Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

T hey returned to the drawing room a very short while later, for Lord Tipton had proved rather reticent on the subject of his deceased brother. To Scarlett’s delight, Lord Worthe was there when they entered.

He was standing behind the settee on which Bess and Lady Leighton sat. Her feelings, when she saw him standing there, could scarce be described; a springtime dawn breaking upon her soul was the closest she could imagine. But then he turned his head to look directly at her and gave her the quickest little wink of his eye, and all at once she felt like she might melt into a puddle. She could not have stopped herself smiling if she wished to.

“I called in Stratton Street,” he told her, “only to learn you were out. I hoped I would find you here.”

Lord Tipton came behind her and extended a hand to shake Lord Worthe’s hand. “You did not speak amiss when you said you had discovered Adelaide’s twin. ”

Lord Worthe laughed heartily. “I should say not! Anyone with eyes can see it!”

A hearty luncheon had been laid out on a table nearby, and Lady Tipton urged them all to rise and fill plates. “Allow me to assist you, Miss Leighton,” Oakley said, springing ahead of them all.

Lord Worthe looked down at Scarlett. “Might I perform the office for you?”

Scarlett looked at the table, laden with fruits and cold meat and cake. It looked delicious but to eat seemed impossible, firstly because she was unaccustomed to such plentitude, and at such an hour, and secondly because her stomach had immediately twisted into a knot, courtesy of the charming man next to her. She agreed to some fruit, however, and then sat where he directed her and awaited his return.

He brought her a plate piled with more strawberries, grapes, and slices of pineapple than she ever might have imagined eating. On her invitation, he took a seat next to her on the sofa she had previously shared with Adelaide. Her sister, she saw, had joined her betrothed.

“Thank you,” Scarlett said. “Both for the fruit and for being my hero in St Albans. I understand Oakley means to tease you about being a knight errant, but I am sure I do not know what I might have done without you.”

“You would have thought of something. I am only pleased to see how well worth the journey it was. You have found your relations.”

She smiled, even as she toyed with one of the strawberries on her plate. “Part of me scarcely dares to think it is true.”

It was like leaving behind the dead of winter and bursting into a springtime meadow. She could hardly believe that a bitter wind was not about to blow her right back into her customary grey-brown landscapes.

“I think you look very natural here,” he told her. “Though I do not doubt that this is all a great deal to accustom yourself to.”

“It is a great deal for all of us to accustom ourselves to. I must admit, I am relieved to find such a warm welcome.”

“You may thank my wife for that,” Lord Tipton said, stepping towards them. “I confess I was less welcoming to Adelaide than I ought to have been. My wife needed to remind me that although my father had severed the connection with Robert, it did not follow that the sin should extend into further generations of Robert’s family.”

Lady Tipton appeared well-pleased by the accolade, for she used the opportunity to interject her own concerns into the discussion. “I was speaking to Lady Leighton in your absence, my dear, and told her of the engagements we have soon that I should very much like you to attend.”

Scarlett did not miss the look of alarm that passed over Adelaide’s countenance. “Beg your pardon, Aunt, but we would not wish the same trial upon Scarlett that I had—would we? ”

“A different circumstance altogether,” Lady Tipton replied smoothly. “Scarlett has been to balls already?—”

“ One ball,” Scarlett interjected nervously.

“Oh, they are all alike,” said Lady Tipton with a confident swish of her hand. “I do not doubt that you will perform admirably, beginning tomorrow evening at the Duchess of Duncombe’s ball.”

A duchess? Scarlett thought she might faint at the very notion.

“A duchess?” Adelaide said aloud, looking and sounding equally perturbed. Lord Kemerton laid a placating hand on her arm and whispered something that seemed to settle her nerves, but too quietly for Scarlett to hear.

“The duchess happens to be my aunt,” Lord Worthe murmured to her. “She is already quite mad to become acquainted with you.”

Scarlett felt her eyes go wide. “She is?”

He nodded with a somewhat self-conscious smile. “I may have spoken of you to her once or twice.”

“Besides that ball,” Lady Tipton continued, “we are engaged at the opera one night, and at Vauxhall another. Lady Leighton has generously agreed to have us all to dine next Monday, once Sir Humphrey has arrived, and I believe I would also like to have a small dinner beforehand.”

“By small,” Lord Worthe said from the corner of his mouth, “I should imagine she means only about seventy or a hundred. ”

Despite that attempt to be discreet, her ladyship did indeed hear him. “Laugh if you must, Worthe, but when one has a large family, even a small party grows large. And I, it seems, suddenly have quite a large family.”

So saying, she surveyed her drawing room, her eyes lingering on each face just a moment or two. It could not be denied that her ladyship— No, my aunt —evidently found a great deal of pleasure in her present circumstances. Scarlett suddenly felt warmth radiating from her heart, a sensation she could not recall feeling ever before. She liked it very well indeed.

Lord Kemerton—or Kem as he again urged Scarlett to call him—was the first to propose a walk in Rotten Row during the fashionable hour.

“Good heavens, the tongues of the gossips will be set afire,” said Lady Tipton. “They have only just accustomed themselves to one Miss Richmond and now here are two, and identical at that.”

Lady Leighton begged the leave of them all to return to Stratton Street, the events of the day having quite exhausted her. Lord and Lady Tipton decided they would go to the park, but in the curricle, not on foot. Thus it was that the younger set alone—Kem and Adelaide, Scarlett and Lord Worthe, and Bess and Oakley—set out to walk together.

Rotten Row was teeming with walking parties like theirs. Scarlett felt her eyes widen at the sight of all the throngs of pretty ladies, some in small groups and others with their handsome beaux, who strolled the path alongside those riding horses or driving curricles. It was a scene unlike any she had ever imagined, and it delighted her. No wonder Bess is always so mad to come to London.

Scarlett had been loaned a parasol by Lady Tipton, who urged her to keep it. “After all, we shall have a great deal of shopping to do for you! We might as well take advantage of what we have in the meantime!” Scarlett had never used a parasol before, likely because the reverend would have thought it vain to worry about one’s complexion when one was outside doing the work of the Lord. She enjoyed holding it, she found, and noticed nearly every other lady had one, including Bess.

Bess—who appeared to be flirting with Oakley. Scarlett sighed at that, and Lord Worthe heard her and followed her gaze to see whom she was looking at.

“May I ask, is it Oakley you are worried for, or Miss Leighton?”

“I suppose…both?” She glanced up at him. “Bess is very nearly engaged to a Mr Beamish. I should not like to see my new…cousin be disappointed.”

“Oakley is disappointed in love at least once a month,” Lord Worthe remarked nonchalantly. “He is forever in love with either ladies who love another man, or ladies who are wholly unsuitable for him.”

“Unsuitable? How?”

“Well, his first true love was his governess, and there have been several governesses and shopgirls since then,” he said with a grin. “Your uncle is as fair-minded as any, but I can assure you he would not like to see Oakley lower himself through marriage.”

That gave Scarlett a pang, looking at her sister up ahead of her. “That must have made it difficult for him to accept Adelaide. It was a great advantage to me, I am sure, that they had forewarning.” She turned her head so that she could see him around the side of her bonnet. “Another thing I must thank you for.”

Her hand was resting in the crook of his arm as they strolled. He reached over with his opposite hand to cover hers, and the warmth of that was felt right through her glove. “You owe nothing to me, I assure you,” Lord Worthe replied. “I have the greatest admiration for what you have done. Your head must be fairly swimming by now. For myself, I cannot think if I should call you Miss Margrave or Miss Richmond.”

Miss Scarlett Richmond ? That notion had been floating about her in an ethereal sort of way, but it was something that needed consideration. She knew not what the future held, although it seemed to be a foregone conclusion for her relations that she would remain in London for the Season. She could not be as certain, not with the reverend and his strictures looming in the background. She knew not whose will must prevail in such circumstances.

“I hardly know myself,” she murmured. “Perhaps you should just call me Scarlett; it seems to be the one name I am sure of.”

“Then I shall—Scarlett,” he said. “But you must then call me Worthe.”

“Very well,” she agreed with a self-conscious smile. “If only the rest of it was so easily decided! I have no notion of how to reconcile it all—my true family versus the man who raised me.”

“Do you have qualms about leaving him? Leaving Stanbridge?”

“None whatsoever,” she replied and was surprised to realise how true that was. “But whether he will allow me to leave is another question altogether.”

“Allow you? You must know how powerful Lord Tipton is?” When Scarlett shook her head, Worthe continued, explaining, “The Tipton earldom is among the oldest there is, and he is a Privy Councillor. Lady Tipton is one of the acknowledged hostesses in society—in short, they are a very powerful couple. Anyone worth knowing is on intimate terms with them, and if they are displeased by a person, then that person might well forever give up any pretensions towards better society.”

“I see,” Scarlett replied, this new information sending her thoughts into a renewed tumult.

Her time to contemplate it was short, however. A small knot of people, including their group, had formed ahead of them. Scarlett had observed others on the walk appearing to notice her almost from the moment of their arrival. It seemed at last someone, three ladies in fact, had finally had boldness enough to enquire who she was.

The ladies were introduced as Mrs Nugent, Miss Nugent, and Miss Hanson, and it was the latter who spoke, saying, “Why Miss Richmond, she is your twin!” Somehow it seemed to be a sly insult, though without knowing the lady, Scarlett could not say why.

“Do you think?” Adelaide turned to Scarlett and acted as if the idea had never occurred to her. “Hmm, no, I cannot say that I see it.”

Scarlett did not miss the little nudge that Kem administered to Adelaide’s side, or the little grin he seemed to be suppressing. But it was Oakley who spoke, with an edge beneath his customary cheer.

“Yes, it seems our dear Adelaide must share the title of Miss Richmond—for a short while at least until we must call her Lady Kemerton.”

That appeared to chasten Miss Hanson a little, but not enough to stop her from turning to Scarlett and enquiring, “Were you brought out of service, too?”

“Scarlett has been raised in the country, at a very well-respected parsonage in Stanbridge,” Oakley said. It was the first that Scarlett had ever observed him without a smile of some sort. Indeed, he seemed almost angry.

“Connected to my family,” Bess added. “The Leightons. My father is Sir Humphrey Leighton.”

Scarlett looked at her friend with a bit of wonder. She had never heard Bess speak in such an accent, but it could not be denied she had done so now. Her hauteur certainly worked; Mrs Nugent’s countenance took on a faint flush, and Miss Nugent appeared decidedly ill at ease.

Miss Hanson pressed her lips together and seemed begrudging when she said, “Well, how nice. Another cousin for Lord Oakley. I hope we will have the honour of seeing you at our little party next week?”

Adelaide gave a little snort but allowed Kem to step in, smoothly replying, “I am afraid we are, all of us, otherwise engaged, but do accept our best wishes for a successful evening.” Then looking about their small group, he asked, “Shall we carry on?”

It was the first of many such encounters. Miss Hanson and her party had evidently opened the floodgates, for soon anyone with any claim to any of the Richmonds, Kem, Worthe, or Bess would stop them and insist on meeting the new lady in their midst.

Lady Sudbury and her daughter, Lady Sophie Jane, were both perfectly kind and welcoming to her, but Mrs Alvanley and her daughter seemed to think it too extraordinary to be believed. Oakley rolled his eyes at them as soon as they walked on. “As if there can be any doubt! Had they no eyes, or did the ones on their heads not work properly?”

Mr Copley and Mr Talbot were genial and urged Scarlett to call on the latter’s sister, Miss Talbot, at her earliest convenience. Lord Throckmorton begged the favour of a dance the very next time he met her at a ball. Worthe did not appear too pleased by that .

It went on and on until Scarlett’s cheeks ached from smiling and her throat grew parched from explaining that, yes, she and Adelaide had both been adopted into different families, and yes, she had grown up in Stanbridge, and no, she had not before been to London, but yes, liked it very much, and yes, she anticipated a delightful Season. She noticed the appraising looks the matrons and misses alike sent between her and Worthe; one lady even ventured to say, “Why Lord Worthe, one never sees you in the walking parties on Rotten Row!”

To which Worthe replied, “I had not had sufficient inducement to do so prior to this.”

Happily, before exhaustion truly overwhelmed her, Oakley observed that the ladies were becoming fatigued. Scarlett should not have thought herself so easily tired, but it seemed the emotion and surprises of the last days had caught up to her.

“I believe my mother sent the carriage to take Scarlett and I back to Stratton Street,” Bess mentioned.

Lord Kemerton said something about checking in at his club and gave the other two men an expressive look that indicated he should like their company. Oakley and Worthe both readily agreed, and they all saw the ladies to the carriage and handed them in. Scarlett revelled in the feel of Worthe’s strong hand encompassing her own, short as the experience was.

Knowing Bess would not mind, Scarlett sat on the forwards-facing seat; there was then a moment of awkwardness when Adelaide took the place beside her, then appeared to realise she ought not to presume such a thing and rose up again, nearly knocking into Bess who had just been handed in.

“Oh! Excuse me!” Bess exclaimed.

“Oh, no! Forgive me,” Adelaide said immediately.

“If you would like to sit next to?—”

“No, no, I ought not to have assumed…it is only that I get ill riding backwards, but I am sure for such a short journey?—”

“No, no!” Bess cried out immediately. “That is why Scarlett goes there too. She, too, becomes ill when she rides backwards.”

Such a wonderful, sweet nature , Scarlett thought, beholding her oldest and dearest friend. I must not let Adelaide supplant her no matter how close we become. She is a sister of my heart, if not my blood.

Adelaide seemed to read her mind. “This must be very odd for you as well,” she said addressing Bess as the carriage began to move forwards.

“Me? Oh, well…” Bess chuckled a little awkwardly and arranged her skirts around her. “I am just delighted to see Scarlett has found her family. We surely did not think it would be so easy, did we, Scar?”

Scarlett gave her a faint laugh but no more, for Adelaide was not done speaking. Leaning forwards, she reached for Bess’s hand. “It is clear to me how much Scarlett loves you and you, her. I can only hope that you will like me as well, and that we three can become, all of us, the best of friends. ”

Bess turned pink with pleasure. “I would like that very well.”

Then Bess extended her other hand towards Scarlett, and Scarlett took it and then reached for Adelaide with her other hand. They stayed that way, all smiling to one another, until they were required to let Adelaide go in front of the house in Grosvenor Square.