Letters to a Lady (12 page)

“Of course not. I couldn’t sully her ears with tales of such debauchery. She is such a sweet innocent. Do you know what she loves more than anything in the world, Di?”

Diana considered it a moment and said “Bonbons?” in a quelling way.

In the throes of passion, Ronald was immune to irony. “Kittens,” he announced. “Selena has four kittens. Her favorite is a poor tabby who had his tail chewed off by a dog.”

“That’s very touching, Ronald, but you must not go imagining yourself in love with Lady Selena. She is engaged to Harrup. Think what it would do to your chances of an appointment if you put a spoke in his wheel.”

Ronald groaned in disbelief. “Ladies have no conception of what is important in life. Do you think I’d let my career stand in the way of rescuing Lady Selena? I would carry her off to Gretna Green today if she’d have me, and damn the consequences.”

“That would be most unwise.”

When on unsure ground, Ronald usually resorted to quotations, as he did now. “‘The gods could hardly love and be wise.’”

“You are no god, or even a gentleman of independent means. I trust Lady Selena shows more sense. We are going to pay a very short visit to her, Ronald. You will give her those volumes you’re clutching to your bosom. We shall have a glass of wine or a cup of tea, and we shall leave.”

All Ronald heard was that they were going to pay the visit. He jumped to his feet, scattering volumes to left and right, but still got to the door before Diana had her bonnet and pelisse on. His sister inveighed all the way to Grosvenor Square against rescuing Lady Selena. She soon realized that threats of misery heaped on Ronald’s head in the execution of his scheme were not only disregarded but actually welcomed, and changed her tactics to make Selena the victim.

“If you really care for the girl, you’ll think of her welfare,” she said severely. “Her reputation would be ruined if she jilted Harrup. All polite doors would be slammed in her face. Her own family would disown her. You would do her a great disservice if you put any ideas of elopement in her head, Ronald. Don’t be so selfish. She’d hate you in the end.”

Ronald looked chastened. “Each of us must live in his own hell,” he said bleakly.

A shyly smiling Lady Selena sat awaiting them in her mama’s gold saloon. Lady Groden took one look at her callers and decided Miss Beecham could play propriety, which left her free to call in the modiste. The only good thing that happened during the visit was that Ronald fell nearly as mute as Lady Selena once he was actually in her presence. Or perhaps it was the third party that accounted for the pall of silence. He tendered the novel. Lady Selena accepted it and thanked him.

“I finished it last night,” Ronald said.

Diana decided she must put the visit on a respectable footing and said, “Harrup is sorry he cannot be here himself, Lady Selena. He is so very busy just now, making a good impression on Lord Eldon, you know.”

Instead of answering, Lady Selena cast an imploring eye in Ronald’s direction.

“Are you seeing him this evening?” Diana asked.

“Oh, I hope n—I don’t believe so,” Lady Selena said, blushing at what had slipped out.

“It will be quite a feather in his cap, being named attorney general,” Diana plodded on. Her aim was to paint the groom in glowing colors. Lady Selena listened sullenly to this conversation, which was very similar to her papa’s persuasions.

“Ronald is trying to find some sort of position,” Di said next, to highlight the difference in circumstances between the suitors. This generated a spark of interest from the reluctant bride. “He cannot go on living on nothing a year,” she added. This was, of course, an exaggeration, but allowable in the circumstances.

“I have a dowry of twenty thousand,” Lady Selena mentioned. She didn’t look at Ronald, but there was that in her gentle voice that hinted it was entirely at his disposal.

“I can always go home to the Willows if I don’t find a job,” Ronald said, ostensibly to his sister, but he peeped from his pale eyes to see if Lady Selena was listening, as indeed she was.

He read encouragement of this subject and went on to describe the future nest, in classical allusions first, but soon switching to plain English for Selena’s edification. “A lovely place. A whole row of willow trees droop over the stream behind the house. I often used to catch fish there in the stream, I mean. There are six cats in the barn,” he added. The would-be lovers exchanged a meaningful smile.

Wine and glasses had been placed on the sofa table right under the hostess’s nose, but she seemed unaware of them. To divert the subject, Diana asked if she might have a glass of wine. Lady Selena poured and passed the glasses. The visit had lasted fifteen minutes but seemed much longer. Diana was just wondering if she might politely leave when some other visitors arrived. Lady Groden was called down, and Diana found herself drawn into the adult circle. She spared a glance to her brother and Lady Selena when the talk permitted and saw they got on much better without her. Lady Selena became quite lively as they pored together over the copy of
Waverley
.

The new callers made only a short visit, and when they rose to leave, Diana rose too. Lady Groden proved a more gracious hostess than her daughter. “I am so happy you called, Miss Beecham,” she said, pressing Diana’s fingers. “It is reassuring to know Selena will have a few friends when Harrup carries her off to the country.”

“I cannot think you have any fears on that score, Lady Groden,” Diana objected. “Harrup spends most of the year in London. He makes only fleeting visits home.”

The mother looked at her daughter, a shadow of concern in her eyes. “I expect Selena will spend more time in the country,” she said. “Once they begin to fill the nursery, I mean. Selena does not take well to city life, and Harrup will be so busy, he shan’t have much time for her. I hope you and she will be good friends. Keep an eye on her for me.” She smiled.

Diana felt a nearly overpowering urge to demand why Lady Selena was being made to marry Harrup. It was only civility that forbade it, but no such civility need hamper her from asking Harrup later. The Beechams left, and the carriage went first to take Ronald home.

Ronald turned a stiff face to his sister. “Well, I did what you said,” he told her. “I kept my tongue between my teeth and didn’t say a word against Harrup. I even said she must marry him. I felt like a murderer, Di. Selena didn’t cry, but her eyes were glazed. I know she should be mine, but the gods think otherwise.”

“I cannot imagine why her parents are pushing this match forward,” she admitted.

“Because Harrup is Harrup, and for no other reason. What I cannot understand is why he insists on having her. Why must the wretched libertines always marry the sweet, innocent girls? It tickles their perverted fancy, like a cat playing with a mouse.”

Diana said nothing. She would not encourage Ronald, but she felt morally bound to discuss the matter with Harrup. He could not be aware that Lady Selena disliked him.

How could he? She never said anything. It happened that Harrup was dining out that evening, so she waited up for him. It was ten o’clock when he came in, whistling. His carefree mood annoyed Diana, who had been pacing his study, racked with worry.

Harrup stuck his head in at the door, beaming a smile.

“Oh, good, you waited up for me. You may congratulate me, Di!” he said, and came in.

“Harrup, you have been made attorney general!” she exclaimed, smiling. His announcement put everything else out of her mind.

“No, not yet, but I have seen Laura. I can stop worrying about the letters. She doesn’t have them. She returned all of them she had kept.”

“It’s odd she didn’t keep the two warmest ones, when she kept the others,” she pointed out, unconvinced.

Harrup, smiling fondly, sat down and poured two glasses of wine. “She wanted to keep them, but when she was preparing to leave Hitchin, she decided the wiser course was to burn them, in case they went astray. Very considerate of her.”

“Yes, very considerate,” Di said, “incredibly considerate, and I mean that literally. You actually believe her?”

“You don’t know Laura as I do,” he said, looking into the distance. “She is the best—the most—a
civilized
woman is what I mean. Not the petty sort a man too often ends up with.”

Diana narrowed her eyes at this unlikely story. “How much did you give her?”

“Five hundred,” he admitted unblushingly.

“What had she to say about Markwell?”

“She was furious with him. He was with her when you called—she admitted it. She told him you were bringing the letters to me, and he left very shortly after. She had no idea he meant to steal them. She didn’t know he had stolen them. He was her lover till today. That is why she is breaking with him. In fact, Laura and I may—oh, after the treacle moon is history, I mean,” he added hastily, when he saw the wrath gathering on Diana’s brow.

“You are despicable!” Diana hissed. “Ronald is right. Lady Selena, despite her muteness, is too good for you. Will you please tell me, Harrup, why you insist on marrying an innocent young girl who hates you?”

Harrup’s merry mood evaporated. “What are you talking about?” he demanded angrily.

“You know perfectly well what I am talking about. Lady Selena doesn’t love you, and you don’t love her.”

“The word you used was hate!”

“It comes to the same thing in the end. She’s being forced into this marriage by her parents—her father, I suspect, since her mother is considerably worried.”

“She is not being forced! I asked her to marry me—she said yes, without blinking. Her mother was grinning from ear to ear when we told her the news.”

“Well, she’s not grinning now. She asked me to look after Selena when you have abandoned her in the country. The fact of the matter is, you have decided your position requires the respectability of marriage and are willing to sacrifice that poor child—chosen because other men stare at her beauty. What kind of a creature are you?”

Harrup’s face was white, his nostrils quivering indignantly. “Arranged marriages are nothing new under the sun. Now that you’ve given vent to your ill-bred piece of impertinence, Miss Beecham, perhaps you would deign to tell me what in my behavior has earned the word despicable?”

“I am talking about your bare-faced gall in standing there, telling me you plan to return to Mrs. Whitby after the honeymoon with Selena. I am perfectly well aware such things happen, but to plan them in advance of the wedding must surely be a new low in behavior, even for the likes of you.”

“It was just a fleeting thought! I didn’t say anything to Laura.”

“You didn’t give her five hundred pounds as an option on her future services, either, I suppose? Or continuing services,” she added. “The wedding isn’t for two months. A man of your kidney would hardly deprive himself of his lightskirt for so long!”

Harrup summoned all his dignity. “You take an overweening interest in my affairs!” he said coolly.

“No, I take no further interest whatsoever in your affairs. My only interest was to ingratiate you so you’d give Ronald a position. But it’s not worth it. Ronald said so himself, and for once he’s right. I shall be leaving in the morning. Common decency compels me to warn you Ronald is in love with Selena, and I believe the feeling is mutual. I sincerely hope she turns you off.”

His dark eyes glowed dangerously. “Have you been running to her with tales of my doings? You have the audacity to accept my hospitality and repay it in this manner? Do you think Groden is unaware of my character? Do you really believe any gentleman in my position is much different? Groden approached me with the idea. I didn’t go after his daughter. He knew I wanted a wife; he wanted a match for her. It’s a business agreement that I have every intention of fulfilling. Selena wouldn’t give a tinker’s curse if I had a dozen mistresses. I daresay she’d welcome them.”

“No doubt that would be preferable to your lovemaking, but why should she have to settle for the lesser of two evils? She hasn’t done anything to deserve this. A young and trusting daughter is not a piece of merchandise to barter with. She may have lacked the gumption to object before she came to know you. I think you’ll find the girl has changed, now that she’s been exposed to a few hours of your attentions. You were wise to try to shimmy out of even that token show of respect to your future wife, Harrup. You chose the wrong substitute in Ronald, however. He loves Selena, you see. It’s a condition that occasionally afflicts real people. I don’t believe it’s contagious, so you need not fear contamination.”

Diana rose and strode angrily toward the door. “And I didn’t let Ronald say a word against you, either,” she said over her shoulder, just before slamming the door.

She knew sleep was impossible and didn’t even bother undressing when she had closed her bedroom door behind her. She paced to and fro, thinking of a dozen other things she should have said, yet half regretting she had said so much. But really it was unconscionable for Harrup to marry Selena. Not that Groden would let her cry off, and certainly not for a mere squire’s son like Ronald. It was a hopeless situation. She wished she could pack up her bag and leave that very night. At least she could warn Peabody they’d be leaving early in the morning.

She went to the adjoining door and tapped lightly. A muffled voice told her to come in. A small lamp burned beside Peabody’s bed. On the pillow Peabody’s cap moved restlessly.

“I hope I didn’t awaken you?” Diana said.

“I’m not sleeping, Di. I have got one of my earaches. I was out in the garden with Mrs. Dunaway this afternoon looking for a corner where she could plant some herbs, and the wind got at me.”

“Oh, dear! I hope it isn’t very bad.”

“I think if I take some laudanum I might find a few minutes’ sleep.”

“I’ll ask Mrs. Dunaway if she has some.”

Diana went in search of the housekeeper and found her in her parlor. “Here you go, dear. Be sure you bring back the bottle. I may need a drop myself. The wind didn’t bother my ears, but my knees are aching like a bad tooth. It’s the rheumatism.” She sighed.

After Peabody was settled in, Diana said, “Do you think you’ll be fit to travel tomorrow, Peabody? I hoped to get an early start.”