A Guardians Angel (16 page)

“To help her understand what I have to say.”

“How?”

Esther put her fingers on Angela’s lips and then to her own. “Delicia does this and watches me. I try to talk nice and slow, and when she looks puzzled, I repeat myself.”

“And she understands?”

“Of course, and she has taught me to understand what she has to say. She makes motions, and they mean things. I am afraid I will forget what they are by the time we get back.”

“Just keep repeating them to yourself, and you will remember.” Angela hugged the little girl. “You are a good friend for Delicia.”

“And she’s my best friend.” She dimpled. “She and Wallah.”

“Why don’t you go and take a nap and dream of both of them.”

As Esther skipped back into the room where Leonia could be heard pacing, Angela’s smile was tainted with sorrow. Delicia Harrington must be a very intelligent little girl, for she was devising her own language. No wonder Justin had been intrigued with the idea of the school at first. Then he had abruptly changed his mind. Because it was in France? She shivered. There were many who could not set aside their hatred of all things French because of the long war with Napoleon, but Justin had shown no interest in politics. His focus was totally on his studies and his daughter.

None of this made sense. The missing puzzle piece was somewhere. She simply was not seeing it.

The house was no longer quiet. Voices came from every direction. The halls beyond the rooms Angela shared with the children were abuzz. From outside the windows covered with chintz drapes, more conversations mixed with the sounds of an orchestra tuning up. The wedding was over, and the festivities were about to begin.

She and the children had not attended the wedding in the tiny chapel somewhere on the ground floor of the house. That had been a wise decision, for, after the long trip, Seth and Esther had been even more unable to sit still than usual. Thomas had vanished to the conservatory somewhere else in the house, and Leonia had spent the afternoon lamenting about her hair.

Angela had been grateful for the excuse to retire to her own private chamber, a small room that barely had room for the tall tester bed and an oak cupboard. But being here alone, even with all the voices beyond the walls, brought forth more thoughts of Justin. If she had followed him and demanded that he explain why he had reacted so, mayhap her mind might be more at ease now.

“When did you start lying to yourself?” Her voice sounded strange in the small room. Thinking she could get Justin out of her thoughts proved she was out of her mind.

Tonight, she would have little time to think about him. The children were sure to be a handful during the party, because she had heard Seth and Esther discussing how big a piece of the wedding cake they should get and whether the frosting would be flavored. Between watching them and making sure that Leonia did not overstep the boundaries for a young miss not yet introduced to society, she would be too busy for anything but trying to stay one step ahead of them.

Angela took one last look in the glass to make certain that she looked her best. She touched the cream-white gown and the tiny yellow roses sewn into the ribbons dropping from the bodice. This gown was more splendid than anything she had worn during her interrupted Season. Not once, until the
modiste
had requested a final fitting the day before they left Oslington Court, had Angela guessed that Leonia was arranging for this gown to be made for her. It had been, Leonia had told her with a grin, a thank-you for persuading the duke to take the Sutton children to Scotland.

Going to the door that led to the girls’ room, Angela knocked.

Esther opened it and twirled about, the ribbons on her dress matching neither the wallcovering nor Esther’s hair, which was nearly the same shade. “Isn’t this the prettiest dress you have ever seen?”

“Very nice,” Angela said, vowing to speak to Mrs. Meyer about choosing colors more appropriate for Esther instead of the pinks that were all the rage.

“Leonia doesn’t think so.” Esther’s nose wrinkled, blending her freckles together. “She won’t let me look in the glass. All she wants to do is play with her hair.”

“Go into my room and use the glass there. I am done with it for now.”

Esther rushed out, then paused to say, “You look pretty, too, Angela.”

“Thank you.” Angela laughed and went to where Leonia was poking at her hair. Wishing that the duke had agreed to bring Leonia’s abigail along, Angela picked up a comb edged with a light green feather that matched her simple gown. She quickly twisted Leonia’s hair into place and affixed it with the comb, so it dropped down over her shoulders. Until she was fired-off, Leonia must continue to wear her hair simply.

“Perfect!” Leonia flung her arms around Angela, nearly upsetting them both onto the floor.

“It shan’t stay that way if you do not curb your enthusiasm just a mite.”

“I shall try.” She spun about as Esther had, contradicting her own words. As Angela tried to redo the damage to Leonia’s hair, the young woman said, “This is going to be the most glorious night I have ever had.”

“You must remember that you are not yet fired-off, Leonia.”

Touching the feather in her hair, Leonia hummed a joyous tune.

“What is that song?” Angela asked, startled. She recognized it. She had heard both Justin and Esther whistling it.

“I am not sure. I have heard Rodney humming it for as long as I can remember.” She sat on the light blue chaise longue at the foot of her bed, which was draped in white damask, and ran her fingers along the ruffles on her skirt. “I do not remember a time when Rodney was not part of our family.”

“Mayhap that is why it has been easier for you to leave India and come to England.”

With her gaze still on the ruching on her gown, Leonia smiled. “I cannot tell you how glad I was, Angela, when I learned that Rodney had been appointed as our guardian.”

“He is very fond of you.”

“Do you really think so?” she asked, her face alight with joy.

“Yes, he has provided so well for you and the other children.”

Leonia kneaded her hands together and stood. “The other children … Oh, yes, he has been very concerned with our well-being.”

“It is a guardian’s duty.”

“Rodney always considers his duty before anything else.” She sighed and turned away, picking up a handkerchief edged with dainty lace.

Angela stared at Leonia in growing comprehension. When Leonia dabbed at her eyes, Angela turned to look out the window at the twilight sky. Why hadn’t she seen before that Leonia had a calf love for the duke? Leonia glowed whenever she spoke of her guardian, but her high spirits vanished at any suggestion that the duke considered her a child like her brothers and sister. She wondered if the duke realized that Leonia had this affection for him. If so, he had shown no sign. He treated Leonia with the same gentle indifference and kind indulgence that he did all the children, except on the rare occasions when their paths crossed. In his mind, allowing Leonia to accompany him to his friend’s wedding was a concession to keep her happy exactly as it had been when he allowed Thomas to call on Justin.

This complicated so many things. Wishing she could take Leonia by the shoulders and shake some sense into her head, she knew it was silly. A heart did not heed good sense, and Leonia’s would listen to her no more than Angela’s own did.

Angela pressed her hand over her heart—it was beating wildly. Had madness infected all of them? Leonia should know better than to have a calf love for the duke, and Angela was a beef-head to fall in love with Justin Harrington. Somehow she had to guide Leonia through this without being sure of the right path herself.

“Careful …” Angela held out her hands as if she could help support Esther and Seth, who were being picked up by two footmen. Both children had fallen asleep, with a great deal of reluctance.

“I will see they are tucked in,” Thomas said. “You can stay here.”

“Thank you.” She did not smile, although she was tempted when she saw the boy’s relieved expression. He had made it quite clear that he would prefer to spend the evening in Lord Milborough’s library than here in the ballroom where music soared to a ceiling painted with a romantic image of the sky with cherubs peeking out from among the clouds. “Have the housekeeper send someone up to sit in our room.”

He grinned and sped off to catch up with the footmen. With a maid overseeing the children while they slept, he could sneak back down to the library and peruse more of the books collected by their host.

That left her only one charge to be concerned with, and Angela guessed that would be enough. Leonia could barely conceal her impatience with the restrictions placed on her because she was not yet out. Her foot tapped the floor as others danced, and she wore a frustrated frown.

“Would you like some lemonade?” Angela asked quietly.

“I would like some champagne.” Leonia’s frown slipped away. “Oh, dear! I should not have said that aloud.”

“As long as no ears other than yours and mine heard, there is no problem.” Patting Leonia’s hand, Angela said, “I know how difficult it is to want to participate fully, but not be able to because you are restrained.”

“I know you do!” Leonia flung her arms around Angela, threatening both their appearances. “What would I do without you, dear Angela?”

Extricating herself from Leonia’s earnest embrace, Angela rose. “I will get us some lemonade.”

“
You
may have champagne.”

“I do not want you to suffer alone.”

As Leonia giggled behind her, Angela went to where glasses of lemonade were waiting as they had been since the beginning of the evening. She glanced back, but Leonia was sitting properly. When she saw the young woman eyeing two dowagers who were obviously talking about her, Angela chuckled. Leonia would curb her buoyant spirits under such watchful observation. Mayhap the Season to come would go more smoothly than the duke had hoped.

As if she had spoken his name aloud, the duke walked toward her. She no longer was surprised that he wore a serious expression. Leonia had commented that the Duke of Oslington always kept his obligations in mind, and that explained so much. Engulfed with the abrupt responsibility of four vivacious youngsters, he was struggling to do the best he could for them, even if it meant keeping a grim frown in place.

“Where are the children?” he asked as Angela picked up two glasses of lemonade.

“The younger two are on their way to bed, and Thomas has gone with them.” Lifting the glasses, she said, “Leonia and I are going to enjoy this.”

He grimaced. “That there are so many glasses here suggests it is as tasteless as what is served at Almack’s.”

“I have never had the privilege of going there.”

“You will when Leonia is fired-off.” His mouth quirked. “I suspect I shall need your guidance with her for as long as you are willing to offer it. She seems to have developed an uncharacteristic inclination to pipe her eyes whenever I say more than a score of words to her. It is most peculiar.”

Angela kept her sigh silent. The duke’s remark told her that he was unaware that Leonia was sweet on him. Knowing she should keep her nose out of where it did not belong, she could not keep herself from saying, “It would not be inappropriate for you to dance with Leonia.”

“She is not yet out.”

“But you are her guardian. If her father were here, he could dance with her without anyone being aghast.”

He sighed and straightened the front of his black coat. “I wish her father were here.”

“You and Colonel Sutton were very close friends, I collect.”

“He was my commanding officer.” He arched a brow. “I would have died to protect him and his men. However, I never guessed I would become a surrogate father to his children.”

“They consider themselves fortunate that you have assumed that responsibility.” She kept herself from using the word “duty.” Mayhap the duke would view Leonia differently if he saw her as a young woman falling in love with him instead of a mission—getting her fired-off—that must be completed with all alacrity and efficiency.

Angela turned to walk back to where Leonia was sitting. She did not look over her shoulder to see if the duke followed. There was no need, she discovered, when she approached Leonia. The young woman’s eyes glittered with happiness, warning that her guardian was coming toward her.

Stepping aside, Angela waited for one or the other to speak. She nudged Leonia with her foot when the duke’s face began to redden with discomfort.

Leonia glanced away from the duke, then nodded. “Are you enjoying yourself, Rodney?”

“It is pleasurable to see friends I have not seen in more than a year.” He cleared his throat, then asked, “Are you having a pleasant time?”

“Oh, yes!” She nearly jumped to her feet with her enthusiasm, but seemed to catch herself just in time. “It is so much better to sit here and watch the dancing than to peek around the banister at the top of the stairs.”

“Would you like to view it even more closely?”

“This chair …” Leonia looked at Angela in obvious confusion.

Quietly Angela said, “I believe your guardian is asking you to stand up with him for the next set, Leonia.”

“Quite!” the duke said, his tone suggesting that he wished he had never come over to speak to his ward.

“You want to dance with me, Rodney?” Leonia’s eyes glowed with such joy that every candle in the room could have been doused, and her happiness would still have been visible.

“If you would like to dance.”

“Oh, yes!” This time, Leonia came to her feet so quickly that she almost splattered both glasses of lemonade over Angela.

“Put your hand on his arm,” Angela whispered when Leonia faltered.

She guessed the duke had heard her as well, as she had hoped, because he offered his arm to Leonia. When the young woman put her hand on it prettily, Angela smiled. Her fear that Leonia would forget every lesson at this important moment was for naught.

Sitting in Leonia’s chair, Angela watched as Leonia danced with the duke. They were undoubtedly a well-matched couple, because Leonia’s height complemented his. She tried to imagine Leonia in a gown that would be better suited for an evening with the
ton
. It was not difficult because Leonia had an air of sophistication as she followed the pattern of the simple dance.