Miss Dower's Paragon (10 page)

Evelyn willingly gave the books to her servant’s care. She hurried home, anticipating the astonished and gratified expression that must possess her mother’s face when she informed Mrs. Dower of the exalted company that was to call later in the week.

Chapter Nine

A splendid and sumptuous tea had been prepared and was spread on the sideboard. Mrs. Dower had made certain that there would be everything that must be pleasing to the gentlemen’s palates. The cold collation of cut meats and cheeses was set off by various sandwiches and a generous choice of fruits, jellies, tarts, and biscuits.

Mrs. Dower sent a practiced glance over the offerings. “Quite nice, indeed. I do not think we shall have cause for any complaint.”

“Decidedly not, unless one of the gentlemen suffers from the gout,” said Evelyn.

“Now you are funning with me. I know quite well that the viscount is not above a year or two older than Mr. Hawkins, and he is scarcely out of shortcoats,” said Mrs. Dower.

Evelyn laughed at the wide exaggeration. “And what of me, Mama?”

“A veritable babe in arms,” said Mrs. Dower. “Or is that a babe in the woods? At all events, it is really quite exciting that you are not yet officially out and already you have attached two such fashionable admirers. Shall you accept an offer from Viscount Waithe since Mr. Hawkins does not appeal to you?”

“It is too early to say, surely! I have scarcely spoken more than a dozen words to his lordship, after all,” said Evelyn flippantly.

“Oh, as to that, what matters a few words or more? All that is needed is a little encouragement in the proper direction.” Mrs. Dower unnecessarily straightened the lace at her cuff, humming a little.

Evelyn regarded her mother with a gathering of foreboding. “Mama, I mislike it excessively when you begin to hum in just that fashion.”

“Why, do you not like music, dear? How very odd of you,” said Mrs. Dower.

“Mama, pray give me your word that you will say nothing that—”

“Well, really, Evelyn!” Mrs. Dower turned a wounded expression on her daughter. “The way you look, one could almost suspect that you do not place the least trust in me.”

“I am sorry to wound you. Mama, but I
have
known you to utter the most embarrassing things,” said Evelyn apologetically.

“Yes, well, I promise you that I shan’t do so today,” said Mrs. Dower. She patted her daughter’s arm, giving Evelyn a fond smile. “I am quite up to snuff with the gentlemen, my dear, never fear. You may rest easy on that head.”

Evelyn was not at all reassured, and demanded, “Mama,
what
do you mean to do?”

“Nothing so very awful, Evelyn. It is but a mother’s duty to encourage her daughter’s suitors. You may safely leave it in my hands, dearest,” said Mrs. Dower.

“But that is precisely what I cannot do. Mama!”

Evelyn would have pursued the matter, but to her distinct dismay at that moment the gentlemen were announced.

Throwing Evelyn an arch glance, Mrs. Dower rose to greet them. “Mr. Hawkins, how happy I am to see you. I am always glad when you come to call,” she said. “I have been thinking that we have become such good friends these last few weeks.”

Mr. Hawkins bowed over her hand. He said with a smile, “I could not ask for a warmer welcome, ma’am.”

He turned toward Evelyn and she saw that his eyes glinted with speculative humor. “I know that I am fully as welcome with you, Miss Dower.”

Evelyn would not allow his gentle dart to raise a retort from her. Her company manners were better than that, she hoped. She smiled winningly at him. “Of course, Mr. Hawkins. How could it be otherwise?”

Mr. Hawkins chuckled quietly. “Mrs. Dower, allow me to introduce to you my companions. My cousin, Viscount Waithe, and Sir Charles Reginald.”

Mrs. Dower regarded the third gentleman with astonishment. “Why, I had no notion that we would be so honored, Sir Charles. I am so glad that I had Cook arrange such a very large tea. There was some question in my mind, you see, but there! It only proves that one should always plan in a generous fashion.”

Sir Charles smiled down at his hostess and delivered himself of a flowery compliment. “I am not at all surprised by your superior perception, ma’am. Such a lovely lady could scarcely be otherwise.”

Mrs. Dower acknowledged the gentleman’s gracious words with approval and then introduced Evelyn to the gentlemen. “You and Mr. Hawkins are old friends, Evelyn, so I need not say more there, and of course you must recall Lord Waithe. Sir Charles, my daughter, Evelyn.”

Sir Charles raised Evelyn’s fingers to his lips for a brief salute. “Miss Dower, it is a pleasure to discover such a rare and beauteous flower.” There was an enigmatic expression in his glance for her that at once established an aura of intimacy between them.

Evelyn was disconcerted by Sir Charles’s singular style. She acknowledged his gallantry with a slight blush and murmured greeting before she turned her head to smile at the other two gentlemen. “Of course I recall the viscount. I am glad to be able to further my acquaintance with you, my lord. I consider myself fortunate to have met you so soon after your arrival, for Mr. Hawkins told us but a few days ago that you would be coming to visit him here in Bath.”

“I am more glad than I can say that I have done so. Bath is quickly proving to be of more interest than I had ever anticipated,” said Viscount Waithe. His admiring smile gave his words a meaning that could not be misunderstood.

“We do enjoy a lively society,” Mrs. Dower agreed, seemingly oblivious to her daughter’s heightened blush. “Do make yourselves comfortable, gentlemen.” She requested that the attending footmen serve from the trays while she occupied herself with the pouring of the tea.

For the next hour, Evelyn thoroughly enjoyed herself. It was an enlightening and heady experience to be the recipient of the gallantry of three fashionable and completely eligible gentlemen. However, she knew enough of the ways of the world to be careful that she did not favor one gentleman over any other. She had often heard how disastrously such public preference could affect a lady’s reputation, particularly that of an unestablished miss. It was one of those helpful insights that she had gathered from her mother’s light gossip about friends and society.

Other callers chanced to stop in and graciously acceded to Mrs. Dower’s urgings to take tea. Among them was a retired admiral who had long been a great admirer of Mrs. Dower. When the elderly gentleman realized that Miss Dower had come of age to receive gentlemanly compliments, he also added his mite.

“We’ll soon have your pretty head turned, my dear,” the admiral chuckled, nodding in approval at her high color and sparkling eyes. “In no time at all those maidenly blushes will be replaced with a coquettish air.”

“I trust not. You must not listen to this old reprobate, my dear,” said a lady, one of two of Mrs. Dower’s contemporaries who had come to visit.

“Mustn’t I?” Evelyn asked, laughing a little.

“Indeed not! Nothing is more devastating to a young lady’s reputation than to come to be considered a flirt. Those sorts do not make successful marriages,” agreed her companion, sipping delicately at her tea.

Since Evelyn knew that both ladies had never married, it crossed her mind to wonder whether each had suffered that very ignoble fate. Her glance inadvertently met that of Mr. Hawkins. The amusement in his eyes told her that he knew very well what she had been thinking. That perception had the startling effect of making her want to laugh. Her voice trembled with the restraint that she exercised upon herself. “I am certain that is so, ma’am. I shall try to heed your excellent advice.”

The ladies were most gratified and confided to Mrs. Dower that she had a very prettily behaved daughter. “Indeed, dear Mary, it is particularly gratifying to observe a young lady who is modest and maidenly in the presence of gentlemen,” said one.

“Oh, yes. So often our misses are encouraged by such obvious attentions to behave distressingly forward,” said the other.

“I flatter myself to think that Evelyn is levelheaded enough to weather the admiration of any number of gentlemen,” said Mrs. Dower. “Why, Mr. Hawkins has shown the most marked preference, but Evelyn remains quite true to her strict upbringing.”

“Indeed!” As one, the two ladies turned bright speculative glances on Evelyn and Mr. Hawkins.

Evelyn’s cheeks burned at her mother’s indiscreet utterance. She chanced to meet Mr. Hawkins’s eyes at that moment. His brow was raised and there was a peculiar wryness to his smile.

Evelyn decidedly turned away from Mr. Hawkins to address the viscount. “My lord, I have not been to London since I was a small child and therefore my memories are from the childish viewpoint. Tell me, is Astley’s Circus as fine a spectacle as it seemed?”

“Quite, Miss Dower! And perhaps it is even better than you recall. There is a melodrama now and quite rousing it is, I assure you,” said Viscount Waithe enthusiastically.

“Oh, I should like to see it.”

“I would do anything in my power to make you happy, Miss Dower,” said Viscount Waithe, smiling at her. “An excursion to Astley’s it is, then!”

Evelyn blushed, most pleased by his lordship’s patent admiration. It was a pleasant novelty to receive such open regard from a gentleman. On the thought, her glance slid briefly in Mr. Hawkins’s direction. Certainly that gentleman could take a lesson or two from his cousin. “If my mother and I am ever in London, I shall hold you to that invitation, my lord!”

One of the maiden ladies also directed a question about London entertainments to Viscount Waithe, and he turned courteously to her. Not by expression or demeanor could it be inferred that he was reluctant to give up his conversation with Miss Dower to another of the party.

Of all the gentlemen, Viscount Waithe was the most obvious in his attentions toward Evelyn. Though his lordship was too well bred to neglect the others of the company, his large blue eyes strayed often to Miss Dower’s face, and it could be noted that he was particularly attentive whenever she spoke.

Sir Charles made a lazily amused, low-voiced comment on the fact to Mr. Hawkins. “Our Percy appears to be well smitten.”

Mr. Hawkins was initially surprised by Sir Charles’s observation, but he became thoughtful as he watched Viscount Waithe’s manner. Firm in his own pursuit of love, he had forgotten how easily his cousin fell into infatuation. It had never occurred to him that one of his rivals for Miss Dower’s affections could be the viscount.

Mr. Hawkins glanced in Miss Dower’s direction. She appeared perfectly at ease with Viscount Waithe’s sallies, and there seemed to be a good deal of favor in her expression when her gaze rested upon his lordship’s countenance, but she did not appear to be dazzled by him. Nor, when she turned to Sir Charles to acknowledge one of his elegant compliments, did she appear to be particularly stricken by his dark, saturnine good looks.

Mr. Hawkins was particularly glad of the last, for he knew Sir Charles Reginald to be an excessively charming companion to the ladies. The gentleman’s address was exceeded by none, and his talent for penning romantic sonnets had gained him entry into more than one London lady’s boudoir.

If Miss Dower was indeed proof to these two formidable rivals, Mr. Hawkins took hope that he might yet have the advantage with her. Of course, it remained to be seen what rivals might appear once she came out. Mr. Hawkins would wager, however, that there were few Bath gentlemen who could hold a candle to the gentlemen then present in Mrs. Dower’s drawing room.

Tea ended with all present expressing their pleasure in the past hour, and the callers took leave of the Dower ladies. As Evelyn bade the London gentlemen good day, she felt the most curious sensation, as though she were floating on air.

When the door had closed on the last departing guest, Evelyn spun spontaneously about the drawing room. “Oh, how wonderful it was!”

“I am happy that you enjoyed it, my dear. I, too, am immensely satisfied and I quite look forward to your come-out,” said Mrs. Dower. “Even though you insist that you will not have Mr. Hawkins, I am persuaded that there will be at least one gentleman who will
sweep you off your feet!”

Evelyn laughed gaily as she recalled how the viscount had lingered over his good-byes. She might still harbor the thread of a
tendre
for Mr. Peter Hawkins, but perhaps it might unravel a bit quicker now that there were others to claim her attention. “Indeed, Mama! I begin to think so, too.”

“Viscount Waithe indicated that he should like to call upon us again,” said Mrs. Dower with a sly glance.

“Yes I do believe his lordship did mention something of the son,” Evelyn said in her demurest tone.

“You shan’t comb the wool over my eyes, young lady. As I told you, I am quite up to snuff,” said Mrs. Dower. “Now tell me directly, which of the gentlemen did you prefer? I thought the viscount very pretty-behaved, but Sir Charles has such a way about him that—. Why, here I am rattling on in fine style and you are not saying a word.”

Evelyn laughed, shaking her head. “No, and I do not intend to do so. I am not such a goosecap as to give you cause to leap to unwarranted conclusions.”

“You are the most provoking creature, my dear,” Mrs. Dower observed. “But I shall watch most carefully which gentleman receives your preference the next time that they come to tea, I promise you.”

Chapter Ten

As it chanced, the gentlemen did not return for tea again that week. Mr. Hawkins sent a brief note of apology, promising that they would call on Thursday next if that was amenable.

“Depend upon it, there is some sort of sporting event,” said Mrs. Dower knowledgeably.

Evelyn was disappointed, but not as much as she might have been if her thoughts had not begun to turn on the coming-out party that her mother had arranged for her.

When Mrs. Dower announced that she had indeed engaged musicians for the evening’s entertainment, Evelyn was delighted. “Oh, are we to have dancing?”

“Of course we are. Depend upon it, the younger set will think it frightfully dull otherwise. And music is always a pleasant counterpoint to the conversation of those of my generation,” said Mrs. Dower sagely.