Nine

  The following afternoon the rest of the guests began to arrive. Cassie and Mr. Ossory came first, then Mr. and Mrs. Dalton.

  Selina presented her parents to the rest of the party. She watched them a little anxiously, trying to judge them as the others might. Mr. Dalton was not as fashionable as the other gentlemen present, but he was dressed neatly and soberly, in keeping with his calling. He was a handsome gentleman of fifty, and it was obvious that Selina had inherited much of her good looks from him.

  Mrs. Dalton was still an attractive woman at forty-five, but not as attractive as her hostess. Whereas Lady Kilbourne was thin and elegant, Mrs. Dalton was plump and motherly. However, both of her parents comported themselves with grace and dignity and Selina was proud of them.

  After tea the party divided into smaller groups. Cassie and Mr. Ossory went with Malcolm to tour the stables. The Thistlewaites and Lady Kilbourne decided to rest in their rooms before dinner. Selina and her parents asked if they might go for a walk about the grounds and Malcolm directed them to the parterred gardens on the south side of the house.

  They walked in silence for a few minutes, arm in arm, Mrs. Dalton flanked by her husband and daughter. Selina, who had had an extra day to take in the magnificence of Hadley Hall, wondered if her parents were as overwhelmed as she had been the day before.

  “So, Selina,” Mr. Dalton finally said, “we were quite surprised to receive an invitation to Hadley Hall.”

  “I imagine you were,” Selina said.

  “Mr. Malcolm seems like a very nice young gentleman,” Selina’s mother said.

  “Oh, Mama, do you like him? I am so glad,” Selina said, turning a shining countenance toward her mother. Her mother grabbed her hand and squeezed it, returning her daughter’s smile.

  “We have only had an hour’s acquaintance with him, Millicent,” Mr. Malcolm said to his wife.

  “And a very agreeable hour it was,” his wife told him mischievously, looking remarkably like her daughter in that instant. Her husband smiled briefly at her and patted her other hand, before becoming serious once again.

  “Mr. Malcolm is everything that most parents would find pleasing: he is well-favored, wealthy, and well-connected in society. But you know, Selina, your mother and I require more for you than that.

  “You have been reared to prize virtue over wealth and beauty of character over mere physical attractiveness. Mr. Malcolm is from a different sphere altogether. In his world, morality is laughed at, marriages are made for profit, and life is spent in idle, vain pursuits. Why, you have only to look at the activities of the Prince Regent and his brothers to see the truth of that.”

  “I know what you say is true, Papa, but I think that by his interest in me he demonstrates that he is different from his peers.”

  “That is true, Selina. You are not a nobleman’s daughter, nor are you wealthy enough to make that a consideration. But you are very beautiful, my dear. And there have been many instances of physical attraction being mistaken for a more lasting emotion.”

  “Your father nearly fell victim to a siren’s song at your age, my dear. If I had not been there to protect him, who knows what might have happened,” said Mrs. Dalton.

  “So you protected me, did you?” Mr. Dalton asked, his eyebrows raised.

  “There is no need to thank me,” Mrs. Dalton said.

  Selina eyed her parents in amusement. It had always been thus. Her mother restrained her father from pontificating for too long, her humor keeping him from becoming too serious. It was a valuable quality in a clergyman’s wife.

  “I am so happy you both are here,” Selina said.

  “We are too, my dear,” Mrs. Dalton said. “Even if you and Mr. Malcolm should not make a match of it, it is so nice to have a little holiday.”

  Selina was relieved to see that evening that her father and Mr. Malcolm appeared to be getting on very well. The whole party, in fact, seemed to finally be in full swing. Julia was distracted from her previous bad humor by the arrival of Mr. Ossory, and Mrs. Thistlewaite was pleased to be able to retire to the background again with the influx of more guests. Lady Kilbourne and Mrs. Dalton discovered a mutual interest in gardening, and Cassie was always content when not wrangling with his cousin. (Which, with the advent of Mr. Ossory, was happening less and less frequently.)

  The only thing to mar the high spirits of the party occurred after dinner, when the gentlemen rejoined the ladies in the drawing room. In the general conversation that followed, Mrs. Dalton turned to her daughter and said, “Oh, I forgot to ask you how Mrs. Covington is. Did you call on her as I asked?” Before Selina could reply, Mrs. Dalton turned to her hostess and explained that Mrs. Covington was the widow of their cousin, and that she lived in town.

  Selina’s eyes flew to Malcolm, hoping against hope that he was involved in conversation and had missed her mother’s remark. She was disappointed to find that he was staring right at her. Her next thought was that Julia might intervene, but Julia was speaking to her cousin and was oblivious to what was happening. Selina had no choice but to answer her mother.

  “Yes, I did visit Mrs. Covington. She paid a visit to me at the Thistlewaite’s town house, as well.”

  “Good, I am glad to hear it.” Mrs. Dalton turned again to Lady Kilbourne. “Mrs. Covington is not really a close connection, her husband was a second cousin only, but she is a widow. And Mr. Dalton and I have always taught Selina to show compassion to those in less fortunate circumstances.”

  Lady Kilbourne agreed that this was a good attitude to have, and the conversation soon turned to another subject. Selina, however, contributed very little to the discussion. She was completely embarrassed to have been caught lying by Mr. Malcolm, particularly when at practically the same moment her mother was praising her principled upbringing. She kept her eyes downcast, waiting impatiently for a time when she could excuse herself.

  “Selina,” she heard someone say, and looking up, saw Malcolm had sat down in the chair at her left.

  Selina quickly looked down again. “Mr. Malcolm,” she said. “Pray excuse me, I am not feeling well—”

  “Selina,” Malcolm said again, cutting her off. “It does not matter to me that Mrs. Covington is your cousin, and I am sorry if I gave you that impression.”

  “She is not actually my cousin,” Selina began, but then interrupted herself to say, “It is I who must apologize, Mr. Malcolm. I am so dreadfully embarrassed. What must you think of me?”

  “I think that you must have been concerned for my good opinion and thought, if you told me the truth, that you would lose it. It is my fault, for I look back on that occasion with shame. I sounded dreadfully priggish, even arrogant, and I have heartily regretted it many times since.”

  “Even so, that was no excuse for me to lie. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I wanted to tell you the truth, but that Julia—” Selina paused, realizing it was not the thing to cast blame on someone else. “Well, anyway, I did want to tell you the truth.”

  “I believe you,” Malcolm said. “Now, let’s forget this foolish incident. It does neither of us good to harp on it.”

  Later that evening as Selina prepared for bed, she thought how pleased she was that her mother had introduced Mrs. Covington into the conversation, even though it had proved embarrassing initially. Her doubts about Malcolm’s character had been based on Julia’s statements about him and his disdainful remarks regarding Mrs. Covington. Now, after Malcolm’s apology, she no longer had any serious reservations about him. Julia’s aversion to Malcolm was becoming more and more recognizable as wounded pride and could be dismissed, along with her spiteful comments. Mr. Malcolm had his faults like anyone else, but as far as Selina was concerned, he was close to perfect.

  Selina’s daydreaming was interrupted by a knock at the door. She wondered who could be coming to her chamber at this hour and was answered by Julia’s head popping in from around the partially opened door.

  “Selina, may I come in?” she asked.

  “It looks like you are in,” Selina said.

  Julia closed the door carefully behind her and sat down on the window seat. “I think it is time,” she said.

  “If you think it is time for bed, I can only agree, and wonder why it is you’re in my chamber instead of your own.”

  “No,” Julia said impatiently, “I think it is time to show Malcolm your list.”

  “What list? I do not have a list.”

  “You know, we discussed all this before, when you first came to town. You are to allow Malcolm to find a list that you’ve written, except all the items will not be checked. Then he will see what it is like to be measured and found wanting.”

  “Julia, I know that Malcolm hurt your feelings and I am sorry for that. I believe you two started out on the wrong foot, and I think if you allowed yourself to get to know him—”

  “Selina, what are you saying?”

  “I am saying that I do not intend to take part in this, this deception, any longer. I admire Malcolm. I do not want to hurt him.”

  Julia’s eyes narrowed and she folded her arms across her chest. “So, now that you’ve seen Hadley Hall, seen how rich he is, you think you can get him to marry you, is that it?”

  “No, that is not it! I am not interested in Malcolm because of his possessions. I truly admire him and lo—like him.”

  “So you lo-like him, do you?” Julia said, mimicking Selina’s near slip of the tongue. “I wonder if you’d lo-like him if he was a poverty-stricken curate from Yorkshire.”

  “Yes, I would,” Selina said, glaring defiantly at Julia.

  “Well, this is all very touching, but it is not at all what was supposed to happen.” Julia rose from the window seat to pace angrily about the room. “You agreed to help me.”

  “I agreed to think about it. Which I did. Very carefully. And I do not find Mr. Malcolm to be deserving of such a trick.”

  “And I? You think that I was deserving of such a trick?”

  “No, but I do not think it was the same thing at all.”

  “But it was! It was exactly the same,” Julia insisted.

  “Malcolm did not set out to offend you. He had no way of knowing you would discover he had a list.”

  “But I did find out. He did offend me.”

  “And do you think you have never offended anyone? It happens, Julia. Frequently. A mature person accepts it and moves on. No one wants a person incapable of forgiveness for a friend.”

  “And I do not want a prosy preacher’s daughter for a friend,” Julia said, striding to the door.

  “Julia,” Selina said, but her only answer was the sound of a door being firmly closed.

  Mr. Malcolm and his mother heard the sound from where they still sat in the drawing room.

  “What was that?” Lady Kilbourne asked.

  “It sounded as if someone slammed a door.”

  “Probably that Miss Thistlewaite. She looks like the door-slammer type to me.” There was a pause, the only sound the clickety-clack of Lady Kilbourne’s knitting needles. Then she sighed. “Poor Mr. Ossory.”

  “Why do you say that?” Malcolm asked.

  “She means to have him. And she’s the type that gets her way.” She looked up from her needlework for a moment to eye her son curiously. “What surprises me is that she did not set her cap for you. You are the more brilliant match.”

  “Oh, but she did. It was short-lived, however.”

  “Really? What happened?”

  Malcolm shrugged. “Nothing, really. I took her to the opera once and then did not call again. It died a natural death.”

  “That is what you think. I doubt she’d forget a rejection like that very quickly. She is not enjoying taking second place to your Miss Dalton.”

  “She is not my Miss Dalton yet.”

  “Yes, I know,” his mother said, somewhat wearily. “I wish you would hurry the business. You know how much I detest entertaining.”

  “So you approve of Selina, Mother?” Malcolm asked.

  “Yes, of course. Although I do wonder what you two were up to in the Statue Gallery. The servants tell me that they found Apollo tilted sideways.”

  Lady Kilbourne watched in amusement as her son turned red and began a tongue-tied explanation.

  “Oh, I am just teasing you,” she said, cutting his explanation short. “Apollo is right where he is supposed to be. Although I do find it curious that you would believe he was not. That must have been quite a kiss.”

  “It was earth-shaking,” Malcolm said, and grinned.

  Ten

  Most of the party met again at breakfast the next day, the younger members dressed for riding, an appointment that had been made the previous evening. Selina eyed Julia a little warily, but she seemed in high spirits, and looked very attractive in her military-style habit, which emphasized her fragile good looks. Selina felt it extremely unfair that Julia always managed to look so demure, when her personality was just the opposite.

  Malcolm gestured to the empty seat next to his, so Selina chose something to eat from the sideboard and sat down.

  “We were just discussing the ball we are planning to hold next week,” Malcolm told Selina. “Miss Thistlewaite would like it to be a masquerade. What is your opinion?”

  Selina looked at her father, who was frowning slightly. She knew he did not have the best opinion of masquerades, considering them to be an excuse to indulge in all sorts of licentious behavior. “I have never been to a masquerade—” Selina started to say, but before she could finish, Julia had interrupted.

  “See there, Malcolm, you must make it a masquerade. Selina has never been to one before.”

  “Would you enjoy that, Selina?” Malcolm asked her.

  Selina hesitated, looking at her father. Mrs. Dalton whispered something in his ear and he smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose so,” Selina said, unwilling to cross Julia when she seemed so pleased with the idea.

  “Oh, wonderful!” Julia said, clapping her hands. Cassie looked less than pleased.

  “I do not want to wear a costume. It’s bound to be uncomfortable,” he said, looking sulky.

  “You can wear a domino,” his cousin told him.

  “That’s even worse, dash it. Who wants to wear a cloak all evening? It’s the middle of summer.”

  “As sorry as I am to have to miss the rest of this fascinating discussion, I must see to the horses,” Malcolm said, getting up to leave. “Those of you who wish to ride this morning should join me at the stables when you have finished here.”

  After Malcolm left Selina rose from her seat and joined her parents at the other side of the table. “Is the masquerade all right with you?” she asked Mr. Dalton, speaking quietly so the others could not hear.

  “Well, you know how I feel about masquerade balls, but your mother reminded me that Mr. Malcolm is a trustworthy gentleman. I am confident he will not permit the sort of behavior that may attend these kinds of occasions in town.”

  “And it sounds like such fun,” Mrs. Dalton said.

  The group began their ride with Malcolm and Selina in the lead, followed by Julia flanked by Mr. Ossory and Cassie. However, after negotiating a narrow path, Selina found herself at Mr. Ossory’s side, with Julia, Cassie and Malcolm just ahead.

  This was the first time they had been allowed a private conversation since their one drive together—Julia having been vigilant in keeping them apart—and Selina felt a little shy with him.

  “So, it appears it is to be a chess match, after all,” he finally said, breaking the silence.

  Selina was startled at first, but quickly grasped his meaning. “I am sorry, Mr. Ossory, it is just—”

  “I know, I know. My friend Jeremy has cut me out.”

  “I am so sorry,” Selina repeated again, not knowing what else to say.

  “Don’t be sorry. It is entirely my fault. I arrived on the scene too late. I could have met you anytime the past three years if I had visited my aunt while on leave as she requested.” Mr. Ossory paused, looking at Selina with a rueful grin. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t have much confidence in Aunt Ossory’s matchmaking ability. She had dreadful eyesight, you know.”

  “I do know. I was constantly keeping her from holding conversations with inanimate objects. She frequently confused her butler with the umbrella stand.”

  Mr. Ossory laughed. “Well, then, you understand my hesitation.”

  “I do, indeed.”

  They rode in silence for a moment, Selina thinking what a shame it was that she could not be in love with Henry Ossory, but then realizing if she were in love with him she would not be in love with Mr. Malcolm, which was a dreadful thought. She realized if Mr. Ossory had visited his aunt a year or so ago, she probably would be married to him now. As much as she liked Mr. Ossory, she was glad he had not visited.

  “It is not too late for us to be friends, however,” Mr. Ossory said, interrupting Selina’s tumultuous thoughts.

  “No, it is not too late for that. I would like it very much indeed.”

  “My friends call me Henry.”

  “I would be pleased to call you Henry. And you must call me Selina.”

  “Selina,” Henry said, in unison with Julia, who had called Selina’s name. Henry and Selina looked up, to see that they had fallen behind the other riders who had stopped to wait for them.

  “Selina, this is not a drawing room,” Julia said, in a playful tone of voice.

  “I beg your pardon,” Selina said, surprised that Julia was addressing her so kindly. Malcolm was frowning, but when he saw Selina looking at him he smiled at her.

  “There is a very beautiful view from the top of that hill,” Malcolm told them, pointing off in the distance. “Let us ride in that direction.”

  Later, as they were walking the horses back to Hadley Hall, Malcolm gestured to Julia and Henry, who were just ahead with Cassie.