Sweet Hoyden (4 page)

'Disguising yourself and remaining in town."

'If only it could be done."

'What a lark it would be!" Lady St. James enthused.

'How could I possibly disguise myself? No one except me has hair this color.
Tis too distinctive."

'You have never worn a wig because of your singularly beautiful hair, but I
have many. No one would recognize your hair if you hid it beneath a wig."

Pandora turned to look at her in amazement. "Why, yes, yes, indeed. I
should have thought of that myself. It would make all the difference to the way
I look, would it not? The Season has scarce begun, so most of my gowns have not
yet been seen. No one could possibly recognize them."

'Ma'am…"
Nan
complained as Pandora's
head moved more with her growing excitement.

Abruptly Pandora got to her feet. "My hair has been dressed
sufficiently,
Nan
. Fetch my hat and fur-lined
cloak." As soon as the abigail had gone, Pandora
turned eagerly to her friend once more. "I am warming to this idea,
Rosa
. It certainly bears more discussion, but we have so
little time."

'It will be a complicated business, but I am persuaded it can be
done," Lady St. James said thoughtfully and then added in a more animated
fashion, "Only listen, you can be my cousin and stay with us at St. James
House."

'What of St. James, though?" Pandora asked. "Does he know your
cousin?"

'He has never met her, and as you say,
London
is awash with emigres. Everyone knows my cousin is to arrive soon. It could not
be better. Her children have already arrived with her jewels, and they can
help us with the ruse."

'Just a moment,
Rosa
.
You go much too fast for me. I am not quite persuaded this is advisable. Too
many people will have to be involved."

'Nonsense. Between us we can make the masquerade
creditable."

'But I am so well known…"

'Powder, patches, a slight French accent, and, naturally, you will be
obliged to engage a less gay manner. You are normally very high-spirited, Pandora.
A Frenchwoman today must needs be a trifle sad."

'The way I feel just now, it will be easy."

'If you are supposed to be at Brocklesby Hall, that
is where everyone will expect you to be. No one will associate Pandora
Asheville with… Louise de Chambray."

Pandora smiled. "The name has a nice ring to it, I confess."

For a moment she was thoughtful as her friend went on, "Instead of
going to
Suffolk
, you can travel to
Pelham
Towers
.
It is only a hour's drive from here. I will join you
there, and we will plan how to proceed in more detail. What do you say? We have
perpetrated larks before, but none so ambitious as
this."

Pandora took Rosamond's hand in hers. "Oh, yes, indeed it will be so
much fun." Her eyes shone now. There was no sign of her tears. "Have
you any notion of what I would like to do more than anything in the
world?"

'I cannot begin to imagine."

'It would give me the greatest satisfaction if I could contrive to flirt
with Asheville and make him fall madly in love with me—in my disguise, naturally—and
then when he had totally compromised himself, I would reveal myself as his
wife. That would teach him not to be such a quiz."

Rosamond St. James withdrew her hands and her smile faded. "Oh, my
dear, is that wise? It would be much more sensible to avoid
Asheville
as much as is possible."

'Mayhap not wise, but a great lark. It would make it so much more of a
challenge."

'I thought you only wished to enjoy the diversions during the Season."

'Naturally, that is what I wish to do."

'Once that is done, you can retire quietly to Brocklesby Hall to appear
chastened by your rustication."

'Being chastened is not in my nature." The viscountess sighed. "I
fear that is all too true."

Pandora tossed her mane of red curls back in a proud gesture. "
Asheville
is at fault in
this matter, not I, and he will live to regret it, I vow."

When a lackey arrived to announce that her ladyship's carriage awaited, it was Lady St. James's turn to draw a sigh. How
quickly her bright idea had turned into what might yet become a very foolish
one. While she watched Pandora collect her last few belongings, Rosamond's
heart was filled with foreboding.

THREE

'How wonderful it all is!" Pandora exclaimed as the carriage emblazoned
with the St. James coat of arms made its way along the familiar streets of
Mayfair
.

As she peered out of the window, wide-eyed with excitement, Lady St. James
reminded her, "It is only two days since you left."

'It seems like a sennight. No, more than that. A month.
I have already missed several assemblies. If only I could believe
Asheville
is suffering
all manner of miseries by my absence, I would be truly content, but I doubt if
it is possible, for he is quite without feeling."

Having heard Pandora utter many such sentiments over the previous two days,
Rosamond St. James did not deign to answer on this occasion. Previously the
viscountess had attempted to soothe her dear friend's wounded sensibilities
with a well-chosen epithet, but now she decided it was all to no avail. Pandora
was determined to think only ill of her new husband, and there seemed nothing
anyone could do to help him find even a small amount of favor in her eyes.

Pandora gazed at herself in the carriage's concealed mirror, as she had
done on countless occasions since leaving Lady St. James's country home.
Wearing a gray powdered wig and many patches on her face, Pandora scarce
recognized herself.

'I feel quite different," she declared, not for the first time.

Rosamond St. James cast her a delighted glance.
"You are different. Even I should not recognize you."

'It isn't only my appearance; I feel as if I am quite a different
person."

'That is excellent. Nothing could be more catastrophic to your aims than
Pandora Asheville appearing in a gray wig."

'I don't know what / am to do,"
Nan
complained after looking vexed for some time. "Your ladyship cannot go
about the streets unaccompanied, and yet I am to be confined to the house for I
don't know how long."

'Recognition of you could spell disaster for me, so do stay away from the
window,
Nan
," Pandora scolded, having
recovered in the past few days much of her former spirit. "And you know
full well what is going to be done. It has been explained to you a score of
times. You will attend me as usual in the house, and Lady St. James will
arrange for one of her servants to act as my abigail
in public. Your duties, I assure you, will be as usual except for that."

'Save that I am to behave like a fugitive felon, a madam. Tis a wonder you
did not put a wig on me," the woman muttered, causing Lady St. James's
maidservant to giggle.

'Now you are being impertinent,
Nan
,"
Pandora scolded. "I do not doubt you are totally devoted to me, as you
were for many years to my sainted Mama before me, but in this you will do as you
are bid."

'Yes, ma'am," the woman agreed, "and I do beg your pardon."

'I have had a brilliant thought on the matter of your maidservant,"
Lady St. James declared.

Pandora looked at her with interest. "Oh? Then do, I beg of you, tell
me."

'Wait until we reach

As the carriage drew up in front of the St. James mansion, a house only
marginally smaller than the one Pandora had become mistress of on her marriage,
she had a sudden notion. "Rosa, what will happen when your real cousin
arrives in
London
?"

'That will present no problem, I assure you."

'Well, there cannot be two Louise de Chambrays. Even if I am, by then,
finished with the deception, it will look odd for your cousin to have changed
so much in so short a time. I feel she is in reality somewhat older than
I."

'She is," the viscountess confirmed, smiling impishly, "but she
is not called Louise de Chambray." When Pandora looked surprised, she went
on, "It is simple. If anyone should inquire on the matter, I have two
French cousins—sisters. It is not impossible."

Pandora looked impressed. "Allow me to congratulate you. You have
thought of everything,
Rosa
."

'I do hope so. It would not do for you to be rumbled on your first outing
on the town."

The suggestion evidently took Pandora aback. "Do you think it at all
possible?"

'Have I not been constantly reassuring you? You look years older than you
really are, and nothing like the Pandora Asheville we all know so well."

Once again she allowed herself to be reassured, but as she climbed down from
the carriage, she experienced a momentary doubt, for Lord St. James's curricle
was waiting outside the house, and Pandora feared to meet him, realizing there
would be many such encounters with people who knew her very well indeed.

Nan
was fussing with Pandora's dressing
case, and Rosamond quickly dismissed her for fear she would unsettle her
mistress again. There was little time, however, for Pandora to prepare herself
for an encounter with someone who was familiar to her, for as they entered the
marble hall, Roderick St. James was coming down the stairs.

'Roddy, dearest, see who I have here," his wife trilled, much to
Pandora's alarm.

Roderick St. James was a portly and rather dull young man, even though he
invariably dressed in the height of fashion, as did his friend Lord Asheville.
Pandora had often wondered about her good friend's odd choice of husband, for
Rosamond was both beautiful and as gay as a goose in a gutter. As a debutante
she had been much sought after by the beaux of the ton and had her choice of
would-be husbands. However, Pandora reflected, after choosing one of the most
handsome bucks of the beau monde herself, a man who had so quickly reduced her
to misery, Rosamond was probably the wiser.

'Welcome to
England
,
my dear Louise," St. James greeted her, taking her hand and bowing low
over it. He did not scrutinize her face.

'Merci beaucoup, monsieur," Pandora responded in a small voice, keeping
her eyes downcast in a far more modest manner than she would normally employ.

'Louise is exhausted," Rosamond crooned, drawing Pandora away from Lord
St. James. "Her journey has been most arduous, and the sea unbelievably
rough for the crossing."

'Now you are safely arrived," her husband said, "you may rest as
long as you wish. You will be quite safe with us, I assure you. Ah, ladies, I
must crave your indulgence for my haste, but
Asheville
is now arrived, and we must take
our leave of you."

Rosamond looked aghast. Pandora felt like fainting and looked around for a
means of escape. There was none, for
Asheville
came striding into the hall before any of them could move.

'Apologies for the lateness of my arrival, St. James.
I was delayed by my tailor."

'A worthwhile reason," his friend agreed.

It was then that Lord Asheville transferred his attention to the ladies,
casting Pandora a curious glance before looking at Rosamond. "Lady St.
James, good day to you."

Both ladies curtsied. "Lord Asheville, what a pleasure," Rosamond
replied, having recovered somewhat from her dismay. "Have you word of Lady
Asheville?"

Pandora thought he looked rather strained at the mention of her name.
"Indeed, I have, ma'am. A note arrived this morning, informing me of her
safe arrival at Brocklesby."

'I am delighted to hear it, although I, naturally, regret her absence from
town."

'No more than I," Lord Asheville assured her.

'Quite," Lady St. James replied dryly, casting a glance at her friend.
"I shall myself pen her a note today, for the
poor dear must be lonely at Brocklesby at this time of the year when everyone
else is in
London
.
A note from me is certain to raise her spirits, if only a little." Lord
Asheville frowned at the viscountess's veiled censure, and then she went on, to
Pandora's horror, "I have been very remiss, my lord. Allow me to present
to you my kinswoman, Comtesse Louise de Chambray, who has just arrived from
Paris
."

Lord Asheville bowed low. "Your servant, ma'am."

'My lord," Pandora responded with a slight curtsy.

'Must be gone," St. James announced, and then, looking at his wife, he
added, "A mill at Knight's Bridge. It promises to be a splendid fight.
Good-bye for now, my dears."

Lord Asheville bowed once again before the two men strode quickly out of the
house to the waiting curricles. A silence followed them for a few moments, and
then Rosamond St. James threw back her head and burst into peals of laughter, dapping her hands together in delight while skipping up and
down.

'I do not believe it!" Pandora cried. "He did not recognize
me."

'Did I not tell you how it would be?" her friend chided.

Pandora continued to look amazed. "He scarce glanced at me. Oh,
Rosa
, I nearly died when he came into the house so
unexpectedly. This is famous!"

She caught hold of her friend's hands, and laughing delightedly, the two
young woman danced around the hall, much to the consternation of the servants
on duty.

'Tante Rosamond. Tante Rosamond."

A young woman came skipping up the stairs as the two friends reached the
first landing. Rosamond turned on her heel to greet her with a smile.
"Jeanne, just the nerson I would wish to see now. Is Francois at
home?"