An Introduction to the Pink Collection (23 page)

“It does not matter,” Lavina answered. “I can put up with him, because I know that in the end I will escape him. After all, the worst I know of him is that he is very rude. And the best I know of him is that he is putting himself out to help me.”

“He certainly seems to be exerting himself to do everything thoroughly,” the Earl agreed. “His idea about the telegram was excellent. And after he had refused us so definitely, too.”

“Yes, it was strange how he changed his mind so suddenly,” Lavina mused. “In fact, I can't help the feeling that he's doing this for his own reasons, and not for us at all.”

“Yes, I too received that impression,” agreed her father. “But how it could matter to him I can't imagine.”

Then, because he had a romantic heart, he added,

“I remember it happened when he turned round. I wonder if he saw you in a better light, realised how beautiful you are, and fell instantly in love with you.”

“Papa!”
she exclaimed scornfully.

“All right, my dear, it was just one of my fancies, you know.”

“It's an appalling idea. Rude, arrogant, insufferable, bigoted – ”

“If this is how you talk about the man who's doing you such a huge favour, I dread to think what you'd say about an enemy,” her father observed mildly.

It flashed through her mind that, in his own way, the Marquis was an enemy, but she did not trouble her father with the thought. He would not have understood.

Instead, she replied,

“That's quite a different thing. He's the last man in the world I'd want to have in love with me. Why, he'd be almost as bad as Prince Stanislaus.”

Her father patted her hand.

“If you say so, my dear.”

*

As soon as they reached Ringwood Place both Lavina and her father realised that something had happened. The butler, who admitted them, was in a state of agitation.

“The Queen's messenger called while you were away, My Lord,” he said, holding himself very upright, as befitted a man who spoke of the Queen.

“Oh heavens!” Lavina exclaimed. “Already. I thought we would have a little more time.”

For a horrible moment she could see all their gains slipping away.

“Never fear, my darling,” the Earl said, trying to sound more certain than he felt. “I will be very firm.”

“But this man has obviously come to take you to see Her Majesty. How firm can you be when you confront her face to face?”

The Earl, who was wondering that himself, drew himself up.

“I shall say what has to be said,” he declared. “They shall not have you. Where is the messenger, Denton?”

“He is not here, My Lord,” the butler declared. “He left a letter which he required me to give you as soon as you arrived. And here it is. He says he will return in an hour.”

The Earl took the letter and mopped his brow. But as he was about to open it Lavina whisked it out of his hand.

“How unfortunate that we should have missed him,” she said. “Please bring us some sherry to the library, Denton.”

Taking her father by the arm, Lavina guided him into the library and spoke in a low, hurried voice.

“Papa, we must leave immediately.”

“But my dear, how can we? It was different before this letter arrived. Now that I've received it I have to obey its commands.”

“But Papa, you have not received it.”

“Yes I have. You saw Denton – ”

“We haven't seen Denton because we haven't been home. We have been visiting Elswick Towers, where the Marquis invited us to stay. We did not return here – ”

“But my dear, we did.”

“No Papa, we didn't.”

The Earl blinked in confusion.

“Strange, I could have sworn we just arrived home.”

“You're imagining it,” Lavina said firmly. “Actually we're still at Elswick Towers.”

Faced with his daughter's stronger personality Lord Ringwood yielded and admitted that he was still at Elswick Towers.

“We sent a groom back home to announce that we were remaining there,” Lavinia continued, “and our things were to be sent over.”

“But Denton would have sent the letter over with our things.”

“In the confusion, the letter was lost,” Lavina said firmly. “It did not come to light until later this evening. You cannot be accused of ignoring the Queen's command, because you knew nothing about it.”

“But suppose the messenger follows us to the Towers?”

“The Marquis can deal with him. He's unpleasant enough to deal with anything. But we must leave quickly. Hurry Papa and give your valet instructions, while I talk to Mrs. Banty.”

She sped away and got to work with a will, leaving the Earl to fortify himself with sherry.

First Lavina went to the stables and ordered that another carriage, a closed one this time, should be brought round to the front door, with two fresh horses harnessed.

Then she approached Denton, giving him the delightful smile that made any servant eager to do her bidding.

“Denton, you're such an old friend of the family,” she said, “that I want you to be the first to know, that I'm about to announce my engagement to the Marquis of Elswick.”

Denton's eyes opened at little wider at this astounding news, but he was too well trained to do more than murmur,

“My felicitations, Your Ladyship.”

“Thank you, Denton. Now I need your help. The Marquis has invited Papa and me to stay at his home for a while. So we did not return here, and know nothing about the letter.”

Denton looked shocked.

“My Lady! Do you mean that I neglected to pass on the Queen's letter?”

“I realise that it's something you would never do,” she said in a coaxing voice.

“A blot on my record,” he said, deeply offended. “Which, I may say, has never been blotted before.”

“I'm asking a great sacrifice, I know.”

“Will the Queen send me to the Tower of London for losing her letter?”

“I won't let her,” Lavina promised.

“Well, I may have given it to the under footman to look after. He is notoriously forgetful. Leave matters to me, My Lady.”

“Thank you, Denton. And when the messenger returns, kindly tell him that he can find us at the Towers.

“Very good, Your Ladyship.”

“You will explain about my engagement – ”

“Then it is not a secret?”

“Oh no. You may inform the household, and the Queen's messenger.”

She hurried away to her room.

Luckily the visit to the Marquis involved very little preparation, as they had only just arrived from London, and most of their clothes were still packed. Mrs Banty received her instructions with a brief nod, and assured Her Ladyship that everything would be attended to.

The closed carriage, with fresh horses, was waiting. Lavina and the Earl hurriedly climbed aboard and they were on their way.

For the first part of the journey they each peered nervously out of a window, just in case the messenger returned to be sure his letter was delivered. But they saw nobody, and at last they began to relax.

“I can't believe that we're actually going to get away with this,” the Earl murmured.

“We will if we keep our heads,” Lavina told him. “And if the Marquis learns how to play his part properly.”

“Why, whatever do you mean by that, my dear?”

“I'm talking about the way he refused to say goodbye to me. In fact, he put his hands behind him rather than touch me.”

Her Father nodded and she continued,

“He spoke of behaving like a devoted fiancé – ”

“Did he? I don't remember hearing him say that.”

“It was while you were looking round the library. He said he would play his role with conviction – which, frankly, I doubt – and expected me to do the same.”

“I suppose that's only reasonable. I'm afraid you will have to endure a certain amount of attention from him.”

“Just as long as he doesn't try to kiss me,” Lavina said, setting her chin stubbornly.

“I'm sure such an idea has never crossed his mind.”

“Yes,” she said crossly. “So am I. Did you see how he behaved when we left? It would be quite obvious, to anyone with any sense, that he was being forced into matrimony, rather than begging me to honour him by becoming his wife.”

The Earl sighed.

“I have to admit, my dear,” he said, “that he does not play his part well. I'm not looking forward to this visit.”

Their second arrival at Elswick Towers was as different from the first as anything could be. Clearly the Marquis had reflected that his earlier distant treatment of his ‘fiancée' would not produce the desired effect, and had decided on a different approach.

He was there on the step to greet them, personally handing Lavina down from the carriage. Then, to her astonishment, he raised her hand to his lips, bending his head to kiss it with an air that would have looked like reverence to anyone who did not know the truth.

From behind him there came a great cheer from the assembled staff, lined up to greet the woman whom they supposed would be their new mistress.

“I didn't expect this – ” she stammered.

“It is only proper that the future Marchioness of Elswick should receive suitable greetings from those over whom she will rule,” he said smoothly.

“I – thank you.” She tried to withdraw her hand, but he did not release it.

“You're supposed to look delighted by my attentions,” he reminded her.

Lavina looked directly into his face, giving him the most dazzling smile at her command.

“My Lord,” she breathed, “what joy it is to me to be once again with you. How my heart beats with happiness – ”

“Be careful,” he murmured, “don't overdo it.”

“Can a woman overstate her pleasure at being in the presence of he who is to be her lord and master?”

Just for an instant the stone mask of his face seemed on the verge of cracking. She almost thought a smile hovered on the edge of his lips. But he mastered it.

“Your lord and master, indeed,” he replied. “I'm glad you understand that. Now, my dearest love, let me introduce you to the staff that will be yours.”

There were over a hundred of them, bowing or curtseying as she went along the line.

“I'm rather understaffed at the moment,” the Marquis observed. “As I said, this is a bachelor residence, and I do almost no entertaining. Many of the people you see here work in the grounds or the stables. Naturally, the presence of a Marchioness would make all the difference.”

“Naturally,” she murmured, feeling rather dazed.

“This is Perkins, the head butler, who runs this establishment.”

Perkins, one of the few servants who had seen her earlier, bowed, concealing his bewilderment at this incredible development.

There were several under-butlers, then countless footmen, all powdered and wigged, each nodding his head to her. There followed the under-footmen, and beyond them the chief cook, a magisterial French presence called Laurant, and two under-cooks.

There were, as the Marquis had said, several maids, smart in black dresses and gleaming white frilly aprons; also several scullery maids. But there was no doubt that they were heavily outnumbered by the men.

“And now, allow me the pleasure of escorting you into your new home,” the Marquis said gallantly, taking her hand and leading her through the front door.

As soon as they were inside, Lavina said urgently.

“I must speak to you.”

“Has something happened?”

“Yes, something terrible. The Queen has written to Papa.”

“Saying what?”

“I don't know, I didn't allow him to open it.”

“You didn't allow – ?”

“It would have been fatal,” she said hurriedly, missing his implication. “Once he has read that letter he must obey the orders contained within it. As it is, he hasn't even received it.”

“I thought you just said that he had.”

“It arrived at the house, but we didn't.”

He frowned.

“Didn't what?”

“Arrive at the house.”

“Lady Lavina, you must forgive me for appearing dull-witted but I was under the impression that you had been home, and if you have not I'm at a loss to understand how you knew the letter was there.”

“Of course we've been home.”

The Marquis passed his hand over his eyes.

“Perhaps we began this conversation at the wrong point,” he said faintly. “I have been used to starting at the beginning, but clearly you have devised another method.”

Lavina stamped her foot.

“I wish you would stop talking nonsense. My meaning is perfectly clear.”

“Not, unfortunately, to me. Did this letter arrive or did it not?”

“Yes, it arrived while we were here with you, and was waiting for us when we returned home. But Papa must not receive it, so I handed it back to the butler and we left at once.

“When the Queen's Messenger returns he will be informed that we never came back at all, and he must bring the letter on to deliver it here.”

“Where he will find us all assembled to greet him,” the Marquis said, his eye gleaming with appreciation. “Well done! Now that we have sorted out your somewhat tangled explanation, I am proud of you.”

If he meant to placate Lavina by these words he was mistaken. Praise was pleasant, of course, but how dare he patronise her! Did he think she cared whether he was proud of her or not?

“Where are the maid and dresser you threatened me with?” the Marquis asked.

“They are following immediately. Since haste was important we left ahead of them.”

“Then one of my maids shall show you to your room. You have the room always occupied by the mistress of the house.”

Lavina soon discovered that what he called a ‘room' was, in fact, a palatial apartment. Built on a corner, it had large windows on two sides, flooding it with light.