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“Is with my mother feeding the ducks, and will be only too pleased to welcome you when he returns. In the meantime, I am proxy to my parents and husband, and it is my desire that you accompany me on a short walk. I shall take you to see Papa. Very correct, yes, but we shall go via the pinery where no one will see us.”
Teddy, she noticed with pleasure, seemed rather overwhelmed by the force of her reception, but he was certainly amenable when she pressed him against the glass of the hothouse and twined her arms about his neck. For they were well hidden by the leafy foliage of the greenery, and Araminta’s desire was clearly matched by his own.
“Darling girl,” he murmured between kisses. “I never expected to get a greeting like this.”
Unfortunately, their trysting was cut short by the cries of Jane on the other side of the door, exclaiming that more guests had arrived and there was not a soul to greet them.
Reluctantly, Araminta smoothed her hair and dress and emerged onto the portico steps to do her duty, while Teddy continued into the garden where she directed him to meet with her father who was in the potting shed.
This time, it was Lord Silverton issuing out of his carriage whose arm Araminta took in coy pretense of being delighted that he’d arrived a day earlier than expected.
“My betrothed was delayed, but arrangements are that she will arrive here tomorrow in time for the ball before the theatrical entertainment.” He gazed with admiration around Araminta’s lovely home. “I don’t wonder you chose to languish here awhile. This is a most charming neck of the woods. My ancestral seat is very cold and draughty by comparison.”
“Miss Mandelton will supply the woman’s touch needed, no doubt.” Araminta conducted him into the drawing room while his trunk was carried upstairs. “I am so looking forward to meeting her. She must be very beautiful and accomplished to have earned your especial favor, my lord, when the debutantes were falling over themselves to be your partner in the waltz, I couldn’t help noticing at Lady Garvey’s ball last week.”
Naturally, she wasn’t going to mention the London actress with whom she’d heard he was now publicly linked, for, of course, she should know nothing about that. Actually, just the thought of Kitty La Bijou made her feel ill, reminding her again of her necklace and Debenham’s angry protests that he’d get to the bottom of how it had left Araminta’s possession and emerged around Miss Bijou’s neck.
His words just brought back nightmarish memories of that frightful night, when she’d given birth too early after Miss Bijou had taken her to the hovel of that dreadful woman, Mrs. Mobbs. The occasion had ended as well as could be expected, and it was a huge relief to be reassured that Miss Bijou remained in ignorance of what had occurred, and for Araminta to learn that, in fact, the actress had gained possession of the necklace through other channels, though she was not exactly sure of the details. It was, however, a natural assumption that Mrs. Mobbs had sold it to obtain the funds required to see that the child Araminta had given birth to too early was brought up in comfort.
“Miss Mandelton is a very deserving and admirable young lady.” Lord Silverton had paused so long Araminta had forgotten what they were talking about. She laughed softly. “Deserving and admirable are not the epithets I would choose to be remembered by.”
“You could not be more different from Miss Mandelton, I assure you,” he murmured, and Araminta raised her eyebrows, surprised at his tone but leaving the subject as he appeared not to wish to dwell on the young lady.
But then her mama and the rest of that party emerged from the trees to the east of the lake where poor Edgar had drowned, and there was Cousin Stephen playing with baby Celia, throwing her up in the air while the others looked on and laughed.
Really, Araminta had no idea why people made such a fuss of babies since they didn’t do anything agreeable. But it was easy to smile for she could hear Teddy conversing with her father nearby, and now they both arrived at the top of the stairs outside where she was gazing out at the others.
She smiled even more and reassured him appropriately when Teddy remarked, “It was very good of you to sacrifice the pleasure of enjoying the children with the others and instead greet the guests. Are you sure you’re not cold?”
For the first time since Araminta could remember, the house was bursting with good cheer, and Araminta couldn’t wait for Teddy to see her in her new silver and blue sarcenet gown with its lavishly-embroidered bodice and hem festooned with roses. The evening promised to be balmy, and she’d already decided upon a very diverting walk on which she planned to take him. The summer house would be the perfect trysting place, though it had bad memories for Hetty, who’d stood on the banks of the little lake and screamed her distress at seeing Edgar’s upturned boat near the island, and then Edgar’s body and a thrashing Lady Julia dragged to shore by Cousin Stephen. That was barely two years ago, yet it seemed an eternity now.
She shuddered at the memory, glad that she’d never been forced to endure, socially, dreadful Lady Julia’s company since then, though she’d heard rumors that she and her husband spent increasing amounts of time apart since she’d done her duty and provided him with three sons. Araminta didn’t think she’d ever met a more scheming, conniving piece of work in her life than the wife of Sir Archie Ledger.
Chapter 5
Silverton was glad when Lady Debenham dropped the subject of his intended, and he was able to move on to greet the rest of the party. He wasn’t at all sure it was a good idea to meet Octavia here, but apparently Lady Debenham had already invited her, and Octavia, who rarely enjoyed social invitations, had been in transports.
The normally placid Octavia seemed to be in transports over everything if her letters told the truth. When she wasn’t waxing lyrical over the cheeky exploits of her beloved King Charles Spaniel, Poppet, she constantly credited Silverton with gilding her future, which made him feel ill with guilt.
“Were it not for your immense gallantry, I would have been destined to molder into an early grave through boredom and lack of appreciation, but you have given me something worthwhile to which to aspire,” she had written in her last letter. “Not only will I endeavor to be the worthiest of wives, but at last I can make a difference and continue your mother’s legacy of providing hope and opportunity to so many, including those who toil on your estates.”
Oh, Miss Octavia was the worthiest of women and no doubt she’d be true to every word she penned. Silverton’s mother was finding it physically taxing to carry out the modest charity work she had long enjoyed, but by all accounts, Octavia was with her daily to expedite the aging beauty’s various whims. At least once a week Silverton received a long letter from the dowager telling him how pleasingly and modestly her future daughter-in-law conducted herself and assisted Lady Silverton in virtually every activity these days.
Octavia’s pleasure and gratitude were heavy burdens for Silverton to bear, when all he could dream about was being wrapped in Kitty’s loving embrace. Dear God, he didn’t know a man could love so deeply.
At least he would meet Octavia on neutral ground. That was, perhaps, some solace, for if she suspected his heart was less engaged than she’d claimed she required for their marriage to take place, he could make a better show of appearing the devoted husband-to-be here than he could in the midst of London revels where he was forever in a fever of impatience to be reunited with
Kitty after each Covent Garden show.
“Silverton, glad you could make it.” Stephen Cranborne clapped him on the shoulder, matching his steps to his as he was ushered up the portico steps while a flurry of servants attended to his luggage. “I hope your mother is well.”
Silverton nodded. Before he’d left to visit his estate in Norfolk’s north, he’d mentioned to Cranborne that his mother had taken a mild turn; however, Octavia had reassured him all was well. So it was hardly surprising Cranborne directed his inquiries after his betrothed.
Upon hearing Miss Mandelton’s name, Araminta’s sister, Hetty—Lady Banks—removed herself from her husband’s side to say, “I’ve heard so much about Miss Mandelton’s goodness. I can’t wait to meet her. She can be assured of a warm welcome here, for I believe she’s very shy. You’ve known her forever, haven’t you?”
“We grew up together, yes.” Silverton hoped he’d injected sufficient warmth into his voice. “And thank you for your kind words.”
As soon as Hetty moved away, Cranborne put his head close to Silverton’s, pretending more small talk perhaps, when his words were full of portent. “Have you heard anything from Debenham pertaining to the Princess Caroline?”
