Regency Belles & Beaux

by Michele McGrath

  “Where will you go?” Lucy felt her heart sinking.

  “Liverpool first and then on to America or maybe Canada. Across the ocean I can return to my profession and live a different life, more like my father’s.”

  “It sounds so exciting,” Lucy said wistfully. “I wish I could come with you.”

  “Remember that you don’t like going to sea and the voyage is a long one. Is this where you are staying?”

  They had been observed, for the front door opened and a footman stood bowing to them.

  “Come in, please, and renew your acquaintance with my family.”

  Lady Ridgeway greeted him with her usual friendly manners and Lady Mary with civility. He spent the requisite half hour with them and received an invitation to accompany them to a musical evening the following night which he accepted.

  “This is kind of you, ma’am, for I have few acquaintances in Dublin and I enjoy good music.”

  Lucy looked forward to the soirée, now that she knew O’Rourke would be present. It was to be held at a house in Fitzwilliam Square. Lucy already knew some of the people present and introduced O’Rourke. She was pleased to see that his party manners were above reproach. He even mimicked some of the affected behaviour exhibited by a few of the young men around him. She relaxed and went to talk to some of the girls she knew. They were soon joined by a young man whom she had met the week before.

  “Miss Ridgeway, I’m delighted to find you here. I’ve been told that you are musical and since I’m not, you must tell me which pieces to admire.”

  “Your informant erred, Captain Clayton. I like to sing, yes, but I am not really ‘musical’ as you call it.”

  “Nevertheless, allow me to sit with you. I promise to clap when you clap and refrain when you do.”

  Lucy laughed. “How absurd you are!”

  He took her hand and led her to a seat near the front of the room. She looked around for her aunt and received a small nod of approval. She knew that she could not spend all the evening talking to O’Rourke, as she longed to do. It would be thought exceedingly odd and would draw all eyes to them, which might be dangerous. If she must talk to someone else, Adrian Clayton was as good as any other. He was an officer stationed in Dublin Castle. These young military men, keen dancers and sportsmen, took part in all the various activities of the Social Season. There were always several present on every occasion. Lucy found Clayton better company than many. He was both handsome and sensible. Also, according to Lady Ridgeway, he came from a wealthy family. Lucy enjoyed the time spent in his company and allowed him to take her in to supper. She searched for O’Rourke but he was not present at the meal and she found out later from Lady Ridgeway that he had taken his leave early, pleading a headache.

  When she teased him about it the next day, as they were taking a short stroll in Fitzwilliam Square, he frowned and said, “I had to. There was a man present who I knew from school. I doubt he would accept me as a curate, an unlikely profession for someone like me. I thought it better to leave rather than take the chance of him denouncing me.”

  “Then you mustn’t come into society again and put yourself into danger.”

  He laughed. “Don’t you like life with a little spice of danger? I do.”

  “Not the kind of danger that gets you thrown into prison or hanged!”

  “You’re anxious about me?”

  “Why shouldn’t I be? You saved me, remember.”

  He turned to look at her. “Courage, Alannah, I’m not so careless of my own skin. I’ll leave Dublin soon, I promise you, but not yet.”

  “Every day puts you in danger, I wish you would go.”

  “Do you really wish that?” he asked softly.

  Her eyes dropped and she shook her head.

  “I’ll go before the end of the Season, when I’ve seen you presented and your engagement to some eligible parti has been announced.”

  “I don’t want to marry an eligible parti,” she whispered rebelliously.

  “You did once.”

  “When you first met me, perhaps. I’m not like that any more.”

  “What are you like now?” he asked, but she never had a chance to tell him. Lady Ridgeway came towards them accompanied by Nell. O’Rourke made his escape as soon as he decently could, leaving Lucy prey to her gloomy reflexions.

  “I don’t know what you see in that man,” Nell said after he had left. “He’s not nearly as handsome as Captain Clayton.”

  “And when did you see Captain Clayton, miss?”

  “I saw him arrive when he called on Mama the other day.”

  “Nell, you must not say such things,” Lady Ridgeway reproved her. “It makes me think I should have left you behind in Kinsale after all.”

  “Oh Mama, I promise I will be extremely sensible all the rest of the time we are here. Please don’t send me home. It would be too cruel.”

  “I won’t, if you guard your tongue from now on. Not that I believe a word of your promise. You have never been sensible yet.”

  Excitement was rising in the family because Lucy’s ball was approaching when she would be formally introduced to society. It would not be as grand as some of those which would be held later on in the Season as Lady Mary explained to her.

  “It gives a false impression to compete with the foremost families in Ireland. Parvenus do so and we will not. Your ball will be smaller than some, with fewer invitations sent out but I don’t expect to see our rooms thin of company, even if it’s not a fashionable squeeze.”

  “Indeed, Grandmama, I am very grateful to you for giving me a ball at all.”

  “Nonsense. Not to do so would create a bad impression and I am certain that we will all enjoy it.”

  Most important to Lucy was the fact that she was to have a new dress of white slipper satin worn under an overdress of silver net, embroidered with tiny stars. For once Lady Mary decreed she might wear white gloves instead of black, “since it is your debut”. Her hair was brushed until it shone and then twisted on top of her head. A wreath of lilies-of-the valley was pinned to one side. Nell stayed in the room to watch the transformation. At the end, she clapped her hands and said,

  “Oh you look beautiful. I’m sure all the young men will fall in love with you,” earning her a reproving glare from her mother.

  “Yet it lacks something,” Lady Ridgeway said. She was already dressed for the ball in a deep red gown and was wearing one of the family tiaras. She put down a jewel case onto the dressing table.

  “Morgan, please take off Miss Lucy’s pearl necklace which is too heavy for her to wear with that gown. My dear, please wear these instead. They are mine and I wore them for the first time at my own debut. May they bring you success.”

  The case held a beautiful sapphire pendant surrounded by pearls on a fine gold chain. Matching earrings contained smaller sapphires.

  “Oh how lovely. May I indeed wear them since I am still in mourning?”

  “Mama says you may do so and few people in Ireland would dare to disagree with the judgement of an earl’s daughter.”

  “You will have a lovely evening,” Nell said. “I am so envious.”

  “Your turn will come soon enough, my love. I’m not in a hurry to lose my last daughter,” Lady Ridgeway smiled although there was a catch in her voice.

  The evening was indeed lovely but not at all as Lucy had expected it to be.

  Chapter Twenty

  The house on Lower Hatch Street had a small ballroom at the back. This room had been decked with greenery, brought in from the country. Dinner beforehand was elaborate but Lucy, wild with excitement, could only push some of the food around on her plate while she made conversation with her companions. Since these were the supposed Mr. Anselm, asked especially on her behalf, and Captain Clayton this proved to be rather difficult. Both seemed intent on engaging her attention and for a little while she struggled to listen and answer one without seeming rude to the other. Eventually she administered a swift kick to O’Rourke under the
table. As he was fully aware of her difficulty he grinned and turned his attention to the lady on his other side. The diners included members of Lucy’s family whom she had never met, including Lady Mary’s younger brother and two sisters. They were polite people but stiff, as Lady Mary had been at their first meeting. Fortunately, they lived some distance from County Cork, so she would not be obliged to see them often once she returned to Kinsale.

  I am expecting to return to Kinsale? Lucy thought, how strange. The whole point of this Season and my debut is to receive eligible offers of marriage. Yet if I do, I can’t imagine accepting it from anyone except... Lucy’s eyes flew to the man sitting beside her. He met her glance and then frowned in puzzlement. She looked down, to hide the sudden surge of blood to her face. His proposition would certainly not be eligible; nevertheless, it is the one I would accept. I can’t weep now, at my own ball. Everyone has worked so hard, I mustn’t let them down.

  Lucy began to talk determinedly to Captain Clayton. He seemed pleased and continued to be an interesting companion. If I had met him first, I might have been attracted to him and he is eligible. I’m so unlucky. The one man I care for doesn’t want me and I’ll never love anyone else. She went out of the dining room on Captain Clayton’s arm and took her place in the line at the entrance to the ballroom ready to welcome their guests. It was a bewildering task trying to remember who was who in the mix of old army officers, ladies in tiaras, their sons and daughters. Only a few remained in Lucy’s memory and for the most diverse reasons, as she recounted to Nell next day. Commodore Musgrave was memorable for his full set of whiskers and his naval uniform; Bishop Mortimer with his black frock coat and white tie. Miss Fleming, the beauty of the party, shining in a pale pink gown and silver shawl. Mr. Reddinton, so tall and handsome, immediately asked her to dance with him.

  “May I, Aunt?” Lucy asked Lady Ridgeway.

  “For this evening only, Lucy, and certainly not the waltz. Lucy is in half mourning, Mr. Reddinton, following her father’s death, so I am sure you understand.”

  “Then I will claim your hand for the quadrille, if I may?”

  “It would be my pleasure.” Lucy watched him walk away. “Thank you Aunt.”

  “Mama and I discussed it. It is somewhat irregular but I remember how unhappy poor Maria was making her debut in mourning. Your father and the date of his death are not known here, so we have contrived a little. You must be more discreet when we are not in our own house.”

  “I will, Aunt. Don’t worry.”

  As was the custom, Lucy opened the ball with General Sir Percy Wetherby, the most distinguished male guest. Distinguished he might have been but he danced as if he was on parade in front of his troops. Lucy was glad when her duty dances finished. Mr. Reddington’s quadrille with was far more pleasant and so were a pair of country reels. She could not help wishing she could dance with Mr. Anselm, but of course clergymen never danced. She was sorry she had suggested this particular disguise to him. It was after supper when he approached her for the first time since dinner.

  “I must talk to you, is there somewhere we can go where we will not be overheard?”

  “Come with me.” She led him to the morning room, empty and unused at that hour of the day. “What is it?”

  “I was talking to Bishop Mortimer just now. As soon as I was introduced to him, he congratulated me on my escape from the pirates and expressed surprise in seeing me in Dublin so soon. He hadn’t expected me to be here before next month at the earliest.”

  “What do you think it means?”

  “Anselm wrote a letter to the church authorities in Ireland which went at the same time as yours to your grandmother. It’s unusual for them to respond quickly, but in this case they must have. Is there anything you haven’t told me about Anselm? Did he come from a prominent family?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “If he has been ransomed and is coming here, then I must be gone before he comes. The good Bishop may not be an intelligent man, but he will be amazed to discover two curates called Anselm bound for Dundalk.”

  “How soon?”

  “Next week, if I can find a ship.”

  “My debut is in three days time and there is to be a party in the Viceroy’s apartments afterwards. I’ll make sure you are included with us, please stay until then.” The gilt edged invitation had arrived the previous week and stood propped up in pride of place on the drawing room mantelpiece. Lucy thought that the occasion would not be complete without O’Rourke.

  “No, don’t do that. Bishop Mortimer is certain to be invited and if I’m there as one of his followers, it will provoke less attention. If he won’t take me, I’ll revert to my old ways and break into the place!” He laughed at the sight of her face. “Don’t worry; he likes me, so there should be no difficulty. It would be better, though, if I didn’t go at all.”

  “Why not?”

  “Anselm and you are the only people who know me as a privateer. If I go before he comes, he can’t unmask me. If he is delayed until the end of the Season, which ends on St. Patrick’s Day, you should be safely away in Kinsale. Let’s hope he is. It’s unlikely anyone would go there to question you about me but people need sufficient time to forget that you did not denounce me as an imposter. It would ruin you if the truth came out, my dear.”

  “If I’m asked, I shall plead that you saved my life and in return you pledged me to secrecy. How could I betray you?”

  “A thin excuse, Alannah. That won’t save your reputation.”

  “Or I could say that you threatened my friends in Saint-Malo, if I didn’t do as you told me.”

  “Better but you will need to improve on the story. You have been too friendly to me.”

  “Perhaps you could pretend to threaten me?”

  “Clergymen rarely threaten their flock, except from the pulpit. That would cause questions to be asked immediately. I should be seen as little as possible with you while I remain in Dublin.”

  “Don’t do that, please. Let me see you while I still can. I’ll miss you when you are gone.”

  “You’re flirting with danger, you know.”

  “Didn’t you once say to me ‘Don’t you like life with a little spice of danger’? If Anselm is not due until next month, what do three more days matter?”

  His eyes suddenly gleamed. “Is that a challenge? I accept. I’ll stay for three more days and go to your party.”

  It could not be said that Lucy was in high spirits for the rest of the evening. She chattered and laughed with the other guests but she could not afterwards recall what they had talked about. Only one memory came to her mind, Captain Clayton bowing over her aunt’s hand and asking if he might call on them tomorrow. Lady Ridgeway was very pleased to agree and as she escorted Lucy to her bedroom when the ball was over, she complimented Lucy on making a hit.

  “Several young men asked my permission to call; Captain Clayton was merely the last of them.”

  “That’s nice, Aunt.”

  “He’s rich, you know Lucy. As his wife you would have an eligible position in society. Mr. Reddington is not so wealthy, but he too is well able to support you. Both appear to be very taken with you and I shouldn’t be surprised if they try to fix their interest. You’re lucky. There are fewer men in Dublin than females so many young ladies do not receive a single proposal in their first Season, never mind have a choice among their suitors.”

  “You seem very sure they will propose to me, Aunt. Perhaps they merely enjoy my company?”

  “No doubt that is true, my dear, but I have married off two daughters already and I recognise the signs. I would be surprised if these gentlemen are trifling with you. What do you think of them?”

  “They are both pleasant young men and I like them.”

  Lucy realised she must have sounded unenthusiastic because Lady Ridgeway asked,

  “But?”

  “I am not in love with either of them.”

  “Love often comes, Lucy, after you are marrie
d. Few people experience more than attraction on such a short acquaintance. Love at first sight is only to be found between the pages of a novel. No need to brood on this any further tonight, though. We are In Dublin for some months, let us see what happens.”

  Lucy sighed but said no more. Strange how my silly dreams are coming true when I no longer want them to. I am no heroine in a book but I’m sure that love at first sight happened to me when Patrick touched me all those months ago in London.

  Lucy was very busy over the next few days as she prepared for her presentation. Sir Edgar had already attended the Viceroy’s levée and the next important event was the ‘Drawing Room’, the scene of the debutantes’ presentation. Her presentation dress, which Lady Mary had ordered as soon as they arrived in Dublin, was delivered the day after the ball. It was an elaborate gown of white silk, with an embroidered bodice and small train. All debutantes had to wear tall ostrich feathers on their heads which horrified Lucy She thought she would be bound to lose one of them at the ceremony until Morgan and Lady Ridgeway showed her how they could be pinned to her braided hair. Then Lady Mary produced a small tiara to hide the pins. It was a simple affair of pearls with a scattering of small diamonds and Lucy exclaimed with delight when she saw it in the looking glass.

  “How lovely.”

  Lady Mary smiled at her. “This is the smallest of the family tiaras. Both my daughters wore it at their presentations and so did Charlotte and Maria.”

  “Thank you, Grandmama.”

  “Take good care of it,” Lady Ridgeway said, “or Nell will scratch your eyes out. It’s her turn next.” Nell giggled as she watched.

  “Of course I will.” Lucy smiled. “Nell will look quite charming when she wears it. I hope to be there to see her in all her glory.”