Lady Alice's Dilemma (Regency Belles and Beaux Book 1)

by Michele McGrath

  “Come in, Master Philip,” Miss Fennimore called. “It’s only Miss Alice.”

  The door opened and Philip stepped into the room. He took his sister’s hand and kissed her cheek.

  “I’m glad you’re here. I take it you got back into Aunt’s house safely last night?”

  “I did but it was a near run thing. One of the housemaids almost caught me, I was so late. How is Celia?”

  “Still asleep. I heard you talking; so I came to find out who had called, in case there was trouble.”

  “Sleep is the best thing for the poor lady,” Miss Fennimore said briskly. “She needs to rest and, when she wakes up, I’ll bring her one of my possets, which always built you children up after you had been sick. We will have her well directly, don’t you worry about that.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” Philip replied, with a smile.

  Chapter Eight

  Miss Fennimore brewed tea and served them both. When she went to fetch more water from the scullery, Alice asked,

  “What story did you tell to account for your presence here, Philip?”

  “Why, that Celia is my wife. She was taken ill as we were driving to Dover. It’s nearly true and what I would do in such a case.”

  “It’s a good tale and one that Amelia, my sister, swallowed readily enough.” Miss Fennimore came through the door, jug in hand and had obviously overheard his answer. “She doesn’t know about the trouble Master Philip was in. I never told her and she doesn’t move in the circles where it would be discussed. If Master Philip hadn’t given me the real reason why he acted as he did, I would have insisted he take Mrs. Staunton straight back home. As it is, I trust that he will make sure that she is settled somewhere, where she is safe from her husband, even though Master Philip cannot marry her. It’s a dreadful situation, so the fewer people to know the truth the better. I told Amelia that Master Philip and his wife had been visiting friends on the way to France. Finding himself in difficulties near here, he naturally came to me for help. Amelia does not need to know anything more and she isn’t a curious person. You are quite safe here.”

  “You would slay dragons, to keep any of us from harm, wouldn’t you, Fenny?”

  The governess laughed. “Dragons are the least of my worries, Master Philip.”

  Alice smiled as she watched their by-play but she was worried.

  “You will be missed in London, Philip. You have been out in society so much and your sudden absence is sure to be remarked. People will ask about you. What do you want me to say to them if I am questioned?”

  “Why should you be?”

  “You’ve been particular in your attentions to me and no one knows we are brother and sister. Even Edward noticed it and warned me that our parents would not consider a penniless Frenchman a good match for me!”

  Philip laughed. “Did he indeed? Clever of him. He’s right for more reasons than he suspects. I mixed in society to find out about Celia. If I had tried other ways, it would have been suspicious. As a supposed foreigner, I didn’t want to be deported until I found out what I wanted to know. I have been under observation all the time I have been here. Roper has hardly left my side.”

  “Roper? Do you suspect him of watching you?”

  “He’s a friendly fellow, but, for a man employed at the Admiralty, it is amazing how often he finds himself free to accompany me wherever I choose to go. I’d say he’s been given orders to follow me and report on my activities. It’s what we would do in France after all, if the situation was reversed. Fouché’s police agents watched everyone, but most especially foreigners. Why should the English authorities be any different? I am known as a Frenchman who has worked for the Emperor and been high in his circles. Until I leave, they want to make sure I’m not hatching plots against this country or its rulers. My disappearance will cause tongues to wag and not just in society but in the government too. Unfortunately it may also reflect badly on Roper, poor man. I have served him a bad turn by disappearing, one I never intended. Be careful what you say to him.”

  “I will, now you have warned me. Fortunately, he comes to see Kitty not me. She’s distressed because Edward won’t let her marry him.”

  “Is she? Edward’s wrong about that. Roper is a good fellow, even if he is an English spy. As long as he doesn’t interfere with me I bear him no grudge.”

  He fell silent as Alice chatted to her governess about other matters. After a while, he lifted his head and said,

  “You’re right what you say, Alice. People will ask you about me. Say that you don’t know. Maybe I’ve gone into the country to visit someone. It’s the truth near enough. I’ll write to Roper, though, and tell him that I had to return to France unexpectedly saying that I received a message my uncle is seriously ill. Roper has been very kind to me and a pleasant companion, orders or no. In other circumstances, I would call him a friend. I like the man and this way he can report the fact to his superiors. They would then have no further cause to go searching after me.”

  “Would it not be better for you to come back to London for a little time while Celia is recovering here? Fenny would take good care of her and you would be able to divert any suspicion. The gossip will be worse if you just vanish like a thief in the night. Celia is also sure to be missed, of course and someone may even remember the old scandal and wonder if the Frenchman was you in disguise.”

  “Why should they? If my own former acquaintances did not recognise me when I first appeared, I doubt anyone will. I changed my appearance, as you know, and I am grown older. Boys I went to school with did not know who I was when I met them again and they accepted me as the Baron.” His eyes twinkled. “I must admit I enjoyed hoaxing them, especially the ones I disliked.”

  Alice would not be diverted. “Celia’s name was coupled with yours once. Staunton, for one, is sure to remember you and make enquiries. Once you are mentioned as having left in a hurry, it is possible that he may connect the two disappearances.”

  “Let him, but that is another reason for not returning to London. I certainly don’t want him to recognise me and he just might. Hatred can have strange effects. I promised Celia last night that I would not leave her. I did so once before and condemned her to further misery. I won’t do so again.”

  Alice sighed because she knew that she would not win that argument. Philip’s stubborn streak had cost them both pain and trouble when they were little.

  “If your mind is made up, I won’t say any more. What can I do to help you?”

  “Post my letter to Roper, if you please, on the way home. I’ll write it now.” He went over to a small table and Fenny brought him a pen and paper. “Perhaps in a sennight or so, Celia should be well enough to travel,”

  “Will I see you again before you leave?” Alice asked him anxiously.

  “If you can find another excuse to come here again,” he replied. “A letter to Oncle Richard’s house will always find me in France. Write me all your news and I’ll send you mine. If I have to leave suddenly before you come again, remember that I couldn’t have managed without you last night.”

  “I did very little,” Alice protested.

  “But you were willing to do your utmost for me, and that I will never forget.” He took her in his arms and kissed. “Thank you, little sister from the bottom of my heart.”

  Alice returned to London with the letter safely tucked inside her reticule. Philip gave her another for Jacques, who had been sent to return the carriage to the stables where it had been hired. Philip wanted him to pack up all his belongings and to take them to Dover to await Philip’s arrival. Alice dispatched both missives by the penny post on the way home.

  She had not been able to see Celia, who did not wake up while she was still in Miss Fennimore’s house. She found out later that the poor woman slept without waking for almost two whole days, she was so exhausted. Alice cudgelled her brains to find an excuse to visit her governess again. Her aunt would be sure to ask questions if she went too often and Edward was quite capab
le of being inquisitive.

  A relapse, she thought, might be an acceptable explanation, when Mama’s next letter arrives. Let’s hope she writes to me soon.

  Alice took care to mention to Lady Mary that she was still worried about Fenny, who had seemed frail but delighted to see her. She also told her that she had promised her governess to call again. Alice had returned to her aunt’s house in good time to dress for dinner and the ridotto, as she had promised. She looked forward to the musical evening at the house of one of Lady Mary’s friends. Relieved of some of her cares, now that she was sure that Philip was with Fenny, Alice was able to think about her appearance for the first time in several days. She was conscious that she had not been looking her best, ever since her brother had unexpectedly arrived in London.

  She decided to wear her favourite gown of sarcenet in a shade of pale pink which suited her dark beauty. Mama’s pearls and a faggot of roses in her hair completed what she thought was an adequate toilette. She was saving her newest dress for Kitty’s forthcoming ball, which promised to be a dreadful squeeze, so many people had promised to be present. Sarah, though, said that Alice had never been more lovely.

  Alice was looking forward to the party with a certain degree of relief that made her feel slightly giddy. For a moment, she had forgotten her other troubles. She did not remember them until she saw Kitty’s face as she came into the drawing room before dinner. Kitty was pale and seemed anxious.

  “What is it?” Alice asked in a low voice as she sat down beside her cousin on the sofa.

  “I’ve had another row with Edward about Charles. He has been invited to the ridotto tonight and he’s likely to come up to me. Edward will be provoked and I am afraid there might be a dreadful quarrel.”

  “Why should there be? After all, it’s a public place and you can scarcely order Charles away from your side. All old tabbies would be delighted if you did. It would give them something to titter over.”

  “You don’t know what Edward is like when he’s in a temper. He’s not sensible. He was positively nasty to me this morning. Mama was there, but she was no help at all. She just agrees with everything he says. It’s as if she suddenly has no mind of her own. She never minded me meeting Charles until Edward came home. I can’t imagine what he has said to turn her against Charles. Oh, how I wish Edward hadn’t come back! I’ve wept buckets all night. I was longing for you so I could tell you all about it but I couldn’t find you. Where were you?”

  “At my old governess’s. She’s not well and Mama asked me to call on her.”

  “Couldn’t you have gone on another day?” Kitty asked petulantly. “You knew my mother intended to speak to me this morning.”

  “I am so dreadfully sorry but, indeed, I could never have been present, you know.”

  “You could have helped me afterwards!”

  “I could. Forgive me that I was not here; I’ll make it up to you.”

  “There’s no time now. Reynolds is about to ring the bell. Stay close to me at the ridotto when Charles arrives, please? Then Edward cannot accuse me of having a tête-à-tête with him or acting in an unseemly manner.”

  “Of course,” Alice said warmly, feeling chastened that, in the midst of her worries about Philip, Kitty’s plight had completely slipped her mind.

  There was no time for more. The bell rang and Reynolds, the butler, arrived to announce that dinner was served. Kitty and Edward said little to each other or anyone else although he shot black glances at Kitty which were not calculated to raise her spirits. Lady Mary, though, was in a happy mood. She was passionately fond of music and she knew that Lady Sinclair had hired an excellent orchestra for the occasion. Alice made a valiant attempt to ask her questions about the treat in store, so the relative silence of the other diners was not remarked upon. She tried to draw both Edward and Kitty into the discussion with scant success. She was relieved when the interminable meal ended at last and they could leave the house.

  The musicians were setting up their instruments in the large conservatory attached to the ballroom of the elegant residence Lady Sinclair had hired for the season. Her eldest daughter, Maria Sinclair, was another of the year’s debutantes. Kitty had known her from their cradles, but they were far from kindred spirits. Maria lacked both Kitty’s prettiness and her lively charm. While it was obvious to anyone with eyes that both Kitty and Alice had made a hit with the Ton this season, Maria had not and she was bitterly aware of it. Maria stood now at the entrance to the ballroom with her parents and brother to welcome their guests. She wore white, as most debutants did, but the colour did not suit her sallow complexion. The dress itself, contrived by a modiste of the first stare, was covered with fine silver embroidery in the shape of stars. On a different girl, it would have been ravishing.

  Maria, under her parent’s eye, greeted the cousins with perfect if distant civility. The conservatory, where the concert was to take place, was crowded when they arrived. The musicians were already tuning their instruments. Edward found seats for his mother, sister and cousin, then left them to greet some of his own friends. Kitty was looking around her for Charles, hoping to warn him to avoid her while Edward was present.

  “Can you see him?” she hissed to Alice.

  “No, I don't think he’s here yet,” Alice said thankfully, praying some miracle would occur to keep him away so she might listen to the concert in peace. She thought she had experienced enough excitement for one day.

  After a few minutes, silence fell, the music started and it was indeed lovely. Alice was swept into a different world, daydreaming of dancing in the arms of a man who was madly in love with her. It was a shock when the piece ended and reality returned. Slowly the room emptied as the guests made their way upstairs to the dining room. A lavish meal had been provided and Maurice Kaye, one of Alice’s beaux, served her, while Mr. Hardwick looked on with annoyance. He had been too late to take her in to supper, so he sat as near to her as he could contrive and occasionally whispered in her ear.

  Kitty was on the other side of the room with her usual court around her. Charles was not among of them and Alice realised that Kitty was still looking for him and paying less attention than she usually did to her other swains. Supper was almost over when Roper appeared, at last. He stood in the doorway gazing at the assembled company. He saw Kitty and bowed to her but made no attempt to join her. He came straight over to Alice instead. Alice looked up into his frowning face, as he said,

  “Good evening, Lady Alice.”

  She gave him her hand. “Captain Roper.”

  “May I steal a few moments of your time? It’s important.”

  Alice could not help but look surprised. As she rose, Maurice Kaye spluttered,

  “This is robbery, Roper, Lady Alice is promised to me. Duels have been fought for less.”

  Roper smiled. A smile that did not reach his eyes. “I will restore her to you very shortly, never fear.” He offered his arm to Alice who took it and allowed him to lead her from the ballroom and down into the now deserted conservatory.

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you can have to say to me, Captain,” she said, “that could not be said in front of the others.”

  “I merely want to ask you where the Baron de Vezey is at present. He was promised here tonight. I called for him at his lodgings, as we had agreed, only to find that he has packed up and gone away. His landlord told me he did not have a forwarding address.”

  So Jacques has accomplished his task and Captain Roper has not yet received the letter I posted to him earlier, Alice thought. Then she asked, “Why did you think I would know where he is, Captain?”

  “You are a close friend of his, are you not? I hoped he had told you where he was going. He has certainly not told me.”

  “I am his friend, but so are you. If he did not tell you he was leaving, why should he tell me?”

  He smiled, but there was a worried look in his eyes. “I thought you might have more information about him. After all you are a beautiful young l
ady and I know he admires you.”

  “How flattering of you to say so. You are making me blush.” Alice remembered her instructions and asked, “Why are you so concerned? Perhaps he has gone to visit friends in the country. People often do, especially if they suffer losses on the turf or at the gaming tables.”

  “The Baron is not a gamester and I thought his friends were the same as mine. When he first arrived here he told me he had no acquaintance in this country. None of my friends hold house parties in the middle of the season. There is far too much for them to do here in London.”

  “Then perhaps he has gone back to France? I am not in his confidence and can only speculate.”

  “You do not seem very concerned.”

  “I am not. Why should I be?”

  “Forgive me. My error. I must go and make other enquiries.”

  “You have not yet answered my question.”

  “What question is that?”

  “Why are you so concerned about the Baron’s whereabouts?”

  “The Baron is a foreigner from a country with which we have recently been at war. He could be at some risk. I seek merely to be assured of his safety.”

  Alice knew she looked horrified. “You mean that he could be attacked by someone who had relatives killed in the war? Surely not?”

  “Such things have been known. That is why I have been asked by my superiors to ensure that he is not harmed or insulted while he remains in England.”

  “Then I am sorry but I cannot help you.”

  “If he gets in touch with you, will you tell me?”

  “Of course,” Alice lied. “I know my duty, Captain Roper, and I want to find out if he is safe, certainly I do.”

  “Then, let us go back to the supper room,” he said and offered her his arm.

  Alice seized the moment.

  “Kitty has been looking for you,” she murmured. “She wanted to tell you that Edward is present and begs you not to come near her tonight.”