A Family Affair (18 page)

“Your heart is too soft, my dearest girl.” Lady Saxton hugged her granddaughter close. “I don’t know where it comes from.”

They sat silent for a while, still with their arms around each other. It was not good etiquette, this closeness they shared, but somehow they had never found themselves bothered enough to care about what everyone else thought.

“I do look forward to tonight’s dinner.” Fanny smiled. “Is there anyone else besides our family joining us?”

Lady Saxton looked at her with a knowing smile.

“No, I haven’t asked your beau there, as I thought we should keep it in the family. It will only be your parents and brothers, a nice small family gathering.”

Fanny nodded, secretly relieved. She needed time to think about the whole Devlin situation. The Easton Ball two days earlier had been her first social event in London, and since then Devlin seemed have been everywhere, and she needed time to think. She needed time to find out how she felt.

She was desperate for solitude, because when he was nearby all she could think of was him, and her heart beat faster than normal. He made her dizzy and stupid, she thought, with a wry smile.

Some friends of Lady Saxton’s halted by their side, and Fanny let go of her thoughts of Devlin. He would be back in a moment, and she needed to think about something else for a change.

As her grandmother was a popular woman, they soon were surrounded, and time passed too quickly. Soon the men had returned, and Lord Saxton helped Fanny into Devlin’s carriage again.

She was aware the crowd took in every small detail concerning herself and Hereford, what they said and what they did. It wouldn’t take long for everyone in the
ton
to be informed.

Even Charmaine wouldn’t have a chance to miss it, and Fanny found that thought comforting, in a kind of malicious way.

When the carriage started to move again, she asked Devlin kindly to take her home. He looked at her with a mix of astonishment and suspicion, but she was too tired to care right now.

She needed her solitude.

She needed time to think.

In silence they headed back to Berkeley Square and the beautiful townhouse which belonged to the Darling family. Devlin plucked insecurely with the reins, as if he had something to say but didn’t know how to say it.

Fanny put her hand on his to get his attention, and he immediately became as still as a statue.

“Please do forgive me,” she begged him with a sweet smile. “I feel I’m quite weary. I’m not used to this overbooked schedule my family keeps while here in London, and I do need my rest now so I will be able to manage at tonight’s dinner.”

“Where are you going tonight?” he asked tightly.

“To a family dinner at my grandparents’ house. It will be only my closest kin.”

“Oh.”

She had no idea a simple “oh” could sound so abandoned, and she almost invited him right then and there but stopped herself at the last minute. They both needed this time apart. It wasn’t forever, as they would probably meet again tomorrow.

“I will attend the Crofts’ dinner party tomorrow.”

He looked up into her eyes, and she thought she would drown in their golden warmth.

“I don’t think I’ve received an invitation,” he said with a smooth voice that was like music to her ears. He leaned a little closer to her, and his lips were slightly parted. She could feel his warm breath stroking her face, and she closed her eyes as she lifted her face to his.

A loud shout woke them, and Devlin barely missed driving straight into a salesman’s carriage. He begged the angry man for forgiveness before they continued down Curzon Street. The near accident loosened up the tension between them a bit, and they laughed, relieved nothing had happened.

“What are you doing tomorrow morning?” he asked when they calmed down.

“Mother is terrified over the possibility I might have too small a wardrobe, and has insisted we will spend the day over at Bond Street. We must do anything to avoid the worst scenario possible—that I would have to wear the same evening dress twice. However, Monday is free, as far as I know.”

“Unfortunately I have some business to attend to during the first part of the week, and I won’t be back in London until Wednesday.”

Now it was Fanny’s turn to say an abandoned “oh.”

“I guess we’ll meet at Almack’s, then,” she said ruefully.

“Oh, God, no,” Devlin moaned.

“What is it with men and Almack’s?” Fanny cried. “All my male relatives look like I’m talking about purgatory and not an assembly where one meets acquaintances to dance and have fun.”

“Fun?” Devlin asked with a ridiculous expression on his face.

Fanny rolled her eyes.

“Fun?” Devlin repeated, clearly not understanding the best thing about Almack’s.

As he halted in front of her home, she turned and glared at him.

“Yes, fun. You will come to Almack’s Wednesday evening, and you will do it in good time, before eleven, and I might save a dance for you.”

He gave her a slow, earthshaking smile.

“What if I want more than one dance?”

“You d-do?” she stuttered.

“I do.”

“You do…”

“Um-hm.”

“That’s nice.”

“Sure is.”

The heat in his golden eyes made her feel warm all over, and, mesmerized, she leaned closer to him. Just as she felt his warm breath against her face, a well-known voice cut through the intensity of the moment.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

They broke apart to gaze down at Rake, who stood on the sidewalk looking disgusted. Devlin couldn’t stop a smile, and his friend shook his head.

“It’s unbelievable. You must be completely head over heels for the little one. You wouldn't actually try to kiss her outside our house if you weren’t.”

He held out his hand, and Fanny grabbed it as she stepped down from the carriage. Her uncle gave her a peck on the nose, before he with one step elegantly climbed up and sat down beside Devlin.

“Take me away, Devlin. Let me save you from destroying this grand-looking vehicle with drool.”

Fanny winked at Devlin before she ran lightly up the steps to the front door.

“Ladies don’t run, they walk, Fanny. Walk,” Rake shouted instructively to her disappearing back as the carriage rolled away.

The last thing Devlin heard before she closed the front door behind her was her laughter, which nestled around his heart like a warm blanket. He was so filled with his own brewing happiness he didn’t notice his friend’s foul mood.

Chapter 16

Fanny closed the door behind her and gave Butler her bonnet and coat. He graciously accepted them and pointed toward the parlor.

This was obviously not the time to run up to her room and throw herself on her bed to daydream about Devlin the rest of the day, she thought, as she went to see who her visitor was.

Penelope was waiting for her in the salon, looking alarmingly pale and worried. Fanny immediately sat down beside her and took her wringing hands in hers.

“Penny, what is it? What’s wrong?”

The compassion in Fanny’s voice broke the last of her friend’s strength, and Penelope started to sob. Deep, heartbreaking sobs. Her body shook with each breath.

Butler came in with a tea tray and set it down on the table in front of the sofa before he just as quietly left the room again, closing the door softly behind him.

Fanny caressed her friend’s back until she calmed. Then she poured her a soothing cup of tea spiked with a hint of her father’s best brandy.

Penelope grimaced as she tasted it, but she sipped at it anyway, as if she needed the fake strength the alcohol could give her. She looked a wreck: her hair was a mess, and her dress looked as though she had slept in it. Something had happened, and she was going to talk about it even if Fanny had to force it out of her.

Penelope had always been the strong-willed and courageous one of them and Fanny the merry and ingenious one. This breakdown was as far from the normal Penelope as could be. Her family had never cared about her, so she had been used to taking care of herself since her earliest childhood and was not afraid of challenges.

But this Penelope was completely defeated.

“Dearest, dearest Penny, what is it?”

No answer, just a sob or two.

“Please tell me what it is. Has something happened to your parents?”

Penelope shook her head, still not looking up.

“Charmaine?”

Penny nodded, and Fanny paled. Oh, Lord, she had forgotten all about yesterday’s conversation about Charmaine and the big lie of being engaged to Devlin. Fanny took hold of Penelope’s chin and forced her to meet her eyes.

“Penny, did you talk to Charmaine?”

Another nod and a sob.

“What did she say?”

“Sh-he got u-hupset…”

Not so hard to figure out. Fanny repeated, “What did she say?”

“She lied, Fanny. To-hoo me.”

Merciful heavens!

“She has never lied to me before. Never.”

Penelope stood up to pace to and fro in front of Fanny. “This time she lied straight into my face and denied everything. She said you were the liar, but I know her. I could tell by looking at her she made it all up.”

“I’m sorry, Penny.”

“Oh, no, love, don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. In a weird, unhappy way, I’m glad you told me. Something is terribly wrong with my sister, and now I’m at least aware of it.”

“Did she tell you the truth at all?”

Penelope sat again, with a thump. “No. She just stood there in front of me, looking all angelic and indignant whilst accusing me of being the worst sister ever. Then she floated away into her room, and I didn’t see her until this morning, when she ignored me as much as she could. It was one of the worst breakfasts ever. My parents never talk to me, but Charmaine usually says a word or two. This time it was as if I weren’t even there. Invisible to my own family.”

Fanny sat back, confused. So Penelope got upset over her sister and her family ignoring her, but it was obvious she hadn’t gotten upset enough to turn into this sobbing creature now before her. There had to be something more to it, something more than a fight with her selfish sister.

Suddenly a thought popped into her head.

Rake.

He had left the house as she came home, and so he must have met Penelope. When she thought about it, he had seemed a little distraught. He had let her off the hook very easily for almost kissing Devlin, especially since he normally was very restrictive about her.

“You met Rake.”

It was a statement, not a question, and Penelope nodded hesitantly.

“What did he say?”

“He kissed me.”

“What?” Fanny said not believing her ears. “But this is good news, isn’t it?”

She got no answer.

“You have been in love with Rake as long as I can remember, so why is it a bad thing he kissed you?”

“It’s bad because he doesn’t want a wife.”

Fanny snorted. “It’s just his stupid stubbornness. He will come around before you know it.”

“No, he won’t.”

“Of course he will. He likes you. He always has. We just have to push him a bit so he realizes it faster, as the men in my family can be frustratingly slow in mind sometimes.”

“He told me he wanted me.”

Fanny shrieked with excitement, and Penelope clamped her hand over her friend’s mouth to keep her quiet.

“But it’s good news,” Fanny said when she was allowed to speak. “It really is! Rake would never say something so emotional if he didn’t mean it. Oh, Penny, can you believe you will now become my real sister? Or aunt. Or whatever… We will be family!”

Fanny let out a loud happy sigh.

“He told me he would buy me a nice little house in a good neighborhood, and he promised he would make sure I never lacked anything.”

“What?”

“He asked me to become his mistress. His kept lady.”

Penelope started to sob again, and this time it was Fanny’s turn to walk to and fro in front of the sofa.

“The bastard. The sick, awful, horrible moron.”

Penelope smiled through her tears. She couldn’t help herself, as Fanny sounded ready to kill as she swore between her teeth.

“I know.”

“That evil, selfish…man!”

“I do so agree with you.” Penelope sniffed.

Fanny sat down again, this time looking very determined. “He can’t do this. Not to me, and definitely not to you. You are my friend, and this is the worst insult he ever could give either of us.”

Penelope nodded solemnly. She agreed wholeheartedly with her friend. This time Rake had gone too far, and it felt good for Fanny to take her side.

“Please, Fanny, don’t do anything stupid. I know how you sometimes throw yourself into situations too quickly. This time it’s your Uncle Rake, your all-time favorite, and you don’t want to lose him just because you overreacted to something stupid he said.”

“Of course not,” Fanny reassured her. “I know too well a direct attack won’t help when it comes to my family members. You have take the sneaky way, and snare them slowly until they are caught and can’t come loose. But there is one thing I want to know before I do anything.”

“What?”

“Do you still want him? As a husband, I mean?”

“I don’t know, Fanny, truly I don’t. If you had asked me an hour ago, I would have told you a loud yes, but now I hesitate. He hurt me. He insulted me in the worst way a man can, by removing all my dignity and my honor. In a few words, he belittled me into nothing.”

Fanny put an arm around her friend.

“I know, dearest. I know. However, promise me, if you change your mind, do tell me, and I will make sure I won’t rest until he understands how stupid he is.”

They laughed—a forced laughter, but at least they were trying.

Fanny gave Penelope her handkerchief and watched her friend as she dried her tears. What on earth had been on Rake’s mind? Humiliating her best friend, a girl he had known for his whole life? What was the matter with her uncle? She knew he wouldn’t have acted like this if he had been his normal self. He was, as his nickname said, a rake at heart, a libertine and a drifter, but still…