63
CHAPTER FIVE
‘Ithought how Lord Nuneaton singled Amelia out last night a very promising sign, did not you, Elizabeth?’Lady Chalford clearly wanted agreement.
They were seated, eating a light luncheon and contemplating a visit to Lady Chalford’s preferred milliner. Her ladyship had decided that the bonnet that had seemed just right with Amelia’s new pelisse made her look too old. She had noted that Lord Nuneaton was remarkably taken with Amelia’s fresh youthfulness, and wished to show it to advantage, although Amelia was keen to appear older and more sophisticated than her seventeen years. Amelia said nothing, kept her gaze lowered and concentrated upon peeling an apple, though her cheeks reddened.
Elizabeth had retreated into the background once her friend had retired for the evening, and had had opportunity to watch her cousin. Amelia was inexperienced and was unprepared for certain situations. It seemed to her that she found Lord Nuneaton’s manner oppressive, and had wilted64under his gaze. His broad compliments had not been to her taste, but she did not know how to curtail them whilst remaining respectful of his years and position. Elizabeth had fumed on her cousin’s behalf. Had he behaved so with her, she would have put him in his place, regardless of who he was, but poor Amelia had simply become flustered. She had been far more her normal self when she had been entertained by Mr Southram, and Lord Carbrooke, who had both made her laugh with their mock outrage at each other in their rivalry to bring her a glass of champagne. It was an easy bantering that remained light and innocent, and since neither young gentleman was above twenty-five, and reminded her of her brother, she did not see that beneath the badinage, both were very taken with her. Elizabeth avoided answering her aunt, and asked a question of her own.
‘So, who won the right to fetch you your champagne in the end, Amelia?’
Amelia laughed and her blush was not embarrassed, but of pleasure. ‘The honour went to Lord Carbrooke, though I was sure to promise that if Mr Southram is at Almack’s on Tuesday, I will keep the first quadrille for him. He seemed so downcast.’
Lady Chalford did not pursue this conversation and threw her niece a look of mild reproach. Even she saw that the superior rank of Lord Nuneaton would not count for much when put against younger and more dashing gentlemen. When Amelia excused herself to go and dress for the afternoon’s expedition, she frowned at Elizabeth.
‘I do not think that was well done of you, Elizabeth.65Lord Nuneaton’s bestowing of his interest upon Amelia does her no harm in the eyes of the world. I do not say I am convinced it is more than interest, but if he were to offer for her … She would lack for nothing.’
‘Except a man to whom she might be deeply attached. I saw her last night, Aunt. I think he frightened her a little. He is perhaps too much a man of the world, as well as being nearly old enough to be her father. She looked acutely uncomfortable.’
‘She will soon learn how to receive more fulsome compliments. I do not pretend that they are quite what I would like her to hear, but one cannot expect a gentleman who has not looked, I swear, at a young woman in a decade, to instantly remember how best to approach them. Amelia is very fortunate.’
Elizabeth held her tongue. She thought he had looked the sort of man who looked at ‘young women’ very frequently, but of a very different class from that contemplated by Lady Chalford.
Madame Minette abandoned several lesser customers to her minions at the entrance of Lady Chalford and her charges to her exclusive premises in Conduit Street. Lady Chalford herself was an old and regular customer, and, for a more mature lady, showed off many styles to great advantage. She was what Madame Minette thought of as a natural hat wearer. That this Season she was bringing out the delightful Miss Amelia, whose open features and golden hair could be framed well by almost anything on display, and would draw admiring glances and more custom, guaranteed personal66attention. Elizabeth, content to watch and listen, watched her cousin try on a variety of chip straws and villager hats with satin bows, grosgrain ribbons or bunches of cherries. Amelia was not a decisive girl, and her mother could see her capturing the noble lord’s heart if not his name, in several of them. Throughout the swapping, debating and a very little subtle haggling over the price if three hats were purchased, Elizabeth thought herself a mere bystander, until Madame whispered to an underling and sent her into the rear workroom. She returned with a low-crowned beaver in a dove grey, quite masculine in style, but with a stiff, deep red plume up the left side.
‘As I recall, Mademoiselle Ashling is the equestrienne,non? I thought perhaps …’
She nodded to the underling, who presented the hat to Elizabeth and took up a mirror. Madame herself adjusted the tilt to the veriest hint of a dashing angle and stood back to admire.
‘There. I knew it. Mademoiselle isravissante.’
It was true, thought Elizabeth, that the hat was very becoming. But her habit was a dark blue.
‘It looks very nice, but the colour, is it not a little … depressing?’ Lady Chalford was thinking of a grey habit to match.
‘Ah, but with the red as a highlight, a high collar and cuffs perhaps, milady— A littlemilitaire, and with silver buttons.’
Lady Chalford’s eyes narrowed as she considered this image.
67‘But my habit is still perfectly serviceable,’ remonstrated Elizabeth, trying not to let herself be carried away with the image in her head, combined with that in the mirror.
‘You look to advantage upon a horse, my dear, and the habit is three Seasons old,’ Lady Chalford remarked pragmatically.
Elizabeth thought that even in the wonderful hat and a new habit she could not look to advantage upon the Slug, but could not mention this to her aunt. It was so tempting.
Madame saw the wavering and sensed the victory. ‘Upon another, mademoiselle, it would be wasted. I thinkperhaps I imagined you when I designed it,hein?’
Elizabeth was not deceived, and yet …
‘We will take it,’ announced Lady Chalford, raising a gloved hand to still any comment from her niece, ‘and we will see about a new habit, Elizabeth. There.’
Lady Chalford had made her decision, although technically the money would come from Elizabeth’s allowance. The footman accompanying them left the shop balancing three hatboxes, and hoping the ladies would not purchase anything else.
‘We will arrange for the tailor to come tomorrow. No point in waiting, since the Season is advancing.’
‘Aunt, are you sure? The cost of the hat is not so substantial, but with a new habit …’
‘My dear, it would be a foolish thing to buy a hat and have nothing to wear with it, and you do look lovely on horseback.’
