This work is a product of the author's imagination. Places, events and people are either fictitious or used fictitiously and any resemblance to real events, places, or people, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
The author retains full copyright to the material, and sincerely hopes you like it!
If you have something to say about it that isn't flaming me then email me at: Calebgraemefj@iinet.net.au
THE KING'S BEAST 6 by Caleb
King Street was very crowded. In the section of the street lit by many flambeaux, carriages were pulling up as other carriages drove off. The Marquess of Chesham's coachman was able to manouver through the throng of carriages, horses, link boys and arriving guests to a position convenient to the entrace portico of the Almack's assembly rooms.
As the door to the carriage was opened and the steps unfolded, the coachman gave the usual warning, "Have a care, my lord. The horses have been here." The Marquess merely nodded as he descended, followed by Jem.
"Can you see the others?" Jem asked him. "Further up the street, I think," was the answer. "No. They've arrived already" And he waved the hand clutching his chapeau-bras vaguely in the direction of the entrance portico.
Jem was straightening his coat as he looked around, but the first thing his eyes alighted on was a link boy, his torch extinguished, who was sitting on the edge of a horse-trough and panting painfully. Jem could not tear his eyes from him. He was so young. He reckoned his age to be about twelve, though he could have been older. He was pitifully thin and dirty and ragged. As Jem gazed on him, the boy looked up and their eyes met. Then the boy's eyes slid away and dropped cringingly.
Almost without thinking, Jem fumbled into his fob and withdrew a coin which he proffered to the boy. "Here," he said calling the boy's attention, "this is for you." The boy smiled briefly and took the coin, unable to believe his good fortune. Jem turned away, feeling strangely ashamed of his action.
The boy called after him. "Sir! Sir!" Jem turned to him. The boy held out the coin. "Ye made a mistake, sir." Jem smiled and shook his head and turned away. He caught the eye of the Marquess.
"How much did you give him?" the Marquess asked quietly. Jem answered, a little defensively, "Half a crown."
Up went the mobile eyebrows. "That was prodigiously generous."
Jem looked his mentor squarely in the eyes. "It could have been me, my lord."
The Marquess thinned his lips to a straight line. He turned to the link boy who was watching them hungrily.
"What's your name, boy?" the Marquess asked abruptly. "Wilf, yer honor," was the timid answer.
The Marquess fished a coin out of his pocket. "Well, Wilf. We will have need of your - ah – glim for our journey home. Can you be here?" The boy answered eagerly, "Yes, yer honor."
The Marquess nodded, "Good." and he flicked the coin to the link boy. Jem wartched as the coin travelled in a glittering arc from the Marquess to the link boy who caught it deftly. His face lit up in wonder as he examined the coin in the palm of his hand.
"Thank'ee. Thank'ee, yer honor."
Jem and the Marquess turned away and made their way to the entrance of the assembly rooms.
"Who's the generous one now?" Jem asked with a smirk and a sideways glance at his companion.
The Marquess showed no emotion but said in a moderate tone, "You shamed me."
Miss Wyndover was waving at them from the entrance portico, until she was admonished by her mother. As Jem and the Marquess ascended the steps from the street, a strange feeling came over Jem – panic and trepidation. He paused gasping slightly. As ever, the Marquess was aware of his every mood and said gently, "What is it?"
Jem gazed fearfully into his face. "I – I shall be meeting him. He is waiting for me ... in there."
Smoothly the Marquess guided him to the side of the steps, allowing the arriving crowds to pass. After gazing at him for several moments, he murmured, "We need not go in, if you'd prefer. We can cry off, even at this late stage."
Something inside Jem stiffened his backbone. "Oh, don't be ridiculous," he snapped and he pushed past the Marquess who gave a secret grin at his reaction and followed behind him.
For an establishment that boasted such social prestige, the vestibule of the club was very unprepossessing. It was unremarkable in every way, painted in institutional colours and featureless in the extreme. When Jem entered with the Marquess behind him, his eyes were drawn to a very wide staircase, built for the fashions of an earlier age allowing two women to walk side by side wearing their hooped dresses. Now this staircase was very crowded, full of chattering and laughing guests, waiting to pass the receiving line of the patronesses of Almack's arrayed at the top of the stairs. Over the loud hum of the guests, Jem could hear music issuing from the ball room, and above it all, a sonorous voice announcing each guest as they entered.
Jem caught sight of the Wyndover party halfway up the stairs in front of them. Lady Chesham had decided to accompany her daughter and granddaughter in Sir Henry's carriage. Jem grinned up at Miss Wyndover who flashed an excited smile at him. For all her previous opinions about the stodginess of this place, she was clearly delighted to be at this, the opening ball of the Season, and the excitement added sparkle to her beauty.
Jem and the Marquess were interrupted in their progress by a footman carrying a long ebony gold-topped staff. Jem couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed him until that moment. The man was dressed with utmost spendour, in a green coat, and plum-coloured waistcoat and breeches. On his head he wore, athwart-ships, an enormous black bicorne hat, gold edged with a large gold cockade.
The Marquess was obviously familiar with the ettiquette required, and wordlessly presented his voucher to the man for his inspection. Jem followed suit, fumbling a little as he withdrew it from his inner coat pocket. The man glanced at the vouchers, then bowed and murmured to them, "Welcome my Lord ... Mr Fleet." Then, with a studied movement of his staff, he indicated that they were to proceed to the stair case.
As they slowly mounted the staircase, Jem felt suddenly very nervous. His beautifully starched and folded neck cloth (the result of Loring's concentrated efforts) suddenly felt too tight, and he passed a finger round it to ease it away from his neck. He smoothed his coat and waistcoat with the palms of his hands trying to wipe off the sudden sheen of sweat.
Without looking at him, the Marquess said in an amused voice, "There is really no need to be nervous, you know. You will bear all before you." He turned his head and flashed a sudden smile, "You look as fine as fivepence."
Although he was pleased by the comments of the Marquess, they did little to allay his nervousness. There were many on the crowded staircase who claimed acquaintance with his companion – women twinkled gloved fingers at him from afar and men hailed him either by name ("Good to see you here, Chesham") or by title, addressing him as "Marquess" rather than "My lord". In spite of this obvious notability, the Marquess stayed close by Jem so that he heard passing comments on more than one occasion, "Who is that good-looking boy with the Marquess of Chesham?"
When Jem heard this, he smiled secretly to himself, reckoning these comments were tributes to the excellence of Mr. Weston's tailoring rather than to his own personal attributes. He knew he looked at his best, wearing his new evening clothes of the beautiful brocade and russet broadcloth that he himself had chosen for his evening clothes, and the comment of the Marquess that he looked "as fine as fivepence" had pleased him and seemed to vindicate his choice.
At last they reached the top of the stairs and faced the first of the patronesses in the reception line. Jem had not the faintest idea who she was, but she seemed glad to see the Marquess, and she exclaimed, "My Lord Chesham. You are very welcome to our little gathering." The Marquess, smiling winningly, bowed gracefully and murmured, "It is our pleasure to be here, Mrs. Burrell." He presented Jem to her, "May I present, Mr. Jem Fleet?"
The lady, Mrs. Burrell subjected Jem to a high-nosed stare, then extended a gloved hand and said, "How do you do, Mr. Fleet?" Jem shook the hand offered and executed a very correct bow and tried to smile as best he could. He was rescued from this formidable lady by Lady Sefton's voice, exclaiming loudly, "My dear Marquess, you are come at last." Jem's attention was drawn to her and she noticed him, "...and young Mr. Fleet, looking ..." and she cast an expert eye up and down his person, "... like something out of a dream, I do declare."
Jem bowed quickly to Mrs. Burrell and escaped her attention, and moved to Lady Sefton. The two men bowed together to her, and she archly tapped the Marquess on his arm with her fan, saying, "You shall not escape me tonight, my Lord. I shall use the privilege of my position and claim the first dance with you." Jem flashed a grin at his companion, almost crowing that he had been so effortlessly snared. They both bowed again, and moved down the line. All the patronesses seemed to flirt with the Marquess, and when he introduced Jem to each in turn, they all gave him the same searching up-and-down look. One of them, Lady Jersey, a tiny china-doll of a woman with a very restless manner, said as she looked him over, " 'Pon rep," in an explosion of words, "I did not believe Maria Sefton when she described you, Mr. Fleet. I see now she did not exaggerate." Without waiting for comment from him, she turned to the Marquess and said airily, "Your mother and Sir Henry's party are already within, my Lord."
The Marquess smiled and bowed and indicated that Jem should lead the way into the ballroom. Jem was mightily glad to have run the gauntlet of those alarmingly aristocratic critics, and he felt now that he could relax for a small while, until... until...
Another tremendous uniformed footman announced them as they entered the ballroom. "The Most Honourable, The Marquess of Chesham – Mr. Fleet" His voice clanged like a bell and Jem had the sudden irreverent thought: Suppose he had announced "The Most Honourable Stable Boy, Mr Fleet."? He grinned to himself as he imagined the shocked sensation it would have caused
The ballroom of Almack's was in the greatest contrast imaginable to the austerity of the vestibule. Eight great chandeliers provided dazzling light , hanging from a ceiling covered in swathed silk of pink and white. Large displays of hot-house flowers were placed at regular intervals around the perimeter of the ballroom which seemed to Jem very beautiful. As the dancing had not yet commenced, crowds of splendidly dressed chattering people were dispersed all over the dancing floor while others, obviously in groups or parties, were arrayed around the walls, between the floral arrangements, on chairs and chaises. They had little trouble finding the Wyndover party. They were comfortably ensconced on a stragically placed group of satin covered chairs, not too close to the dance floor yet in the line of sight of most of the company. Jem could only marvel at the cleverness of their choice - Miss Wyndover, seated between her mother and her grandmother and modestly holding her tiny bouquet was most advantageously displayed. She looked very beautiful, dressed with classic simplicity in ivory satin and long white gloves. Around them was a small crowd of fashionably dressed people talking most vociferously to the Marchioness and Lady Wyndover. Jem noticed that this group too included several young debutantes, as shy as Miss Wyndover but not, Jem was pleased to note, as pretty as she.
The Marquess and Jem attached themselves to the group and introductions were made. Jem immediately forgot the names of the people although they were smiling and very polite. He was aware that the older women, obviously the mothers of the young girls present, gave him the same searching up-and-down look that had been given him by the patronesses in the reception line and he wryly realized that each was mentally calculating his worth. He knew that his position in the Chesham household would be most assiduously canvassed later in the evening. In spite of the gloss of happy excitement, these ladies had only one item of business: to find suitable husbands for their daughters, and no candidate would be overlooked – not even a secretary to a Marquess.
All the while, the guests kept arriving. The stentorian voice of the door man was unceasing - "Lord and Lady This.... Mr. And Mrs. That..." and the room was filling rapidly until it resembled what was known in fashionable circles as "a shocking squeeze". Although the small orchestra was playing occasional music over the hub-bub of talk, dancing had not yet commenced. Jem was aware that the ball did not officially begin until nine o'clock and it seemed that everyone was waiting for this moment.
Suddenly there were three loud thumps from the staff carrried by the doorman. "My lords, ladies and gentlemen – pray room for His Royal Highness, the Prince Regent!" and the crowds parted like the Red Sea and everyone stood as the orchestra struck up "God Save the King". The new Regent, surrounded by his party, stood in full sight of the whole ballroom. After the anthem, a storm of applause broke out, directed pointedly to the Regent. Jem was a little disappointed at his first sight of England's new ruler. The man looked pampered and dissolute and, in spite of obvious severe lacing, fat. However, he had a charming smile, and as Lady Castlereagh, one of the patronesses and the wife of the prime minister, accompanied him around the circuit of the ballroom, introducing him to this one and that, all seemed genuinely pleased to meet him.
The company remained standing as the Regent moved around the ballrom and he stopped in front of the Chesham -Wyndover party and exclaimed to Lady Castlereagh, "There is no need for introductions here, Lady Castlereagh. How do you do, Lady Chesham? It seems a very long time since we had the pleasure of your company."
Rising from a deep curtsey, the Marchioness smiled beautifully and answered, "Indeed it is, your Royal Highness. Sir, may I present to you my daughter and her husband, Sir Henry and Lady Wyndover..." Sir Henry and Lady Wyndover bowed and curtseyed, as the Marchioness continued, "...and my granddaughter, Miss Henrietta Wyndover, who is coming out this year."
Miss Wyndover, pale but composed, sank into a deep curtsey. The Regent leaned towards her. "Then we can expect to see you at St. James very soon, Miss Wyndover. We shall look forward to that with anticipation."
Miss Wyndover looked at little startled at this comment but had the wit to smile at him.
"Thank you, sir," she murmured, and sank into a second curtsey. The Prince held out his hand and gently lifted her chin so that she was gazing into his eyes.
"Charming," he murmured, "quite charming. " He turned to her mother. "You are to be congratulated, Lady Wyndover." He glanced at Lady Castlereagh, and she took the hint and indictated that they move on. As he moved away, he nodded to the Marquess, and murmured, "Chesham." The Marquess bowed but did not reply.
Jem was completely ignored in this exchange. He did not feel slighted, however, as he realized that a secretary (and a prostitute) could reach only so high.
Lady Wyndover's breast swelled with pride and satisfaction. After this display of Royal condescension, her daughter's success was assured, and her sense of triumph was further enhanced by the fury and jealously in the glances of the other matchmaking mammas. Jem leaned over the back of Miss Wyndover's chair and whispered to her, "He's very fat. I did not expect that." Miss Wyndover bit her lip to stop herself giggling and then unfurled her fan and whispered back to Jem behind it, "And he reeks of otto of roses." Lady Wyndover overheard this exchange and said sternly under her breath, "Henrietta." Miss Wyndover collapsed her fan and said in a contrite voice, "Sorry, mamma." Jem noticed, however, that Lady Wyndover's lips were twitching in a effort to stop smiling at her daughter's artless observation. Lady Chesham turned slightly and raised an eyebrow at Jem, who felt suitably chastened. The Marquess, standing beside him was grinning broadly and his mother glared at him before turning to the company once more and smiling a social smile.
The circuit of the ballrom made by the Regent and Lady Castlereagh took some time to accomplish. Towards the end, they moved more quickly and the Regent ended up waving airily to the remaining crowd, many of whom curtseyed and bowed to him. As they ended their journey, Lady Castlereagh raised a gloved hand discreetly to the leader of the orchestra in the gallery, who was watching her closely, and he bowed slightly in acknowledgement, and turning to the orchestra, raised his violin and they began to play.
And at nine o'clock precisely, the Prince Regent led the most senior of the patronesses of Almack's on to the dance floor, and, to the strains of a stately minuet, the first ball of the season was officially opened.
As they danced, alone, the rest of the guests took their seats and watched the couple. Every now and then, there were smatterings of applause from various groups of people. After the prince and his partner had completed the first figure of the complicated dance, others joined in. Slowly the dance floor began to fill. At first, the couples were from his own party but others from around the room soon began to join the dance.
On the periphery of the dance, people moved back and forth, quitting and joining groups, and all the while there was a hum of conversation. Jem looked up to see Sir Charles and Lady Clifford moving to join them. Sir Henry gallantly gave his seat to Lady Clifford while the Marchioness complimented her on her gown – soft orange crepe that was trimmed with some very good heirloom lace. She was wearing a modest string of pearls. Jem could only marvel at the sharp contrast between the Lady Clifford's jewellery and that worn by the Marchioness. Dressed in striking midnight blue silk, she almost flaunted a breathtakingly magnificent parure of sapphires and diamonds that Jem could not take his eyes off. She noticed his admiring gaze.
"The Chesham sapphires," she murmured by way of explanation. "Old rose and table cut things. My mamma-in-law had the stomacher converted into several brooches and bracelets for which I am heartily thankful."
"The what?" Jem asked mystified. The Marchioness smiled at his ignorance. "The stomacher. A very old fashioned way to wear jewels." She looked around the ballroom. "See," she said, pointing with her fan, "the lady in the apple green toilette."
Jem gazed where she indicated, and saw a old lady with many ostrich plumes in her hair, and in a very old-fashioned stiff-bodied gown which was covered in diamonds from her neckline to her waist.
The Marchioness said drily, "The Queen still wears her jewels like that." Jem felt unequal to the task of commenting on the niceties of wearing jewelry, so he just smiled and nodded.
Suddenly there was a gasp from Lady Clifford, and she cried, in outraged accents, "How utterly foul!" Everyone was surprised at this exclamation, to say the least, and all turned to her and her husband said, "My dear?" Lady Clifford began fanning herself in a very agitated manner, and with snapping eyes, said in a strident whisper, "He flaunts his papist whore in this – of all places."
Jem felt the pit of his stomach suddenly knot and he flushed. He cast a frightened glance at the Marquess, who, strangely, was not looking at him but was smiling his lop-sided smile at Lady Clifford.
He said to her quietly and pleasantly, "Mrs. Fitzherbert is everywhere received, Eugenia. It would be advisable, I think, to restrain your moral outrage." Lady Wyndover nodded in agreement, and said in a detached manner, "You know, there are those who believe that they are truly man and wife."
Her husband, Sir Henry, snorted and said, "Not possible, Lady Wyndover. They had not the approval of the king nor of parliament." Lady Wyndover merely said, "Ah," and nodded wisely.
Lady Clifford sat with her back rigid, and with downcast eyes, her posture suggesting she had witnessed something indecent.
Jem, of course, had heard the scandalous story of the clandestine marriage between the Prince of Wales and his Catholic mistress and was afire with curiosity. He scanned the now crowded dance floor and whispered to the Marchioness, "Which one is she?"
The Marchioness smiled at his boyish eagerness, and, nodding her head slightly in Mrs. Fitzherbert's direction, said quietly, " In the red and gold."
Jem sought her out among the dancing couples. He was surprised to find her a plump, middle-aged woman with a plain but pleasant face. So much for the glamour of notoriety! He watched her covertly for several minutes until he suddenly became aware of the man she was dancing with.
He almost gasped from the shock. Here was his target – in plain sight. He trembled slightly and broke into a cold sweat. He turned to the Marquess. "M-my lord..."
The Marquess was twirling his quizzing-glass on its black ribbon, and said, very pleasantly, "I see him, Mr. Fleet." He smiled charmingly at Jem, but his eyes – his eyes were like agates.
" 'Twould be best, I think," he continued, looking at Jem and not at the dance floor, "to show no sign you have seen him." Jem had been holding his breath and now he relaxed, breathing out tremulously. He swallowed and said, "Yes ... yes..." although the urge to look back at the man was almost overwhelming. He looked up to see Sir Charles discreetly making his way towards them.
In a thread of a voice, Sir Charles said, "DeMontfort.... do you see..?" The Marquess answered in an off-hand manner, "Yes, we see him Charles. Has he seen us, think you?"
Jem still had his back to the dance floor and watched Sir Charles as he cast a covert glance at the dancers.
"I think not," he answered, but he was unsure of his answer. Instinct told Jem he was wrong. Without looking, he declared flatly, "I beg to differ, Sir Charles. He has seen us. I know it. I would swear to it."
Both the Marquess and Sir Charles looked at him curiously. A strange calm came over Jem. He said with a wisp of a smile. "So. Our quarry has been sighted. What's the correct term? Yoiks? Tally-ho?"
The Marquess was amused. "A huntsman, Mr. Fleet?" "Not until now, my lord," was the dry answer.
The Marquess grinned. "And our next step...?" Both he and Sir Charles were watching Jem closely. Jem gnawed his lip. " 'Tis obvious we cannot approach him..."
"Agreed," murmured the Marquess. A plan began to form in Jem's head. He said, "Then he must come to us."
The other two were silent, still looking at Jem. A smile flickered over Jem's features. "We must reel him in." The Marquess gave a slight chuckle. "An angler, now?"
Jem looked at him and said smoothly, "... and we have the perfect bait." Sir Charles said cynically, "What bait? You?"
"I do not flatter myself, Sir Charles. No. Our bait will be ... the Marquess of Chesham." He looked squarely at the Marquess. "Or rather, the hatred he holds for the Marquess of Chesham..."
The three were silent. Sir Charles shot an uneasy glance at the Marquess who was staring intently at Jem. At length, Sir Charles said, "How do you intend to accomplish this?"
Still looking at the Marquess, Jem said quietly and urgently, "Let us give History a chance to repeat itself ... let him think there is an opportunity once again to filch from the Marquess something ... something he holds dear..." and he finished the explanation with a small gasp. Sir Charles muttered in an undertone of outrage, "Sweet Jesus. You were told in confidence." The Marquess gave no sign he had heard his friend's interjection. Staring at Jem, he said colourlessly, but with palpable menace, "And what, pray, will be the something I hold dear?" Jem held his eyes and after an agonizing pause said, "Me, my lord."
The Marquess was silent for a long time, so that Sir Charles finally said, "Nat, he asked about...." The Marques raised a finger and Sir Charles was silent.
"No Charles," he said, in an intense quiet voice, "I think it's brilliant. He will not be able to resist." He never took his eyes from Jem's face. He said very quietly, "How?"
Jem licked his lips nervously. He felt he was trespassing on dangerous ground. He spoke rapidly and urgently, terrified lest the Marquess should explode in anger. "We must do it now. We will never have a better opportunity. He must see that you ... that you delight in my company."
The expression on the face of the Marquess did not waver. If anything, it grew more intense. Jem plunged on.
"Sir Charles, you must watch him – carefully and secretly. Be ready to tell us when he is as close as possible, as close as the dance will bring him. We shall not be facing him. You understand?"
Sir Charles breathed "Yes, but ..." "Please, Sir Charles..."
Reluctantly, "Very well." And Jem felt rather than saw the man change his position slightly so that he could observe their quarry, and still be close to them.
Jem took a deep breath. "Now, my lord. You must lean in towards me." He encountered a blazing look from the Marquess, and he hurried on. "I am telling you a story – a story you find compelling and fascinating. You hang on my every word."
There was a pause as the Marquess gave him a calculating look, then to Jem's great relief, a fatuous smile appeared on his face and he indeed leant in towards Jem with an intent amused expression.
"What now?" he asked, though the look on his face belied the intensity of his words. Jem forced himself to grin broadly and said, "When Sir Charles gives the word, my lord, you will laugh."
He kept the smile on his face, but Jem could see the Marquess was surprised. Jem continued, "You will laugh, my lord, with extreme delight. The laugh will be loud ... and long ... and as genuine as you can make it. You may clap me on the shoulder if it will assist you, but your laugh must stop the Comte DeMontfort in his tracks."
Here the Marquess widened his eyes in sudden appreciation of what Jem was trying to achieve.
"Remind me never to play piquet with you, Mr. Fleet," he said through smiling lips that barely moved.
Jem continued to smile until his face ached, and, as he leant towards the Marquess and placed his finger-tips on the man's forearm – a simple gesture he calculated would convey intimacy to any onlooker, he murmured to Sir Charles, "How far away is he , Sir Charles?"
A thread of a whisper. "He is moving this way ... yes ... coming closer... about twenty seconds, I think..."
Jem found himself getting nervous and excited. All the while the stately music of the minuet continued. He knew he must continue talking.
"This is becoming very difficult, my lord," he said keeping a knowing smile on his face. "I cannot think of anything to say, but I must keep talking."
The Marquess nodded and smiled and listened closely, but his eyes were cold. "These are the longest twenty seconds in my life," said Jem trying to appear as though he were coming to the climax of the story.
"About five seconds, I think ... yes ... yes.... I think now." Jem took a breath and said, "Now, my lord. Laugh."
And the Marquess laughed.
The laugh started as an amused ripple and grew in depth and intensity. Jem was amazed at how convincing the laugh was. The whole demenour of the Marquess changed. The laugh seemed to touch his inner being – his face lit up and his eyes sparkled. The laugh went on and on, ringing out over the dance floor. There was no sense of it being forced or artificial. Everyone within earshot stopped talking and turned towards the Marquess.
My God, thought Jem, he's magnificent.
And another thought immediately followed this: He should laugh like that more often ... he is so... so attractive.
The laugh was so infectious that both Jem and Sir Charles ended up laughing along with him. As the laugh died, there was a gasp from the Marchioness, and she exclaimed, "My Lord Chesham. Pray share with us that joke."
The Marquess gave the impression of being unable to speak because of his laughter. He took out a white handkerchief and wiped his eyes. The Marchioness turned to Jem. "Something you said, Mr. Fleet? It must have been wonderful to make my son forget himself to that extent. Pray tell us."
Jem, still laughing, said with considerable aplomb, "Madam. It was something that could not be repeated to a lady."
Her eyes opened with surprise, and she rapped him on the forearm with her closed fan. "Cruel," she said, "I declare you have ruined the rest of my evening. I shall be forever wondering what it was that could have brought such laughter to my son." But she smiled and turned back to her party.
Jem turned back to the men and said to Sir Charles, "Well?"
Sir Charles looked at him in triumph and amazement. "My God, it worked. He stumbled as you laughed, Nat. He spent the next couple of minutes apologizing to Fitzherbert. Even now, he cannot keep his eyes off us."
The Marquess said, "Well done, Mr. Fleet. You have judged your adversary to a nicety, " and he bowed to Jem in appreciation.
Jem's eyes sparkled in triumph and he said, "It was your laugh, my lord. He was snared as soon as he heard it."
Sir Charles, keeping a surrepitious eye on the Comte, said, "What now?"
Jem considered the matter. "He will find a way to meet me ... tonight, I think. Already, it is plaguing him. Let him worry about it. I shall not."
Lady Sefton materialised beside them. "My lord Chesham," she said in mock chagrin, "you have undone me. The first dance is well advanced and here you stand, and I am forsaken." The Marquess was still smiling, and he bowed elegantly to her. "A thousand apologies, madam," he said winningly, "but I must own to finding the minuet a trifle ... tedious."
She simpered at him. "Wretch. But I still hold you to your promise of a dance." He smiled again. "And I shall be desolated to keep you waiting long. Perhaps... the allemande?"
She smirked in triumph as he held out his hand for the tiny ivory dance card which was suspended on a fine cord from her wrist, and in it he wrote his name with her gold pencil. As she returned the card to her wrist, she turned to Jem and said in a friendly manner, "You do not dance, Mr. Fleet?"
She did not give him a chance to reply but said, "Come, sir. We must remedy this." She moved away and Jem followed her, after giving the Marquess a speaking glance. He moved to her right hand as she crossed round the dance floor in search of a suitable partner for him. Jem made a special point of not looking at the dancing couples.
Lady Sefton paused in front of a family group tucked away in a corner. There were two young women, surrounded by several much older ladies, all of whom wore lace caps indicating they would not be dancing. Jem naturally assumed he would be offered to the younger of the two young ladies, but Lady Sefton surprised him by addressing the older of the two.
"Miss Thorpe," she said, startling the young lady who immmediately rose when being addressed, "you are not dancing. May I present Mr. Jem Fleet as a suitable partner."
Jem knew his cue when he heard it. "It will be my great pleasure, Lady Sefton." He bowed very formally to Miss Thorpe. "How do you do, Miss Thorpe? May I beg the honour of your company for ... the allemande?" He was aware that he was echoing the Marquess.
Miss Thorpe curtseyed slightly to him and fumbled for her dance card and carefully wrote his name in it. Jem thought her slightly older than himself, and shrewdly guessed that she was the plain daughter for whom the family were anxious to find a suitable match. She was very composed, and said in a quiet voice, "Thank you sir. May I make known to you my mother, Lady Thorpe ..." Jem bowed to a hard faced middle-aged woman, and Miss Thorpe continued, " ... and my aunts, Mrs. Hatcher and Miss Fermoyle." He executed graceful bows to the two aunts, both of whom smiled at him, " ... and to my sister, Miss Jane Thorpe?"
Jem smiled and bowed to the younger girl, who was, he had to admit, a great deal prettier than her elder sister. Lady Sefton witnessed these introductions with an air of satisfaction, and said, "Now, if you will excuse me ..." Jem bowed to her and Miss Thorpe, who was standing, dropped a curtsey as she departed.
Lady Thorpe gave Jem the familiar up-and-down look, and said, "You are here alone, Mr. Fleet?" Jem exerted himself to be charming. "No, Lady Thorpe. I would not have the courage to come alone. I am here with my patron – the Marquess of Chesham."
He instantly regretted the name dropping, but he saw that he could not have said anything to better effect. Lady Thorpe's eyes widened in surprise, obviously impressed, and she said in awed accents, "The Marquess of Chesham!"
She exchanged significant looks with her companions and suddenly all three smiled at him. "Your first time here, Mr. Fleet?"
"Indeed it is, Mrs. Hatcher," Jem replied affably. "I have been very fortunate to obtain a voucher, though I must own, it was probably the result of the good offices of Lord Chesham than through my own worth."
He smiled at her and she simpered. He turned to Miss Thorpe. "And you, Miss Thorpe... is it also your first time at Almack's?"
Her mother answered for her. "It is Jane's first time, Mr. Fleet. We have great hopes for her. Gwendolyn has been coming for several years." This last statement was tinged with contempt. Jem smiled at Miss Thorpe. "Then I shall depend on you Miss Thorpe, to correct any mistakes I may make."
She looked a little startled and gave him a shy smile. "I'm sure you do not need any instruction from me, Mr. Fleet."
Jem had been dreading stepping out on to the dance floor, but Miss Gwendolyn Thorpe proved to be a light and graceful partner. Although she was a little taller than Jem, she was an excellent dancer, and he found he enjoyed the sprightly allemande and was genuinely sorry when it was over. He led his partner back to the bosom of her family and bowed to them all, expressed his pleasure in her company, and returned to the Wyndover party.
As he made his way back through the milling crowds, he saw at once that Miss Wyndover had just finished dancing with ... Armand Duvall. Lady Sefton certainly had been busy. He wondered if her choice of Armand as Miss Wyndover's partner had been at his instigation. If so, a happier result could not have been forseen. Miss Wyndover was glowing with pleasure and her beauty was enhanced by the happiness she felt.
Armand was talking animatedly to the group, and looked up to see Jem approaching. A look of genuine delight passed over his face and he exclaimed, "Well met, Jem. So you are come. My uncle assured me he thought you had, but I tried to explain to him that you had told me before that you thought it unlikely you would attend."
Lady Chesham's interest was caught. " Your uncle, M. Duvall?" Armand smiled at her. "The Comte DeMontfort, Lady Chesham. He is come with the Regent's party. I have told him much of my meeting Mr. Fleet and tonight, barely a half hour since, he expressed a desire to meet him."
Jem could not believe that the Marchioness was ignorant of the circumstances concerning her son's young bride and the Comte DeMontfort, yet neither by expression nor gesture did she indicate that anything was untoward. She spread her fan and smiled winningly and said in enthusiastic tones, "Mr. Fleet is much honoured by your uncle, M. Duvall." She smiled beatifically at Jem, and said to him, "We have had the pleasure of meeting M. Duvall, Mr. Fleet. We cannot deprive the Comte of a similar pleasure." This was said without a trace of irony.
She looked up to see the Marquess approaching, and it seemed to Jem, she addressed him with a touch of relief in her voice. "Ah. My lord, have you heard? M. Duvall has invited Mr. Fleet to meet his uncle, the Comte DeMontfort."
The Marquess was stopped dead and, after an infinitesmal pause, broke out in a wide smile.
He bowed to Armand. "A very great honour, M. Duvall," he murmured, and gave Jem a significant look, who smiled triumphantly back at him. Armand smiled and turned back to the others, bowing and taking his leave. He took Miss Wyndover's hand and gallantly kissed it. She flushed with a little embarrassment, but with much pleasure, and her eyes were shining.
"Perhaps, Miss Wyndover," he murmured, "I might have the honour of another dance, later in the evening?"
Miss Wyndover shot an uncertain look at her mother, who smiled at Armand and said in an amused voice, "Perhaps, M. Duvall. Later in the evening." He bowed to her and then indicated to Jem to follow him. Jem bowed to the others, and followed his friend, and with no little trepidation, he murmured to the Marquess as he passed him, "Tally ho."