Before he knew who she was and where she came from, he might have invited her to become his mistress, but he couldn’t possibly insult her with such an offer now. Still, unfair as it was, she was no longer a suitable wife for a man in his position. Somehow, he needed to drum the fact that he couldn’t have Ellie into his brain with enough force that it convinced his senses.
Somewhat to his surprise, he realised that, except for Ellie, he now felt little desire to pursue another woman from the demi-monde. On some deep level, he wanted to experience the joy and companionship and comfort that came from living with a woman who delighted one, body, mind and soul—a lady he could trust to be his companion and helpmate for life.
He could become a man worthy of such a lady...couldn’t he?
He hadn’t needed to hear Lady Wanstead’s dubious opinion of his character to realise that, saddled with his rake’s reputation, his behaviour would be scrutinised more closely than other men’s. Any breach of protocol would prove to watchful mamas that he hadn’t and never would reform. As Ellie had already warned him, being seen as a potential danger to a maiden’s virtue would limit his access to some of the most eligible single ladies—one of whom might be the ideal wife he needed.
He didn’t want to reduce his choices only to those so desperate to marry that they were prepared to take any risk to snag a husband.
To avoid making costly mistakes in courtship, he truly needed Ellie’s lessons. But how to learn from her, without putting them both at risk of succumbing to the temptation neither of them seemed able to resist?
Perhaps he should take Lady Saylebrook up on her invitation and meet Ellie at the Dowager’s. No sane man could consider committing improprieties under the very nose of the Dowager Countess.
By the time he reached that conclusion, the hackney was halting once again at Upper Brook Street. Paying off the driver, he loped up the front stairs, and was shown into the study where Maggie’s husband and the other two Hellions had already gathered.
After greetings all round and glasses of port distributed, the friends settled by the fire. ‘So, Giles, what did you hear from Winterbury about the session in the Lords today?’ David Tanner Smith asked.
Giles made a face. ‘A number of tedious amendments are being suggested to hold up passage of the bill. The most harmful seeks to cancel or delay the stripping of votes from the rotten boroughs and their redistribution to the new industrial districts.’
‘Can’t Grey come up with a device to counter that?’ Ben Tawny enquired.
‘I’ve heard a rumour that he may urge the King to appoint new peers to the Lords—diluting it with enough supporters to ensure the bill’s approval. Heaven knows, if they don’t pass it, there will be devil to pay in the countryside! The riots and burnings when the second bill failed last autumn should be fair enough warning of that.’
‘Only rumours?’ Davie said. ‘You should spend more time at White’s, where the power brokers gather. You, too, Ben, now that Alyssa’s father had you voted in. Find out all you can, so we can arm ourselves with better arguments to convince the Lords.’
‘I know, I’ve been remiss in attending,’ Giles admitted. ‘With Maggie feeling so unwell, I’ve been spending more evenings at home.’
‘I’ll stop by every day, at least until the bill gets approved,’ Ben offered. ‘Alyssa is off on another sketching expedition anyway.’
‘Thank you, Ben, that will be most helpful,’ Giles said. ‘Why don’t we delay determining which points we want to bring up at Lord Witlow’s dinner next week until you’ve done some more sleuthing? Which means we can turn instead to the personal—and find out why Christopher has been holding out on us about making the most momentous decision of his life.’
Christopher felt his face redden as three sets of eyes focused on him.
‘You’re giving up wine?’ Davie asked with a grin.
‘No, if it’s truly momentous, he must be forswearing women,’ Ben said.
‘Actually, you’re not far off,’ Giles said. ‘I had it from Maggie today that Christopher has decided to reform his wandering ways and find a wife.’
There was a moment of shocked silence, followed by Ben’s hearty laughter. ‘Shame on you, Christopher, teasing a lady in Maggie’s delicate condition!’
‘No, he’s serious,’ Giles insisted. ‘They had quite a chat about it while he escorted her home from a call at Lady Sayleford’s.’
‘You truly mean to look for a wife?’ Davie asked.
Blowing out a breath, Christopher braced himself for the harassment bound to ensue and said, ‘It would benefit my career to be...settled. I’d like to have a hostess of my own to be able to entertain colleagues. And, after observing the three of you, I’ve concluded that matrimony might not be the...tedious affair I’d always thought it.’
‘Providing you choose the right lady,’ Giles said.
‘And providing you truly want to take this step,’ Ben added.
‘If so, we can only wish you the best of luck,’ Davie said.
‘What, Ben, nothing more from you?’ Christopher asked. ‘I expected to be ribbed unmercifully.’
Ben shook his head. ‘Not by me, my friend. Marrying Alyssa was the wisest thing I’ve ever done. No one more devout than a converted sinner.’
‘You’ll have to start attending Society functions—something you’ve always avoided,’ Giles said. ‘I’m sure Maggie would be happy to introduce you around—when she feels up to it. Even better, she could ask her Aunt Lilly to intervene on your behalf. No one wields more influence among the ton than Lady Sayleford.’
‘Or knows more about everyone in London,’ Christopher said wryly. ‘I plan to enlist the help of my Aunt Gussie, too. She doesn’t possess quite the clout of Lady Sayleford, but she is well connected. I’ll talk to them both—when I’m ready.’
‘Ready?’ Ben said, raising his eyebrows. ‘Birth, good looks, position. What else do you need?’
‘A better sense of how to conduct myself around unmarried ladies of quality,’ Christopher said wryly. ‘As you well know, there are few behavioural restrictions when consorting with ladies of light virtue—the only kind of female, saving your lovely wives, of which I have any experience.’
‘Fortunately, I never had to brave that gauntlet,’ Giles said. ‘Davie and I both married widows, and Ben’s Alssya is unique unto herself. Maybe you should get advice from your Aunt Gussie before you begin.’
‘Actually, I’m already getting some help. Ellie Parmenter is tutoring me on the correct way to court an innocent maid. But wait—’
He held up hand to restrain any comments. ‘We’ve not met for a fortnight, so you won’t have heard. I recently discovered that Ellie isn’t at all what she appears.’
‘I know she is a gracious lady who went out of her way to save my career,’ Ben said.
‘There’s more—a lot more.’ Christopher went on to explain what he’d discovered about Ellie’s background, her true identity, and the call he and Maggie had made to support her at Lady Sayleford’s.
‘Hell and the devil!’ Giles cried when he’d finished. ‘Lord Wanstead’s behaviour was criminal! I always knew our zeal to limit the power of the aristocracy was well founded. If only it could extend into the social realm! Summerville should have been prosecuted for what was virtually kidnapping and rape.’
Davie shook his head. ‘Venality isn’t limited to the aristocracy. There is evil—and nobility—at every social level.’
‘Damn, the idea that she’s barred from resuming her rightful place in Society for ever is hard to swallow,’ Ben said. ‘We may be able to change the course of government, but it’s the matrons of the ton who make the rules excluding her.’
Christopher nodded, bedevilled by the same frustration. ‘Lady Sayleford admitted to her sister that even she couldn’t manage it
.’
‘Still, we should do all we can to support her,’ Davie said. ‘She’s begun a school to train indigent girls for respectable positions, something Faith told me she’d mentioned at their dinner last autumn. Why don’t we encourage all our wives to support it?’
‘Bring her to Lord Witlow’s discussion evenings, too,’ Davie suggested. ‘Even a commoner like me is admitted, so I know he’d have no objection to Ellie.’
‘Yes, do that,’ Giles said. ‘With Maggie overseeing the conversation, she’s sure to be accepted.’
‘I will,’ Christopher said, energised by his friends’ support of Ellie—and the idea of her joining their camaraderie during one of the free-ranging discussions that were the hallmarks of the Earl’s discussion gatherings.
‘Excellent,’ Giles said. ‘Davie, there was a point of law I wanted to ask you about, something that might offer us a bargaining position with the more moderate Lords. Take a look at Blackstone’s with me, won’t you, and see if you agree?’
‘Of course,’ Davie said. ‘Discovering an ancient law of the aristocracy that we could use to bludgeon them into submission would be most satisfying.’
While Giles bore their friend off, Ben turned a penetrating gaze on Christopher. ‘You’re sure you truly want to marry?’
Christopher shrugged. ‘I admit, when I first considered the idea, it was more about putting the dissipations of youth behind me and setting myself up to best advance my career. But as I’ve thought more about it—and seen the joy the three of you seem to have found in marriages—I’ve grown more enthusiastic about the idea.’
He hesitated, wondering if he should confess the whole. But who better to ask about his doubts than the friend who’d recently been in his same position? ‘I do worry I may miss having my freedom, and possibly resent being tied down to just one woman,’ he admitted. ‘You ended up wedding Alyssa before you’d even contemplated getting married. How did you know you’d be able to make a success of it?’
‘True, I was more or less coerced by duty into offering for her. Nor did I fall in love with her immediately, though she did intrigue—and drive me crazy with need—from the minute we met. Though, given the way she’d been treated by her family, I felt a fierce desire to protect her, at first. I, too, worried about whether I’d be able to remain faithful to just one lady for the rest of my life. But as we spent more time together, she just so fascinated and enthralled me that, before I realised it, she’d come to fill every corner of my heart and mind. So much so that I found I truly had no desire to pursue other women.’
Ben shook his head wonderingly. ‘Mere words can’t describe the sense of peace and belonging and...rightness I feel, being with her. When I compare the shallow pleasure of my carousing days to what I have now—well, I’d never go back. I can only echo what the others have said. Find the right lady, and your doubts will disappear.’
Unfortunately, the lady who intrigued, attracted, and called up his fierce protective instincts was out of the running. Pushing past his annoyance over that fact, Christopher said, ‘Thank you for giving me an honest answer, rather than the ribbing I half-expected.’
‘I hope you know I’d never harass you about a matter this important. However...’ Ben hesitated. ‘Are you sure a virginal innocent will be right for you? We spent our salad days around sophisticated, knowledgeable, sensual, females. As Giles pointed out, he and Davie married widows, and Alyssa, though virginal, was hardly an innocent. I don’t know that the sort of sheltered, inexperienced maid to be found on the Marriage Mart would suit you.’
‘But marrying an innocent girl of good birth will ensure my own children never have to endure having their schoolmates whisper about their mother, or come to blows with bullies who question her virtue. Not that I don’t love and respect Mama,’ he added. ‘She weathered the unfortunate circumstances of her own marriage as best she could. But I would spare my children some of the harassment I suffered growing up.’
‘I know it was hard on you. I suppose you won’t know if an inexperienced virgin will suit until you test the waters. And for the sake of your career, you would do better to marry a girl with a sterling reputation. The damage I had to repair back in my district after that brush with scandal, even when I could prove I was blameless, isn’t something I’d wish to repeat. I can recommend without reservation marriage to a woman who inspires you to passion, devotion, and contentment.’
At that moment, Giles and Davie returned, the volume of Blackstone’s in Davie’s hand. ‘We need your opinions,’ Giles said. ‘Our philosopher here agrees with me that the law in question might be useful, but proposes twisting it in a very different way than I envisaged. Look it over and tell us what you think.’
Christopher accepted the book Davie held out, the matter of marriage superseded by the political discussion that had brought them together. Reassured by Ben’s avowal that, with the right lady, he could enter wedlock with every expectation of finding marriage enjoyable and fulfilling, he was happy to put aside that nagging concern.
And push away the fact that, when he thought of discovering an intelligent, passionate lady of wide-ranging interests who would intrigue him, it was still Ellie’s image that came to mind.
Chapter Eleven
In the late morning two days later, Ellie sat in the front room at the school with her pupils, having just concluded a lesson in arithmetic. ‘You may put up your slates, girls, and retrieve your sewing from Mrs Sanders. We’ll continue with reading tomorrow.’
‘Will you tell us a story later, miss?’ one of the girls asked.
‘If I have time when I return from the marketing,’ Ellie replied, giving the girl an affectionate pat.
Whenever she was in danger of feeling sorry for herself, Ellie knew she need only remember how much she had in comparison to these girls. A home and family growing up, an education, and after some hard times, a house, an income, and the means to assist others.
Having come from so little, her students were appreciative of so many small things she took for granted—being read a story, or knowing how to total the sum of two stacks of pennies without having to count each one, or how to stitch a straight stem and do embroidery. It humbled her and gave her a sense of satisfaction to be able to help these eager girls acquire simple skills, a satisfaction that, thanks to the kindness of her benefactors, would continue to give her life purpose for the rest of her days.
Her lonely days, after Christopher went on to his new life.
Sighing, she stifled that thought as Artis came over to her. ‘You be going to do the marketing, miss? Happen I can help you.’
Ellie smiled at the girl. Never had she been more glad of having established the school than after finding Artis. With the grime washed off and dressed in suitable clothing, the girl had turned out to be surprisingly pretty. Though still alarmingly thin, her hollow cheeks had begun to fill out, and with her pointed chin, sparkling grey eyes and mass of curly light brown hair, she had a piquant charm.
She was also a bundle of energy and curiosity, Mrs Sanders had reported, interrogating all the girls about their backgrounds, teasing Jensen to tell them about his days as a ‘flash man’ at the brothel, and inspecting every inch of the school.
‘Would you like to come along and help carry the baskets? Jensen would appreciate having an assistant.’
‘I could. But mostly, I thought to show you places to shop. I’m powerful grateful for all you done, takin’ me in like you did, givin’ me the finest clothes I ever had, and learnin’ me my letters so’s soon I’ll be able to read all for meself! I been looking at all the provisions and asking Mrs Sanders and Jensen where you got what, and I know I can help you do better.’
‘Indeed?’ Ellie said, both amused and interested. ‘In what way?’
‘Mrs Sanders says you gets your wine from Berry’s in St. James’s, your tea from Twin
ings in the Strand, and cheese from a fancy shop on Jermyn Street. Well, I ain’t never been to none of them fine places, but when she told me what was paid for beer and cheese, I was prodigious amazed! Since I scarpered up to Piccadilly, I been going to the market up on Tottenham Court Road, hardly a hop and a skip from here! Lots of costermongers there, who buy direct from the farmers and fishermen, so everything from fish to meat be blood-fresh! Kin I take you there and show you? I know I kin save you enough blunt to pay for my keep, so’s you’ll not be sorry you took me in.’
Touched that the girl was so eager to prove her worth, and suspecting she would hurt Artis’s feelings if she brushed aside her offer, Ellie replied, ‘Yes, I’d very much like to see the bargains you can find.’
Until recently, Ellie had never shopped for domestic items, and knew very little about the markets beyond the expensive couturières and bonnet-makers of Bond Street and St. James’s. It would be interesting to explore a new part of the city, with this knowing child as her guide.
‘Fetch your shawl, and I’ll get my bonnet and pelisse.’
The girl bounded out of the room, but before Ellie could gather her outer garments, a knock came at the front door. Jensen being occupied in the kitchen, one of the girls ran over to open it. Her mild curiosity over who might be calling was superseded by distaste as the elegant figure of Lord Mountgarcy entered.
With his habitual mocking smile, he inspected the room. ‘Good day, Miss Parmenter,’ he said, emphasising the formal greeting. ‘So, this is your little project. I have to admit, I’m quite impressed.’
All Ellie could think about was getting his polluting presence away from her innocent girls. Waving out of the room the two remaining ones, who were gazing curiously at the visitor, she replied, ‘I suppose I should say “thank you”? Although I must add that I cannot appreciate a visit here by a man of your...proclivities. I’m afraid I must ask you to leave. Immediately.’
Secret Lessons with the Rake Page 12
