The Suitor List

by Shirley Marks

  "A house party?" Emily blinked moments after arriving at Worth House. Augusta hadn't even allowed her the courtesy of removing her bonnet before relaying the news.

  Granted the Wilbanks household would be topsyturvy with their departure scheduled for early the following day, but Augusta simply could not do without her best friend's sage advice when it came to her guest list.

  "Surely you cannot invite only gentlemen?" Emily removed her gloves and pelisse after climbing the stairs to Augusta's bedchamber.

  All of Emily's outer garments lay upon the bed while they worked undisturbed, mulling over the various acquaintances they had made during Augusta's week in Town.

  "It would look most peculiar, would it not?" Augusta agreed. Although her list of eligibles came easily to her, compiling a group of females was a more arduous task.

  A pot of tea and bites of strawberry tarts gave them sustenance for the next hour, until a gift of sugar-coated orange rinds arrived from Sir Benjamin Pelfry, which greatly swayed Emily's opinion of the baronet.

  If, by chance, any of the lovely ladies might take a fancy to any of the men, and if any of the gentlemen should prefer said young lady, Augusta would certainly give them her blessing.

  She would never stand between a couple who wished to be together. As their plan for a house party turned out, it was not only a way to find a husband for Augusta. There were other young ladies who might benefit as well. Aunt Penny soon joined their discussion and a guest list was agreed upon to the satisfaction of all.

  An unexpected invitation found Augusta and Mrs. Parker attending a dinner given by the Earl and Countess of Rushton the following evening. Augusta thought it curious how they came to be invited. It might have had something to do with the two other women who attended: Miss Constance Greenfield-Jones, accompanied by her mother, and Lord and Lady Sutherland's daughter, Miss Emma Sutherland. Both young ladies, as it happened, were also on the Faraday house party guest list.

  The Earl and Countess of Rushton were welcoming and jolly, excellent hosts.

  "A dozen!" Lady Rushton called out to one and all. "We have an even dozen at our table tonight."

  "By gad! What a time we will have!" Lord Rushton chuckled and tugged at his gold-striped waistcoat.

  At supper, Augusta had the good fortune to be seated across from the very attractive Viscount Marsdon and next to the equally dashing Lord William Felgate. It was impossible to say which gentleman was more handsome.

  When the meal ended nearly two hours later, the ladies left the gentlemen to their port. The men did not remain in the dining room for long and joined the ladies in the front parlor.

  Lord Marsdon entered first, asking Augusta to partner him in a game of whist with Lady Sutherland and Mrs. Greenfield-Jones. Lord Paul Bancroft swept in front of the hearth with Miss Sutherland on his arm, taking a turn about the room while Miss Greenfield-Jones sat upon the velvet sofa with Lord William, reading his palm and informing him of his fortuitous future.

  After the card game had ended and a new game began, Lord Paul approached Augusta to remind her of their introduction by Lady Castlereagh at Almack's nearly a week ago. Although they had not shared a dance, he had sent violets the following day. He also made it clear he intended to hold her attention for as long as the current whist rubber lasted.

  Apparently it was far too long as far as Lord William was concerned, so he told Augusta when it was his chance to speak to her privately.

  "Since Lady Rushton was kind enough to arrange this party on my behalf, you would have thought I might have the benefit of your company, but it does not appear that has happened. This evening I discovered that Lord Marsdon and Lord Paul have the advantage of a previous acquaintance."

  "You are mistaken, sir. I did not make the acquaintance of Lord Marsdon until this very evening," Augusta replied.

  "As did I, and I must confess that I have taken an immediate dislike to the fellow." Lord William's obvious contrived disdain for the viscount made Augusta smile. "After playing several hands with Lord Marsdon and Twenty Questions with Lord Paul, I expect there is not much of your time to be had"

  Augusta glanced at the two gentlemen who had been mentioned, now occupied with Miss Sutherland and Miss Greenfield-Jones, respectively. "I believe more than enough of the evening remains to partake in whatever you wish to occupy the few remaining moments left to us."

  "I can tell you I do not wish to waste my time occupied with whist or loo, nor would I wish to partake in nonsensical chatter to discover some random animal, vegetable, or mineral you have set as an answer."

  Augusta would admit that partaking in games might not be useful in deciding upon a spouse. It did, however, allow the participants to enjoy, or not, one another's company.

  "I believe in her desperation to find guests, the countess resorted to near strangers. Dashed awkward to plan a party with only you, me, and your aunt in attendance. It would be an odd five attending instead of a satisfying even dozen, don't you think?"

  It hadn't really mattered how many sat at the supper table. What was more important were his intentions toward her.

  "We best pretend to be occupied. Here-" He snatched up a tablet of paper and two pencils, motioning her to one side of the room. "Let us sketch each other-that way I might do as I truly wish-gaze upon you uncensored. Shall we step away from the others as not to be overheard?"

  They moved to one side of the room, providing a bit of privacy for their conversation, and sat at a small table with good lighting. Augusta accepted a pencil and paper from him and set it on the table before her.

  "I must make a confession, Lord William." Although she could appreciate a painting, a watercolor, or a drawing, Augusta had no aptitude for originating such art. "I cannot sketch."

  "Nor can I-but let us keep that secret between us, shall we? We must do our best to mask our inadequacies. As a man in search of a wife, I am finding that a role in which I am often cast is that of a gentleman without faults" He settled back into the chair and set to work, his pencil moving over his paper.

  Augusta spoke first. "Lady Rushton tells me you have just returned to Town."

  "I hate to admit that after I arrived in the country I heard of a lady so lovely who had appeared after I had left" The smile from his lips spread to his eyes.

  "You're supposed to be drawing," she whispered, interrupting his longing gaze.

  "Ah, yes." He cleared his throat. "I was merely studying my subject at length"

  Lord William was a clever one. Sketching one another, at least merely the pretense of doing so, gave them the opportunity to gaze a bit longer than what might be considered proper.

  Augusta had thought him dashing after her first stolen glance at the supper table, but now that she had the occasion to truly behold his features, she thought him almost beautiful. He had wavy golden-blond hair, a fine, straight nose, and piercing light blue eyes. His firm wide jaw gave his face a masculine structure.

  After a few strokes of his pencil he continued. "Where was I? Oh, yes, my London departure" His gaze focused on the paper before him. "I heard this lady caused such fervor that I had to see the creature for myself." Lord William met her stare and held her attention. "I must say, she has far more than mere beauty"

  Augusta glanced down at her own work, feeling quite self-conscious. Would she ever grow accustomed to any man calling her beautiful? "And who told you of this Banbury story?"

  "I can honestly say there has been no exaggeration."

  She chuckled and prevented his frankness from causing her to laugh aloud.

  "So you've returned to Town in search of a wife, have you?" She took his lead and jumped right to the heart of the matter, pretending the lady he spoke of was not her.

  "I must commend you on your directness." Lord William glanced at her and smiled. If he was shocked he did not show it. "I must confess that I have never willingly stood in the petticoat line. However, last year a friend of mine wed an exceptional woman. My only regret is that I did not h
ave the good fortune of meeting her first. My second is that I do not believe I would have had the good judgment to marry her."

  "Are you in love with her, then?"

  "No, I admire her, esteem her greatly" He glanced away as if considering his answer. "Sir Randall and Lady Trent are well suited. I do not desire to take his place, but it does put me in a mind to follow their example. Such an association could be of great benefit to me as well."

  "An association?" What an unromantic thought that was.

  "It is not my meaning to-" He stopped and chuckled, seemingly at himself. "I'm only saying that if such a lady exists for me, I should like to find her."

  Well, that sounded lovely.

  "I should be very happy if you were the lady" His pencil had slowed to a stop and his attention focused directly upon her. He stared deeply into her eyes.

  Augusta felt something. It was a heartfelt, serious, very adult emotion she could not name. "I am flattered, Lord William." Her face warmed, and knowing she was blushing made her feel even more embarrassed. "And how would we know if we are capable of forming this association of which you speak?"

  "Ah ...... he crooned knowingly. "It is not always immediately apparent. I believe such things require a bit of time. The glow of infatuation can be quite deceptive, and when one is considered somewhat prized, as something to be won ..

  Is that what he thought? Could that be what any of her gentlemen suitors thought? A trophy to be awarded? Augusta had thought she would be the one to choose among the men.

  "Well, gentlemen can become wrapped up in the competition itself and mistake it for the goal." He chuckled. "Let me just say that I believe when it comes to a man and a woman, I feel it best that nature take its course. There is more to a match than dowries, land settlements, and family agreements. It's two people who, I feel, should be of like mind, don't you think?"

  "I thank you for your opinion, sir. You bring up aspects I had not considered." Augusta laid her pencil on the table, finished with her work. "Are you ready to reveal your masterpiece?"

  With a lackluster sigh, Lord William glanced up from his work. "I certainly hope my lack of artistic talent does not reflect upon me unfavorably." He appeared honest, his words well thought out, and he had a certain charm about him Augusta found engaging.

  "I have another confession to make" She blinked down at her drawing. "I did not sketch you. I could not bring myself to do so, lest you form a poor opinion of me."

  As she could not draw human features, she drew hearts, a chain of hearts in one enormous heart shape in the middle of the paper.

  "All right, no more excuses. We trade on the count of three" He held out his paper face down; Augusta mimicked him and waited. "One ... two ... three"

  Augusta pulled his paper toward her, face up, revealing his drawing. She gazed at his paper and laughed with delight. He'd sketched overlapping hearts in the shape of one single large heart located in the center of the page.

  They laughed at the uncanny coincidence. Lord William spoke, "I honestly cannot say if we could make a successful match, but there is something to be said when two people's thoughts occupy the same page"

  Penny, who sat next to the hearth with Lady Rushton, watched the scene between her niece and Lord William unfold.

  "Oh, yes, they do seem to be rubbing together very well. I think there might be a match in the making, there. I could not be more pleased. He truly is a good boy, you know, Mrs. Parker," Lady Rushton whispered to Penny. "The one odd bit about him is he doesn't care for tea, but one gets used to it."

  "I am quite delighted that you have come to see me again." Lady Vernon motioned to Augusta to sit at the veranda table.

  "I fear this will be our last visit" Augusta had stopped by to see the Baroness two other times without Sir Samuel's escort. The last had been just after her visit to Kew Gardens with Sir Benjamin Pelfry.

  "Oh, I am sorry to hear that. I have so looked forward to seeing you" The Baroness splashed a bit of milk in their cups, then poured tea.

  "I shall miss coming by for a bit of sanity." Augusta stared into the garden, expecting she would never know the gardening secrets or whatever magic spell Lady Vernon cast over her plants that made them grow with such vigor.

  Lady Vernon chuckled. "You have your suitors driving you half mad and your friends leading you by the hand the remainder of the way"

  Augusta could not have phrased it any better herself.

  "When are you to depart?" A notable sadness laced the Baroness's words.

  "Miriam's wedding is tomorrow morning. My family will leave for Faraday Hall after the wedding breakfast" Augusta continued on, spouting her news. "Emily's parents, the Squire and Mrs. Wilbanks, her brother Richard, along with Miss Olivia Skeffington and her mother, left for Yewhill Grange yesterday. Richard and his fiancee will have their banns read this Sunday, and in two weeks' time they shall marry."

  "I can see that saddens you"

  "No, not really," Augusta did not quite lie, but it was not exactly the entire truth. "I am very happy for both couples"

  Lady Vernon stared down into her teacup, and Augusta had the distinct feeling it was to avoid meeting her gaze. "I cannot help but think you might wish you were in a similar position."

  Augusta set her teacup on the table and clasped her hands. "I would wish it for myself if I had made a successful match"

  "Is there no hope?" Lady Vernon looked into Augusta's face-what had she expected to see? Perhaps the truth. "Do you think it too late now that the Season is over?"

  "Oh! I forgot to tell you the best news" Augusta leaned forward with excitement. "We are to have a house party within a fortnight. Papa and Aunt Penny are making the arrangements"

  "A house party so you should become better acquainted with certain gentlemen," Lady Vernon mused. "What a wonderful idea, but the sheer number of males who must be involved-"

  "I should not like to think all the men are there for my sole amusement. We did invite many ladies as well," Augusta replied. "And Sir Samuel has not been overlooked."

  "How kind of you to have invited my nephew."

  "I would not eliminate Sir Samuel because he has not reached his majority. There will also be gentlemen who have not seen theirs for some time." Augusta did not wish to refer to them as old, but she meant those who were quite a bit older than herself. "A difference of a few years, in either direction of mine, should not be a deciding factor. Although I should not wish to marry someone who is thirty years of age."

  "You are very wise, my dear." Lady Vernon chuckled and touched Augusta's arm reassuringly.

  "May I write to you?" Augusta waited, hoping the Baroness would not think her forward. After all, their acquaintance had not been long.

  "I'd be delighted. I must know what happens-the intrigue, the gentlemen" Her eyes grew large with every phrase, and her smile brightened at the very thought.

  "I hardly think there will be much intrigue, Lady Vernon"

  "One never knows about these things," the Baroness remarked. "Especially when it comes to your sisters. From what you have told me, Charlotte could not be more of a friend to you. The younger one, Muriel, she sounds very precocious."

  "They would never jeopardize my future." She hoped not, anyway. "My father wouldn't hear of it. This is too important." Especially to Augusta.

  "All those guests, all those gentlemen . . " Lady Vernon shook her head as if not quite convinced. "There's no telling what your sisters will have in store. In any case, I'm sure I'll find your escapades well worth reading."

  Two weeks later-Faraday Hall, Essex

  They're in here, Your Grace." Aunt Penny pulled the heavy, multi-paneled door of the Specula Alta open wide. A precocious Muriel, age six, had named this "watchtower" with the bit of Latin she'd picked up from her brother's tutor.

  Charlotte looked up from the papers before her to view the intruders while Muriel remained ever-vigilant to the task at the window.

  The Duke and Mrs. Parker entered the old nur
sery, which the sisters had always used as an excellent vantage point. As children, they had watched the comings and goings of their parents' visitors.

  Today, Charlotte and Muriel observed the arriving gentlemen coming up the drive that ran along the side of the house, leading the guests to the front main entrance. The young ladies with their mamas and/or chaperones who arrived the day before had not been nearly as noteworthy.

  "What do you two think you are doing?" The Duke waved his daughters away. "Move from that window at once. You are bound to be seen."

  "Oh, Papa, none of them can see us all the way up here," Muriel, with her logic and uncommon sensibilities, replied. "We are much too sheltered in the corner, obscured by the decorative architectural embellishments and overabundance of ivy, to be noticed."

  Charlotte and Muriel pressed their opera glasses to their eyes, inched forward, and once again peered out the large diamond-shaped glass panes.

  "Nevertheless, you shall ruin our plans if you are seen before tomorrow evening, Charlotte," Mrs. Parker reminded her niece.

  "Moo is the one insisting we catalog every gentleman's arrival"

  The Duke chuckled, as had Charlotte when she first heard of her younger sister's tally.

  "It's not exactly accurate, you understand." Muriel swept a handful of papers from the table to show their father and aunt.

  "How can you possibly know who they are?" Mrs. Parker inquired.

  "Char-Char is reading the letters from Gusta, Em, and Cousin Mimi, and we match the gentlemen as they arrive to their descriptions."

  "I think we're doing quite well, actually," Charlotte admitted. They'd been stationed at the window for a good three hours, starting right after they'd breakfasted while the rest of the house slept.

  "See there is Lord Fieldstone with the black barouche. The golden-haired gentleman in the forest green jacket is Sir Carlton Wingate." Muriel pointed out. "And that gentleman in the green phaeton who's nearly tall enough to peer in at us is Sir Warren Cantrell."

  "They seem to have the right of it, Your Grace." Aunt Penny chuckled. "There is no fooling your daughters"