Arabella (9 page)

             
He could not be thinking of making Arabella an offer?  No!  it was out of the question.  He had no desire to marry anyone; though… A picture of her face came to him then.  He could see her lying in his bed, her hair spread on the pillows, her mouth slightly parted in anticipation of his kiss.

             
'Damn the wench!' he muttered aloud and flung the slender flute into the grate, watching with pleasure as its fragile air-twist stem disintegrated into a thousand pieces.  'She is nothing – forget her!'

             
He wondered what was wrong with him.  He had never allowed a woman to get so deeply beneath his defences before and did not enjoy the feeling it gave him now.  He would be a fool to let himself care.  Women were best kept at a distance.  They could give pleasure, but the pain inflicted by betrayal was sharp.

             
Gervase's own mother had been a wanton who cared nothing for her husband or children.  He could recall seeing her in the arms of other men, had memories of feeling hurt when he was summarily dismissed from her presence so that she might be alone with her latest lover.

             
He knew that his father had kept mistresses after Lady Roxbourne died giving birth to her third child – a male child that had died before drawing breath.  Was it after this that his father had become bitter and turned against his own children?

             
Of course if he'd had doubts about who had fathered those children… but he had never voiced them in Gervase's hearing.  He shook his head.  He
was
Roxbourne, whether he was a bastard or no.

             
Sometimes he wondered if that faint doubt in his mind was the reason the title meant so little to him.  Or perhaps that was simply his own restless nature coming to the fore.

             
He had pondered such questions a thousand times without coming to a conclusion and dismissed them, putting his mind to the more pressing problem of what to do about Miss Arabella Tucker.

             
Was he thinking of making her an offer?  He would offer her his protection if he believed for one moment that she would accept, but marriage… that was another question.

'Sir John asked me whether your engagement to Lord Roxbourne was soon to be announced,' Nan said when she returned from driving out with him that afternoon.  'I told him I was not sure but I imagined it would be soon.'

             
Arabella was horrified as she watched Nan take off her chip straw bonnet and lay it on the bed.  Her sister was looking pretty in a green silk carriage gown and also rather pleased with herself, but she wasn't sure why.

             
'You should not have told him that,' she said.  'It isn't true, Nan.'

             
'Cousin Mary says she is sure he is on the verge of proposing,' Nan said.  'And I have observed the way he looks at you.  It will be your own fault if you do not catch him, Bella.'

             
Nan had not called her that for a while.  Her eyes narrowed as he saw her sister's look of satisfaction.  'Why are you looking so very pleased with yourself?'

             
'Sir John asked me to marry him and I said yes,' Nan said triumphantly.  She did not know that he had first asked Arabella for neither she nor Lady Mary had told her.  'He will settle the most pressing of Father's debts and another ten thousand pounds on me.  I am to have the income and also a clothes allowance – though the capitol is secured to my first child.  Do you not think that generous, Arabella?'

             
'Yes, indeed.  Very generous,' Arabella replied.  Her sister was gloating over her success, clearly relishing the opportunity to shine above her sister.  'I know it is what you wanted and I am very happy for you.'

             
'Father will be surprised,' Nan said and there was a vicious pleasure in her words.  'You were always his favourite, and he thought you would be the first to catch a husband.'

             
'I am sure he thought no such thing,' Arabella replied.  She could see that Nan was still not prepared to forgive all the slights she imagined she had suffered because of her sister.  'As for me, I always thought he liked you best.'

             
Nan smiled smugly.  'He told me he much admires your beauty, but thinks you rather too free in your manners.  He said that a man could not be sure you would not cuckold him, and that he had decided I would make a far better wife.'

             
'I have always thought it,' Arabella said.  Nan's spite was wounding, but she was determined that they should part friends if holding her tongue would manage it.  'I am glad you are to marry, Nan – but I shall miss you.'

             
'Well, you may come and stay with me sometimes,' Nan said, deciding to be generous.  'And if Roxbourne does not come up to scratch you may be my companion.'

             
Oh yes!  Nan would like that, Arabella thought.  It would just suit her to have her sister in the position of a poor relative.

             
'Perhaps I shall marry someone else…'

             
Nan gave her a pitying look.  'You are a fool if you imagine Lord Sylvester will wed you.  Be guided by my example, sister.  Marry the first man to ask you.'

             
Arabella made no reply.  She would rather stay at home and keep house for her father.  It occurred to her that she might be able to do just that, at least for a while.  If Sir John was prepared to pay Sir Edmund's most pressing debts, there was no need for her to marry immediately.

'Your father has declined to come up for Nan's wedding,' Lady Mary told Arabella a few days later.  'He says he has a slight chill but that I should to send word as soon as I have news of you.'  She looked at her expectantly.  'You danced with Roxbourne at Vauxhall last night.  Did he say nothing to you?'

             
'He said I looked more beautiful than ever, and sent his congratulations to my sister…' Arabella remembered and fumed inwardly.  She had felt that he was mocking her because she had not yet secured an offer of marriage.  She was still hoping but her plan to keep Harry at bay was not working.  Each time he stole a kiss from her she came one step closer to surrender.

             
'Roxbourne really is the most infuriating man!' Lady Mary pulled a face.  'I knew it would not be easy to snare him, but I swear he wants you!'

             
'As his mistress perhaps,' Arabella replied and pouted.  'Everyone says the same of him – he will never marry.'

             
'Why do you think that is?' Lady Mary wondered aloud.  'Has he been crossed in love – or does his aversion go deeper?  I must see what I can discover.  I do not despair of him yet.  Perhaps you should give him a little more encouragement?'

             
'Should I take him to the rose arbour and seduce him?'

             
'Do not be impertinent!'  Lady Mary snapped.  Her hand clenched at her side as if she were tempted to slap her.  'You are too wilful, Arabella.  If you are not careful you will lose him – and no one else has looked like offering for you.'

             
That was because Society as a whole was too busy laying odds on whether or not Roxbourne would come up to scratch.  One or two gentlemen who had considered the possibility of offering for Mistress Tucker had retreated.  No one wanted to offend Roxbourne, who was known to have an uncertain temper and a certain skill with the rapier.  Besides, it was a delicious scandal.  Especially as she was thought to have a partiality for Sylvester – and everyone knew how the case stood between Roxbourne and that particular gentleman, though only a discreet few knew why.

             
'Then it will have to be Roxbourne or no one,' Arabella said.  'Unfortunately, he does not seem to want to ask me.'

             
'Well, he has asked us all to a small supper dance he is giving next week,' Lady Mary informed her with a severe look.  'It is two days before Nan's wedding and will be our last outing before then.  Use your opportunity well, Arabella.  It may be your last.'

             
Arabella retired to her bedchamber with her cousin's threat ringing in her ears.  She was aware that Lady Mary was out of temper with both her and Nan.  She could not be sure, of course, but she believed that Sir John might have told his mistress that their affair was over.

             
Nan confirmed Arabella's suspicions on the evening they were to attend Lord Roxbourne's supper dance.

             
'I made it clear that I should not tolerate a mistress – at least until we have our sons,' she told Arabella with a sour smile.  'If we want the succession to be safe, Sir John must give all his efforts in that direction to me.'

             
'I thought you wanted him to return to London and leave you alone in the country?'

             
'I have decided that will not satisfy me after all,' Nan replied with a twist of her mouth.  'A wife must have influence over her husband if she wants him to respect her – and a mistress may interfere with things that do not properly concern her.  Especially, if the relationship is a long standing one.'

             
Nan was obviously not prepared to share her husband with her cousin.  There was something in her manner at that moment that made Arabella feel sympathy for Sir John.  He was decent enough in his own way, even though his manner towards Arabella had been much colder since her rejection of his offer.  She wondered what kind of a life he would have married to her sister, but it was after all his own choice.

             
'Well you must do as you wish, Nan.'

             
'I intend to, sister.'

             
Nan's mouth looked thin and mean.  Arabella realised that she did not like the woman her sister had become of late.  Or perhaps this side of Nan had always been there without her knowing it?

             
Arabella dismissed the thought, wanting to think well of her sister.  Perhaps Nan would be more like her old self when she was wed.  Besides, there were only two more days before the wedding and Arabella did not wish to fall out with her.

             
However, there was the supper dance at Lord Roxbourne's house to come first.  Lady Mary would be expecting him to propose to her and when he did not ... she was going to be very angry.  Arabella thought it quite possible that she would be packed off to stay with her great-aunt before many days had passed.

             
Arabella must see Lord Sylvester!  She must speak to him before she was banished to the country.  There was no likelihood of his being at Lord Roxbourne's house, of course, but perhaps she could send him a letter.  Yes, she would write to him and ask if they could meet.

             
For the moment there was the coming evening to get through.  She did not believe for one moment that Roxbourne would propose to her.  Indeed, she intended to make sure that he did not get the chance!

CHAPTER FIVE

Lady Montrose was the hostess for Roxbourne's dance that evening.  A lady of mature years and impeccable virtue, her acceptance of his offer had for once not given rise to speculation about their relationship.  Besides, the betting on whether or not he would offer for Arabella had spiralled to fever pitch in the coffee-houses and clubs frequented by the racier element of London society.

             
Unaware of all the interest, Arabella continued to show a cool politeness to Roxbourne, which was taken as a clever ploy on her part.  Opinion was divided over the eventual outcome, for the more astute had noticed something in Roxbourne's manner towards the young girl that had not previously been there.

             
'I'll wager she'll get him yet,' one young buck remarked to his friend as they watched Arabella dancing with her host that evening.  'She must either be an extremely fine actress or very cunning to maintain that air of indifference.  One would almost think she genuinely did not care whether he offers for her or not.'

             
'Completely false,' his companion tittered maliciously.  'Any woman in her position would die for the chance.  He's as rich as Croesus don't you know.'

             
'And wouldn't I like to know where he gets his money,' the first man replied.  'I lost a fortune at the tables last night.'