A Chance Encounter (10 page)

After Joan
had freshened up, she returned downstairs to the drawing room for afternoon tea. Lady Cassandra had apparently gone upstairs also and had not yet come down.

Joan amused herself while she waited for her ladyship by glancing through a lady’s magazine. She was genuinely interested in the fashion plates, taking particular note of the small changes in waistline placement and hem lengths and the sort of trimmings depicted. She was used to making several of her own ensembles each year, her father’s living having never stretched so far as to pay for a seamstress except for the occasional special gown.

Joan heard conversation in the entry hall, coming closer, and of a sudden she recognized the viscount’s voice. She looked up quickly from her magazine. The next moment the drawing room door opened and the viscount entered with his characteristic quick step.

“My lord! I am glad to see you returned,” she exclaimed, setting aside her magazine. She rose and went to him with her hands outstretched.

Lord Humphrey caught her hands, smiling in his turn. “How are you, my lady? But I hardly need to ask, for I can see that you are very well. My grandmother has not eaten you whole, after all. I am greatly relieved.”

Joan laughed merrily. She disengaged herself to gesture an invitation for him to join her on the settee before she sank down on the cushions. He seated himself beside her. “No, indeed. Lady Cassandra has been a most solicitous hostess. I have learned much from her ladyship. I am truly in her debt for any number of things.”

Lord Humphrey quirked a brow, his disbelief plain in his eyes. “Indeed! Dare I inquire in what way?”

Joan felt warmth start into her face and she put up her hands against her cheeks. She threw him a laughing look. “Oh! You have put me out of countenance—and without the least intention of doing so, I know. Lady Cassandra would have my head if she were to see me. She is forever drumming into me that I must maintain my poise whatever else may be happening about me.”

“That sounds a good deal more like her ladyship,” Lord Humphrey said, laughing. He regarded her with curiosity. “But what should have embarrassed you in my question?”

Joan flashed a warm smile that invited him to share in her easy amusement. “Why, didn’t you guess? Her ladyship is determined that I shall be the epitome of a
grande dame,
above reproach and unaccountable to lesser opinions. Indeed, I am to become so full of myself that I shall be able to deliver the most cutting of set-downs without the least effort.”

“Good Gad,” said Lord Humphrey, taken aback. He eyed her in a considering way. She did not seem much changed, yet now that she had mentioned it, there was an air of easy confidence about her that had not been there before. There was surely something different about her hair as well, he thought, and her gown was more flattering than the one that he had seen her in previously.

He came to realize that he was staring at her when he saw that she was blushing again, even more vividly than before. For want of a better way to ease her self-consciousness, he said, “That is a particularly fetching gown.”

Joan inclined her head, suddenly to all appearances complete mistress of herself. “Thank you, Edward,” she said in a throaty voice.

He was surprised, but obscurely pleased that she had called him by his Christian name. “You have gotten over your shyness of me, at least,” he said.

“I am trying to do so,” Joan admitted frankly. With a fleeting smile, she explained, “Lady Cassandra has told me it would be very odd in me to address you always in a formal manner, since we are to have been acquainted for some time. Her ladyship has impressed upon me that I must practice until it becomes quite natural to me.”

Lord Humphrey laughed and she asked anxiously, “I hope that you are not offended?”

“No, of course not! Why should I be? If you recall, I requested the same of you several days past,” Lord Humphrey said. He chose not to reveal to her that it was her earnestness that amused him. “I am glad that my grandmother is taking such a benevolent interest in you, Joan. I wondered whether . . . Well, one can never predict exactly how her ladyship might go on and at times she can be a frightful old dragon.”

“Surely not! I have found Lady Cassandra to be exacting and decisively opinionated, perhaps, but never the least dragonish! She has been most kind to me, really,” Joan said.

Lord Humphrey grinned. “She has had you fetching and carrying for her, has she? And perhaps reading to her as well? And requiring you to agree to all manner of things that are exactly counter to your own opinions?” He saw from her expression that he had hit uncomfortably close to the truth, and he laughed again. “I shall not ask you to admit it aloud, my lady. I can see that it would cause you a struggle to be so disloyal and ungracious as to do so.”

Joan was relieved that she was to be let off so easily. “Yes, well, that at least I shall admit to.”

Lord Humphrey laughed again, making it difficult to hide her own smile.

While they were still laughing, Lady Cassandra entered the drawing room. In her wake came Carruthers and a footman carrying the tea um and a tray of cakes.

“What is this?” Lady Cassandra asked. “A party, and I have not been invited to it?”

The viscount leapt up and made an elegant leg. “On the contrary, Grandmamma. You are most welcome to join us.”

“Edward, my dear boy,” Lady Cassandra bestowed her hand on him, feeling a surge of uncharacteristic affection. It made her voice warmer than usual as she said, “I am glad to see you.”

Straightening, Lord Humphrey said, “I have just these few minutes past arrived. My lady has been regaling me with all that you have been putting her to during my absence.”

Lady Cassandra threw a thoughtful glance at Joan’s guilty face. “Indeed! I hope that I have not been cast into the role of tyrant, my dear.”

Lord Humphrey realized that he had inadvertently exposed his lady to Lady Cassandra’s possible displeasure. He rushed to Joan’s defense. “Quite the contrary, ma’am. Joan would have it that you are not at all the dragon that I would paint you,” he said daringly.

“Thank you, my dear Joan. You see with what lack of respect that I am treated by my own flesh-and-blood,” Lady Cassandra said dryly. However, she did not seem in the least offended and in fact smiled at her grandson’s newfound impudence. She seated herself and waved the viscount back to his place.

During the greetings, tea had been served and the servants left the drawing room.

Lady Cassandra arranged herself comfortably, giving a number of twitches to her skirt as she put her feet up onto the customary hassock. “Well, Edward, tell us what you have gotten up to since we last saw you,” she said.

“I have submitted the notice of the engagement into the
Gazette.
It should be printed by the time that we go to Dewesbury Court. I have also apprised the earl and my mother by the post of my later arrival. I do not think that they will continue to speculate as to the cause behind my absence once they have the opportunity to read the next
Gazette,”
said Lord Humphrey. With a quick grin, he added, “Lord, I am glad that I shan’t be there.”

“Quite,” said Lady Cassandra, at her driest.

“I have also brought down my man with me this trip so that it will all seem quite respectable and thought out. There will not be a hint of unseemly haste about the business,’’ Lord Humphrey said, pleased with himself that he had thought of everything. He looked over at Joan. “Have you that abigail still?”

“Yes. Lady Cassandra was concerned that the girl might gossip about the wedding, but I have spoken to her and she assures me that she will not do so,” Joan said.

“That’s all right, then,” Lord Humphrey said, nodding. “There will be all sorts of speculations running rife at Dewesbury, I shouldn’t wonder, and you’ll need a servant you can trust.”

Lady Cassandra sipped at her sweetened tea, then said, “I am going to Dewesbury with you and Joan.”

Lord Humphrey looked startled. “Are you, my lady?”

“Lady Cassandra goes to support me in my failing nerves,” Joan said with a laugh.

“Nonsense, girl. I simply wish to see the expressions on the faces of my dutiful daughter and her most worthy husband when the viscount introduces his chosen fiancée. It will undoubtedly afford me much entertainment,” said Lady Cassandra. Her tone was deliberately cool.

There was a short silence, during which Joan looked stricken, and Lord Humphrey surprised and angry. It was broken by the viscount.

“Grandmamma, have I ever mentioned what a very wicked creature I think you?” he asked quietly.

“Not before now, my dear,” Lady Cassandra said serenely. She raised her brows as she regarded the subdued pair. Her eyes had turned rather hard. “I am a capricious old woman. I care for very little and very few. Perhaps you would both be wise enough to keep that in mind.”

“Then why have you chosen to help us, my lady?” Joan asked.

Lady Cassandra smiled slowly. “It pleases me to do so, Miss Chadwick.” She saw the start that the girl gave. “Ah, does that form of address surprise you, my dear? Pray become comfortable with it, for you must be Miss Chadwick from this moment on.”

“I understand perfectly, my lady,” Joan said, in a low trembling voice.

She turned her head so that she could look at the flickering flames, presenting her neat profile to Lady Cassandra. She was beginning to understand a great many painful things, she thought. She had believed that she and Lady Cassandra were becoming quite close. She had shared several confidences with her ladyship and in return Lady Cassandra had treated her as a well-liked young friend. However, her assumption of their mutual liking had just suffered a severe setback.

Joan recalled the several times in the last several days that Lady Cassandra had told her that she would not be able to trust anyone. She had simply brushed aside those hints, but Joan realized now that Lady Cassandra had also been speaking of herself.

Joan felt the rejection deeply. Lady Cassandra had encouraged her to talk of herself and her interests, of her father and her life with him. Lady Cassandra had been an exacting companion, but she had also appeared to be genuinely interested in her. But it had all been a dreadful sham. She had merely provided an amusement for Lady Cassandra, which was now done.

Satisfied that her cruel point had been taken, Lady Cassandra turned to her grandson. “Edward, what date did you give to the earl and your mother for your arrival?” she asked.

Lord Humphrey stared at her ladyship from under gathered brows. He had not cared for the churlish manner in which Lady Cassandra had spoken to Joan.

He threw a glance at Joan’s averted face. He could not see her expression, only the curving lines of her profile and her slender neck. She had obviously taken the set-down to heart, he thought. He discovered in himself an immense dislike that his chosen lady had been treated with less than respect. His reply to his grandmother reflected his anger and was abbreviated almost to the point of discourtesy. “Two days hence, my lady.”

Lady Cassandra’s fine-tuned ears caught the anger and disapproval in her grandson’s voice. She did not allow herself to react in any way, but privately she thought it a satisfactory sign. In the several days that Joan had been with her, she had gotten the girl to reveal much of herself, and she had come to some conclusions that might have surprised both Joan and the viscount if they had been privy to her ladyship’s thoughts.

But Lady Cassandra was not one to tip her hand too soon.

“Good, good. There will be adequate time for the packing and for the refurbishing of Miss Chadwick’s gowns. She will still look something of the dowd, but that cannot be helped at this junction. I shall take my needlewoman with me so that another gown or two may be finished at Dewesbury Court,” Lady Cassandra said.

She smiled faintly at her grandson’s unfriendly expression. She decided to throw him a bone. “You wish to eat me for my callousness, do you not, Edward? But I shan’t be the kind of benefactress that you and Joan have grown accustomed to once we leave Blackhedge Manor. It is better that you adjust to the change now, so that you will not be caught flatfooted with surprise at Dewesbury.”

“So you do not actually go to lend us countenance, my lady?” asked Lord Humphrey in a hard voice.

“Pray do not be ridiculous, Edward. You may naturally count upon me to put in my oar. However, I shall seem to blow hot and cold.” Lady Cassandra’s gray eyes were alight with wicked irony. She asked softly, “Is that not what I am known for, my dear?”

“Indeed, my lady! You have earned a reputation for caprice, willfulness, and unpredictability,” Lord Humphrey said shortly. However, his anger was beginning to slip away as he realized that his grandmother was baiting him.

Lady Cassandra laughed. She slid a sly glance in Joan’s direction. “There you have it, Joan. I hope you are forewarned.”

“I shall indeed be on my guard from this moment on, my lady,” Joan promised. She had listened with surprise and even a lightening of spirit to Lady Cassandra’s explanation. She had understood then that Lady Cassandra had not completely turned on her, after all. But certainly she would take a page from this unpleasant lesson to hereafter treat Lady Cassandra as more of an acquaintance than as the confidante she had made of her.