Lady Elizabeth's Comet (29 page)

He said mildly, "In matters of opinion I daresay that makes sense, but you deal in
fact."

"I believe you're disappointed that it won't be called Conway's Comet after all," I
rejoined, half teazing, half uncertain.

"Perhaps I am."

We might have pursued the subject further but Featherstonehaugh came up looking
important and Clanross went off with him. Before he disappeared, I extracted a promise from
Clanross that he would call on us.

* * * *

I floated through the opening of Parliament without hearing a word. I was in alt, and the
mood buoyed me through the next days.

I slept so wonderfully well that my excuses to the party for Mme. Tussaud's on
Wednesday rang hollow. Anne regarded me with suspicion. When the girls and Miss Bluestone
had gone off to change for the outing she rounded on me.

"What is this flummery about the headache? You look equal to anything this morning,
including the Chamber of Horrors."

"Good God, Anne, merely I'm set for a comfortable gossip with Bella Forster and this
morning was the first opportunity."

"Aha! I'd like a good coze with Bella myself. Was ever anything so odd? Bella and
Willoughby, of all people." She retied her lace cap with a bow beneath one ear. "Well, I'll leave
the two of you to your secrets, though I think it hard that I should be relegated to the
waxworks."

I felt some guilt. "I'll look in on the nursery for you, if you like."

Anne brightened. "I wish you may. Cohn was fractious last night. He seems to be cutting
yet another tooth. It can't be natural for a four-year-old to be perpetually erupting in teeth."

I promised to inspect the heir's gums. Anne is really a very good sort.

Bella awaited me in the withdrawing room when I came down from playing the aunt.
She looked heavy-eyed, but revived quickly over a dish of bohea.

"My word, morning comes early." She yawned.

I laughed. "You and Willoughby are perfectly suited."

"We'll rub along very comfortably. What really brings you to London, Liz? Not
Parliament. That won't wash."

I did not say Clanross. I was not yet ready for confidences. Instead, I entertained her
with a description of the twins' forays to cloth warehouses and the Pantheon Bazaar, which she
seemed to accept as sufficient excuse. She congratulated me prettily on my article and made no
pretence of having read it.

The preliminaries over, she moved to the point. "Did you truly think I meant to wed
Clanross?"

"Well, yes."

She leaned forward. "Why Clanross in particular?"

I said with some spirit, "You told me so, Bella."

"I couldn't have." Her creamy brow furrowed. "Do you mean at Cecilia's wedding? I
must tell Willoughby."

Not without malice, I murmured, "He shared my assumption."

Bella's blue eyes narrowed. "Oho! I smell a plot."

I had the grace to flush. "Not really. Willoughby did suggest you'd be wasted on
Clanross, and I may have ventured a remark to Willoughby that led him to think he should try his
hand at cutting Clanross out."

Bella gave a little trill of laughter.

I pressed the point.
"Did
he cut Clanross out?"

Her smile was rueful. "My dear, Clanross escorted Mama and me to Dublin on the
Holyhead packet. After that we never saw him more. He disappeared into the wilds of
Meath."

I digested that.

Bella said frankly, "And if you fancy we had time to conduct a proper flirtation aboard
ship you're dead wrong. It was vilely rough."

"Clanross was seasick?" I recalled his description of his last sea voyage and smiled.

"He may have been." Bella made a face. "I certainly was. My abigail was. Mama was. It
was quite dreadful. I staggered up on deck to die after the first half hour, and between his
lordship and the valet--what was the man's name?"

"Sims."

"Ah, Sims. Clanross and Sims contrived to hold my head. Clanross was kind, of course,
but neither of us was feeling precisely romantical." An impish grin crossed her features. "He did
congratulate me on being the first female of his acquaintance to outdo him at
mal de
mer."

I smiled, but shifted to the attack. "Why Willoughby?"

"He asked me." Bella looked demure.

I rose to the bait. "And so have several dozen others. Come, Bella, you needn't hide your
teeth with me. Willoughby is my cousin. I find him amusing, but I know he's far from being a
prime catch. He's in debt, for one thing."

"You're speaking of my affianced husband."

For a moment I thought I'd offended her. Flustered, I made matters worse. "Good God,
Bella, you can't be in love with Willoughby."

"No," Bella said coolly, "nor he with me. I like his manners and his wit, and we move in
the same circles. I think we'll deal very comfortably together."

"Why marry at all?" I blurted.

Bella was silent for a moment, then she sighed. "I've always admired your resolution,
Elizabeth, but I'm a social creature."

"I've sometimes thought our society is arranged like Noah's ark, in pairs."

"I believe you do understand." Bella looked relieved.

"Your desire to wed, yes."

"But not my choice?" Her voice was light, but there was something of gravity in her
manner.

I could think of no tactful reply.

Bella regarded me intently. "I thought of all women you would perceive that I can't bear
to be possessed."

"Because I'm unwed at twenty-eight?"

She did not smile. "Because you're unwed by your own choice."

I said, with glum conviction, "It hasn't always been easy."

She continued, "I don't mean to possess Willoughby or be possessed by him. I'll do my
duty by him, of course, and we'll go our separate ways. I'll act his hostess and make him
comfortable and rich, and we'll laugh at each other's satires."

I saw, abruptly, that Bella was seeking my approval. The perception shook me. "I've
always thought you altogether noble and self-sacrificing. I know you wed Forster for your
family's sake."

"There were my sisters and Jack to think of. I worried about Jack. My elder brother,
George, was just like Papa so there was nothing to be done with him. Jack was different."

Her voice sharpened with old resentment. "While George was indulging his taste for
slow horses and fast women, Jack was struggling along as an ensign in one of the line regiments
with no means of his own and no way to rise except by going off to pest holes like the West
Indies." She bit her lip. "Jack deserved better than that. I thought if I married Mr. Forster he
could buy Jack a company and settle enough on him so Jack could live as he ought."

I said nothing.

Her mouth went wry. "So Jack got his company and his income, and hared off to Spain
and was killed within eighteen months of my marriage."

"Oh, Bella."

But she wasn't about to give in to her feelings. She shrugged. "There's irony for you. I
like to think Jack had a choice at least. My sisters made comfortable marriages. Do you know
that I have seven nieces and nephews?"

"So have I." I kept my voice light. "Pesky little nuisances they are, too."

Bella smiled. "Perhaps we're both fated to be aunts."

I gave an involuntary shudder. "I hope not."

Her eyes narrowed.

I covered my lapse hastily. "I've just been in Anne's nursery tending to Master Colin's
gums."

She laughed. "I thought for a moment you were wishing for a nursery of your own."

I laughed, too. Hollowly. A nursery was purely incidental to my wishes.

Bella leaned forward, eyes sparkling. "You
do
wish for it."

I made a halfhearted noise of protest.

"Who is he? Clanross?"

"I have a regard for Lord Clanross." I spoke with stiff decorum but Bella is nothing if
not sharp-witted.

She leaned back with a smile of the cat-in-the-cream-jar variety on her exquisite
features. "I thought so. My word, how worried you've been."

There was no point in dissembling further. I was half relieved and half apprehensive. "I
could cheerfully have fed you ratsbane at Briarlea."

Bella gave a merry laugh.

"Bella, if you breathe one word to Willoughby..." I was in dead earnest.

She knew it, but she was nevertheless mightily entertained. "If I do I'll certainly look for
arsenic in the soup. My dear Elizabeth, I hope I'm discreet, but you'll allow that the situation is
fraught with comedy."

I said grimly, "I do see what a ludicrous figure I cut, mooning about like...like one of my
young sisters in the throes of calf love."

Bella looked surprised. "My dear, it would be a splendid match."

"Clanross may look anywhere for a bride."

"That's true, of course, and not merely because of the title."

I was betrayed by my need to share her approbation. I said eagerly, "Is he not
remarkable? Do you not like him?"

She was amused but she said gently, "Yes, I do. I wish you would overcome your
scruples, Elizabeth. I think you both very well suited."

I turned away. "Oh, if it came to that, my scruples would fly out the window. I'm as
lovesick as any heroine of romance. What is lowering is that Clanross cannot return my
feelings."

"Why not?"

Thrown into total confusion, I blushed scarlet. I was not about to reveal Bevis's part in
my little domestic comedy. Hastily, and in some detail, I explained my nanny-like role in
Clanross's convalescence.

Bella missed the point. "What could be more romantical?" she purred. "You saved his
life. It's fated. He has to succumb."

"As in the more gothick scenes of our favorite Italian melodramas? Dear Bella."

She grinned. "It
is
rather thick."

"Clanross chafed at my ministrations. We quarrelled off and on until Willoughby and
Cecilia came. Clanross has a confoundedly sharp tongue."

"I think that's very promising."

"Bella!"

She said in brisk, practical tones, "If you're already able to see the man's faults you'll
soon recover from your worst symptoms. Even if your lovesickness persists, you'll go into
marriage with your eyes wide open. Either way you can't be the loser."

"Marriage?" I fairly shouted. "He's indifferent to me."

Bella pursed her mouth. "Have you tried flirtation? Don't tell me it's against your
principles."

"I--no." I shook my head, helpless. "It's too risky. My feelings are engaged, Bella. I
value Clanross's friendship. If I lost that I'd have nothing."

"Do you know, I believe I envy you," Bella murmured. She rose abruptly. "I must be
off, Liz. Mama requires me for a nuncheon at two."

I rose, too. I was not entirely reluctant to see her leave. I forced a smile. "I'm glad we'll
be cousins, Bella, and I promise not to teaze Willoughby overmuch. He's a fortunate man."

She coloured. "I hope he'll think so a year from now. We are to wed after Christmas.
Shall you come?"

"With great pleasure."

Bella took my hand, then kissed me impulsively on the cheek. "I shan't say anything,
Elizabeth. I promise..."

On Saturday morning, the weather proving dry enough to make an excursion to the
Tower possible, Alice and Miss Bluestone took the girls for one last outing. I begged off. They
left early and Anne was still abed, so I was alone in the withdrawing room writing letters when
Anne's butler entered.

"What is it, Peake?"

"My lady, will you receive Lord Clanross?"

I restrained myself from leaping up and running out to the foyer. "Of course. Show his
lordship in." I did rise.

I could hear masculine voices in the hall and presently Clanross entered. He looked stern
and uncomfortable. "Good day, Elizabeth. I'm sorry to break in on you. Peake says Lady Anne
has not yet come down. Do you object to seeing Bevis?"

I gaped. "Bevis?"

He nodded, grey eyes intent. "Don't, if you'd rather not."

I swallowed. "Good heavens, of course I'll see Bevis." I had been surprised--and
relieved--not to have run across Bevis sooner. Time to face the music.

"Good." Clanross stuck his head out the door and said something I didn't hear.

After a moment Bevis entered, looking gorgeous as usual and very sheepish. I extended
my hand to him. He kissed the air above it, muttering something inaudible. His colour was
unnaturally high.

Despite my embarrassment I began to be amused. "Bevis, my dear, it's not at all like you
to be blushing and bumping into chairs."

"Liz!" His voice rose, indignant.

"I'm glad to see you well," I added--and I was glad.

Bevis let out his breath in an inelegant "phew!"

I indicated chairs for both men and sat down. Bevis seated himself gingerly. Clanross
had gone to the bow window and stood looking down into the street. The tips of his ears were
red.

I said, making conversation, "How does your mother, Bevis?"

He ran his fingers through his already carefully disordered brown curls. "Eh? Oh. Very
well."

"I needn't ask after Dunarvon. I've seen him hale and hearty. How are your sisters? I
daresay Bab is lonely with Sarah jaunting about the Continent on her bridetrip." I knew I was
chattering, and I was acutely aware of Clanross's silent presence in the background, though he
gave every sign of being absorbed in the view from the window.

"Elizabeth," Bevis began.

I cocked my head.

He took a breath. "I must have speech with you."

"Good heavens, I thought we were speaking."

"I mean in earnest."

I stared. "Er, fire away."

Bevis rose and started pacing before the fireplace. "In view of the hopes I entertained
only a few short months ago..."

"Bevis!"

He stopped pacing and held up his hands. "Do hush. If you don't let me speak my piece I
shan't have the brass to see it through. Elizabeth, I've decided to marry Georgina Carr." He made
his announcement with the air of a physician informing a patient of a fatal disease.