Love in the Highlands (7 page)

At the back the dress fell away to a train, embroidered with sprays of purple and gold pansies. The bosom was cut low, not immodestly, but low enough to show the dainty diamond pendant. Lavender satin slippers and white gloves completed Lavina's appearance.

"My daughter is a credit to you, ma'am," said the Earl, who was always extremely polite to Mrs Banty, because he was afraid of her.

"Thank you, My Lord." The dresser accepted his tribute graciously, and melted away.

The Earl sighed with pleasure as he stood back to take another look at his daughter.

"There won't be a lady there to match you."

"There won't be any other ladies there at all, Papa," she said with a laugh.

"Oh but there will be. The Marquis has invited several other guests from the locality. There's the vicar, the mayor, and their wives, and I believe the rest are poor relations who live on the estate."

Lavina's mouth dropped open.

"I thought he never entertained like this."

"It seems he's made an exception."

"And bringing members of his family to meet me – "

"Well, he's doing it properly, which is very much to our purpose."

"Or his," Lavina thought. But she said nothing.

There was a knock on her door. Jill opened it, and admitted the Marquis.

He was splendidly dressed in black evening clothes, set off by a gleaming white embroidered shirt, at the top of which nestled a diamond pin.

Lavina had to tell herself not to stare. It crossed her mind that she had never seen a man look so handsome.

He inclined his head graciously in her direction.

"My compliments, ma'am," he said. "You are a bride of whom any man would be proud."

"I'm glad you feel that I'm a credit to you sir," Lavina replied with equal graciousness.

"There is only one thing needed to make your appearance perfect," he said. "Would you honour me by wearing these?"

Then she saw that he was carrying a large black box, which he opened, revealing the most astounding set of jewellery she had ever seen.

There was a necklace, a diadem, a bracelet, ear-rings, and two brooches, all in the most fabulous emeralds, set in gold.

"These are the Elswick emeralds," the Marquis explained. "Anyone seeing you wearing these will have to believe in the reality of the engagement."

He turned slightly to show the jewels to Mrs Banty.

"I should value your opinion ma'am," he said meekly.

"Very nice and suitable," she asserted.

"Which would you suggest for tonight?"

Mrs Banty considered.

"The necklace, the diadem and the ear-rings," she said.

"A bracelet?"

"That would be a little too much," she declared firmly.

"Then if you will be so good."

He stood back to allow Mrs Banty to do what was necessary.

When the jewellery was in place Lavina knew that she had never looked so magnificent. She looked, in fact, like a Marchioness.

"Some relatives of mine are here," the Marquis observed. "They will certainly recognise these jewels. If the Queen's messenger arrives I shall make sure that he too understands the implications, and – well, anyone else."

"Anyone else?" Lavina queried.

"I'm hoping that the local newspaper may send a representative. I told Hunsbury to drop a hint while he was there delivering the telegram, and he thinks it fell on fertile ground. If somebody tries to gatecrash, the doormen have been instructed to let them in."

There was no doubting it. Lavina had to admit that the Marquis was playing his part well.

Just before they departed the Earl murmured to his daughter,

"You two look very fine together, my dear."

And she murmured back,

"Papa, you have windmills in your head."

"Yes my dear, if you say so."

She went down to dinner on the Marquis' arm, to be introduced to the local dignitaries, and the relations. There were six of them, all elderly and thrilled be invited to Elswick Towers.

It was the Mayor's wife who told Lavina about Lord Elswick's kindness to them.

"They are really his pensioners, for he houses them and pays most of their bills," she confided. "Perhaps he did not tell you this, because he prefers people not to know of his kind actions."

"I'm beginning to understand that," Lavina murmured.

Of course she knew that his kindness had two edges. In return for his generosity he expected his relatives to be available when he needed them. But it was not lost on her that they all seemed genuinely fond of him, and spoke to him without fear.

One old lady in particular detained the Marquis with a long, detailed account of some domestic problem. He listened with every sign of interest, promised to send somebody to see to it and never once betrayed impatience.

Lavina grew even more curious about this man to whom she was officially betrothed.

At dinner she was seated beside him, and was made the recipient of many flattering attentions. Tomorrow morning, she guessed, the news would be spread far and wide, and all the time she and her Papa would be a little safer.

And yet, there was something very strange about it all.

The Earl was enjoying himself, having discovered two kindred spirits in the Mayor and his wife. They were both enthusiastic sailors, and as the Earl owned a yacht moored at Tilbury, and liked nothing better than to cruise in her, they were all soon deep in eager discussion.

"I've just had The Mermaid completely refitted," he said, "and, of course, redecorated."

"The Mermaid," sighed one of the lady relatives. "Such a lovely name!"

"We would normally have gone cruising in her this summer," the Earl explained, "but of course all plans are now in a state of abeyance."

"A cruise sounds an excellent idea," the Marquis said. "Perhaps we should think about it."

The talk drifted to other things. The vicar's wife wanted to know about the Queen. The Earl would have preferred not to discuss a subject that now filled him with dread, but he obliged with some innocent gossip about Her Majesty.

"Do you travel with her?" the Mayor asked.

"I have been to Osborne, on the Isle of Wight in attendance on Her Majesty," he replied. "But she travels very little, just Osborne, and Balmoral in Scotland."

"Scotland is such a beautiful place," sighed the vicar.

The Earl mentioned that he had a cousin who lived in Scotland, near Ballater, and for a while the talk was of the beauties of Scotland.

At last the Marquis rose to his feet.

But before he could speak the butler entered and murmured something in his ear. Lavina heard him say, "Send him in here."

When the butler had left, the Marquis addressed Lord Ringwood.

"The Queen's messenger has arrived for you."

The Earl blanched and seemed unable to speak.

Lavina, thinking quickly, said,

"I wonder what he can possibly want."

"I dare say you're used to being summoned to assist Her Majesty on important matters of state," said the vicar's wife breathlessly.

"Oh yes," said the Earl faintly.

"And it must be very urgent," pursued that lady, "to make him come here so late."

"Doubtless," the Earl managed to say.

"Perhaps it's a matter of national interest," she finished ecstatically.

This was so close to the truth that the Earl cast her a glance of horror, which made the vicar murmur in his wife's ear that this was really too worldly a discussion for such as themselves.

Both Lavina and her father recognised Sir Richard Peyton the man who entered the room. He was, as the Earl had called him, "a pale stick of a man", with no humour.

The Marquis received him graciously.

"You're just in time to join a toast to my bride," he said. "Lavina, my dear," he took her hand, raising her to her feet. "Was ever a man so fortunate?"

He handed Sir Richard a glass that a footman had filled.

"To Lady Lavina Ringwood, the future Marchioness of Elswick."

This put Peyton in an awkward position. He knew, as did everyone in the Queen's service, why Her Majesty required the presence of Lord Ringwood. He also knew that she was going to be, as he later put it to a crony, "ready to explode" when she heard of this engagement.

But he lacked the courage to refuse to drink the toast,

and he gulped down the champagne, praying that his royal mistress never found out, for she would certainly have his hide.

There were more toasts, speeches, and he was forced to delay his errand until everyone had left the table and repaired to the drawing room.

But then he was interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Ferris, a representative of the local newspaper, whom the Marquis cordially welcomed.

What was worse he spoke to Ferris for some minutes, and even introduced his bride, all of which made Sir Richard shiver as he thought of what would soon appear in the press.

Jack Ferris, who was the owner and editor of the local paper, could hardly believe his luck. To have gained admittance to Elswick Towers was more than he had hoped for, even after the strong hint he had been given earlier in the day.

Now the Marquis and Lady Lavina had greeted him affably.

"Come out into the garden," the Marquis invited him. "The fireworks are about to begin."

"Fireworks?" Lavina echoed.

"In your honour, my dear."

The French windows in the drawing room were thrown open and the company trooped out onto the broad terrace.

The Marquis took Lavina to stand in the centre of the broad stairs that led down to the lawns.

Darkness had fallen, and now the night sky was lit up by showers of glittering colour.

Most of the servants had come out into the garden to watch the firework display, and their "Oohs" and "Aaahs" blended in with the noises of the rockets.

Lavina stood at the top of the steps, her head raised to the sky, her attention absorbed in the gaudy beauty overhead. She did not see that every eye was upon her. Nor did she see the Marquis turn his head and look at her for a long time.

As last she lowered her head and turned to look at him.

Then, to the cheers of the servants, and under the appalled eyes of Sir Richard and the fascinated eyes of Jack Ferris, the Marquis drew her close and laid his lips on hers.

It was the last thing she had expected from him, and she stood totally still with surprise.

It was not a fierce or passionate kiss. It was for the watching crowd, and it stayed well within the bounds of decorum. But the feel of his lips on hers was un-nerving.

His mouth was warm, firm, yet mobile, and it caressed hers gently. Lavina was intensely aware of the strength of his arms about her, and the feeling of his hard, wiry body against her.

"It would help if you looked a little enthusiastic," he murmured against her mouth.

"I – I can't – " she whispered, blushing.

"You are not playing your part, madam."

"I – very well."

Determinedly she put her arms about him, putting on a show of kissing him back. And then, somehow, she found that it was not a show, and she really was kissing him.

Shocked at herself, she drew back. Everyone around them was smiling, and she could see that he too was smiling. But it was a strange, uncertain smile, as though he were surprised at himself.

"Is that enthusiastic enough for you, sir," she asked demurely.

"It will do, for now."

They drew apart and, somehow, returned to normal. There were more toasts, champagne flowed.

Jack Ferris was still nearby, hastily scribbling. It was

clear that he had seen everything and would report everything, so Lavina supposed she should be very grateful to the Marquis.

But yet she wondered why a man should go to such lengths for something he had not wanted to do.

Emboldened, Jack Ferris approached her and said,

"Might I ask if the two of you have been acquainted for long?"

"For years," the Marquis said without hesitation. "In fact our first meeting was in London, at Lord Bracewell's house, is that not so, my love?"

"It was indeed," Lavina said promptly, "three years ago, although as I was not, strictly speaking, out at the time, perhaps it does not count as a proper meeting. But that was when we first set eyes on each other."

Ferris, overwhelmed with delight, scurried away to tell the world that Lord Elswick and his bride had long cherished a secret love.

Sir Richard regarded all this with a baleful eye, and wondered when he would be able to deliver his letter. At last he managed to approach the Earl, who had sufficiently recovered his nerve to smile and put the letter aside, saying,

"Have a drink, my dear fellow."

"Lord Ringwood, it is of the highest importance that you read this now. Her Majesty urgently requires your presence tomorrow at Windsor Castle."

Reluctantly the Earl opened and read the letter, which did, indeed, summon him in imperious tones, 'to discuss a matter of national importance'.

But then the Marquis looked over his shoulder, saying,

"You can't do that, old fellow. We'll have started on our cruise by then."

To Sir Richard he explained,

"Lord Ringwood and Lady Lavina have invited me for a trip on their yacht, and we leave immediately. So he will be unable to accept the Queen's kind invitation."

"It is not an invitation," said the startled Sir Richard. "It is a summons."

"Whatever it is, Lord Ringwood cannot attend, as we are headed for the sea tomorrow morning."

The Marquis slapped Sir Richard on the back and spoke with terrifying geniality.

"Her Majesty will have to wait until he gets back. It can't be that important."

Sir Richard was beyond speech. His eyes seemed to pop out of his head.

"Have another drink," the Marquis told him. "I've had a room prepared for you."

Sir Richard began to protest that he must return to Windsor Castle, but he reflected that an overnight stay would give him a chance to talk Lord Ringwood into doing his duty, and yielded.

Soon after that the party ended. A stream of carriages pulled away from the front door, and Sir Richard went unhappily to bed.