that you would actually enjoy following the drum.’
‘I had been intending to speak to you on this subject, my love, for I have come to the same conclusion. If you consider it safe for me to be with you abroad, then I shall come. Of course, I would not remain once I was increasing.’
His arms tightened and she looked up expectantly. This kiss was long and lingering, his mouth demanding against hers and the pleasure and thrill of it made her go weak at the knees. With obvious reluctance he raised his head and brushed a thumb across her swollen lips.
‘Goodnight, darling, we will talk of this again in the morning.’
Georgiana was rather dreading going down for breakfast as she fully expected there to be some sort of scene from Mary when she was told she could no longer be associated with Mr Colby. In fact the girl accepted the news with a shrug.
‘I scarcely know him; he is a very attractive gentleman and an excellent dancer. However, I was not developing a tendre for him, if that is what you all feared.’
Cousin Anthea, who was leading the discussion, nodded her approval. ‘I’m delighted to hear you say so, my dear, if you behave with modesty and decorum for the next few days I am sure the incident will soon be forgotten.’
‘I wish to purchase fresh ribbons for my best bonnet, Georgiana, would you and Kitty care to come with me?’ Mary looked from one to the other hopefully.
‘I intend to spend the morning lazing about indoors,’ Kitty said, ‘but will rouse myself if you really need me to accompany you.’
‘Jonathan and I intend to ride in the park, so I’m afraid I cannot come,’ Georgiana added.
Mary turned to Cousin Anthea. ‘Do I have your permission to go by myself?’
‘I have no objection, my dear, as long as you take a footman and your maid. The walk is no more than half a mile and Bond Street is a perfectly acceptable place for a young lady to promenade without an escort.’
A Scandal at Pemberley Page 15
