CHAPTER XVIII
ENTER CAPTAIN HAROLD LOVELACE
At the end of August, after having spent a moderately quiet summer inthe country, Lady Lavinia was again seized with a longing for town andits attractions. She would not listen to Richard's warnings of theatrocious condition of the roads, declaring that she cared not one jot,and go to London she must. After that one protest he desisted, andpromised to take her there the following week, secretly counting himselflucky to have kept her so long at Wyncham in comparative cheerfulness ofspirits. Lavinia was overjoyed, kissed him again and again, scoldedherself for being such a wicked tease, and set about making herpreparations for the journey.
The roads proved even worse than Richard had prophesied, and twice thecoach nearly upset, and times without number stuck fast in the mire,causing the inmates much inconvenience. Carstares rode by the side ofthe heavy vehicle, in which were his wife, her maid, her tiny dog, andcountless bandboxes and small parcels. In spite of the worry theconstant stoppages entailed, he quite enjoyed the journey, for Laviniawas in excellent spirits, and made light of their mishaps, receivingeach fresh one with roguish laughter and some witty remark. Even whenthe chimney of her bed-chamber, at one of the inns at which they halted,smoked most vilely, she did not, as Richard quite expected she would,fly into a rage and refuse to spend another moment in the house, butafter looking extremely doleful, cheered up and told dear Dicky that shewould have his room while he should have hers. Then in the morning shewould find him all dried up and _smoked_! In high good humour she wentdown to dinner with him, voted the partridges excellent, the pastiesquite French, and the wine marvellously tolerable for such anout-of-the-way place, and kept him laughing at her antics untilbed-time.
The journey was, of necessity, very slow, not only on account of the badroads, but because whenever my lady caught sight of wild roses growingon the hedges, she must stop to pluck some. Then she and Richard wouldstroll along for some way, he leading his horse, the coach following ata walking pace. All of which was very idyllic, and had the effect ofsending Richard to the seventh heaven of content.
When at length they arrived at Wyncham House, Mayfair, they found thatthe servants had arrived a week before, and had made good use of theirtime. Never, declared Lavinia, had the house looked so inviting--sospick and span.
One of her black pages proffered a small monkey with much bowing andgrinning, and the murmur of: "Massa's present."
Lady Lavinia flew to embrace her Dicky. How did he guess that she hadfor so long yearned for a monkey? Surely she had but once or twicementioned it? Oh, he was the very best of husbands! She danced off toher apartments in a state of ecstasy.
The _beau monde_ was returning to town, and when, a few days later,Carstares conducted his wife to Ranelagh, they found the gardens fairlycrowded and very gay. Lamps hung from tree branches, although it wasstill quite light; the fiddlers scraped away almost without a pause;fireworks shot up from one end; the summer-houses had all been freshlypainted, and the Pavilion was a blaze of light.
Consciousness of her beauty and the smartness of her Georgia silk gown,with its petticoat covered in gold net, considerably added to Lavinia'senjoyment. Her hair she wore powdered and elaborately curled down onboth sides with dainty escalloped lace half concealing it, and a grey_capuchin_ over all. Her tippet was gold-laced to match her petticoat,and to fasten it she wore a brooch composed of clustered rubies. Rubiesalso hung in her earrings, which last were of such length that the otherladies turned to stare in envy, and the bracelets that she wore over herlong gloves flashed also with the great red stones. She was well-pleasedwith Richard's appearance, and reflected that, when he chose, he couldbe very fashionable indeed. The claret-coloured velvet he was wearingwas most distinguished, and the gold clocks to his hose quite ravishing.
They had not been in the Gardens ten minutes before a little crowd ofmen had gathered around them, professing themselves enraptured to beholdthe fair Lady Lavinia once more. One of them fetched her a chair,another a glass of negus, and the rest hovered eagerly about her.
Becomingly flushed with triumph, my lady gave her little hand to Mr.Selwyn, who had been once a very ardent admirer, laughed at his neatcompliment, and declared that he was a dreadful flattering demon, andpositively she would not listen to him!
Sir Gregory Markham, who brought her the negus, she discovered to havejust returned from Paris. On hearing this, she broke off in the middleof a conversation with an enchanted French Chevalier and turned to him,raising her china-blue eyes to his face and clasping tight-glovedhands.
"Oh, Sir Gregory! Paris? Then tell me--please, tell me--have you seen mydarling Devil?"
"Why, yes, madam," responded Markham, handing her the glass he held.
She sipped the negus, and gave it to the Chevalier to take care of.
"I declare, I quite love you then!" she exclaimed. "What is he doing,and, oh! _when_ will he return to England?"
Sir Gregory smiled.
"How can I say?" he drawled. "I fear _monsieur s'amuse_!"
She flirted her fan before her face.
"Dreadful creature!" she cried. "How dare you say such things?"
"Belmanoir?" inquired Lord D'Egmont, twirling his cane.
"Enamoured of the Pompadour, is he not--saving your presence, LadyLavvy!"
Lavinia let fall her fan.
"The Pompadour! He had best have a care!"
"I believe there has already been some unpleasantness between hisMajesty and the fair Jeanne on the subject of Devil. Since then she issupposed to have turned on him a cold shoulder."
"_I_ heard 'twas he wearied of madame," said Markham.
"Well, whichever it was, I am glad the episode is closed," decidedLavinia. "'Tis too dangerous a game to play with Louis' mistresses. Oh,mon cher Chevalier! if I had not forgot your presence! But I am sure yousay dreadful ill-natured things of our George, now don't you? Oh, andhave you held my negus all this time? How monstrous good of you! There,I will drink it, and Julian shall take the glass away.... _Voila_!" Shehanded it to D'Egmont and rapped Mr. Selwyn's knuckles with her fan,looking archly up at him as he stood behind her chair.
"Naughty man! Will you have done whispering in my ear? I vow I will notlisten to your impudences! No, nor laugh at them neither! Sir Gregory,you have given me no answer. When will Tracy return? For the Cavendishrout on Wednesday week? Ah, say yes!"
"Certainly I will say yes, fair tormentor! But, to tell the truth, Tracysaid no word of coming to London when I saw him."
She pouted.
"Now I hate you, Sir Gregory! And he has been absent since May! Oh,Julian, back already? You shall escort me to the fireworks then. Oh, myfan! Where is it? I know I dropped it on the ground--Selwyn, if you havetaken it--Oh, Dicky, you have it! Thank you! See, I am going withJulian, and you may ogle Mrs. Clive, whom I see walking over there--yes,positively you may, and I shall not be jealous! Very well, Julian, I amcoming! Chevalier, I shall hope to see you at the rout on Wednesdayweek, but you must wait upon me before then."
The Frenchman brightened.
"Madame is too good. I may then call at Wyncham 'Ouse? _Vraiment_, Ishall but exist until then!" In a perfectly audible whisper, he confidedto Wilding that "_miladi etait ravissante! mais ravissante!_"
Lady Lavinia went off on her gratified cavalier's arm, encountering manybows and much admiration as she passed down the walk, leaving herhusband not to ogle the beautiful Kitty, as she had advised, but tosaunter away in the direction of the Pavilion in company with TomWilding and Markham.
D'Egmont guided my lady into one of the winding alleys, and theypresently came out on a large lawn, dotted over with people of allconditions. Towards them was coming Lavinia's brother--Colonel LordRobert Belmanoir--very richly clad and rakish in appearance. When he sawhis sister, a look of surprise came into his florid face, and he madeher a sweeping leg.
"'Pon my honour--Lavinia!"
My lady was not fond of her brother, and acknowledged the salutationwith a brief
nod.
"I am delighted to see you, Robert," she said primly.
"The mere word 'delighted' in no way expresses my sensations," repliedthe Colonel in the drawling, rather unpleasant voice peculiar both tohim and to the Duke. "Your servant, D'Egmont. I imagined, Lavvy, thatyou were in the country?"
"Richard brought me to town last Tuesday," she answered.
"How unwise of him!" taunted the Colonel. "Or had he no choice?"
She tossed her head angrily.
"If you are minded to be disagreeable, Robert, pray do not let me detainyou!" she flashed.
D'Egmont was quite unembarrassed by this interchange of civilities. Heknew the Belmanoir family too well to be made uncomfortable by theirbickerings.
"Shall we leave him?" he asked Lavinia, smiling.
"Yes," she pouted. "He is determined to be unpleasant."
"My dear sister! On the contrary, I believe I can offer you someamusement. Lovelace is in town."
"Captain _Harold_?" she cried incredulously.
"The same."
"Oh, Bob!" Impulsively she withdrew her hand from Julian's arm,transferring it to the Colonel's. "I must see him at once! To think heis returned after all these years! Quick, Julian, dear lad--go and findhim--and tell him 'tis I, Lavinia, who want him! You know him, do younot? Yes--I thought you did. Send him to me at once!--at once!"
D'Egmont looked very crestfallen at having his walk with the goddessthus cut short, but he had perforce to kiss her hand and to obey.
"Yes. I thought you would be pleased," remarked Lord Robert, andchuckled. "Allow me to point out to you that there is a chair--twochairs--in fact, quite a number of chairs--immediately behind you."
She sat down, chattering excitedly.
"Why, 'tis nigh on five years since I saw Harry! Has he changed? Lud!but he will deem me an old woman! Is he like to be in town for long, Iwonder?--Dear me, Bob, look at the two ladies over behind thatseat!--Gracious! what extraordinary _coifs_, to be sure! And cherryribbons, too!... Tell me, Bob, where did you meet Harry Lovelace?"
The Colonel, who, far from attending to her monologue, had been sendingamorous glances across to a palpably embarrassed girl, who hung on herpapa's arm while that gentleman stopped to speak to a stout dowager,brought his gaze reluctantly back to his sister.
"What's that you say, Lavvy?"
"How provoking of you not to listen to me! I asked where you metHarold."
"Where I met him? Let me see--where did I meet him? Oh, I remember! Atthe Cocoa-Tree, a fortnight since."
"And he is altered?"
"Not in any way, dear sister. He is the same mad, reckless rake-hell asever. And unmarried."
"How delightful! Oh, I shall be so glad to see him again!"
"You must present him to Richard," sneered the Colonel, "as an oldflame."
"I must, indeed," she agreed, his sarcasm passing over her head. "Oh, Isee him! Look! Coming across the grass!"
She rose to meet the tall, fair young Guardsman who came swiftly towardsher, curtsying as only Lady Lavinia could curtsy, with such statelinessand coquetry.
"Captain Lovelace!"--she put forward both her hands.
Lovelace caught them in his, and bent his head over them so that thesoft, powdered curls of his loose wig fell all about his face.
"Lady Lavinia!--Enchantress!--I can find no words! I am dumb!"
"And I!"
"In that case," drawled the Colonel, "you are not like to be veryentertaining company. Pray give me leave!" He bowed and sauntered awaydown the path with a peculiarly malicious smile on his lips.
Lavinia and Lovelace found two chairs, slightly apart from the rest, andsat down, talking eagerly.
"Captain Lovelace, I believe you had forgot me?" she rallied him.
"Never!" he answered promptly. "Not though you well-nigh broke myheart!"
"No, no! I did not do that. I never meant to hurt you."
He shook his head disbelievingly.
"You rejected me to marry some other man: do you say you did not meanto?"
"You naughty Harry!... You never married yourself?"
"I?" The delicate features expressed a species of hurt horror. "I marry?No! I was ever faithful to my first love."
She unfurled her fan, fluttering it delightedly.
"Oh! Oh! _Always_, Harold? Now speak the truth!"
"Nearly always," he amended.
"Disagreeable man! You admit you had lapses then?"
"So very trivial, my dear," he excused himself. "And I swear my firstaction on coming to London was to call at Wyncham House. Imagine mydisappointment--my incalculable gloom (on the top of having alreadydropped a thousand at faro) when I found the shell void, and Venus--"
She stopped him, her fan held ready for chastisement.
"Sir! You said your _first_ action was to call upon me!"
He smiled, shaking back his curls.
"I should have said: my first action of any importance."
"You do not deem losing a thousand guineas important?" she askedwistfully.
"Well--hardly. One must enjoy life, and what's a thousand, after all? Ihad my pleasure out of it."
"Yes!" she breathed, her eyes sparkling. "That is how I think! Whatpleasure can one get if one neither hazards nor spends one's money? Oh,well!" She shrugged one shoulder, dismissing the subject.
"Have you seen Tracy of late?"
"He was at a court ball I attended at Versailles, but I did not have achance of speaking with him. I heard he was very popular at Paris."
"Ay!" she said proudly. "He has the French air.... I so desire to seehim again, but I fear he does not think of returning. I know he waspromised for the Duchess of Devonshire's rout months ago--before eventhe date was fixed, she so dotes on him--but I do not expect to see himthere." She sighed and drummed on the ground with her diamond-buckledshoe. "Harry, I am chilled! Take me to the Pavilion! I doubt they aredancing--and Dicky will be there."
"Dicky?" he repeated. "Dicky! Lavinia, do not tell me there is anotherclaimant to your heart?"
"Wicked, indelicate creature! 'Tis my husband!"
"Your _husband_! Enfin--"
She cast him a sidelong glance of mingled coquetry and reproof.
"Your mind is at rest again, I trust?"
"Of course! A husband? Pooh, a bagatelle, no more!"
"My husband is not a bagatelle!" she laughed. "I am very fond of him."
"This grows serious," he frowned. "'Tis very unfashionable, surely?"
She met his teasing eyes and cast down her lashes.
"Captain Lovelace, you may take me to the Pavilion."
"Sweet tormentor, not until you cease so to misname me."
"Harold, I am indeed chilly!" she said plaintively and snatched her handfrom his lips. "No, no! People will stare--look, there is my odiousbrother returning! I declare I will not stay to listen to his hateful,sneering remarks!... Come!"
They walked across the grass together, keeping up a running fire ofraillery, punctuated on his side by extravagant compliments filled withclassical allusions, all more or less erroneous, and on hers bydelighted little laughs and mock scoldings. So they came to thePavilion, where the musicians fiddled for those who wished to dance, andwhere most of the company had assembled now that it was growing chillywithout. Down one end of the hall, card-tables were set out, wheremembers of both sexes diced and gambled, drinking glasses of burgundy ornegus, the men toasting the ladies, and very often the ladies returningthe toasts with much archness and low curtseying.
Lavinia cast off her _capuchin_ and plumed her feathers, giving asurreptitious shake to her ruched skirts and smoothing her ruffles. Sherustled forward with great stateliness, fan unfurled, head held high,her gloved fingers resting lightly on Lovelace's velvet-clad arm.Richard, hearing the little stir caused by her entry, glanced up, andperceived her. He did not recognise her companion, but the sparkle inher eyes and the happy curve to her full lips were quite enough to tellhim that it was someone whom she was very contented t
o have met. He hadample opportunity for studying Lovelace as the good-looking pair drewnear, and he could not but admire the delicate, handsome face with thegrey eyes that held a laugh in them, the pleasure-loving, well-curvedmouth, and the chin that spoke of determination. Here was not one ofLavinia's lisping, painted puppy-dogs, for in spite of the effeminatecurls, it was easy to see that this man had character and a will of hisown, and, above all, a great charm of manner. He saw Lavinia blush andrap the Captain's knuckles in answer to some remark, and his heart sank.He rose and came to meet them.
Lady Lavinia smiled sweetly upon him, and patted his arm with apossessive little air.
"Dicky dear, I have found an old friend--a very old friend! Is it notagreeable? Captain Lovelace--Mr. Carstares."
The two men bowed, Richard with reluctancy, the Captain with easy_bonhomie_.
"Sir, I claim to be a worshipper at the shrine of which you, I believe,are High Priest!" he said impudently, and bowed again, this time to mylady.
"You are one of many, sir," smiled Richard.
Lady Devereux came tripping up to them, and kissed Lavinia with a greatshow of affection.
"My dearest life! My sweet Lavinia!"
Lady Lavinia presented a powdered cheek.
"Dearest Fanny, how charming to see you again!" she cooed. Through herlashes she gazed at her friend's enormous headdress, with its rolls ofpowdered curls and the imitation flowers perched upon the top of theerection.
"But, my angel!" exclaimed Lady Fanny, stepping back to view her,"surely you have been ill?"
"How strange!" smiled Lavinia. "I was about to ask you that samequestion, my dear! 'Tis age, I doubt not. Do we both look such dreadfulhags?" She turned her bewitching little countenance to the men, andsmiled appealingly.
Compliments showered upon her, and Lady Devereux, who was conscious thather own sallow countenance, in spite of rouge and powder, must appeareven more sallow beside Lavinia's pink-and-whiteness, flushed inannoyance and turned away, begging her dearest Lavvy to come to the farowith her. But Lavinia, it appeared, was going to watch the dicing atRichard's table: she vowed she should bring him monstrous good luck.
"I don't doubt it, my dear," replied her husband, "but I am not playingto-night. Will you not take your luck to Bob?" He nodded to where theColonel was lounging, dice-box in hand.
Lavinia pouted.
"No, I want you to play!"
"'Tis of no avail, Lady Lavinia!" drawled Sir Gregory. "Richard is thevery devil to-night."
Selwyn, rattling his dice, paused, and looked round at Markham with aface of innocent surprise. Then he turned slowly and stared atCarstares' grave, almost stern countenance, with even more surprise. Hestarted to rattle the dice again, and shifted back to face his opponent,with pursed lips.
"Is he?" he inquired with studied depression.
Even Lavinia joined in the general laugh, not so much at the wit's wordsas at his comic expression, and the extreme deliberation with which hehad enacted the little scene.
Someone cried a bet to Lovelace, which was promptly accepted, andLavinia's eyes glowed afresh as she followed the Captain to a table.
Richard went to fetch her some refreshment, and on his return, found herleaning over Lovelace's chair, her hand on his shoulder, eagerly castingthe dice on to the table. He was in time to see her clap her hands andto hear her cry of: "My luck! Oh, my luck is in! I will throw again!"
Glancing round she caught sight of her husband, and her face fell.
"Do you _mind_, Dicky?" she pleaded.
He did mind, but he could not appear churlish before all these men; sohe laughed and shook his head, and went to her elbow to watch her play.
When she at length ceased, her luck had run out, and she had lost hermuch-prized ruby earring to Mr. Selwyn, who placed it carefully in hisvest pocket, vowing he should wear it next his heart for ever. Then, andthen only, did she consent to leave the gaming tables for the dancinghall, and for another hour Richard had the felicity of watching hertread the minuet with various young bloods, but most often with hernew-found Harry Lovelace.