A Lady at Last (32 page)

“Lady de Warenne mentioned that you will come-out there,” Jane Cochran said.

Lady Deere's face fell. “He is so handsome,” she whispered.

“He is so handsome,” Lady Sutherland echoed. “Don't you think so, too?” She exchanged a look with Lady Cochran.

Amanda became tense. “Of course he is handsome. One would have to be blind not to think so.”

Lady Cochran laughed. “Which you are not! Is he really a buccaneer?”

Eleanor stepped forward. “A buccaneer is a pirate, Lady Jane. My brother is a merchant for the most part and a privateer when it suits him, which is vastly different.” She was clearly annoyed and Amanda touched her hand to restrain her.

“What is it that you really want?” she asked Jane Cochran quietly.

Lady Cochran smiled coolly at Amanda then turned to Eleanor. “Mrs. O'Neill, we didn't come here to insult Captain de Warenne. He is so dashing and so eligible and we are merely disappointed that he is not here. We came here to visit Lady de Warenne and make Miss Carre's acquaintance.”

Eleanor smiled tightly. “How gracious of you.”

And Amanda knew no good was going to come of this call. She thought, but was not certain, that these women had come to snipe at her.

Lady Cochran turned to Amanda. “I have never thought him to be a buccaneer, in spite of the whispers,” she said. “He is far too elegant, even if he does wear a dagger and those spurs at all times.”

Amanda smiled, but coolly. “He is the greatest pirate hunter of this time, but of course, you know that. He is accustomed to being armed.”

Jane smiled at her. “Did he hunt
your
father, Miss Carre?”

Amanda's heart slammed. This woman knew the truth.

And now, with confusion, she felt her malice and understood why Jane so disliked her. These women had come to sneer at her.

“What does that mean?” Eleanor cried, aghast.

“Surely the horrid rumor is not true? Surely your father was not hanged for piracy?” Lady Cochran continued, smiling widely. “I do mean, why ever would Captain de Warenne foster a pirate's daughter and dare to introduce her into society?”

For one moment, Amanda was incapable of speech.

So many images filled her mind. She saw Cliff, striding through the crowd at the Spanishtown Square, coming to rescue her as she hid under the scaffolding where Papa would hang; she saw him as he stood at the helm beside her, beneath a canopy of yellow canvas and silver stars, and she saw him as she came down the stairs, for the very first time clad in a dress, his gaze filled with admiration.

And she saw him as he waltzed her about the ballroom in the house, her skirts encompassing them both.

La Sauvage was
gone.
She had worked so hard to become the woman she now was. Jane and her friends had no right to their condescension and she would not be their sport.

“How dare you come into this house and spread such vicious gossip!” Eleanor cried. “It is a lie, Lady Cochran; Amanda's father was an island planter who drowned.”

“How odd, as I heard that deWarenne rescued her at her father's hanging.” Lady Cochran glanced at Amanda as if she were a bug she wished to step on. “I heard her airs are only that, airs, and that she has sailed with pirates, slept with pirates, battled with them! How dare she come to town and pretend to be one of us?”

Amanda trembled, lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “It's true.”

Eleanor seized her arm. “Amanda!”

Amanda shook her head, pulling away, furious now. Jane Cochran was not going to take her achievements away from her. She might be leaving London, but she was going home as Miss Carre, a lady with manners, a lady who could dance. “My father was hanged for piracy, and I learned how to climb the rigging of a ship when I was four. I can wield a sword better than most gentlemen in this town. But I can waltz, Lady Cochran, and I can read and write, and I have made many new friends here in town.”

“Do not bother,” Jane Cochran began.

Amanda stepped directly in front of her, shaking with her anger. “No. You are the one without manners now. My father was an officer and a gentleman before he turned rogue. Half the pirates in the Caribbean were once naval officers, Lady Cochran.”

“How dare you speak to me in such a tone!” she cried.

But Amanda wasn't through. “And my mother was a lady—a Straithferne from Cornwall,” she cried in return. “I may not have been raised in a fine house with servants to wait on me, but I should have been raised that way. I have every right to speak to you and I have every right to be here. And not just because I am Cliff de Warenne's ward. Not just because the Earl and Countess of Adare wish for me to be here. It is my right by birth.”

Jane gaped.

Eleanor stepped forward. “You had better leave this house now, before I throw you out myself.” Being tall, she towered over the other woman.

Jane Cochran made a sound of disgust, gestured impatiently at her friends, and they trooped toward the door. There, she paused. “Whatever dowry your pirate father gave you, whatever airs you have taken on, whatever you may think, it is not enough to make you one of us. I am sorry you must be associated with her, Mrs. O'Neill. This is truly a despicable scandal.”

Amanda said softly, “What is despicable is that
you
call yourself a lady. Real ladies do not behave as you have just done.”

Jane Cochran gasped.

And Amanda smiled at her.

With a furious glance, Jane left, followed by Lady Sutherland. Honora paused, however, pale with shock. She looked at Eleanor and then at Amanda. “I am so sorry!” she cried. Then she ran after her friends.

Amanda realized she had been holding her breath. Rigid with tension, she somehow exhaled. Someone had learned the truth about her and had spread it about town. Someone was trying to hurt her. It simply didn't make sense. Amanda couldn't begin to imagine who would do such a thing.

“Those witches!” Eleanor gasped. She was shaking with rage. “Oh, I shall find a way to make them pay! And wait until Cliff hears of their viciousness. Amanda, you were wonderful!”

Amanda barely heard. She had come so far and that petty Jane Cochran wished to destroy all she had thus far attained. But she didn't know her, so this was the plot of someone else. She looked at Eleanor. “Even I know that ladies do not act so reprehensibly.”

“She is a skinny, ugly hag, with the nature of a shrew! She will never find love or affection, just some poor fortune hunter! We must plan our revenge.”

Amanda almost smiled. “You are such a loyal friend!”

Eleanor hugged her. “I meant it when I said you have become a sister to me! Oh, what shall we do to her? Shall we spread some terrible rumor about her?”

Amanda smiled grimly. “It is tempting, but while she was rude and nasty, she only spoke the truth.”

“Amanda, she can hurt your prospects. We must squash this rumor at once!”

Amanda sat down. Some of her tension was easing. Cliff would be furious when he learned of this visit. She was still furious. “But it isn't a rumor, Eleanor.” She wished she could tell Eleanor that the gossip didn't matter, because she wouldn't be in town for very long. “When I first came to town, I was so afraid that something like this would happen. I have endured such condescension my entire life. I was a wild child once. I did beg and steal when I was alone on the island during Papa's cruises. But I have changed Eleanor. I can read and write and your father said I am a good dancer. Papa was a gentleman once, and my mother is Lady Belford. I am not hiding, not from Jane Cochran and not from anyone.” She knew Cliff would approve of her firm stand.

Eleanor sat down beside her. “I know you dislike discussing your mother, but if she would only step forward, this would be so much easier.”

Amanda shot to her feet. “No! I don't need her help.”

Eleanor took her arm. “Amanda, this accusation must be put down as a vicious lie.”

Amanda stared. “Perhaps you are right. But if I am ever faced again this way, I am not going to deny the truth. I am not going to cower. We have three calls to make tomorrow. I promised the countess I would accompany her and I will.”

Eleanor stared. Finally she said, “You do not know society as well as I do. I do not want to see you hurt.”

Amanda thought about Cliff, who had broken her heart. “Gossip can't hurt me.” She did not add that only Eleanor's brother could achieve that. “I am behind in my reading and Monsieur Michelle is testing me this afternoon. I think I should study. And I don't think we should dwell on Lady Cochran anymore.” Then she added, “Eleanor, it really doesn't matter. I am not a pirate's daughter anymore.”

Eleanor smiled grimly, hugging her briefly again. “You are so brave.”

Amanda had just left the room when Lizzie came in, Chaz in her arms, struggling to get down. She turned. “Where are the ladies?”

“I take it you do not know them well?” Eleanor asked bitterly.

“I do not know them at all. I was introduced to Lady Cochran once, several years ago, at a supper party. We did not even converse after the introduction. What happened? You seem upset.”

“They came here to taunt Amanda. Someone knows the truth and they know it now, too.”

Lizzie paled and gave up on Chaz, letting him down. He ran across the room, knocking over a small table as he did so. “Oh dear,” Lizzie whispered. “Now what do we do?”

“Amanda has decided to do nothing, as if nothing has happened at all. But I know better. We need Mother, and we need to make certain this rumor dies today.”

 

A
MANDA NEVER OPENED
her book. Instead, she touched the pearls at her throat, the precious gift Cliff had given to her, missing him so much that it hurt. It was hard to be upset about Jane Cochran and her friends when her heart was so broken, yet she remained angry. She did not deserve their scorn, but she had weathered their plot easily enough. She actually felt sorry for Jane, who was clearly an unhappy shrew. Tomorrow she might be cut and scorned anew, yet she would manage. She was proud of how far she had come and she would never hide from anything or anyone again. An ugly rumor—even one that was true—couldn't bring La Sauvage back.

She thought about Cliff, who was somewhere in Holland, who wouldn't even look at her now. Even as angry as he was, he would have been angrier with those women if he had been present, and he would have instantly come to her defense. She knew it and it pleased her. Maybe, in spite of his terrible resolve, he would still be her champion from a distance, just as she would always love him from a distance. She smiled a little.

Amanda turned as a knock sounded on her door. The Countess of Adare appeared, and from the solemn expression on her face and the compassion in her eyes, Amanda knew that Eleanor had told her what had happened. “I understand there was a very awkward moment downstairs,” she began quietly.

Amanda almost pretended not to comprehend her. Then she sighed and sat down. “I am so sorry that such a distasteful encounter occurred in your home, my lady.”

The countess started. “Do not apologize to me, my dear! I am worried about you. Eleanor said you were fine, and you do not seem terribly upset.”

Amanda hesitated. Finally she said, “It hurt. Of course it did. I did nothing to provoke such an attack.”

Mary sat down in an adjacent chair and reached for her hand. “Amanda, dear, this entire family is behind you. We will never abandon you. You do know that?”

The countess's generous and gracious nature had never been more evident. In that moment, Amanda wanted to become a great lady exactly like her—a lady who was unstintingly kind, generous to a fault and always gracious, no matter the provocation. “I think I do. Countess, I know I have thanked you for your hospitality but your affection means so much to me.”

Mary squeezed her hand. “I think of you as a daughter,” she said simply. Then, with a gleam in her eyes, “But Eleanor is right. At some point, there must be some retribution.”

Amanda's eyes widened. She was stunned.

Mary smiled. “My dear, I am an Irishwoman first and last and my ancestors were great warriors, even the women. A bit of their hot blood still runs in my veins.”

“But you are the Countess of Adare!”

“True. And I wasn't thinking of taking that dagger of yours and doing anything with it. I was thinking of a more personal form of vengeance. Jane's mother is great friends with Lady Carrington, and I assure you, she will be there at the ball. Hmm…shall I lend you my diamonds for the ball? Perhaps with my pearl and diamond tiara? Jane will die of envy.”

Amanda bit her lip, then laughed. “She would be pea-green, but I can't borrow such finery, my lady.”

“Of course you can,” Mary said, patting her hand, another gleam in her eyes. Then she directed her regard to Amanda. “But first things first. I approve of your pride, but there is no point in allowing this rumor to ruin your prospects. Therefore, we will make a fourth call tomorrow.”