Much of his carving output had been placed in the redecorated nursery wing should their marriage produce any children. Xavier however was doubting they would ever have an heir, but he continued to make toys hoping some young Falconer might enjoy them in the future. So far there was a chest of wooden bricks in various shapes and sizes, some of which were carved with the letters of the alphabet, numbers or with stylised animal faces. He was particularly proud of his Noah’s Ark which opened to reveal many smaller carvings of the animals and people who sailed on the great boat.
He had found the rocking cradle which he himself had been placed in. The linen and blankets were past repair, but Eliza and her girls were making fresh sheets and blankets from those adult items that were slightly worn and could be cut down. He had cleaned and re-varnished the cradle, repainting the coat of arms on the high headboard linking to the rocker with the new joint coat of arms.
Xavier had also carved a couple of simple wooden dolls, but one of Eliza’s girls would sew them some clothes. Eliza had suggested the clothes would be a good practice for all their embroidery stitches, better than working on a sampler which might never be displayed. He had drawn up some plans to make a rocking horse and then thought he should also consider making a doll’s house. A tiny version of Kittleton Place had been considered, but it was a warren of rooms, passages and cellars so he thought it might be better to make a simpler doll’s house for children to play with. He had decided after Celstina’s return to London he would consider drawing some plans for a suitable toy building. When he had completed all that, he might make a castle for toy soldiers to guard and attack.
Xavier had never really considered that if Kittleton Place was properly funded, repaired and stewarded, that there might be so little for him to do. He had spent the last years, simply trying to survive and now he found he had needs make himself something to do to fill his days with activity. Over the next few days, they decided to fund the further development of the village school, with a more humble Reverend Lychefelde; and Xavier went riding with Celestina and Hector. Xavier spent some time with Hector, teaching him how to handle a sporting vehicle and pair, and his nights with Celestina, who could no longer hide her enjoyment of his lovemaking. Hector had ridden away from the place on a number of evenings, but Xavier had made no enquiries about what drew him away and merely wished him well silently. Hector and Celestina returned to London just in time to miss a heavy snow fall which kept Xavier housebound for several days, but he got on with his carving and enjoyed his memories of good times spent with his wife. She had promised to have a carving room in her town house set up for him and he was looking forward to going up to London.
Chapter Seventeen- London
The beginning of the season in London was heralded by a thaw in the weather. Xavier was eager to travel and would have simply saddled up Xerxes and ridden into town, but Celestina had made detailed arrangements. First Paul Avery would drive Xavier’s curricle together with Xerxes tied behind by easy stages. Then on the following day Jeffreys would travel with the main carriage to Kittleton Place and drive Xavier and Hodges together with their luggage on the next morning. It was a slower way to reach London, but much more comfortable for his elderly valet, so Xavier submitted although he would have enjoyed the ride to London. At least he would have Xerxes with him in London, so he could let off steam and get some exercise.
When he arrived, with Hodges, at the town house, he was very impressed by the building. It was beautifully classical in design and an imposing structure of considerable size. There was a front circular drive where carriages could drop off their occupants before heading for the stable mews at the side of the house. To the rear were a neat enclosed garden and a conservatory that caught the best of London’s wintry sunshine. Inside the house was simply but expensively decorated and furnished. Yet it still bespoke of comfort and elegance rather than simply screaming that money had been spent on the interiors without much taste or consideration for the occupants of the house.
The town servants had been drawn up in a line for his inspection when he arrived. Celestina descended the dramatic main sweeping staircase and curtseyed formally to her husband when she reached the bottom. The servants seemed to straighten their shoulders and change from obsequious humility to being proud of working for a titled family. The attitude change was noticed by Celestina, who had found her servants just a touch supercilious and perhaps not as efficient as she had wished. However when they laid eyes on her gorgeous husband, who was so clearly the real genuine aristocrat, they could not have been more helpful.
The Earl of Kittleton raised both their status and hers. Now she was seen as his countess, the servants strove to become everything she had hoped for, but had despaired for in their behaviour. One raised eyebrow from Xavier corrected the cheekiest footman or insolent maid. He was quietly impressed by how Celestina had had the town house arranged and decorated. The rooms for entertaining were elegantly correct and their private rooms were warmly comfortable. He could find little fault and although he suggested two chairs were removed from what he felt was an overly cluttered drawing room, he added they could always be fetched if numbers present required extra seating.
Celestina had already made appointments for him to visit a tailors to update his wardrobe, so the days before the opening of parliament were spent choosing fabrics and having garments pinned in place on his form. However now he was in London and could observe the fashions that were being worn, he could see they would suit him well and was therefore more prepared to allow himself to be brought up to the mark. Only on one matter did he continue to refuse to follow the trends. He kept his hair long, tied in a velvet ribbon at his neck. When asked by his tailor to reconsider his stance on having his hair cut, he explained.
“My hair is too curly to wear a Brutus or Coupe de Vent. If it is cut short it will fall naturally into a Cherubim style. I am too old to wear a halo of pretty curls. The amount of pomade I would need to force it into any of the other styles would be immense. I dislike the smell and feel of the hair greases available. If I wear my hair long it will remain neat and even if I appear eccentric, it is preferable to wearing a Cherubim!”
With that his tailor had to agree, a halo of tight curls would detract from the smoother and leaner silhouette that would be so beautifully displayed by Xavier’s elegant musculature. Celestina continued into the office on every day, bar the Sabbath, so Xavier enjoyed her company in the evenings and her body in the nights. He found now he was in town that it was harder to avoid socialising than it had been in Kittleton. He went to a fencing salle to practice as it had been some years since he had been in London or fought a duel. He had no real expectations of having to fight, but he had had a reputation as a duellist and did not want to risk a challenge when he was so rusty. It was good exercise and did not involve gambling or drinking, but some of his old friends heard of his practice bouts and turned up to watch and then tried to persuade him to go to some gaming club or other with them.
He politely declined and departed alone. By choosing to ride Xerxes to the salle he managed to escape their pursuit, but he was aware that now it was known he was in town, that his former comrades would be persistent. He attended the House when it opened although he made no speeches. Neither Xavier nor Celestina had sent notices of their marriage to the London papers. Celestina had had no family she was aware of to notify of her wedding. Xavier was aware of a few remaining relatives including a distant cousin who would be his heir, if he died without issue. He had politely notified him of his marriage to Celestina Blighton, heiress of Jeremiah Blighton and beneficial owner of Blighton holdings.
One of Celestina’s lawyers had personally witnessed their marriage and her bankers had been informed of her taking the name, Countess of Kittleton, Lady Celestina Falconer and amended their records accordingly. The erection of a sign saying Kittleton House on the new town house had been noticed by the rest of society and the word had gone round that Celestina had settled Xavier’s debts
. Despite Xavier and Celestina making little attempt to inform society of their joining, society had considered the matter and was prepared to accept so wealthy a wife of so charming a rogue as Xavier Falconer.
Those that wished to part her from a little of her money were slightly outnumbered by those that had missed Xavier’s company. However society was bemused because neither of the Falconers were making any effort to attend the many functions which were being held at the beginning of the London season. Cards began to be left at Kittleton House, but Xavier had instructed the butler to inform callers, the Falconers were not currently receiving company. He made every attempt to be absent from the house before the hour for morning callers and continued to shun his former friends’ company, yet invitations from society poured in. Although they politely acknowledged the cards, they declined all invitations, trying to get used to being in London together without complicating their lives too much.
Xavier did not particularly wish to attend the balls and musicales, but the number of events to which he and his countess were now being invited, was becoming a problem. Celestina knew if she accepted any of those flattering invitations, she would be expected to attend unveiled. The servants in the town house were bemused by her suddenly wearing a veil as she had not before Xavier arrived in town. They dismissed the idea that her husband had hit her, leaving bruises because he had been in the country and they had seen her face up until the hour of his arrival. Besides her maid Amy confirmed she had no bruises. They wondered among themselves whether he disliked her appearance and had ordered her to wear a veil. They thought it strange, but did not dare mention it to their employers.
Xavier just treated it as if it was normal and was charming to his wife in front of the servants and when they were alone. Shortly after arriving he invited her to go to the theatre with him and she agreed to accompany him. Celestina had never been to the theatre before. Her uncle had not approved of such productions and she had never considered going alone since his death. They selected a revival of the tragedy Pizarro, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane which would be followed by a new comic opera in two acts, which was entitled “The Veteran Tar” and the overture and music had been written by a Dr Arnold.
They hired a small box for the occasion and Xavier ordered a bottle of champagne for the interval. They would eat early before the play and perhaps have supper at one of the hotel restaurants in town. There was an all-star cast for Pizarro as Kemble himself would play the Peruvian hero Rolla; and Charles Kemble was playing Alonso, the hero’s rival in love for Rolla’s wife Cora, portrayed by Mrs Jordan. Charles Barrymore would play Pizarro and Mrs Siddons was playing his mistress, Elvira. They managed to reach their box without drawing too much attention to themselves and sat back in the shadows, believing they would not be noticed by the other theatre-goers. They were misguided, Xavier’s presence was reported to a number of his cronies and the gossip of this elusive couple’s presence was soon known by all of London’s society present in the theatre.
Celestina enjoyed the first acts of the tragedy, but when the curtain went down for the interval, she found that their box was under siege. Their first visitors were a group of Xavier’s former friends, principal among them being Lord Valentine Shadforth and the Right Honourable Leonard Fenwick. They were perhaps a little old for the extremes of fashion that they affected, but if their colour choices were bright, at least they wore their foppish costumes with a casual air and without mincing or affectation.
Celestina apostrophised both young men as charming rakes and could see why they sought out Xavier’s company. She thought they were long overdue at settling down and finding wives for themselves. Having forced Xavier to introduce them to his new wife, they congratulated them on their marriage, then promptly issued invitations to Xavier for a card evening and to visit a new gaming house. Xavier struggled politely to refuse those requests and to discourage new ones being made.
“My lord, tell them the truth, as to why you will not be joining your friends in their endeavours,” Celestina suggested as he floundered for excuses.
“As you wish, my lady. Gentlemen I tell you in confidence that it is a condition of our marriage, for me to not gamble a farthing piece in the future and that I would eschew all strong drink. I am sorry but I chose Celestina and Kittleton Place over such pastimes. Please do not try and tempt me to break my word, or I fear I might have to fall out with you, which is not my intention. I trust you will not discuss this matter, I should hate to have to practice my fencing upon your persons.”
“Xavvy, I ain’t stupid enough to challenge you. Promise not to say a word. But not a farthing, everyone gambles, my lady that is an unkind cut,” Valentine opined. “Could you not alter your conditions just a little and allow for quiet private card parties with half guinea stakes?”
“I could, my lord but I have no intention doing so. My uncle worked hard to build up his fortune and I have no intention of seeing it wasted. I will not demand that he shuns your company, gentlemen, but I am certain there are other places in London you can meet, perhaps your club, which need not involve serious gaming.”
If Celestina believed no gaming went on in gentlemen’s clubs in London, she was mistaken, but they were certainly more respectable than some of the gaming clubs and did not allow the presence of scantily dressed Cyprians. She was unconcerned about whether her strictures about drinking and gambling were disseminated among society, but Xavier thought the word would be around town before they left the theatre. He would be the butt of society’s jokes for a while; however it might reduce the pressure from his peers to indulge in gambling.
His forlorn group of friends departed the box very disappointed. Their exit allowed the admission of other ton members, some seeking to welcome Xavier back to town, or simply intrigued to meet the woman he had been so lucky to marry. Xavier introduced his wife to those persons, to whom she had not been previously introduced. The names and faces flashed by Celestina as she tried to reply politely to their congratulations and to field intrusive questions about how she had first met Xavier.
“May I present Mr Charles Gresham … Lord Edward, Fotheringay … to my wife Celestina, Countess of Kittleton,” Xavier said for each new visitor.
“Very pleased to meet you, Sir … my lord,” Celestina replied bobbing a series of curtsies. Their visitors’ replies included many invitations and promises to leave cards for Celestina to fend off.
“It’s very much my pleasure Lady Kittleton, my wife and I would be gratified if you and Xavier could attend our musical evening on ….”
“It is very kind of you to invite us, but we have resolved not to entertain until next year as we are not yet settled fully into Kittleton House .…” She repeated the phrase with a few variations several times. Celestina knew that it would be considered bad form to accept invitations when she could not return them. When two of her former suitors, Lord Alexander Eadie, and Sir Arthur Devereaux came to the front of the queue. Xavier unaware of the connection introduced them as well.
“I am already acquainted with Lord Alexander and Sir Arthur, Xavier,” she grudgingly admitted and gritted her teeth.
“Congratulations, my Lady Kittleton. I am heart-broken to hear of your marriage, before this news I lived in hope you might reconsider my suit,” declared Lord Eadie, attempting to play the part of the inconsolable swain. Celestina answered him politely but believed he was only disconsolate over his failure to get control of her fortune.
“Lady Kittleton, may I offer my congratulations. Although I doubt it was wise to marry Kittleton, you do know he is a savage wastrel who will run through your fortune?” Sir Arthur declared trying to make it sound like he was jesting. In the confined space, he limped slightly as he bent over Celestina’s hand.
“Thank you, Sir Arthur for your congratulations. I am perfectly content in my choice of husband,” she said slightly irked by his teasing tone, but she noticed he seemed wary around Xavier, who in turn seemed cool towards the baronet. Her erstwhile suitors
were forced to move on by the press of people to Celestina’s relief. She resolved to ask Xavier’s opinion of them and thought it might be illuminating. Xavier rarely repeated gossip but from the few remarks he did make about the ton, he seemed to be a very good judge of character.
Several ladies had joined the throng, so Xavier continued to make the introductions correctly.
“It is my pleasure to introduce Mrs George Frendershire… Lady Arabella Winterbourne, Dowager Marchioness of ….”
Amongst them was a beautiful statuesque blonde with a flirtatious manner, Xavier’s face was expressionless as he formally introduced her to Celestina.
“May I present Lady Selena Romshire, my wife, Celestina, Lady Kittleton,” he enunciated exactly.
“Pleased to meet you, Lady Romshire,” Celestina repeated holding gloved hands with her for the barest of touches. They bobbed curtsies to each other.
“I am charmed to make your acquaintance Lady Kittleton. It was naughty of Xavier not to invite us all to the wedding. I trust we shall see much more of each other,” she tittered as if she had said something funny, glancing at Celestina and including Xavier in her look somewhat conspiratorially. Celestina noticed that Xavier’s face remained bland, but his posture seemed stiffer than usual. Celestina felt like a spider had run down her back and stepped back from the woman.
The Purchased Peer Page 18
