CHAPTER SEVENTEEN #2
‘Oh, Mr Escott has clearly found his “goddess” is but a graven image. He wrote me a most confused letter and then I saw him in the street but a few days since and he barely even acknowledged my presence. It is a matter of extreme relief to me.’ Elizabeth smiled wryly.
For a moment, Lady Godmanchester was distracted. ‘Truly? Well, how fickle of him. He would have written a 232ballad about you, had you been his muse still, rather than acting on your behalf.’ She shook her head. ‘So much for poetry.’
‘Indeed.’
‘But Sir Lucius is no poet.’
‘Oh no, he is not.’ Elizabeth smiled more broadly, remembering him pulling Lord Easby from the box.
‘He is not a man who will betray you, I am sure of it. Think about that.’
‘I will,’ she sighed.
Elizabeth had little time over the next few days in which to give serious consideration to her feelings for Sir Lucius, climbing into her bed so late that his presence was solely in her dreams. She hoped to catch sight of him in every crowded room, but failed to do so, and was dimly aware of feeling vulnerable without knowing quite why.
She certainly did not fear the reappearance of the Earl of Easby.
That gentleman kept within doors until such time as the injuries to his face were not so visible as to cause comment, and when he did, he betrayed neither by word nor look that anything untoward had occurred between himself and Miss Ashling.
He wrote her a letter of apology, profuse in its self-blame, and hoped that she would at least read it.
Whilst he was not confident that it would restore his position with her, he did think it would prevent her giving him the cut direct, and thereby fuelling just the close scrutiny he wished to avoid.
He was in luck. Elizabeth’s every instinct was to tear the letter into pieces as soon as she saw the author, but 233there was an element of curiosity.
How could a man who had betrayed himself as so base find any words that might exculpate him?
It seemed Lord Easby was not even going to try.
He accepted his fault, and her right to outrage.
He did not throw himself upon her mercy, for he was a man of pride still.
Instead, he made it plain to her that to treat him as she might wish would be detrimental to her own position and good name, since prying would undoubtedly discover the truth of what had passed in the park.
However blameless, he was terribly afraid that scandal would be attached to her fair name, and the less generous would condemn her for placing herself in such a vulnerable position.
His own character, he said, was sunk so low in the estimation of many that it mattered not, but he felt this last service he might perform for her ‘in friendship and humility’.
She scoffed at his words, but reluctantly saw the sense of them.
She so wanted to denounce him, though at least he had never sought to seduce innocents in their first Season, and would no doubt revert to ‘playing’ with bored wives and dashing widows, but she realised that she must appear at ease with him, as if he were as unthreatening as he had seemed before.
She schooled herself so that when they did meet she was able to smile, however falsely, and even offer him a country dance, during which they discussed nothing more alarming than the violins being a fraction flat in tone.
Having performed this ‘duty’, she relaxed.
Sir Lucius himself was out of Town, ostensibly simply paying a visit of a couple of days to his mother and to his 234brood mares.
In the comparative peace of Paley, he came to his decision – not that it was a hard one to make in itself, but he had told Miss Ashling that he was not about to propose only a few days since, and here he was contemplating just that.
The incident with Easby had advanced matters faster than he had thought possible.
Her subsequent reaction led him to believe that her own feelings were engaged, and that she would not reject him out of hand, at the very least. The Derby outing would prove too public for any declaration, and he thought that if she enjoyed herself as much as he hoped she would, then the following day might be a propitious time to make her an offer.
She was technically now of age, but out of courtesy Sir Lucius felt he ought to approach Lord Chalford and ask his permission to pay his addresses.
It was exceedingly unlikely that Chalford would have any objections whatsoever, and indeed Lady Chalford was more likely to fall upon his neck in relief.
He broached the matter with his mother in initially general terms, announcing, as they sat together after dinner, that he thought it about time that he settled down.
‘Settled down? Lucius, you scarcely live a life of idle dissipation. I take it that you mean you have at last found a young woman who fulfils those requirements that you must have held in your mind these five years since.’
‘I would not phrase it quite like that, Mama, but I have certainly discovered a woman without whom I am increasingly sure my life would be incomplete. I think you will like her too.’
‘If she makes you happy, I see no reason why I should not. Do I know of her?’
235‘That may depend upon the depth of detail you receive from your sources in Town. Her name is Miss Ashling.’
‘Not Chalford’s chit, surely. Just out the schoolroom, and hardly your style, I would have thought.’
‘You are up to snuff, Mama! But no, not Miss Amelia. I have an eye to her cousin, Miss Elizabeth Ashling, who is a few years her senior.’
‘The one they are calling “the Unassailable”?’
He coloured. ‘Unfortunately, yes.’
‘And is she?’
‘No. I believe not, but she has her reasons not to trust men, and persuading her of one’s bona fides has not been easy. However, I think that her feelings are engaged, and intend to make an offer for her hand next week.’
‘Not immediately upon your return? That sounds very restrained, Lucius.’
‘I think she might be in the best frame of mind then.’ He grinned. ‘She is a fine horsewoman and I have planned an outing to the Derby, which I think will please her greatly. In the aftermath, I think my chances very good.’
‘Then I wish you well, and look forward to meeting her. Horses! I should have guessed!’ She smiled at her son.