Mary Brendan - Regency High Society Vol 1 - A Hasty Betrothal / A Scandalous Marriage / The Count's Charade / The Rake and the Rebel

‘I don’t think I should care for such a fashion.’ Harriet assured her. ‘This dress is very pretty as it is, don’t you think? Is there an evening gown amongst the others? Madame said that it would be ready in time for Mrs Hurst’s party.’

Rose showed her the rest of the deliveries, which did, indeed, include the gown for Judith’s party. This was a simple but elegant tunic in a sea-green shot silk, which was to be worn over a white satin slip. Harriet’s eyes shone with delight when she saw it, immediately taken with its clean-cut shaping, for she was not a girl who cared for too many frills and flounces in her clothes.

‘There’s slippers to match too, miss,’ Rose indicated. ‘ ‘Tis a pity that you had to leave your jewel-case behind, for a necklace would make all the difference.’

Harriet did not reply. She was beginning to feel somewhat concerned about her increasing indebtedness to her hosts and wondered when she would be in a position to repay them. She hoped that her grandfather would soon be in touch with instructions for her to be sent to him at once as she was still most uncomfortable about the role she had agreed to undertake. A lot of good people were being deceived, she reflected, and was sorry that Judith and her children should be amongst these for she felt that she could easily become very fond of them. Even Sandford’s company was surprisingly bearable when he refrained from telling her what she could or could not do, she mused, and she was smiling at the memory of the cheerful raillery they had exchanged during their morning ride when there came a tap at the door.

‘His lordship wishes to speak to Miss Cordell if she could spare him a moment.’

Harriet heard March deliver his message and rose at once to her feet. Now what had she done? she wondered, casting about in her mind for possible aberrations as she hurried downstairs to find the viscount waiting in the small salon.

‘How very prompt,’ he said, surprising her by turning with a smile as she entered. ‘Father has expressed a desire to meet you—he knows your story, of course, and he also knew your grandparents in his youth. Do you feel up to it?’ He looked at her anxiously.

‘But, of course.’ Harriet’s eyes sparkled. ‘I’d love to meet Lord William. Are you sure he is well enough for a visitor?’

‘He maintains that he is well enough to look at a pretty face,’ Sandford said cheerfully, as they made their way upstairs. ‘He is keen to see if Mother’s description of your likeness to your grandmother is justified.’

At Sandford’s gentle scratch, Chegwin opened the door of the Earl’s chamber and placed his finger against his lips to urge their silence.

‘His lordship has fallen asleep again, sir,’ he whispered, as he ushered them to his master’s bedside. ‘But he left instructions that you were to remain until he awakes—he drowses off on account of the medicine, but seems anxious to speak with you, my lord.’

His eyes were troubled as they fixed upon the earl’s sleeping form. Harriet, too, stared concernedly at the pale and lined features of the white-haired old man in the bed.

Sandford led her to a chair by the bedside and seated himself opposite. Together they watched the shallow but steady rise and fall of the bedcovers at the earl’s chest. Harriet felt unaccountable tears pricking her eyelids as she studied the viscount’s father. How alike they are, she thought in a flash; the same aristocratic bone structure, straight nose, high cheekbones, firm chin—even in repose. Were his eyes that same clear grey? she wondered, and almost jumped out of her skin when, as if in answer to her question, Beldale’s eyes opened and were staring at her intently.

‘Don’t weep, girl, I’m not gone yet,’ came a gruff voice and a hand crept out of the covers to take hers. She held it firmly between both her own and smiled, a gentle flush staining her cheeks.

‘And very pleased I am to hear it, sir,’ she replied softly. ‘Did we disturb you?’

‘No, my dear, I was waiting for you, but this infernal laudanum keeps dragging me off to sleep—do better without it.’ He glared balefully at his manservant, who regarded him fondly in return.

‘Bring a light, man. I want to see the girl properly!’

Although it was daylight the heavy curtains were drawn to keep out the sunshine, making the room quite dark. Chegwin lifted a branch from the dresser and held it aloft so that Harriet’s face was bathed in its pool of candlelight. The old man contemplated her steadily for several minutes, his eyes faded but indubitably grey, and she felt no embarrassment at his scrutiny.

Sandford grinned, feeling a surge of respect at such composure. ‘Well, sir? And do you approve?’

Beldale gently squeezed Harriet’s hand. ‘Very fetching, my boy,’ he said. ‘Your mama was right—image of her grandmother—glad you found her, Sandford—made her ladyship very happy.’ His voice faded, then his eyes flashed wide open once more. ‘Keep your guard up, Robert—just remembered—something—happened …’ His head drooped back on to the pillows and Sandford started up in alarm, but Chegwin put his hand on the viscount’s arm and steadied him.

‘He’s all right, sir,’ he said. ‘Keeps dropping off like that. Needs the stuff for the pain, you see. Leave him to me, if you please, sir—and ma’am.’

He bowed towards Harriet who, seeing Sandford’s agitation, had immediately risen from her own chair but, at the sight of the tears in his eyes, had swiftly bent to tidy the covers over Beldale’s recumbent form.

‘I know you’ll take good care of him, Chegwin.’ Sand-ford’s voice held a tremor but, straightening his shoulders, he held out his hand to Harriet and escorted her from the room.

Downstairs, Lady Caroline was waiting in the small dining-room as the dishes were being brought in. They took their places at the table and she signalled to Rothman to begin serving.

‘His lordship seems so much better, don’t you agree?’ she applied hopefully to her son. ‘Sir Basil thinks to reduce the medication tomorrow—it has been over a week since his fall.’

Sandford nodded. ‘He will be relieved to be off the drug—he dislikes taking it, I know. It seems to make him ramble somewhat, too. I remember having to take it myself on one occasion and had the most awful hallucinations. I’m sure he will be better without it.’

The meal progressed through the various courses, during which Lady Caroline, eyes twinkling at her son, inquired as to the success of their visit to Westpark. Harriet, after describing Judith’s plans for the forthcoming assembly, thanked the countess for the garments that had been delivered in their absence, expressing her particular delight with the green silk gown intended for the party and it was in a happy, friendly mood that they all repaired to the salon afterwards, with Sandford opting to take his brandy with the ladies and the evening being rounded off with some rousing games of piquet.

The following day the viscount rode over to Westpark, as he had promised, to take his nephew out riding. Harriet spent part of the morning with the earl, at his request. He was more lucid than he had been on her previous visit and had expressed a desire to hear her story first-hand. He, in turn, was able to tell her more of her family’s history and Chegwin was very satisfied to hear, more than once, the sounds of stifled laughter issuing from his master’s bedside.

When Harriet rose to leave, having judged that his lordship was beginning to tire, the manservant accompanied her to the door with a smile, saying, ‘This has done him a deal of good, miss, if I may say so. He will sleep naturally this afternoon, I feel sure.’

Finding that Lady Caroline was engaged with the housekeeper, Harriet decided to take herself for a walk down to the lakeside, where she hoped that the air would be fresher. The day was warm and very humid and, having been cooped up in Lord William’s darkened rooms for some time, she felt that she needed the exercise. She walked sedately across the sweeping stretches of the rear lawns until she was sure she was out of sight of the windows then, running and skipping with pleasure, she reached the waterside.