Three Original Ladies 02 - Lord Trowbridge’s Angel (6 page)

“I think this orchid is a very rare variety. I have never seen it before,” Fanny said. She placed both offerings safely on the mantel of the fireplace across from Sophie’s bed.

“Who are they from?” Sophie wondered. She reached for the cards her sister was holding out. Her heart pounded as she opened the first that had come with the roses.

I missed seeing you at the Feversham ball last evening. I hope you are well.

Your servant,

Everett Elliott

It took her a moment to recall the young madcap she had met in the park. It seemed as though the world must have rotated at least twice since that meeting.

“Are they from Gorgeous Frank?”

“No. They are from a young man I met in the park yesterday. He does not know I am lame, and says he missed me at the ball.”

The next envelope had an embossed family crest. She pulled it open with her thumb.

I have not words of my own, so I quote:

“She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes, and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.”

Byron, of course.

Angel, you have given me a gift so rare I cannot find the phrases to describe it. But Byron almost has the words to define you in your black silk and cameo. The orchid symbolizes your rarity.

With my heart,

Frank

Sophie read it through twice. “Do I believe this?” she asked, handing Fanny the note.

Her sister read it through, “I think so, dearest. Frank is honestly smitten. He read English Literature at Oxford and no doubt feels his own words insufficient. But in fact, his own words are the most eloquent. And the flower is exquisite. We must put it by the piano so that you can see it when you rehearse today.”

“Oh, Fan.” She hugged her sister close. “I am moved, but frightened at the same time.”

“Believe what he says, dear. He means it.”

“But it has happened so fast.”

“And you are feeling vulnerable from head to toe, I know.” Her sister hugged her back.

Sophie panicked, “What time is it? The Carstairs are coming to rehearse this morning!”

“I woke you in time, dear. And had Sally fill a bath for you.”

~
~*

When the Carstairs arrived, they were once more effusive in their praise of Fanny’s new piano.

“How I shall love to play on such an instrument!” Bella said.”Mine is not nearly so fine. Your sister must be a wonderful pianist to have such a piano.”

“She plays only a little. They bought it mostly for me, I think. My brother-in-law is all that is kind. And if the Marquis does a thing, he does it well, so I am not surprised that it is so fine. Now, the two of you must have had something in mind for us to play.”

Joseph produced a bundle of sheet music. “I purchased this just this morning. Have you heard of the Archduke Trio?”

“Mr. Ffolkes told me of it! He had played it with a trio in London last year. He said it was very elegant. It is Herr van Beethoven, is it not?”

“Yes,” Bella said. “The Piano Trio in D major. It shall be a challenge, and I am always excited by a challenge. But I think with this short period to rehearse, we should just prepare to play the fourth movement. It is challenge enough for now.”

Sophie agreed. After looking at the music, she felt the same way herself.

“Well. Let us begin,” Joseph said. “Bella, play us the melody, so we may get it in our heads.”

Sophie enjoyed the rehearsal intensely. How right Fan had been to encourage her to come to London to play with other musicians! Playing alone with her master had been lovely, but it was nothing to enjoying Beethoven with this pair of excellent musicians.

Sophie craved this composer’s works with an appetite that always surprised her. Mozart was lovely, and the piece she played last night unusually so. But Beethoven touched something inside her that had never been touched before. It made her brave. It was his music that had actually given her the courage to come to London, to find other people who felt as she did.

They rehearsed until Fan came in to invite them to sit down to luncheon.

“Oh! Is it so late?” Bella asked. “We would not trespass on your hospitality!”

“Bella, you are my friends. Of course I want you to stay for luncheon,” Fanny said. “I cannot have starving musicians on my hands.”

During luncheon, the talk was all of music.

“What is it about Beethoven?” Sophie asked the musicians. “I love all his music. It takes me in unexpected directions. It makes me feel new emotions. I cannot explain it.”

“He is the greatest musical genius the world has ever known,” Joseph said. “He is a sick and lonely man, apparently, but his music soars. It has texture and substance. Bach and Mozart were great, but to me their music is more cerebral. Beethoven’s music touches the emotions. It is about life and hope.”

“I agree,” said Sophie. “I am so glad we are playing this piece.”

They compared Beethoven further to Mozart, Bach, and Scarlatti, talking also about the music scene in London. As far as Sophie was concerned, the time flew by. Before leaving, the Carstairs commended her for her skill and begged her to call them by their first names. Sophie was glad of this as they had been “Joseph” and “Bella” to her since she had met them.

{ 8 }

AFTER LUNCHEON AT BROOK’S
, Frank sat before the fire with his legs stretched out in front of him, daydreaming of Sophie. He was smoking a cigar. Shrewsbury sat opposite him.

“Does the lovely Miss Edwards share her sisters’ and aunt’s proclivities for Good Works?” his friend asked.

“She’s an angel. Of course she is interested in Good Works. Then there was that comment she made to Lila.”

“Ah, yes. The one about her Aunt being all that a lady should be, or some such.”

“Yes.” Frank said, studying the glowing tip of his cigar. Though he had been thinking incessantly about his angel, he could not bring himself to discuss the evening before with Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury lit his own cigar and then drew on it. “No doubt she is a passionate little thing.”

Frank looked from the fire to his friend’s face. “What makes you think so?”

“I can always tell that about a woman by the way she converses. She looks you in the eye. She is earnest. She moves her hands a great deal.”

“Hmm.” Frank considered this. “You should have seen her with her musical friends, if you think she was earnest with you.”

“What’s more,” Shrewsbury continued, “hers is honest passion.”

“Not like Lila’s, you mean?” Frank surveyed his friend with interest.

“Lila is a selfish beast.”

Frank smiled. “Disillusioned?”

“A bit. But we do have an arrangement, nevertheless. However, if you do not have an interest in Miss Edwards …”

“Poaching, are we?” Frank’s idle question hid an anxiety that disturbed him. Shrewsbury was very attractive to women.

His friend smiled. “So you do intend to pursue things. However will you go about it if she doesn’t attend the balls?”

“I am to teach her archery. As soon as I finish smoking this cigar, I am off to locate a women’s bow.”

“Ahh.” Shrewsbury nodded. “What a good idea.”

“Why did you ask if she was interested in Good Works?”

“I’ve an idea for a girl’s school. The Duke and Duchess of Beverley’s project to teach those orphan boys to read is admirable, but what about the girls? As things stand, most of them only qualify for one profession. The oldest one.”

Frank reflected on this surprising observation. No one in today’s society gave a thought to orphan girls. It was as though they were invisible. “Yes, you are absolutely right. Literacy is key for their betterment.”

“I’ve got a building. My servants are cleaning it. Now I’m looking for teachers.”

“Shall I talk to my angel about it? I’m going there later.”

“You are really certain you mean to pursue her?”

“I am, actually.” Never comfortable talking about his feelings, Frank squirmed a bit and sat up straight. “Are you all right for money for this project? I’d be willing to donate.”

“I’ll need books, once I get the teachers. Your help wouldn’t come amiss.”

“And Miss Edwards?”

“Please. Ask her about the project.”

~
~*

As Frank strode through the streets, he mulled over his conversation with Shrewsbury. If he thought his glorious discovery of Sophie to have given him the edge over other men, he supposed he could forget it. Once she gave her public performance, everyone with eyes to see and ears to hear would glean the understanding he now had. She was, in addition to being an angel, a person of rare understanding. When he had first seen her in Buck’s drawing room, he had been taken by both her vulnerability and courage. He had known she was different.

But last night, she had changed everything. Now he yearned to hold her close, to protect her from those in society who, like Lila, had no idea of who she really was. At the same time, he wanted to applaud for her.

Frank had reached the shop where archery sets, croquet sets, and cricket paraphernalia were sold. Entering, he went at once to the women’s bows and began testing them. Fortunately, he found just what he wanted but had feared he would not find. A bow that need not be altered at all. He judged it to be perfect for his Sophie. As well as the bow, he bought a target and a quiverful of arrows. Frank waited impatiently while they were packaged, and then, hailing a hackney, made his way to the Marquis of Deal’s townhouse.

He was received by the butler, who informed him that the ladies were still out but were expected to return for tea, if he would care to wait. The marquis was in his library.

{ 9 }

EXCEPT FOR HER PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLE
, such gowns as Sophie had ever owned had been stitched up by the family seamstress. Until the night of Melissa’s ball, she had never thought much about her gowns, having lived for the most part only in the family circle. Madame Colbert was clearly delighted to have the dressing of her. “
Ma petite,
you have the form
parfait,
and your coloring is so
interresante.
Those eyes, they are
tres magnifique.
For you, not the jewel colors. For you, the colors of springtime—the yellows, the soft greens, the pinks, the apricots.” As she spoke, she pointed to bolts of muslin and silk for her assistant to pull off the shelves. Draping Sophie with the different fabrics, she made notations with her pencil and murmured to herself in cockney English.

“You are
petite,
therefore you want to be
élégant,
not covered with the bows and the flounce.”

Madame clapped her hands sharply, and a young woman appeared, clothed only in a dressing gown. Speaking to her rapidly, Madame clapped her hands again. Then she asked Sophie and Fanny to be seated, placed a dish of
petit fours
at their side, and told them to enjoy themselves.

For the next hour, Sophie was entranced as walking dresses, day dresses, and evening gowns were modeled before her. Fanny told her what she would need, shaking her head when Sophie demurred over the number. At length, Sophie chose the styles she could see would flatter her most, was guided by Madame in the matter of color and fabric, and finally consented to go in the back of the store to be measured.

They arranged to take one of the modeled gowns that fit Sophie perfectly. It was an apricot muslin with a tiny ivory stripe, piped in gold and ivory. The bodice was ruffled in tiny Van Dyke pleats that rose up and were anchored into a collar by a strip of ivory lace, fluting the pleats about her face. It was a day gown, but by wearing it with its gold buttoned ivory spencer, it became a walking dress.

“My dear, you look a perfect angel,” Fanny said.

Sophie smiled to herself, wondering if Gorgeous Frank would think so.

“The other things, we will sew as fast as
possible.
You shall have the first in two days.”

Fanny agreed that she should wear her new dress and spencer home. She was very glad she did, for when they arrived there, it was to hear that Gorgeous Frank was visiting with Buck in his library. Perkins told Sophie and Fanny they were expected there upon their arrival home.

Both men stood upon their entrance, and after kissing his wife, Buck said, “Sophie, my dear! Your friend has something to show you. And I must say that is a splendid new gown.”

Trowbridge bowed over Sophie’s hand, his deep blue eyes alight. “We have been waiting this age. You must have ordered enough gowns for several seasons.”

“It was the greatest fun,” Sophie said. “I have never done anything like that before. However, I must say that I don’t believe Madame Colbert was any more French than I am. I heard her speaking Cockney to herself!”

“You are correct, my dear,” Fanny said. “I think I could have acted her role a sight better than she did. But she is reputedly a whiz with her designs. She dresses the most beautiful women in London.”

The company sat down. Fanny seated herself on the arm of Buck’s desk chair. Trowbridge and Sophie sat together on an upholstered bench. He said in a low voice, “I only hope the beauty of your gowns will not detract from the beauty of your face, Angel.”

“Extravagant as ever, my lord,” she whispered. “You will turn my head.”

“I have brought you your archery set.”

She was losing her presence of mind with Frank so near. Her skin was all prickles of heat. “You are very resourceful. Thank you.”

Buck interrupted them. “So, when are you going to give it a go, Sophie? I think it is a splendid idea. There is room for us to set it up in the back garden.”

Her sister was looking at her with a broad smile on her face.”Archery lessons, hmm,” Fanny said.

“I was thinking of tomorrow afternoon,” Frank said. He looked directly into her eyes. “But we must protect your brilliant hands. Have you leather gloves?”