Lady Beneath the Veil(13)

Dominique looked at her. 'Do you really think so, Gwen?'

'I am certain of it. We will make you into such a beautiful, stylish wife that he cannot fail to be proud of you!'                       
       
           



       





Chapter Six

Dominique was not convinced by Gwendoline's brave talk, but they had  reached their destination and there was no time to discuss anything  more. Judd informed them the master was in the morning room and they  went to find him.

'My dear Gideon,' declared Gwen, greeting him with a kiss. 'Have you  been waiting in for us? How sweet of you. We are quite exhausted.'

'And is my credit similarly exhausted?' he asked, smiling slightly.

He invited Dominique to sit on the sofa and sat down beside her, once Gwen had dropped elegantly into an armchair.

'Lord, no. I had everything put to Ribblestone's account and he will  sort it all out with you later.' Gwendoline paused while the wine and  cakes were served. 'Now, Gideon,' she said at last, selecting a dainty  confection from the selection on her plate. 'We have made a start in  setting your wife up with clothes for the Season. I have been promised  that the first of the gowns will be delivered here tomorrow. What about  Court Dress? Are you presenting her at a drawing room?'

'Oh, I would rather not,' murmured Dominique in some alarm.

'Nonsense, your husband will be the next Viscount Rotham. You must be presented.'

'But not yet,' said Gideon. 'I think my father should meet Nicky first. This visit to town is merely an-er-informal one.'

'And when do you intend to go to Rotham?'

'All in good time.'

Gwen frowned. 'You cannot put off the meeting forever, Brother.  Whatever was said in the heat of the moment Papa will not hold it  against you, you know that. Your tempers are too similar for him not to  understand. He is lonely, Gideon, and however harsh his words he does  care for you, very much.'

'I do know that.' He rubbed a hand across his eyes. 'I shall go, but not yet, not yet.'

Dominique sipped her wine and listened to the conversation, aware of a tension between the brother and sister.

'Is it because of me?' she ventured. 'Will Lord Rotham be angry with you for marrying me?'

'Of course not-!'

Gideon put up his hand to stem his sister's denial.

'He will not be happy about it, but his wrath will be on my head,  Nicky, not yours. I shall not take you to Rotham without his assurance  that you will be received with the respect that is due to you.'

Respect! That sounded very bleak indeed. Dominique was relieved Gideon  had no immediate plans to take her to Rotham. Perhaps once she had her  own clothes she would feel more courageous. From all Gwen had told her  she knew she would be a fool to cling on to any hope that Gideon would  ever feel more for her than a mild friendship, but perhaps she could  gain his respect. She resolved there and then never to embarrass him by  any show of affection that he would have to rebuff. No, she would show  him-and his father-that despite her French heritage she could be a model  wife, a fitting consort for an English lord.

* * *

Dominique was soon on good terms with Mrs Wilkins and slipped naturally  into her role as mistress of the house. She began to make little  changes, such as ordering a fire to be kept burning in the morning room,  and she asked Judd to remove some of the heavy silver from the dining  table, so that she could at least see her husband when they dined  together each evening. If Gideon noticed he said nothing, but she was  heartened when he suggested a place should be laid for her at his right  hand for dinner, rather than sitting so far apart, and she was quietly  pleased when he began to seek her out for a glass of wine when he came  in each afternoon, before going upstairs to change for dinner. For the  first week she remained in the house, going out only with Lady  Ribblestone on shopping trips, but by the end of Dominique's second week  in Brook Street, Gwendoline declared that her sister-in-law was at last  fit to be seen.

They were having breakfast and Lady Ribblestone suggested they should drive through the park at the fashionable hour.

'I should like to go out,' Dominique admitted, 'but Hyde Park-will it not be very crowded?'

'Oh, excessively,' replied Gwendoline cheerfully. 'The world and his wife will be there.'                       
       
           



       

'So many people?' exclaimed Dominique, dismayed. 'I am not sure I am ready-'

She broke off as Gideon came in.

'Now, what are you two plotting?' he said, smiling. 'Are you off to spend more money today?'

'Not at all,' retorted Gwen. 'I want Dominique to accompany me to the  park. It promises to be a very fine afternoon and we could drive out in  the barouche.'

He sat down at the table and poured himself a cup of coffee. Gwen watched him in surprise.

'This is a change, Brother,' she said, momentarily diverted. 'I thought you only drank ale at breakfast.'

He grinned. 'Bachelor fare, Sis. I am a married man now.'

'Then help me to persuade your wife to drive out with me. She has been cooped up in this house long enough.'

'I agree,' said Gideon, 'but I am not sure if riding with you in a  stuffy barouche is how she should make her entrance into polite  society.'

'There is nothing stuffy about Ribblestone's barouche,' retorted his sister, offended.

'Perhaps not, but I would rather drive Nicky in my curricle.'

It was the first time he had suggested they go out together and Dominique felt her cheeks going pink with pleasure.

'I cannot compete with that.' Gwen laughed and wagged her finger at  Dominique. 'Accept immediately, my dear. I have never known my brother  to take up a female in his curricle before!'

'Quite true, Gwen.' Gideon turned to Dominique, smiling. 'Well, madam,  will you give me the honour of driving you out for your first  introduction to the ton?'

* * *

Dominique was in a panic. What to wear to drive out with Gideon? Her  new riding habit had not yet arrived, and although her new promenade  dress was beautiful it had been bought for the warmer months. She even  ran out into the street to test the weather. The sun was shining, but  there was a chill wind blowing and she did not want to make her first  public appearance wrapped up in a shawl. After much deliberation she  decided she would wear her new pelisse of crimson silk, with a matching  cap. Gwendoline had persuaded her to have it trimmed with fur and  frogged à la hussar, prophesying correctly that the chilly days of  spring were not yet at an end. She had also added that not everyone  could wear such a strong colour, especially not a blowsy blonde.

* * *

At the appointed hour Dominique made her way downstairs to find Gideon  waiting for her in the hall. He glanced up as he heard her step on the  stairs, then turned for a second, longer look. She saw the surprise in  his eyes, but there was admiration, too, and her heart gave a little  skip. She was emboldened to ask him if she would do.

'You will do very well,' he said slowly. 'The colour suits you admirably.'

She was relieved and said with a smile, 'Remind me, then, to thank your sister for persuading me to buy it.'

A gleaming curricle waited at the door, two beautiful grey horses in harness and his groom at their heads.

'This is Sam, my tiger,' said Gideon, a laugh in his voice. 'And the  reason he is looking so deuced savage is that we are not in the habit of  driving females.'

'Not if they's gonna screech and frighten the 'osses,' muttered Sam,  giving a reluctant tug of his forelock in Dominique's direction.

'Mind your tongue, man!'

'No, he is quite right,' replied Dominique, cutting across her  husband's sharp reply and smiling at the groom. 'I hope I know how to  behave myself in an open carriage and think I can promise not to  screech, unless of course we are about to be overturned.'

'He ain't likely to do that,' opined Sam. 'Top o' the trees is Mr Albury when it comes to driving.'

'Ah, then I understand why you are happy to stay in his employ,' she  said as Gideon helped her into her seat. 'And since you have such  confidence in Mr Albury's driving, I am more than happy to drive out  with him.'

* * *

'I think you have made a conquest,' murmured Gideon as the groom jumped  clear of the horses and waited to scramble up into the rumble seat.  'Sam was not at all happy when he discovered I had fallen into the  parson's mousetrap.'                       
       
           



       

Dominique said nothing, but she was pleased to have come safely over another small hurdle.

* * *

The spring sunshine had brought everyone out of doors and the journey  to the park gates was slow. Gideon kept his attention on negotiating the  busy roads and Dominique had plenty of time to admire his skill as he  inched the curricle through the traffic. If she expected to enjoy a  quiet drive, she was disappointed. As soon as they entered the park  gates she saw the crowds. Ladies with parasols, gentlemen with their  canes, all parading up and down beside a procession of carriages and  riders. Their progress was very slow, for it seemed everyone wanted to  stop and be introduced to the new Mrs Albury. Gideon was a little  concerned at first about how Nicky would react to all the attention, but  he discovered his worries unfounded. She was a little shy, but her  manners were perfectly good and she turned aside the more impertinent  comments and questions with a quiet dignity.