A Virgin Bride (4 page)

Although he was himself a Duke, Venetia realised that her father was not of any particular significance in the same way as the Duke of Rockinston.

He had no son to inherit and the title would go to his brother. So he was even more anxious than another man might have been that his only daughter should make a good marriage.

For him at any rate to have Rockinston as his son-in-law was like being given all the stars from Heaven and he would never have imagined it possible that she, Venetia, pretty as she was, would attract anyone so magnificent.

Nor that she would ever have such an outstanding proposal of marriage before her Season.

Venetia could see it all happening from her father's point of view and knew that however much she fought him she would have to give way in the end.

She would be forced to accept this outrageous marriage simply because the alternative was exile from her own home.

To defy her father would greatly upset him and it was something her mother would never have done.

“I cannot do it! I cannot!” Venetia howled aloud as the carriage came to a standstill in Belgrave Square.

Yet with a feeling of despair, she knew that though she might protest she must eventually give in.

*

A smart young butler showed her into a large drawing room and said her Ladyship would be informed of her arrival.

When Lady Manvill, who was now over seventy, came slowly into the room, Venetia gave a cry of delight.

She ran towards her.

“My dear Venetia!” exclaimed Lady Manvill. “I had no idea you were in London. When did you arrive?”

“Only this morning. Papa sent for me at very short notice and I had to leave before the end of term.”

“It is quite right that you should. I was worried by you not coming home for Christmas.”

She sat down on the sofa and, holding Venetia's hand, pulled her down beside her.

“You are looking lovely,” she said. “I really have been very worried about you, because I thought you should have appeared this Season. I did not like to protest to your father and I had no idea he was in London until I saw him last week.”

“I think he has been in the country most of the time since Mama died, so that is why he would not let me come home. As you know, I was not allowed to do so – even for the funeral.”

There was a little break in her voice as she said the last words.

Lady Manvill replied,

“I think your father had a good reason for leaving you in Paris. But, dearest, I have missed you and I am glad, so very glad, you are here now.”

“That is exactly what I wanted you to say,” Venetia answered. “Actually I have come back to terrible trouble, so I have come to you for help. Please, Aunt Alice, say you will help me.”

“Of course I will. You do know, Venetia, as I have never had a daughter of my own, I like to feel I have had some part in bringing you up. Let me look at you.”

She turned round on the sofa to Venetia.

“You are
lovely
– even lovelier than your mother! When you have your hair properly dressed and are wearing new clothes, you will be a sensation and I'll be very proud of you.”

Venetia drew in her breath.

“You don't know yet what I have come to tell you. I am begging you on my knees to help me!”

“Why, of course, I will help you!” Lady Manvill said in a bewildered voice. “What has happened? What has upset you? And now I think of it, why are you here in the middle of term?”

“I can hardly believe what I am telling you. Papa has sent for me because my engagement is to be announced tomorrow and I am to be married in two weeks time!”

Lady Manvill stared at her.

“Are you telling me the truth – or is this a joke?”

“I am telling the truth, Aunt Alice. Papa told me the moment I arrived that he has arranged my marriage. As he is so delighted about it, I know if I run away, which is my only alternative, he will never speak to me again.”

“Why? Why all this haste? What has happened? Why should your father behave in such an extraordinary manner?”

“That is exactly why I have come to you for help. The reason for this is, for him, completely compelling. It cannot even be questioned, let alone abandoned.”

“What is it?” asked Lady Manvill.

“Papa has told me that I am to marry the Duke of Rockinston!”

For a moment there was silence.

Then Lady Manvill breathed,

“
So that is how he is going to get out of it
!”

Venetia stared at her Godmother.

“What do you – mean?”

There was a little hesitation before she replied,

“I am not sure if I ought to tell you – ”

“But you must tell me, Aunt Alice. Papa is insistent that I marry the Duke and I realise that something strange must have happened to him. Otherwise he would not marry someone he has never seen, even my Papa's daughter!”

“It is the most extraordinary thing I ever heard. At the same time, my dearest child, you are sensible enough to realise that your father would be delighted to have such a distinguished son-in-law.”

“I know, but no one ever thinks about me. After all,
I
have to marry him, not Papa. And what about
him
?”

“I have always admired your intelligence. Indeed I am quite certain, from what you told me in your last letter about the extra lessons you were having in Paris, that you are by now extremely well-informed and talented.”

Venetia gave a little laugh.

“I should be, but I don't know anything about men. Especially men who will marry someone they have never even seen.”

There was a bitterness in her last words and it told Lady Manvill that Venetia was not only shocked by what was happening to her but hurt.

Every woman wants to be married only for herself and naturally she was no exception.

Lady Manvill reached out and took her hand.

“Now listen, my dearest, because I know you are clever and sensible, I am going to tell you the whole truth about how this situation has arisen. I am quite certain you will do the right thing, even though it may seem difficult.”

Venetia looked at her with a worried expression in her large blue eyes.

“Is there something very wrong about the Duke?”

Lady Manvill shook her head.

“No, there is nothing wrong physically with him. In fact he is a very athletic young man. He races his own horses, shoots better than anyone and if you have never seen him, he is extremely good-looking.”

“Then
why
, why, Aunt Alice. When he could have the pick of all the
debutantes
, why does he have to choose me for his wife?”

“That is what I am going to tell you and while you are listening I want you to use all the brains that made you a success at school. Above all, as you are so like your mother, your perceptiveness about others has to stand you in good stead at this particular moment.”

Venetia did not speak as Lady Manvill continued,

“Rock, as he has always been called since he was a small boy, has of course been spoilt by coming into his title when he was only just twenty-one and by being pursued by every woman in what is still called the
beau monde
.

“Naturally Rock accepted all the favours offered to him. He was wise enough not to take any interest in young girls, knowing that at the slightest pretext of having ruined a girl's reputation, he would be marched up the aisle by the pushy parents. They would be only too anxious, like your own father, to have him as a son-in-law.”

“So he has had a lot of
affaires-de-coeur
?”

“Since you have been on the Continent you must know that most men find such affaires not only amusing but a kind of tribute to their manhood.”

“I do understand that. The girls at school talked of the
affaires
of their brothers, their fathers and sometimes even their grandfathers!”

Lady Manvill laughed.

“It was just the same when I was in Paris and Rock would have been very foolish if he had either refused such charmers or had married, as his family wanted him to do, when he was still in his early twenties.”

“Then how old is he now?”

“He must be nearly twenty-nine and his family are frantic in case, having not yet provided an heir, he breaks his neck in a steeplechase or has an accident when, as he loves to, travelling in some uncivilised part of the world.”

Venetia felt that this was the only interesting fact she had heard about him so far, but she did not interrupt.

“As I have already said,” continued Lady Manvill, “Rock has only to lift up his little finger and a woman falls into his arms. Now unexpectedly he is in trouble because he has not been particularly intelligent!”

“That is what I thought he must be and, naturally, after what you have said, it concerns a woman.”

“Yes, and the lady in question
is
very beautiful. As so many women are jealous of her, they will be delighted she has been caught out.”

“Please explain to me what has happened – ”

“It is already the talk of Mayfair.”

“What is?” Venetia demanded desperately.

“When the Earl of Darran came home unexpectedly at exactly three o'clock in the morning, Rock was at that very moment leaving his house.”

“At three o'clock in the morning!”

“It was fortunate for Rock that the Earl was not earlier. The Earl has naturally accused him of seducing his wife, Leone, and challenged him to a duel. He is also threatening to divorce Leone, which would completely destroy her.”

She paused and Venetia commented wryly,

“No one can blame the Earl for being annoyed.”

“Annoyed is a mild way of putting it. He is furious and determined, if he cannot kill Rock, to humiliate him in every possible way.”

“I suppose one can understand his feelings – ”

“In the case of an ordinary man I would agree with you, but the Earl is a particularly unpleasant creature. He has been unfaithful to his wife dozens of times since they married. He bullies his servants and is, it is said, cruel to his horses. No woman would be on his side if they were not jealous of Leone.”

Venetia was silent as Lady Manvill added quietly,

“Now you understand why Rock has asked for your hand in marriage and I have to say it is very astute of him.”

“Why?” asked Venetia doubtfully.

“Well, for one thing, the Earl will hesitate before antagonising your father, since he is a great friend of the Prime Minister and is always welcome at Windsor Castle.”

Venetia knew this to be true.

“Apart from this, as your mother was so loved and admired by everyone in the Social world, the Earl will find it difficult to gain support if he upsets you.”

“But why should
I
be the one to extract the Duke from the mess he has got himself into?” enquired Venetia.

Lady Manvill smiled.

“Because, my dearest, you are very beautiful and your parents are deeply respected by everyone from the Queen down to the lowest commoner. You would in point of fact, as soon as your engagement is announced, make it impossible for the Earl to force Rock into a duel or in any way to accuse him publicly of seducing his wife.”

Lady Manvill gave a little laugh before she added,

“Rock was not the first to pay his
respects
, shall we say, to the lovely Leone. As it is, most people are sorry for her being married to such an unpleasant and disagreeable husband. It was only to be expected that she would enjoy herself when she had a chance with the most charming and good-looking young Nobleman in London.”

“So I am just to be a protective shield for the Duke of Rockinston,” Venetia objected bitterly, “and no one will be the slightest bit sympathetic if I run away and hide instead of marrying him.”

“They would just think you very stupid, Venetia, and I can see why such an idea infuriated your father.”

Venetia took her hand away from Lady Manvill's.

“I thought you would be on my side and help me, Aunt Alice,” she pouted.

“Now I am going to talk about you,” she replied, “and I do want you to listen to me, Venetia, with all your brains and with all the sympathy your mother gave to all those who turned to her in trouble.”

“I don't see you being very sympathetic to
me
.”

“I am, and I really am sympathising with you, and I think it is very wrong of your father to break this situation to you immediately on your arrival from France. At the same time I can understand his delight at having such a distinguished and charming son-in-law.”

“Supposing I don't find him charming?”

“But you will, unless you are the exception to every woman who has ever been born. Now, my dearest, I am going to set you probably the most difficult problem you will ever have to face in your whole life, but I think you are intelligent enough to solve it.”

“I just cannot see how, Aunt Alice, unless, as I have already thought, by running away. But Papa would never speak to me again and quite frankly I have no wish to beg in the streets or sleep in the gutter since I have no money.”

“I am not suggesting anything quite so foolish as it would be a dreadful waste of your beauty and your brains.”

“Then what can I do?”

There was a little pause before Lady Manvill said,

“What you have to do is to make your husband fall in love with you.”

“And why should he do so,” Venetia asked her in astonishment, “when as you have already admitted he is in love with the Countess of Darran?”

Lady Manvill shook her head sagely.

“An
affaire
is one thing and love is another. You should have learnt that in France if nothing else.”

“But are you talking about real love? The real love everyone wants and which Papa had for Mama and she for him?”