An Unlikely Debutante

by Laura Martin

  ‘What did he do to you?’ Alex asked, his voice low and soft, but with an undertone of repressed anger.

  ‘He just slapped me, truly it wasn’t even that hard.’

  For a moment Lina wanted Alex to beat Uncle Tom; she wanted him to hurt him, to punish him for the slap and for the threats he’d been making the last few weeks. As her pulse slowed her anger subsided and gently, she laid a hand on Alex’s arm.

  ‘It was just a little slap,’ she repeated. ‘He’s a desperate man.’

  ‘That’s no excuse.’

  Alex kissed her forehead, rose and walked over to where Tom was struggling to get up. There was naked fear in the older man’s eyes, as well as a hint of regret. Alex grasped him by the edges of his shirt and dragged him back towards Lina.

  ‘I should beat you to a pulp for what you just did,’ Alex said.

  ‘Please,’ Uncle Tom whispered, his voice barely audible. ‘It was a mistake. I’m sorry.’

  For a long moment Alex eyed the man in his grasp, before disgustedly letting go of his shirt and pushing him none too gently into a chair.

  ‘I want to know everything,’ Alex said. ‘Why you’re trespassing on my property, why you hit Lina and why you broke into Lina’s room a few weeks ago. I assume that was you?’

  Both Lina and Uncle Tom gave small nods and Lina felt her cheeks colouring.

  ‘She owes me money,’ Tom said.

  ‘I’ve paid you.’

  ‘Only just. You’re a slippery little fish, I wouldn’t have seen a penny if I hadn’t chased you.’

  ‘Why did she owe you money?’

  ‘We made a wager, she lost.’

  ‘Is this true?’ Alex asked, turning to Lina.

  She nodded, unable to meet his eye.

  ‘So all this time you’ve been following Lina to remind her to pay you?’

  ‘It was my money. She lost the wager, she had to pay.’

  ‘And now she’s paid the debt?’

  Uncle Tom nodded, his fingers darting to the pocket where he’d stashed the stack of notes Lina had handed over a few minutes before.

  ‘So why hit her?’ Alex asked, frowning.

  Neither Uncle Tom or Lina spoke, both pressing their lips together, but for different reasons. Lina didn’t want Alex to know she’d even contemplated helping her uncle steal from him and Tom was no doubt still sore from when Alex had catapulted him across the terrace not ten minutes earlier.

  ‘Tell me,’ Alex said, his voice soft, directing his words to Lina.

  ‘When I couldn’t pay Uncle Tom straight away I made a deal,’ she said, looking down at her hands as she spoke. ‘We agreed I would have four weeks to find the money and instead of the ten pounds that I owed him I would pay fifteen.’

  Alex nodded as Tom shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  ‘The only way Uncle Tom would agree to the extension period was if I agreed to do something else for him...’ Lina paused, took a deep breath, then continued, ‘He wanted me to find out where you kept your money, so he could sneak into the house and steal it. I was also meant to let him know when the house would be empty so he was less likely to get caught.’

  Biting her lip, Lina risked a glance up. Alex’s expression was inscrutable, but he didn’t look happy.

  ‘You were planning to rob my house?’

  ‘It’s not like you’d miss a few pounds here and there,’ Uncle Tom said belligerently, although he cowered as Alex leaned in towards him.

  ‘What I don’t understand is why you didn’t just take a few valuables when you broke into the house a few weeks ago. You’d already risked getting caught by entering, why didn’t you steal something then?’

  Uncle Tom looked down and refused to speak, pushing his lips together in a manner that suggested he wasn’t going to say any more on the matter.

  ‘I think he’s been in trouble with the magistrate, caught with stolen goods. He’s worried if he gets caught trying to sell anything stolen again in this area, then the punishment would be harsh and swift.’

  ‘But money cannot be traced,’ Alex said, nodding his head. ‘Right, come with me.’

  Alex stood, bodily hauling Uncle Tom to his feet and holding his arms in a way that meant the older man had no hope of escape.

  ‘What will you do to him?’ Lina asked. She didn’t like her uncle—even less so after the slap that had hurt her cheek so badly—but she didn’t want Alex to do anything too drastic. Uncle Tom might be a low-life scoundrel, but he was still family.

  ‘I will send one of the footmen for the magistrate, Sir Peter Lawson. He’s a good man, a friend of my father’s when the old man was still alive. He can decide what to do with this criminal.’

  Within her family, and the larger group they travelled with, all disputes were settled without the outside meddling of the law. Lina felt a little uncomfortable allowing her uncle to be handed over to the magistrate, but she doubted he would suffer more than a firm warning. It wasn’t as though Uncle Tom had actually stolen anything, despite his intentions.

  ‘So what was this wager?’ Alex asked when he returned a couple of minutes later.

  ‘Promise you won’t laugh?’

  ‘I can do no such thing.’

  ‘I bet Uncle Tom ten pounds that I could mount and ride a wild horse the length of a field.’

  ‘You didn’t manage it?’

  ‘I was thrown about eight feet from the end.’

  ‘I’m impressed that you managed to mount a wild horse, let alone ride it.’

  ‘Does this mean I’m allowed to ride your Arabian?’

  Alex laughed. ‘No. Not even if you were the finest wild-horse tamer in England.’

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  With a theatrical sigh, Lina flopped on to a bench and tugged at the ties of her bonnet. She was just about to lift it from her head to allow some much-needed air to circulate when Georgina gave her a sharp nudge in the ribs. Reluctantly Lina let her hands fall back to her sides, her bonnet still firmly in place covering her hair.

  It was hot—far too hot to be wearing as many layers as Lina was dressed in and the cotton chemise and petticoats seemed to be sticking to her body every time she moved. She longed for her loose, cool skirt and blouse, which in the summer months she often wore with nothing else underneath. The people of London were sticklers for being appropriately dressed—that was, if you believed everything Georgina had to say—and everyone was strolling around Hyde Park with far too many layers to be comfortable.

  ‘We’ve got half an hour before your dress fitting,’ Georgina said, fanning herself delicately with a lace handheld fan. ‘Would you like to walk further or shall we sit here in the shade for a while?’

  ‘As much as I’m enjoying this heat, I worry for my complexion in the sun,’ Lina said, grinning at Georgina’s expression.

  For the last four days, all the time they’d been in London, Georgina had been suggesting various methods to brighten Lina’s skin. Lina had endured hearing about the benefits of milk baths, the juice of lemons, a strange-smelling face cream and only being allowed out of the house with a bonnet and a parasol. She’d gone along with all of it, knowing that years of spending her days outside enjoying the feeling of the sun’s rays on her skin were not going to be reversed in a few short weeks. In addition, after Georgina had run halfway down the street after her and Alex when they’d left for a walk one day, Alex had told her he rather liked the freckles that were dotted over her nose and that he thought her skin was the colour of honey. She’d blushed when he’d leaned in and added, ‘Good enough to eat,’ in a low whisper.

  ‘How are you feeling about the Wilcox ball?’ Georgina asked as they sat side by side, watching the children play with their nursemaid in the distance.

  ‘A little nervous.’

  In truth, she was petrified. Not of the ball—how bad could one evening be? No, Lina was petrified of the day after, the moment when she would have to bid farewell to Alex for ever. Although she had tried to prepare hers
elf for the inevitable separation, she still knew her heart would break. If she wasn’t careful, she might fling herself at his feet and beg him to keep her as his mistress even just for a few weeks, in spite of what she had insisted.

  ‘I think you’ll do very well. You’ve worked so hard these last few weeks, you will fit in with all the other debutantes perfectly.’

  Lina nodded absently. She could dance and converse and curtsy in all the right places. Her voice might not be as cultured as the other young women, her knowledge of the opera or Mozart’s piano concertos not so in depth, but she wasn’t expected to do more than make small talk and dance a few dances in order for Alex to win his wager. The only difficulty would be if anyone enquired as to her background, her family and their home. Alex didn’t think it would be a problem; the fact she was being sponsored by both himself and Georgina made up for her lack of pedigree.

  ‘I will miss you,’ Georgina said quietly, taking Lina’s hand and squeezing it. ‘We’ve had such fun this past month.’

  ‘I’ll miss you, too.’ It was the truth. Georgina was kind and good fun to be with, just like her brother. ‘Although I’m not sure I’ll miss all of this.’ Lina gestured to the outfit she was wearing and the parasol that laid by her side.

  ‘Nonsense. You’ll be wearing a bonnet whilst you tell fortunes at the next country fair.’ They both smiled, then sat in silence for a few minutes, before Georgina said softly, ‘Are you worried about leaving?’

  ‘I’m worried about going home. I’m not sure how I’ll fit in any more. These last few weeks I’ve seen so much, learnt so much, it’ll be difficult to go back to my old life.’

  It was the truth, but more than that, Lina didn’t know how she would be able to live without seeing Alex every single day.

  ‘You’ll be glad to see your family, though?’ Georgina asked. ‘Your brother and your cousin?’

  Unexpected tears filled Lina’s eyes. It was nearly six weeks since she’d last seen Raul and Sabina, and right now she could do with a strong hug from her brother and a long talk with her sensible and loving cousin.

  ‘I can’t wait to see them.’

  Lina caught sight of Pentworthy strolling towards them, deep in conversation with a smartly dressed young man. It was wonderful to watch Georgina’s face light up as she spotted her husband and Lina wondered if she would ever get to experience that same happiness and contentment.

  ‘Miss Lock, may I introduce Mr Braithwaite,’ Pentworthy said as they approached the bench. Lina rose and dipped her head, smiling at the earnest young man in front of her. ‘Mr Braithwaite runs a large textile company up north. We were introduced by a mutual friend when Mr Braithwaite arrived in London.’

  ‘Miss Lock and I were just on our way to the dressmaker’s,’ Georgina said, placing her hand in the crook of her husband’s arm. ‘Perhaps you gentlemen have time to escort us?’

  ‘It would be my pleasure,’ Mr Braithwaite said, offering Lina his arm. His voice was low and rich, thick with a northern accent Lina recognised from time spent in Derbyshire a few years ago.

  They walked, Lina ensuring her parasol was held high over her head to stop the sun from falling on her cheeks. As they made their way through Hyde Park, they talked about London life, about her stay with the Whitemore family, of the opera Mr Braithwaite had been to see the night before and a dozen other insignificant topics. The earnest young man was a perfectly good companion, perfectly nice, but Lina found herself wishing it were someone else leading her through the leafy park. Someone strong and tall, confident and easy in himself. Someone who would be conversing normally one second and leaning down to whisper something wicked in her ear the next second.

  ‘What do you think, Miss Lock?’ Mr Braithwaite asked.

  Lina felt her eyes widen as she desperately tried to recall what they had been talking about before she’d slipped off into her daydream. They’d spoke a little of how fashions seemed to change so quickly in London, especially compared to the country, but she rather thought Mr Braithwaite might have moved on whilst her mind was elsewhere.

  ‘I completely agree, Mr Braithwaite,’ Lina said, trying to sound confident even though she had no idea what she was agreeing to.

  Mr Braithwaite beamed and at the same moment a familiar figure came strolling down the path towards them. Before Lina could ascertain what statement she’d just agreed with so exuberantly, Alex was in front of them. Even in public, he stood just a little too close for propriety.

  ‘May I introduce Lord Whitemore, the Marquess of Essex.’ Lina paused, turning to Alex and finding herself stumbling over her words as she caught the flash of primal desire in his eyes. ‘And this is Mr Braithwaite.’

  The two men shook hands, talking easily as they found out common acquaintances and experiences. All the while, Lina felt the heat rising in her body. It was a warm day, but even the heat from the sun couldn’t explain the burning sensation deep inside her. This was getting worse. A few weeks ago it had been just a slight tingle, a throb of anticipation every time Alex drew near. Now it was impossible to ignore the sizzle of desire and the need to be close to him. After any spell of time apart Lina felt almost bereaved and their reconciliation was verging on painful as she had to hold herself back from launching herself into his arms.

  ‘Steady,’ she whispered to herself. She’d managed to maintain her composure these last few weeks; she wouldn’t slip up in the final few days before the wager was over. It was important Alex didn’t know quite how much he affected her—although by the amused glint in his eyes she suspected she didn’t look quite as composed as she hoped.

  ‘Now you have your escort, I must take my leave,’ Mr Braithwaite said as they reached the entrance to Hyde Park.

  ‘Thank you for your company,’ Lina managed, smiling at Mr Braithwaite as he bid everyone goodbye.

  Georgina and her husband were a few paces ahead as they left the park and Lina felt Alex slow to increase the distance between them.

  ‘Miss me?’ he murmured in her ear.

  ‘You’ve been somewhere?’ Lina asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

  ‘Your indifference would wound me,’ Alex said, ‘if I believed for a second you weren’t suffering in my absence.’

  ‘You have a very high opinion of yourself.’

  ‘Maybe you should see if it is justified.’

  Alex was still pursuing her, still intent on making her his mistress. Since the ambush and their overnight sojourn in the barn he’d stopped trying to convince her it would only be a short-term affair, instead insisting they would both gain from the liaison.

  ‘Did you achieve all that you wanted to?’ Lina asked.

  ‘I did. I have a surprise for you later.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘It won’t be a surprise if I tell you.’

  He wouldn’t budge on the subject, no matter how hard Lina tried, and she was still trying to wheedle information out of him as they entered the dressmaker’s.

  ‘This is where I leave you,’ Alex said.

  ‘Do you have to go?’

  ‘Why, do you need my help slipping out of that dress?’

  ‘I think the seamstress might protest if you step behind the curtain to do her job.’

  ‘I wasn’t thinking of doing her job.’

  ‘Truly, I don’t want to know what you’ve just said to make Lina blush that much,’ Georgina said, swooping in and taking Lina firmly by the arm. ‘Alex, go away. You’re not to see this dress until the night of the ball.’

  The chaste kiss he gave her on the back of her hand had Lina’s legs feeling all wobbly as she entered the shop and she was grateful when one of the shop girls offered her and Georgina chairs to sit on whilst she fetched the dress.

  As they sat and the shop girls flitted around, fetching and carrying all the while chattering away, Lina closed her eyes for a moment and tried to regain some equilibrium. These last few days in London had gone past in an absolute whirl and not an entirely good one. She’d shopped
, taken tea, made small talk with women she had nothing in common with. It was only all made bearable by coming home to Alex every evening, joining him in his study before dinner, where they would discuss her day and he would make her laugh and make her blush. It made her realise it certainly wasn’t the lifestyle she was in love with. She would be happy if she never had to hold another parasol or spend six hours being measured for a dress again. No, the one thing she liked about her life these last few weeks was Alex.

  ‘Penny for your thoughts,’ Georgina said quietly.

  ‘I don’t know how you do it,’ Lina said. ‘The endless polite chit-chat, being perfectly presented all the time, never knowing who is watching you and who is judging you.’

  Georgina shrugged in her ladylike manner. ‘I suppose when you’ve lived like this all your life it comes naturally.’

  ‘Very true.’

  Lina knew she didn’t fit in in Alex’s world, not even as his mistress. She might be able to pull off one evening, one ball, but she couldn’t imagine living with this level of scrutiny the whole time.

  As one of the shop girls invited her through to try on her dress for the Wilcox ball, Lina realised what she’d just thought. Not even as his mistress. It was getting harder and harder to resist Alex, to remember all the reasons why it would be a bad idea to give herself to him. In a way, it was a relief she had less than a week left in his company. When they were hundreds of miles apart, she couldn’t very easily succumb to his seduction. The only problem with that was that she wasn’t sure how she would survive without seeing his smile, feeling his hands grip hers and hearing his laugh every single day.

  * * *

  ‘Close your eyes.’

  ‘Promise you won’t let me fall.’

  ‘I promise.’

  Lina closed her eyes and felt Alex’s arms around her. She squealed, but dutifully kept her eyes closed.

  ‘I want you to imagine something. Can you do that for me?’