Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Daisy walked beside Lydia and her family as they wove through the crowds at Vauxhall Gardens. She was trying her best to escape the thoughts in her head through distraction, but it was barely working.
What am I to do? However shall I earn five thousand pounds and repay my father’s debt?
Her eyes swept around the multitudes, and when she did not find Lord Dulforth among the mix, she allowed herself to take a nice, long exhale.
At least the Baron kept his word. He has left me alone and is not here to ruin this…
“Ladies and gentlemen!”
Daisy was startled out of her reverie when a man holding a megaphone up to his mouth passed by them, shouting, “Make your way toward the viewing grounds. The balloon will be released momentarily.”
Lydia squealed with excitement and clutched Daisy’s hand.
“Come along! We cannot be towards the back of the crowd.”
“It does not matter where we stand,” Daisy countered. “The balloon is big enough that…”
“Eh!” Lydia gave another jubilant whoop as the gatherers surged forward, sweeping the ladies right along with them. “We are going to see a balloon lift-off today. A real balloon! Can you imagine?”
Lydia’s enthusiastic chirping was echoed by all the other ladies and gentlemen surrounding them. Daisy wished she could share a shred of their ebullience. But all she could think of was her father, recuperating from the blow to the head he’d received while his friend held his debt over her head.
Where am I going to get the money?
There was nothing worth selling that her father hadn’t already sold.
All her mother’s jewels were replaced by paste or had been removed from the house years ago.
The servants hadn’t been paid for months.
The house was indentured to the Earldom and could not be sold. It was falling apart around their ears.
She had nothing and no one, and yet, there was still some distance to fall. If Dulforth made good on his threat to tell the gossips about their woes, Daisy and her father would be shunned from Society. What little social capital they had left would be obliterated.
She was very sure they would not survive such a calamity.
She heard her name whispered from somewhere behind her, where a group of ladies were standing and gossiping. She tensed but could not help but overhear them tittering about her father’s drunken fight with Lord Chambers.
“No wonder she has no suitors,” one of them said.
“Of course she doesn’t. Who would take her with no dowry? She’s a mousy thing with nothing to recommend her.” That second voice sounded particularly vicious.
Daisy stiffened, wondering what she’d ever done to these people to deserve their ire. Her vision blurred with tears, and she turned away, blinking rapidly as she tried to wish them away. She would not let these women see that they had hurt her feelings.
Lydia suddenly glared at the group. “Would you kindly hush? We are trying to watch the show.”
The women looked shocked that Lydia would address them in such a manner. Lydia opened her mouth probably to say something even more cutting, but Daisy shook her head frantically, digging her fingers into Lydia’s arm.
“Don’t,” she said quietly before tugging her arm. “Come, let us move away from here. The air has a foul smell to it.”
Lydia’s lip twitched, and she nodded, sliding her arm through Daisy’s and leading her away. As they strolled through the crowds, they came upon Lord Dulforth, who was stalking towards them.
No!
Daisy’s eyes flitted from one end of the garden to the other.
We can either turn back and deal with those horrible young ladies and their whispering, or we can face the Baron.
Even though the women had hurt her feelings, Daisy would not have stood there and shared this space with Lord Dulforth for all the world.
Unfortunately, this thought raced through her mind just as the Baron picked up his pace and closed in on them, making it impossible for Daisy and Lydia to escape without causing a scene.
The Baron was dressed in a dark waistcoat with tan trousers. Today, his mustache was free of debris, and the fine hairs quivered as his lips stretched into a reptilian smile.
“Ladies, how lovely to see you,” he declared, coming to a stop in front of them.
Daisy’s heart sank as her hand trembled slightly. “Lord Dulforth,” she muttered as she promptly dropped into a quick curtsy.
Dulforth smiled smarmily. “And how is your father, young lady? You and he must come to tea as soon as he is able.”
“Oh, we could not.” Daisy searched her mind for an appropriate reason she might give so as to decline the invitation.
I am ill?
I do not drink tea?
I cannot abide the thought of sharing a slice of cake and cup of tea with this man?
Daisy knew better than to speak aloud any of her thoughts and instead decided to tack on the blandest excuse possible. “We really don’t want to impose.”
Dulforth’s eyes sparked. Daisy could not tell what he was thinking, but it was evident he was delighted to see her once more, putting up a little resistance and showing her hesitancy to be near him. “It’s no imposition. I would be glad to host you.”
“We couldn’t possibly. But thank you for the offer.”
Dulforth’s face reddened, and he seemed about to have an apoplexy. “Need I remind you of my continuing generosity to you? Surely, it’s the least you can do to accept my invitation.”
Daisy felt a bolt of anger streak through her. “You said you would grant me time and space to…to complete my task.” She lowered her voice and continued speaking through gritted teeth, “But how am I to function and do what needs to be done if I spend my days having tea with you?”
“You cannot…you should not reject my invitation to tea, Lady Daisy.”
“I can and I must,” she countered.
Lord Dulforth’s mustache wriggled discontentedly, and he reached up to scratch his twitching lip.
“Your obstinacy is infuriating, my lady.” His hand fell back to his side, but then all of his annoyance seemed to disappear because he had been able to name his complaint.
While giving a gentle shrug of his left shoulder, Dulforth added, “But I have no need to worry. In time, you will yield and then…then we shall see who…”
Lydia grabbed her hand. “You’ll excuse us, Lord Dulforth. We need to get to…” She gestured vaguely towards the thatched umbrellas.
Quickly walking away, she dragged Daisy along with her. Daisy had never been so grateful to have Lydia for a friend. She had desperately wanted to avoid hearing Lord Dulforth finish that sentence, and thankfully, Lydia had extricated them both from that conversation in the nick of time.
“Thank you for that.”
Lydia hastened her steps as they passed another group of people, heading towards the balloons. “I wish I could do more than drag you away from him. That man is a reprobate, and you must do everything you can to stay away from him.”
Daisy sighed. “That is the goal. But I need to find a way to pay my father’s debt first or else…”
“Oh, indubitably. There could be no way for you to escape once everybody knows your situation. Even if you left for the colonies, the rumors and stories would follow you.”
Daisy gave Lydia a sidelong glance. “Thank you for that analysis on the direness of my situation,” she said drily, sidestepping a small group of people who were blocking the path.
Lydia shrugged. “All I mean is that you should take the help I’m offering. Let’s ask my father for a loan, or you can have some of my dowry. I have twenty thousand pounds—”
“No, Lydia! Please understand I have to do this on my own,” Daisy interrupted earnestly, coming to a dead stop and turning to regard her friend earnestly.
Lydia sighed. “Very well then. Just know I am here for you if you need me.”
“I know, dear. I’m here for you, too, for whatever you may need.” She squeezed Lydia’s arm and turned to resume their walk.
“Lydia!” They both turned to see the Viscount Kerwood beckoning. “Come here.”
Lydia’s father was standing with a young man whom Daisy knew was trying his best to court Lydia. She unhooked her arm from Lydia’s. “You go on. I need a moment.”
“Are you sure?” Lydia asked anxiously.
“Yes. Go. Your father is frowning impatiently, and Lord Delamere is looking all too eager.”
Lydia snorted. “That chinless wonder? He’d better be enthused. Aside from his wealth, he has little else to offer,” she whispered with a grin.
Daisy shook her head, pushing her friend towards the Viscount. “Go. I shall see you shortly.”
Lydia waved a hand and then sauntered over to her father. Daisy watched her leave before turning away with a sigh and heading for the trees. Whatever excitement she’d felt about seeing the balloons was long gone. She’d come here to escape her problems and ended up running right into them.
The crowd thinned as she sought a secluded place to regroup.
Daisy wandered away from the thatched umbrellas that dotted the pavilions.
She veered away from a group that was clustered around a server holding a tray of refreshments.
Even though Daisy had only been to Vauxhall Gardens once before, she knew that if she tried, she might find a spot where she could rest and get away from others.
Daisy followed a bend in the pathway and was busy deciding which way to turn next when she heard the sound of a boy talking loudly.
“Hullo, there,” the child said as he grinned beatifically. “Shall we play a game?”
He could not have been older than ten years old, and his voice carried all the sweetness of a lilting melody. The child’s chestnut hair grew a little too long and unruly. The wind ruffled the locks as he stared up at a large cart-horse tied near a supply tent.