Once they were all drawn and the house was quiet, Jane came back to Julia. She laid a hand on her sister’s. “Julia?” she said.
Julia said nothing. She just squeezed her eyes closed.
“I can send for the doctor tomorrow,” Jane said.
“Please do not.” Julia touched her toe again. It was tender and bruised beneath her now ripped and ruined stockings.
“Then, shall we get you upstairs?” Jane asked. “You should soak that foot,” Jane decreed calling for help take Julia up to her room and a maid to bring hot water and salts.
In no time, Julia was sitting in her own room soaking her wounded foot in a basin.
Jane worried over her sister, but that upset Julia more, so Jane worried over her slippers instead; now stained with both grass and blood. Once the maid had left, Julia knew that her sister expected an explanation, but Julia changed the subject.
“Might we go to the Grand Pump Room tomorrow?” Julia asked. “I wish to take the waters.”
“If you would like. We could get dressed up and invite Lady Charity and Miss Grant along. She saw Julia’s face at the thought of a crowd, even her close friends, and amended, “Or go alone, if you would rather. Though we must go early. No lying abed, for there is a ball to attend at the Assembly tomorrow evening. Oh how on earth you are going to dance with that foot? Is that why you want to visit the Pump Room? To heal your foot?”
Julia nodded, forcing herself to stillness. She would not cry. She was not a weepy woman, but at last in the comfort of home, she still could not relax. Not just yet. She took a deep breath and gathered her strength. “Thank you, Jane,” she said.
It did not sit right, lying to her sister, but she did not think Jane would be so eager to go if she knew the real reason behind Julia’s request. She wanted the waters, not to heal her foot, but to heal the malady that came with her birth.
Julia lay awake in bed tossing and turning well into the night. Had Cedric told his brother what had happened between them? Had Lord Fawkland really seen them? What must he have thought? The thoughts churned her mind. She wondered what she had done to give Cedric the expectation that his advances were welcome. And now Lord Fawkland knew. He had seen Cedric kiss her and yet he had walked her home. Oh, what must he think of her! And he mentioned the betrothal. Did he want to rescind it? Was that what he was trying to say? How could he want to marry her when he saw her with his brother? Of course Cedric would not want to marry her, not after she slapped him. But she could not be sorry. She could not help but think he deserved it even if she somehow gave him the impression that she would accept such advances. When had she done that? Julia groaned into her pillow. The thoughts would not cease and sleep was long in coming.
~.~
Chapter Five
Godwin was furious with his brother, Cedric. He wanted to throttle him, but first he had needed to see Miss Bellevue safely home. Now, however, he felt almost light-hearted as he walked back from Miss Bellevue’s townhouse. When he had first seen her with Cedric, his heart had sunk. After all, she hadn’t seemed pleased by their betrothal when he first met her, and then, she had all but told him she preferred his brother.
He hadn’t exactly followed Miss Bellevue when she left the picnic. Well, perhaps he had, but only to keep a watchful eye on her. He knew Cedric fancied her and the fact that Godwin had offered for her meant that she would be in his brother’s sights. But, he had her father’s word that she was his. He only had to convince Miss Bellevue of his sincerity, though it seemed he was doing a poor job of it.
He tried to warn Miss Bellevue about Cedric but he couldn’t blame her for being deceived. Cedric was a born charmer. He could bring the most resolute to his side. Miss Bellevue only knew Cedric as a boy; she could not know what he was like now. Godwin knew this evening had nothing to do with any remaining feelings Cedric might have had for the girl and everything to do with his feelings for his brother. Cedric may have liked the Bellevue girl at one time, but this hateful behavior was solely because Godwin was now betrothed to her. Cedric never could stand to lose.
He smiled as he thought of Miss Bellevue slapping his brother’s face. Why, he had seen grown men quelled by his brother’s size, and now this little slip of a girl… Alright. So the lady was not small, but she was still a lady. His lady. He wanted her to be his lady. She was so fierce. Godwin had been interested in the girl when she was young, but now, he saw her in an even more favorable light. She was quite the spitfire, proud and regal. He sighed.
Godwin visited Cedric’s usual haunts searching for his brother until he could think of nowhere else to look, except the upstairs of a bawdy house. At least there, the women would be receptive to his advances. Godwin still wanted to strangle his brother for toying with Miss Bellevue’s feelings just to spite him, but as the night wore on his anger cooled somewhat and he realized it may be better to avoid having words in public…again. Neither his reputation nor Miss Bellevue’s could take much more maligning by the Ton. Anyway, he could not think of where else Cedric may have gone to, and searching public rooms was different than searching private ones. It was not yet dawn. Cedric had not returned to his rented lodgings. That much Godwin knew. No, Cedric was probably out accosting some other girl, he thought morosely. Godwin could only hope Cedric paid her.
Godwin decided to visit one more club. Cedric may be there, and if not, it was likely some of the Naval men were. He could enjoy a drink with friends before heading back to his own lodgings and sleep.
~.~
“Fawkland. Come. Sit,” Lord Percival Beresford called as Godwin entered the club.
Commander Samuel Beresford waved Godwin to their table. Godwin gave a quick look around as he moved to join the Beresfords, but did not see his own brother drinking or at cards.
“Percy. Samuel. Jack.” He greeted his friends, and nodded to the fourth man at their table.
Samuel Beresford, his brother Lord Percival Beresford, Captain Jack Hartfield and another Navy man were playing whist.
“I am done,” said Samuel Beresford, as he gave up his seat to Godwin. “If I lose any more I shall not be able to afford my own wedding.” He ran a hand through his already thoroughly mussed hair.
“Surely it is not so bad as that,” Godwin said.
Samuel stood and picked up his drink.
“No, Stay Samuel,” Percival Beresford said to his brother. “What shall I do without my partner?”
“Take Fawkland,” Samuel suggested.
“I’ll stake you, but then you must share your winnings,” Percival said. “We can switch to Vingt-et-un,” He suggested noting there were five players now instead of four so partnering was not possible. “I shall deal, unless you wish to, Samuel?”
“Ha!” Samuel commented, but he sat back down smiling at his brother. The men shifted over to make room for Godwin and Jack Hartfield pulled up another chair and shoved it towards him.
As he sat, Godwin envied the easy comradery of the Beresford brothers. He and Cedric had fought since they had come from the womb.
“There are quite a number of navy men here in Bath this summer,” commented Godwin as he sat. “It looks like the fleet landed.”
“Aye,” agreed Captain Jack Hartfield. “Too many ships sunk by the damned French,” he said as he sipped his drink. “It leaves good men without a ship. At least we have a bit of a holiday. I pity the poor blighters on half pay at port.”
The lieutenant agreed with Captain Jack. “Time we take a few of those ships off of Boney,” commented the lieutenant as he threw in his cards for the new deal.
“Yes,” Samuel added.
Godwin knew that Captain Jack, like himself, was the son of a baron as well as a captain and Commander Samuel Beresford was the second son of an earl. The lieutenant was the son of a viscount, all doing their duty for King and country. Godwin had not continued in the navy because his father had died young, and he had taken up the Barony, but the men in the service of the Crown were his friends nonetheless. He wa
s closer with the Beresford brothers, Percival and Samuel, than with his own brother. He had met Samuel first when they served on the same ship. Captain Jack was only a midshipman then. Godwin had become friends with Lord Percival Beresford afterwards, when he returned home and tried to do his best to become the baron his father had meant him to be. He supposed he managed that well enough. He was always able to manage everything. Everything but his younger brother.
Percy shuffled and dealt the cards for twenty-one. Play continued for a while with money changing hands from one to another as they bet and the conversation picked up again. The drinking picked up as well, as playing twenty-one did not take a great deal of concentration and no partner depended upon each other’s wits. None were so in their cups that they could not count.
Conversation was centered on politics and the war with Napoleon. “Why pursue this talk,” Percy Beresford said. “We are whole, and dry and well fed. Soon enough we will all be back at the work of war. Let us linger over our good fortune for the moment.”
“Good fortune,” Captain Jack exclaimed. “My ship run aground is not good fortune.”
“At least you are not at the bottom of the sea with her,” the Lieutenant said.
“Fie, a good captain goes down with the ship.” Captain Jack said.
“Not when you can climb out and walk to land,” Samuel said with a snigger. “You would have had to lie down in the drink to drown, Jack.” All of the men laughed at the circumstances that put the ship aground, but that was only due to the liquor for it was no laughing matter as it happened.
“Only Captain Hartfield’s good sense managed to get most of his crew ashore safely. The ship however was so badly damaged even the French didn’t want it,” the lieutenant offered.
“Bah, the worst of an English ship is better than the best French one any day,” Captain Jack said.
“Spoken like a true patriot,” Lord Percival Beresford added.
“Perhaps you will find a better lady to sail with, Jack,” Samuel said with a wink to the captain, and the conversation turned to the Beresford brothers and their impending weddings. Congratulations and toasts were passed around the table as the night wore on towards morning.
“What of your lady, Hartfield,” asked Percival as he passed on the last toast.
“Yes,” Samuel added. “Has her chaperone let her loose? Or is she still jailed?”
Captain Jack shook his head. “I am as unlucky in love as I am at sea. She has said I played her false, and it is not so…well tis not I who played her false, but Mister Hart, and now since I, in the guise of a captain’s clerk am barred from her presence, and she cannot write to me, I am at a loss of how to win her.” He leaned his head on the table, but Godwin thought that the action could be more to do with him being in his cups than as to his despair over his lady love.
“Up! Up!” admonished Percy as he dealt again.
“Who is this clerk?” Godwin asked confused by Captain Jack’s explanation.
“A fool,” said Samuel, “As are we all.” He lifted his glass in a toast. “To all the fools who fall in love.” There was a happy clinking of glasses and a moment of silence as they all drank before turning back to the cards.
Godwin’s thoughts went to his lady, Miss Bellevue. What a baroness she would make! She was reserved and regal, so unlike the silly ninnies that were the staple of the Ton. He knew she liked the arts from her father’s boasting of her talents. He thought she would be delighted to see the salons of the Louvre Palace. He wished he could take her to Paris but was unsure what would be left there in the midst of this damned war. And first he had to win her away from his brother. Godwin was not as polished as Cedric in gaining a lady’s affection and the fact that his brother had pitted himself against him was troubling. Godwin rolled his drink in his glass, until Percy interrupted his musings.
“A card, Godwin?” he asked.
“Oh, Yes” Godwin answered automatically, and scowled as his cards added to twenty-two. He threw them aside.
The captain also threw in his cards. “You do not understand,” he said as the others played out the hand.
“Well then, pray explain,” Godwin said as he sipped his drink.
“Pray I was never such an idiot as Hartfield,” Percy said to, Samuel. “Tell me it is not so, brother.”
“Oh you were worse,” Samuel said laughing. “Mooning about love.”
Percy punched his brother on the shoulder but it was all for fun and there was no true malice in it. Godwin wished he could be so jovial with his own brother.
“Go on man. Tell Fawkland the tale,” Samuel urged Captain Hartfield. “Lud. How did you get yourself in such a pickle? Were you not the man who said you would never be caught in marriage?”
“Oh aye,” the captain agreed. “I have long teased other men who are smitten by love and now here I am with the same affliction,” Captain Jack lamented. “No Samuel. I shall not relate it. You only want to have a lark at my expense.”
“Yes, of course,” Samuel agreed taking another card. “But you know it is a good tale.”
“That it is,” Captain Jack said. “But I have told too much already and there is no good advice for me.” The captain downed his drink as the others laughed at his chagrin.
With much prodding, Captain Jack explained that his lady love, Miss Lavinia Grant was convinced that it was more romantic to fall in love with a poor man than a rich one.”
“If only all women would feel so,” lamented the lieutenant as he scowled at his losing cards.
Godwin realized that Captain Hartfield’s lady love was the very same woman who was Miss Bellevue’s accomplished shuttlecock partner from this afternoon. “A small blonde lady?” Godwin questioned, “I believe I know of the woman.”
“A blonde angel,” Captain Jack corrected.
Godwin, was still baffled. “But pray tell. Who is this Mister Hart?” Godwin asked tapping the table for a card from Lord Percival Beresford, who was still playing dealer.
“No one. He does not exist. Or rather, he is me,” Captain Hartfield explained.
“How did this happen?” Godwin urged, now intrigued.
“As you all know, I am grounded,” Captain Jack began. His glare kept anyone from commenting on how he lost his ship. “I had thought I would try my luck to attend the opening night’s ball here in Bath and see what lovely lady I could find. Of course I was readily admitted due to my strong pedigree.
“I have hounds with a better pedigree,” Samuel Beresford teased, and his brother admonished him.
“Let the man speak.”
“Have another drink.” The lieutenant prompted Godwin.
Godwin shook his head. “Go on then, Jack,” he said and again glanced around the room. It had nearly cleared of patrons. Only one table besides their own was still active. It must be nearing dawn, Godwin thought. He wondered if his brother would be back in his rented rooms by now.
“You know, normally I stay far from the fashionable world and the marriage mart,” Captain Jack continued. “I am a smart man and have no intention of taking a wife until I give up my commission which the way luck is treating me, may be quite some time. Anyway, I always thought there was more fire in the streets than in the parlors.”
“Aye,” agreed the lieutenant, saluting the captain with his drink, but Percy and Samuel exchanged glances as if they might disagree.
“But this night, this one night, I attended the opening night ball here in Bath,” the captain said.
“The opening ball is a masquerade,” Percy commented. “How would the woman even know your identity?”
“That is just the thing. I wore a mask, but lacking any costume of note, I donned my own uniform.”
“I must be drunk,” Godwin said rubbing his eyes. “If you were dressed as yourself, how did she mistake you for a clerk? Does the girl have eyes, or is she so much the ninny that she does not know a captain from a clerk?”
“She did. She does,” Jack said as he threw away his
cards. He continued with a sigh, “The next thing I knew, I was holding this paragon of feminine beauty in my arms. Oh, but we danced. It was like dancing with an angel on a cloud. We danced to the scandalous music of Johan Strauss, the Vienna Blood Waltz. Ah, what music! What a woman!”
“Where was her chaperone?” Godwin asked askance that any would allow a man to dance a waltz with her charge at first glance.
The captain had closed his eyes and let the memory of the night flood him with its warmth while the others had to make do with spirits. “When I looked into her eyes, I knew there would be no one else for me. I knew right then, that I loved her… but that was when she began berating me.”
“What?” Godwin interrupted.
“She said that I had no costume.”
“Which was the truth,” Godwin agreed reasonably.
“I did not want to disappoint the lady, but because she was right; I sought to deceive her. ‘Of course I have a costume,’ I said. ‘I am not a captain at all. I am but the captain’s clerk.’ I regaled her then with all the machinations I had to attempt to gain access to said costume when all I needed to do was look in my own cupboard. Oh, her laughter, gentlemen. It was like the clear ringing of the bells of heaven. But I shall never hear her laugh again. I lied to her and now there is no way to tell the truth, but to out myself as a liar and a cad. Furthermore, even if I did, she would not have me. She wants a poor man.” Captain Hartfield sighed and took a big gulp of his drink to fortify himself.
“Did you declare your love for her?” Godwin asked.
“Of course I did. I told her at the end of our dance. ‘I am in love with you Miss Lavinia Grant.’ And to my surprise, she said ‘And I am in love with you, Mister Hart.’ For that is the name I gave her: Mister Hart. But before I could tell her true, she spoke of the great romance of falling for a man with no position; a man she just met at a ball, and a masquerade, no less, and I saw no way to correct her.
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