Читать книгу Lord Portman's Troublesome Wife - Mary Nichols, Mary Nichols - Страница 7

Ranelagh Pleasure Gardens were in Chelsea, next to the Royal Hospital, and were a favourite place of leisure for the more select of London’s inhabitants, simply because the admittance was more than that at the New Spring Garden at Vauxhall. The entrance fee of two shillings and sixpence or five shillings on firework nights was beyond the means of the honest poor and they had to content themselves with viewing the show from boats on the river. The price of entrance did not deter robbers, pickpockets and passers of counterfeit money who used the shadows and the letting off of fireworks to ply their trade. But in spite of that, the gardens cultivated an air of respectability and the haut monde happily mixed with the middling sort to enjoy a night out.

Rosamund had said all along she would not go. She was in mourning and it was unseemly and the last thing she wanted was for Lord Portman to think she was pursuing him, to all of which Max had an answer. No one knew her, so being in mourning did not signify; she could go in half-mourning, grey or mauve, and if his lordship were to show an interest, then she should be glad and cultivate him in so far as it was in her ability to do so. ‘Do you want to work for Lady Bonhaven?’ he demanded, when he arrived to escort her and found her unprepared. ‘She is an inveterate gabble grinder, out and about everywhere, and you will have to tag along behind her like a pet pug. Worse than that because a pug is not expected to work for his keep.’

‘Do you think I do not know all that?’

‘Then seize what opportunities are offered.’

She gave a short laugh. ‘I doubt I shall be offered an opportunity to seize.’

‘Then let us go to enjoy the fireworks.’

‘Oh, very well.’ She didn’t know why she agreed, except that sitting at home alone was something she had been doing so often of late, she felt she needed a little diversion. Perhaps, if she could put her problems to one side for an hour or two, her subconscious might come up with a solution.

She went up to her room to root about in her half-packed trunk for another dress and found a dove-grey silk she had worn when she had gone from mourning to half-mourning after her mother died. It was sadly out of fashion, having a wraparound bodice, narrow oval hoops and wide, stiffened cuffs to the sleeves, but it was a change from unrelieved black. A white kerchief served to fill the neckline. She scooped her hair up under a wide-brimmed hat she thought might hide her face and returned to her brother.

He looked her up and down. ‘Is that the best you can manage?’

‘Yes. If you do not care to be seen with me, I beg you to go alone.’

‘No. Come along. We shall be late.’

He had hired chairs to take them, so there was no opportunity for conversation until they were set down at the entrance. Max bought two tickets at five shillings each, paying for them with a guinea and receiving four half-crowns and a shilling in change, then he took her arm and hurried her inside.

The gardens were crowded and they were jostled several times as they made their way forwards, heading for the magnificent circular building in the centre of the garden, where the patrons could listen to the orchestra from its many boxes, or parade the central floor, sometimes drowning out the music with their chatter. There were booths selling tea, coffee and chocolate, as well as others containing gaming tables. Some booths were privately hired and here Cyprians and demi-reps and even apparently respectable ladies, would meet their lovers. Max ignored them as he hurried her along.

Rosamund supposed he was in a rush to meet Lord Portman and wished she had not agreed to come. What, in heaven’s name, could she say to the man? Half of her hoped he would not come, the other half began to look forward to seeing him again and wondering if her first impression of him as a strange mixture of the empty-headed exquisite and the perspicacious man about town would still hold good.

As they neared the Rotunda, Max slowed his pace and they walked more sedately. ‘There they are,’ he said suddenly. ‘Do put on a smile, Rosie. I never saw such a Friday face in my life.’

Harry had not expected to see her there and was at first surprised, but then he saw Ash’s grin and knew he had been hoaxed. There was nothing for it but to greet the lady with his usual gallantry. ‘Miss Chalmers, how do you do?’ His hand, holding his hat, swept forwards over his foot as he bowed to her.

She noticed his burgundy silk coat, pink waistcoat and pink small clothes as she bent her knee and bowed her head in acknowledgement. He was nothing if not colourful. She straightened herself to meet cool blue eyes regarding her with amusement. She felt herself blush at his scrutiny. Was he, like her brother, deprecating her gown? ‘I am well,’ she said, taking a firm grip on herself to answer him. ‘And you?’

‘All the better for seeing you, ma’am.’

She laughed at this preposterous lie. ‘Then you must have been feeling singularly out of sorts before that. Has your friend been roasting you again?’ She turned to Ash and dropped him a small curtsy. ‘Sir Ashley, I bid you good evening.’

‘It is a very good evening now you have arrived,’ he said, bowing to her.

‘I do not know which of you is worse,’ she said. ‘Pray do not try your flummery on me, sir. I am immune to it.’

‘Then you are the first lady I have met who is,’ Harry said, looking at her through his quizzing glass. It was an affectation; his eyesight was perfect. He saw that she had changed out of the dreadful black silk, but the grey she wore was only marginally better. It was a great pity because he felt sure she would repay a little spent on a wardrobe, even in mourning. ‘Surely you are not averse to being told your company is a pleasure?’

‘Not if it is true, but I suspect the contrary. I vow you had no idea you would meet me tonight.’

‘That does not signify. Shall we walk a little?’ He abandoned the idea of catching anyone passing counterfeit coins and instead offered her his arm and she laid her fingers on his silk sleeve. The path was so crowded all four could not walk abreast and Max and Ash fell behind.

‘I came to view the fireworks,’ Rosamund said, feeling she ought to have a reason for her presence.

‘I did too, so we can view them together.’

‘My lord, please do not feel you have to entertain me or even be polite to me. I am well aware of what my brother is up to and if I were you I would pay neither him nor me any heed and go about your business.’

‘It is not in my nature to be impolite,’ he said. ‘And what do you suppose Sir Maximilian is up to?’

‘Would you put me to the blush by asking me to speak of it when you could not help but know what he is about?’

‘I beg your pardon. I was not sure you perfectly understood.’

‘To be sure, I understand. He does not wish to give me house room himself and yet he is averse to his sister lowering herself to go to work, especially as Lady Bonhaven’s companion. He has other ideas, which are even more embarrassing.’

That was what she had been doing in Brook Street when he had met her and her aunt; he had guessed as much. Poor thing, he would not recommend Lady Bonhaven as an employer to anyone. Her ladyship had been a friend of his late mother and he knew her to be a tyrant to her servants. ‘And do you think you will like working for her ladyship?’

‘I know I should hate it.’ There was no point in trying to hide her dilemma from him, since her brother had already been more than frank. ‘If I could find congenial work or set up a business, do something useful that will earn me enough to live on, I would not need to.’

‘What could you do?’

‘I do not know. I have been educated. I could teach. Or help someone catalogue a library, or write book on household management. Or do fine embroidery.’

‘Ugh!’ he said with a shudder. ‘It would ruin your eyes. And such lovely eyes too.’

She ignored the compliment. ‘It is all very well for you to belittle such occupations, but you are not in my shoes.’

‘I do not think they would fit, my dear,’ he said, lifting up one elegantly shod foot and regarding it complacently. His balance on one foot was perfectly steady.

‘I wish I had never said anything to you at all, if you are going to treat it as a jest,’ she said angrily, noting his muscular calf in its pink silk stocking; there was no need for padding there. In fact, his whole physique belied the idle fop. She shook such irrelevant thoughts from her. ‘As for my brother’s outlandish scheming, that is certainly not to be taken seriously…’

‘Then you are at an impasse.’

‘It would seem so. But do not mistake me, I am not done yet.’

‘No, of course you are not.’ He looked sideways at her, wondering how much of the last half-hour had been carefully planned to trap him, how much of an actress she was. He gave a little chuckle. ‘You have forgot one calling open to impecunious ladies.’

She turned to stare at him. ‘How dare you! I had thought you were a gentleman, my lord. I see now how mistaken I was.’ Angrily, she began to walk on very fast, but he soon caught her up.

‘You misunderstand me, ma’am,’ he said, taking her arm and forcing her to stop. ‘Such a thing never entered my head. I was thinking of the stage.’

She pulled herself out of his grasp. ‘An actress! That is nearly as bad.’

‘It need not be. The stage is becoming respectable, you know. I am acquainted with several actresses who are as staid as nuns.’

‘How disappointing for you!’

‘Ouch! Perhaps I deserved that. Shall we call a truce? I so dislike being at outs with anyone.’

‘Very well,’ she conceded. ‘But I cannot act, and it does not appeal to me.’

‘But do you like to watch a play?’

‘I used to, when Papa was…’ She paused. ‘I have not been lately.’

‘Then we should remedy that at once. I have a box at the Theatre Royal. It will be my pleasure to escort you.’

‘Why?’ she demanded.

‘In order to make amends for my serious blunder just now.’

‘There is no need for that. I have forgiven you.’

He stopped and bowed to her. ‘I am indeed relieved.’ He took his place beside her again and they continued their walk. ‘But what about a visit to the theatre?’

‘Lord Portman, you forget I am in mourning for one thing and on Monday I am to begin work at Lady Bonhaven’s. I will have no opportunity to see a play, unless she chooses to go and I accompany her.’

‘She won’t do that. I know the lady and she abhors all such entertainment as the height of depravity. A more strait-laced matron it would be hard to imagine.’

‘Then I am sorry, I shall have to forgo the pleasure.’

‘I am sorry too. Look, we are at the end of the path. Shall we turn about and go back to the Rotunda or make our way to the field for the fireworks?’

She turned, looking for her brother and Sir Ashley in the milling crowds, but they seemed to have disappeared. She suspected they were deliberately throwing her into a compromising situation. ‘Oh, it is too bad of Max. Where has he got to? I must go at once and look for him.’

‘He will find us if we go to the fireworks. If not, I will undertake to see you safely home.’

‘How could he?’ she stormed. ‘How could he?’

It was not a question to which she expected a reply, but he chose to answer it. ‘I think he is hoping that I will be chivalrous enough to make you an offer, as I am sure you are aware.’

‘Then he has been wasting his time. You are not going to, are you?’

‘You are nothing if not outspoken,’ he said. ‘And you have put me in a predicament, as you did when we first conversed three days ago: to agree would certainly not be gallant and to disagree would mean that I must make the offer.’

‘Oh, be done with your jests! I cannot abide any more of them.’

‘Then by all means let us be serious.’ He drew her to one side of the crowded path, where a Grecian statue stood on a plinth in a little arbour. Here it was quiet and they would not be disturbed. She knew she ought to protest, but there was something about him that was hard to resist. He pulled her down beside him on to the plinth, which was at the right height to make a seat. ‘We could play their little game out for them.’

‘You refer to my brother and Sir Ashley?’

‘Yes. Both are convinced we should make a match of it.’

‘I know Max’s reasons, but what are Sir Ashley’s?’

‘He knows I must marry again in order to beget an heir to my estate.’ He paused, wondering whether to explain about Beth, but decided not to; he wished he had never told Ash. ‘Sir Ashley has chosen you for the role of my bride.’

His use of the word role made her wonder if he saw it all as a play and they were each acting out their parts. ‘Why?’

‘Do you know, I have no idea? Perhaps he appreciates your qualities.’

‘I do not see how he can know them. Whenever we have met, he has seen fit to disappear with my brother, leaving us together.’

‘Your brother is not a very diligent escort.’ He was rapidly coming to appreciate her qualities himself. She was not cowed or overawed and had a ready wit. She was also, as Ash had pointed out, not tiny as Beth had been, but strong and healthy. She was not beautiful, but she was certainly not repulsive. Those divine eyes made up for a great deal. Supposing she were to bear his children—would they have eyes like hers? He tried to imagine them and the picture was not at all unpleasant. She needed to earn a living and he could offer her something a great deal better than working for Lady Bonhaven. Could it work? According to Ash, no woman would turn down the chance to be mistress of Bishop’s Court.

‘Let us ignore Sir Ashley and your brother and decide for ourselves what is to be done.’ She opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger over her mouth to stop her. ‘I will say my say, then you may say yours. Agreed?’

She nodded, aware of the dry warmth of his finger on her slightly parted lips and had to take a firm hold on herself not to nip it with her teeth.

‘Good.’ With the marble Venus smiling down on them, he took both her hands in his. ‘Let us consider the pros and cons. One, I need an heir and to beget an heir I need a wife. Two, I am not disposed to fall in love again, but any wife I choose must be up to the task of being mistress of my household and being a good mother to my children.’ He stopped, realising there was an important question he had not asked. ‘You do wish for children, I assume?’

Too bemused to speak, she nodded again

‘Good. Where was I? Oh, yes, point three. Health and looks.’ He regarded her face gravely as if sizing these up. ‘I am told you have never been ill in your life.’

‘Max,’ she said ruefully. ‘I’ll wager he did not commend my looks.’

‘I can judge those for myself.’

‘He said you required a wife that would not outshine you.’ It was said as a put-down, but it only served to make him throw back his head and laugh. It was a laugh very different from that of the macaroni. He was forever surprising her.

‘There is that, of course. I am indebted to your brother for that point. Now what number were we up to? Four, was it?’

‘Five if you take account of the one my brother furnished.’ The conversation was so preposterous, she felt herself playing the game out of amusement and curiosity.

‘Five, then. You must find a home and a way of making a living which, I understand, has become urgent. Is that so?’

She nodded again, knowing she ought to stand up and walk away, but finding it impossible to do so.

‘We come to six. You do not care to be a companion and there is no time to develop your other ideas. Housekeeper. A wife keeps house, does she not? Embroidery. I am persuaded every lady, wife or not, does that. As for cataloguing books, if you really wish to do that, I have a library of tomes at Bishop’s Court in urgent need of arranging into some sort of order. What else was there? Oh, yes, writing a book. I have no especial dislike of that idea. You may occupy yourself in that fashion whenever you are not busy at any of the others.’

‘Lord Portman,’ she managed at last, ‘just what are you saying?’

‘Why, I am listing the advantages to be had from joining our two selves in holy matrimony. You did not think I was offering carte blanche, did you?’

‘I was not sure.’

‘My dear Miss Chalmers, if you go back to point one, you will recall I said I needed an heir and by that I meant a legitimate one.’

‘You are not jesting, are you?’ she said, regarding him frankly.

‘No, I am not jesting. Now you may, if you wish, list the disadvantages.’

She said the first thing that came into her head. ‘We hardly know each other.’

‘True, but that can be remedied.’

‘I am in mourning.’

‘I think, under the circumstances, that can be overlooked. I am sure your brother, as the head of the house, would agree with that. It is a pity they have done away with Fleet marriages, but the ceremony can be a quiet one in the country.’

‘I am too independent and outspoken.’

‘That could be construed as a disadvantage, it is true,’ he admitted. ‘I will mark that one up.’

‘I am six and twenty.’

‘Then you will not be giddy and requiring my undivided attention every minute of the day. I could not abide that. Of course we should not delay too long before beginning our family…’

‘And if I should turn out to be barren?’

‘Is there any reason why you should be?’

‘None at all, but one can never be sure.’

‘True. Perhaps we ought to mark that one up too.’

‘I am told you already have a daughter.’

‘Yes.’ His bantering tone left him suddenly. ‘I see little of her. She is with foster parents.’

‘But she would not be, if you had a wife, would she? Supposing she does not take to me?’

‘She will do as she is told.’ It was said flatly.

‘You cannot make her love me. Love is not something you can command.’

‘How did we come to be talking of love?’ he demanded, somewhat put out. ‘I have not mentioned it. I hope you were not expecting me to fall into raptures and declare my undying devotion.’

She laughed, endeavouring to lighten the atmosphere again. ‘That, my lord, would be expecting too much.’

‘Then I make it six to two.’

‘Six to two what?’

‘Six points in favour, two against. Rather good odds, I should think.’

‘You, I collect, are a gambler, my lord. I, on the other hand, am not.’

‘You will not be gambling. I shall provide you with a good portion, ample pin money, clothes, jewels, a carriage, the freedom to order the household as you will, and a title. What have you to lose?’

‘My independence.’

‘How much is that worth at the moment?’ He paused to look into her face. ‘Remember Lady Bonhaven.’

She did not want to remember the lady. ‘My lord, if all that was a proposal of marriage, it is the strangest I ever heard.’

‘You have had so many?’ he queried, smiling at her, his head on one side.

‘That would be telling.’ Honesty made her add, ‘But that is neither here nor there.’

‘So, shall we wed?’

‘I am afraid I cannot view the prospect of a marriage of convenience with equanimity. How do I know we should not quarrel?’

‘I am not usually quarrelsome,’he said. ‘Quarrelling indicates a lack of restraint, don’t you think? Are you like to quarrel with me?’

‘With the life you have promised me? It would be singularly ungrateful in me to do that. But is gratitude a substitute for that tender feeling a husband and wife should have towards each other?’

‘Only you can answer that. But you need not feel grateful. The bargain will not be all one-sided. You will be expected to play your part.’

She gave a dry laugh. ‘So, it is an actress you would make of me after all. I doubt I could match you in that. I have never met a man of so many parts.’

He laughed. ‘Touché. But what do you say?’

‘I need to think about it.’

‘By all means. But do remember points one to six.’ He stood up and held out his hand to help her to rise, just as a whistle and bang heralded the first of the fireworks. ‘Let us go and view the fireworks and perhaps we shall come across your brother and Sir Ashley.’

They left the shelter of the arbour and made their way towards the river, where cheers and more bangs, followed by brilliant colours of red, green, yellow and blue shooting high into the sky showed the fireworks were well under way. They stood close together to watch the entertainment, a most incongruous couple, the fop and the antidote, and though she was aware of it, he seemed unperturbed. A strange and unaccountable man, she decided. Could she marry him? It would not be the marriage she had dreamed of as a young girl, but she could not expect that, could she? What would it be like to share a bed with him? To see that muscular body without any clothes? To be touched by him in intimate places? Feeling the warmth rush into her face, she dismissed such erotic questions from her mind and tried to concentrate on the fireworks.

It was a splendid display and after the last one had died away, he turned towards her. ‘Before I knew I would meet you here, I ordered supper to be served in one of the booths near the Rotunda and no doubt we shall find Sir Ashley there with your brother.’

They joined the crowds leaving the arena and made their way back to the centre of the garden. It was now quite dark, although the lamps strung along the paths made a ribbon of light converging on the Rotunda. Harry took Rosamund’s arm and guided her unerringly and, sure enough, they found the two missing men already sitting in the booth, waiting for them.

‘There you are,’ Ash said. ‘We had quite given you up for lost.’

Rosamund opened her mouth to a scathing retort and shut it quickly when Harry said, ‘My dear Ash, it was you and Sir Max who were lost. We have simply been perambulating and watching the fireworks.’ He pulled a chair out from the table as he spoke. ‘Miss Chalmers, please be seated. I shall have refreshment brought at once.’

Rosamund looked at Max. He was smiling like a cat who had got at the cream and it made her want to hit him. Taking the offered seat, she refused to look him in the eye.

Now they were once again in company, his lordship resumed his role of tulip, flicking at his cuffs, picking up his quizzing glass and surveying the people passing by the booth and making humorous comments on their appearance. Max laughed hilariously at his jokes, Ash looked at him in disapproval and Rosamund was simply too bemused to react at all. Their recent conversation was going over and over in her mind…Had he really proposed marriage to her? Had he really promised her ample pin money, clothes, jewels, a carriage, the freedom to order the household, all in exchange for giving him an heir?

A baby. A little human being, not a pugdog, not a doll, but a real live human being who needed both parents, not only for a few days and weeks, but for a lifetime of growing up. Supposing the marriage was so awful it had to be ended? What would become of any child then, especially if she had become excessively fond of it? Why had she not brought that up as a point for consideration? No, she decided, he had been jesting.

She realised he had not been jesting the following afternoon when he called on her at Holles Street. She was in her black gown again and had done nothing to her hair except brush it back and tie it with a ribbon while she sat at the escritoire, writing notes. Janet, agog at the sight of him, forgot to ask if she were at home and showed him straight in. Flustered, she rose to receive him. ‘My lord, I did not expect you.’

He swept her a bow. ‘Did you not, madam? I fancied we had unfinished business.’ He looked about at the bare room. There was a sofa, besides the chair she was using at the desk, but that was all. And Janet had disappeared.

‘Oh. Are we still acting our parts?’ she queried, making light of her confusion. ‘I had fancied the curtain had come down on that particular play.’