Page 36 of The Devil to Pay

Selina walked on, considering her options. If she did go, what would she wear? Her wardrobe was hideous, that much she knew. Her gowns had been washed and made over too many times, but there was no money to spare on something so frivolous. Except, this was her future… and that was not frivolous. No one else was going to look out for her, that much was clear.

There would be no knight in shining armour to save her, she told herself, resolutely not thinking about Mark Briggs.

Mama had loved the latest fashions and always worn fabulous dresses in lovely fabrics. Selina remembered carefully packing them all away and sobbing her heart out as she did so. Oh, how she missed her beautiful mama. But her dresses were here, and she knew her mother would want her to use them. Of course, they were years out of style, and her mama had been far smaller, but perhaps she could reuse the fabric from two dresses, to make one new for herself. The dressmaker she had used for Abigail's new gowns in Monmouth might not do for fashionable London ladies, but she was clever with a needle, and thrifty too, which Selina approved of. She was certain she would not turn her nose up at such a challenge. Well, then, that was decided.

Selina turned on her heel and strode back towards home. There were two dresses she had in mind that ought to do the job. She would fetch them and get Jonah, their coachman, to take her into Monmouth. With the dance being held in only four days, there was no time to lose.

Chapter 13

Jules,

I hate to say it, but I think you’d best get back to town. You had better prepare your defence as it seems you may need it. Lord Haversham seems intent on dragging you and his wife through the dirt, no matter that it will illuminate him in a less than becoming light. Lady Haversham tells me she has friends who will stand by her and give evidence that his Lordship is a tyrant and treated his wife abominably, not that it will do her much good as far as the trial goes but it will sway sympathy to her cause. She begged me to send you her apologies for the appalling mess she got you into and to ask you to forgive her for being so indiscreet. She said for her part, despite everything, she does not regret it. I think she’s a fair way in love with you, Jules, but for heaven’s sake, keep away from her when you return. It will do neither of you any good to be seen in her company.

―Excerpt of a letter to The Most Hon’ble Jules Adolphus, Marquess of Blackstone (eldest son of Their Graces Robert and Prunella Adolphus, The Duke and Duchess of Bedwin) from Mr Leo Hunt (son of Mr and Mrs Nathanial and Alice Hunt).

4th March 1845, Llun-y-mynydd, Monmouthshire.

By the time Selina returned from her trip into Monmouth, it was dark, and she assumed everyone would have had their supper without her as she had warned Hilly to tell them she might be late returning. Mark would certainly have taken himself off after the way she’d run out on him that morning and she had no expectation of finding him at the house at such a late hour. No doubt he’d gone back to wherever he came from, now he knew she was the kind of female that took to her heels if he tried to flirt with her. It was an uncomfortable thought, but she told herself briskly that it was for the best and she didn’t care a fig where he went. The heavy sensation in her chest said otherwise, but she wouldn’t think about that. He was gone, and that was all that mattered.

That being the case, it surprised her to hear laughter coming from the library, of all places. The children never went in there, partly because she discouraged them as it was in such disorder, and partly because they had no desire to sit amongst piles of dusty books. Curious to discover what they were up to, she hurried into the room and stopped on the threshold, blinking with surprise.

Though there were still plenty of books to be put in place, they had filled almost the whole of the full height wall opposite the fireplace and the left side of the chimney breast during her absence. Far from having abandoned the project, Mark seemed to have manoeuvred the entire family into helping him, though they were not working now. Instead, he seemed to be teaching them all to play Loo.

In the centre of the table appeared to be half the contents of Selina’s button box, which Mark was cheerfully drawing towards him whilst Abigail, Charlie and—good heavens—Jacob booed him with obvious enjoyment. Jacob never played cards, he certainly never got into the spirit of games and silly pastimes enough to boo and laugh with such obvious enjoyment. Mark, obviously playing the role of a villain out to fleece the silly innocents playing him, gave a theatrical laugh and tugged at an imaginary moustache, an image that was rather spoiled by the way he held Benjamin on his lap, with one big hand securely about the child’s middle. Benjamin reached to swipe one of the buttons, but Mark swiftly pushed the pile a little farther out of reach.

“Now then Ben, my lad, let’s see what cards we have this time,” he said, carefully arranging his hand as the little boy looked on with a frown.

“Red ones,” Benjamin observed brightly.

Mark sighed. “Very true, Ben, but that’s supposed to be a secret.”

“Secret?” Ben said, his eyes lighting up.

Selina felt an odd tug at her heart as her little brother pressed his finger to his lips and made a shushing sound.

Mark laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Exactly right, that’s the ticket. Now come along, young ’uns, have I terrified you into never playing cards for money yet? You’re all up the River Tick without a paddle, you know. I own everything you have. Are you going to withdraw?”

“Not everything!” Abigail said stoutly. “I have two buttons, and Charlie has one, and so does Jacob. So, I vote we pool our resources.”

“Oh, you’re determined to sleep in a ditch tonight, then,” Jules said, shaking his head sadly.

“Not if we win!” Abigail replied, giving Mark a coquettish look from under her eyelashes.

Selina squashed an unwelcome stab of jealousy, though Mark did not react to the flirtatious look, only carried on playing. “Very well. Who is going to play on your behalf?”

“I will, as I’m the one with a brain,” Jacob replied, gaining himself a thump from Charlie and a squeal of reproach from Abigail. “Though we’d best hurry up, Lina don’t approve of gambling. She’ll pitch a fit if she finds us.”

“Oh, will she?” Selina replied, stung.

It was true that she did not approve of gambling in the least. Her father lost shocking amounts of money with tremendous ease whilst his children struggled to dress themselves as they ought, and the roof on the north side of the house leaked. That was not to say she was a killjoy, however, and Mark seemed to be showing them how easily they could lose their money, which was a valuable lesson indeed.

To her dismay, her siblings’ expressions were ones of horror at being discovered. Only Benjamin smiled when he saw her, his chubby face lighting up with pleasure.

“Lina! Jammy playing cards.”

“So I see,” she said with a smile.

Mark was impassive, his countenance watchful, as she closed the door behind her.