The Regency (17 page)

Héloïse gave a pallid smile. 'That is what I tell myself.'

‘
Good. And now, tell me, what of my friend Mathilde?
Bobbie will be so sorry you did not bring her with you. He
quite doted on her.'

‘
Do you come to York for race-week? Then he can see her
there. I told you in my letter about her ball, did I not?’

‘
Yes. I'm glad it was a success.'

‘And she is enjoying herself so much in York. She is a modest
girl, you know, and sensible, and though the London Season
she spent with you is something she will never forget, she
knows that without a dowry she must not look so high again.'

‘Does she have any admirers?'

‘
She makes friends easily, and she always has enough
partners at dances, which you know counts for everything at
that age. As to admirers, there is one —’

She paused, thinking of John Skelwith. She liked him so
much, and he gave her so much unwitting pain, that she
wished his friendship with Mathilde were not developing so
promisingly. At the moment, his attentions were not pointed
enough to arouse talk about them. They met always in the
company of other young people, most often the Keatings, and
their cousins the Somers's. Mathilde accepted his attentions
calmly, but there was sometimes something in John Skelwith's
eye which made Héloïse suspect he felt more strongly than
mere friendship.

‘
But nothing may come of it, after all. She is still very
young. Oh, I am not anxious. The right man will come for her
sooner or later.'

‘
Her first love, your friend the Duc de Veslne-d'Estienne, is in Town, you know. I believe he is to go out to the Baltic with
this German Legion the Government is sending to join with
the Swedes. He is sure to visit when he knows you are here.'

‘I shall be glad to see him again. But he was not Mathilde's
first love — that was a certain
cure,
a Mr Antrobus. He had a long neck like a chicken, and a very large —' She tapped her
throat. 'Comment
s'appelle-eil,

‘
Adam's apple,' Roberta supplied with a smile. 'What
strange men young girls fall in love with, to be sure! I remem
ber when I was eleven I had a grand, unrequited passion for the molecatcher! I suppose he must have been forty, and he
had a red face and hands like planks, and he wore leather
breeches, and nether-stocks tied with string. But I used to
dream of running away with him and living in a cottage in a
wood and having nineteen children.’

Héloïse laughed. 'It is ridiculous,
n'est-ce pas?
But I suppose
it is practising to love, as kittens practise killing dead leaves or
pieces of string. Everything has its purpose.’

Hawkins, the Chelmsford House butler, appeared. 'Lady
Aylesbury and Major Wiske, my lady,' he announced, stepping
aside.

Lucy came in, dressed in a lilac walking dress and a very
pretty cambric muslin bonnet, followed by Danby Wiske in uniform, but looking unusually soberly-dressed. Gone were
the bright yellow boots, the gold-fringed breeches, and the
red and yellow mirliton cap by which the Prince of Wales'
Own had been recognised — and, by some, stigmatised as
'organ-grinder's monkeys'. Instead, he wore white breeches
and black boots which were modesty itself; the yellow collar
and cuffs of his tunic peeked out from under a handsome
dark blue, silver-braided pelisse trimmed with grey fur; and
under his arm he carried a tall, grey fur cap, rather like an
elongated muff.

‘
Héloïse, here you are! I'm sorry I wasn't at home,' Lucy
said, hurrying to hug her cousin with a warmth Héloïse was
more than glad to see. 'I'd gone walking with Danby to shew
off his new uniform, but as soon as I got back and found your
card, I guessed where you would be and came straight here.
Roberta, how do you do? Isn't Danby splendid?’

Danby Wiske smirked self-consciously. 'New idea,' he
offered. 'We've been converted to Hussars — not being called
Hussars, however. Still called the Tenth Dragoons. But we
had to have a new uniform. New caps, too.' He drew the grey
fur from under his arm and looked at it sadly, as though it
were a dead cat. 'Not very useful. Falls off when you gallop,
you know. Still,' he brightened, 'only the Tenth have grey
ones — makes us sort of distinctive. All the others have black
or brown.'

‘
That means he won't lose his own regiment in joint man
oeuvres,' Lucy said affectionately. 'I think it's a lovely
uniform, Danby, much better than the old one. It makes you
look quite handsome.’

Wiske had nothing to say to that, only looked embarrassed
and drew out his snuff-box for something to do. It was one
Lucy had had made and enscribed for him after he had
rescued her from footpads — an act of courage which had
surprised no-one but himself — and he was very proud of it
and liked to flourish it, though he rarely actually inhaled the
contents.

‘
But how are you, Héloïse? How are James and Edward,
and the children? What are you doing in London?' Lucy
asked. 'I haven't seen you since your wedding. You look well.'

‘
Indeed, so do you, Cousin Lucy. I am glad of it, for when I
last saw you, you looked so uncomfortable.’

She nodded. 'I was — but I try to keep myself busy now,
and that helps. Brummell put me on the right track. Don't
give yourself time to think, that's the way. And Trot makes
sure that the children plague me as much as possible. She has
made me bring them to London, can you imagine it? I can't
say I'm very fond of them yet, but I keep trying.’

Héloïse could not imagine not being fond of one's own
children, but said only, 'You are so lucky in your Miss Trotton,
I must tell you, Cousin Lucy, that James plots to bribe her
away from you, for we need a good governess for Fanny and
Sophie. That's why I am come to London.'

‘
I'll ask Trot if she knows of anyone. She might have a
relation tucked away somewhere. But you may tell James that
he could not drag Trot away from her children, even if I would
let her go. She's devoted to them.' She paused a moment, and
asked diffidently, 'And how is Thomas?'

‘
He thrives,' Héloïse said. 'He is rather shy, but he has the
sweetest nature, and he learns very quickly. Sophie teaches
him everything she knows, and he goes in with her and the chapel boys to Father Aislaby for an hour a day, so that he
should get used to the idea. He likes to draw, too. James
thinks he will draw very nicely when he is older.’

She watched Lucy carefully as she spoke, hoping to see
some sign of maternal interest, but Lucy averted her face
slightly, and her expression was rigidly schooled. 'I must do
something about changing his name,' was all she said. 'I'll
consult my man of business about it. It will be as well to have
a legal document drawn up, so that there shall be no difficulty about his inheriting his father's fortune.' Then she changed the
subject determinedly. ‘Do you mean to go down to Brighton,
Roberta? It's so hot, I'm sure London is emptying already.'

‘
I had no plans for it this year. I'm not so very fond of
Brighton, and Bobbie seems to prefer the country to the sea
side.'

‘
Well, if it doesn't get any cooler by the end of the week, I
mean to go down to Wolvercote early. Why don't you come
too, and bring Bobbie? It will be good for Roland to have
another boy to play with.'

‘
Thank you, I should like it; but it depends on Héloïse's
plans.'

‘Oh, of course I want you to come too, Héloïse.'

‘
Thank you, but as soon as my business is done here, I
mean to go home. I hate to be away from James and the
children.’

Just as you please. But you must come anyway, Roberta,
and place a wager on my race next week. Didn't I tell you
about it? From Red Barn Farm to the Swan at Osney across
country: a distance of three miles. I've said that Minstrel can
do it in less than fifteen minutes.'

‘
Lucy, you mad creature, what is this?' Roberta asked,
startled.

‘
It was George Brummell's idea,' she said, ‘to give me some
thing to keep me busy. He's making a book, and Sudbury's
giving odds, he's so sure I can't do it! Well, a fool and
his money are soon parted! The only thing is,' she added with
a frown, 'I don't know how it will affect Minstrel, if it is as
hot as this. We shall have to run it early in the morning, that's
all.'

‘
How could you think of such a thing? You will hurt your
self! Lucy, you must not be so reckless,' Roberta said with
concern.

‘
Hurt myself? Don't be simple,' Lucy said with a laugh.
‘It's easy country, and Minstrel knows every foot of it. He's
never so much as stumbled in all the years I've had him. And
I shall ride cross-saddle, so where's the danger?'

‘
It's most improper,' Roberta said with a worried frown.
‘Never mind that — when have I worried about proper
behaviour? Cousin Héloïse, are you shocked too?’

Héloïse sought for tactful words. 'Queen Marie Antoinette
used to ride cross-saddle when she was young, but only on her
own estates. It will be talked about — but I imagine that is
what you want. Perhaps you should go, Roberta, and give her
your countenance, since we shall hardly persuade her not to
do it.'

‘Never do that,' Danby Wiske said sadly. 'Tried myself.'

‘
Danby is going to pace me on his new grey — for as long
as he can keep up, that is,' Lucy said with a teasing smile at
her friend. 'Do come, Roberta! Bobbie will like it of all
things!'

‘
Very well — but I shall still try to dissuade you from the
attempt.'

‘
Oh, you may try, and welcome. Well, we must go. Come,
Danby. Héloïse, do call on me before you go back!’

When they had gone, Roberta looked helplessly at Héloïse,
who shrugged. 'She is a very good rider, after all. And she
seems so much happier. If it helps her, should one mind that
it will be talked about?'

‘
I wish she could be happy in a more conventional way,'
Roberta said. 'She should marry again — that would keep her
busy.'