‘Whereas you...you are pretty clued up about the petticoat set and I’d trust you to spot a fraud a mile off.’
A sour smile acknowledged Hugh’s compliment. Alex pivoted on a heel to glance back towards his mistress and gauge her mood.
Celia was watching them, in between chatting to Sidney Roper. The young Hussar, resplendent in his brocaded uniform, was one of her admirers and had dared to approach her first before Alex had moved far from her side. Aware he was under observation, the young officer jerked him a nod. Alex leisurely returned the salute with a quirk of the lips intended to allay the boy’s fears and stop his Adam’s apple bobbing so violently. Alex’s smile strengthened as he transferred his attention to Celia. He wanted her to know her flirting didn’t bother him.
And it didn’t. He just wished she would allow him similar licence. Their relationship was only six months’ old, yet Alex was already thinking it had run its course. She’d irritated him several times by being too possessive and flouncing over to find out what he was up to if he left her side for too long.
‘I’ll take care of Celia for you,’ Hugh again promised, having noted the direction of Alex’s gaze. He imagined his friend to be, understandably, enthralled by the sultry lovely. Celia was known to be very selective about the gentlemen she allowed to woo her and liked rich influential lovers. She’d be hard pressed to improve on Alex Blackthorne on either count in Hugh’s opinion. Added to which his friend had the broad physique and rugged dark looks that made females flutter and fawn as soon as he entered a room.
‘I’ll have a scout around and have a brief conversation with your blind date—if she’s turned up.’ Alex’s eyes swerved to Hugh, gleaming with mordant humour. ‘But that’s all I’ll do. If you decide to go ahead and meet her, you can charm her yourself.’ He took a prowling pace away, then pivoted and walked backwards while muttering, ‘If Celia cross-examines you...I’ve spotted my mother and have gone to speak to her.’ It was a valid excuse; he’d caught sight of Susannah Blackthorne parading with Lord Mornington about twenty minutes ago. He wanted a word with his mother, although it needn’t have been this evening that he brought up the subject of Miss Winters.
His widowed mother’s long and happy marriage had made her convinced her only child must hanker after the same blissful state of union. But Alex had no intention of being paired off by his doting mama and he wished she’d stop matchmaking him with Rachel Winters or any of the other nubile young women she thought suitable to be his wife because they were her friends’ daughters.
‘Where have you agreed to meet her?’ Alex retraced a few steps to get that vital information. He jammed his clenching fists into his pockets. If Hugh hadn’t been such an old friend, he might have throttled him on the spot for making him feel obliged to get involved in this farce.
Having told Alex in which direction to head, Hugh grabbed his friend’s elbow before he could stride away. ‘I made up a name to catch her attention. I guessed she’d get a lot of replies to her advert and I wanted to stand out.’ He smiled bashfully. ‘She is to meet a Mr Best,’ he whispered, significantly poking a thumb against his chest.
‘Ingenious...’ Alex muttered caustically, stalking off.
* * *
‘You promised me you would not contact those gentlemen!’ Elise’s angry astonishment caused her to stop dead on the path. A woman who’d been strolling behind bumped into her and glared, prompting her to apologise.
Beatrice linked arms with her sister, urging her on. But a guilty colour stole into her cheeks as she felt Elise’s stony stare on her profile. They had been walking beneath twinkling globe lights strung in the trees in Vauxhall Gardens when she’d dropped her bombshell and let Elise know she’d contacted one of her respondents and arranged to meet him that evening.
‘I know I said I wouldn’t and I’m sorry for the deceit, but I have to be sensible and make the most of this time in town. We only have a few days left before we return home.’ It was an earnestly made case. ‘So far we’ve been out and about every evening with the Chapmans, yet no gentleman has shown much interest in me.’
Elise knew that wasn’t quite true. Last night Bea had collected several admirers when they’d attended a soirée held by the Chapmans’ neighbours. She, too, had attracted a fresh-faced young fellow who had loitered by her chair and courteously fetched her drinks and titbits from the buffet. But when they had retrieved their coats to leave, no gentleman had seemed keen to further an acquaintance with them.
Seven years might have passed since their parents separated and their father had left town in disgrace, taking his two teenage daughters with him, but Elise had noticed a sharp glint in the eyes of some individuals on discovering their identities. Mrs Porter and her friend had last night distanced themselves quickly once the name Dewey had been mentioned. Elise had watched them whispering behind their gloved hands while sliding sly peeks their way.
‘Where are you to meet this fellow?’
‘A pavilion by the lake.’
‘And where on earth is that?’ Elise curtly enquired.
‘As I recall, it is somewhere over there...’
‘You don’t even know the location?’ Elise sounded exasperated, snatching at her sister’s wildly gesturing hand to prevent her attracting attention.
‘I can’t recall exactly; it’s many years since I was last here,’ Bea stated defensively. ‘I only had one trip here before we got carted off to the countryside by Papa.’
‘It doesn’t matter, in any case, where it is as you shall not go and meet him.’ Elise tightened her grip on Beatrice’s fingers to physically restrain her. ‘If you are spotted dawdling about on your own, or, worse still, with a stranger, it won’t only be Mrs Porter and her friends who are shredding our reputations.’ Elise nodded at two middle-aged ladies who were strolling just yards away. Mrs Porter raised a gloved hand, letting them know she’d got them in her sights.
Huge crowds were thronging the pleasure gardens that evening to enjoy the music. People were already milling about the stage, jostling for a prime position as the orchestra tuned up.
‘I’m not daft, you know!’ Beatrice protested. ‘I have arranged to meet him when everybody else will be occupied listening to the concert.’ She dimpled a smile, pleased with her strategy.
‘You shall not go!’ Elise vowed through gritted teeth. ‘And that’s final.’
‘I want to go home and tell Papa a gentleman is soon to come and speak to him,’ Bea announced defiantly. ‘I know you think me brazen for using such tactics, but who is to say that we might not suit well enough to make a go of it.’ She pressed back against the hedging, allowing people to pass them, obstinately refusing to move despite Elise’s tugs on her arm. ‘A marriage of convenience brokered by a couple’s parents for property and pedigree is equally distasteful.’
‘Not in the eyes of polite society,’ Elise hissed in frustration. ‘Anyway, you might yet meet a gentleman without resorting to sneaking about. Mr Whittiker claims his friends are here in abundance this evening.’
That comment elicited a grimace of mock horror and Elise sympathised with Bea’s sentiment. If Mr Whittiker’s friends were even a little like him then the stranger by the lake might indeed be a better bet.
‘I hope I do meet a fellow in the customary way,’ Bea said with asperity as they started to walk on. ‘But—’
‘Do you even know your blind date’s name?’ Elise interrupted crossly before her sister could again bombard her with reasons to act rashly.
‘He calls himself Mr Best.’