A Much Maligned Miss (Reversal of Fortune #2)

Chapter 1

The Drawing Room, Vance Park, Penarth

Mama gave a tinkling laugh. “Such a dear little boy,” she said, placing a hand on young Teddy Vance’s curly head. To Caroline’s surprise, the child was quick to duck out from underneath it, defecting to the other side of the room out of her reach.

“How he reminds me of my own dear son at his age,” her mother continued, unruffled.

“Edgar was such an angel always, so different from—” She broke off and bit her lip, darting a glance Caroline’s way.

“Well, I will just say that sons are vastly different to daughters and leave it at that,” she said discreetly, reaching for her teacup and saucer with a sad smile.

The vicar’s wife tutted, and Caroline felt the hot color crawling up her neck.

She had known Mama was going to punish her for having dared to make a friend of Lady Faris.

Stupid of her really, she ought to have known she would never allow it, but Lady Faris had been so kind, and Caroline had been unable to resist the lure of the one person in the neighborhood who did not think her some kind of monster who reveled in making her mother’s life a misery.

Well, that would all be at an end after today, she thought, swallowing painfully. Mama was clearly set to drip the usual poison in Lady Faris’s ear. She had been furious with Caroline ever since breakfast when Sophy had mistakenly placed that letter next to Caroline’s plate.

The funny thing was, from the brief glimpse Caroline had of it before Mama had snatched it away, she could have sworn it was addressed to her and from some office in London headed Forsters, Carlton, and Roxby. Anyway, she had known today would not be a good day for her from that moment.

She sat up a little straighter in her chair. When the axe fell, and Lady Faris’s eyes filled with shocked disappointment, Caroline would just have to bear it stoically, as she had done so many times before.

“I daresay I will discover that for myself if our next is a girl,” Lady Faris said with an easy laugh, resting a hand on the bump of her stomach.

“For my part I would rather like a daughter, as we already have a son.” All four women and the vicar turned to look at Teddy, who was carefully placing a toy soldier and a peg doll on the edge of a bookcase and carrying out some animated conversation between them under his breath.

Caroline watched an objection trembling on her mother’s lips and could tell she was dying to point out that Teddy was only Lady Faris’s stepson, which was not the same thing at all.

Mama did not quite dare voice this thought, however, as Lady Faris was a viscountess and outranked everyone in the county.

Moreover, she had a doting husband who would not hesitate to cut anyone out of their social circle who incurred his wife’s displeasure.

If they had been in the comfort of her own home, Benham Hall, Mama would doubtless have ventured some small stinging remark, delivered in such a deceptively sweet manner that no one present could have believed any malice intended.

She could not do so today, however, as they were sitting in Lady Faris’s white and gold drawing room.

Instead, she contented herself with a sadly pitying smile denoting her own superior knowledge as the true mother of a beloved son.

Teddy clambered off the sofa at this point and approached Caroline.

“Miss Halperston,” he said in his clear childish voice.

“Would you care to accompany me to a court martial? It is to be held over there,” he said, gesturing vaguely to the far side of the room where a recessed apse was flanked by Corinthian columns.

“I would love to,” Caroline answered without thinking, then directed a quick querying glance at her mother. “Unless, of course—”

“Yes, do go, Caro,” her mother said brightly.

So, I may malign you at will, Caroline interpreted from her mother’s look of satisfaction.

Well, at least she would not have to sit and feign deafness this time while Mama poured out her many grievances.

Rising from the sofa, she answered Lady Faris’s warm smile with her own for the final time.

She had no doubt that it would be the last genuine smile Lady Faris would ever bestow on her. Well, it had been nice while it lasted, she thought fatalistically. Teddy caught hold of her hand and towed her across the room toward the semicircular recess.

She could almost imagine they were in court as she gazed up at the semi-domed roof. Of course, it ought to be decorated with a statue of Lady Justice with her scales and blindfold, rather than a large, ugly portrait of Queen Anne.

Teddy dropped down onto his stomach, lining up his brightly painted soldiers in a row.

“Who is acting as judge?” Caroline queried, sinking onto the floor beside him.

“Me,” Teddy replied sanguinely. “As the highest-ranking officer in attendance.”

Caroline’s eyebrows rose. “Oh really?”

“General Vance is my official title.”

“Forgive me, I had no idea.”

Teddy waved her ignorance of his military career aside. “These are the panel of officers who will decide if he is guilty or not,” he said, indicating the line of soldiers standing to attention.

“And who pray is on trial today?”

“Oh, Pomfrey,” he answered airily, gesturing toward a wooden box where one soldier remained. “It’s always Pomfrey.”

“Always?” Caroline reached into the box, drawing him out. “Goodness, he must be quite infamous in military circles.”

“Yes. He’s infamous alright,” Teddy said darkly.

She inspected the gaily painted figure. Whoever painted him had not done such a neat job as they had with his fellows.

“He does look a bit of a bounder,” Caroline agreed, considering his lopsided grin, “and yet I cannot help but wonder if his reputation is truly deserved.” She sighed.

“Once someone is marked out as a bad lot it is shockingly difficult for them to escape such a reputation.”

“Oh, he won’t escape,” Teddy assured her. “Don’t you worry about that. He’s surrounded on all sides.”

Caroline glanced over to where the others all sat conversing in hushed voices. “I know how he feels,” she muttered.

Teddy eyed her askance. “You’re not falling for Pomfrey’s charms, are you, Miss Halperston?” he asked with misgiving. “Only Papa says Pomfrey has a winning way with the ladies and even Mama is not immune to them.”

“Your mama is a defender of young Pomfrey?” Caroline asked with interest. “I am glad to hear he has at least one who will stand his friend.”

Teddy snorted. “Ladies always think they can lead Pomfrey to the path of virtue but they never can,” he concluded with satisfaction.

“Which ladies?” Caroline asked curiously.

“Mama, Pinky,” he said, referring to his governess, Miss Pinson, “and now you. He has a sister too. She’s over there.” He nodded toward the bookcase he had been standing next to earlier. “She’s working her wild woman ways on Captain Gerrard.”

“Her what?” Caroline repeated faintly.

“Her wild woman ways,” he repeated, shuffling closer. “You know,” he said, lowering his voice. “They’re what ladies use on gentlemen, and it makes them powerless to tell them no. Didn’t anyone ever tell you about them?”

Comprehension dawned. He meant womanly wiles. “I don’t think anyone ever taught me the trick of those,” she said regretfully. “They sound very powerful. Like a sort of magic, I suppose?”

Teddy nodded. “Papa said that is how Mama bends him to her will.”

Caroline coughed to stifle her laughter. “And who pray is Captain Gerrard?” she asked once her voice was steady again.

“He is the captain of my fort,” Teddy explained. “But by a stroke of rotten bad luck he’s fallen head over heels in love with Pomfrey’s sister. Shall I fetch them? I think she’s had enough time to work her magic on him.”

Caroline nodded. “Please do, for I am most anxious to make Miss Pomfrey’s acquaintance.” Teddy hurried off to fetch them and Caroline cast her eyes over the other soldiers, who were a neat and uniform bunch. At least Pomfrey had a little individuality.

Miss Pomfrey turned out to be a little peg doll with brown woolen hair and a purple crocheted gown and matching bonnet.

“Yes,” Caroline murmured after inspecting her.

“I can see how she has quite ensorcelled poor Captain Gerrard. He never stood a chance against such rosy cheeks and curling eyelashes.”

“Rather good, isn’t she?” Teddy said offhandedly. “Pinky made her for me. She never made any dolls for her other boys and girls. Only me.” Clearly this was a point of great pride despite his manner, which was one of studied casualness.

“She is a vision of feminine loveliness,” Caroline agreed.

“A vision of feminine loveliness,” repeated a drawling voice near at hand, making Caroline jump almost out of her skin. “What a ringing endorsement, Miss Halperston. I never dreamed you contained so much enthusiasm in your very proper person.”

Startled, she turned to look over her shoulder and found a tall dark man stood behind them. He quirked a cynical brow at her, and she recognized him as Viscount Faris’s current houseguest, Lord Atherton.

Caroline’s heart sank. She felt at a distinct disadvantage sat as she was on the floor, skirts disordered, her ankles peeping out. Struggling into a more dignified position, she said, “Good morning, Lord Atherton,” in her most colorless voice.

“Yes, that’s more in your usual manner,” he observed sagely.

“She’s different if you get her away from her mama,” Teddy observed, surprising Caroline greatly.

Lord Atherton eyed her with some interest. “Is that so?” he murmured.

Coloring hotly, Caroline strove to modestly rearrange her skirts. “We—er”—she cleared her throat—“have been playing with Teddy’s toy soldiers this morning,” she said, striving to regain her composure.