Miss Cresswell's London Triumph (20 page)

Smothering his annoyance as best he could, Ned inclined his dark head as he acknowledged them. "Arabella, Sir Brian, good evening. And how do you find the opera? Cassie, here, is a severe critic, you know. She has been telling me that while she admires Rossini and finds Otello particularly delightful, she does not find the performers equal to the music—a sad state of affairs, don't you agree?"

Cassie s jaw dropped as she had said no such thing, nor could she have the least idea why Ned would let fall such a plumper, but a conspiratorial wink brought her to her senses. Trying to sound as world-weary and sophisticated as possible, she sighed. "Yes, I find it quite upsetting when the singers cannot do justice to the work. If the corps de ballet is as uninspired in the dance to follow, I am sure I shall be frightfully ennuyee. And I most certainly object to the tampering with Shakespeare's masterpiece. The happy ending is beyond all things absurd."

She was rewarded by another wink and a lopsided grin. Unaware of this private interchange, Arabella struggled to regain control of the scene that Ned had so successfully stolen from her. He had succeeded far beyond his wildest hopes, which had merely been to rob Arabella of some of her infernal confidence in her ability to dominate the center of every stage, because upon hearing Cassie's remark. Sir Brian, whose gaze had been slowly sweeping the theater, now fixed upon her with some interest.

"Are you a devotee of opera, Lady Cassandra, or merely of Rossini?" he asked, moving closer to her chair as she spoke.

Cassie smiled. "Oh opera, certainly," she replied. Then, lowering her voice conspiratorially, she added, "I know that one shouldn't admit to such a thing when Italian opera is all the rage, but I find that Mozart appeals more to my tastes."

He nodded sagely. "I should have known."

"Oh dear," Cassie sounded rueful. "Do I look so demodee? My entire family is hoping I shall acquire some town bronze and I shouldn't want to disappoint them. It's not for myself that I care about being au courant, you understand," she concluded somewhat defiantly.

"Not in the least." Sir Brian was amused. "I had expected that a composer as refined and subtle as Mozart would be more appealing to someone who has such an elegant mind."

"But you have no notion of my mind," she protested.

His brown eyes dwelt on her appreciatively as he responded. "On the contrary, the clothes you wear, the way you carry yourself, your voice are all very elegant. How could your mind fail to be so?"

Cassie's eyes opened wide as she exclaimed, "I, elegant!"

Don t let it go to your head, Cassie, Ned teased. There are those of us who remember you with mud on your nose and grass stains on your pinafore. Be aware. Sir Brian, that underneath that elegant exterior you describe, there lurks the best tree climber and one of the most bruising riders in all of Hampshire."

If they had not been in polite company, Cassie would have stuck her tongue out at Ned, but she contented herself with shaking an admonitory finger at him. "Have care, Ned. As the Marriage Mart's biggest catch, you have a greater reputation to be ruined by childhood reminiscences than I do. And if you can dredge up my past, I can certainly recall some inglorious moments in yours."

He grinned appreciatively. "Wretch!" he responded, laughing.

Arabella, who had been forced, and with very poor grace at that, to maintain a desultory conversation with Lady Mainwaring and the marquess, could bear it no longer. Laying a possessive hand on Sir Brian's sleeve, she cooed, "Come. We must be going or we shall miss the next act." Then, bending toward Ned and treating him to the full benefit of her decolletage, she whispered intimately, "I hope to see you at Lady Portman's masquerade."

"I expect so. I shall be there, I suppose," he replied carelessly as he quickly turned his attention to the stage. Left with nothing to do, Arabella swept out as grandly as possible, clinging seductively to her escort.

The projected outing to the balloon ascension had met with Theodore's instant and enthusiastic approval. "What a bang-up plan!" he exclaimed when Cassie relayed Ned's invitation to him. He looked up at her, adding shyly, "I like Ned. He's a regular Trojan, isn't he?"

Cassie smiled fondly at him. "Yes, he certainly is." The warmth in her smile was as much for the man who had made the boy so happy as for the eager boy himself. Dear Ned, he always was there offering advice, distraction, support, whatever she needed and whenever she needed it most. Few people could count themselves as fortunate as she in having a friend like him. She thought of how consoled she had been by his quick understanding and sympathy, how comforting and secure it had felt to be in his arms, and her smile became even more tender.

Her reverie was interrupted by a grubby hand tugging at her sleeve. "Aunt Cathie, I thay. Aunt Cathie."

She came to with a start. "Yes, Teddy?"

"Will we be able to get clothe to the balloon? I would so like to thee what ith like."

Cassie looked uncertain. "I don't know, dear. It may be a sad crush, but we shall certainly try."

The day of the balloon ascension dawned clear and warm. Ned had borrowed his sister's barouche and also availed himself of her cook, who had packed a tremendous hamper of game pies, cold chicken, and cheese, as well as tarts and cakes of every description. Teddy's eyes bulged at the sight of it as he climbed in the carriage and settled himself in anticipation of a day of unprecedented delights.

Wellington sat happily on the box by the coachman. Ned was an old crony of his, and when the little dog had seen his best friends about to depart in a carriage without him, he had looked so miserable that Ned had relented. "Very well then, Wellington, but you must stay on the box because we wouldn't want to lose you in all the crush. Hackney is not the genteel area of London that Mayfair is. No telling what mongrels will be abroad."

"Art," Wellington barked obediently. He had no intention of leaving his seat, not because he was afraid of even the fiercest canine, but because he did not want to miss the slightest detail of the ascent. Besides, fancying himself an equestrian sort of dog, he was never happier than when he was seated on the box next to the coachman.

Ned had drawn the line at Nelson and Ethelred, however. Nelson had not really wanted to go, as the idea of sunning himself on the front steps was infinitely more appealing than perching way up in a swaying open carriage amid throngs of people, but it would never have done to let on to Wellington. Ethelred really did not care one way or another, but not liking to be separated from his hero, he looked mutinous at Ned's decision.

"I'm not certain they would understand about ducks as pets in Hackney," Ned explained. "And you would undoubtedly prefer to remain here than end up in someone's stew pot."

"Arf," Wellington agreed, settling the matter, and Ethelred, sighing sadly, waddled off to join Nelson on the steps.

A silent observer of Ned's kindness and understanding toward the trio, Cassie couldn't help comparing him to Horace, who had ordinarily been rendered acutely uncomfortable by the menagerie. He had always trodden awkwardly and uneasily when they were around and more than once had remarked in exasperation, "Really, Cassandra, I don't understand why they are allowed the run of the house. Animals in a drawing room are absurd, not to mention most improper." Well aware of his unpropitious attitude, and hoping to discourage such a caller, the three had invariably made it a point to hover around his feet when he called, and they had been as relieved as everyone else that Horace's visits to their mistress had ceased.

The party arrived in the Mermaid Tavern, Hackney, in time to view the balloon and equipment which was on exhibit to the public in the assembly room. As they walked around inspecting it, Ned explained the principles of ballooning to an enrapt Theodore. "And we are fortunate to be able to see such a noted balloonist as Mr. Green. He has made several innovations in ballooning, inventing the drag rope to make the descent slower and smoother and using coal gas instead of hydrogen. Though it's much more likely to catch fire, it's a great deal cheaper."

Pleased by the rare occasion of having a truly knowledgeable spectator and one who was a nonpareil, by the look of him, Mr. Green himself came over to explain the science of ballooning to the little party. Teddy was thrilled by his description of his more daring exploits and was so excited by the outing and the opportunity to meet the famous balloonist that he hardly touched the picnic which had captured his eye when they first set out.

"What a knowing one you are, Ned, old boy. Never knew you was so into the scientific stuff as well as the classics," Freddie commented through a mouthful of game pie.

"I'm not, but IVe always been intrigued by the idea of being able to fly. The idea of gliding peacefully along over the countryside above all the hustle and bustle and the horrors of country lanes appeals to me mightily," Ned averred.

They were interrupted by a gasp from the crowd as Mr. Green and his assistant pulled in the anchors and the gaily striped equipage rose slowly and majestically above diem. Wellington let out a startled "woof while the rest of them sat silent gazing at the magnificent sight.

"Oh, how I should love to ride in one!" Cassie exclaimed. "How wonderful it would be to look down on everything while sailing along free as a bird."

Ned smiled fondly at her. With her face alight with enthusiasm and the stray golden curls catching the sunlight as the wind gently blew them, she looked more like the Cassie he used to know—passionate, vital, and adventurous—than the serious and proper person who had lately been appearing at all the fashionable haunts of the ton. It was as though her true spirit had broken through some restraint and was reasserting itself. Ned was glad to see that it was still there and hoped that somehow he had been instrumental in bringing about the transformation.

He felt a great rush of tenderness toward his old playmate as she sat there rapt in the excitement of the event. You're too young to be getting nostalgic, Ned, my boy, he admonished himself. YouVe only just kicked off the dust of the schoolroom yourself not so many years ago and have all those fascinating women out there to amuse you. You must be all about in the head to be so happy at the thought of being with someone you spent your boyhood rescuing from one scrape after another. She has no more idea of how to go on in the world than she did when she was falling out of trees. But he couldn't help remembering how she had looked at him the night of Horace's betrayal, and how comfortable she had felt in his arms. He gave a snort of disgust at his sentimentality over a childhood companion.

Cassie was enjoying herself too thoroughly to be paying much attention in return to this particular childhood companion, but on the drive home she was strangely silent. While Ned and
Freddie hotly debated the relative merits of the matched bays Sir Charles Pierrepont had just purchased, she .sat quietly reflecting on the day's outing.

She realized that it had been an age since she had felt as comfortable and at ease in a group of people as she had felt today. With Horace she had enjoyed the conversation, but had always been conscious of some constraint, knowing how high-minded his principles were, lest she say something that offended his sensibilities. Often she had caught a look of disapproval in his eyes as she had waxed enthusiastic over something. And frequently he had made her feel as though her love for adventure was, if not improper, certainly hoydenish and unattractive. The consequence had been that she had always held back and examined every thought before expressing it. Ned, on the contrary, not only did not act disapproving, but he encouraged her to express herself and explore her interests no matter how unusual.

"I'm delighted that you enjoyed yourself, Teddy," Ned's voice broke into her thoughts. "We shall have to plan another outing in the near future before your aunt can acquire too much town bronze to enjoy such things." He turned and winked at Cassie, amending, "Not that she is in much danger of preferring a ballroom to a chance for adventure."

Cassie grinned at him and he thought how wonderful it was to have the impishness back again breaking through the air of reserve she had worn since he had been in London. "What do you say to an excursion to the Egyptian hall to see the reindeer and the wapiti on exhibit there? I have read that the horns of the wapiti are very curious."

Teddy could hardly breathe in his excitement at the thought of another such outing. He was in seventh heaven sitting alongside Ned conversing with him as though he were a true grown-up. Aunt Cassie and his mother were great guns, but though they knew their history backward and forward and were practically on speaking terms with all those Greek fellows, they did show a sad lack of interest in things scientific and mechanical, any detail of which was of passionate interest to the little boy. Uncle Freddie was a trump and could be counted on for his knowledge of any type of sporting endeavor, but if Teddy were to ask him about some point of science such as why stars twinkled, or how water became steam, Freddie would look rueful and reply apologetically, "You know, Teddy, you'd better ask your father. I haven't got all that much in my brain box, my lad." Lord Mainwaring, when he could be found, could be counted on to supply satisfactory answers, but he was often away or busy, and besides, he was his father. It was so much nicer to have a friend with whom you could discuss things.

Seeing the worshipful light in Teddy's eyes, Ned was touched. He remembered his own admiration of Lord Mainwaring, who had proven to be a similar friend and mentor for a bright inquiring boy raised in a household of kind but unintellectual women, and he resolved to spend more time with the lad. There was another aspect about Teddy's eager expression that moved him. It reminded him strongly of the look Cassie wore when some question or some new thought had struck her. That constant desire to learn and to discover new things or new ways of thinking about things was what he loved most about her.