chapter fifteen

Later, just before dinner, Charles was introduced to Mrs. Cardew and suddenly understood what it was that had made his brother-in-law laugh so uproariously. He, himself, though not given to such uninhibited mirth, was hard pressed not to guffaw in Mrs. Cardew’s face. But it was not until after the lengthy dinner, when the ladies at last left the gentlemen to their port, that Charles was able to discuss the subject with his host. “It was very good of you, Strickland, to concern yourself with Livie’s reputation by inviting a female to stay here,” he said, broaching the subject at once.

“Not at all, I should have thought of it before. We can’t permit Olivia to become the subject of gossip just because she is good enough to wish to look out for my children. I’m completely cognizant of the fact that I stand very greatly in Olivia’s debt. Having my dragon of an aunt in residence is a small sacrifice to make in return.”

Charles grinned. “Miss Cardew is a bit dragonish, isn’t she? And now I’ve added my cousin Hattie to your ménage.”

Strickland laughed and sipped his wine. “Yes, worse luck! Although I must admit, Charles, that your bringing her here provided me with the first real laugh I’ve had in months. Whatever made you so suddenly think of providing us with a chaperone? You’ve never worried about such matters before.”

Charles’ smile faded as he studied the ruby-colored liquid in his wineglass with thoughtful eyes. “No, I never have. Livie’s always seemed like a baby to me … at least until very recently. It was Jamie, you know, who thought of this chaperone business.”

“What? Your hedonistic little brother James?”

“Yes, indeed. He knows more about proper conduct in society than all the rest of the Matthewses put together,” Charles admitted.

“Good for him!” Strickland said, toasting him in absentia with the raising of his glass. “Perhaps we should ask him how to rid ourselves of one of them,” he added with a touch of irony. “I have no wish to house two chaperones, but I certainly haven’t been able to think of a way to send one of them packing. Both ladies seem to take it for granted that they are to remain … and I cannot in good conscience suggest that one of them leave.”

“No, I don’t suppose you can.”

Strickland refilled his glass and frowned into it. “One of them shall be nuisance enough, but to have to endure both …”

“I’m sorry, Strickland. Truly I am,” Charles apologized.

“Oh, I don’t blame you, Charles. Not at all. It’s your sister I blame.”

“You mean Livie? But you just said how much you’re indebted to her!”

“I know, I know. But my indebtedness doesn’t make her any easier to bear. You have no idea, Charles, how troublesome she can be. She has an uncanny talent for cutting up my peace.”

Charles looked across the table at Strickland with interest. “Has she?”

“Need you ask? She’s lived with you for all of her life. Certainly you must know her better than anyone.”

“She’s never been the least bit troublesome at home.”

Strickland’s expression was anything but believing. “Never been troublesome? Impossible! Why, here at Langley she’s been turning the household upside down! She’s completely upset my routine by coaxing me to go out with the children every afternoon (not but that I don’t admit it’s done a world of good for my relationship with my son), she challenges every decision I make in regard to their upbringing, and she even has been nagging at me to retain the tutor to whom I’ve given notice … and this after she’d made vociferous objection to my hiring him in the first place!”

“That was very presumptuous of her, I must say,” Charles murmured, pretending to an engrossing interest in his wineglass but keeping a fascinated eye on his brother-in-law.

“Presumption is a mild word for her. The chit can be a termagant when her temper is aroused. You should hear her at the dinner table! I only wish to consume my meal in peaceful contemplation, but every evening she finds something to quarrel over. It can be anything at all—from my opinion of Madame de Stael to the rise in the price of corn. You should have heard her ripping up at me this afternoon for inviting Eugenia here!”

“Well, you see, she doesn’t know why you’ve sent for your aunt to stay. Nor does she understand why I’ve brought our cousin Hattie.”

“No, she’s quite naive in these matters, isn’t she? I say, Charles, you wouldn’t undertake to explain things to her, would you? I’m not very adept, myself, at dealing with such young innocents.”

“Yes, of course I will. I should have spoken to her about these things before, but she’s so clever about most subjects that it always takes me by surprise to realize she’s ignorant in matters like these. But I shall have a talk with her. There are one or two other matters I’d like to discuss with her as well.”

Not long after the gentlemen joined the ladies in the drawing room, Cousin Hattie excused herself and hobbled off to bed, the journey from London having quite exhausted her. Strickland, with a meaningful nod to Charles, bore his aunt off to the library for a game of vingt-et-un, leaving the brother and sister alone. Olivia didn’t give her brother a moment to collect his thoughts. “Whatever possessed you, Charles,” she demanded, jumping up from the sofa as soon as the door had closed behind Strickland, “to bring Cousin Hattie here for a visit. Here, of all places … and when you knew I would be too preoccupied with the children to trouble myself over the amusement of guests!”

“I had the same motive for inviting Hattie that prompted Strickland to invite his aunt,” Charles said calmly, leaning back in a wing chair, taking out his pipe and filling the bowl with tobacco from a pouch he always carried with him.

“What motive?” Olivia asked, startled.

“Your reputation.” Charles paused to light his pipe, and then leaned forward to explain to her bluntly that the world frowned upon those living arrangements in which a man and a woman who were not married to each other took residence under one roof.

Olivia stared at him. “What nonsense!” she exclaimed at last, her voice suffused with disdain. “Do you mean that both you and Strickland decided, quite separate from each other, that I have need of a chaperone? Why, the house is full of chaperones! There’s Mrs. Joliffe, the housekeeper, there’s Fincher, and dozens of servants, to say nothing of the governess and the children—”

“Servants and children are not considered appropriate chaperones,” he informed her. “Not by the ladies and gentlemen of the ton, at any rate.”

“Good heavens, Charles, this is quite unlike you. You know and I know that Strickland would never … er … misuse me. Therefore, what does it matter what the ladies and gentlemen of the ton believe?”

“In the first place, my dear girl, it matters very much what the ton believes about my sister! Reputation is a priceless jewel to a woman. To anyone! Didn’t Publius say that a good reputation is more valuable than riches?”

“If you are going to spout quotations at me, Charles,” she said impatiently, taking an angry turn about the room, “I can think of one or two myself. How about Reputation is often got without merit and lost without fault!”

“I don’t wish to bandy quotations about, my dear,” Charles said imperturbably, leaning back in his chair and puffing away at his pipe. “The fact remains that your good reputation is essential to your future, whether you like it or no. Now, as to the second (and, I admit, more delicate) point—that of Strickland’s ‘misusing’ you—how can you be certain he would not?”

“Charles! That’s a dreadful thing to say! Miles is not the sort of man who …” Suddenly, remembering her discovery of Miles’ adultery and the details of the embrace that night in the library, she blushed a fiery red.

“Exactly!” Charles said knowingly, reading his sister’s face with ease. “You yourself once described him to me as a libertine.”

“I was mistaken,” Olivia declared promptly. “Please don’t think of that, ever again. Miles would never take advantage of my presence in this house, chaperone or no chaperone.”

“How can you be so certain of that?” her brother asked, observing her closely.

“I’m just certain, that’s all.” She dropped her eyes from his face and sat down on the sofa. “Besides, he doesn’t even like me.”

“I would not be so certain of that, either, if I were you,” Charles said enigmatically.

Her eyes, questioning, flew to his face. “Why do you say that? Did he say something to you about me?”

Charles shrugged. “Not exactly. It’s just a feeling I have.”

She felt a twinge of disappointment. If her brother had an inkling that Strickland felt some affection for her, she would have liked to hear his evidence to support that theory. But no amplification of his comment was forthcoming, so she pushed her disappointment aside and remarked scornfully, “Oh, pooh! You know nothing more about these matters than I do.”

Charles responded by giving her an unexpected and very wide grin. “I’ve learned something about these matters since I saw you last,” he announced. “I’ve learned enough to become betrothed!”

She blinked at him. “What? Whatever are you babbling about, Charles?”

“I’m speaking of love, my dear. A certain young lady will be announcing, before very long, her betrothal to your brother Charles.”

Olivia could scarcely believe her ears. “Betrothed? You?”

You needn’t sound so amazed, my dear. One would think I am such an ‘undesirable’ that no lady with the sense to come in from the wind would have me.”

“Oh, Charles, I didn’t mean—!” She jumped up and pulled him from his chair, catching him round the waist in a bear hug. “Are you telling me the truth? Are you really to be married? But when did it happen? And who is she? Do I know her? Is she lovely? Does she truly deserve you?”

Charles took her arms from round him and led her to the sofa, smiling broadly as he pulled her down beside him. “Hush, you goose. One thing at a time. Now, let me assure you that I only hope I am deserving of her, for she is the sweetest, kindest, most lovable creature I’ve ever known. And yes, my dear, you know her, for it was through you that I found her.”

Olivia wrinkled her forehead in puzzled concentration. “I cannot think whom you might mean. I remember introducing you to my friend, Miss Shallcross, but you took no notice of her at all.”

“It’s not Miss Shallcross. It’s Elspeth.”

“Elspeth?” Olivia gasped. “Elspeth Deering? Perry and Amy’s Elspeth?”

Charles chuckled at her amazement. “My Elspeth, now.”

Olivia was speechless. How could this have happened? She had left Miss Elspeth in London only a little above a week ago! Could a man like Charles have fallen in love in so short a time? She studied his face intently. There was no question that he looked quite happy. In fact, she didn’t remember when she’d seen him look so well. His back seemed to be straighter, and his eyes shone. “Oh, Charles,” she breathed when she’d recovered her breath, “I don’t know what to say! I’ve always believed that Elspeth is an admirable young woman … but I never dreamed—”

“That she would be your sister one day? No, I don’t suppose you could have guessed.” He grinned at her mischievously. “Although anyone with half an eye could have noticed how smitten I was when she walked into the house that morning to fetch you back to Langley. It was love at first sight, you know.”

“Was it really?” Olivia asked curiously. “I didn’t notice it at all.” Here was another example of her amazing ignorance in matters of the heart. She felt a vague frustration. When would she ever learn about love?

Charles, complacent and expansive, spent the next half hour telling his wide-eyed sister about his wedding plans. Elspeth had insisted on returning to Langley Park as soon as she was well enough to travel, unwilling to leave the problem of Perry’s emotional state on Olivia’s shoulders alone. But she’d promised her ardent lover that, as soon as Perry was in a better frame of mind, she would give her notice. Then, when Lord Strickland had found a suitable governess to replace her, she would be free to marry him. Until then, they would keep their betrothal secret. Charles could only hope that the entire process would not be long. “I shan’t be able to contain my patience for more than a few weeks,” he confided to her sister, “so I hope I can count on your assistance in freeing the girl from her obligations as soon as can be.”

Olivia, as she became accustomed to her brother’s news, found herself more and more delighted at the prospect of Charles’ forthcoming nuptials. She assured him of her support with the utmost sincerity and wished him happy with glowing enthusiasm.

A little later, Lord Strickland put his head in the door to say that his aunt had retired for the night and that he was about to do the same. “Eugenia has asked me to wish you good night. I shall add my civilities to hers and leave you both to your tête-à-tête.”

“I believe our tête-à-tête is quite concluded,” Charles said, rising. “Shall we all go upstairs together, Livie, my dear?”

“You go ahead, Charles. If his lordship can spare me a moment, there is something I would like to say to him before I retire.”

Strickland came into the room, giving Charles a questioning glance as the two men passed each other. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t think so,” Charles said, giving him a reassuring wink. “Good night to you both.”

When the door had closed behind Charles, Strickland frowned down on Olivia quellingly. “I hope you do not intend to renew your attack on me for inviting my aunt to stay with us. I’ve heard quite enough on that score.”

“No, I don’t. Quite the opposite, in face. Please sit down, Miles. My brother tells me that I am beholden to you for inviting her. I … I feel that I must apologize for what I said to you earlier.”

“There’s not the slightest need for apology, my dear,” he said, nevertheless taking the chair opposite hers. “I quite sympathize with your feelings. My aunt is a managing female, to be sure.”

“Yes, but you must let me express my regret at my outburst. I was very foolish and … naive. Please accept my thanks … belated though they are … for inviting her. The act shows a thoughtfulness of my position that I didn’t … er …”

“Didn’t expect of such a monster as I am?” he finished, a slight suggestion of his ironic smile making an appearance at the corner of his mouth.

She felt herself flush. “I was not going to say ‘monster.’”

His smile widened. “I shall not dare to ask what you were going to say. Let us leave well-enough alone.” He got up and helped her to her feet.

“But I do thank you sincerely for what you did,” she insisted earnestly as they walked from the drawing room to the stairs.

He raised an eyebrow at her, suspicious of her unwonted humility. “Even if you have two ‘companions’ to contend with—one of whom has already indicated that she will attempt to interfere with your plans and your schedules and so forth?”

Olivia paused at the foot of the stairs and put up her chin. “As to that, my lord—”

“My lord, again?” he teased.

She ignored the interruption. “As to that, I hope you will come to my support when your aunt—or my cousin, for that matter—tries to take over the reins.”

“No, my dear, I will not. I shall endeavor to avoid all such female altercations, even if it means hiding in the stables. So be warned.”

She tossed him a look of scorn. “Coward! I might have known you would choose a craven’s role.”

“I confess it openly. Call me coward if you wish, but if you believe that using that epithet will drive me to promise you to put myself in the midst of these women’s wrangles, you’ve completely mistaken your man,” he declared, his grin wide and his unsympathetic manner apparently unshakable.

She stamped her foot in irritation. “Very well, sir. But I warn you, I shall not be overridden by those two … harridans. They may be your guests, but I shall not let that fact deter me. I shall fight them … every step of the way!”

He met her challenging look with one of wry amusement. “I was certain that you would, ma’am,” he said drily. And, with a friendly nod, he bid her goodnight and went callously up the stairs to bed.