The Wicked Baron
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He raised his head and stared down at her. Carlotta gazed up at him so trustingly and with a sudden, startling clarity he knew it would not do. This was not how he would show his love to Carlotta.
‘This has gone far enough,’ he muttered, almost to himself.
He got to his feet and held out his hand. Her brows contracted and she looked at him with bewildered, frightened eyes.
‘What is it?’ she whispered. ‘Have I done something wrong?’
His smile was strained as he pulled her to her feet.
‘Not you, sweetheart.’ He brushed his lips against her mouth in a fleeting, butterfly kiss. ‘You are everything I could wish for, but this is not right, not here, on the bare floor of an empty house. You deserve so much more than that.’ He looked towards the window. ‘I think the rain has stopped. We must get you home.’
There was an uncomfortable silence. Carlotta did not move.
‘I thought you were going to teach me to waltz.’
She sounded so lost that he had to stifle the temptation to take her in his arms again. He reached out to pull her cloak back over her shoulders.
‘I am no saint, Carlotta.’ He bent to pick up the candlestick.
‘You are not angry with me?’
He lifted her hand, pressing a kiss into the palm. ‘No, love. I am not angry with you.’
No, he had not been angry with her then, but now, as he led Carlotta on to the crowded dance floor, it occurred to him that he had been wrong about her; even then she had been trying to catch herself a rich husband.
With all the pleasure of someone walking to the scaffold, Carlotta accompanied Lord Darvell onto the dance floor. His hand beneath her arm was stiff; indeed, she thought his whole body was rigid with disapproval. She summoned up all her courage to help her through this ordeal. Anger came to her aid. What right had he to disapprove of her? When they took their places in the set she put up her chin and gazed steadily at some point over his shoulder. The music began; they held hands, moved forward until they were almost touching, the delicate flowers of her corsage trembling within an inch of his waistcoat. She must concentrate on her steps and forget her partner. There was no need for them to talk, after all. However, she soon discovered that Luke had other ideas.
‘Why did you change your name to Rivington?’ he asked her suddenly.
‘It is in deference to my aunt and uncle. They have been very good to me.’
‘And perhaps you are ashamed of your origins.’
‘I am not! It is not unusual to take the name of one’s benefactor.’ She almost snatched her hand away as the dance parted them. Insufferable man! He was determined to think badly of her. Carlotta’s head came up: she would not court his good opinion.
Luke fought down his anger. Damnation, one could not have an argument in the middle of a ballroom. The movement of the dance took him past his partner and he almost laughed aloud at the fury of her look. One had to admit those dark eyes flashed magnificently when she was angry. It seemed she planned to ignore him for the duration of the dance, but he would have none of it. The chit should learn that she must at least show him society manners.
‘How are you enjoying London, Miss Rivington?’
‘Very well, I thank you.’
He waited, and when she did not continue he raised his brows. ‘Is that all? Have you no praises to heap upon the entertainments and the shopping to be had in town?’
‘If I did so, you would write me down as a thoughtless, frippery creature.’
‘You would prefer me to think you sullen, and above being pleased.’
‘I do not care what you think of me,’ she told him in a low voice.
Luke growled with frustration. Blast it, why should the chit anger him so? He gave a harsh laugh. ‘Be careful with your scowls, Carlotta,’ he hissed as they parted again. ‘The wind may change and you will never smile again.’
Carlotta reined in her irritation. All around her the dancers were laughing and enjoying themselves. It would not do to let the world see she was arguing with her partner. As they came back together she said sweetly, ‘Thank you for the timely reminder, my lord. Because you cannot help your temper, it is no reason for me to lose mine.’
His smile was as false as her own, but his eyes glittered dangerously. She sought for something commonplace to say.
‘We are very fortunate with the weather, are we not? It is warm enough to make fires unnecessary, yet still cool enough to make dancing a pleasure.’ He did not reply. She thought he looked very much as if he was grinding his teeth. Carlotta raised her brows. ‘Come, my lord. When I go to such trouble to converse, surely you can make the effort to respond.’
‘Since we are now at the end of the dance I am spared the necessity.’
She put her fingers on his arm and allowed him to lead her off the floor. ‘We are both spared,’ she muttered. ‘We need no longer be polite to one another.’
‘I noticed no politeness, Miss Rivington.’
Carlotta’s eyes narrowed, but there was no opportunity to reply, since they had reached Lady Broxted, who was deep in conversation with her hostess. Lord Darvell left them without a word, but to Carlotta’s relief her aunt did not appear to notice. Instead she caught Carlotta’s hand and pulled her closer.
‘My dear, we are discussing the most delightful scheme. Mrs Price informs me that Madame Saqui is performing at Vauxhall next week and we are minded to get up a party—what do you think of that?’
‘Madame Saqui?’
‘She is a rope walker,’ explained Mrs Price. ‘Quite a sensation. She first performed at Vauxhall last year and was so successful that she had been retained.’
‘Well, Carlotta, would you like to see her?’
‘Very much, Aunt, thank you.’
Mrs Price clapped her hands.
‘Then it is settled. We shall all go together. And I shall find two young gentlemen to accompany us, for I am sure you and Julia will enjoy yourselves much more if you each have a handsome escort.’ A commotion at the door caused her to look up. ‘Now, who is this come in at this late hour? I had not expected anyone else to turn up—good heavens, it is Ainslowe and his new wife!’
As Mrs Price hurried away, Carlotta stood on tiptoe to see the couple at the door. Even from a distance she recognised James Ainslowe. He was not quite as tall as his brother, but he had the same nut-brown hair and an ease of manner that expressed itself in the charming smile he now bent upon his hostess. Carlotta could imagine him apologising for his late arrival, treating Mrs Price to the same glinting smile that Luke had shown her when they had been together at Malberry. The memory gave her an empty, hollow feeling inside. She instantly quashed it and turned her attention to Mrs James Ainslowe. She was a lively brunette with a generous figure that was shown to advantage in a lowcut gown of bronze broché silk and a matching jockey cap over her glossy curls. A gold tassel on the cap swung to and fro as she carried on an animated conversation with her hostess. Carlotta heard Lady Broxted’s smothered exclamation.
‘Is anything wrong, Aunt?’
‘I could wish they had stayed in Berkshire a little longer,’ muttered Lady Broxted. ‘What if they should recognise you?’
Carlotta laughed at that. ‘That is not possible! They were on the Continent when I was at Malberry.’
‘You must be very careful, Carlotta, not to disclose your real name.’
‘I thought we had already agreed that, ma’am.’ She hesitated. ‘Would it be so very dreadful, Aunt, if it were known that my father was an artist?’
‘It would be embarrassing for your uncle, my dear, and for me. So much better that no one asks about your parents.’
Carlotta felt a little tremor of unease. ‘Perhaps then it would be best if we lived a little more retired. Surely there is no need for you to puff me off quite so much.’
Lady Broxted stared at her. ‘Do you not wish to go about, my love?’
Carlotta hesitated. Looking into her aunt’s anxious face, she realised that her aunt’s pleasure in the balls and parties they attended was more than equal to her own and she could not disappoint her.
‘Yes, of course I do, Aunt, but I would not embarrass you for the world. Perhaps we could avoid Mr and Mrs Ainslowe…’
‘No, I am afraid that is impossible; they will be seen everywhere and you must be seen everywhere, too.’ My lady drew herself up to her full, if diminutive, height. ‘We must hope that your identity is not discovered, at least until we have you safely married. There is no reason why we should not carry it off. After all, there is no one here who knows you, is there?’
Carlotta knew that this was the moment to confess the truth, but she remained silent. She watched Lord Darvell cross the room to greet the new arrivals and her heart sank. It was clear that Luke was on very good terms with his brother and sister-in-law; doubtless he would tell them all about his dalliance with the painter’s daughter. It seemed very likely that by the end of the evening all Lady Broxted’s hopes for her would be at an end.
***
Luke gripped his brother’s hand. ‘James! When did you arrive in town?’
‘This morning. Adele was desperate to buy new gowns.’
‘Nonsense!’ cried his wife, turning from Mrs Price. ‘You were just as anxious to get to town. Luke, my dear, how are you? As handsome as ever, I see.’
‘And you are even more enchanting,’ replied Luke, kissing her hand. ‘How did you find the Court?’
‘It is beautiful; thank you for your efforts. Kemble told us you were at Malberry for weeks.’
‘Yes, thank you,’ said James. ‘I really did not expect you to do more than look in on the place once or twice.’
‘Poor Luke,’ said Adele. ‘Was it very tedious for you?’
Luke wanted to say that, surprisingly, it had been some of the happiest weeks of his life, but that would invite questions, and Adele was damnably perceptive. He dared not risk it.
‘I endured it as long as I could,’ he replied coolly. ‘However, I thought you would stay there longer.’
Adele shook her head, sighing. ‘We have had nothing but each other’s company for the best part of a month.’
‘An ideal arrangement,’ murmured Luke, grinning, and earned for himself a sharp tap on the arm from Adele’s fan.
‘You may stop those knowing looks at once! James and I are very much in need of company before we murder one another.’
‘Aye.’ Her loving husband smiled. ‘So we thought we would come to town for a few weeks, then take a party back to the Court with us for the summer.’
‘You will come, won’t you, Luke?’
‘Of course, Adele. That is, unless anything better comes along.’
She gave a gurgle of laughter. ‘How I have missed your teasing! We have been abroad for so long, and everyone there was so serious.’ She tucked her hand in his arm. ‘Come, we have not seen you since Paris. One can never say everything properly in a letter, so you must tell me all you have been doing and then we will arrange for you to accompany me to Bond Street.’
‘Surely that is your husband’s duty.’
She waved one gloved hand. ‘Alas, James has no eye for colour.’
Luke began to back away. ‘I regret, Adele, that I have a great many engagements—’
‘Nonsense, you cannot be too busy to take me shopping.’
He cast a despairing look at James, who merely laughed.
‘No use appealing to me, Luke. I’ve come to town for my own amusement. You are always at your ease with the ladies, you will enjoy yourself!’
Chapter Three
Lady Broxted emerged from the milliner’s shop and stopped, blinking in the sunlight. ‘Well, Carlotta, where shall we go now?’
Following her aunt out on to the flag way, Carlotta gave a little sigh. ‘Must we go anywhere else, Aunt? We have bought so many gloves and shoes and hats that I dare not think what my uncle will say.’
‘Tush, child, what should he say? Broxted knows how it is in town. One’s gloves soon become soiled and the dirty streets quite ruin one’s shoes.’
‘And the bonnets, ma’am?’ asked Carlotta, regarding the hatboxes carried by a wooden-faced footman.
‘One can never have too many hats,’ opined Lady Broxted firmly. ‘Now, let us go in here, for, having seen how well you look in green, I am determined that you shall have a new silk dress for the evenings.’
‘Pray, ma’am, do not go in,’ begged Carlotta. ‘I have been sized up, measured and pulled this way and that until I am quite exhausted with it—’ She broke off, realising that Lady Broxted was not listening.
Following her aunt’s intent gaze, she saw Mrs Adele Ainslowe approaching. However, when she observed Adele’s escort she was aware of a sudden feeling of breathlessness—her heart seemed to be fighting to escape her body.
‘Dear me,’ muttered Lady Broxted, ‘how did she persuade Darvell to come shopping with her? Mrs Ainslowe, Lord Darvell, how do you do?’
Adele stopped and gave them her wide smile. ‘Good day to you, Lady Broxted, and this must be your pretty niece that everyone is talking of. Pray won’t you introduce us? I heard that you were at the Prices’ assembly, Miss Rivington,’ she continued once this office had been performed. ‘I am ashamed to admit that James and I came in very late, and there was not time to meet everyone.’
Carlotta answered as best she could. She was very much aware of Luke standing behind his sister-in-law. She was also a little overawed by Mrs Ainslowe’s vivacity. She had thought her very good-natured when she had first seen her and now, at such close proximity, her impression was confirmed; she could see the humour twinkling in her green eyes. Adele was looking past her, taking in the parcels piled up in the arms of Lady Broxted’s hapless footmen.
‘So,’ she continued, ‘we are on the same errand, I collect. We have been shopping all morning. Poor Darvell is quite out of patience with me. Tell me, is that little Frenchwoman still trading at the end of the street? Madame Beaufaire, the milliner. I was always able to find something I liked there, but last Season she was talking of returning to Paris, now the war is over.’
‘Yes, yes, Madame Beaufaire is still there,’ replied Lady Broxted, adding with a triumphant little smile, ‘we have just purchased a new bonnet of leghorn straw from her for Carlotta…’
Mrs Ainslowe laughed gaily. ‘Then you will be all the rage, my dear, and we shall all be looking daggers at you when you wear it! But this is your first time in London, is it not, Miss Rivington? Tell me how you find Bond Street.’
‘Exhausting,’ Lady Broxted answered before Carlotta could speak. ‘My poor niece is crying quits before we have completed even one side of the street, which is a great shame, because I did so want to visit the silk mercers of Covent Garden.’
Carlotta gave a rueful smile. ‘I am sure one soon grows accustomed, but it is all so new to me. You must forgive me; my senses are quite overcome by so many shops, so many wonderful things displayed. I am very much afraid that if I have to make one more purchase, I shall be completely undone.’
‘Well, then, I have the very thing,’ cried Mrs Ainslowe. ‘We shall change partners. Lady Broxted and I will finish our shopping together while Darvell escorts Miss Rivington back to Berkeley Square.’
‘Oh, no, ma’am!’ cried Carlotta, appalled. ‘Truly I am not tired, I was merely funning.’
Luke bent a frowning look upon his sister-in-law. ‘Pray, Adele, do not be so overbearing.’
She gave him a mischievous smile, but turned to address Carlotta. ‘My dear Miss Rivington, I can see that you are quite done up. You must accept this opportunity to rest. Let Darvell take you home; he dislikes shopping as much as you and has been wishing himself elsewhere for the past hour. Your aunt and I can enjoy ourselves for a while longer, then we shall follow you. What do you say, Lady Broxted?’
‘You are looking a little tired, Carlotta.’
‘No, really, I couldn’t leave you, Aunt—’
Mrs Ainslowe raised her hand. ‘Do not think we are putting ourselves out for you, Miss Rivington. This arrangement will suit us all. And you need not fear any impropriety; one of Lady Broxted’s footmen shall walk behind you.’
‘Well, if Lord Darvell does not object to taking my niece home…’
Carlotta could see that her aunt was weakening. ‘No, really, I could not impose upon Lord Darvell!’
She was ignored. Lord Darvell was bowing.
‘Nothing would give me greater pleasure, ma’am.’ He spoke with studied indifference and Carlotta cringed. ‘Well, Miss Rivington, shall we leave these ladies to their hedonistic pursuits?’
She was trapped. There was nothing she could say that would not sound churlish and ungrateful.
‘There, now!’ cried Mrs Ainslowe, beaming. ‘Take good care of her, Luke. Tell James I shall send for the carriage later to collect me from Broxted House.’
The two parties went their separate ways. Carlotta stared ahead of her. At Malberry she had wanted nothing more than to be alone with Luke but here, even with Lady Broxted’s footman walking a few paces behind, she felt very tense. It was as though she was walking beside a wild beast. A tiger, perhaps, that might pounce on her at any moment. However, when he spoke, Luke’s tone was perfectly polite.
‘My new sister is a minx,’ he remarked. ‘She likes to organise everyone her own way. I must apologise for her.’
‘Not at all,’ murmured Carlotta cautiously. ‘I like her; she is very…very refreshing.’
He laughed. ‘When you have known her a little longer, you will call her exhausting. She has so much energy to expend on her friends, especially when it comes to matchmaking. Tell Adele your requirements, Miss Rivington, and she will have you fixed up with a rich husband before you can blink an eye.’
Hellfire! Luke swore under his breath. What had made him say that? He had been surprised at the lightness of spirit he felt at the prospect of having Carlotta to himself for the short walk to Berkeley Square. She looked so pretty with that straw bonnet framing her face, the dark brown ribbons matching her eyes. He wanted to put their quarrel behind them, but his joking remark had come too soon. He sensed her drawing away from him.
‘I beg your pardon, I—’
She waved her hand, saying airily, ‘Pray do not apologise, my lord, it is an excellent notion. I am sure Mrs Ainslowe must know all the most eligible gentlemen in town. And she will not be shocked by my ambition—after all, your brother married her for her fortune, did he not?’
Luke ground his teeth. ‘I’ll have you know that James is very much in love with his wife!’
‘I am sure he is,’ came the honey-sweet reply. ‘But I’d wager the fortune does not detract from their happiness. Perhaps we could ask him, for he is even now approaching us.’
‘We shall do no such thing,’ he retorted as James hailed them from across the street.
‘Luke, well met!’
James tossed a coin to the crossing sweeper and came up to them, a look of enquiry upon his features. Luke performed the introduction almost reluctantly and Carlotta held out her hand.
‘Mr Ainslowe, how do you do, sir? I was speaking to your wife but ten minutes since.’
Luke glanced down at the little figure beside him. She was smiling shyly up at James, showing no sign of the scheming minx he knew her to be. James, damn him, was beaming back at her, obviously enchanted.
‘Were you, by Gad? I thought she had prevailed upon Luke here to take her shopping.’
‘She did, but she has met a kindred spirit in Lady Broxted,’ explained Luke. ‘Miss Rivington, however, has made her purchases and I am escorting her back to Broxted House. Where are you going, brother? I did not know you would be coming out today or I would have let you escort your own wife.’
‘It wasn’t my plan to come this way, but I was at Brooks’s last evening with a party of friends, and I am now off to collect my winnings from Sir Gilbert Mattingwood. Quite rolled up, he is. Poor Gil, almost lost his boots last night and did not have the means to pay me, so he told me to call on him today at his lodgings in Dean Street, which is where I am going now.’ He took out his watch and studied it. ‘By Jove, is that the time? I had best get on; there is a house sale in Curzon Street later today and I thought I might give it a look. I fancy there are one or two nice pieces of Sèvres that would look very well at Malberry Court. So—your servant, Miss Rivington; good day to you, Luke.’
James strode away and Luke set off again. He was aware that Carlotta was watching him and said irritably, ‘Very well, I will admit that James could not be fitting out his house in such grand style if Adele had not brought a fortune with her. But there is a very strong affection between them.’
‘I am sure there is,’ was all she would say, but her soothing tones made his fingers itch to strangle her.
He took his leave of her at the door of Lord Broxted’s residence, but as he bowed over her hand, a thought struck him. ‘Tell me, Miss Rivington, once you have married your fortune, how do you propose to enjoy it, if you are so ill disposed to shop?’
There was a flash of anger in her eyes but it was gone in a moment. She said haughtily, ‘It is the proximity of all those other shoppers that disgusts me, my lord. When I have my fortune, then the merchants will come to me.’
As the door closed behind her, Carlotta felt an immediate surge of remorse that her antipathy for Lord Darvell had prompted her to utter such an ill-bred comment. She ran up to her room, trying to shut out the look of surprised contempt that she had seen in his face at her words. It was the second time she had seen that look in his eyes and it hurt, even though she knew she deserved it. She sat before her mirror and tried to tidy her curls, which had been sadly flattened by her bonnet.
‘What if he does think me mercenary?’ she asked her reflection. ‘I do not care a fig for his opinion!’
Nevertheless, the feeling of guilt persisted, even though she tempered it with anger at Darvell for being so easily persuaded to think ill of her. Had he learned nothing of her character in those weeks at Malberry Court? It was bad enough that he should consider her capable of chasing a rich husband, unforgivable that he should think that she, with so little herself, should be disdainful of others.
Such reflections made Carlotta more conscious of her behaviour, so that when Mrs Price sent a note to inform them of her plans for their visit to Vauxhall Gardens she was careful not to utter one word of dissent.
‘There are to be eight of us,’ remarked Lady Broxted, scanning the letter. ‘That will be a squeeze at supper, but we shall manage.’
‘Who is going, Aunt?’
‘Let me see…Mr and Mrs Price, naturally, and Mrs Price depends upon my bringing Broxted. I shall have to work on him, for in general he is not fond of such entertainments, which is why it is such a joy for me to have you here, my love, to share in my pleasure. Then there is Julia, and you…oh, and she has engaged Lord Fairbridge and Mr Woollatt to join us. Splendid. How merry we shall be.’
‘Yes, splendid.’
Carlotta smiled and tried to sound enthusiastic. Mr and Mrs Price’s boisterous spirits would more than compensate for her uncle’s retiring nature. She suspected that Julia and Lord Fairbridge would wish for nothing better than to spend an evening together, and Mr Woollatt might be a little dull, but he was perfectly respectable. Besides, there would be Madame Saqui and the fireworks to entertain them all. She told herself it would indeed be a splendid party.
An unseasonably cold spell of weather on the appointed day persuaded Lady Broxted to advise Carlotta to wear her new round gown of blue bombazine with a matching pelisse.
‘I had thought it would not be needed until much later in the year, but it will not do for you to catch a chill, my love.’ Lady Broxted watched her niece putting the final touches to her dress. ‘And you should wear your new kid boots, too, for the rain has left the ground very wet underfoot.’ She went to the door. ‘Mrs Price says we are to take the water to Vauxhall rather than the new bridge—will that not be a treat?’