Miss Delacourt Has Her Day (13 page)

He put her hand once again to his chest. “Can you forgive me, my most beloved Miss Delacourt?” he asked in a voice free from all restraint.

Nodding, she whispered, “But of course,” and felt her heart fill with joy until she thought it must burst into shafts of pure light. When he drew her close, she willingly nestled within the circle of his arm, against his soft, black suit-coat and stiff, snowwhite cravat, with shocking disregard for her fellow passengers. Indeed, she forgot they were even present until the sound of Grandaunt Regina’s voice broke through the facade of isolation that held them so in thrall.

“That will be quite enough, young man! Have you forgotten? Ginny is under my protection. I will not have her treated like Haymarket ware mere moments before her debut at Almack’s. What will Sally Jersey have to say to that?”

Her debut at Almack’s? Ginny felt her heat skip a beat. Was it possible Grandaunt had performed some kind of miracle? She found she wanted to go to Almack’s above all things. Stale cake and orgeat were nothing to anticipate with any great amount of pleasure, but one did not willingly concede an evening of dancing with her beloved.

“What is this?” Anthony asked, his voice rumbling in his chest beneath her ear.

“This,” Grandaunt said with a triumphant flourish above her head, “has been in my possession all day, courtesy of Countess Esterhazy.”

“Yes, but what is it?” Lucinda asked with a moue.

Hardly daring to believe it was true, Ginny sat up and snatched a ticket from the dowager duchess’ hand. “Oh, Grandaunt, thank you!” she cried.

“You are more than welcome, my dear,” Grandaunt replied with a pleased air.

“Yes, but what is it?” Lucinda demanded.

“This,” Ginny announced, “is my voucher to Almack’s!”

As they entered the hallowed portals of Almack’s, Anthony wondered what had possessed him to bring Ginny to such a place. True, it was the surest way to imbue a young woman with a certain eclat, as merely being allowed to enter would give Ginny’s reputation some much needed polish. However, it was also full of gentlemen on the hunt for a wife. It might have been his imagination, but he was persuaded that every male in the room turned toward the door the moment Ginny made her appearance. The room was also filled to brimming with women intent on making their daughters the wife of a future duke. The thought filled him with a pale anxiety compared to the clutch of fear that gripped him when he realized how Ginny would be perceived by the male population: fair game.

“Grandmama,” he whispered, “do you think this the best idea? Ginny might feel a bit out of her depth here”

“Don’t be absurd, Anthony! We have arrived but a moment ago, and she is vastly enjoying herself already.

Anthony had to agree. Ginny’s expression was lively as she took in every detail of the large room, with its glittering chandeliers, enormous gold-framed mirrors, and sumptuous velvet window dressings, much of which were barely discernable through the masses of the richly adorned assemblage. In light of Society’s so recent rejection of her, prompting her flight into the country a mere three weeks ago, Anthony thought her willingness to brave more opportunity for censure somewhat remarkable.

“Well, then,” Ginny said, “someone steer me in the direction of the dry cake. I find I am a bit peckish after that entire spoonful of soup I swallowed at dinner.” She looked to Anthony with glowing eyes. “Shall we?”

Anthony opened his mouth to agree, when Lord Avery, who was hovering nearby, stepped forward and offered Ginny his arm.

“Allow me, Miss Delacourt,” he said with an ingratiating smile for Ginny. “My lady wife is desirous of a bit of a cose with you, and I find I cannot deny her anything.”

“If you insist, Avery,” Anthony said with a disobliging air. “But, mind you, I shall be ‘round directly to collect her for the next set.” He knew his reticence to see her walk away between Avery and Lucinda was ridiculous. He could hardly sit in Ginny’s pocket all night even if their betrothal had been posted in the papers. Though he wished to dance with no one but his beloved, he knew she would be considered “fast” if she devoted all of her dances to him. If she were courageous enough to come to so public a haunt after all that Society had done and said to make her feel inferior, he had better do his best to ensure that her appearance at Almack’s worked to her advantage.

Turning to his grandmama, he said, “I believe I see Lady Jersey just on the other side of that potted palm. Does Ginny not need her approval before she is allowed to dance the waltz?”

“I do believe you are right, Anthony. It has been so long since I sponsored a young girl’s come-out, I am not yet wise to all the ways of Almack’s.”

“Be that as it may, dearest,” he said with a slight bow, “you are wise in the ways that matter. I don’t believe I have yet thanked you for your foresight in obtaining Ginny a voucher.”

“Tut-tut,” Grandmama said, scanning the crowd. “Of course I obtained the voucher. She is my responsibility. At least until such time as she becomes yours,” she scolded.

Rather than feeling put off, Anthony felt an utterly unfamiliar and complete harmony with his grandparent that filled him with such a warm wash of affection, he nearly leaned in to buss her raddled cheek. Instead, he put his fingers to his beaming lips and gave her a nearly imperceptible wink from the corner of his eye. She blushed like a veritable schoolgirl, and he obligingly looked away, glad for an excuse to rake his gaze over the crowds in hopes of spotting Ginny. However, he was not done visiting the subject of the voucher.

“At risk of sounding ungrateful, Grandmama, I would like to ask why you failed to mention your possession of it when so many opportunities to do so were laid at your feet” He turned to smile into her eyes, a trick he had long ago learned would soften her pride. “May I?”

“You may ask, but I am persuaded you will not like the answer,” she warned.

Sighing, he busied himself with an imperceptible mote of dust that had the audacity to light on his sleeve. “Ah, Grandmama, you must think me quite daft. Blast me if tonight was not the truest proof of my mother’s capacity for treachery. Surely there is nothing you can say that would oblige me to think less of her than I do at this very moment”

“It was not fear of your mother’s frailties that stayed my hand,” Grandmama said pertly.

Anthony froze. “If by that you refer to any uncertainty that Ginny will acquit herself with anything but grace and charm tonight, you are sadly mistaken,” he said coldly, all his former amity having evaporated in an instant.

“Ginerva is the beloved granddaughter of my most loved brother,” Grandmama replied in a huff. “I am willing to overlook her naivete, her preference for outspokenness, as well as her talent for attracting trouble wherever she goes. I must admit, however, to some concern with regard to her ability to carry herself off to advantage” She turned and grasped Anthony by the arm. “But more than that, I fear what further rejection or an outright cut direct from the wrong person will do to her already lackluster reputation. I was never so glad that I had this voucher in my possession before the contretemps at the Hadleys’, or I might never have had the means to bring your future wife up to snuff. I might have once been married to a duke, but my influence in Society grows weaker at the same rate my cheeks wrinkle,” she said with a snort.

“I humbly beg pardon, madam,” Anthony said, immediately repentant. “I should have credited you with more sense, as I know your desires for Ginny mirror my own”

“Most of them, anyway,” she said with a wry smile. “Now, come, I see that Sally Jersey has finally left off conversing with that Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, whom I find I cannot abide.”

Anthony proffered his arm for the trek across the room, all the while contemplating on the great quantity of personages Grandmama could not abide. More likely than not it was the other way around. However, it would appear that Lady Jersey was not numbered among those who cherished an aversion to the dowager duchess, as she instantly professed delight at granting the lovely Miss Delacourt the privilege of waltzing at Almack’s.

“For, as you of all people must know,” Lady Jersey gushed, .,your Miss Delacourt is rumored to become the next Duchess of Marcross!”

Anthony felt the smile freeze on his face. “It would seem someone is telling tales out of school, Lady Jersey. Will you say who?” he asked, though he had a suspicion he knew the answer well enough.

“I don’t see why not,” she said with a lift of her chin. “I had it of the countess” Noting Anthony’s obvious confusion, she hastily added, “Lieven, of course. I believe she heard it from your mother, my lord, or perhaps it was from Lady Derby. The three of them lunched together this afternoon-quite like the old days, wouldn’t you say?” she added with a flourish of her fan. “Oh, look there, I do believe that is she with the Viscountess of Castlereagh now!”

Then she was gone, off to dampen the spirits of her next unsuspecting victim, Anthony silently mused. He and Grandmama exchanged a grim look, then hastened to find Ginny before she was accosted by Lady Derby and the obnoxious Mr. Simmons, who were even now making their way, arm in arm, directly for the supper room where Ginny was last known to be headed. The pair of them must have left their mutton to congeal on their plates in order to arrive so soon, and they, no doubt, were up to no good.

“For goodness’ sake, Anthony, pick up the pace!” Grandmama admonished through puffs of rapidly dwindling breath. “Who knows what evil lurks beneath that crown of curls adorning Lady Derby’s head? I knew that girl was trouble from the very moment I laid eyes on her, but your uncle would insist she was a good match for you,” she muttered darkly. “Of course, Ginerva was practically in leading strings in those days, so how was Ito know she was the one?” she asked, her voice rising in pitch. “Who was to know any of this would happen?”

“Who, indeed?” Anthony soothed. Who knew Grandmama could cover so much ground at such a spanking pace? Who knew the precise word to adequately describe the look in the eyes of those who feared they would be knocked to the floor with utter abandon? Who knew Grandmama would attempt to deprive Lady Derby of several locks of hair when she caught up to her?

It was fortunate, indeed, that Anthony deduced her intention and put a stop to it before more than a few onlookers perceived the dowager duchess’ clawed fingers straining to grasp the hair at the nape of Lady Derby’s neck.

“Grandmama,” he hissed, taking her outstretched hand in his. “You grow hysterical!”

“But she will get to Ginerva before we do and cause some hideous scandal-I just know it. We must stop her! Oh, how I would drag her to the ground if I thought I had the remotest chance of succeeding,” she railed.

Due to the fact that, by this time, Lady Derby and Simmons had disappeared through the doorway opening onto the supper rooms, Anthony rather doubted there was anything either he or Grandmama could reasonably do but pray. Since he further doubted that, despite Almack’s lack of alcohol, God took much notice of those assembled in party rooms, Anthony felt sure his prayers would go unheard.

Nevertheless, as he and Grandmama entered the room, he found himself praying in any case. It, however, did nothing to prepare him for the scene that met his eyes.

The room was chockablock with people, all of whom were staring down-table at Lady Derby, who appeared to be embracing someone. Good Lord, it was Ginny! Even more astonishing was the fact that Ginny was putting her arms about Lady Derby, as well. He noted, with a decided lack of surprise, how Lucinda was attempting to make herself part of the tableau by draping her diminutive arms around the neck of each lady and pressing her face into their shoulders. Off to one side stood a beaming Avery, smiling down on the three women as if they were the blessed Holy Family and he one of the three wise men.

Regrettably, there was nothing holy about whatever kind of mischief was afoot. It would seem that Lady Derby wished to be seen treating Ginny with kindness. However, true kindness was purely selfless, and Lady Derby was never that. Worried, Anthony led Grandmama to a quiet corner where he could assess the situation before making his presence known. A visual tour of the room told him what he wanted to know; Simmons was nowhere to be seen. He must be up to something, but what?

He hadn’t the chance to think long on the problem, as Lady Derby was saying something to Ginny, something that was clearly causing Ginny great distress. Discretion might very well be the better part of valor, but Anthony hadn’t the time to test the veracity of that statement. Instructing Grandmama to have something to eat, he moved at a pace slightly slower than a mad dash and reached Ginny’s side in time to hear Lady Derby say something about a bet some gudgeon had made at White’s Gentleman’s Club. As “some gudgeon” was forever making bets at White’s, this tidbit did little to hold Anthony’s attention.

“Miss Delacourt,” he said with nary an attempt at civility for Lady Derby, “I believe I hear the chords of a quadrille being struck. Would you honor me with a dance?”

Ginny shot him a look of pure gratitude before replying. “My lord, how kind! I was only thinking how much I love to dance a quadrille.” Placing her hand on his arm, she allowed him to draw her away from a silent but haughty Lady Derby and out into the main hall, where the dancers were lining up to begin.