A Magnificent Match (14 page)

“Mama believes that the Cotswolds are foreign parts,” said Miss Phoebe with almost a snort.

“Hush, Phoebe,” said Miss Stallcroft, soft color coming into her face. “You should not be so critical. You will give Miss O’Connell a strange notion of us.”

“I am not so Gothic,” said Megan, smiling. “Nor am I easily shocked at the vagaries of people, as you will discover if you become at all acquainted with me. I suppose that arises out of my own upbringing. I am accustomed to all sorts of eccentricities.”

“Your father is Lord O’Connell, is he not?” asked Miss Phoebe.

“Yes,” said Megan, surprised. “Do you know him?”

“Oh, no. But I am slightly acquainted with your brother, Captain Colin O’Connell. Captain O’Connell told me once about his lordship and the magnificent horses that he breeds,” said Miss Phoebe.

“You are acquainted with Colin?” repeated Megan. She looked with renewed curiosity at Miss Phoebe Stallcroft. She wondered whether her brother could possibly have an interest in that direction. But then she decided that such a young miss could not possibly hold Colin’s wayward attention. It was more likely that Miss Phoebe had seen him, perhaps even been briefly introduced, and she had developed a tendre for him. Her brother did look exceedingly handsome in his regimentals, Megan thought. “I had no notion.”

“Phoebe, pray remember what Mama said,” murmured Miss Stallcroft in warning.

Miss Phoebe flashed her elder sister a glance and tossed her head. “I recall perfectly well what she said to me, Annabelle. You need not remind me. And I am not at all breaking my promise by speaking to Captain O’Connell’s sister. That is nonsensical, as even Mama would agree!”

Megan looked from Miss Stallcroft’s blushing face to Miss Phoebe’s animated expression. With amusement, she said, “I see that I have stumbled upon a private matter. And I suspect that Colin is at the heart of it, isn’t that so?”

Miss Stallcroft nodded, obviously embarrassed. “It was only a schoolgirl’s crush, but Mama would”—she caught herself up—”that is, Mama read Phoebe a little stricture on appearing too encouraging to a gentleman.”

“Oh, Annabelle, why wrap it up in clean linen?” said Miss Phoebe. “The truth of the matter was that Mama cut up stiff over what was a perfectly innocuous kiss.”

Megan was taken aback. She had not expected such a confidence. Of a sudden, she recalled Lady Mansfield’s inquiry, months past, about her brother. At the time she had wondered if there had been any truth at all in the rumor and if Colin had indeed become embroiled with some female. Now it was confirmed that he had been. However, Megan was shocked to discover that Colin’s flirt was a young girl scarcely emerged out of the schoolroom.

Megan’s expression had betrayed her astonishment, and Miss Stallcroft immediately discerned it. “No kiss is innocuous,” uttered Miss Stallcroft, mortified. “Now do be quiet, Phoebe.”

“Oh, very well. I shall not say another word. But not because you say so, but because Mama is looking at us. How I wish she would not keep us so close!” said Miss Phoebe in a fierce whisper.

Lady Stallcroft had started toward her daughters, Mrs. O’Connell with her. She bestowed a frosty smile on Megan. She had not forgotten the snub that she had been dealt at the younger woman’s hands. “My dear Miss O’Connell, I trust that my silly daughters have not been boring you.”

“Not at all, my lady,” said Megan quietly. “It is a pleasure to converse with two such obviously well-bred young ladies. They are a credit to you, ma’am.”

Lady Stallcroft looked at once surprised and gratified. She unbent a little. “Well, that is gracious, indeed! Girls, you must thank Miss O’Connell for such a pretty compliment.” Her daughters obediently did as they were commanded. Miss Stallcroft’s eyes were cast down, but Miss Phoebe’s gaze was brimful of conspiratorial laughter.

“Mrs. O’Connell has requested the pleasure of your company tomorrow when she makes her morning calls, Annabelle. I have accepted her kind invitation on your behalf,” said Lady Stallcroft.

“Thank you, Mama. I shall look forward to such a treat,” said Miss Stallcroft, looking up. She directed a shy smile in her benefactress’s direction. “I appreciate your kindness very much, Mrs. O’Connell.”

“Think nothing of it, my dear. I have assured your mother that I shall be glad to help bring you out a little,” said Mrs. O’Connell pleasantly. “I have a very large acquaintance and I am persuaded that I may be able to introduce you to a few personages who perhaps have not yet come in your way.”

“You will behave with proper dignity, Annabelle, and not bore Mrs. O’Connell with any of your silly prattle,” admonished Lady Stallcroft.

Miss Stallcroft looked faintly crushed. “Yes, Mama.”

All of Megan’s sympathy was roused. She wished very much that she could administer a well-deserved setdown to Lady Stallcroft, or at least console Miss Stallcroft for having such a dragon for a mother. However, all she could do was to stand by while the odious woman delivered another of her heavy and unnecessary corrections.

“Mama, may I accompany my sister?” asked Miss Phoebe, coming fast on the train of her mother’s injunction to the elder daughter.

“Certainly not, Phoebe! You are to attend me, if you will recall, and write out my invitations. Your copperplate is much better than my secretary’s,” said Lady Stallcroft.

Miss Phoebe did not appear particularly gratified by her mother’s compliment. Instead, there was a mutinous expression in her clear blue eyes. However, she cast down her gaze and said nothing further.

“Megan, you are to come, too. That will make us a delightful party,” said Mrs. O’Connell.

“I will be happy to join you, Sophronia. I am certain that my mother will be able to spare me,” said Megan.

“Oh? Is her ladyship already so accustomed to your presence that she is content to leave you to your own devices?” asked Mrs. O’Connell with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Quite,” said Megan dryly.

“Such slack supervision is abhorrent to me,” said Lady Stallcroft. “But I am not one to criticize. However, one must be grateful for a sister-in-law who is willing to step into the office of chaperone, Miss O’Connell.”

“Indeed, I am,” said Megan. “I am trusting to Sophronia to guide me in all the proprieties whenever my mother is unable to do so.”

Lady Stallcroft bestowed a small prim smile on her. “You speak just as a sensible young woman should. Phoebe, you might take a page from Miss O’Connell’s book. I warrant, I am pleasantly surprised to discover a young miss so amenable to taking direction from their elders. You are in a fair way to winning my approval, Miss O’Connell.”

“You are kind, Lady Stallcroft,” murmured Megan.

“I see that Lady O’Connell is waving to get my attention,” said Lady Stallcroft. “Come along, girls. We shall go over to greet her.”

“I shall follow you in a moment, my lady. It grows late and my mother may wish to depart,” said Megan, who rather thought that it was to her that Lady O’Connell was signaling.

“Very well, Miss O’Connell. How refreshing it is to see a young lady so considerate of her mother’s wishes,” said Lady Stallcroft. She surged off, Miss Stallcroft in her wake and Miss Phoebe trailing reluctantly behind.

Megan turned to her sister-in-law. “I look forward to seeing you again on the morrow. Will you call for me?”

“Indeed I shall. Of course, we will not be entirely alone; but I know that you won’t mind Annabelle Stallcroft. She is some sort of cousin to me and I pity her. She is such a gentle creature,” said Mrs. O’Connell. “Not at all like Phoebe. Phoebe is made of sterner stuff.”

“Your cousin? Then you are related to Lady Stallcroft?” asked Megan, faintly appalled.

“Lord Stallcroft, actually. He is my father’s first cousin. I have known Lady Stallcroft all of my life. I have never liked her,” said Mrs. O’Connell, making a face. “She treats those girls abominably.”

“So I have noticed,” said Megan. “I really cannot abide a bully.”

Mrs. O’Connell regarded her from out of cool, knowing eyes. “That is why you do not care overly much for Lionel, isn’t it?”

Megan was taken aback for a moment. Her innate honesty compelled her to tell the truth, but she felt that she could not. After all, Sophronia was married to Lionel and had admitted to still having feelings for him. “Lionel and I never had much to do with one another, except when it came to a question of the horses. There are so many years between us, so perhaps that accounts for it. Let us say only that he and I do not see eye to eye on occasion,” said Megan tactfully.

Mrs. O’Connell gave a low laugh. “Yes, I am quite sure of that. I do not mind, Megan, really. Lionel is who he is. I hope one day that he may change and for the better.” She gave her hand to Megan in leavetaking. “I shall see you tomorrow about ten o’clock. Lady O’Connell is approaching and so I shall be off. I avoid her ladyship as much as it is possible!”

Megan watched her sister-in-law disappear quickly through the crowd. Then she turned to go meet her mother, a smile still on her face. How wonderful it was to have made a friend of her sister-in-law.

Lady O’Connell came up, but her eyes were not on Megan. She frowned after her daughter-in-law’s graceful, retreating form. “What does Sophronia mean by it, pray? She must have known perfectly well that I wished to have a word with her before I left.”

“Oh, are we leaving?” asked Megan quickly, wanting to divert her mother’s attention from her sister-in-law. She took hold of Lady O’Connell’s arm. “I am quite willing to fall in with your wishes on that head, Mother. I am more fatigued than I knew.”

“It is just such a dreadful bore tonight,” complained Lady O’Connell. “I have not enjoyed myself at all. First there was my responsibility to chaperone you. Then Sophronia, who actually snubbed me. Me! And now Lady Stallcroft has informed me that she is inviting you to her alfresco party on Saturday. You have quite won her over, Megan. I do not know how it is that you have insinuated yourself into my life all of a sudden, but you have done so and in the process have thoroughly cut up my peace!”

“It is bad of me, of course. But you will have the pleasure of washing your hands of me before much longer,” said Megan consolingly.

Lady O’Connell nodded. “Indeed I shall! As soon as Mrs. Hadcombe’s dinner ball and Lady Bishop’s soiree are over, I will be free to send you back to Ireland.”

Megan did not reply. She smiled graciously at their hostess as she and her mother took their leave. It was certainly not the appropriate time to inform Lady O’Connell that she was remaining in London for the Season. Megan rather thought that little detail was something that should gradually be borne in Lady O’Connell’s consciousness.

Mrs. O’Connell called punctually at ten o’clock at the town house. She knew quite well that Lady O’Connell would still be abovestairs, so she did not hesitate to come inside to the drawing room while a footman went up to inform Miss O’Connell of her arrival. She had Miss Stallcroft with her.

A light misting rain was falling that morning. When Megan entered the drawing room, the two ladies saw that she had attired herself suitably in a pomona green walking pelisse and kid half-boots. Her upstanding bonnet was adorned with two smartly curling plumes and Miss Stallcroft regarded this elegant headgear with a twinge of envy. She was not allowed by her mother to aspire to a more daring style and her own bonnet was a neat gray affair trimmed with a bit of ribbon.

Mrs. O’Connell greeted Megan kindly and said at once, “I did not think to include Mrs. Tyler in my invitation yesterday evening. Would she perhaps care to join us, Megan?”

“The same thought occurred to me, but Gwyneth begs to be excused from our outing this morning. I left her just now planning a lengthy visit to the bookshops. She missed her novels while in Russia and she is determined to lay hold at once on everything that she missed during our absence,” said Megan, smiling. She nodded a greeting to Miss Stallcroft. “We shall undoubtedly return hours before she does.”

“I did not know that Mrs. Tyler was so fond of reading,” said Mrs. O’Connell, surprised.

“Colin would no doubt call her a regular bluestocking,” said Megan, smoothing on her gloves.

“Oh, Colin! He would think that of anyone who read more than the racing sheets,” said Mrs. O’Connell dismissively.

Megan laughed, agreeing that was probably true. She exchanged a few easy words with Miss Stallcroft, making that damsel feel herself to be favored indeed. Megan left a message for her mother with the butler and left the town house with her companions. They walked down the steps to the carriage.

Megan was touched and amused when Miss Stallcroft at once begged to be allowed to take the seat with her back to the horses, leaving the preferred seat to Megan and Mrs. O’Connell.

“Thank you, Miss Stallcroft,” said Megan with a friendly smile. “That is very kind of you. But are you certain that you would not prefer—”

“Oh, no, no! I am perfectly comfortable, I assure you,” said Miss Stallcroft hastily. “I am used to it, you see. Mama always sits with her friends on the forward-looking seat.”

Megan met Mrs. O’Connell’s eyes before turning back to the younger woman. “If that is indeed the case, I yield the point to you, Miss Stallcroft.”

The ladies entered the carriage and the door was closed by the driver. Megan smiled at Miss Stallcroft. “It seems so silly to stand on formal terms. May I call you Annabelle?” she asked.

Miss Stallcroft pinkened. “Pray do,” she said quickly.

“And I urge you to call me Megan. I hope that we will become good friends,” said Megan.

The carriage started out. The three ladies called on several personages known to Mrs. O’Connell, many of whom already knew Miss Stallcroft or her mother and had met Megan the previous night. There were also a few that Megan had not yet had the opportunity to meet, but they greeted her cordially and with curiosity.

At Lady Bancroft’s, Megan was surprised to run into her brother Colin. Captain O’Connell was sitting with her ladyship and the daughter of the house, Miss Bancroft, when Mrs. O’Connell and her party were announced. He rose to his feet to greet the newcomers. After Lady Bancroft had welcomed the three ladies to her drawing room and had introduced her daughter to Megan, she said, “And I fancy that you know this gentleman, Miss O’Connell!”