Love by Deception (Age of Innocence) (6 page)

It
didn’t take long for her to learn the truth. Gilbert didn’t have a romantic
bone in his body, and his clumsy lovemaking those first few months confirmed
for Charlotte that her husband detested sex, or at least sex with her. After
the birth of their son, he never touched her again. She had cried and pleaded
with him, but he was steadfast in his refusal to come to her bedchamber ever
again. It was a devastating lesson for a young woman to learn that her husband
detested the sight of her.

“Thank
you Mayson. You’re a dear. We won’t be late. See you later.”

“Enjoy
your dinner with Lady Tisbury. Good night, my lady.”

Charlotte
grabbed her shawl and went downstairs. At least she was happy to be seeing her
dearest friend this evening. That was one of the few blessings from her union
with Gilbert. She had met Mary Tisbury and they had
became
fast friends.

Gilbert
and Dalton waited for her in the front parlor.

“Are
you ready to leave?” she asked.

“We’ve
been ready for quite awhile,” Gilbert snapped at her.

Charlotte
glanced at her husband, but his stare held nothing but contempt for her. His
cold blue eyes held no warmth. He was easy to pick out in a crowd with his
shock of white hair, although he had a trim physique for a man nearing sixty.
He saved his charm for his friend’s wives or anyone that could benefit him. She
was used to his ways and ignored him.

“Fine.
Let’s go,” she said.

Dalton
stepped forward. “You look beautiful, Mother.” He offered her his arm and she
took it with pleasure. No matter how unpleasant her marriage was
,
she would never regret it because it had produced her
beloved son.

“Thank
you, Dalton. You look very handsome yourself.”

Isabel
looked in the vanity mirror as the maid put the final pins in her hair. Their
bedchamber was a large and airy room with
a
over-sized
four-posted bed. She’d never seen such a pretty room before, and the blue and
cream décor was perfect for them. She had changed into a navy dress and Rachel
had combed her hair and secured it in a bun.

“There
you are, Miss Knott. Will you be needing anything else?” Rachel asked.

“No,
thank you. That’s all for tonight.”

“I’ll
come back and help you undress when you’re ready to retire for the evening.”

“That
won’t be necessary. I will be fine and I don’t want to wake Georgette. She
needs her rest.”

Rachel
nodded and slipped out of the room.

Isabel
made sure Georgette was resting comfortably before she left her dozing. She
looked so small in the large bed. Her sister could barely keep her eyes open
and there was no way she would have the energy to come down to dinner. The
journey to London had tired her more than she wanted to admit, but Isabel hoped
with a good night’s sleep, Georgette would soon regain her strength.

She
bounded down the stairs a few minutes before seven o’clock and walked down the
hall. She looked in the front parlor, but Mrs. Quinn was not there. Perhaps she
was already in the dining room. She turned and went back the way she came and
peeked in the next door. Success. This was the dining room. She walked in and
noticed the three dinner settings already placed on the large oak table. She
glanced around the room. It was tastefully decorated in shades of blue and gold
and the drapes were still open, letting in the last rays of the sun. She
wondered if blue was also Mrs. Quinn's favorite color.

“There
you are,” Iris said.

The
voice startled Isabel, and she turned as her hostess walked into the room.
“Good evening, ma’am.”

“Hello,
Isabel. Will Georgette be joining us?”

“No,
I’m sorry, Mrs. Quinn. She is tired from our journey today and begs your
forgiveness.”

“Nothing
to forgive. I had hoped she would join us, but its best for her to rest and
regain her strength. Has she always been so frail?”

Isabel
nodded. “Yes, but she’s doing much better now. I think with some fresh air and
exercise, her health will continue to improve. She has made such strides in the
last four months.”

“Indeed.
She’ll need more stamina if she is to endure the Season. I have no doubt once
the
ton
see the both of you, there
will be plenty of invitations sent around.”

Isabel
eyes widened. “Do you think so?”

“Yes,
of course, my dear. Now come sit and let’s enjoy our dinner.”

“Who
do you think we should send invitations to?”

“It’s
hard to say, but I will tell you all about the
ton
when Georgette can next join us.”

“Mrs.
Quinn, I cannot thank you enough for hosting us. It’s a dream come true for me.
Who would have thought my life could have taken such a turn? Imagine me, here
in London. No one back in our village would believe I deserved to be here.”

Iris
chuckled. “Nonsense, of course you deserve to be here. Besides, it’s you and
your cousin who favor me with your presence. It’s been too long since I last
had guests. This big old house can get pretty lonely. You girls fill it with
light and laughter. I dare say that I’m looking forward to the Season myself
this year.”

As
the seven o’clock chimes filled the air, the maid began bringing in dish after
dish for their dinner. Isabel gaped at it all. She had never seen so much food
at once. When Mr. Condiff was alive, they were on strict rations. She’d always
thought it was because there was a lack of funds, but that had not been the
case. Mr. Condiff had been saving his money for her and Georgette. It made her
sad to think that he deprived himself of so much to secure their future.

“Isabel,
are you well, dear?”

Isabel
looked into Mrs. Quinn’s concerned face and gave her a weak smile. “Yes, I’m
fine. Was just thinking about Mr. Condiff, that’s all.”

“It’s
too bad he left us so early. He was a dear friend of mine. I miss him
especially now, because it’s been too many years since I last saw him. Now I’ll
never have that chance to visit again. How long did you live in his household?”

Mrs.
Quinn’s question caught her off-guard. Should she lie about how long she’d been
there? What did Mrs. Quinn know of Mr. Condiff? She tried to rack her brain to
see if she ever remembered Mrs. Quinn coming for a visit, but she was sure
she’d have remembered such a pleasant woman if she had. In the end, she thought
it best not to lie.

“I’ve
been in Mr. Condiff’s household since I was a small child. I don’t remember my
life before that.”

“Nothing
of your parents?” she asked, as she passed the potatoes.

Isabel
shook her head. “No, ma’am,” she said while piling her plate with food. Her
stomach growled in response to the mouth-watering aromas.

“How
sad for you, my dear, growing up never knowing your mother or father.”

Isabel
longed to tell her kind host that she had known her father, but she would not
break the confidence Mr. Condiff had tasked her with. “Mr. Condiff was a kind
man and, of course, I had Georgette. She seems almost like a sister to me.”

“I’m
sure she does. Let’s hope she’s refreshed in the morning, for we have an appointment
with Mrs. Phillips.”

“I’ve
never been to a modiste before.”

“You’re
in for a treat then,” Iris said in between bites of food. “She’s truly a
wonder.”

“I’m
look forward to meeting her.”

When
dinner was through, Isabel followed Mrs. Quinn to the parlor.

“Do
you like to read?” Iris asked.

“Yes,
although we didn’t have many volumes to choose from.”

“Well,
my dear, you’re in for a treat. There are plenty to choose from in the library.
Help yourself to whatever strikes your fancy.”

“May
I go and choose a volume now?”

“Of
course.”

Isabel
walked into the library and her mouth fell open. There were floor to ceiling
mahogany shelves filled with volumes on two walls. She didn’t know where to
look first, but moved to her right. After looking at numerous choices, she
pulled a book from the shelf and made her way back to the parlor.

“Did
you find something?” Iris asked.

“I’ve
never seen so many books before. It was hard to choose one.”

Iris
chuckled. “I understand. The late Mr. Quinn was a great lover of books.”

Isabel
took a seat and thumbed through the book. “Wait until Georgette sees the
library. She will be so pleased.”

“Does
she also enjoy reading?”

“Oh
yes, it was the only thing she could do for the longest time. With so few
volumes available to us, we both knew the books well.”

“Well,
you and your cousin are welcome to read as many books as you desire.”

“Thank
you, Mrs. Quinn.”

***

The
next morning dawned bright. The sun streamed in through the curtains casting an
intricate lacy pattern on the floor in the upstairs bedchamber. A gentle breeze
blew through the trees outside the window. Spring buds were beginning to
blossom and the early leaves swayed in the wind. It was neither too hot, nor
too cold, but a perfect spring day in April.

Isabel
woke first. Her sister was still sleeping. She slipped out of bed and padded
over to the window and pulled back the lace curtain to survey the street below.
It was full of
tradespeople
going about their
business, along with a few gentlemen strolling along. She could hardly wait to
be a part of the London crowd, although she had no idea who the London crowd
was at the moment.

Mrs.
Quinn had told her there would be lots of introductions and invitations to come
while they were here. It promised to be the most fun she’d ever had. Her life
with Mr. Condiff had been pleasant enough, mostly because of Georgette, but it
had been filled with endless chores, especially after the cook had left. She
didn’t miss that part of her old life and was glad of the respite. She knew this
adventure would end some day, but at least she’d have the memory of a Season in
London to bring back to Essex with her. There was also her per annum. She
wouldn’t have to be anyone’s maid ever again.

“What
are you doing at the window, dearest?” came a sleepy voice from the bed.

Isabel
turned toward her sister. She raced back to the bed and jumped under the
covers. “I’m so excited. I could hardly sleep. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

Georgette
stretched her arms up over her head. “No, you didn’t. Goodness me, I can’t
believe I slept so long. I hope Mrs. Quinn wasn’t disappointed I didn’t join
you for dinner last evening.”

“No,
she understood and thought you should rest. After dinner I went into the
library. Wait until you see all the volumes there. You will be most pleased.”

“Really.
I look forward to it.”

“It
will have to wait until later, for we have a busy day ahead of us.”

“We
do?”

Isabel
bobbed her head up and down. “Have you forgotten? We’re going to order new
dresses today. Isn’t that wonderful? Our very own evening dresses made
especially for us.”

“Yes,
it is, but I’m more excited watching the wonder on your face.”

“Do
you think me too happy? You must know I was happy with Mr. Condiff, but I had
dreamed of coming to London for so long. I never thought it would ever happen,
and certainly not with the funds to buy new things.”

A
light knock on the door interrupted the girls’ conversation.

“Yes?”
Georgette said.

The
door opened and Rachel entered. “Good morning, Miss Condiff, Miss Knott. Are
you ready to dress or shall I come back later?”

Isabel
jumped out of bed. “Oh, we’re ready.”

The
maid went to the wardrobe and began to pull out petticoats and stays. She
turned to Georgette. “Do you have a preference for the dress you’ll wear
today?”

“No,
whatever you choose is fine. Thank you for taking care of my cousin and I while
we’re in London.”

Rachel
nodded and went back to her work. Within the hour, both Georgette and Isabel
were dressed with their hair neatly pulled back in matching chignons.

“Thank
you, Rachel.”

“No
need to thank me, miss. I’m happy to have the post.”

The
girls left the room and made their way down to the dining room for breakfast.

Mrs.
Quinn was already seated at the table, sipping her tea. “Good morning. I trust
you slept well?”

“Very
well, thank you,” Georgette said.

Isabel
echoed her sister’s sentiment.

“Good.
Come join me. You girls need to eat more to gather your strength. You’re both
rather slender.”

Both
Georgette and Isabel sat down and began to sample all the dishes the maid
brought to the table.

Isabel
chatted non-stop about how delicious the food was. “If I keep eating like this,
I’m afraid I’m won’t be slender anymore.”

“Nonsense,
Isabel. Cook will be happy you’re enjoying the food.”

 
“I’m looking forward to being out in
London today,” Isabel said.

Mrs.
Quinn chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I need to attend to a few household affairs
before we leave for Mrs. Phillips’s shop. The carriage will be brought around
at 10:00. In the meantime, feel free to look around my home. Georgette, there
are a number of volumes in the library that you may be interested in reading.
Help yourself.”

“Thank
you, Mrs. Quinn. Isabel mentioned it to me earlier. I shall be most happy to
look in the library. I’m an avid reader, but haven’t had anything new to read
in quite a while,” Georgette said.

***

At
precisely 10:00 o’clock, the three women were helped into the carriage and on
their way to visit the modiste.

Isabel
stared out the window, thoroughly enchanted by all she saw. London was a myriad
of sights and sounds, with people scurrying this way and that doing their
errands. It was a short carriage ride to the shop. The driver hopped down and
helped the ladies descend the two stairs to the street.

“Please
return in two hours,” Mrs. Quinn said.

“Of
course, ma’am,” the driver said with a short bow before climbing back up to his
seat. With a flick of the reins, the horses trotted away.

“Come,
ladies.” Mrs. Quinn led her guests into a tidy shop.

The
owner, Mrs. Phillips, was chatting with another customer when they entered.

“Very
good, Mrs. Richardson. I’ll see to it.”