The Marquis' Mistake

by Giselle Marks

  “Emily is eleven and at school in Bath. I found her mother a husband, but I pay to have Emily educated as a lady. There are probably others, but Emily and the boys are the only ones I know about. Emily is fair-haired, her mother is blonde. So I expect I’ll be blamed for her as well.”

  “I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but I always thought Peter was a gentleman, he seems to have behaved highly irresponsibly,” Sir Anthony retorted.

  “Peter could charm the birds from the trees. Everyone loved him, but he hadn’t an ounce of sense. He was a wonderful brother yet he was totally feckless. I miss him dreadfully, but I don’t miss clearing up after his messes. He would have bankrupted the estates in a few years as he was a dreadful gambler. Aside from his children, I have paid off well above a hundred thousand over the years clearing his gambling debts. I trust you won’t repeat that to my father.”

  “We haven’t discussed the marriage contracts. I assumed you were financially stable, Farndon.”

  “I am personally worth more than double the Dukedom estates and funds. I have no debts or mortgages and a thousand acres in Shropshire. I was going to suggest I settled five hundred thousand as settlements on Alicia and I will set up ample provision for any children of the marriage. You should see my banker so he can show you my accounts. I trust that will be satisfactory?”

  “More than satisfactory, but I trust your word.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. As Alicia’s trustee you should check my finances. I bought the town-house, Alicia. You did say you liked it. I will arrange for the decorators to consult with you. You have carte blanche to choose whatever you wish, except for my study and bedroom. There’s a very decadent bathroom upstairs which I would prefer to keep, but you must decide.”

  “I would prefer to consult with you, my lord over how it is furnished. You will have to live there too. How is the bathroom decadent?”

  “The bath is big enough to swim in, mirrors on the walls and ceiling and some fetching marble naiad columns set into the walls. Has its own furnace so hot water is piped direct,” Sebastian grinned as Alicia blushed.

  “How very shocking! My books will fill about a quarter of the library. Do you have many possessions to be accommodated?”

  “My books are scattered, there are some at Langsdown House, more in Covent Garden and a pile in store. Their total will occupy about half the library. When we overflow we can put some in other rooms. I have a number of decent paintings and sculptures I acquired on the continent in storage and a small collection of Chinese jade and porcelain, which I thought could go in a cabinet in the front drawing room. But all the furniture will have to be bought.”

  “Would you like the house decorated in similar style to what was there before, or do you like the Egyptian style which is fashionable, or perhaps something French?”

  “I admit I dislike the Egyptian style, but otherwise I’d prefer comfort. I find spindly little French chairs uncomfortable; they make me feel too big. But if you have a hankering for an Egyptian or a French style then I don’t mind. After nearly four months at the Castle I can cope with anything.”

  “What’s the Castle like, is it a Norman fortress?”

  “It is a monstrosity, it began as a small fort in the Dark Ages, but most of that has long gone. Each century some Vernon has altered it, adding a new wing or tower to his own taste. It is ugly, windy, and the kitchen is so far from the dining room the food is always cold. It is furnished erratically in a style which you could describe as historical legend. You will probably think it very romantic. My mother redecorated some in the old French style, very fussy. My father seems to think all its inconveniences are proof of our long heritage and are sacrosanct. I’d willingly knock the whole thing down and build afresh, but the family ghosts would crucify me.”

  “Yes the Castle does sound as if it would offend your impeccable taste, Sebastian. Although I think the wedding dress you had designed, although gorgeous, is a bit excessive. Real pearls and sapphires, it will look like I’m some cit’s heiress, determined to make a show.”

  “But you’re marrying a cit! I thought you knew my money was from trade? If you think it’s too vulgar then order something else. What’s the point of earning the money, if I can’t spend it on you? I need something to do, I can always make more. I’m hoping father will let me put some money into the estates, they could bring in much more.”

  “The Marquis of Farndon would never be called a cit. Where is Farndon anyway, isn’t there an estate to go with the title?”

  “Farndon is about thirty miles from Bath and twenty from the Castle. It has about five hundred acres, but the land is poor and the house hasn’t been lived in for over forty years. I have already employed masons and carpenters and put in a new agent. It will take a couple of years before everything that needs to be done is carried out. The estate is barely in profit and in very poor heart. I’m spending more on it than it earns at present. I don’t include it in my personal assets as it goes with the title. I intend to make a stud farm there. Goldie my stallion, properly named is Goldenrod. I didn’t choose the name which is rather poor taste, he will be moving there eventually.”

  “I have a small confession to make. Yellow Star is only on loan. She is pregnant by Goldie. I’ll have to find you another mare next summer when she gets too fat to ride.”

  They spent some more time discussing the town house and were largely in agreement over decorating it. Alicia suggested the front drawing room should have Chinese wall paper and an Oriental theme to show off Sebastian’s collection, but they would choose warm colours and comfortable furniture for the rest of the house. Sebastian had declined the Embassy in Copenhagen, but a new carrot had been offered. The Embassy in Madrid would become vacant in a year’s time and he admitted to being tempted to take it.

  They had separate engagements that evening. Alicia and the Wynstanleys had been invited to dinner at the Overtons and Sebastian had agreed to go to a card party with Stephen McKinlay. They made arrangements to meet the following afternoon to select an engagement ring and re-examine the town-house with the decorator. Alicia walked Sebastian to the door.

  “Amalie and Phillipa said something about you holding a dinner party next Tuesday, Sebastian?”

  “I’ve invited my former mistresses with their protectors to the Covent Garden House for dinner. The Chalcombes are to dine with Cumberland, so I am borrowing Henri. It will be fairly respectable, Father is coming. Did you want to come?”

  “Would you like me to? If your father is going I’m sure I can trust you.”

  “Of course I would love you to come, but Greenways had better escort you. I have to be there early to supervise everything. Tell him to wear his Sunday best, half of the men are rich cits, and one is Miranda’s footman, so it will be a very egalitarian assembly. The conversation might be a bit risqué though. It might be better not to mention it to the Wynstanleys or elsewhere though.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Sebastian’s choice of tutor for the boys surprised the Duke who sat in on the interviews. Captain Jack Millard was a former Cavalry Officer who had lost most of his left arm at Vitoria. He had no university degree, but he did have the advantage of being fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and French. He was an intelligent man who had done well at Harrow, but had a wife and son of eight years old. Sebastian, who had interviewed far better qualified candidates, told his father he thought it important the boys kept their proficiency in Portuguese and he would prefer a fatherly man to a strict disciplinarian. The appointment would only be until the boys reached eleven when they would go on to school.

  He doubted there would be a problem housing an extra boy and the Captain’s wife at Langsdown Castle. Sebastian thought some of the other candidates would turn their noses up at the discomfort of living at the Castle and quickly leave. As Mrs Millard had followed the drum through Portugal and Spain, he thought she would cope with the hardships of life at his father’s Castle.

  Sebastian
spent most of Tuesday at Covent Garden. He borrowed two of his father’s footmen who were instructed to pack up his library. Sebastian himself packed the few clothes he had left there and went through his papers, burning a few and packing the rest. The book crates were then loaded into a cart for delivery to his new town-house. Then the footmen took down the chandeliers. They were polished and fresh candles inserted while a group of maids cleaned the rest of the house thoroughly. Sebastian checked every room for any remaining personal effects he might have left behind.

  Henri arrived at two accompanied by his wife Mrs Martha Vallon, two kitchen assistants and Sebastian’s two ex-soldiers who were to act as additional footmen. They arrived in a carriage heavily laden with food stuffs. Sebastian had requested he purchase everything fresh to prepare the meal. Henri had enquired of Sebastian what he wanted served for the dinner but Sebastian had left the food up to him, merely warning him several of the guests were not society people and would not be used to gourmet dining. All the ladies were used to eating the best. As Sebastian had personally corrected most of their table manners, he was sure they would behave correctly. Sebastian had chosen the wines which were delivered next and were approved of by Henri.

  A new Worcestershire dinner service, a set of silver cutlery and additional serving dishes also arrived. Sebastian had not previously held a dinner for so many at one time there. The dining table was extended to fit twenty-one persons and covered with snowy white linen cloths. The additional porcelain and silver would be needed in his new town-house anyway. Normally ten chairs were kept in the dining room, but another eight were brought downstairs from other rooms. They did not match perfectly but Sebastian thought they would suffice for a demi-monde party. He sent the carriage back to Langsdown House with one of the footmen to borrow three additional chairs.

  Leaving the footmen to lay the table now everything had arrived, Sebastian went to the kitchen to check Henri had everything he needed to accomplish his feats of gastronomy. Apparently everything was under control and Sebastian joined Henri in a cup of coffee before enquiring whether Henri wanted a floral centrepiece on the table. Henri had however brought a confection, gaudily decorated in fondant icing with the Duke’s coat of arms for a centrepiece. He had made it in advance, as Sebastian had spoken to him about the event at the Chalcombes’ dinner party. Sebastian saw no reason to point out his own coat of arms as eldest son was slightly different.

  The florist arrived at the same time as the footman with the three extra chairs. A display of flowers was set up on the sideboard under Sebastian’s instructions to match the red, gold and purple that made up the dominant colours in the coat of arms. It surrounded two wired entwined initials made up of flowers over another scarlet heart; an S for Sebastian and an A for Alicia. This display was not for Alicia’s benefit but to rub the idea of his marriage into the minds of the other ladies attending. By early evening everything was clean and correctly set up. The maids were dismissed after arranging a bath for Sebastian.

  Prescott arrived with his evening clothes and got Sebastian ready to receive his guests. Prescott was not entirely happy with Sebastian’s choice of evening dress, nor had Weston when he had been asked to make them. They were far more flamboyant than his usual restrained mode of dress. Weston had been reassured the outfit was fancy dress and Sebastian was not intending to join the dandy set. The coat was of chocolate brown brocade and trimmed with gold lace, under which he wore a white silk shirt heavily festooned with Brussels lace with frilled cuffs and a gold waistcoat. White skin tight breeches and stockings completed the ensemble. Prescott had to admit his master looked good in the suit, but he believed Sebastian would look good in a sack.

  Sebastian then sent Prescott back to Langsdown House entrusted with the bag of clothing he had packed and the package of papers he wished to keep. Sebastian sat down with a glass of burgundy to await his first guests. The Duke accompanied by Miranda, Francesca, Mark and the Duke’s butler were first to arrive. Mark and the butler carefully manhandled a large brown paper wrapped package inside, which Sebastian had not been expecting. From the size and shape he could guess its contents. Miranda directed two of the footmen to take down the large mirror on the dining room wall behind the head of the table and hang the picture in its place.

  While the ladies were being served with Madeira and the Duke and Mark joined Sebastian in a glass of burgundy, Henri sent up some canapés to whet their appetites. Most of the guests arrived well before eleven, all of them on their best behaviour and surprised to be introduced to the Duke. Alicia and Greenways were the last to arrive. Alicia wore her cream and gold dress at Sebastian’s suggestion, when she saw what Sebastian was wearing she understood why he had requested that particular dress. All the other ladies were wearing bright colours although their necklines were more modest than were usual in the demi-monde.

  Sebastian bent to kiss her hand on which was now a very large emerald surrounded by smaller diamonds. As he straightened he did not let go of her hand, but kissed her cheeks in the French manner. The Duke’s butler announced dinner was served and everyone paraded into the dining room. The first thing everyone saw as they entered was the life-size picture of young Hercules. The younger Sebastian displayed naked but for the strategic drapery shone down. It was an excellent portrait and very clearly recognisable. It caused a lot of ribald comment. Sebastian asked his father to take his place at the head of the table with Miranda on his right side. He seated himself with Alicia on his right hand at the bottom, placing Greenways opposite her. Everyone else sat with their partners where they wished.

  Conversation at the table was at first rather muted and general. Nothing was said that would offend the most severe stickler of a chaperone. Henri’s food was eaten in rather larger quantities than one might expect at a society dinner and the ladies consumed their fair share, resolving to starve on the following day. As the meal progressed and more wine flowed voices became a little louder. There was some outrageous flirting between some of the ladies and gentlemen, but most present seemed a little inhibited by the Duke’s presence at the top of the table.

  When dinner was finished, Sebastian stood and apologized the house had no garden in which to blow a cloud, but he had some decent Spanish cigars and cheroots in the library.

  “I doubt port would be the drink of choice for most present. So against usual convention I suggest the gentlemen retire to the library. Ladies, tea, champagne and chocolate confectionary will be served in the sitting room.”

  Greenways was uncomfortable about leaving his mistress alone with nine courtesans even if they were on their best behaviour, but Sebastian said Alicia could hold her own and bore him off to the library. Sebastian kept Greenways at his side, although the groom would have preferred to merge into the background. The library looked rather denuded without the books lining its shelves, but there were several full decanters of whisky, brandy and rum. Sebastian opened boxes of cigars and cheroots and soon the air was thick with smoke. Sebastian asked Greenways what he preferred to drink, but was met by a refusal.

  “I don’t usually drink spirits, my lord.”

  “Then a glass of claret should be acceptable.” Sebastian said pouring him one. “I wanted to have a conversation with you Mr Greenways. What is your Christian name by the way?”

  “Joseph, my lord.”

  “Now that Alicia has accepted my proposal have you considered what you want to do with the rest of your life? You’ve spent a long time watching over Miss Lambert. Do you have any ambition to better yourself?”

  “I had hoped to go with Miss Alicia and thought you might consider me good enough to employ as groom, my lord,” Greenways sounded a little disgruntled as he had thought it was a foregone conclusion he would stay with Alicia.

  “I would happily employ you as my head groom when we are settled in England. If you wish to take charge of our horses while we travel in Europe, you would be very welcome. I just think it is rather a waste of your talents. I was going to make a differ
ent proposition to you. You would have to become less retiring in society though, Joseph.”

  “What would that proposition be, my lord?”

  “I am building a stud farm at Farndon. It will need a manager. I thought you might consider taking the position. You would receive a good salary. And when up and running a share of the profits. There is a charming small house to go with the position, but you should consider finding a wife to help with the entertaining. And a better tailor. I can find a trustworthy clerk to help with the bookkeeping, but I would leave you to choose your own stable lads and staff. You would be expected to join the hunt, riding my horses. You ride so well you will be a good advertisement for the stud. I’d like you to think over the idea.”

  “Have you discussed this with Miss Alicia, my lord?”

  “Not yet, I thought I’d sound you out first. It would mean your status would be considered above a mere servant. You should probably select one of the local landowner’s daughters. I have put an agent in to run the estate, but I hope to move him to Langsdown as soon as I can persuade my father to retire Harman. Farndon is only five hundred acres but I intend to extend the estate as and when land becomes available. I have men already ditching, fencing and replanting with better grass. The stud farm will not be fully ready to run for a year. But I thought you might like to visit Ireland and the horse sales in advance to purchase more stock. I believe you assisted Alicia in running Clarence’s estate?”

  “Yes, my Lord. As you say five hundred acres is not a great deal to run. I think I could cope with that. It is more than I ever considered for myself. I’m very grateful for the offer, but marriage. I hadn’t considered marriage.”

  “Neither had I until I met Alicia. It comes to us all eventually. You will just have to bite the bullet. There is just one more thing, Joseph.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “Stop, my lording me! If you take the position you will become my partner and be thought of generally as a gentleman. Farndon, Vernon or Sebastian would be acceptable to me. If you are seen to be too subservient it will damage your standing.”