A Country Miss in Hanover Square (10 page)

Susannah knew her maid was excited and curious, so to oblige her she picked up the second parcel, which was from Amelia. In side that she found a pair of pearl-and-diamond drop earrings, which she held up for Iris to admire. Picking up the third box, she looked for a card, but found none.

‘How odd,’ she remarked. ‘There is no card with this one. I can not think who sent it.’

‘Perhaps it fell off,’ Iris suggested. ‘I’ll look for it when I go down, miss. Open it and see what’s inside.’

Susannah removed the wrap pings and discovered a beautiful posy holder. It was fashioned of basket work gold filigree, very delicate and pretty, and it had a large diamond set into the rim.

‘Oh, how charming,’ she said. ‘Do you see how it works, Iris? You can insert a small posy into this and wear it pinned to your gown if you wish.’

‘It is lovely,’ Iris said. ‘It isn’t just a trinket, miss; that’s a real diamond and a nice one. I expect your mama bought it for your dance.’

‘Yes, perhaps,’ Susannah agreed.

However, when she went to her mother’s room later to thank her for the clip and show her the other gifts, Mrs Hampton immediately asked who had sent the posy holder.

‘I thought it might have been you,’ Susannah said and looked thoughtful as she tried to imagine who else might have sent it. ‘There was no card. Iris thought it might have fallen off and she means to look for it. Amelia gave me the earrings. I do not think she would also have given me the posy holder, do you?’

‘I am very sure she did not, for we discussed what we should give you,’ Mrs Hampton replied with a little frown. ‘The trinket may have come from a secret admirer, Susannah. If there is no card, he may not have wished you to know he had sent it.’

‘Oh…’ Susannah felt a thrill of excitement as she looked at the posy holder. A secret admirer! ‘Do you think so, Mama? What should I do? I had thought I might use it to pin flowers at the waist of my gown, but now I am not certain….’

‘Well, I should do so if I were you,’ Mrs Hampton said. ‘It is a little difficult to be sure, for you would wish to thank whoever sent it—but if there is no card you cannot.’

‘Perhaps whoever sent it will mention it,’ Susannah replied. ‘Be sides, I cannot return it if I do not know who sent it, can I?’

‘I imagine you may receive other gifts as the day goes on,’ Mrs Hampton said. ‘You will almost certainly have lots of flowers, though that holder is rather valuable and I would usually tell you to think carefully about accepting such a valuable thing.’

Susannah nodded—she knew that it was not usual for gentlemen to send such an item unless there was an understanding. She could not think of anyone who would send her such a thing secretly. Had a card accompanied it from—say, Lord Pendleton, she would have taken it as an indication of his intentions to speak. It really was such a pity that there was no card, though if Iris were right… A little shiver went down her spine. She had put the incident in the garden with the Marquis of Northaven from her mind, and he had not been invited to her dance. He would surely not have sent it? No, of course not!

She smiled as she pondered on the identity of her secret admirer, but after a moment or two an odd thought occurred to her. There really was no one other than Harry Pendleton that she wished to send her some thing like this beautiful trinket.

Now that was very strange, wasn’t it? Susannah wondered why he had become so firmly fixed in her thoughts as the only gentleman she really wanted to admire her. She wasn’t at all sure of his feelings. At times, she felt sure he would make her an offer before her Season was over, but at other times she thought that they were just very good friends. The un certainty made her a little cautious, and yet she believed that if she were to encourage Lord Pendleton he might speak. She was beginning to think it might be pleasant to be married to a man she could really trust and like.

If Susannah were in doubt of the identity of the giver of the posy holder, Mrs Hampton was not. She felt quite sure that only one gentleman would have sent the holder and there fore she had no qualms about allowing Susannah to keep it. If it was discovered that it had come from a different source, it could be returned at a later date with a polite note explaining that the card had been missing.

Flowers and tributes poured in during the day. Susannah received several small gifts of sweet meats in beautiful boxes, flowers and cards wishing her a lovely evening, but nothing that compared to her posy holder. These gifts were the acceptable trifles commonly sent on such an occasion, and she noted with pleasure that Lord Pendleton had sent both chocolates and a wonderful little posy of roses, which would fit very well into her holder.

She deliberated over what she ought to do as she dressed, but eventually decided that she would use the delicate trinket to hold the flowers Harry Pendleton had sent her. Wearing a gentleman’s flowers was often an indication of the lady’s preferences, and Susannah would not wish to give any of her other admirers the wrong impression. She knew that one or two of them might have spoken had she given them reason to think she would be pleased with an offer, but none of them had touched her heart. Only Lord Pendleton had become a true friend, one she would wish to know better than as a casual acquaintance. Therefore she would wear his flowers—and if the giver of the holder hinted at his gift she would thank him and explain that the card had gone missing.

It was very odd, for Iris had searched everywhere for the card and questioned the other servants, but no one had seen it. The only explanation was that it had become detached on the way to their house, and that was a nuisance. Unless of course it
was
from a secret admirer?

While it was exciting to think that she might have a secret admirer, Susannah had begun to under stand that such a thing would only be pleasant if that admirer turned out to be someone she truly liked. The idea that a gentleman of the same nature to Northaven might admire her from afar was chilling and she almost changed her mind about wearing it. However, she decided that it must have come from a friend, because it was so perfect for her.

It might just have come from Lord Pendleton.

Harry looked for Susannah as he entered the ballroom that evening. She was wearing white, as she had been the first time he had seen her. Her gown was cut so that it wrapped about her body in swathes of silk and lace—and at her waist was pinned the posy of pink roses he had sent.

He had not been sure that she would wear white, but hoped it might be so. His first choice was for red roses, but he had thought it might be too blatant a statement of his feelings. The last thing he wanted was to make Susannah anxious. Now he saw the pink was a good choice. She was also wearing the posy holder he had sent. He smiled as he thought of the message he had written on the card.

Wear this for me if you have forgiven me for whatever I did. I hope to be your best friend again. Harry.

She was wearing it, but he could not tell from her smile whether she had forgiven him. He was not sure what he had done to displease her, but it had made him change his plans. He had thought of declaring himself and suggesting an elopement, but he no longer considered it a good idea. He had thought Susannah might see it as an adventure, but he wasn’t sure that she liked him enough to consider marriage to him exciting. He would continue to offer friend ship for the moment and see what happened. In the mean time, he would begin by asking her to dance—he would ask for three dances, but she might only give him one.

Susannah danced three times with Harry Pendleton that evening. She had hoped he might take her into supper so that they could talk for a while, because she would have liked to ask him to forgive her for her behaviour the last time they met, but she found herself as part of a group of young ladies and gentlemen bent on having fun. It would have seemed rude had she refused their request to join them, for it was her dance and she was part hostess of the affair.

However, the disappointment was small, for Harry asked her if he might take her driving in the park. He suggested that she might be too tired the following morning, and arranged to fetch her the day after at nine-thirty. Susannah had decided that she would accept the next time he asked, and felt a warm glow inside when she saw his smile as she assured him she would be de lighted.

He really was the most generous, considerate gentleman of her acquaintance. Indeed, when he spent some time talking to another young lady, who was reputed to be an heiress, Susannah knew a moment of jealousy. It was ridiculous, of course, but she could not help herself. However, he came to her before taking his leave, and his smile reassured her once more.

‘You will not forget our appointment?’ he asked, his eyes intent on her face.

Susannah felt a delicious little shiver down her spine. When he looked at her that way she was almost sure she was in love with him—and that he cared for her.

‘I shall not forget,’ she told him, her eyes brighter than she knew. ‘I shall look forward to it.’

Susannah went to bed feeling tired, but very happy. She smiled to herself as she remembered that she had begun by disliking Lord Pendleton, but now she liked him very well indeed.

As she was brushing her hair free of tangles she thought about some thing else she had seen that made her smile. Amelia had danced not once, but twice with the Earl of Ravenshead! She had seemed to enjoy herself very well and she had looked happier than Susannah recalled seeing her before. There was a smile of content on Susannah’s face as she got into bed and blew out her candle.

Susannah slept soundly. It had been a long day and she had danced all night. She did not wake until after twelve in the morning, and felt grateful that her mother had decided on a quiet day at home following the dance.

Several notes were delivered to her during the day, and a spray of red roses arrived. They were from Harry, reminding her of their appointment to go driving. Susannah took them up to her room, placing them in a tiny vase. Lord Pendleton had made such a point of the drive in the park that she felt he must be ready to speak. She thought that she might say yes, though at the back of her mind she was still searching for that elusive excitement. Shaking her head, Susannah laughed at herself. If she wished to be comfortable and happy in the future, she could do no better than to marry Lord Pendleton. It was time to put aside her foolish dreams of being carried off by a white knight. Having thought about it more sensibly of late, she had decided that such an occurrence would perhaps be more frightening than exciting.

She was feeling relaxed and happy as she went downstairs. She was about to enter the parlour when she heard voices coming from inside. They were raised and she could not help hearing what Sir Michael was saying. She turned away at once, for she had made up her mind she would not listen to private conversations, but the voices were so loud that she could still hear them quite clearly as she started up the stairs.

‘I hope you are not thinking of becoming involved with that scoundrel again? I shall tell you now, Amelia. I will not stand for it! I sent the impudent rascal on his way once and I would not hesitate to do it again if need be.’

‘You may not tell me what I shall or shall not choose to do with my life, Michael. I am not prepared to be dictated to in this or any other manner.’ Amelia was angry and her voice carried through the open door.

‘You will listen to nothing I say. You were always too stub born for your own good. Do not look to me for help when all your money has gone, Amelia. I dare say Ravenshead is sniffing around again because he has learned that you have come into a fortune.’

Susannah was halfway up the stairs by the time Sir Michael stormed out of the room. She had tried not to listen, but even as she re treated she could not avoid it for he had been shouting. What a brute he was to his sister! He did not glance Susannah’s way, but stormed straight out, slamming the heavy door behind him.

Immediately, Susannah ran back down the stairs and entered the parlour. Amelia was sitting in an elbow chair, her face hidden in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking and Susannah knew that she was crying.

‘Do not,’ she cried. ‘Oh, do not, dearest. He is an awful brute and you must not let him hurt you.’

Amelia looked up and the look of grief in her eyes tore at Susannah’s eyes. ‘I do not cry because of what Michael said—but because it may be partly true. All those years ago, Gerard went away without trying to see me, Susannah. Had he asked me then, I would have run away with him even though my brother forbade me—but he went without seeing me. I know that Gerard has had difficulty with his estate. It may be that he is interested now because I have a fortune. I am not sure that he cares for me at all…’

‘Oh, but he does,’ Susannah declared impetuously. ‘I have seen the longing in his face when he looks at you—’ She broke off in case she had said too much. ‘Forgive me for my presumption, dearest Amelia, but I have seen the way he looks at you some times. I am sure that he loves you.’

‘He has given me no sign,’ Amelia said. She took the kerchief Susannah offered and wiped her face. ‘This is foolish! It was all such a long time ago. I should not care for such foolishness now.’

‘It is not foolish to wish to be loved,’ Susannah said. ‘Especially if the other person loves you.’

‘No—not if the other person loves you,’ Amelia said, returning her kerchief. ‘How ridiculous of me to weep like this. I seldom do so, I assure you. It was just that we danced and I thought… But no matter. He has not spoken and I dare say he will not.’

‘You cannot know that,’ Susannah said and pressed her hand. ‘You must not give up hope—and you must not listen to Sir Michael.’

‘Well, I shall not listen to my brother, because I know that he intended to hurt and humiliate me, as he has so often,’ Amelia said and kissed Susannah’s cheek. ‘How fortunate for me that I have such friends. I shall miss you when you marry, dearest Susannah. I have felt able to tell you things I could say to no one else, dearest.’

‘I am not sure when that will be,’ Susannah told her ruefully. ‘Harry has not spoken, either. I do not know if he ever will. What a pair we are!’