Loving Protector (5 page)

“No, darling, do not be.” Evelyn
squeezed her hand. “I love your humour and Blanche does rather deserve it at
times. Maybe we could even find a Russian diplomat. That is even further away.”

“Knowing Blanche she will be running
Russia within six months. She will certainly give the Tsar a run for his
money.”

“You are a wicked girl and I am not
listening anymore.” Evelyn paused before bursting out laughing again. “I gather
Siberia is an interesting place to live.”

The bedroom door burst open. “What on
earth are you two laughing about? You’re disturbing my sleep? I must look
beautiful for tonight.”

“You always look beautiful, Blanche,”
said Calista, determined to be kind to Blanche to make up for her recent
cattiness.

“What do you want, Calista?” Blanche’s
dark eyes narrowed.

“Nothing.”

“You must want something. You are never
kind to me.”

“I have always tried to be, Blanche.”

“Then you should try harder.” Blanche
left, slamming the door.

“Oh dear,” said Evelyn, “the poor Tsar.”

Calista fell back on the bed, laughing
hysterically.

Chapter
Five

Almacks was packed to the brim with
nobility of all kinds, and along with the young women taking their first
official steps into society. Both Blanche and Calista were presented to the
patronesses, who looked upon them both with favour.

“Do you enjoy visiting Almacks?” Calista
asked Lady Bedlington as they made their way to the ballroom. Blanche had spied
Mr. Purbeck across the room and made a rather undignified beeline for him,
closely followed by her embarrassed mother.

“Not very much, child. It is grand
enough but the patronesses insist no alcohol is served on the premises. Only
lemonade. In my experience one cannot face the majority of the nobility without
a strong drink to hand.”

Calista laughed. “I think I am already
drunk on the atmosphere.” It was certainly heady. Everyone was dressed in their
finery, and Calista could not remember when she had seen more beautiful gowns
and in every conceivable colour. The simple pale blue gown she wore seemed drab
by comparison. Her fair hair had been set up in the French style, and was
adorned with a wide blue ribbon to match her dress. She instinctively put her
hand to her hair, hoping that nothing was out of place.

“You need not worry, child,” said Lady
Bedlington. “You look utterly charming.”

“Thank you.”

“Ah, and I think my great nephew thinks
so too.”

“He is here?” Calista looked towards the
door and saw the colonel arriving. He was dressed in black, and whereas most of
the other men wore knee breaches and garters, he wore the new style drainpipe
trousers made famous by Beau Brummell. Calista could not help thinking that it
made him look more masculine than the other men.

“You seem surprised, child.”

“Only because yesterday he told me that
he did not care for society, so I did not think he would come to a place like
this.”

“Perhaps he has good reason.”

The colonel walked across to them, and
as he did, Calista saw that nearly every woman’s eyes followed his progress.

“Good evening, Brook. Miss Haywood was
just saying that she did not expect to see you here.”

The colonel smiled. “Normally I cannot
abide these gatherings, but I wanted to witness Miss Haywood’s first official
step into society. How are you finding it, Miss Haywood?”

“Rather overwhelming at the moment,”
said Calista. “I’m terrified of saying and doing the wrong thing.”

“I am sure you would never do either.
Would you like to dance? Or is your dance card already filled?”

It was on Calista’s lips to say that
even if it were, she would make a space for him. Instead she said, “I think all
the young men are waiting to see if my step-sister is available first.”

“Then their loss is my gain.”

“This should be interesting,” said Lady
Bedlington, wryly. “I have never seen you dance, Brook.”

“I’ll have you know I’m famed for my
dancing Aunt Agatha. Though not necessarily for good reasons.”

The dances in Almacks were mostly square
dances or country jigs, so there was not much chance to talk to the colonel.
All Calista knew is that each time she took his hand to do a turn, a thrill ran
through her. She could feel the heat emanating through his gloves and hers. She
wished that no one else would ask her to dance all night, and that he could be
her only partner.  Despite his joke, he danced very well.

As soon as the dance ended, other young
men began to flock around her, quickly filling up her dance card. She kept one
space empty at the end, hoping that the colonel might ask her again so that the
evening might end as enjoyably as it started . While she was dancing with
others, she was acutely aware of his eyes following her, as he stood next to
his great aunt’s chair, and was surprised to see that he did not ask any other
ladies to dance. Some of them fluttered around him, speaking in hopeful tones,
but after a few polite words from him, they moved away.

“I am so charmed to meet you, Miss
Haywood,” said one young man, whose name she had missed.

“That is very kind. Thank you.” The
dance was slower, so she and the young man had more chance to talk.

“Tell me, do you know if your
step-sister’s dance card is full yet?” And that was when Calista realized that
the young men dancing with her really were only waiting their turn with
Blanche.  “I have no idea, sir. Perhaps you should ask her.”

“Yes, yes, I should really. But … she is
so exquisite. So unreachable. I dare not.”

“She does not bite,” said Calista with a
smile. Even as she said it, she doubted her own words. “I am sure she will be
delighted to dance with you.”

“Purbeck is monopolizing her. It’s
really bad show, don’t you know? One is supposed to circulate at these events.”

That explained why the colonel had not
asked Calista for another dance. At least she hoped that was the reason. “They
say he will be the next Duke of Midchester,” the young man continued. “Old
Midchester picks up and drops favourites at the drop of a hat. Everyone knows
that. My brother was a favourite last year, but then the fool went and married
an actress. I ask you.” The young man droned on in that vein throughout the
dance, so that by the time it ended, Calista breathed a sigh of relief.

She had one dance left on her card, and
looked hopefully towards the colonel. But his eyes were fixed on a spot at the
far end of the room. She saw his great aunt reach up and put her hand on his
arm, as if to stop him from saying or doing something.

Glancing in the direction he was
staring, Calista saw that Blanche was pushing Mr. Purbeck forward. She could
not hear what Blanche was saying but it seemed to be along the lines of, ‘just
do it.’

Purbeck crossed the room to where the
colonel stood. “A word with you, sir.”

“You may have as many words as you wish,
Mr. Purbeck.”

“You dishonored my sister, sir.”
 Purbeck’s tones became louder, more petulant. The music ground to a halt
and everyone stopped dancing and turned to listen.

“I do not think so.”

“I should like to call you out on it,
sir.”

From across the room, Calista could see
Blanche’s eyes shining with excitement.

“Might I remind you, Mr. Purbeck that
dueling is now illegal. I did not dishonor your sister. In fact, I believe I
did her the honour of letting her marry the man she really loved rather than
insisting on her keeping her promise to me.”

“Purbeck!” Everyone turned to where a
man in his late fifties stood watching the exchange. Even without being told,
Calista knew it was the Duke of Midchester. He was as handsome as his son,
apart from the fact that his mouth was set in a cruel line, and his grey eyes
were as hard and cold as flint.  She wondered that no one else saw the
similarity but reasoned that people generally saw what they wanted to see.

“Your Grace,” Purbeck stammered. “I did
not realize you would be here tonight.”

“You should remember who is your patron,
Mr. Purbeck, and upon whose good graces you depend. Do not waste your time and
your reputation on the … the nouveau riche.” The duke spat the last words out
as if they were an obscenity.

There was a gasp of horror around the
room. The nouveau riche were not permitted through Almacks doors. One might be
as poor as a church mouse and get in as long as one were of the nobility. But
new money was considered vulgar.

The Countess of Jersey, one of the
patronesses, stepped forward and in quiet but urgent tones spoke to the Duke.
He muttered something back to her, at which point she walked to where the
colonel stood. Another muttered conversation took place, after which the
colonel stormed across the room and left Almacks.

“No!” said Calista, blushing when she
realized that everyone turned to look at her.

“Calista,” said Lady Bedlington,
beckoning to her.  “Come to me, child.” The tender use of her Christian
name surprised Calista into silence.  Lady Bedlington spoke to the room in
general. “I am afraid Miss Haywood is distressed by the events. I will take her
to another room and help calm her nerves.” When Calista had joined her and they
were walking along a corridor, Lady Bedlington said, “I told you being here
required a strong drink.” At which point she took a flask from her reticule and
drank from it.

“I do not understand why he has been
ejected,” said Calista when she and Lady Bedlington were alone in one of the
comfortably furnished private sitting rooms. “It is unfair. He is of the
nobility, is he not? On his mother’s side.”

“Yes, child, but you must not assume he
has been ejected. He may have chosen to leave.”

“Why would he?”

“To prevent a scandal. So as not to
spoil … someone’s … evening.”

“It is not fair. Mr. Purbeck should be
the one to leave. He shamed himself by his behaviour.”

“Urged, I gather, by your step-sister.”

“Yes. Yes, that is true and I am sorry…”

“Calista, why are you apologizing for
her behaviour? It is not your fault. I was merely stating a fact.”

“We are related. Even if only by
marriage.”

“Hmm. That is unfortunate for you, I
fear. I am afraid your step-sister got rather ahead of herself. She believed
that one visit to Almacks meant that she had made society. But the patronesses
can just as easily take a voucher back. I suspect she liked the idea of men
dueling over her, but as Brook has treated her with nothing but civility, she
had to content herself with persuading Purbeck to duel about his sister.”

“Did the colonel love her very much?”
asked Calista.

Lady Bedlington looked at her
thoughtfully. “I do not know, child. She was a flighty girl. And is apparently
a flighty woman. Brook would not be told, but then young people never do
listen. He did not lie when he said he paid her the honour of letting her marry
the man she truly loved. Or at least the man she loved at that time. He could
have made much more fuss about it and with good reason. She played them off
against each other. Much as I think your step-sister is doing with Mr. Purbeck
and my nephew at this moment.” Lady Bedlington went over to the fireplace and
tugged on the bell.

Almost immediately a servant arrived.
“Tell Mrs. Haywood and Miss Kirkham that I should like to see them both here
immediately.”

When Evelyn and Blanche arrived several
minutes later, Blanche was flushed with excitement. “Is there a problem?” she
asked. “I am rather enjoying myself and did not wish to leave the dance.”

“Yes, Miss Kirkham,” said Lady
Bedlington. “There is a problem. Shut the door please. I am going to say this
in front of your mother and step-sister so that I have witnesses.”

“Lady Bedlington, I…” Evelyn got no
further before Lady Bedlington raised her hand.

“Do not make any more excuses for your
daughter, Mrs. Haywood. You are a good woman and your loyalty does you credit.
I think you have struggled to try to be fair. That too does you credit. I,
however, do not have to be fair. Sit down, Miss Kirkham. You will not like what
I have to say.”

Blanche looked as though she might
argue, but instead took a seat on the sofa next to Calista.

“You may think,” Lady Bedlington began,
“that by being allowed through the doors of Almacks that you are now a part of
society. It is unfortunate then that you failed the test on your first evening
here. I saw you goading Mr. Purbeck to challenge my nephew …” Lady Bedlington
held up her hand again. “Do not deny it, child. Others may be fooled by you,
but I am not. Now you may be here because of the Duke of Midchester. It does
amuse him to tease the young women whom Purbeck fools into believing he will be
the next Duke, just as much as it amuses him to tease his favourites into
believing he will name them his successors. But you are a guest in my home, and
everyone here is aware of that. I have a great regard for your dear mother but
I warn you now that if you behave in such an outrageous way again whilst my
guest, whether you are under my roof at the time or not, I will send you back
to Derbyshire. And I can assure you that once I have ejected you from my house,
no one else will invite you to stay. Is that clear?”

“Believe me, Lady Bedlington,” said Blanche,
looking panic stricken. “I tried to stop Mr. Purbeck. Truly I did. But he
believed the colonel had insulted me.”

“I wonder whatever gave him that idea.”

“I do not know. I only mentioned that I
thought the colonel did not like me very much. It is something I cannot put my
finger upon. So Mr. Purbeck decided instead to bring up the subject of his
sister when really he meant to defend me.”

“And is Mr. Purbeck to challenge
everyone who does not like you? Because if he is, then I fear he will be up at
the crack of dawn every day for the rest of his life.”

“That is very harsh, Lady Bedlington.”
Tears filled Blanche’s eyes, and unaccountably, Calista felt sorry for her. It
is hurtful to be told one is not liked.

“Yes,” said Evelyn, clearly feeling she
had to defend her daughter. “Yes, Lady Bedlington, with all due respect, that
is rather harsh. I understand your anger, but my daughter is very young and
made a young woman’s mistake.”