Dear Deceiver

‘Fustian! Let us forget all about her. Look, they are playing cricket over there. Shall we go and watch?’

The match, they discovered on drawing nearer, was one between a team from the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment, two of whom were batting, and another made up of naval officers. Lucy laughed and clapped with everyone else, calling out, ‘Oh, bravo!’ when a particularly good stroke was made.

Emma began to feel a little uneasy. ‘Lucy, dear, do not speak so loudly,’ she whispered. ‘People are staring at us.’

Before Lucy could reply, there was a shout of ‘Look out!’ and the spectators suddenly parted in front of them. Emma caught a glimpse of a young man running backwards to catch a well-struck ball and the next moment he had collided with Lucy and sent her sprawling on the grass.

The ball, indeed the game, was forgotten as he scrambled to his feet and put out his hand to help the young lady to rise. ‘My apologies, ma’am. I did not mean…Are you hurt?’

‘No, no,’ she said, setting her bonnet straight and brushing down her skirt. ‘Think nothing of it.’

‘Oh, but I do. I cannot tell you how sorry I am. Captain Fergus O’Connor, ma’am, your servant.’ He executed a perfect leg, though he was not wearing a coat and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to reveal muscular arms.

‘I think you had better retrieve the ball and return to the game,’ Lucy said, giving him one of her enchanting smiles. ‘They are all waiting for you.’

‘Then they may wait until I discover who you are.’

‘Lucy…’ Emma warned.

‘Lucy,’ he said, grinning at Emma for inadvertently telling him what he wanted to know. ‘That’s a peach of a name to match a peach of a girl.’

‘Sir, you are impertinent,’ Emma retorted.

‘So I may be,’ he said, laughing. ‘But I don’t see the little lady objecting.’

Emma took Lucy’s arm. ‘Come, my dear, we really must be going. Your brother, the Marquis, will be looking for us.’ And with that she eased her charge away.

‘I shall find you again, never fear,’ the Captain called after them, as he rejoined his fellows.

‘Why did you say that?’ Lucy demanded, looking over her shoulder to watch him return to his place on the field. ‘Dominic will not be looking for us.’

‘He will if we are not home soon,’ Emma said. ‘And I have a feeling he might be very displeased if he knew. Don’t you know a lady should never speak to a strange man without an introduction?’

‘It was not my fault the Captain bowled me over…’

’emma laughed. ‘In more ways than one.’

‘Don’t be silly. I am not such a goose as to be taken in by empty flattery.’

‘I am glad to hear it.’

‘He was handsome though, wasn’t he?’

‘Do you think so? I can think of handsomer.’

‘Who? Do tell.’

‘No, I will not,’ she said, thinking of Lord Besthorpe. Now, there was a handsome man and the lady who married him might think herself very fortunate indeed. The more she saw of him, the more she admired him. And the more she admired him the more she regretted deceiving him. She would so much have preferred to be open and truthful. She was honestly beginning to doubt they would ever be able to discover anything about their father’s exile. It had happened so long ago. Oh, if only…

She brought herself up short and her voice, when she spoke, was brisk. ‘I do think we should hurry, Lisa will be bringing in the tea tray before we get home.’

Having decided to say nothing to his lordship about the walk in the park, the girls were both disconcerted when, two days later, Lady Clarence paid a call and brought up the subject herself. It would not have been so bad if Dominic had not decided to stay and take tea with them, but as it was they were obliged to listen in growing mortification as she lectured him on the evils of allowing unmarried young ladies out alone.

‘Not a soul with them,’ she said, with the feathers on her hat nodding in time with her many chins. ‘Not even a footman. My dear Cavenham, I cannot think that you would have consented to it. Why, half the ton was there and witnessed it, and not a scrap of shame between them, bowing and smiling to all and sundry. Why, your sister even exchanged a nod with that rakeshame, Brummell. Everyone knows he is in disgrace with the Regent.’

Emma was desperately worried and longed to offer a defence, but she was wise enough to know that answering back would make matters worse. She looked at Lucy, but that young lady was studying the toes of her kid slippers.

‘Lady Clarence, I thank you for bringing your concerns to my attention,’ Dominic said solemnly. ‘But I think you worry unduly. My sister and her companion had only got down from the carriage for a short walk; our coachman was not very far away, I do assure you.’

‘I saw no coach.’

‘Perhaps not, but it was there and Nobbs was watching over them.’

Emma was horrified to think that he felt obliged to lie to cover their indiscretion, something she was sure he would not do unless there was no other way. It did not bode well for her once Lady Clarence had taken her leave and his lordship would be free to give rein to his undoubted displeasure. She was sure her dismissal was only moments away.

‘Then I say no more,’ her ladyship said, rising and picking up her gloves and reticule ready to depart. ‘But your sister needs a proper duenna to watch over her, if she ain’t to make a cake of herself and you too, and I ain’t afraid to say it to your face, Cavenham. Your dear mama was my friend and she would wish me to point out where you are going wrong.’

Emma saw Dominic’s brown eyes harden and his jaw tighten and she knew the good lady had gone too far, though he was far too polite to tell her so. She exchanged glances with Lucy, who had realised, as she had, that the brunt of his annoyance would land on their heads. He rose as the footman came in answer to his summons to show the lady to the front door.

‘Thank you, my lady,’ he said, polite as always. ‘But Lucy has a very able companion in Miss Woodhill, and I have every faith in her.’

Her ladyship favoured Emma with a look which clearly revealed what she thought of that arrangement. It made Emma throw up her head and meet her gaze with clear green eyes. She could not be subservient to such a one, not even to please Lord Besthorpe.

As soon as Lady Clarence had taken her leave, his lordship sat down again and looked from his sister to Emma. ‘I do dislike gabble grinders telling me how I should go on,’ he said, in a voice that had lost the silky charm of a moment, before. ‘But can you tell me why I should not instantly dismiss you?’

Lucy jumped to her feet, stricken. ‘Dominic, you can’t do that. It wasn’t Emma’s fault and we were not doing any harm…’

‘You were harming my good name and your reputation,’ he said repressively. ‘Please go to your room. I wish to speak to Miss Woodhill alone.’

Lucy hesitated. ‘Please don’t turn her off, Dominic. I will be good, I promise.’

‘Do as I say, Lucilla.’

Lucy knew that when he used her full name he was very cross indeed, and decided there was nothing for it but to obey. Arguing would only make him more obdurate. ‘Very well.’ She put a hand on Emma’s shoulder as she passed her on the way to the door. ‘Don’t let him bully you, Emma. You did nothing wrong.’ With that she left the room, closing the door with a sharp snap that was almost a bang.

Emma turned from watching her go, to see a smile twitching at the corners of his lordship’s mouth. It was gone in an instant. ‘Do you think Lady Clarence was right?’ he asked her.

‘That Lucy was making a cake of herself, my lord? I am afraid I am not familiar with the term.’

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