The Earl's Runaway Bride
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‘Oh, yes, if you please, but I am afraid that will have to wait. James has written to say he wants me to join him in London next month. For the Peace Celebrations.’
‘Oh. Oh, well, while you are away I could—’
‘You are to come with me, Fee.’
Felicity stopped.
‘Oh no, surely that is not necessary.’
‘Very necessary,’ said Lydia, taking her hands. ‘With the boys at school there is no reason for you to hide yourself away here. Besides, you have read the news sheets, you know as well as I that any number of important personages will be in London for these celebrations: the Emperor of Russia and his sister the Grand Duchess of Oldenburg, the young Prussian princes and—oh, too many to name them all now! And James has already been informed that he will be expected to entertain them all. Just think of it, Fee, dinners, soir'ees and parties—dear James has also said he wants us to hold a ball! So I shall need you to help me with all the arrangements. I could not possibly cope with it all.’
‘Should you be coping with any of it when you are with child?’
‘Oh, Fee, I am not ill! I am more likely to die of boredom if I stay here with nothing to do. Besides, the baby is not due until the autumn and the celebrations will be over by then. Do not look so horrified, Fee, look upon this as a rare treat.’
‘A treat! Lydia, you know I am…not good in company. I fear I should let you down.’
‘Nonsense. You have very good manners, it is merely that you are out of practice—and that is because your horrid uncle dragged you away from the Academy to make you his drudge!’
‘Lydia! Uncle Philip was not horrid, he was…devout.’
‘He was a tyrant,’ returned Lydia with uncharacteristic severity. ‘He tried to beat all the joy out of you.’
Felicity hesitated.
‘It is true my uncle considered all forms of pleasure a sin,’ she conceded, ‘but that was only because he was deeply religious.’
‘Then he should have hired a deeply religious servant to take with him rather than dragging you off to deepest Africa!’
Felicity laughed at that.
‘But he didn’t! We only got as far as northern Spain! Poor Uncle Philip, he convinced himself that the Spanish Catholics were as much in need of saving as any African tribe, but I have always suspected the truth was he could not face another sea journey.’
‘Well, it was very wrong of him to take you away instead of giving you the opportunity to marry and have children—’
Felicity put up her hand in a little gesture of defence; she did not want to contemplate what might have been.
‘What’s done is done,’ she said quietly. ‘I am very happy here at Souden, and I would much rather stay here while you go to London.’
‘But I shall need you!’
Lydia’s plaintive tone carried Felicity back to their schooldays, when her friend had often begged her for company. Poor Lydia could never bear to be alone. Now, as then, Felicity found it impossible to resist her. Sensing her weakening, Lydia pressed her hand.
‘Do say you will come, Fee—you are so good at organising parties.’
‘But you will not expect me to attend any of these parties.’
‘Not unless you want to, my dear.’
‘You know there is nothing I would want less!’
‘Then you may remain behind the scenes, invisible.’
Felicity laughed at her.
‘But I cannot possibly be your paid companion if I never leave my room. Sir James will not countenance such a thing!’
‘I shall tell him that you have a morbid fear of strangers,’ said Lydia. ‘He will understand that, for he has a cousin who is very much the same, only because he is a man, and rich, it is quite acceptable for him to be a recluse. And James knows how much I rely upon you, especially now that I am increasing.’
‘Perhaps you should not go at all,’ said Felicity, clutching at straws.
Lydia gave a little gurgle of laughter.
‘But of course I should! I have never felt better, and the doctor says I must not pamper myself but carry on very much as normal. Oh, do say you will come with me, Felicity: you are very necessary to my comfort, you know.’
Felicity could not resist Lydia’s beseeching look.
‘You have been so kind to me that I cannot refuse you.’
‘So you promise you will come to town with me?’
‘Yes, I give you my word.’
Lydia gave a huge sigh.
‘I am so relieved!’ She linked arms with Felicity again and gave a little tug. ‘Come along, now: we must keep moving or we shall grow too chilled. It is only April, after all.’
They walked on in amicable silence for a few more minutes.
‘Is that what you wished to say to me,’ asked Felicity, ‘that we are to go to town?’
‘Well, yes, but there is a little more than that, my dear.’
‘Now, Lydia, what mischief are you planning?’
‘None, I promise you, but there is something you should know.’ Lady Souden gave her arm a little shake. ‘Remember, Fee, you have given me your word!’
‘Very well. Tell me.’
‘The Earl of Rosthorne will be in town.’
Felicity’s heart lurched. The Earl of Rosthorne—Nathan Carraway, her handsome hero. The man who still haunted her dreams, but had proved to be a master of seduction. She swallowed nervously, trying to remain calm.
‘How do you know that?’
‘James wrote to me—’
‘Lydia, you haven’t told him—!’
‘Of course not, I promised I would not give you away. No, his letter was full of the plans for the celebrations. He said that Carraway had been ordered to London, not only because he is now Earl of Rosthorne, but because he is—or was—a military man and Prinny is quite desperate to impress. The royal parks are to be opened, there will be displays, and fireworks, and—oh, Felicity, it will be so exciting—are you not the teeniest bit curious to see it all?’