Just Deserts (3 page)

They reached Grosvenor Square without any undue mishap
occurring, such as the ruin of my lord Fitzwarren’s stockings by a
splattering of mud, or a sudden downpour soaking him to the skin,
both of which horrors he had loudly prophesied would overtake him.
In fact, the lifting mist had given place to one of those clear
blue skies that occasionally warmed late February with the promise
of spring, though a sharp chill in the air made the crackling fire
in Lady Rossendale’s yellow saloon a welcome sight.

They were by no means the only callers to descend upon her
ladyship that morning.

‘
News travels fast,’ Fitz murmured in his friend’s ear. ‘I
see at least two fortune-hunters here already.’

‘
But where is Rossendale?’ Chiddingly wondered, failing to
spot his lordship’s stocky figure as he glanced around.

‘
My dear Chid, the fellow has no need to make one of a
herd,’ Fitz mocked. ‘He may pursue her at his leisure in
private.’

At this point, he was obliged to break off to greet his
hostess, who had come up with hands held out.

‘
Fitz, how delightful. Though to be sure you find me in the
wretchedest case. I vow, I am at sixes and sevens,’ declared Lady
Rossendale, showing by her flowery speech and high-strung manner
her tendency to the melodramatic.

The viscount bowed over her hand with rare grace.
He was always in demand among the fashionable hostesses,
particularly when they had a
protégée
to launch who
might win the accolade of his approval that would ensure her
instant success.

‘
I must introduce you to my sister. She has but just
returned among us. Twenty-five years, can you believe it? I was
thrown into strong hysterics and do not yet know if I am on my head
or my heels.’ Then she took in his companion and a rather brittle
laugh escaped her lips. ‘Chiddingly, too. I’m sure I wish you good
fortune. No doubt Cordelia is here on the self-same errand.’ She
gestured with her fan and then, tucking her hand in Fitz’s arm, she
bore him off.

Chiddingly looked around and saw that his sister Harraton
was indeed present, over in the far corner of the room, and deep in
conversation with a lady in a lacy cap, who had her back to
him.

Trust Cordelia to come and see for herself. To pursue his
suit for him, too, if she had the chance.

He took in then that the other lady’s cap imperfectly hid a
quantity of golden hair, cascading in ordered ringlets down the
back of a gown of blue dimity, tied with a wide sash.

Chiddingly stiffened, suffering a resurgence of the
emotions he had experienced this morning. Mentally willing her to
turn and show her face, he watched her cross the room to talk to a
bluff-looking man of some fifty summers, his deeply tanned features
leaving Chiddingly in no doubt of his identity. This was confirmed
in a short while by the voice of his friend in his ear.

‘
The nabob himself. One Archibald Winsford, packed off in
disgrace in the fifties for some unmentionable misdemeanour, so his
lady wife informs me,’ Fitz told him, an amused laugh in his voice.
‘Which leads one to wonder just how he acquired his
fortune.’

‘
Who cares a straw as long as he cuts up warm?’

Fitz regarded him with a lurking twinkle. ‘Do I
take it that it is
not
then the girl of this morning’s
ride?’

‘
I don’t know yet, fiend seize it. The wretched female won’t
turn about.’

But at that very moment, the lady in the lacy cap did turn,
affording their lordships a perfect view of a classic face, whose
features, framed by curling gold locks, were
unmistakable.

‘
By God, it is she!’

‘
But she is quite enchantingly pretty, Chid,’ Fitz said in a
wondering tone. ‘You said nothing of this, you dog.’

‘
You would not have thought so had you seen her this
morning, scowling and raving like the veriest shrew,’ growled
Chiddingly. ‘I grant you she looks well now, when—for a wonder—she
is at least smiling.’

The sculptured lips were indeed parted in a warmth that
embraced the whole company, and the grey eyes sparkled as she
threaded through the room, exchanging a word here, a smile
there.

Wrath surged up in Chiddingly’s breast. That she
should look so unconcerned after her atrocious conduct,
actually daring
to raise her whip against him. He stepped forward
a few paces to intercept her, a challenge in his curt
voice.

‘
Miss Winsford, I believe?’

‘
Yes?’ she responded, looking up at him in innocent
enquiry.

There was not a trace of recognition in the grey eyes as
they scanned his face in a questioning look.

‘
You do not remember me?’

She smiled. ‘Should I? Have we been introduced?’

‘
You know very well we have not,’ Chiddingly
snapped.

The grey eyes blinked. ‘Oh dear. But if we have not
met—’

‘
Allow me to remedy the fault,’ said Fitzwarren, stepping
in.

Miss Winsford turned to look at him and her eyes registered
unexpected enthusiasm.

‘
Oh, I know who you are. Mama was just pointing you out. I
am so very glad to meet you, Lord Fitzwarren, for I have heard all
about you and you are the very man I need.’

‘
Then I am naturally at your service,’ Fitz said promptly,
bowing, though his eye gleamed and his lips twitched.

Noting these signs of amusement, Miss Winsford
burst into a delighted peal of silvery laughter. ‘Oh dear,
my
Indian
manners
.
My poor aunt is quite distracted. I am so glad
you are not shocked.’

She put out an impulsive hand and Fitz took it
automatically in his.

‘
You must not mind me,’ she said, her tone
contrite. ‘I am afraid I will be considered dreadfully forward and
pert, you know, for we have not been used to mind our tongues in
the least back home—oh, drat! I mean in Bombay. I am not yet
accustomed to remember that we
are
at home in
England.’

‘
I beg you will not think of minding your tongue on my
account,’ Fitz said, kissing her hand. ‘I find your Indian manners
greatly refreshing.’

She laughed and retrieved her hand, saying ruefully, ‘I
dare say you will find yourself alone in that.’

‘
Very likely,’ Chiddingly put in, his tone acid, and the
grey eyes turned back to him in mute question.

He had been standing by all this while, growing steadily
more incensed. He thought he had never seen anything more
disingenuous. She must know quite well who he was. Yet she prated
gaily on in that sweet, musical voice—quite unlike the raucous
tones she had used this morning—that would charm the birds off the
trees, and himself as well, had he not been privileged to see her
in quite another guise.

‘
It will not do,
madam
,
’
he grated in a lowered tone. ‘Do you dare to
stand there and assert that you don’t recall our encounter in the
park?’

She gasped, evidently startled. ‘So that is who
you are.
That explains
it.’

‘
Explains what?’ he demanded, thrown out of his
stride.

‘
Why you have been glowering at me so ferociously,’ she
said.

Then, to his utter astonishment, not say fury, her eyes
began to dance and her lips trembled on the beginnings of a
laugh.

‘
Oh dear, I do beg your pardon. But it is—it is so
droll.’

‘
Droll?’

Chiddingly’s blue eyes smouldered dangerously. He lifted
his hand and thrust a closed fist before her face. ‘I trust, then,
madam, that you will find this equally droll.’

Miss Winsford looked at his hand, and caught her breath,
the mischief vanishing from her eyes. ‘Did—did I do
that?’

‘
I am very much afraid that you did, Miss Winsford,’
interposed Fitz, stirred to compassion by the shock in her face. He
smiled at her. ‘Come, don’t refine too much upon it. Make your
excuses and there’s an end.’

‘
Oh, but it is quite dreadful,’ she burst out,
forestalling Chiddingly, who had turned a kindling eye on his
perfidious friend. ‘I had no idea that—I mean, it was not—
I did not
know.
Indeed,
sir, you have cause to be angry with—’ she broke off and bit her
lip, then continued more smoothly ‘—to be angry with me. Pray
forgive me.’

‘
There, Chid, you are amply recompensed,’ Fitz said with
cheerful unconcern. ‘And now, Miss Winsford, let us move aside. We
have drawn all eyes with this little comedy.’

She glanced about and saw that the altercation had
attracted some attention from those nearest to them. As Fitz guided
her to one side, he saw that the mischief was back in her
face.

‘
I am glad to see you are merely amused at having caused a
stir,’ he commented.

‘
It is not that,’ she confessed, eyes dancing
again.

His brows flew up. ‘You are not still laughing at poor
Chid?’

She bubbled over. ‘No indeed. I can’t tell you—it was very
bad, of course, but it is excessively amusing
nevertheless.’

Her laughter was infectious and Fitzwarren found himself
obliged to join in.

‘
Miss Winsford,’ he observed, as he drew her to a sofa by
the wall, ‘I perceive you are an incorrigible tease.’

‘
Yes, I am,’ she confessed, sitting down. ‘It is too
bad.’

‘
On the contrary, it is delightful. But you have not yet
told me in what way I can serve you.’

‘
Oh, that.’ Miss Winsford smiled up at him engagingly and
patted the seat beside her. He took his place on the sofa and she
leaned towards him with a confiding air. ‘Well, I hoped you would
consent to instruct me, you see.’

‘
Good God, at what, pray?’

‘
Why, at fashion, to be sure.’ She read puzzlement in his
eyes and laughed. ‘Oh, I don’t mean female dress, how should I? My
aunt Rossendale is very well able to attend to that. It is in how
to cut a dash that you are to advise me.’

‘
Now, how should I be able to do that?’

‘
Well, of course you are able to. You have carved a very
significant niche for yourself, have you not? You must be able to
devise something for me.’

For a moment he was taken aback. Then he burst
into laughter. ‘Upon my soul, these are your Indian manners with a
vengeance! You have as few illusions about me as has Chid, it
seems. I beg you will follow his lead, however, and
pretend
to believe that I really am an arbiter of beauty, in public
at least. I shall otherwise be quite undone.’

She twinkled at him. ‘I will not give you away if only you
will help me.’

‘
But why are you so anxious to—er—cut a dash?’

‘
Oh, if you had lived in Bombay, you would not
ask. Only conceive of parties with the same few dreary persons year
after year. A stranger in our midst was cause for avid rejoicing, I
can tell you. And as for an eligible
parti
, I might have
taken my choice of at least three. The new curate, if only he had
not been given to strong liquors. My father’s one bachelor writer
for the company, though to be sure he is only a matter of thirty
years my senior. Or of the military there was—’

‘
Enough! I am riven with compassion. Say no more. I
comprehend perfectly. When is your debut?’

‘
In a week or two. And not before time. Do you realise that
we are—?’ She broke off and bit her lip. ‘Oh, drat. I mean, I am
quite on the shelf. Very nearly one and twenty, you know. Is it not
shocking?’

‘
Shocking indeed,’ he concurred, but his eyes belied
him.

She twinkled. ‘I knew you would say so. I hope you mean to
come to our—my debut. You will certainly receive a
card.’

‘
Then I will certainly attend.’

‘
And then will you show me a way to make a stir in the
world?’

‘
I will bend my mind to the problem,’ he
promised.

‘
Lord Fitzwarren, we have a bargain.’

He smiled. ‘I wish you will call me Fitz. Everyone does
so.’

‘
Oh, certainly, I abhor ceremony. You may have observed
it.’

His eye gleamed. ‘Not at all. The personification of
maidenly reserve.’

Her laugh rippled again. ‘Would it be quite outrageous for
you to address me as Pen?’

‘
Pen?’

‘
Penelope, you know. It is my name. Such a mouthful. But not
as bad as Per—’ She broke off again in some confusion.

‘
I beg your pardon?’ Fitz said, puzzled by these frequent
hesitations in her speech.

‘
Oh, nothing. Well, will you?’