Quiet Meg (12 page)

Sir Eustace wished to see them immediately upon their
return home.

“So, my children-did Lucinda Lawrence take the place
by storm?”

“She did indeed, father,” Louisa said.

“Lucy did very well,” Aunt Pru supplied. “Though she
must work on her deportment.”

“Oh, Papa,” Lucy knelt before his chair. “You would
have been most impressed! With all the lights, and the
ladies and gentlemen all beautifully dressed. The music
was exquisite-would you not say so, Meg? And I danced
every dance but two, because Aunt Pru insisted I must rest,
and one was a waltz, but Meg will tell you about that. Harry
and Charles came just as I asked and I danced with them and
with ever so many other gentlemen and-and several peers,
too, including the Marquis of Hayden. Oh, he is just top of
the trees, father! He’s Charles’s cousin and he wore a sapphire as large as … as large as an egg! I would have had
more dances only Lord Sutcliffe made such a fuss after
Meg and Charles waltzed ..

“They waltzed, did they?” Sir Eustace asked, looking to Meg’s spot by the piano. “Did you enjoy the waltz, Margaret?”

“It was most pleasant, father.”

“He did not stomp on your pretty toes, then?”

“No, father.”

“It was a very graceful exercise, Eustace,” Aunt Pru inserted. “And the two of them were enchanting to watch.
But I fear there may be repercussions.”

“From Lord Sutcliffe?” Sir Eustace asked quickly.

“From Almack’s patronesses.”

“Bah! What do we care for that?”

“I rather think you might care, Eustace, with two daughters not yet wed. This Mr. Cabot did not present himself
to me”

“He is known to us, Auntie,” Louisa said.

“‘Twould rather have spoiled the enterprise, Lady
Billings,” Ferrell added.

“What enterprise, Thomas?” Sir Eustace asked sharply.
But Ferrell merely grinned.

“I don’t care whether he is Braughton’s nephew. Mr.
Cabot was most abrupt,” Aunt Pru said.

“A little abruptness now and then suits a young man,
Prudence.”

“I really don’t see what was so abrupt about
‘im. Bertram protested, only to be shushed by his aunt.

“His cousin Lord Hayden, on the other hand, was impeccable,” she continued.

“Impeccable or no, ‘tis not his lordship I’m trusting to
revise my scenery,” Sir Eustace growled. “Leave this be,
Prudence. I shall request that Mr. Cabot bend a knee to Lady Billings when next he is in town. Is that acceptable?”
Even as Aunt Pru smiled, Sir Eustace added, “But I warn
you-he is very busy. He’s been twice at Selbourne in the
past two weeks. I’ve had it from my steward. I do not ask a
hardworking man who is doing as he ought to come running to town to pay homage to you..

“He had time enough for a waltz,” Aunt Pru said under
her breath, but Sir Eustace ignored her.

“And you should know as well, that he has promised his
efforts to the Duke of Clare this summer. I think you would
have to cede that Clare is impeccable ton. Polished enough
even for you, Pru! I’ll not have you troubling this young
man”

“Father,” Meg said, “perhaps it would be best if Mr.
Cabot were to avoid town for a while. Lord Sutcliffe was
most unpleasant. There is no need to revive this business.”
She sent a pleading glance at Louisa and Ferrell.

“My daughter must be allowed to dance without Lord
Sutcliffe’s say-so”

Meg rubbed one palm against the piano’s smooth ebony
finish. All at once she felt exhausted. The waltz played repeatedly in her head. And given her father’s pride and her
aunt’s persistence another confrontation with Sutcliffe
seemed inevitable.

“We must be going, father,” Louisa said, observing her.
“Meg and Lucy must be tired”

“Of course, m’dear. We will talk more tomorrow.”

“And there will be callers tomorrow,” Aunt Pru noted
with satisfaction. “And we must also complete our plans
for Lucy’s ball.”

“Can we not attack one item at a time, Prudence?” Sir
Eustace asked with irritation. “I swear you wish everything
to happen yesterday!”

Aunt Pru chuckled as she led the way out of the drawing
room. Louisa kissed Meg’s cheek, whispering “courage”
into one ear before departing. As Meg moved slowly upstairs to her room, Lucy confidingly linked one arm
through hers.

“I am so pleased, Meg. I could not have asked for more.
Lord Hayden dancing with us! I shall never forget it. And
Charles was simply splendid, don’t you think so? He
looked so very fine. Almost-almost too fine for us. Lord
Hayden told me Charles will be an heir to … to … oh,
some place in Austria. A lake I think-when some old
grand uncle dies. Not that I would wish his uncle to die, of
course …”

“Lucy, I truly am fatigued.”

“Oh yes, Meg, I won’t keep you, only I wanted to say
that I … that you and Charles … that the waltz was …
Oh! That you must have Charles if you wish” And with a
quick kiss Lucy darted off to her room.

“Well,” Hayden said pleasantly the next morning. “The
betting is running four to one that Sutcliffe will kill you.”

Chas continued to tie his cravat as he viewed Hayden’s
reflection in the mirror.

“You are the gambling man, Hayden. You must place
your blunt where you will.”

“Oh, I have,” his cousin said, dropping his quizzing
glass to fuss with the faultless fall of linen at his own
throat. “Why they all focus on you I cannot fathom, since I danced with Meg Lawrence as well. Although, in all fairness, we probably made a less spectacular showing ..

“This is one attention you needn’t envy, cousin,” Chas
said. “Unless you find the odds more promising than I do?”

Hayden smiled.

“Who taught you to dance so anyway?” he asked. “Not
that stuffy old dancing master you used to moan about.
Hasefuss. No, Heizfast ..

“Herr Fass,” Chas corrected, yanking his cravat free to
begin anew. “No, not Herr Fass. But his daughter..

Hayden laughed.

“Chas, I shall miss you” He realized what that implied.
“Only for the nonce, of course. You are certain you must be
off to Kent today?”

“I must see Clare. I’m thinking I might need his help in
some way.”

Hayden’s eyebrows rose.

“Surely me pater … Braughton..

“No, I cannot ask him. I owe Clare my time. If I start
what I can, perhaps he will more equably bear with a delay.
And if I am not long for this world,” he turned from the
mirror, “at least I shall leave the plans for Abbey Clare as a
legacy.”

“Most men might leave offspring as a legacy,” Hayden
suggested mildly.

“I fear that is beyond my present capability.”

Hayden laughed again.

“Only if one has your preference, of course-for sowing
cedars instead of wild oats”

Chas smiled.

“You are planning to call on the ladies today?”

“Of course. I don’t need instruction in manners, Chas,
though you appear to. You don’t wish to make your intentions clear to Sutcliffe by accompanying me?”

“I made my intentions very clear last night. The gentlemen at White’s seem to have understood.”

“And Miss Lawrence-does she understand?”

Chas shrugged.

“It does not signify,” he said, though he was conscious
of an uncomfortable pressure in his chest.

Hayden eyed him.

“There is some speculation I have an interest in the
youngster-Miss Lucinda,” he drawled. “The attention
cannot hurt the chit. She’s a spirited little thing. It might be
some sport to elevate her prospects. Though I believe she
already has a tendre for the Oxford boy-same year as
Clare’s brat, by the by-that studious Mr. Wembly.”

“Lucy?” Chas asked incredulously.

“Yes. She had that funny little way of dismissin’ him
and invitin’ him at the same time. I tell you I know these females, Chas. Usually on to ‘em within a few minutes at
most. Little Lucinda Lawrence I can understand. Not at all
like your Meg-with those big eyes all sincere and soulful.
I tell you, it’s not to be borne. Better to have as much deception on a woman’s part as a man’s. Otherwise there’s no
fun in the game” He spoke with unusual heat.

“If I did not know you very well, Myles, I might think
you protest too much”

Hayden waved a languid hand.

“Merely observin’, Chas”

“All the same-should you win your bet-Meg Lawrence
might do worse than the Marquis of Hayden”

For a moment their glances held.

“Come to think of it,” Hayden said, “you’ve that same
look in your eyes, Chas. It asks too much of a chap, I tell
you. You two are better off gazin’ at each other than anyone
else. ‘Twould solve the problem.” He rose from his seat. “I
might wish to know your plans with regard to Sutcliffe. Not
that I intend to do anything about ‘em, mind”

“I shall let him stew. Time is to my advantage.”

“You’ve no fears for the girl?”

“Yes” Chas drew a breath. “Yes, but there’s nothing else
to be done. Her father and brother have looked after her
until now. They must do so a while longer.”

“The stakes have been raised. Sutcliffe may press.”

“I shall be away a week at most. Do not let him know
where I am. ‘Twill keep him off balance. When I return I
shall tweak his nose a bit more. Sutcliffe has no disciplineat least as regards Meg Lawrence. Eventually he will pop.”

“Guard your back in the meantime, Chas, for that serpent Sutcliffe may not pop just when and where you wish.
And there is Mulmgren.”

“Point taken, cousin. And now I must stop off briefly to
see Grandmere on my way. She will have heard of this..

“Ah, Chas!” Hayden shook his head. “Now I know you
are braver than I!”

Meg and Lucy were at home to callers later that day. A
host of young men came by to pay their respects, to sample
the offerings of Aunt Pru’s chef, and in general to strut,
preen, and talk a great deal of nonsense.

Meg had suffered it for more than an hour and was about
to surrender her seat to yet another caller when Thwaite the butler announced the Marquis of Hayden, accompanied by
the Viscounts Demarest and Knowles and the Honorable
Mr. George Gillen.

The marquis, adorned most elegantly, strolled in, to the
stupefied amazement of the drawing room’s occupants. He
acknowledged first Aunt Pru, then Meg, then Lucy, and
proceeded to repose himself on the settee by the front window. The several lesser luminaries who had followed him
in then began conversing in an acceptably lively and courteous manner, which Meg was gratified to note pleased her
sister and aunt immensely. The other young men present
knew Lucinda had been singularly honored.

Meg contented herself with as little conversation as she
felt she could spare. Lord Hayden’s visit was proper and
welcome, but most unexpected all the same. Knowing that
the man had played an essential role in the previous night’s
ruse made Meg both curious and anxious. She wondered if
it were true that Cabot wished to provoke Sutcliffe in some
manner-even to the extreme of a duel.

Though the marquis sat quite a distance away from her,
Meg was aware that his gaze was often fixed upon her. He
was Cabot’s cousin. Was he his confidant? And where was
Cabot?

The marquis’s interest turned again, as it had several
times before, to the street outside, where a fine afternoon
drizzle had just begun. Meg looked for similarities with his
cousin. Apart from sharing height and an attractive selfconfidence, their features were also much akin. The nose,
certainly-and perhaps something in the forehead and line
of the jaw. At last conscious that she searched for a resemblance because she missed the original, Meg pointedly applied herself to the chatter of the visitors seated nearest
her. Lord Hayden rarely spoke, and then only to utter a bon
mot worthy of laughter. Meg thought him rather an extraordinary personage.

When Aunt Pru signaled that the session was at an end
by rising and moving to the door, Meg and Lucy went to
her side to accept their callers’ farewells.

Hayden and Lord Knowles were the last to rouse themselves for departure. Lord Hayden flattered Lucy and then
Aunt Pru with his compliments on their company and their
household, watched them curtsy and turn toward Knowles,
then looked to Meg.

“Mr. Wembly is a fine young man,” he said softly.

“Harry Wembly?” Meg asked, startled because Harry
had not been among their guests that afternoon. “Yes …
Yes he is.”

“I understand he means to take orders.”

“That is what he has told me, milord.”

With a considering glance at Lucy, in animated conversation with the garrulous Knowles, the marquis said, “That
would be most suitable.”

Meg stayed silent as Hayden’s gaze returned to hers.
“M’cousin regrets he could not attend this afternoon. He
hopes he did not offend last night?”

“No. No of course not” Meg managed somehow to hold
his discerning blue gaze. But she asked low and urgently,
“Where is he?”

“Kent,” he said. “He has gone to Clare. He will be back,”
he smiled, “shortly”

Meg gently shook her head.

“You must … keep him away”

For an instant the blue gaze was even sharper. Then he
smiled broadly.

“I regret, Miss Lawrence, it cannot be done.”

With a very low bow he took his leave, trailed by the still
voluble Knowles. As the two reached the front door, Bertie,
damp from the afternoon’s rain, bounded in at the doorstep.

“Ah, my Lord Hayden, Lord Knowles. How d’you do?”

“I wonder, Lawrence, if you would stop outside here
with me a moment?” Hayden asked as he donned his cloak
and hat.

Bertie looked surprised but quickly assented, and the men
stepped out into the rain. Mystified, Meg remained in the
hall after her aunt and Lucy retired. Two minutes later her
brother returned, shaking himself like a wet puppy. As he
yielded his cloak to Thwaite and said something low he noticed Meg lingering at the drawing room door.

“Allo, Meggie!” he said, rather too cheerfully.