Anne Herries - Chosen by the Lieutenant

Amanda shook her head, laughing a little in the darkness inside the carriage. Her mama was prejudiced, of course, and Jane was always so sweet to her. Amanda’s opinion of herself would always be that she had too many faults, for she did not notice the shine of her hair or see how her eyes lit up when she smiled. Obsessed by her wish to look more like Cynthia Langton, she could not think herself more than vaguely attractive. Yet she had not noticed that many gentlemen had defected and believed that her fortune had always been much sought after. Though several of the young men who had solicited her hand for a dance that evening could not be said to be in want of a fortune: of course, a dance was not an offer of marriage...

‘I must call on Miss Langton in the morning,’ Amanda said as the carriage came to a halt. ‘I am so sorry that she is being forced to leave town. She will miss the last weeks of the Season.’

* * *

‘I wish Mama would not insist that we go home,’ Cynthia complained when Amanda visited her in her room the next morning. There were some red patches on her face, though they seemed to be fading, and it was unlikely she would be permanently scarred. ‘It will be ages before we can go anywhere again and I hate the country.’

‘Major Brockley is getting up a house party for August,’ Amanda said. ‘You, Jane and I have been invited—and I know Phipps is going. I dare say a lot of your admirers will be there.’

‘Mama has not yet had the invitation,’ Cynthia said, but she brightened up and sat forward, but then frowned. ‘I dare say he will not have invited the Marquis of Shearne, though. I believe they do not much like each other.’ A wistful look came to her face, as if she regretted that she would not meet the marquis at Major Brockley’s house party.

‘No, I believe there is an old quarrel,’ Amanda said. She hesitated, wondering whether to tell her friend about Shearne’s behaviour at the picnic. It seemed not quite nice to blacken the gentleman’s name, and the probability that the two would not meet again before Cynthia was safely engaged or wed made her think it unnecessary.

Cynthia sighed, but cheered up as Amanda told her that Jane was going to make a new gown and had promised to help her adjust hers. She was always interested in clothes and soon the conversation passed on to a promised visit to Bath in the autumn.

‘Mama says she shall take me to Bath at the end of September,’ Cynthia told her, sitting forward eagerly. ‘You will come with us, Amanda? I was going to invite you to stay before, but you already have so many engagements.’ She pouted. ‘You must not desert me because you have so many friends.’

‘Of course I shall not,’ Amanda said and smiled in sympathy. ‘You have more than I, I am sure. I imagine most of them have called to see how you go on and brought you small gifts?’

‘A few gentlemen, yes,’ Cynthia agreed, but sighed. ‘I’ve had flowers and a book of poems, but no ladies have called—apart from my cousins, of course. You are the only one to visit me and actually sit with me, Amanda.’

Amanda was shocked, though she did not let it show. ‘I suppose the young ladies are afraid of contracting your illness.’

‘One or two send notes, but they do not know I have had more than a wretched chill. Mama has told no one but you, Amanda. She said you were to be trusted, but she did not want the news spread all over town.’ Cynthia pleated the white linen sheet between her fingers. ‘I am so miserable. I thought the marquis liked me, but apart from one posy, I have heard nothing from him.’

Amanda hesitated. Should she tell her friend that he was a desperate flirt and not to be trusted? Yet she was already feeling low and Amanda had no wish to distress her.

‘I believe he may have gone out of town,’ she offered uncertainly. ‘I have not seen him for a few days.’

‘Oh—well, perhaps he has,’ Cynthia said with a dismissive shake of her head. ‘Lieutenant Phipps has sent me several lovely bouquets and a box of bonbons. He is very kind, I think.’

‘Yes, he is,’ Amanda said, her heart sinking a little. If Cynthia decided that she would have him, her own faint hopes would founder immediately. ‘He has enquired after you several times, I believe?’

‘At least twice this week and the same last week,’ Cynthia said, her brow creased in thought. ‘Sometimes I think I would do anything to be married and my own mistress. Mama is good to me, but she smothers me—and I have been driven to distraction these past few days. I do not know what I should have done without your visits.’

‘I was happy to visit. It is such a shame that you should have caught the chicken pox at such a time when you had been enjoying your visit to town so much.’

‘Mama says we shall go to Bath in September, as I told you—but it is not the same as London. If I do not find a husband soon, I must wait until next spring.’

‘Oh, I should not despair,’ Amanda said in a rallying tone. ‘I am certain once it is known that you are out and about again, you will have visitors.’

‘Do you think so?’ Once again Cynthia looked wistful. ‘I’m not sure people like me as much as they like you. Everyone always looks pleased when you walk into the room, while...some ladies dislike me, I think.’

‘I suppose some are jealous,’ Amanda admitted. ‘You are very beautiful, Cynthia, and so many gentlemen choose to form a part of your court. You cannot wonder if a few girls resent you—you have both wealth and beauty.’

‘As do you,’ Cynthia retorted. ‘You have lots of women friends, and gentlemen, too. They all genuinely like you. My aunt told me that you are now the most popular lady at all the best affairs.’

‘I’m sure that isn’t true,’ Amanda replied. ‘Most of the people I know became my acquaintances when I went everywhere with you. Had you not taken me up, I dare say I should hardly have been noticed.’

‘That is what Mama says,’ Cynthia said and blushed. ‘I told her she is wrong. Oh, at first, perhaps, people might not notice you, but when they know you—they like you and want to be your friend.’

‘How kind you are to me,’ Amanda said. ‘Everyone asks me how you are. I tell them you are a little pulled down by the chill, which was severe, and they all tell me to send their good wishes.’

‘Matrons and friends of Mama’s,’ Cynthia said. ‘Shearne did not ask you how I went on, did he?’

‘The marquis never notices me,’ Amanda said. ‘To be honest, I do not much like him, Cynthia. He is a rake and I think he flirts with lots of young ladies and means no good to any of them.’

Cynthia looked away and did not answer. After a moment, she began to talk of fashions, showing Amanda a magazine her aunt had brought her.

* * *

They spent the next hour or so poring over various fashion plates and Amanda told her that Jane Field was going to help her design her new gowns.

‘Jane has a real eye for style,’ Amanda said. ‘She thinks I would look better in a simple cut without the knots of ribbons Mama likes for me. I think I shall take her advice.’

‘You always look nice to me,’ Cynthia replied, a wistful expression in her eyes. ‘Do not become so fond of Jane’s company that you forget me.’

‘I should not do that, Cynthia. You are my friend and I have so much enjoyed my visit to town—and that is very much due to your kindness in taking me up.’

‘You make me ashamed,’ Cynthia said, her cheeks pink. ‘When I first took you up, Amanda, I did so because I thought I showed to advantage in your company.’

‘Yes, I was little competition for you,’ Amanda said and laughed, her eyes bright. ‘I believe I realised that, my dear friend, but I think that after a while you came to value me for my wit, despite my lack of height and too many inches about my waist.’