Lord Clifford's Dilemma

by Oliver, Marina

  'Very well. I admire Miss Markby, and she is young enough to be a more welcome companion to Annamarie on social occasions than I would be. I will see her mother tomorrow.'

  'And when they come to dinner next week we can discuss arrangements. Meanwhile I will send Dawson to London to open up the house.'

  *

  Before Lady Palgrave's visit Lady Markby had another visitor. Sir Percy was ensconced in the drawing room when Elizabeth returned from her drive with Lord Clifford.

  'My dear, come and hear Sir Percy's news. He intends to rent Corby Manor for the winter. Isn't that interesting? We can enlarge our circle.'

  Elizabeth stared at her mother in horror. Had she gone mad? Corby Manor was no more than a mile away from Markby Court. While she and Henry were children, they and the family who had lived there had visited one another almost every day. There was even a short cut through the park, which reduced the distance by half.

  Sir Percy, coming towards her with outstretched hands, smiled ingratiatingly.

  'I look forward to seeing much more of you, my dear, now our paths have crossed again. I want you to get to know my children. They are delightful girls, and I am a very proud father.'

  'I think most fathers are proud of their offspring,' Elizabeth replied, avoiding his attempt to catch her hand in his, and retreating behind a sopha. 'Mama, please excuse me, I have some important letters to write. Sir Percy, good day.'

  Later, at dinner, Lady Markby upbraided Elizabeth.

  'You were rather rude, my dear, to leave us like that. Sir Percy was a little annoyed, I could tell.'

  'Mama, you know how badly that man treated me eight years ago. I have no desire ever to meet him again, and the very idea that he might be appearing at Markby Court on an almost daily basis, or I would meet him in the village or at church, is horrifying.'

  'I suspect he is deeply regretting the way he behaved to you then, my dear Elizabeth, but he was young too, remember. He told me he wished to make amends in any way he could, and I really do believe he has never lost his regard for you, and if only you gave him another chance, he would be a very suitable husband.'

  Elizabeth had to take several deep breaths before she could reply with any degree of civility.

  'I have been grateful we never married,' she said carefully. 'I was an inexperienced girl, foolish, flattered, and full of romantic notions. I am not, now. I would never again consider marrying Sir Percy. He, if it is his intention, and you, might plead with me all day to change my mind, but I never will. If he refuses to take the hint and does not leave me alone I will go and spend the winter with Felicity. She would understand and support me.'

  Henry glanced up at her.

  'Do you mean old Percy Royle is making up to you again? If that don't beat all.'

  'He'll have no chance if I can help it. How did he even know Corby Manor was available?'

  'I told him, dear. He was asking about places in Kent, when he was here before, since for some reason he didn't explain he has to leave his Hampshire house soon. I understood from Lord Clifford that it belonged to his late wife, but I may have been mistaken.'

  'I wish you had not mentioned it,' Elizabeth said, far more mildly than she felt. 'But I mean what I say. I will not remain there with him nearby.'

  'You cannot desert me, leave me alone in Kent, Elizabeth! You know how much I depend on you.'

  'You should have thought of that before encouraging that man milliner to believe he would be welcome in my home. I am sorry if I appear rude, but it's beyond everything, to think I may be forced to be pleasant to such a man. Now please excuse me, I have no more appetite.'

  *

  Still furious on the following morning Elizabeth rode to visit Felicity. Normally she drove, preferring the carriage on what was a busy road, but she was so restless she needed the exercise.

  Felicity was indignant on her behalf.

  'How did the wretched man get round your mother?'

  'I've been puzzling over that myself. I suspect he told her that he might rent or even buy Corby Manor, and she thinks that if I married him and were living there, I would be almost as much at her beck and call as I am now. If I married anyone else I would move away.'

  'Are you considering marrying someone else?

  'Of course not! There is no one else.'

  'There is your Lord Clifford.'

  'He is not mine! It's just that we have been thrown together because of Henry's ridiculous infatuation with his ward.'

  'So that was the reason he invited you to visit his home?'

  'I don't know any longer what his motives were.'

  She told Felicity of his lordship's admission that he had supported Henry's cause simply to tease her, though she did not repeat his comments about how emotion enhanced her beauty. Felicity burst into laughter.

  'That proves it. If he really does not favour Henry it must be your interest he wants.'

  She rode back to Brighton that afternoon in an even more agitated mood than before. What did she want? She liked Lord Clifford, and admitted to herself that her feelings were even warmer than liking, but that was all. She had, for so many years, been determined never to marry that the slightest hint she might be contemplating it frightened her. Sir Percy had let her down badly. Could she ever trust another man?

  *

  Lady Palgrave returned to report her success in persuading Lady Markby to accept his invitation.

  'She was rather disturbed, I think, because she said Elizabeth was being unreasonable, and they had almost quarrelled. I don't know why, but it was something to do with Sir Percy Royle. He came to your dinner at Crossways. It seems he has rented a property near to Markby Court and was proposing to visit them at their home in Kent, and Elizabeth took exception to the idea. Poor Lady Markby, she was most bewildered, but your invitation might give them all time to think again, smooth over whatever it was Elizabeth did not like. And certainly, the notion that she would have Henry under her eye appealed to her. She is a conscientious mother.'

  That was not how Lord Clifford would have described her, but he was satisfied. He understood why Elizabeth had been angry to have Percy Royle on her doorstep, but it had helped his own designs, if she wished to escape him. Elizabeth would be under his roof for several weeks, she would help control Annamarie, and at an appropriate time he could propose to her. It was all working out to his satisfaction.

  He sent for Annamarie and told her they were going to London for the Little Season.

  'Really? Oh Crispin, darling Crispin, thank you!'

  Her use of his name, something she had adopted during the past few months, which had never before struck him as unusual, coupled with the endearment, made him wonder if Elizabeth had been right in her assessment of his ward's feelings. He still didn't quite believe it, but there was now a doubt in his mind. The sooner he was wed the better.

  He laid down many rules as to her behaviour in London and Annamarie blithely accepted all of them without comment. Her very compliance gave him cause for doubt, but it was done now, and he began to make preparations for the move. His business in Brighton could be completed in a day or so. He wrote to his agent at Crossways to alert him to the change of plan, and arrange for extra servants to be sent to Berkeley Square. And he avoided Elizabeth.

  She was coming. That was what was important. He had no wish to give her any cause to persuade Lady Markby to change her mind.

  *

  The house on the Steine was in a state of turmoil when Elizabeth returned. Trunks and boxes were being brought down from the attics, she could hear her mother's shrill instructions as she mounted the stairs to her own bedroom, where she found Meg putting her shoes in a trunk.

  'What in the world is going on?' she demanded.

  'Oh, Miss Elizabeth, we're going to London, and Lady Markby wants to start packing straight away.'

  'To London? When? And why?'

  Meg cast up her eyes.

  'Not for a week, I think, though Lady Markby says that even
if the Prince Regent can do the journey in five hours or less she has no intention of travelling at such a pace. She will take two days over the journey, and stay one night at Crawley.'

  'But my mother hates going to London. What has brought on this start?'

  'I don't know, Miss Elizabeth, but Lady Palgrave was here for quite a time, and it was after she left that your mother began to give instructions for the packing.'

  'I see. I think.'

  Elizabeth was thinking furiously as she went down to her mother's bedroom. Lady Markby was sitting in a chair beside the window, while the bed was piled high with gowns.

  'No, not that one, Joan, I wish to wear that one when we dine with his lordship later this week.'

  'Mama!'

  She indicated to Joan to leave them alone, and the maid thankfully departed.

  'Yes dear? There you are. Where on earth have you been all day? I needed you.'

  'I went to see Felicity. I told you so at breakfast.'

  'So you did. In the excitement I had forgot.'

  'What is all this? Meg says we are going to London. What has made you decide to go when normally you detest the place? And in such a hurry. We still have this house for another month.'

  'Yes, dear, but I could not permit such an opportunity to be lost. Dear Lord Clifford has invited us to stay with him during the Little Season. He thinks we will be able to help control Annamarie.'

  Elizabeth breathed deeply. So that devious man, having failed in his first attempt to persuade her to go to London and act duenna to the wretched girl, had tried and apparently succeeded in a flanking attack.

  'Did he invite you himself?' she asked in a deceptively calm voice. Inside she was seething with fury.

  'No, he sent dear Lady Palgrave, knowing what great friends we had become.'

  Devious. But she had to give him top marks for knowing her mother and what would appeal to that lady.

  She retreated to her room to consider it more calmly. She apparently had a choice of being faced with Sir Percy's unwelcome presence in Kent, and the constant fear that she would encounter him at any moment, and at all the houses in the neighbourhood, or going to London and being entertained in Lord Clifford's house, expected to take her part in supervising his ward, accompanying her to balls and other activities. She did not wish for either, but unless she threw herself on Felicity's mercy, she knew deep down that there was no choice. She detested Sir Percy, and was becoming too dependent on Lord Clifford's goodwill. She was not, she told herself firmly, other than mildly attracted to a pleasant, friendly man. She could, and would, be careful not to permit her feelings to grow stronger, even though she was well aware of the difficulty in such a plan.

  Having resolved that she began to wonder what Henry's behaviour would be like, when he was once more living in the same house as Annamarie. In London they would be thrown together more than in the country, on a big estate where people could escape to ride or walk, and where there were several parlours and other rooms where people could be alone. In London there would be numerous social events to attend, and a smaller house where they would be likely to encounter one another frequently. Would Annamarie find another man to enslave? Would she behave in such a fashion as to finally disgust Henry? And would she herself, in her unasked-for position as unofficial duenna, be able to restrain Annamarie from her wild exploits?

  *

  On the following day, after a sleepless night, Elizabeth decided to visit Donaldson's to make a final selection of books for Felicity's school. She had promised her friend to do this for her, and to arrange for their delivery. By now she knew the staff at the library well, and they had promised to look out suitable books for her. She spent an hour with them, selecting and discarding books, until she was satisfied it was a varied selection likely to interest those of Felicity's pupils who were ready to start reading a book.

  She went out, meaning to go straight home, but it was a pleasant day, and she dreaded facing the upheaval there, so she walked down to the beach, and strolled along just above the shingle. She watched the sturdy men who carried squealing or laughing ladies out to the boxes on wheels, the bathing machines which were then drawn into deeper water by the patient horses. The bathers then descended, and any who were reluctant, Elizabeth had heard, were unceremoniously ducked by the brawny attendants. They were out of sight to some extent once they reached there, but Elizabeth knew some young men rented rooms on Marine Parade from where, with the help of telescopes, they could see something of the bathers. Henry had a friend who did this, but her brother, after one experience, had remarked that it was unexciting, the ladies were swathed in voluminous costumes making them look like inflated hot air balloons.

  She reached the first of the groyns which divided the beach, and reluctantly turned back, only to almost collide with Sir Percy.

  'Well met, my dear. Your mother said I might find you here or at Donaldson's. I hear you are escaping from me by going to London? I wish I could follow you there, but now I have family responsibilities. But before it is too late, I have to make my feelings known to you.'

  Elizabeth stared at him in dismay. Would the fellow never cease to plague her?

  'I have no wish to hear them, sir,' she said curtly and tried to walk past him, but he grasped her arm and detained her. Short of screaming for help she could not escape.

  'My dear, I have tried to apologize for my dreadful behaviour when we were both too young to know what we were doing, but I have never ceased to love you. You really have been my only true love, and many times I have regretted my behaviour that kept us apart. But it may not be too late. I believe you still have some fondness for me, or you would have married.'

  'You said that before, sir, and I have told you I have no fondness for you, none at all. Now pray release me. I want nothing more to do with you.'

  'But Elizabeth, I still want to marry you. I am still in love with you, perhaps more than I was in those days. Having been married, to a woman I esteemed but did not love, I now know what I want, and it is you.'

  'How often do I have to tell you your attentions are unwelcome? Indeed, they are more, they are a pernicious, intolerable persecution. They annoy and irritate me. You never loved me, only my fortune. Are you still looking for a fortune? Is that my renewed attraction for you? Have you run through the last one? Well, Sir Percy, of this you can be assured, my money will never become yours!'

  He had gone white around the mouth, and there was an ugly look in his eyes.

  'If you treat all your suitors in this fashion, no wonder you are still unwed!' he snarled. 'If you ever had any suitors after me, that is. Don't imagine Clifford will marry you, he has more sense.'

  He shook her arm as he spoke, and Elizabeth, by now frightened as well as angry, looked round for help. There were a couple of middle aged men standing a short distance away, looking at them, no doubt attracted by the raised voices.

  'Please, sirs, pray help me,' she called. 'This wretch will not leave me alone.'

  'You'll regret this, I promise you,' he hissed as they moved hesitantly towards her, then he released her and stood back.

  'I've no intention of hurting the jade,' he told them, 'even though she has robbed me.'

  'Only of your self-esteem!' Elizabeth snapped. 'Thank you, sirs.'

  Without more ado she left them, and forced herself not to look back to see whether he was following her. She was, however, thankful when the door of the house closed behind her. She reached her room and leaned back against the door. Thank heavens she was not going to Kent, to have to encounter him and his venom.

  *

  Chapter 12

  The house in Berkeley Square was larger than Elizabeth had expected, much larger than the Markby house in Mount Street. The entrance hall was spacious, with an elegant sweeping staircase curling round at the far end. When the Markby travelling carriage arrived the family were shown into a saloon on the entrance floor for some refreshments while the footmen carried the trunks upstairs.

&nbs
p; Lady Markby had insisted on them all spending a night in Crawley, much to Henry's disgust. He had been planning to rival the Prince Regent's time, driving his curricle, and resented his mother's decree that they had to have a man to supervise everyone at the coaching inn. When he discovered she also insisted on his driving behind the lumbering travelling coach he had almost rebelled, and it had taken some sharp words from Elizabeth before he grudgingly complied.

  It was as well they broke the journey. They had been so late starting out, due to Lady Markby's sudden demands to be told whether something she had just thought about had been put in this trunk or that, it was almost dark before they reached Crawley. They were not planning to return to Brighton, but to go straight home to Kent from London, so everything had to be packed. Elizabeth patiently explained that the servants who were to be left behind would close up the house, and transport any small things that had been forgotten, but Lady Markby was still not reassured. Elizabeth considered it a minor miracle when, on the second day, they finally drew up outside Clifford House in the late afternoon.

  Annamarie was with Lord Clifford and Lady Palgrave in the saloon, and greeted them all with a sunny smile. Henry, who had been looking apprehensive, relaxed.

  'I went shopping this morning, in Grafton House. We bought yards and yards of muslin and trimmings, did we not, Lady Palgrave? You must go there soon, Elizabeth. There is a much better selection than in Brighton.'

  'You must take me there,' Elizabeth said, and turned to his lordship. 'How was your journey, sir?'

  'Comfortable, despite our speed. Your slower journey has not tired you out, I trust, Lady Markby?'

  'I am weary, naturally. It has been a huge upheaval, but I know dear Lady Palgrave and your own servants will look after me,' Lady Markby said, her voice considerably weaker than the tones she had used when instructing Joan as to which gowns she required first from the several trunks containing them.