“Except that it was I who received the letter from Mr Goodenough, not Pendleton,” Lance said, amused. “Or does that not affect your argument?”
“Not at all,” he said with a pleased grin on his face, “for there has to be some excuse to bring you here, and a portraitist is a more probable subject than a valet. No, that does not affect my case at all.”
“Then it must be so, eh, Chamberlain?” the duke said, although the large wink he gave Lance suggested he was not entirely convinced. “But perhaps the next letter from Goodenough may settle it one way or another.”
“You are of the opinion that there may be more?” Lance said, startled.
“Indeed. Why stop at three?” the duke said, smiling beatifically. “I certainly hope so, for the three brought here so far have proved to be splendid additions to the household. Ah, Froggett at last. I am ready for my dinner.”
The Merrington ladies arrived to form a little cluster around Lance.
“How lovely to have you back at Staineybank,” one said.
“We have all missed you,” said another.
“Especially one of us,” giggled a third.
“You will want to sit besideher, of course.”
He could not fail to understand them, his heart sinking. Was he to be hustled into another engagement? Surely he had the right to choose his own wife? His eye caught Charlotte’s and she laughed rather ruefully.
It was Lily who swept in to rescue him. “Charlotte will have to wait,” she said regally. “I claim the privilege of rank. Mr Chamberlain will sit beside me tonight.”
Somehow, she manoeuvred Mrs Hammond to the seat on the other side of him, so he was preserved from Charlotte for one meal, at least, and after dinner he made his escape with the excuse of writing letters.
Yet it was concerning. He must make very sure to pay Charlotte no extraordinary attention, or he would find himself in the suds and no mistake.
26: Expectations
Lance trod very carefully to avoid Charlotte as much as he could without snubbing her too obviously. He quickly discovered the hours she kept and was usually able to eat his breakfast without her presence, and during the day she was occupied with running the household. She had always helped with the domestic chores, but with Hester’s health restricting her to less active duties and Mrs Merrington spending most of her time in the garden or arranging flowers, the burden fell largely onto Charlotte’s shoulders.
The evenings were a trial, however, and however hard he tried, Lance could not avoid sitting beside Charlotte sometimes at dinner, nor could he refuse to join her table for cards if solicited. The problem was that one or other of the Merrington ladies would be sure to do the soliciting.‘Over here!’one of them would cry merrily. ‘Charlotte needs a partner, you see.’And there he would be, trapped for the entire evening.
Of Charlotte herself, he had no complaint. She never sought him out, or gave any sign that she welcomed his presence morethan that of any other person. Their conversation was of the blandest and most innocuous style, and no one overhearing one of their exchanges would for one moment imagine that there was a courtship in progress. But still her sisters and her mother smiled and nodded at them, with knowing looks, as if they were privy to some secret that was invisible to the world.
The greatest trial came at an assembly in Brinchester. The assembly rooms were newly refurbished, and at the first ball to be held there, the entire Staineybank household, including the duke himself, was to attend. Lance knew perfectly well he would be expected to dance with Charlotte, and that their behaviour together would be closely watched. However, he settled it in his mind that he would not bestow any unusual attention on her. He would dance with the ladies strictly in order of rank, so Lily must be the first, followed by Mrs Payne and Mrs Hammond, the newest brides, and then Lady Juliet. Then, and only then, would it be Charlotte’s turn.
This sensible plan was sunk before he had even left the house. As the party gathered in the Marble Hall to await the carriages, Lance had the misfortune to arrive early and at the same time as three of the Merrington sisters, who instantly surrounded him.
“I hope you mean to dance a great deal,” Augusta said, looking at him archly. “These public balls are full of clod-hopping farmers and the like, and you are quite the best dancer in Brinshire.”
Lance bowed to acknowledge the compliment, saying cautiously. “I am quite prepared to stand up for every dance.”
“And you will ask Charlotte for the first two, of course,” Maria said, taking a proprietorial hold of his arm with a little giggle. “As the eldest, she is entitled to be the first.”
“Nonsense,” Charlotte said, turning a little pink. “Sophia is first amongst the four of us now that she is married, and there are others with a greater claim.”
“It will be my pleasure to dance with all of you,” Lance said firmly. Then, in resigned acceptance of the inevitable, he went on, “and if Charlotte will favour me with her hand for the first two…?”
“Of course,” she said with her ready smile, bobbing him a small curtsy, but he was not at all sure that she was pleased by his willingness. Perhaps she had some other partner in mind? His hopes soared at once.
He could not escape being towed to the Merringtons’ carriage by a determined Maria, where she arranged for him to sit beside Charlotte, and he passed the journey amusing the ladies with trivial anecdotes of some of his more distinguished patrons. There was much he could have said, especially as Denny regaled him with all the downstairs gossip when they stayed with the great families he painted, but it never paid to be indiscreet. The sisters drank in his words, however, and thanked him prettily for entertaining them, but they could not know how dark his thoughts were beneath the frivolity. He could see himself being drawn inexorably into offering for Charlotte, and there was nothing he wanted less. How devilish hard it was to be a gentleman, to smile and be light-hearted and whimsical, as if he had not a care in the world, when all he wanted was to run away and hide.
The assembly rooms were reached, the rest of their party arrived and they all entered together. All too soon, the musicians were warming up their instruments, and Lance had to smile again and lead Charlotte onto the floor and pretend that he was enjoying himself. Fortunately, she was perfectly easy, quite her former self who had so enticed him into flirtation, and long before the first set had concluded, he found himself fallinginto all their former comfortable companionship. The fleeting thought passed through his mind that marriage to Charlotte would not be so dire a prospect, perhaps. Not his first choice, but they could rub along together rather well, he suspected.
After that, the Merrington sisters were swept away by a succession of young men, and whether they were the type to stammer or blush fiercely, or were inclined to insouciance or outright arrogance, the ladies danced with them with pleasure written all over their faces. Even Lily, when it was found that she had no objection to dancing, was solicited to stand up several times, although Lance was never quick enough to partner her.
Thus released from any obligation towards the Merringtons, he took the opportunity to lead out some of the young ladies sitting dejectedly at the side of the room. There was something heartening about noticing a sad face and then seeing it brighten as he approached and light up with joy when he made his request. No hopeful young lady should be out of countenance at a ball, and the price of giving happiness was so little that no one could begrudge it, surely.
