Complications (7 page)

She thought that the same was probably,
unfortunately, true of Mr Alexander Fenbridge. He seemed to like Lottie but
showed no sign of great admiration, let alone love. This meant that the chances
of Lottie gaining a husband this season were rapidly diminishing and Amelia was
afraid that if Lottie did not get over Saverney’s desertion now then she might
always feel tainted by it and by the censure of society and never marry.

Mr Wrackley returned with two drinks and
she forgot about the presence of anyone else as she thanked him and sipped the
lemonade, feeling a strange awareness of his body next to hers. She had never
experienced anything like the sensations he aroused in her. It was frightening
yet also exciting.

“Would you tell me something of your home?”

He smiled down at her, cheeks dimpling. “What
do you wish to know?”

“Something of your life. I do not even know
your favourite pastimes or what family you have.” It seemed impossible that she
actually knew so little when she felt such a strong connection to him.

“I enjoy riding. I have a fondness for
cards but I do not gamble excessively. My parents are dead but I have three
sisters, two older than me and one younger, along with two younger brothers.”

“How pleasant. I think I should have liked
siblings, although I do think of Lottie like a sister.”

“And your preferred pastimes?”

“I can think of nothing in the world more
pleasant than this evening.” As soon as the words slipped out she realised it
might be improper to suggest his company meant so much to her so soon, but Mr
Wrackley looked far from censorious.

His gaze grew more intense, dark gaze as
warm as a fire. “I can think of nothing save how beautiful you are.”

They gazed at each other and she savoured
every moment and drank in everything about his face.

“There you are, Amelia!”

She jumped at her mother’s voice, loud and
dry, and just in front of them, in the open doorway.

“I felt a little faint, Mama.” She did not
know why she should feel guilty. They had not done anything wrong. “Mr Wrackley
just brought me outside and fetched me a drink while I recovered.”

“If you have done so I think we had better
return to the other guests.”

They followed her inside, joining Lottie,
Benjamin, Mr Brightford, Mr Alexander Fenbridge, Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge and the
newly married Mr and Mrs McIvett. The lady was no older than Amelia and the man
of no great fortune, but Mrs McIvett was assuming the grandest of airs.

“We had our honeymoon in London, of course.
There is nowhere better in the world than our country’s great capital.”

“I thought we were already in our country’s
capital,” Mr Brightford commented in a slightly bored tone, causing Amelia to
feel a momentary warmth towards him.

“Oh, you know what I meant, Mr Brightford,”
Mrs McIvett simpered, swatting him with her fan. “Do not tease.”

Amelia winced at this over-familiarity,
particularly with Mr Brightford of all people. He did not respond to the
comment but looked even more pained than usual.

Lottie broke the silence by asking what
they had liked best about London. She was clearly just being polite and there
was nothing hostile in her tone, far from it, but Mrs McIvett looked at her
with a cool smile.

“Naturally, my husband’s presence at my
side gave me the greatest pleasure. Some of us do not scare off our gentlemen.”

Lottie froze at the words and, worse, a few
of the nearby ladies were cruel enough as to laugh.

Amelia glared at Mrs McIvett. “How
fortunate for you that your husband is so easy to please. Come, Charlotte, your
mama is looking for you.”

She led Lottie away by the hand and her
friend held on tightly.

“Everyone here will have heard of Mrs McIvett’s
comment by tomorrow,” Lottie whispered in a shaky voice.

“And everyone will know the contempt with
which we treated it. That woman is not worthy of another thought. You are worth
a thousand of her.”

“I do not think that is true.” Lottie still
looked on the brink of tears.

“Then you must take my word for it.” She
paused to allow Benjamin and Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge to catch up with them.

“Miss Harrington,” Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge
said with a smile. “This reel is one of my favourites. Would you be so kind as
to dance with me?”

Amelia saw Lottie hesitate and squeezed her
hand, giving a slight nod when Lottie glanced at her. The very best way to halt
any more gossip was for Lottie to seen to be having a pleasant evening and not
paying Mrs McIvett’s words any mind.

Lottie fixed a smile on her face, where it
sat over her distress like a mask, and allowed herself to be led once more onto
the dance floor.

“Do you wish to dance?” Benjamin asked
Amelia with his usual reluctance.

She laughed. “No. I will spare you that
just now.”

“Excellent.”

“Thank you for not challenging Mrs McIvett
to a duel.”

He grinned and indicated his sling. “Well,
I am not quite recovered from the last one but give me a day or two and who knows
who I might challenge next.”

* * *

Wrackley got into the carriage with a
dreamy expression and Mr Brightford suppressed the urge to sigh with annoyance.
His cousins had left in their own carriage so it was just the two of them. He
had seen Wrackley running round after Miss Daventry tonight and guessed that he
was another who had fallen prey to her charms.

He had seen her turn cool with a couple of
her young admirers, casting them off without a backwards glance, but clearly
Wrackley had enough wealth to be taken seriously.

He could not understand why a kind-hearted
girl like Miss Harrington should suffer the miseries of a broken engagement and
such cruel comments as the one she had endured earlier tonight, when a
heartless creature like Miss Daventry had her pick of the best of the
gentlemen.

Miss Daventry might be lovely - she was in
fact the most beautiful woman he had ever seen - but last year he had overheard
her intention to wed the wealthiest man she could find. He had been appalled to
realise her so ruthless.

He liked Wrackley and, should it come to
that, would pity him if he ended up married to someone so cold-hearted.

As if this thought had been his prompt,
Wrackley looked up from his reverie with a smile and said in an awed tone, “Do
you not think that Miss Daventry is the most beautiful and charming lady in
existence?”

Brightford unhappily delivered the blow: “I
regret to have to say that I have found that lady to be the most heartless,
fortune-hunting schemer I have ever encountered.”

The smile dropped from Wrackley’s face.

The rest of the carriage journey went by in
silence.

AMELIA WONDERED, as she lay in bed the morning after the
ball, when Mr Wrackley would ask her to marry him.

Would he kneel down to propose? How ever he
did it she was certain it would be the most romantic moment of her life.

They would be so happy together. It would
be strange living in England instead of Scotland - she would greatly miss
Lottie and her parents but they would all visit her often and she, them. She
and Mr Wrackley would be able to visit London whenever they pleased, which
would be bliss. She would visit the best modiste in London and would look so
beautiful in her new clothes that, when he saw her, Mr Wrackley would exclaim
in amazement…

Of course, he might not be wealthy enough
for her to buy all the things she had spent years imagining or to visit all the
places she had heard of. She had no idea whether he was rich or no better off
than her own parents. Unbelievably, she did not care.

She understood now why Lottie had spoken of
falling in love as if nothing else mattered. Amelia just wanted a lifetime with
Mr Wrackley. She giggled as she realised she did not even know his first name.

How strange life was, and how perfect.

* * *

“Have you heard the news about Mr Saverney?”

They were strolling in the garden behind
Benjamin’s home. His heart - which had bloomed at the arrival of Mr Nathaniel
Fenbridge - sunk down towards his stomach. The words had been spoken hesitantly
and he feared the worst. “What has the skunk done now?”

“He and his family have left Edinburgh. Brightford
heard from friends of his mother that they will be spending time at their
country estate and will likely not return this year.”

Benjamin took in this news with pleasure. “My
sister will be relieved not to have to worry about seeing him and perhaps the
gossip about the broken engagement will finally fade away. Thank you for informing
me of this.”

“Brightford was going to tell you himself
but, when I said I wished to drop by, he allowed me to share the news.” He took
a step closer and Benjamin’s heart once more became erratic. “I hope this will
be the start of happier times for your family.”

“I have nothing to complain of for myself. I
am pleased to have had the opportunity to make your acquaintance.” The words
were inadequate – conveying but a fraction of his feelings on the matter – but
brought a sunny smile to Mr Fenbridge’s face.

“As am I.”

“Has Brightford showed you around Edinburgh
to your satisfaction? I would be happy to escort you in any further
sight-seeing you wish to do.”

“I appreciate that. It is more the
countryside outside the city I am curious to see.”

“We could go riding?” Benjamin suggested,
keen for as much of Mr Fenbridge’s company as could be achieved. “Perhaps take
a picnic. There are some excellent views from some of the nearby hills.”

“That sounds perfect. It is a lovely dry
day today…”

Benjamin nodded in agreement. “I will have
our cook prepare some food to take and, while that is being done, perhaps you
will tell me more of your brother’s estate.”

“Gladly.”

* * *

Amelia heard footsteps on the stairs and
remembered with pleasure that Lottie was due to call. Suddenly she could not
wait to tell her friend all about Mr Wrackley. She had waited because she
wanted to be certain of her feelings but now it seemed incomprehensible that
she had ever had any doubts.

There was a knock on her door and the maid
announced Lottie, who then entered.

Amelia - who had been sitting on a chair in
the library reading a romance aloud to her cat - got to her feet. She smiled at
Lottie then looked closely at her, concerned. “You are pale - are you ill?”

“No, I am well.” They both sat down. “It
was foolish of me but I lay awake after the ball thinking of Mrs McIvett’s
insult.”

With a pang of guilt, Amelia realised she
had entirely forgotten about this. “She is just a silly, spiteful woman and
does not deserve a second thought.”

“Others might have been too polite to speak
as she did but how many were thinking something similar?”

“You must not think like that. You must
forget the past and think that likely the happiest years of your life are all
ahead of you.”

Lottie bit her lip. “Apparently Mr Saverney
and his family have left to stay at their country estate, probably for the rest
of the year.”

“That is excellent news.” Amelia said,
happy that he had finally had the good sense to know where he was not wanted. “All
the more reason for you to make a resolution to start anew.”

Lottie nodded. “Now that Benjy is
recovering I will try to do so.”

“You are long overdue for happiness and you
will find it soon, I am certain.”

Lottie gave a smile, at once looking more
like her old self.

“I have some good news I hope you will be
pleased about,” Amelia said. “I am in love.”

“With whom?” Lottie asked, eyes lighting
up, then guessed, “Mr Wrackley?”

“Yes. Every time I have seen him he has
been attentive and admiring, last night most of all. We talked all evening and
he never took his eyes off me. It was perfect. I am sure he will propose soon.”

“That is wonderful. I am so happy for you.”

Amelia saw that Lottie really meant this
and suddenly felt sick as she recalled her own reaction to Lottie’s engagement.
She had always known that Lottie was a better person than her but she had never
wanted to correct her own shortcomings before. It did not seem fair that Amelia
should be on the verge such joy when Lottie had endured such misery.

“Tell me more,” Lottie begged, animated.

“It makes me so happy just to be near him. I
have never felt such things,” Amelia confessed. “It scares me at times.”

“I could not be more glad for you. Do your
parents know how you feel?”

“I believe my mother knows I have a
preference for him but I doubt she has guessed that I love him. Do you think I
should say something to them?”

“I am sure you know best, but it might be
awkward if Mr Wrackley called to ask your father for his permission to marry
you and your father did not know that you would welcome it.”

“Indeed you are right. I will speak to them
today.”

“I am sure they will be delighted.”

“I hope so. I have no idea of the size of Mr
Wrackley’s estate or of his wealth or otherwise and, Lottie, I do not care.”

Lottie was, of course, well acquainted with
her feelings on the matter of money, and looked suitably astonished. “How
extraordinary.”

“I know. I always used to think I was so
sensible but such considerations seem unimportant next to my love for him.”

Lottie seemed in a far more cheerful mood
when she left and Amelia wished with all her heart that Lottie might soon meet
a good man who would make up for all this year’s disappointments.

Amelia hoped she would see Mr Wrackley the
next day - she could not bear the thought of any time apart from him.

* * *

The weather was ideal for the excursion. Benjamin
and Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge had ridden at a good pace for several hours and now
stopped, in a spot Benjamin recommended, to look down over the city and
surrounding countryside while they ate the excellent picnic Mrs McInty had put
together for them.

The day was a hot one, the sunshine
brightening the green of the long wild grass and the yellows and pinks of the
gorse and wild flowers amongst it. They sat in the shade of an oak tree and
Benjamin could not think that he had ever been more content.

Mr Fenbridge sat on the grass on the far
side of the picnic cloth with a glass of ale in his hand. “Was your sister glad
to know that Mr Saverney is gone from the city?”

“She was relieved and, once she has been
able to talk it all over with Amelia - Miss Daventry, I mean - I believe she
will be more like her old cheerful self.”

“If I may ask an impertinent question, do
you believe she still loves him?”

“I should hope not,” he exclaimed then
considered the question more seriously. “My sister does not easily talk of her
feelings but I believe that Mr Saverney’s character has been revealed to such a
disadvantage that she cannot still love him. Indeed I think she only ever loved
the man he pretended to be.”

“Then in time perhaps she will think she
was lucky not to have married him?”

“I am sure of it. It is more other people’s
comments that are difficult for her at present. She is a gentle sensitive girl
and nothing could be more painful to her than being at the centre of such
unpleasant gossip, even though she is blameless in the matter. I can only be
grateful she has Miss Daventry to help her through it - Amelia is better for
her than any of her family.”

“I am sure you underestimate yourself,”
Fenbridge said quietly, eyes fixed on Benjamin’s face.

“She knows I love her but I think I caused
her more anguish than relief fighting that stupid duel. Amelia is like a sister
to her - to both of us really - and she treats the gossip with the contempt it
deserves.”

“I saw the put-down she gave the lady who
made a cruel comment to your sister at the last ball. She seemed a most loyal
friend.”

“The best.”

“And what of you? Do you have many close
friends?”

Benjamin kept his gaze fixed on the view
ahead of him. His heart told him to explain why he had lost his friends but his
head said that all would be ruined if he did so. “I have many acquaintances but
the men I used to think I could tell anything to… It turned out not to be the
case. They found me… more complicated than they had thought and did not like
the discovery.”

“I believe we are all of us complicated. Perhaps
younger men worry too much about being the same as their fellows.

“I am the person I am. It is difficult to
hide it.”

Fenbridge gave a frown. “You should not have
to hide anything, not at least from those close to you.”

Benjamin turned to look at Fenbridge, the
words of who he was on the tip of his tongue, but his courage failed him. “Shall
we ride further out or head back?”

* * *

It was rare to see Mr Daventry at the
private club as he was not a betting man. Although they were perfectly amiable
acquaintances, it was even more rare for him to seek out Brightford himself.

The two men greeted each other and ordered
drinks as they exchanged pleasantries about mutual friends and the unusually
long dry spell in the weather recently. Mr Daventry, never one for
prevarication, then said, “I wonder if you could tell me about the character of
Mr Wrackley. He has been showing an interest in my daughter, Amelia, and, since
he is not a local man, I know nothing of him.”

Brightford wondered, with a touch of guilt,
if Wrackley’s interest would be as strong after his own warning about Miss
Daventry. He told himself he would have been a poor friend if he had not
spoken. If Wrackley was actually in love with her then he would likely still
pursue her, regardless of what anyone else said. If not then it was better all
round for him to back away. At least, that was what he told himself. “Mr
Wrackley is an excellent man, sensible and good-natured. He is not a great
gambler and his behaviour with women of every class is gentlemanly.”

“I am delighted to hear that, sir,” Huntly
said with a nod. “Thank you for speaking to me so frankly on the matter.”

Brightford did not feel he was owed any gratitude
from Huntly; quite the contrary. He abruptly wished he had never spoken to
Wrackley about Miss Daventry but surely Wrackley would not take his words too
much to heart?