Her
emotional storm had passed, and Letty was standing before a mirror examining
with irritation its ravages on her complexion when the door opened, and Nellie
announced the Viscountess Exencour. Letty turned her woeful countenance towards
the door, and Isobel, seeing her distress, rushed to her, enveloping Letitia in
a warm hug.
“Oh, my
dear, do not let that annoying man disturb you so. They are none of them worth
it, the wretches.”
Letty
gave a shaky laugh. “Isobel, you are dreadfully inconsistent. First you tease
me and tease me to meet the marquess, and now you tell me he is a wretch. I
wonder what kind of friend you can be.”
“That
is better, Letty. If you can laugh about the situation, all will eventually be
well. But Letty, I am so shocked! Francis tells me that he has guessed for some
days that Phillip was your mysterious lawyer.”
Letitia
frowned. “Why did Exencour not tell me of his suspicions?”
“I
fancy he did not know how to go about it. He feared for you, and did not wish
to cause Eynsford embarrassment. He also felt that neither he nor I should
meddle in your life. I know however, that Francis indicated to Phillip that he
must bring the masquerade to an end, and I think it was only Eynsford’s fear
that you would cast him aside which prevented him from admitting the whole to
you some time ago.”
Letty
blushed and hung her head.
“Oh no,
Letty,” exclaimed Isobel. “You have not sent him away already?”
“I
have,” she replied, somewhat defiantly. “He deceived me, and I cannot bear it. I
will not have a friend who treats me dishonestly.”
“When
did you see him?” Isobel inquired.
“He came
here this morning,” answered Letitia.
“What
did he say to you?” asked Isobel, with lively curiosity.
“He
asked me to marry him,” was Letty’s bald reply.
“He
asked you to marry him, and you sent him away?” Isobel could scarcely believe
it. “A man who you told me yourself you found more agreeable than any other,
and who is rich, handsome, charming beyond measure, and titled as well?”
“Isobel,
Alfred appeared to be rich, handsome, charming, and titled when I married him,
if you recall, and look what came of it. I will have nothing to do with a man
who lies to me.”
“Do you
really think of it as a lie, Letty? I believe that Eynsford never meant for
things to go so far, and he simply did not know how to set things straight, and
allowed the situation to grow beyond control.”
“Isobel,
had he only respected my feelings from the outset, this entire disaster might
have been avoided,” said Letitia earnestly.
“Ah,
but then you would not have enjoyed the acquaintance of Mr. Markham, or have
had a supporter against the irritating attentions of Dr. Wolfe,” Isobel pointed
out. “You refused at every turn to meet Eynsford.”
“Isobel,
whose part are you taking?” asked Letty.
Isobel
clasped Letty’s hands in hers. “Letty, I want only what is best for you. But
think how much in love with you Eynsford must be to humble himself so. You
would not meet him, so on the basis of his memories he disguised himself to
obtain an introduction. He has persistently pursued you in the face of your
indifference, and when you learn of the truth of the situation, he comes
immediately to you to assure you that his intentions are wholly honorable. You
may not like how his courtship began, but you must admit that he could hardly
have proposed to you in a ballroom, and that as soon as anyone could reasonably
expect he offered you marriage. I do not know of any other woman in England who
might have refused him, to be sure.”
“I can;
you would have! Isobel, I really don't know how you dare to lecture me,” said
Letitia peevishly. “You refused Francis, who had always dealt with you
honorably, twice before you agreed to marry him. I don't see why you urge me to
accept Eynsford, when I barely know Mr. Markham and know the marquess not at
all.”
This
remark clearly struck home, for Isobel bit her lip and looked away, saying
nothing. Letitia was instantly contrite.
“I did
not mean to scold you,” she said sorrowfully. “I have not slept well and the
events of the last hours have quite overset me. You must forgive my evil
temper.”
Isobel
shook her head. “No, you are quite right, my dear. I have no right to chastise
you when I did not know my own heart for so long.”
A small
laugh escaped Letitia. “Isobel, dear, I will not have you apologizing to me. Whatever
is the world coming to?”
Isobel
gave her a quick hug. “I am lucky you are so good natured. Francis has scolded
me often enough for my overbearing ways towards you. Letitia, you have every
right to refuse whom you choose. I only ask that you consider as well that
Francis had the right of it; our marriage was much to be wished for, and I am
fortunate he did not give up on me. Pray, do think carefully about this.”
“You
can be sure I will,” said Letitia. She watched as Isobel rose.
“I must
leave you now, for I am sure you are tired of my conversation. If you should
need anything, please let me know.”
After
Isobel departed, Letitia reclined on the settee
, wondering if the tangled threads
of her life would ever be sorted out. In less than twenty
-four hours she had
attended a ball, been dealt a great blow to her perception of the world, and
received a proposal from one of the greatest catches on the Marriage Mart; a
man whom she had previously believed to be a mere solicitor.
She
gave a wry smile; her return to Society had not been an unmitigated success and
might even be called a disaster. The only saving grace was that few individuals
were aware of the shock she had sustained. Isobel and Francis would remain
silent out of affection and concern, and Lord Eynsford would surely be too
embarrassed to relate the story to any of his intimates.
Letitia’s lower lip
quivered at the thought of the marquess. The loss of Mr. Markham was
distressing enough for, she reluctantly admitted to herself, she had come to
love him. But the revelation that he had been deceiving her, that her gentle,
understanding solicitor was a figment of a wealthy nobleman's imagination, was
not only upsetting, but also humiliating. Letty appreciated Isobel's efforts to
comfort her, but her attempts to explain Eynsford's behavior and excuse his
conduct were not acceptable. No matter what his lordship's motivations were,
there was no excuse for his deception. Letitia knew that her refusal to
contemplate Eynsford's proposal had distressed Isobel, but she was sure that
she had made the right decision. Now that she had finally been left in peace,
she felt an urge to once more burst into sobs. Fighting back tears, she rang
for the maid and requested a cold compress for her forehead.
“Yes, my lady,”
said the maid. “If you will excuse me, my lady,” she continued, “you have a
visitor.”
“Goodness,” said
Letitia. “No more visitors, please. Tell whoever it is that I am not at home.”
But her unwelcome
guest was not to be denied. The door to the room opened and the Bishop of
Mainwaring entered.
“Lady Morgan!” he
said. “You will forgive me for intruding, but I have important information for
you. I am sure you will wish to hear it.”
Letitia sighed. At
the maid's questioning glance, she nodded a dismissal. She was certain that the
bishop would not depart until he had unburdened himself of whatever it was that
he wished to tell her.
“You are unwell,”
said Dr. Wolfe. “I am sorry for that, but I must continue. I have most
distressing news.”
“I cannot imagine
what you may wish to relate to me, Dr. Wolfe, but pray do not keep me in
suspense,” said Letitia. “What news is this?”
“I hesitate to tell
you for fear that your nerves will be shattered,” said the bishop. “Will you
not allow me to send for some smelling salts in the event that you feel faint?”
Only a few minutes
before Letitia had thought that she might not laugh again for weeks, but this
suggestion brought a smile to her lips. “Thank you, Dr. Wolfe,” she said, “but
I assure you I will not faint. Please tell me why you came here.”
The bishop paused,
a look of excitement on his face. “Your friend Mr. Markham is not a solicitor,”
he announced. “He is the Marquess of Eynsford.”
Letitia gazed at
him in astonishment and fought back an hysterical urge to laugh at the
anti-climactic nature of his communication. The bishop, however, interpreted
her silence as denial. Seating himself next to her, he possessed himself of one
of her hands.
“I know you are
devastated by this information,” he said. “But I can assure you that I am
correct. I saw the Marquess of Eynsford at the Strancaster ball yesterday
evening, and although he was dressed very differently than when I saw him last,
I can assure you that he was indeed Mr. Markham. He is a difficult man to
forget.”
“Dr. Wolfe, I--”
began Letitia, but the bishop cut her off.
“Do not attempt to
argue with me, Lady Morgan,” he continued. “I can assure you that I am certain
of my information. I wish you had heeded my warning some days ago, when I let
you know that I felt there was something not quite right about your Mr.
Markham. This is what comes of relying on the advice of Lady Exencour and
trusting your own feelings; it is far better to be under the guidance of a man.
You have been sadly deceived, but I am here to aid you now.”
“I do not need your
assistance, Dr. Wolfe,” said Letitia. “I am perfectly capable of attending to
my own affairs.”
“I must admire your
spirit, Lady Morgan,” said Dr. Wolfe. “But I cannot allow you to take this upon
your shoulders. The original fault, that of being friendly with someone you had
not been properly introduced to, is yours, but I put it down to an
over-trusting nature, which is, of course, not to be despised in a female. I
put myself at your disposal; this villain must be called to account.”
Letitia gave him a
worried frown. “Do not put yourself out, Dr. Wolfe,” she said. “There is
nothing to be done in this circumstance.”
“Surely you will
not allow this insult to go unpunished?” asked Dr. Wolfe.
“And how do you
propose to punish it?” asked Letitia, a hint of impatience in her voice. “Will
you call him out?”
A frown appeared on
the bishop's forehead. “Of course I would do nothing so ill-bred; dueling has
long been illegal, and I would not care to indulge in such ugly behavior. But
certainly he must be brought to book. If this were known he would surely be castigated
by his peers for his treatment of you.”
Letitia felt a
sense of panic rising in her throat. “Dr. Wolfe, you must do nothing,” she said
urgently. “If this were known it would not be the marquess who would suffer. It
is I who would become a laughing stock and possibly be considered a woman of
low morals. You must tell no one of this.”
“Allay your fears,
Lady Morgan,” replied the bishop. “The matter is delicate, but I will handle it
skillfully.”
Letitia felt
increasingly desperate, for she felt certain that her notions of delicacy and
the bishop's diverged widely. “Please, say nothing of this, Dr. Wolfe. You must
consider my reputation.”
“But I have, my
dear,” soothed the bishop. “No one will have anything to say against you when
they know we are affianced. Indeed, Eynsford's actions will seem doubly
perfidious when it is seen he was attempting to deceive another man's intended
bride.”
Letitia realized
that she was staring at him with her mouth ajar. She shut it with a snap. “We
are not engaged, Dr. Wolfe,” she said.
“Perhaps we are
not, but we soon shall be, and so it makes little difference. I have been sure
for some days now that I wished to wed you; indeed, I knew before I met you,
based on Bainstall's recommendation, that you would make me an excellent wife. I
am now doubly glad that I can offer you the protection of my name.”
“I do not need the
protection of your name, sir,” said Letitia.
“Come, come, Lady
Morgan, we are both aware of your circumstances. It is very clear to me that
you are in need of a man’s guiding hand. As I am in need of a mother for my
children, we shall deal very well together. I am glad indeed that I am here now
to save you from the impropriety of your own actions.”
“I do not wish to
marry you, Dr. Wolfe,” said Letitia, her voice strained. “I ask only that you
do not reveal this appalling story to anybody.”
“But you must marry
somebody, Lady Morgan,” said the Bishop, bewilderment in his voice.
“If I wished to
wed, I could have married Lord Eynsford!” snapped Letitia. “I did not choose to
marry him, and I do not choose to marry you. Please leave me now.”
“Eynsford has
offered for you?” asked the Bishop in alarm.
“He did me that
honor earlier today,” said Letitia, a sarcastic note in her voice. “So you see,
Dr. Wolfe, I have more men wishing to protect my honor than I can reasonably
manage.”
“I must say I am
confused by your levity, Lady Morgan,” said the Bishop. “This is a very serious
situation. Eynsford may have acted more handsomely than I expected in offering
for you, but I think you and I are the better match. A man of his type would
not make a satisfactory husband, I assure you. He would doubtless leave you all
too often to your own devices, allowing you opportunities for idleness. I, on
the contrary, would be constantly guiding your thoughts and actions, which I am
sure you would find preferable.”
Letitia
contemplated this appalling picture with horror for an instant, then folded her
hands in her lap. She realized that the Bishop was unlikely to be distracted by
rational argument, and so she decided to attempt blunt refusal. “Dr. Wolfe, you
do me a great honor in proposing marriage, but I cannot accept you,” she said. “Please
do me the favor of leaving me alone. I do not feel at all well.”
The bishop looked
at her consideringly. “Perhaps you are right, Lady Morgan,” he said. “I should
not have put my suit before you so soon after I delivered such a shock to your
nerves. You are doubtless uncomfortable and unhappy, particularly after having
been importuned by Lord Eynsford’s attentions. So I will leave, but I will not
withdraw my proposal. I am sure that your refusal is simply a matter of
confusion, and you will wish to reconsider your answer.”
“I have no
intention of considering any of the proposals made to me today,” replied Letitia
firmly. “I wish to be left alone to deal with my own problems in my own way.”
“Tut, tut,” said
the bishop. “I can see you are quite overwrought. I will leave you so that you
may compose yourself. But I will certainly call on you again soon. And if I should
encounter Lord Eynsford, be assured that I will give him a severe set-down. His
behavior has been most reprehensible.”
Dr. Wolfe exited
with a bow, and Letitia fell back on the sofa with a sigh. She felt more
exhausted than ever and was not at all certain as to whether she wished to
laugh or cry. To have received two proposals of marriage in one day was quite a
remarkable experience. She could only hope that it never happened again. She
rang for the maid; that cold compress would be most welcome now.