Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind (26 page)

“I … thank you,” Ginny replied, her eyes fixed to her plate.

“Anthony,” Lucinda began in a plaintive voice, but he was saved from hearing her request by Grandmama’s announcement that dinner was over.

“Oh, so soon?” Mrs. Barrington asked, clearly bewildered by this takeover by the dowager duchess.

“Yes. It is time we left the gentlemen to themselves. The other guests will be arriving within the hour, and we mustn’t deprive these two of the taking of their port.”

Sir Anthony suppressed a smile. How many years had the old termagant been after him to give up drink? She wouldn’t wish to see him suffer the misery of gout as had countless Crenshaws before him. Apparently the taking of port was permissible if it afforded him the opportunity to speak with the squire about releasing him from his obligation to his daughter.

“Anthony, do take your time,” she called. She sailed out of the room with Ginny and Lucinda in her wake, a befuddled Mrs. Barrington trailing along behind.

“Well, my boy,” the squire said with a sigh. “It has come to this, to this.”

“Yes, sir, I believe it has” What it had come to was perhaps a bit beyond what the squire had anticipated. Sir Anthony rather expected the squire was prepared to speak of dowries and the like, not the possibility of his daughter’s second broken engagement in almost as few days. “You spoke of the announcement to be made at the ball tonight.”

“Yes, indeed, indeed. A ball is a wondrous time to announce an engagement. Why, my lovely bride and I announced the news of our marriage at just such an event”

Sir Anthony leafed through the pages of his personal code of honor for the proper way to disabuse the squire of the notion that he would ever marry his daughter. Unfortunately, the only help it could proffer was the insistence that he follow through and marry Lucinda as would any proper gentleman in his position.

With the accustomed pang one felt at such a time of loss, Sir Anthony rose to his feet and lifted his drink high. “Squire Barrington. I will never marry your daughter.” With that, he quaffed his drink in one gulp and tossed the goblet into the fireplace.

The squire stared at him in unblinking surprise, than said, “You needn’t have broken the crystal. It is very dear, you know, very dear indeed.”

Crystal? The man was concerned about broken crystal? “Sir, we are speaking of a broken engagement. Are there to be no repercussions, then?”

“Well, Mrs. Barrington is sure to put up a bit of a fuss. That could get a bit nasty, a bit nasty, but I daresay there is something you could do to alleviate my suffering. Life has been so full of woe since my cuttings were left to wither amidst all the ruckus after the duel”

“I see. Would a few fresh cuttings make up for your troubles in that regard?” Getting them out of Grandmama would be almost as bad as wedding Lucinda, but he would face worse for a lifetime of happiness with Ginny.

“Ahhh” The squire leaned back in his chair, much content. “That will take care of my lady wife. As for myself, I have suspected there was some trouble between you and Lucinda. Neither of you behave the least bit loverlike. With the exception of the other night, that is.”

“Yes, I feel I should explain about that”

Squire Barrington waved Sir Anthony’s protestations aside. “Not at all, at all. It has taken some time, but I have determined that my Lucinda suffers from a major fault.”

“Which would be?” Sir Anthony was aware of quite a few but was alive with curiosity to know to which of the many the squire referred.

The squire leaned forward and glanced about to ensure total privacy. “This is a matter of great confidentiality, of course, of course”

“Of course” Sir Anthony nodded.

The squire pursed his lips. “My daughter has a shocking habit of throwing herself at her suitors.”

“Oh, really? I hadn’t noticed,” Sir Anthony politely lied. And for the very last time.

Inside the ballroom, the strains of a waltz were wafting in the air. Where was Ginny? Fortunately, Lucinda and her mama were far across the room. To his chagrin they lost no time in spotting him and rushing to his side, relief written across Mrs. Barrington’s face.

Had she suspected that he might turn tail and run? Not that it was such a bad idea. His code of honor may have worn out its usefulness, but at least he had known how to proceed prior to consigning it to perdition. Having commited the ungentlemanly sin of breaking his engagement, he had no idea what to do next. As the Barrington ladies drew ever closer, running was looking better with every passing moment.

“Ah, Mrs. Barrington, Miss Barrington.” He greeted them with the hope that he still remembered how to hide his nervousness.

“That is no way to treat your intended, Sir Anthony. I am sure Lucinda has given you leave to use her first name. But really, that is nothing to leaving her to her own devices for so long. Truly, Lucinda.” Mrs. Barrington turned to her daughter. “I do not think you should marry such an insensitive creature!”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Sir Anthony said. It was all so much easier than he had feared, and, even better, he had just spied Ginny deep in conversation with Avery across the room. “Now, if you will excuse me, I believe Ginny owes me this dance.”

He suspected Mrs. Barrington was imitating a blowfish and Lucinda was most likely stamping her well-shod little foot, but he dared not linger long enough to confirm it. The woman he loved had been waiting long enough. Waiting for him. For the real Anthony Crenshaw.

He was across the room in a dozen quick strides, but not soon enough to claim her hand before Avery. Jerking him away by the shoulder, he said, “Pardon me, man, but this is my dance.”

Ginny’s response was one of pretty confusion. “But I…really, I believe … I’m sure I mentioned my waltzes were taken” She stared at him through the eyeholes of a black mask. Along with the pink wig and unfamiliar gown, it was as if she were a stranger. A beautiful stranger to whose heart he had no claim. He felt his earlier anger make a reappearance.

“Yes, they are! By me! Take yourself off, Avery. I believe Lucinda is lacking for a partner.” Sir Anthony wasn’t sure how he should feel about the expression of dismay on Ginny’s face when Avery complied. Rather than decide, he drew her into his arms and they began to dance.

He tried to concentrate on the rhythm of the music while willing his fury to recede. It had been a difficult evening, but now that he had Ginny in his arms, things were sure to get better.

“I hear you had a talk with your gandmama today,” Ginny said.

Sir Anthony didn’t want to think about Grandmama. He found he was still angry with her, but what was a newly made man to do, er, say? Ginny would see through any polite fiction that came out of his mouth. At the same time, Grandmama would never forgive him for telling Ginny about Grandmama’s plot to send them off together on her madcap errand and on through to wedded bliss.

“Yes! We, er, we talked.” It was the best he could do. He could feel himself frowning, but it seemed he was powerless to stop himself.

“I hope she didn’t scold you! I know how Grandaunt Regina can be”

“Why should she scold me?” he snapped. Surely Grandmama was the one who deserved the scolding.

“The roses? I’m afraid we weren’t much help in rescuing them from the squire’s clutches,” she explained.

“Oh, that. No she didn’t scold me” He hated to keep secrets from her, but she was right about Grandmama’s scolding; it was definitely something one hoped to avoid. Besides, he had promised never to divulge her secret. Afraid Ginny would read his hesitation in his eyes, he looked pointedly away.

Ginny sighed. “You seem rather angry tonight,” she said. “Is there anything wrong?”

“What?” The truth was so close to his tongue, but he must never tell her. She would be humiliated. He looked around for inspiration and spotted Avery headed in their direction. “Yes! That popinjay tried to steal a march on me!”

“Anthony, I.. ” But she was stopped short by a shrill voice at his shoulder.

“Sir Anthony, we are waiting for you!”

He turned to see Mrs. Barrington and Lucinda staring at him with great expectation. And just when he thought he had rid himself of that very look for the remainder of his life.

“What is it now!” he barked, causing Ginny to jump under his arm, still draped across her shoulders.

“Why, to announce your engagement to my daughter, you wretch. She is so determined to have you! Every time I suggest otherwise, and believe me, I have suggested otherwise, she kicks up such a dust”

Before Anthony could reply, Avery appeared at Ginny’s side and hooked his arm through hers. Mrs. Barrington and Lucinda were arguing, so he never heard what Avery murmured in Ginny’s ear. It must have been most compelling, because she allowed Avery to lead her away without even a backward glance.

Sir Anthony felt the beginnings of a black rage. First Grandmama meddled in his affairs as if he was some kind of child. Then Ginny treated him as if they had barely met! Now the Barringtons were insisting on that wretched announcement while he watched Ginny walk away from him on the arm of another. It was almost as if she were walking out of his life.

Suddenly the Barringtons weren’t shouting anymore. That certainly boded ill. Sir Anthony tried to catch up.

“Mama,” Lucinda was saying, “I have changed my mind. This does seem like the perfect time, after all. Pray wait until I dash to my room and touch up my hair. I will only be a moment.”

Mrs. Barrington puffed with indignation. Did she see how Lucinda’s gaze followed Ginny and Avery right out of the ballroom? Sir Anthony certainly did, but what did it mean?

“Yes, do, Lucinda,” Sir Anthony insisted, pushing her away. “Your hair looks like a rat’s nest” He had no time to lose and certainly none for pleasant banter. If she were insulted by his comment, all the better.

“Oh, thank you, Sir Anthony,” Lucinda gushed over her shoulder as if he had just crowned her the most beautiful girl at the fair. Giggling, she clapped her hands and skipped out of the room.

“If you will excuse me, Mrs. Barrington.” He didn’t wait for her pardon but flew across the room and out the door taken by Ginny and Avery. He searched the hallway, the drawing room, all three salons named after roses, the music room, the dining room, even the breakfast parlor, but they were nowhere. He felt his heart sink like a stone through water. Ginny was gone!

What reason could she have for leaving in the middle of a ball? With Avery? Surely she would never elope with him! Dash it! What did Avery say to her to make her walk out like that? Something was wrong. As he made his way out to the stables, he cudgeled his brain to determine what it could be.

Then he realized. Ginny knew! She had been on the other side of the door when Grandmama told him about the whole sorry mess with Seb and Dobbs. He had even seen her out of the corner of his eye as he stalked off, but he hadn’t recognized her in that wig. In his angry state, it barely registered that anyone was there. And now she was leaving.

He couldn’t let her leave! He had to tell her it was all right, that it didn’t matter that Grandmama had gotten her way. He loved her! And the announcement of his engagement to Lucinda-what must she think? That he hadn’t the courage to call it off? That he loved his precious code of honor more than her?

He had to tell her it wasn’t so. He had to tell her right now, even though it was clear she wanted to get away from him. The old Sir Anthony would have bowed to his lady’s wishes. For once, the new Sir Anthony was no longer in any doubt.

The new Sir Anthony found he had a problem. He arrived at the stable just in time to see a coach bowl down the lane. Running inside, he found the stable boy, the one who had been saddling up his horse in the dead of night for the past two weeks.

“Whose coach was that?” Sir Anthony demanded.

“Why, that’d be Lord Avery’s, guv”

“Was there a lady with him?”

“Yes, two,” he said with a low whistle. “They were in a right hurry to be gone, that’s for sure!”

Ginny! And Nan? “Was one of them in a pink gown with a black mask?”

“Ooooh, that one was a beauty, she was!”

Sir Anthony thought fast. “What about this one, here?” He indicated a canary-yellow curricle with a pale blue interior. The color combination was loathsome, but the horses were still in their traces and he didn’t have a second to lose. Ginny’s heart was breaking.

“Oh, that be Jem Feddleswank’s ride. He pulled up just afore Lord Avery’s party came in, which is why I haven’t had a chance to unhitch..

“It’ll do,” Sir Anthony said, flipping the boy his last sovereign and hopping inside. As he pulled away he shouted, “Tell Feddleswank.. ” What? He can have mine? Since Sir Anthony didn’t have a coach of any kind at Rose Arbor, that would hardly do. “Dash it!” he swore under his breath, pulling away and hoping Feddleswank and his creaking corsets would be otherwise occupied for hours to come.

Which way to go? London was to the south, but Dunsmere was only a short distance away. He turned north. He had a lot of ground to cover, but the curricle was lighter and faster than the coach and it wasn’t long before he spotted it lumbering up ahead. With Avery at the reins, Sir Anthony knew he would have little trouble gaining on it and forcing it to a halt. It was the work of a moment, and then Sir Anthony was jumping down from the curricle and approaching Avery up on the box.