CHAPTER SIXTEEN #4
“Not so quickly,” he cautioned. “I know your mother well enough to be sure she would not do anything that would make you unhappy, so I felt I must speak to you first.”
A shining-eyed Laura and quietly contented Lord Exton finished their dance in near silence, each indulging a harmonious personal vision of the future.
Before Laura could catch her breath, Lucy and Mr. Castle appeared, ready to go down to supper, and she fell in with them meekly, bemused by a succession of unexpected conversations with some of the people she knew best. They had just found a table abandoned by earlier diners when Lord Hastings joined them with the air of one keeping a longstanding appointment.
The interval in the dining room was relaxed and convivial while the men replenished their strength from the appetising selection of food and drink at hand and the ladies soothed their abused feet and nibbled more sparingly.
Laura was content to listen and simply absorb the aura of good fellowship emanating from her companions after the wretched and wrenching period of regret and turmoil just ended.
Wiped out by a simple smile, she realised with awe and astonishment, if something as mystical and satisfying as Jack’s special smile for herself alone could be termed “simple”.
The quartet was nearly ready to return to the ballroom when Lucy’s parents arrived, accompanied by Annabelle and Lord Exton. Greetings were exchanged and the table offered to their elders. As the two girls gathered up fans and dance cards, Cousin Bess swooped down on Laura with a broad smile.
“My dear, I have spoken to your mama and I have a marvellous plan to propose. You may know that Lucy has been plaguing the life out of her poor parents to take her to Vauxhall during the season, so we have decided on a date two evenings from now. Since Lord Exton wishes to bring your mother to dine with some close friends that evening, I propose that you and Miss Albright should be our guests and spend the night at our house, where you may discuss the occasion all night long if you wish. What do you say, my dear?”
Glancing from her smiling mother to her cousin’s beaming countenance, Laura said quickly, “Of course I am thrilled to accept, Cousin Bess, thank you. I have heard much about the famous pleasure gardens across the river, and shall look forward to seeing them with great anticipation.”
“Ahem,” said Mr. Castle with a little cough, casting a beseeching look at Mrs. Cahill.
“Naturally Mr. Cahill and I will be delighted to include you and Lord Hastings in the party in our box, Mr. Castle,” the matron said with a benevolent nod at the young men, who promptly accepted her invitation.
A waiter summoned by Mr. Cahill arrived then to clear the table, so the young people left their elders in possession and returned to the ballroom, where the musicians had resumed playing.
Laura was claimed by her next partner before she had located Sophia to tell her about the proposed excursion to Vauxhall.
She did not spot her cousin at all during the dance, and assumed she had gone down to supper.
It was close on an hour later, when Laura and Jack were having their second dance, that she finally caught sight of Sophia.
Her cousin’s dark pleading eyes found hers as she circled in a country dance.
Sophia’s hand was on Sir Cyril Mildmay’s arm and she was looking over her shoulder as they headed for the doorway.
“Quick, Jack, I must leave the floor,” Laura whispered urgently as they began a chain.
For a second he looked startled, as well he might, then he nodded and led her out of the set. “What has happened?” he asked as she steered him toward the doorway.
“I must go to Sophie. Will you just follow my lead?”
“Of course. Anywhere.”
She chuckled at his nonsense, but after a swift glance into serious blue eyes that quickened her breathing, she rushed into speech. “I know this seems melodramatic, but I promised Sophie I would not let Sir Cyril Mildmay get her alone tonight.”
As they exited the saloon, she saw Sir Cyril leading Sophia to the very chairs she and Jack had occupied earlier that evening.
She called out to her cousin as they hurried up to the pair.
“Oh, Sophie, I noticed just now that you have torn the flounce at the hem of your gown. Good evening, Sir Cyril. I believe you have met Lord Hastings.” As the men acknowledged one another she went on in solicitous tones, “I will sew that flounce for you, cousin, before you catch your heel and go sprawling on the dance floor. Will you excuse us, please, gentlemen?”
With an apologetic smile directed at the men, she took her cousin’s arm and led her away down the hall.
Sophia had not spoken at all, and Laura was silent until they were safely in her cousin’s bedchamber.
She leaned back against the door and surveyed the other girl’s wan face.
Sophia averted her eyes and wandered over to her dressing table.
She grimaced at her reflection and raised her fingers to her temples, massaging the area with her eyes closed.
“What is this all about, Sophie?” Laura’s voice was soft but very decided, and her cousin turned toward her, sighing in resignation.
“After dinner tonight, Papa told me Sir Cyril planned to offer for me at my party.”
“I see. Naturally you would be distressed by his maladroit timing, but surely you saw this coming. Perhaps it will be just as well to get the distasteful chore behind you now. The spectre of having to refuse his eventual offer has been clouding your enjoyment these past weeks.”
This practical remark fell into a well of silence. Laura continued to watch as conflicting emotions crossed her cousin’s countenance. After a long moment fraught with indecision, Sophia’s shoulders slumped and she drew a long breath.
“My father does not expect me to refuse Sir Cyril’s offer.”
It was Laura’s turn to look confused and conflicted. “But surely you have told him you do not welcome the man’s attentions?”
“I … I haven’t put it that strongly.”
“How strongly have you put it?”
Sophia’s eyes dropped at the dryness in Laura’s tones. “I told him I needed more time.”
“Why, for mercy’s sake, when the outcome must be the same?”
Laura’s impatience vanished as soon as the words reached her own ears. “You cannot mean that you are actually considering accepting him after all?”
“No, never! But I need a little more time,” she repeated in pleading accents. “I would not put it past Papa to send you and my aunt home, and confine me to the house, if I were to refuse Sir Cyril outright tonight.”
“Please do not have Mama and me on your mind, I beg of you,” Laura said earnestly. “We shall do fine. You must consider only your own ultimate good.”
“Yes, well, thank you for rescuing me just now. All my dances are taken for the rest of the evening, so we have staved off the threat for the present.” Sophia’s face assumed the familiar public poise behind which she kept her thoughts secret from everyone.
Laura recognised that she would get nothing more from the girl at present, and bowed to the inevitable.
Wordlessly she stepped aside and they headed back to the temporary ballroom, the strains of music growing louder as their feet diminished the distance.
She took the opportunity to inform Sophia of the Cahills’ invitation to visit Vauxhall gardens.
Her cousin stirred in her cocoon of isolation with an assumption of interest. “It is an odd coincidence, but the Chandlers have invited me to be their guest at Vauxhall on the same evening. I am persuaded Mrs. Chandler would not take it amiss if I went with you to the Cahills’ at the end of the evening. ”