the Lord have mercy on your wicked soul.
Yrs, Debren.
‘And how will you manage?’ he asked, putting the letter down.
‘I am to be Miss Pym’s companion,’ said Lady Beatrice gaily. ‘We are to reside in a cottage in the country and be very rustic. Oh, I wish I had thought of this before.’
‘Life in a cottage for such as you can be a dismal affair.’ Lord Alistair looked at her cynically. ‘No more parties or balls or hearts to break.’
Lady Beatrice gave a brittle laugh. ‘I know you have a low opinion of me, my lord, but pray forget it for this one evening – Miss Pym’s evening.’
Hannah felt very elated as she was helped into Lord Alistair’s open carriage, very conscious of the glitter of diamonds at her neck and on her head. The day had been dark and dismal, but now a low sun was sinking into the sea, the air was still and balmy, and the restless sea-gulls of Brighton screamed overhead.
The journey to Lord Southern’s house was only a few yards, in fact; they queued from Lady Beatrice’s house to the entrance of Lord Southern’s mansion rather than drove, but then, one must never arrive on foot.
All Hannah’s elation suddenly crumbled. For as they descended from the carriage, helped down byBenjamin, resplendent in gold-and-black livery – where did he get it? wondered Hannah – here was Mrs Cambridge, and beside her, her friends, just arriving.
They stood and stared at Hannah and then began to titter and giggle maliciously. ‘Pay them no heed,’ urged Lady Beatrice. But Benjamin was suddenly in front of Mrs Cambridge and her group, a Benjamin white-faced, eyes aglitter, hands clenched. ‘Wot you staring at, you bleedin’ harpies, you rotten scum o’ the kennel, you daughters o’ whores!’
‘BENJAMIN!’ shrieked Hannah.
But his outburst had the desired effect. Clucking like a party of outraged hens, Mrs Cambridge and her friends scuttled quickly into the mansion.
‘That footman is disgraceful,’ said Lady Beatrice to Lord Alistair. ‘You should be taking him to task, not standing there giggling.’
‘True,’ he said with a grin. ‘How very true. But how refreshing to hear someone say what one would not dare say oneself.’
‘I shall speak to you later, Benjamin,’ said Hannah. ‘I have a good mind to send you away.’
Benjamin looked unrepentant as he doggedly followed them up the carpeted stairs. He was determined to wait in the hall with the other footmen so that he might have a good view of the Prince of Wales when he arrived.
Lady Beatrice and Hannah left their shawls in an ante-room, as if oblivious of the frosty stares from all the ladies present. But as they walked up the stairs,Lady Beatrice said ruefully, ‘We must be prepared to take the wall this evening, for none will dare dance with us.’
But there were young gentlemen there who had never heard of Lady Beatrice’s hard-hearted reputation , and soon she was being solicited to dance.
Lord Alistair stood up with Hannah for the first country dance, but was curiously aware of every step that Lady Beatrice took. She looked younger, he thought. Perhaps with parents such as she possessed, there was much to be said in her defence. Mindful of his duties to his partner, he made sure he engaged Hannah for supper, and then, when the dance was over, led her to one of the gilt seats around the ballroom before going off to talk to his friends.
‘Of course, it is not Almack’s,’ said a dowager loudly beside Hannah, ‘so I suppose one must expect to have to rub shoulders with all sorts of peculiar people.’ Hannah knew this remark was intended for her own ears and was sorry that the reprehensible Benjamin was far away in the hall.
And then, as the cotillion which was being performed finally finished, a rustling and murmuring started up in the room. The Prince of Wales had arrived.
Lord Alistair came up to Hannah and held out his hand and then led her into the line that was being formed to greet the prince.
Yrs, Debren.
‘And how will you manage?’ he asked, putting the letter down.
‘I am to be Miss Pym’s companion,’ said Lady Beatrice gaily. ‘We are to reside in a cottage in the country and be very rustic. Oh, I wish I had thought of this before.’
‘Life in a cottage for such as you can be a dismal affair.’ Lord Alistair looked at her cynically. ‘No more parties or balls or hearts to break.’
Lady Beatrice gave a brittle laugh. ‘I know you have a low opinion of me, my lord, but pray forget it for this one evening – Miss Pym’s evening.’
Hannah felt very elated as she was helped into Lord Alistair’s open carriage, very conscious of the glitter of diamonds at her neck and on her head. The day had been dark and dismal, but now a low sun was sinking into the sea, the air was still and balmy, and the restless sea-gulls of Brighton screamed overhead.
The journey to Lord Southern’s house was only a few yards, in fact; they queued from Lady Beatrice’s house to the entrance of Lord Southern’s mansion rather than drove, but then, one must never arrive on foot.
All Hannah’s elation suddenly crumbled. For as they descended from the carriage, helped down byBenjamin, resplendent in gold-and-black livery – where did he get it? wondered Hannah – here was Mrs Cambridge, and beside her, her friends, just arriving.
They stood and stared at Hannah and then began to titter and giggle maliciously. ‘Pay them no heed,’ urged Lady Beatrice. But Benjamin was suddenly in front of Mrs Cambridge and her group, a Benjamin white-faced, eyes aglitter, hands clenched. ‘Wot you staring at, you bleedin’ harpies, you rotten scum o’ the kennel, you daughters o’ whores!’
‘BENJAMIN!’ shrieked Hannah.
But his outburst had the desired effect. Clucking like a party of outraged hens, Mrs Cambridge and her friends scuttled quickly into the mansion.
‘That footman is disgraceful,’ said Lady Beatrice to Lord Alistair. ‘You should be taking him to task, not standing there giggling.’
‘True,’ he said with a grin. ‘How very true. But how refreshing to hear someone say what one would not dare say oneself.’
‘I shall speak to you later, Benjamin,’ said Hannah. ‘I have a good mind to send you away.’
Benjamin looked unrepentant as he doggedly followed them up the carpeted stairs. He was determined to wait in the hall with the other footmen so that he might have a good view of the Prince of Wales when he arrived.
Lady Beatrice and Hannah left their shawls in an ante-room, as if oblivious of the frosty stares from all the ladies present. But as they walked up the stairs,Lady Beatrice said ruefully, ‘We must be prepared to take the wall this evening, for none will dare dance with us.’
But there were young gentlemen there who had never heard of Lady Beatrice’s hard-hearted reputation , and soon she was being solicited to dance.
Lord Alistair stood up with Hannah for the first country dance, but was curiously aware of every step that Lady Beatrice took. She looked younger, he thought. Perhaps with parents such as she possessed, there was much to be said in her defence. Mindful of his duties to his partner, he made sure he engaged Hannah for supper, and then, when the dance was over, led her to one of the gilt seats around the ballroom before going off to talk to his friends.
‘Of course, it is not Almack’s,’ said a dowager loudly beside Hannah, ‘so I suppose one must expect to have to rub shoulders with all sorts of peculiar people.’ Hannah knew this remark was intended for her own ears and was sorry that the reprehensible Benjamin was far away in the hall.
And then, as the cotillion which was being performed finally finished, a rustling and murmuring started up in the room. The Prince of Wales had arrived.
Lord Alistair came up to Hannah and held out his hand and then led her into the line that was being formed to greet the prince.
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