Amanda Scott - [Dangerous 02] (16 page)

Charley blinked. Then, realizing that Elizabeth had either paused for breath or had said all she wanted to say, she said bluntly, “Look here, do you believe whatever a man says to you?”

Elizabeth tilted her head a little to one side, clearly giving the question more consideration than Charley knew it deserved. At last she said thoughtfully, “I have been given no cause, I think, not to believe anything a gentleman tells me. They are generally so much wiser and better educated than any mere woman, you know. Surely, it behooves us to seek their guidance. After all, my dear cousin, gentlemen have—most of them—been about the world much more than we have. More than I have at all events,” she amended hastily. “Dearest Alfred—and I think little Letty, too—said you had journeyed all the way to France. Dearest Alfred does not hold with foreign travel for females, of course—”

“Of course,” Charley interjected evenly. “A man who does not allow females to read the
Times
could hardly think otherwise.”

“Goodness, do you
want
to read the
Times?”
When she did not reply, Elizabeth looked uneasy. “I suppose you do. You disagree with him about so many things, but I was going to say I think you were very brave to go to a country that is so … so—”

“So French? It’s a perfectly civilized country, you know. Some people actually prefer it over England.”

“Now I know you are teasing me. No one of sense could think France better than England. Why, only a few years ago they were our greatest enemies. I mean, I’m sure that life there is all quite peaceful now, and I’ve got nothing against France myself—well, except that it’s full of foreigners who don’t speak proper Christian English or understand our ways, but—I beg your pardon. Did you say something?”

Forcibly restraining her irritation, Charley said, “I didn’t exactly speak. I choked. I expect I must have breathed in a bug or something. Do go on.”

“Well, I haven’t really got anything more to say on that subject. I did think you began to speak.”

Goaded, Charley retorted, “Do you actually believe all that you say, Elizabeth? Because if you do, I’ve got to say it’s utter drivel. There are just as many Christian Frenchmen as Christian Englishmen, though I must admit that most of the former are Catholic. That probably won’t improve their credit with you.”

“Goodness, no! Mercy me, Cousin Charlotte, did you actually have to speak to any Catholics when you were there? Because if you did, I beg you not to mention it to our dearest Alfred. He would be so displeased. Alfred thinks the Prime Minister was very wrong to support Mr. Peel’s Catholic Emancipation Act. I don’t know what that was, precisely, but Alfred says that since the Catholics are to blame—”

“Spare me what Alfred says,” Charley said tartly. “You might try thinking for yourself, Elizabeth. Read a few good books. I can recommend any number just chockful of information that will astonish you. You might also take a look at a newspaper now and again, as well. You don’t seem to be entirely lacking in intelligence—”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth said dryly enough to show that she did have claws, albeit well-sheathed ones. “Was that the private matter that you wished to discuss with me?”

Snapped to her senses by the question, Charley felt an unfamiliar stirring of chagrin. Sir Antony—or whoever the man was—had basely manipulated her into the tête à tête, but she could blame no one but herself for the position in which she found herself with Elizabeth now.

Collecting her wits, she said ruefully, “Believe it or not, I wanted to apologize for losing my temper the other day and shouting at you.”

“Oh, but you need not give that another thought. I have not, I promise you.”

Instead of feeling reassured, Charley felt annoyed. She wanted to snap that Elizabeth
should
give it more thought. The woman was too maddeningly biddable and submissive. One fairly ached to take her in hand and show her the right way to manage her life. Containing the impulse with difficulty, she said carefully instead, “I was wrong to take my anger out on you, Elizabeth. I’m sorry I was rude.”

“Indeed, Cousin Charlotte, you need not dwell on the matter. I assure you, once dear Lord Rockland explained matters, I forgave you instantly.”

“So he explained matters, did he?”

“Oh, yes. He explained how you get a bit hysterical, you know, as we females so frequently do, I’m afraid, when we are tired or out of sorts, and assured me that you did not mean a word of what you said. Lord Rockland is very wise, don’t you agree? You are a most lucky young woman to be blessed with a man like him to guide you through the trials and tribulations of life. I quite envy you your forthcoming marriage.”

Fortunately, since for once in her life Charley was rendered speechless (and thus was unable to inform Elizabeth that both she and Rockland were idiots), Elizabeth went on to say that they really must walk more quickly if they were not to vex dearest Alfred.

“For you will want to change your dress, I know. Indeed, I do not know how you will ready yourself quickly enough as it is. We should not have dawdled so long talking nonsense. Oh, look, here comes dear Lord Rockland now, no doubt anxious to speed us along. It is just like him to concern himself with our well-being.”

“Isn’t it?” Charley snapped her mouth shut, determined to say nothing more that she could not in good conscience repeat to Sir Antony. That she even had such a thought was enough to make her grit her teeth. Nonetheless, she did not want him to make her see herself in the same harsh light as he had before. Therefore, she greeted Rockland in an even tone, resisting the temptation to ask sweetly if he had come to hustle them in like schoolgirls, to tidy themselves and wash their hands before dinner.

Annoyance stirred again, however, when she saw him look uneasily from her to Elizabeth and back, as if he were concerned about the state of their relationship. Again managing to control her first impulse, she refrained from blurting that she had not yet scratched out Elizabeth’s eyes or flayed her with her tongue. Instead, she said simply, “Did you have a particular purpose in seeking us out, Rockland?”

That he had rushed out upon discovering they had been left alone together became even more obvious to her when he flushed and said, “No, no, not at all. That is, Alfred did say he hoped you and Foxearth would not keep us waiting, because that Gabriel fellow’s staying to dine. Oh, and Miss Elizabeth, Mrs. Tarrant was looking for you. She said something about your having promised a treat to the children.”

“Mercy me, I must fly. I quite forgot I had promised our dear little Neddy that I would read a story to him and Jane after their supper. They eat earlier than we do, you know,” she added, “so pray forgive me, both of you, if I must hurry away.”

“Do that,” Charley recommended. “I promise, we won’t mind a bit.”

Elizabeth picked up her skirts, and although she did nothing so unseemly as to run, she did hurry back to the house.

Unable to suppress her feelings a moment long, Charley said, “Good mercy, Rockland, you’re practically panting. Did you think I’d murder her?”

“You nearly did before,” he retorted. “I don’t know what got into you then, so you can hardly expect me to guess what you were doing just now. Not but what you must have seen for yourself by now just how sweet and gentle she is, and how kind.”

“She talks utter bilge,” Charley snapped. “Idiotic, prattling bilge! What that girl wants is education. Do you know that she thinks women
need
men to guide them through life? That she actually believes men—just by virtue of being born male, mind you—are better suited to think and to make decisions than women are?”

“Didn’t I just say how intelligent and sensible she is?”

“You did not! You called her sweet and gentle, and kind. I don’t know her well enough yet to know if she possesses those virtues, but I am perfectly willing to take your word for it. None of that makes her any the less a half-wit though. Why, Letty’s got ten times more sense in her little finger than Elizabeth Tarrant has in her entire body.”

“I think you are too harsh. Elizabeth understands what it is to be feminine, is all, and she don’t need a lot of dashed fool notions crammed into her head to change that.”

“Good mercy, Rockland, you’re as much of a noddy as she is. You think she’s wonderful because she looks up to you and thinks you all-knowing, just because, through mere happenstance of nature, you possess a penis!”

“Good God, Charlotte! What will you say next?” He looked hastily around, clearly very much shocked.

If the truth were known, Charley was shocked at herself for letting such a word leap from her mind to her tongue. Perversely though, she wondered if Sir Antony would have been shocked. She had a notion that he would not have been, though he might have advised her not to say such things where others might hear. Even as the thought crossed her mind, however, she revised it. She rather thought Sir Antony would trust her not to say such words where anyone they would offend might overhear her. Nor would she. Rockland was not offended, after all, merely shocked.

Glancing at him, she said curiously, “Do I frequently shock you, Rockland? Because if I do, marriage to me could prove rather uncomfortable for you.”

He grinned at her, and said as they began walking again, “I find you fascinating, my treasure. Moreover, just think how the lads will all stare when I tell them I’ve captured the most elusive filly in the marriage stakes.”

“Good mercy, is that how you think of me?”

“The biggest prize of all,” he assured her. “Dowry or no dowry.”

“Well, I hope you don’t make a practice of apologizing for me after we’re married,” she snapped. “I did not like it one bit when you took Elizabeth’s side against me the other day, then hared off afterward to console her.”

“But, dash it, you were wrong!”

She stopped on the path and caught his arm, making him face her. “Tell me this. If I think you are wrong in a dispute with another man, will you mind if I go to him and say you’re just being hysterical, and then offer an apology on your behalf?”

He grimaced. “Dash it, Charley, you make a practice of saying what you think whenever you think it. You’ve never once hesitated to tell the whole world when you think I’m wrong.”

“Not behind your back, I don’t. At least,” she amended, “not to anyone who would repeat what I tell them. Do you apologize to others for your male friends when you think they are in the wrong?”

“Dash it, I did nothing wrong in talking with Miss Elizabeth. You behaved badly. You must know you did. So don’t rip up at me.”

He sounded like a sulky boy rather than an adult, and she nearly smiled before she remembered that she was going to marry him. “Don’t take a pet,” she said with a sigh. “I just wanted you to know how you made me feel. The fact that you apologized also made it difficult for me to do so just now. She’s got it into that muddled head of hers that she’s already received an apology.”

“I should think you’d be grateful then,” he said sullenly.

“Well, I’m not. Look here,” she added, “when are you going to speak with that bishop about our special license?”

“I told you, he’s in Truro, and I’m not going looking for him tomorrow. It’s Sunday, dash it. He’ll be as busy as the devil in a high wind.”

“Good mercy, Rockland, what a thing to say about a bishop! I should think you’d be wanting to get this over—that is, to set a date as soon you can.”

“Well, of course I do, but the fellow travels about a good deal, you know. They say he will be in Lostwithiel in a sennight. What’s the great hurry?”

“If the bishop will be in Lostwithiel, then he can easily perform our wedding here, but you must make the arrangements beforehand. You can’t just go to him in a week’s time and say you want a ceremony performed at once. And if I seem to be in a hurry, it’s just that I don’t want to submit to
dearest
Alfred’s self-proclaimed authority one minute longer than necessary, that’s all.”

“Well, if that’s all it is, you’re fretting without cause,” he said. “Now that Sir Antony’s entered the picture, as I see it, he’s got as much right as Alfred has to give orders around here. Leastwise, until Alfred can prove he’s the real heir.”

“Perhaps, but I don’t want to submit to Sir Antony either,” Charley said with feeling. “He is even more puffed up with himself than Alfred is. Only look at him! I own, he does pay some heed to my opinions, but I expect he does it only to be polite.”

Visibly relaxing, Rockland chuckled and said, “He’s bigger than Alfred, too, come to think of it. I daresay he strips to advantage, too, for all his painted puppy ways. Still, he don’t look as if he has much of a temper, or as if he’s much in the habit of ordering females about.”

“Or of giving a thought to what they really think,” Charley said, realizing that she ought to do what she could to help the false Sir Antony establish himself in the role he had chosen to play. The thought of him stripped of his stiff shirt and well-fitting jacket nearly put every other thought out of her head, however. She agreed that he would strip to advantage and thought the sight might be well worth seeing.

Rockland gave her a nudge toward the house. “We are going to be late for dinner if we don’t step lively,” he said. “I’ve still got to change my neckcloth and get my valet to polish these shoes again. Just look at the dust on them. One would think that one could stroll through a garden on a tidy gravel path without collecting a lot of muck. But just look at them!”

Caring little for dust, or real muck for that matter, Charley only shook her head. Inside, they parted on the gallery landing, and she hurried to her bedchamber, where she rang for Kerra. With the maid’s help, she changed to a dark-gray gown suitable for dining, and was ready before the footman downstairs had rung the second bell for dinner. Nonetheless she found the others waiting for her, with one notable exception.

“Where is that damned fellow?” Alfred demanded fretfully. “The joint will be cold, not to mention the side dishes.”

Edythe said, “Indeed, my dear sir, it has seemed to me these ten days past that the servants in this house make no effort to bring our food hot to the table. You must speak sharply to them. They pay little heed to me.”