Chapter 26
While Allegra was considering her problematic proposal, while her mind was elsewhere, the world still turned, and the Season progressed towards its inevitable end.
Assemblies and all the other entertainments still took place, for a little while longer, and she attended them, though she felt herself to be distracted and not fully present.
No further opportunity to be alone with Mr Severin arose, and she did not seek one, though she saw his dark, sardonic face in the crowd on several occasions, and their eyes met and locked, burning with all their explosive shared knowledge.
This man had seen her naked and exposed, had seen her as perhaps no one else ever would.
She did not know if she was glad or sorry that there seemed nothing more that could be done or said in safety; she only knew she must not share Lord Milton’s dangerous secret with him, even if she was occasionally tempted to make an opportunity to do so.
It occurred to her to wonder if he’d known it all along somehow, and that knowledge lay behind his vague words of warning – unless, of course, he was just incurably cynical about human nature and this time had turned out to be right.
And no doubt he had secrets himself, too, over and above the gossip that swirled about him. She knew he must.
The fine weather continuing, there was by general agreement among the younger people for an enormous picnic in Richmond Park one afternoon, to which Lord Milton drove her in his curricle.
His groom was perched up behind them, as decorum dictated, ensuring that there could be no private conversation; they spoke of indifferent matters as he manoeuvred his matched greys through the London traffic.
She had come to no decision, and, for a wonder, her mother had still not put her under any pressure to commit herself. Yet.
Sir Harry remained ubiquitous, but was not the sort of man to make himself unpleasant; she had seen little of Mr Englishby over recent days, which was all to the good.
Her choice seemed unavoidably stark: Lord Milton or Sir Harry.
She knew – her mother had told her often enough – that just a little push, just a little feminine manipulation on her part, would probably induce the guileless young Baronet to make a fresh offer for her that would become real if she chose to take it so.
He might be a little surprised at first, to find himself treated seriously by her at last, when she had always turned his words aside before and declined to understand him; she could ignore that, swallowing all self-respect, and she’d be betrothed, because he was, she thought, a man of honour who would stand by his word, however much he might not want to.
It could be as simple and as ugly as that, if she could bear to be that ruthless a woman.
But still she couldn’t quite bring herself to face the prospect, for his sake, as well as her own.
Once they reached their destination, she and His Lordship joined a larger group, and so there was no greater opportunity to talk alone.
He might perhaps have made one – suggested they go for a stroll together across the lovely summer parkland – but he did not.
She appreciated his forbearance, but it did not make her decision any easier, since she knew that it stemmed from an ambivalence as substantial as her own, or even more so.
After everyone had eaten, a drowsy silence fell, but soon many of the more energetic gentlemen, including Sir Harry, who had smiled sunnily and bowed to her but not come over to engage in conversation, proposed an impromptu game of cricket.
Rather to Allegra’s surprise, Lord Milton was invited to join by several persons, and accepted with only a slight show of reluctance; apparently, he had been a famous player while at Eton, and the younger men were keen to see if he still retained his former prowess.
This fresh start necessitated much rearranging of picnic rugs and baskets by the spectators, mostly female, who retreated to the edge of a small spinney for shade and safety.
Looking at the players, most of them more enthusiastic than competent in appearance, no one could doubt that balls might easily go astray and cause injury, or inconvenience at the least, and broken china.
There was inevitably a little confusion, therefore, as blankets and cushions were laid out to everyone’s satisfaction.
It was another oppressively warm day, and many ladies fanned themselves and no doubt secretly wished that they were by the sea, or reading in some cool, shady garden, not trapped here, obliged to watch a match that most of them cared little for, and which might go on for hours.
Perhaps she was careless, perhaps her attention was straying, but Allegra found herself suddenly alone under the trees, emptying out scraps of broken meats from a basket of food, and before she realised what was happening Mr Englishby was at her side, seizing her arm in an uncomfortable grip and drawing her further away from everyone else.
There was no time to think how to prevent it, given her instinctive unwillingness to cause a public scene that might reflect badly on her.
‘You’ve been avoiding me, Miss Constantine,’ he said unpleasantly, his face too close to hers. She could tell that he had been drinking, and also that he had been waiting for this chance for some time, and meant to make the most of it.
‘Of course I have. I shouldn’t have gone into the garden with you that evening.
’ It seemed like months ago instead of a few weeks.
‘It was a mistake, an act of folly, and one I have no desire to repeat.’ She had no wish to be conciliating, even if prudence might dictate that she should; she was too hot and irritated.
Mr Englishby had not previously even so much as featured on the extensive list of things and people she was supposed to be currently worrying about; clearly this too had been an error, she thought now, with his fingers digging into her arm and his eyes glittering at her hectically.
Just when she had thought life was quite complicated enough, it threw her a fresh challenge.
Had she really wanted this man to kiss her just a couple of weeks ago? He repulsed her now.
‘But Severin, he wasn’t a mistake?’
She tried to shake him off, but he would not let her go.
Still she refused to panic; there were a dozen people just a few short yards away.
As an ambush, it was preposterous. She didn’t want to scream, to make any kind of fuss, but she easily could if matters grew desperate.
‘Mr Englishby, I know you heard what Mr Severin said, before you fled so precipitately. And so you are well aware that he was only there because my mother sent him to fetch me discreetly back inside, and save me from the consequences of my thoughtlessness, and yours.’
He scoffed, and shook her a little, though she made her body stiff, planted her feet firmly along the leaf litter and refused to let him handle her as though she were a rag doll with no power to resist. ‘I didn’t believe that then and I don’t believe it now.
He’s hardly the sort of man a careful mama or any other chaperon would call on to rescue her innocent daughter – not with his stained reputation.
And your mother doesn’t strike me as the trusting type. ’
Unfortunately, this was all too true. ‘She certainly doesn’t trust you.’
‘She’s right not to, the old harridan. I’m not like Milton; my intentions are thoroughly dishonourable.’ He leered at her like some pantomime villain, and she felt strongly tempted to laugh in his face.
‘All I have to do is scream, or call out. Those ladies nearby are sure to hear me.’
He tried to pull her closer, and she resisted. ‘If you do that, I’ll tell them what you are.’
‘What am I, then?’ Her heart was beating fast, and the cheerful sounds – the thwack of leather on willow, shouts of triumph or mock-despair, polite feminine laughter, scattered applause – all faded, leaving them alone as in a wilderness.
Her heart was beating uncomfortably fast now, but she would not let him suspect it.
His tone was low but vicious. ‘A whore, and an imposter. Milton wouldn’t marry you, if he knew. Nobody would. Nor any of your sisters. You’d be outcasts.’
‘That’s melodramatic nonsense,’ she said with a creditable show of calm. She had not the least idea what he meant, though she had a sinking feeling he was about to tell her.
‘Is it, now? I think you have been sneaking around with Severin, allowing him God knows what liberties that you wouldn’t allow me, though you will now, you can be certain of it.
I saw him whispering to you in a very intimate fashion a few nights ago, no doubt making some assignation.
And that doesn’t even matter, in truth, because I know your family – your Italian family – isn’t what you claim it is.
You are not sprung from the nobility, but just the opposite.
You’re trash off the streets. Your grandfather is a ragged beggar, and your mother was a common drab from the Covent Garden gutter before your father lost his senses and married her.
But she can never be respectable. Like mother, like daughter, I suppose.
’ He dragged her closer yet, his hot, rank breath on her cheek.
‘I can ruin you, Miss Constantine. Your whole misbegotten family. And I will, if you don’t give me what I want. ’
‘And what is that?’ She would make him say it in so many words, make him own his villainy, even though she doubted he was capable of shame.
Allegra was proud of her ability to sound reasonably calm, even if her head was spinning and she felt oddly removed from herself and from this sordid little scene.
‘You, in my bed – or no, up against a wall in some alley, as you deserve. When I say, as often as I say, in any way I choose. Or I will tell the world what I know.’
‘And you still could. Even if I gave you all you wanted, I’d only be presenting you with more ammunition for my destruction.’
He grinned at her, his face flushed with triumph, and his hot breath made her gag afresh. ‘That’s right. Clever girl. And yet there is nothing you can do about it. You are at my mercy. How does it feel?’
‘Unpleasant, you’ll be glad to know. I presume you don’t intend we start directly?
That would seem… unwise.’ She only had a very little power, and she must use it cleverly.
It was imperative she escape from him now, and only then would she be able to puzzle out what she should do.
Submission was not an option – apart from anything else, apart from her revulsion, as she had just told him, it would by no means guarantee her safety.
‘No,’ he said with a show of reluctance.
‘No, you are safe for now. But be sure that I will claim my prize, at a time that suits me. You won’t know when.
The next ball, perhaps – I will take you outside again, and this time we will not be interrupted.
’ He pinched her chin painfully hard, and then turned on his heel and swaggered away from her.
But then he stopped and turned, and said gloatingly, ‘Don’t think for a moment that you can escape me, or that if you tell someone what I have said to you anyone can help you.
I have powerful friends, criminals, people more dangerous than a silly chit like you can imagine in the narrow little world of the ton you want so desperately to be part of.
I could have you killed with a click of my fingers, once I’m done with you.
And I will, if you fail to please me.’ And he left her.