The Forthright Lady Gillian, The Fickle Fortune-Hunter

by Amanda Scott

  “Well,” Theo said soothingly, “he will soon know who the real forger is. Who is it, Mr. Townshend? Goodness, the person will be completely ruined.”

  “As to that, miss, it is no more than she deserves, but you could have knocked me over with a feather, for why the sister of someone as grand as Lady Dacres wants to go and do such a—”

  “Mrs. Falworthy!” Theo and Felicia spoke at once.

  “The very same. And mighty upset she was, too, to be confronted. But I’m at a loss for what to do with her now, I can tell you, for there is no law against what she has done. If a robbery had taken place as a result of them forgeries, well that would be a different matter altogether, but—”

  “Good God,” Theo said, looking in dismay at Felicia, “this is dreadful, Felicia. Poor Caroline!”

  Lady Adlam, speaking for the first time since Townshend’s arrival, reached for her salts and said in a wavering tone, “Who is Caroline? Really, Theo, darling, you make my head ache with all these names. Do I know this Mrs. Falworthy?”

  “I don’t know,” Theo said. “She is Lady Dacres’s sister.”

  “Oh, yes, a grasping sort, as I recall, and rather foolish. No doubt she deserves to be ruined.”

  “Perhaps she does, but Caroline does not,” Theo said, “and she will be ruined by association, for it must look as though the whole had been done for her benefit, since Mrs. Falworthy has been sponsoring her. Caroline is Miss Oakley, Mama, and her—”

  “Oakley? Oakley?” Lord Adlam gave them his full attention now. “Look here, is her father in the wine trade?”

  Felicia stared at him. “Oakley and Campion. Of course, but I don’t know, sir. Mr. Oakley is something in the city, to be sure, but I do not think we were ever told just what it is he does. He is very plump in the pocket. That I do know.”

  “Must be John Oakley of Golden Square. Dammit, send that fellow Townshend away directly, Felicity. You can’t make trouble for Oakley’s daughter. He’s got to get me my wine!”

  12

  IN THE END IT was decided that for Miss Oakley’s sake, Townshend would simply inform Mrs. Falworthy that she must withdraw her sponsorship of the girl at once on the excuse of failing health, and then absent herself from Town for the rest of the Season. If she agreed to these conditions, then nothing more would be said and her identity would remain unknown to the rest of the beau monde. If, however, she did not agree, Mr. Townshend was to threaten to make it his business to make certain that everyone soon learned the exact identity of the forger.

  Lady Adlam was confused. “I do not understand, Felicia,” she said with a sigh. “Surely, if this Miss Oakley is a friend of yours, you did not omit her name or that of her patroness from your guest list.”

  Not wanting to demolish Freddy’s recently earned credit with his grandmother, Felicia shot a warning look at Theo and said, “Through an oversight, Mama, some of the invitations were misplaced and not delivered when they ought to have been.”

  “And,” Theo added, “we know Mrs. Falworthy’s was amongst them, because Caroline’s invitation was inscribed with hers and Caroline told Belinda she had not been invited. One supposes that Mrs. Falworthy was determined for them to come anyway, but she must know we’d recall not having sent them a card!”

  Townshend, who had not departed yet, despite his host’s rancor, said, “Didn’t matter, miss. Meant to declare she’d got a fake one if anyone mentioned the fact. No cause to think her the forger, any more than any other victim, and she meant to see there were a good many of them. Asked for fifty cards, she did. Said she had waited and waited for an invitation and couldn’t have her protégée miss the ball of the Season. Very important it was to her to show that she could get her young lady in anywhere. If you want my opinion, Mrs. Falworthy is a bit short of funds and looking to set herself up in the protégée business.”

  Felicia got rid of the runner shortly afterward, and to her father’s repeated admonition that she was to say nothing that would put a rub in the way of Miss Oakley’s pleasure, said she saw no reason for anyone to know the truth about Mrs. Falworthy. “You heard Mr. Townshend, Papa. No actual law was broken, so there is no reason to give out Mrs. Falworthy’s name. I can easily promise you that neither Theo nor I will do so.”

  Theo protested, “But what is Caroline to do without a proper sponsor? She can scarcely go with her mother to such events as she has attended with Mrs. Falworthy, and she has no one else.”

  Felicia, surprised but pleased to see that Theo cared what became of Miss Oakley, said, “We will ask Aunt Augusta to take her under her wing. We might have to explain matters to her, Papa, but you will not mind that she knows, will you?”

  He shook his head. “Augusta’s not the sort of common gossip to open her budget over this sort of affair,” he said. “Just see she knows she is not to speak.” He got up, gathering his letters. “I am going to go and tend to my coins.”

  “I had better tell Aunt Augusta about this at once,” Felicia said. “Do you want to come with me, Theo?”

  Theo grimaced. “I do not know why it must be Aunt Augusta who looks after her, Felicia. I should think Lady Dacres would be a more appropriate person. After all, it is her sister who made such a mull of things, you know. Surely—”

  Lady Adlam said shrilly, “Don’t be nonsensical, Theodosia. Have you not said time and again that Dacres has been casting an eye in Miss Oakley’s direction? Would you throw the two of them together in such a fashion and spoil your own chances?”

  Theo flushed, but said steadily, “I think Dacres will marry where he chooses, in any event, and I would rather not have Caroline Oakley following like my shadow wherever I go. I feel sorry for her, but I do not see why I must share Aunt Augusta with her. Lady Dacres is very conciliating. I am sure—”

  “We cannot go to Lady Dacres,” Felicia said quietly. “Papa is right about keeping the matter quiet, and it would not do, in any case, for us to betray to Lady Dacres that we know her sister did such a thing. To do so would be to make her uncomfortable in our presence. If she does recognize Miss Oakley’s predicament, and chooses to help her, we will know it when Aunt Augusta invites Caroline to join us for dinner before your ball.”

  “I still do not think—”

  Felicia raised a hand, silencing her. “I see I was wrong in thinking you had begun to put others before yourself, Theo. You may come with me to Upper Brook Street or not, as you choose.”

  Hunching a shoulder pettishly, Theo said, “I have things to do here, thank you, but I hope you will not be long, because the children will soon be clamoring to know where you have gone, and I do not wish to spend my whole afternoon entertaining them.”

  Knowing that such a likelihood was extremely remote, Felicia said merely that she would not be long. Then, smiling at Lady Adlam, she added apologetically, “I know you thought I would spend the afternoon with you today, ma’am, but you can see that this is a compelling matter that cannot be settled with a simple note to my aunt, and Theo will not desert you.”

  As diplomatically as possible, she cut short what promised to be a list of unhappy circumstances that had already befallen Lady Adlam that day, and bade her farewell. Stopping briefly in the schoolroom, she informed Freddy that if he continued to be a good boy, she would reward him with a special treat if not the day after the ball, when she would no doubt wish to rest, then certainly on Monday morning. “Perhaps the changing of the Horse Guard, dear. You will like that. Or Mr. Barker’s panorama, or even the Tower menagerie. But you must be extra good these last two days.” When he assured her that he would be “good as an angel,” she hoped he meant at least that he would not annoy her mother or Theo in her absence, and hurried to Upper Brook Street.

  Lady Augusta, when circumstances had been explained to her, clicked her tongue and exclaimed in distaste but agreed it was unfair to assume Miss Oakley had been aware of Mrs. Falworthy’s machinations on her behalf. A note was composed to be sent off next day to the young lady, informing her tha
t Lady Augusta had learned of Mrs. Falworthy’s indisposition and desired Miss Oakley to be her guest at the forthcoming ball.

  “I like the gel,” Lady Augusta said. “No nonsense about her. She don’t seem to have found your idiotish sister’s airs and graces at all contagious, as certain others have done.”

  “Aunt!”

  “I don’t mince my words, Felicity, and if you can look me straight in the face and tell me Theodosia has not behaved as if she thinks herself Queen of the May, then I shall call myself a Dutchman. Fact is, my dear, your sister is greedy. Oh, she can be kind if it suits her, but far too often her kindness is mere condescension. She gathers flatterers, having never learned they are not to be trusted, though her own Papa flatters her and don’t do much else. But the worst is that others try to emulate her. Only look at Belinda Crawley. I ask you, what on earth is that brother of hers about that he has not squelched her?”

  Felicia had been waiting for an opening to defend her sister, but realized now she had nothing to say. Lady Augusta was right. Belinda’s behavior, which everyone agreed was odd, was but a poor reflection of Theo’s. What Theo did naturally and with a certain grace, Belinda did awkwardly because it did not suit her.

  Lady Augusta said, “What has become of Crawley?”

  “I don’t know, ma’am. He went out of town some time ago, and though we expected him to return when Sir Richard was ready to finish Theo’s portrait, he did not do so. His sister thinks he went to Newmarket for the races.”

  “That portrait is finished, is it not? I quite thought Vyne had assured you he would have it here tomorrow.”

  “Oh, yes, he took it away two days ago to finish the last glazing in his studio at home. Once it was dry enough to move, you know, there was no reason to leave it at Adlam House.” And every reason, she thought, to take it away, Theo’s curiosity having grown so great by then that Felicia had doubted that even having given her word would prove enough to keep her sister from breaking down the parlor door to see the portrait.

  “Thought he said Theodosia could see the thing when it was done,” Lady Augusta said.

  “He did, but later he said she needed a lesson. After she tried to peek at it that one time, he told her she would have to wait to see it when everyone else did, at the ball. He has not yet even shown it to Papa.”

  “Serves Theodosia right. That man knows how to handle her. Pity he’s a painter. Good enough family connections, of course, but an artist’s in trade nonetheless, and your sister feels her worth too much to take a man only because he is good for her.”

  “Yes,” Felicia agreed with a sigh, “she does.”

  Thinking of all the brangling that had gone on between the pair of them, she could not really agree that Vyne was good for Theo, but since she saw no good to be achieved by saying so, she changed the subject and soon took her leave, convinced that Lady Augusta would handle Miss Oakley with greater diplomacy than she had ever handled Theo.

  Since she had walked from Park Lane to Upper Brook Street, she had no reason to wait for a carriage but set out at once on foot, walking briskly to the corner and turning into Park Lane, mentally listing the numerous small details that still required her attention before the ball. So absorbed in her thoughts was she that when a carriage drew up at the curbstone beside her, startling her, she shied back, nearly losing her balance.

  “Good God, Miss Adlam, are you all right?”

  “What the devil are you doing?”

  “Aunt Felicia, look at me!”

  All three voices assaulted her ears at once, and before she had recovered her senses to realize that the vehicle was Sir Richard’s phaeton, carrying Crawley and her younger nephew as well as its owner, Crawley had jumped down and caught her by the arm almost, she thought, as if he feared she would run away.

  “You nearly stepped in front of the horses,” he snapped. “What the devil were you thinking, to be out walking without so much as a footman or maid to keep you awake to the traffic?”

  Looking pointedly at his hand on her arm until he released her, Felicia took a small moment to twitch the sleeve of her pelisse into proper shape again before she said with a chill in her voice, “Had you drawn up in a civil manner, sir, I should not have been frightened out of my wits, but since you chose to bring your team to a plunging halt, of course I jumped. I was thinking of all I must do before my aunt’s ball. I see you, Freddy,” she added, smiling up at the little boy, who looked enormously pleased with himself. “Did these gentlemen find you roaming the streets, or did they pay a call to Adlam House?”

  “Sir Richard called,” Freddy said, “and when he said he was going to visit Lord Crawley, I asked if I could go, too, because I thought p’raps his lordship had forgotten my driving lessons, and Sir Richard said I might go with him, and what’s more,” he added happily, “when we got to Lord Crawley’s house, there was no one to hold the horses, ’cause Sir Richard hadn’t got his tiger, so he let me hold them, and he even told me I might walk them if he was gone for long. Only he wasn’t.” He sighed.

  Crawley had her by the arm again. “Come along out of this chill,” he said. “We will see you safely to your door.” Bending nearer, he added, “That fool Dickon ought to have known better than to leave him alone in the carriage. I’ve told him he must not do it again, so you needn’t trouble your head that he will.”

  She looked up gratefully. “Thank you, sir. That does relieve my mind. Freddy has been very good, but I am not fool enough to think he has become a pattern-card of virtue. Still, you needn’t take me up beside you. The phaeton will be too crowded, and it is just a step now, not more than two blocks.”

  “Freddy can jump down and walk, to let you ride in comfort,” Vyne said, ignoring the boy’s indignant look.

  Felicia chuckled. “He would not soon forgive you for that, sir, and truly, I prefer to walk.”

  “Let the boy drive you, Dickon,” Crawley said recklessly. “I will give myself the pleasure of escorting Miss Adlam.”

  Knowing it was useless to object, and rather enjoying the sensation of being looked after, Felicia watched silently as Freddy, with a look of intense concentration, took up the reins and gave Vyne’s team the office to start.

  “Dickon’s blacks are entirely to be trusted, Miss Adlam,” Crawley said calmly. “Had he brought his chestnuts, I’d have had his head for leaving that scamp in charge of them for so much as an instant. Dickon’s got a natural ability to manage his horses, so he does not concern himself much with their faults, and as a result, his chestnuts are hard-mouthed brutes—a challenge even for me to drive, let alone a scrap of a lad like Freddy.”

  She smiled at him. “I did not think for a moment that you would have suggested letting him drive if you did not know it to be safe for him to do so.”

  “So you are learning to trust me, are you?”

  His choice of words struck a nerve, and she realized she was still extremely vexed with him, but whether it was for jumping back into her life so casually after he had seemed to disappear, or for the disappearance itself, she was not certain. And oddly, despite her vexation, she did trust him. She hesitated to betray herself in any way by telling him so, however. And though she longed for the courage to ask if he trusted her, she could not bear to put him to such a test lest he fail it. She could recall too easily the measuring look on his face when she had surprised him looking at the forged invitations. At last she said simply, “I am glad you have returned. Do you mean to attend our ball?”

  “Certainly. Why else do you think I came back?” This was said with a look of such warmth that she felt it to her toes, and her breath seemed to catch in her throat. Then, his expression changing to a look of comical chagrin, he added, “Of course, my sister would tell you that I came back on her account. What has the chit really been doing, to have put everyone in a bustle?”

  “Why, nothing at all to speak about, sir.”

  “Don’t play the half-wit with me, my dear girl. I have it on excellent authority that B
ella has been making a complete fool of herself, affecting all the airs and graces of an imperial duchess. My sorely afflicted parent has commanded that I put a stop to it, but I confess, I do not know how.”

  She glanced up at him, wondering if for once he had come to seek advice rather than to give it, but he was looking at her in that warm way she had noticed earlier, and she could think of nothing sensible to say. She decided she would do well to speak to Dawlish at the earliest opportunity, however.

  Crawley did not seem to expect a direct response from her, however, for all he said was, “I depend upon you to tell me all I have missed since I left Town.” Willingly, she recited several amusing crim con stories, and was in the middle of one of them when they reached Adlam House, where Sir Richard, having sent Freddy on inside, was amusing himself while he waited to take Crawley up again by conversing with the mongrel, who was loudly objecting to the phaeton’s presence at his curb. Crawley shooed him off, and told Vyne he would walk to Brooks’s later to meet him if he still meant to go to the theater that evening. “Must discover this New Way to Pay Old Debts,” he added, laughing.

  “Oh,” Felicia said, recognizing the title of the latest comedy to attract London theater-goers, “are you going to Covent Garden tonight? We are going, too, and then to dinner at Crofton House afterward. Shall ... shall we see Lord Dawlish as well?”

  Crawley looked at her sharply. “Don’t tell me that in my absence you’ve gone over at the knees for Dawlish.”

  Feeling heat in her cheeks, she said, “No, no. We simply have not seen very much of him lately.”

  “Oh, you haven’t!” His brows were knitted together, and she was grateful to Sir Richard for diverting him by shouting that he would join him for the theater but not to think he meant to spend the greater part of the evening doing the fancy. Then, with a flourish of his whip, he drove off, and Crawley, taking her by the arm again and urging her up the steps and through the door Freddy had left open, said curtly, “Tell me about Dawlish.”