A Civil Contract Read online

  Ten

  Few invitations conferred so great a distinction on the social aspirant as one to Nassington House. Lady Nassington’s parties were extremely exclusive, for she disliked fashionable squeezes, and was contemptuous of hostesses who rated the success of their entertainments by the number of guests they could cram into their saloons. It spoke volumes for her forceful personality that she had long since convinced the ton that a card of invitation to one of her assemblies was an honour no more to be refused than a Royal Command.

  Lady Oversley was amongst the fortunate recipients of these missives. She studied hers with mixed feelings, for Lady Nassington had included the Hon. Julia Oversley in her invitation, and Lady Oversley would have given much to know whether Lord and Lady Lynton had also been invited. On the one hand, it seemed unlikely; on the other, Adam was her ladyship’s nephew, and she had presented his bride at Court. With anyone else that would have settled the matter, but with Lady Nassington one never knew: having performed what she believed to be her duty she was quite capable of ignoring there-after young Lady Lynton’s claims upon her notice.

  Lady Oversley wrote a formal acceptance, reflecting that unless Julia remained permanently in Tunbridge Wells meetings between her and Adam were inevitable. A letter from her mother-in-law encouraged her to hope that Julia was showing signs of recovery, her grandmama having arrested her decline by arranging a succession of pleasure-parties which no damsel in the possession of her senses could have failed to enjoy. Admirers had not been lacking; the Beauties of Tunbridge Wells had been eclipsed; and to complete her triumph she had lately added to her court no less a personage than that noted connoisseur of female charm and elegance the Marquis of Rockhill. In the Dowager’s opinion, that conquest was enough to drive thoughts of young Lynton out of any girl’s head. She added that while it would be absurd to suppose that Rockhill nourished serious intentions, he was sufficiently captivated to make Julia the object of his gallantry ‘for long enough to serve our turn’.

  Julia’s mama was not so optimistic. She was flattered to think that her daughter had pleased the Marquis’s discriminating taste; but she could not feel that a widower, well into his forties, would prove to be a formidable rival to a young and charming man for whom Julia had formed a violent attachment. She was also inclined to look a trifle askance upon the Marquis’s gallantry, but in this, her lord informed her, she showed herself to be a great goose. ‘Nonsense!’ he said. ‘Rockhill’s a gentleman!’

  ‘Good God, you don’t think he wishes to marry her?’ she gasped.

  ‘No, no, of course I don’t!’ he replied testily. ‘He found himself in Tunbridge Wells for some cause or another, and began a flirtation with the prettiest girl in the place to save himself from being killed with boredom, that’s all! I only wish it may last until she’s recovered from the other affair, but I don’t depend on it.’

  The possibility that Julia, recovering from one abortive love-affair, might fall a victim to a second occurred to Lady Oversley, but she thought it wisest not to suggest this to his lordship. When Julia returned to London she showed no sign of succumbing to Rockhill’s charms, merely saying that he was very kind and amusing, which, in Lady Oversley’s opinion, was what any girl might be expected to say of a man old enough to be her father. She did not speak of Adam at all; she seemed bent on extracting every ounce of enjoyment from this, her second London Season, laughed to scorn the idea that an endless succession of parties would prove too much for her constitution, and made plans to fill every moment of every day. Her father might think this hopeful: Lady Oversley could not like the glitter in the eyes that seemed too big for Julia’s face, or feel that her restlessness betokened a mind at peace. She did not know what to do about it, and could only hope that one of Julia’s adorers would succeed in capturing her bruised heart.

  Julia received the news that she had been honoured with an invitation to Nassington House with apparent pleasure. Lady Oversley had meant to have warned her that she must be pre-pared to meet the Lyntons there, but somehow she could not find just the right words; and in the end she said nothing, salving her conscience with the reflection that Julia must know that there was a strong likelihood that they would be present.

  At first it seemed as though she had been right to keep her tongue between her teeth. She could not discover the Lyntons in any of the saloons; and Julia, ravishing in palest blue gauze over an underdress of white satin, was in a mood to be pleased. There were a number of young persons present, and she was soon the centre of a group, delighted to be with her particular friends again, and rapidly drawing her usual court about her. Lady Oversley was able to relax her vigilance, and to join a group of her own intimates, who were discussing all the latest on-dits, from the sudden death of the Empress Josephine from a putrid sore throat, to the news that the Allied Sovereigns were coming to London to take part in gigantic Peace Celebrations.

  The Lyntons arrived half-an-hour later, and presently made their way across the first saloon to a smaller one beyond it.

  There were perhaps twenty people in the room, but Adam saw only one. Julia was standing near the door, and the sound of her laughter made him stop for an instant on the threshold.

  ‘An ice-maiden! Oh, how absurd! – when I am so hot!’ She turned as she spoke, and saw Adam, gave a sharp gasp, audible to everyone in the saloon, and fainted.

  He was standing so close that when he saw her sway he was able to start forward, and to catch her as she crumpled up.

  The startled silence was broken by Jenny’s matter-of-fact voice. ‘That’s right: lay her on the sofa, Lynton, and open one of the windows! She never could abide a hot room, poor Julia!’

  Almost as pale as his fair burden, Adam obeyed. A gentleman whose air and raiment proclaimed the Man of Mode had taken a hasty step forward, but he checked himself, his inscrutable gaze travelling from Adam’s face to Jenny’s.

  Looking up from her task of fanning Julia, Jenny glanced round the circle, and said, with a friendly smile: ‘She will be better directly. Pray don’t be alarmed! It is only the heat!’

  A quiet voice behind her said: ‘Take this, Lady Lynton!’ and a delicate hand came over Jenny’s shoulder with a vinaigrette in it.

  ‘Thank you! That’s just what’s needed, and I don’t possess!’ said Jenny, waving it under Julia’s nostrils. She added, in a conversational tone: ‘I’ve never fainted myself, but when we were at school together Miss Oversley was for ever doing it.’

  ‘Someone – you, Mr Tollerton, if you will be so good! – find Lady Oversley, and tell her that Miss Oversley is overcome by the heat!’ commanded the same quiet voice.

  ‘Yes, and do you procure a glass of water, Lynton, if you please!’ said Jenny.

  He left the room immediately, and, by the time he returned to it, Julia had come round, and was leaning against her mother’s shoulder, murmuring in some agitation that it was nothing – so stupid! – the room so stuffy!

  Most of the other guests had discreetly withdrawn from the saloon, but one or two remained; and Adam, handing the glass of water to Jenny, found himself being regarded through a quizzing-glass raised to the faintly smiling eye of the Man of Mode.

  The smile touched a pair of thin, satirical lips. ‘Lynton, I fancy?’ said the gentleman. Adam bowed. ‘Just so! I was pretty well-acquainted with your father, and am happy to make your acquaintance.’ He let his quizzing-glass fall, and held out his hand, saying, as Adam took it: ‘You don’t resemble him very much, but I felt sure I couldn’t be mistaken. Ah – I’m Rockhill, you know!’

  Adam, still shaken by the evening’s event, replied with mechanical civility. The Marquis said sympathetically: ‘Such an unfortunate contretemps, but not, we must trust, a serious matter.’ He levelled his quizzing-glass again, this time at Jenny. ‘Your wife?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Adam replied.

  ‘Admirable woman!’ sighed his lordship. ‘I felicitate you!’

  ‘Thank you! you are very good!’ Adam smiled a