The Regency (78 page)

‘
Poor Corinna Tulvey! Does she really think her mama will
get Somercott for her? Mousey thing! You watch tonight. I
shall cut her out with him.'

‘
Oh Fanny, why do you say such things? Anyway, if she's to
open the ball with Lord Somercott, that means it's all
arranged.'

‘
Only the first dance. Watch me for the rest! Ah look, here
come Mr Brummell and Sir Henry Mildmay! John, pull up
here,' she called to the coachman.

The two gentlemen halted their horses beside the barouche,
and chatted good-naturedly with Lucy's protégees. Fanny
was at her best with Mr Brummell: fearing his sharp tongue
and his vast influence, she spoke in a lively, witty, but per
fectly proper way, making him smile once or twice, but never
offending. Mildmay had an aesthetic admiration for Polly's
beauty, and engaged her in conversation so that he could
legitimately look at her. No-one could get more than a silent
smile out of Minnie, who liked Polly to shine, but had no
ambition to be noticed herself.

While they were still thus grouped, three other horsemen
came up and touched their hats to the company, and after
a few moments of general conversation, Brummell and
Mildmay rode on, leaving the girls in the company of Lord
Harvey Sale, Lord Somercott and Lord Petersfield.

Now Fanny became even brighter, and managed to sparkle in two directions at once. Petersfield would rather have liked
to pay his compliments to Flaminia, who had almost achieved
a dimple on seeing him approach, but he was allowed no more
than a bow and a tentative smile in her direction before
Fanny addressed a remark to him which drew him into
conversation with her and Somercott.

Somercott was a lively, though commonplace young man,
easily distracted, fond of making himself pleasant; Petersfield
was tall, thin, rather serious and shy, and unused to being
flattered by vibrant young women. He swallowed nervously
once or twice, but as Fanny continually referred Somercott's
remarks to him for his opinion, he began to enjoy himself.
Fanny was in her element, playing the young men like
musical instruments, working on their weaknesses: she praised
Somercott's coat and his dancing, and admired Petersfield's
intellect and propriety.

Lord Harvey, meanwhile, was being agreeable on the other
side of the carriage, finding the silent Flaminia no barrier to
his conversation with Hippolyta.

‘
Have you heard from your father recently, Miss Haworth?
I hear great things of him from Melville. That engagement of
his off Palermo was the completest thing of its kind! He took
two prizes, I understand, and destroyed a battery. You must
be very proud of him.'

‘
It's kind of you to say so, Lord Harvey. The pity of it is
that his success means we do not see him at home. His request
for leave last year was denied because he was needed in the
Mediterranean, and now it seems less likely than ever that he
will be spared.'

‘
Ah yes, that's the price our sailor heroes pay for keeping us
all safe in our beds!' He smiled at her, loving the way her dark
lashes brushed her perfect cheek; but hoping for a glimpse of
the heavenly blue eyes, too, he said, 'I don't know if I'm
speaking out of turn, Miss Haworth, but I have heard that
there's some thought amongst Their Lordships of an honour
for him, after Palermo. Scorton was very strong, I know, for a baronetcy.’

It worked. She looked up at him, and he saw a faint flush
of colour enhance her cheeks. 'Is that true, sir?'

‘
I should not have mentioned it, ma'am, if it were not
extremely likely. Sir George Haworth would sound vastly
well, don't you think? It would be a delightful thing for you
and your sister, though I'm sure the honour is less than he
deserves.’

Her sister! Polly's thoughts turned to Africa, hoping again
that she had been prevented from leaving the shelter of the school. Surely they must keep a close watch on the girls in
their charge? Probably she was still there, thwarted but safe, doing her lessons. Polly had had very little to do with Africa
in their lives, too little to have any deep affection for her, but
she couldn't help worrying, all the same, about one so closely
tied to her in blood.

‘
Have I said something to upset you, Miss Haworth?' Sale
asked, watching her face.

‘
Oh — no, not at all! I beg your pardon. I was thinking
of some news I had this morning — a little disturbing. It's
nothing, really.'

‘
It will not prevent you from attending the ball tonight, I
hope?' he asked.

Polly lifted her eyes to his again, and lowered them, feeling
too much to be able to hold the glance. No, I'm sure — that
is, I believe we shall be there.’

Sale smiled with satisfaction. 'Then, Miss Haworth, may I
be so bold as to request your hand for the first two dances —
if it has not already been bestowed elsewhere?' He watched
her delightful confusion, thinking, damnit, she's the most
beautiful creature I've ever seen — and all sensibility! No, it is not bestowed elsewhere, sir,' she murmured.

‘Then — may I hope for the honour?’

Polly's answer was almost inaudible, but undeniably
affirmative.

Sale smiled about him, and drew in a deep breath. 'What a
perfectly beautiful day it is, don't you think? Somercott,
Petersfield! Ladies, we must bid you adieu — until tonight,
that is. Miss Morland, Lady Flaminia — Miss Haworth!’

He touched his hat and bowed to all three, but his eyes
were on Hippolyta, and he was rewarded by a brief but feeling
flash of blue from under the long lashes.

‘Well,' said Fanny as the carriage moved on, 'that was very
satisfactory, I must say. How did you get on, Polly? Did he
ask you to dance? It's a great thing to have at least one dance
spoken for beforehand. It makes the men more eager when
you can refuse them and say you are already engaged,
especially when they come up to you at the very beginning.'

‘
You don't mean that Lord Somercott asked you to dance?'
Polly said, managing to avoid answering the first question.

‘
Certainly,' Fanny said promptly. 'I couldn't get him to
give up the two first with Corinna Tulvey — I suppose he's
too afraid of Lady Tewkesbury — but I'm engaged to him for the two second. That suits me well enough, for I mean to lead
off with Freddy Petersfield.’

Hippolyta, aware of a movement of Flaminia's shoulders
beside her, said quickly, 'Has he asked you to?'

‘
Oh, he's such a slow-top, I was obliged to ask him,' Fanny
laughed.

‘
Fanny you couldn't have! It's most improper,' Polly said.
Minnie was looking the other way, apparently studying a
passing tree with close attention.

‘
Oh, not directly. Don't be such a goose, Polly. There are
ways of doing these things you know. It is easy enough, once
you know how, to twist the conversation around until a man
pretty well has to say what you want him to, or appear
damnably rude. Good manners in a man are a great thing!
What are you staring at Moss? Keep your eyes — and your ears
— to yourself, if you please.'

‘
Well, anyway,' Polly said, her own pleasure fading as she
thought of it, 'we probably shan't be going to the ball. With
Aunt Lucy in Bath, and all the worry over Africa —'

‘
Pho! Africa's all right,' Fanny said robustly. 'Ten to one
she hasn't gone anywhere — and if she has, what of it?
They'll find her all right. And as for Aunt Lucy's being away
— what's that to us? Trotton can take us — that's perfectly
respectable.'

‘She wouldn't — not without Aunt Lucy's instructions.'

‘
I can persuade her. Or there's always Lady Chelmsford.
Leave me alone for it, Polly — we'll go one way or another,
you can be sure. I'm not staying at home just because your
goose of a sister has made a fool of herself.’

 
Lucy must have passed the express carrying a letter for her
from Mrs Touchstone somewhere on the road, for when she arrived at Queen Square at about half-past six that evening,
she found them expecting her, though not so soon.

‘
Upon my word, your ladyship must have flown here!'
cried Mrs Touchstone.

‘
She is gone then?' Lucy said. 'I hoped it might be a false
alarm, when I got her letter.'

‘
She wrote to you? Oh, I understand now how you come to
be here so soon! Did she say where she was going, your
ladyship?'

‘
If she had, do you think I would be here?' Lucy said im
patiently. 'Tell me what happened.'

‘
Well, my lady, we discovered she was missing this morning.
The maid, Betty, went up to wake the young ladies as usual,
and Miss Haworth's bed was empty.'

‘Had she taken anything with her?'

‘
It is difficult to say, your ladyship,' Mrs Touchstone said
unhappily. 'Betty thinks she has taken some clothes, but
certainly not all of them. Some of her personal possessions are
gone, and her brushes and toilet things.'

‘And what has been done?'

‘
Oh, we have all the other boarders confined in one room,
with Miss Scully watching over them,' Mrs Touchstone
began.

‘
Why, do you think them all so likely to escape? Upon my
word, ma'am, there has been some mismanagement here!
How did you come to let a child of fourteen walk out of the
house with a bag in her hand, and not to try to stop her?'

‘A bag, your ladyship?'

‘
If she had clothes and other possessions with her, she must
have been carrying a bag,' Lucy pointed out.

‘Your ladyship is such a clear thinker! But she must have
gone during the night, for she was here at supper-time; and indeed, at night there would be no-one to see her go.’

‘
Is not the street door kept locked?'

‘
No, my lady, only bolted on the inside. We have never
before worried about keeping people in, only undesirables
out. There was no reason to suppose any of our young ladies
wished to leave us.'

‘
Or to get out of the house on mischief?' Lucy asked
dangerously.

Mrs Touchstone coloured. 'We have never considered the
need to lock them up like animals. These are well-born young
ladies. I'm sure none of them would do anything so un
principled. And if they wished to,' she added with more spirit,
‘if they were determined on something of the sort, I doubt
whether one locked door would stop them.’