The Dangerous Lord Darrington(46)

She picked up her wrap and made her way to the great hall.

'Grandmama!' Her surprised exclamation echoed to the rafters, but did not discompose Lady Arabella.

'I have decided I shall come with you,' the old lady announced, rising  from her chair beside the fire. 'We will show them that the Wakefords  have nothing to be ashamed of.'

'No indeed, ma'am.'

'Does Grandmama not look well?' demanded Sophie.

Beth gazed with affection at her grandmother, admiring the severe black  gown, high to the neck with white lace ruffles at the sleeves and worn  with a black silk apron. She had a black-lace cap over her white hair  and was wearing diamonds, a family heirloom consisting of an aigrette  that was pinned into the lace cap, dainty ear-drops, a diamond collar  and a wide bracelet clasped over the top of one of Lady Arabella's black  gloves. The pieces had been passed down through the years; although  Sophie might consider the enamelled gold setting adorned with diamonds  and sapphires to be out of date and too conspicuous to be worn with the  fashionable light muslins, there was no denying that they looked  magnificent against Lady Arabella's black silk.                       
       
           



       

'She looks exceedingly well! But are you sure you want to come with us, Grandmama? It is some time since you ventured out … '

'Then it is high time I did,' retorted Lady Arabella. 'Besides, this  might be the last time I shall wear the Malpass diamonds. I have no  doubt Miles Radworth will claim them for his own as soon as you are wed.  No need to look so shocked,' she added, smiling grimly at Beth's  startled face. 'I am well aware that he has tied up the settlements to  his advantage.'

'Grandmama, the arrangements are perfectly usual for a marriage contract,' said Beth gently.

'Hmmph!'

Sophie reached out to touch the old lady's arm. 'Do you not like Miles, Grandmama?'

'As a matter of fact I do not,' came the blunt reply. 'What's that line  from Shakespeare that always comes to mind when I see him? "He has a  lean and hungry look." Ah, Mr Davies, there you are. Well, now we are  all ready, shall we go?'

The George was Fentonby's largest coaching inn and the Assembly Rooms  had been added some thirty years ago. They were generally proclaimed to  rival anything in York or Bath. Beth had rarely visited them, despite  the fact that Lady Arabella had been one of the chief subscribers when  they were built. Many of the great families had moved away from the area  and those that were left preferred the more genteel society of Thirsk,  so the rooms had been left to the enjoyment of the wealthy tradesmen and  farmers. However, news had spread through the town that Mrs Forrester  would be attending to celebrate her betrothal and it was with a sinking  heart that Beth observed the number of carriages drawn up at the  entrance as they turned into the High Street.

'The world and his wife are here!'

'We expected that,' said Sophie. 'Mrs Robinson told me the news of your betrothal was all over the town.'

'It is going to be a sad crush,' stated Lady Arabella, 'I suppose we  must resign ourselves to it.' She leaned forwards, peering through the  glass. 'Is that Sir John Marton and his wife? And I see Lord Embleton's  carriage. Well, at least there will be some of our acquaintances there.'

The carriage pulled up at the entrance to the Assembly Rooms and the  ladies waited while Mr Davies alighted and turned back to hand them out.  Since he still needed the support of his walking sick, Davey gave his  free arm to Lady Arabella, leaving Beth and Sophie to follow behind. As  Beth had suspected, the rooms were very crowded and their progress into  the ballroom was slow. Lady Arabella's appearance caused even more  delay, since so many people wanted to talk to her. Beth was pleased by  their attentions to her grandmother, not least because it meant that she  could slip into the room in Lady Arabella's shadow. The press of people  and confusion immediately inside the door gave Beth the opportunity to  study the assembled company. She spotted Miles on the far side of the  room, but made no attempt to attract his attention, for her eyes were  drawn to the tall figure of Lord Darrington, who had just come out of  the card room. His plain dark coat was no different from many of the  younger gentlemen present, but his upright stance and athletic figure  commanded attention. His brown hair gleamed in the candlelight and she  watched him surveying the crowd, idly swinging his quizzing glass  between his long fingers. Davey had told her the earl intended to be  present and she had resolved not to pay him the least heed, but she  could not tear her eyes from him. At that moment he turned his head, as  if aware of her eyes upon him. Quickly she looked away.

'Mrs Forrester, are you ill?' Davey's voice was full of concern.

'It is nothing, sir, really.' But she realised with dismay that he had followed her glance.

'Ah, I see. Madam-'

'Please,' she said quietly, 'do not try to defend the earl! I will not listen to you.'

'I cannot defend him,' he replied. 'I have no more idea than you what  he is about, but I would beg you, ma'am, to believe he is not your  enemy. Have faith in him.'

'Impossible,' she said bitterly.

Sophie came up to them. 'Let us find seats,' she suggested brightly.  'Grandmama will want a chair, as will you, Edwin. Your leg is not yet  healed enough for dancing.'

'True, and very annoying … ' he grinned at her ' … because I would have liked to stand up with you.'

They went off and Beth was left alone. She was aware of a moment of  loneliness. Nonsense, of course, because she was well acquainted with  most of those present and once Miles realised she had arrived he would  keep her at his side for the rest of the night. She moved around the  room, greeting one acquaintance, then another, her skin prickling  because she knew the earl was watching her from the side of the room. It  seemed that every time she raised her head he was at the edge of her  vision. If he drew closer, she moved in the opposite direction. She saw  him talking to Sir John Marton and judged it safe to return to her  grandmother, but her progress was delayed as her acquaintance came up,  eager to offer their congratulations, so that by the time she drew  nearer to Lady Arabella Guy was there, laughing at something Davey was  saying. Determined not to allow him to spoil her evening, she slipped  away again. At every opportunity she smiled more widely and laughed more  loudly, to show that she really did not care that he was present.                       
       
           



       

Miles came up. She schooled her features into a smile.

'You are looking very grand,' she greeted him, her eyes taking in his  elegant powdered wig and dove-grey velvet coat. 'I vow you look fine  enough for a royal drawing room!'

'But this is a very special occasion.' He lifted his watch and glanced  at it before bowing over her fingers. 'I have been looking for you, my  dear, but it was the worth the wait. You look … magnificent.' She felt the  blood rising to her cheeks under his warm gaze and wished she had  covered the low neckline of her gown with a muslin buffon. She gave an  uncertain laugh and pulled her fingers free.

'Thank you. I was about to take a message to Grandmama. If you will excuse me … '

'I will, reluctantly. But I shall expect you to dance with me later.'

'Of course.' She kept her smile while he kissed her fingers, then moved  off in the direction of the benches where Lady Arabella was sitting  with Sophie and Mr Davies. She had not gone far when she found herself  facing a solid wall of black cloth that was the Earl of Darrington.





Chapter Twenty-One



A fleeting glance at Guy's face showed her that he was looking very  grim, the lines of strain accentuated around his eyes and mouth. She  went to move past him, but his hand shot out and caught her arm. In the  press of people no one noticed he was detaining her.

'Why would you not see me? Davey says you did not even read my letter.'

'I want nothing more to do with you.'

'Nothing! After we travelled nearly the length of England together?'

'I was grateful for your help, I told you as much,' she replied,  desperately trying to remain calm. 'But you declined to help me any  further. Our acquaintance is ended.'

'The devil it is!'

His grip tightened and, with a growl, he pulled her towards a small  alcove at the side of the room. A waiter with a tray of wineglasses  stood between the decorated pillars that flanked the entrance, but a  sharp word from the earl sent him scurrying away. There were no candles  near the alcove and the shadows engulfed them, robbing everything of  colour.

'How dare you drag me here! You have nothing to say to me, my lord.'

Guy spun her round to face him. He said roughly, 'Just because I would  not pay Clarice Cordonnier her blood money you think I have abandoned  you.'