Charlotte: The Practical Education of a Distressed Gentlewoman (14 page)

“
Yes. They financed the canal. It
helps bring in the punters.”

“
That's us.”

He turned to Lady Chalfield and
grinned, “You'd best pay that vowel, Milady. Don't say I didn't
warn you.” His gap-toothed smile only added to the menace of his
suggestion.

He then thanked Elizabeth and
left.

Reinstated in the chase,
Charlotte's needs relieved, Elizabeth amused and Lady Chalfield
exhausted from the day's struggle, they continued with a change of
horses at Walcott Green outside of Reading to London.

Elizabeth had the post chase drop
Lady Chalfield and Charlotte off at Lady Chalfield's townhouse,
then drive to hers. As her luggage was being unloaded she went in.
The butler could deal with dismissing the chase.

“
Is Mr. Talbot home?”

“
Lizzy, is that you?” Freddy came
out from his study, glad to see that his sister had finally
arrived.

“
Yes, I've made it. No highwaymen,
the horses didn't go lame nor did any other of those dreadful
things happen.”

“
You must be tired,”

“
I'll admit I'm in need of
refreshment. First though, I'm worried about Charlotte and that
Lady Chalfield.”

“
Lizzy, they're none of our
business.”

“
It's just Charlotte, for all her
pride and occasional prickliness, is completely unsophisticated.
Lady Chalfield will just snap her up and spit her out.”

“
I know. I understand she's your
friend, and have to admit that when she's not snapping my nose off
she's decent company. It's just that it is not our business. It's
her lookout.”

“
I suppose so.”

“
I'll have the cook run you up
something to eat. I have a few letters to finish and will join you
afterwards.”

Charlotte's experience was somewhat
different and much less friendly. Lady Chalfield immediately
retired to recover from the exigencies of the journey leaving her
guest hungry and confused. There were only a few servants. They
were all ill-dressed and surly, and were not inclined to help
Charlotte either with her luggage or her dinner. As dusk firmly
settled in the evening, Lady Chalfield arose from her slumbers,
chased up Charlotte and proposed a journey to one her favorite
hells.

Saying, “Lady Luttrel's house
parties are always good for a little flutter and they'll give us
dinner,” She bore Charlotte off on her first visit to a gambling or
faro house.

Faro is a relatively simple game to
play, and an easy one for a card sharp and his confederates to
control. The punters place bets on which card will be turned up
from a deck. Pairs of cards are turned, the first loses, the second
wins. The dealer and his chums can know exactly which card will be
dealt when by using a little misdirection and sleight of hand in
the shuffle, or if brazen enough gain advantage with a slightly
marked or a 'stripped' deck. They can lure the muggins into placing
successively larger bets, then wipe him or her out. High class and
honest gambling dens would never use such techniques. Lady
Luttrel's parties were neither high class nor honest.

Charlotte found herself at the faro
table. She naively asked, “How do I play this game?”

Lady Chalfield explained the rules,
“You place your money on one of the cards on the table, like so.”
She put a few guineas on number seven. “It's my lucky number.” Then
the dealer dealt two cards. The second was a seven. “You see.” She
took her winnings. “Now why don't you try it?'

Charlotte asked, “Is that
all?”

“
Well, you can bet against a card
by putting a copper on top of your bet.”

“
So if I thought the next card
wouldn't be a seven I'd put a copper on my guinea?”

“
No quite, that's if you'd expect
the first card to be a seven.”

“
Oh. I think I've got
it.”

“
Good, would you care for some
Champagne?”

By the end of the first night a
decidedly tipsy Charlotte returned home with Lady Chalfield a
couple of hundred pounds to the plus side. The cards just seemed to
be going her way.

The next morning Charlotte could
barely contain her excitement. Early in the morning, that is to say
while it was still morning, and before Lady Chalfield even stirred
in her sleep, Charlotte rushed out to find the Talbot's house on
Portman Street.

“
Lizzy,” she excitedly began after
threading the maze of doorman, butler and parlors, “I went to Lady
Luttrel's faro house last night. Look what I won.”

“
I see. Charlotte, you know
they're just luring you in. You won't win that much
again.”

“
It was so fun. You really need to
go. Food, wine, even some music, and gambling.”

“
If you say so.”

“
I do. You should come
sometime.”

“
Maybe.” Elizabeth searched her
mind for any diversion that could steer her friend from the
dangerous waters she was heading into. The idea she found revealed
the depth of her friendship. Even though she was profoundly
tone-deaf and found the high screeching sopranos painful, she
asked, “There's an opera performance at the King's Theatre in
Haymarket tonight. I'd much like to see it, would you
come?”

“
Which opera?”

“
I don't remember, I think
it's”

Freddy knocked on the door,
“Adelasia e Aleramo, in Italian by Simone.” Elizabeth gave a sigh
of relief. “At least, that's what I remember, either that or
'Boadicea Queen of the Iceni' by Pucitta. They're both worth a
hearing.”

“
Mr. Talbot, what are you doing
here?”

“
I live here. Lizzy and I were up
very late talking last night, so I'm on the late side for my usual
trip to the city. Would you like me to pick up tickets?”

Charlotte thought, then politely
replied, “If you could? I've long wanted to see a real opera. But
Lady Chalfield will be disappointed, she wanted me to visit Lady
Luttrel's again.”

“
Some other time. She can wait a
day or so.”

Lady Chalfield was initially
disappointed, but realized that giving her guest time to build
anticipation for her next visit to the faro house, would simply
make the plucking easier, gave her reluctant assent to Charlotte's
visit to the opera.

Charlotte found the opera, which
was actually Puccitta's Aristodemo, entrancing. The box Freddy
rented a quarter the way around from the stage and halfway up the
row of boxes gave her a fine view of the action, clear sound, and a
chance to look with wide eyes at the cream of London society. At
intermission she turned to him and said, “Mr. Talbot, Thank you so
much for getting the tickets. I don't deserve this after all the
things I said to you.”

“
I know, but Lizzy wanted to see
the opera, and it would be boring to attend with only one's
sister.”

“
Now you are being silly, aren't
you?”

“
A little, but I'm truly pleased
that you don't see me as such an ogre.”

“
Mr. Talbot, I haven't seen you
that way for the last few weeks.”

“
I'm glad you don't.” Freddy added
quietly to himself, “and I find myself a little worried about how I
feel about you.”

“
Lizzy, wasn't that divine
music.”

“
If you say so.”

“
Didn't you like it?”

“
It was alright, for Italian
opera.” Charlotte shot a glance at Mr. Talbot. He whispered in her
ear, “Lizzy is a bit deaf, she doesn't really appreciate
music.”

Charlotte blushed, then hugged her
friend, “Lizzy, I didn't know you weren't keen on opera. Thank you
so much for suggesting it.”

“
I come for the society, endure
the noise. It's a fair swap.”

The conductor strode into the
orchestra pit and the agony for Elizabeth, or ecstasy for Charlotte
began again.

The next morning Charlotte knocked
on the Talbot's door only to find Elizabeth in driving clothes. A
small curricle with the new London groom holding the horse waited
outside. “Lizzie? What are you planning to do?”

“
It's fashionable to ride in Hyde
Park at this time of day. I thought I might put in an appearance.
Never know, I might meet someone I know, or even better some young
man I don't.”

“
Can I come?”

“
Not dressed like that. It would
be fastest if you wouldn't mind borrowing one of my driving
dresses, but it's up to you.”

“
Could I?”

“
Don't see why not, if we're quick
about it. Mark, could you walk the horse to keep him warmed
up?”

“
Ma'am.”

“
We'll only be a few minutes so
don't go too far.”

Wearing one of Elizabeth's driving
dresses, Charlotte was enjoying their drive together. “You're
driving better than Freddy.”

“
No I'm not. It's just that we're
driving up and down the park. Stopping when the carriage in front
stops. It's easy, would you like a go?”

“
May I?”

“
Next time we stop, which they way
things are going won't be long.” In a few minutes the procession
stopped, and they quickly switched places.

“
Lizzy?” Charlotte asked, “Why
doesn't anyone stop to talk with us?”

“
Don't know. I'd have thought two
eligible young women driving would attract some notice.”

“
Possibly, not good notice. Could
be notorious instead of noticed.”

“
Me, notorious? Never.”

“
This is getting
boring.”

“
I used to think it exciting,
since I've driven in the country it's rather tame. Should we
go?”

“
Yes, let's go. I have something
exciting to do this evening, would you like to join me?”

“
Depends on what it
is.”

“
A masquerade in Vauxhall gardens.
I'm going with Lady Chalfield.”

“
Don't”, Elizabeth's distress was
visible.

“
Lizzy, what's wrong?”

“
Public masquerades are, well, I
don't know, but neither my father nor Freddy would ever let me go
to one. There's something unsavory about them. They won't tell me
what.”

“
Why don't you ask? It would be
great if you came as well.”

“
I'll see what Freddy says. If
it's no, maybe I can sneak out and join you.”

Freddy was surprised when he
arrived back at home by Elizabeth. She was dressed in one of her
older and less fashionable gowns, and was wearing a
domino.

“
What do you think?” she
asked.

“
I'm not sure, why are you wearing
that getup? It's decidedly gauche.”

“
There's a public masquerade at
Vauxhall Gardens, and I thought it might be fun.”

“
It will be crowded, full of pick
pockets and elderly rakes hoping to take advantage of willing and
stupid young women. Granted there are fifteen thousand lamps, a
noise that sometimes resembles music and fireworks. Why do you want
to go?”

“
No particular reason, just
thought it might be fun to go slumming.”

“
You're not fooling me Lizzy. Is
it that De Vere woman?”

Elizabeth paused and the very
quietly said, “Yes.”

“
Why should I?”

“
Because I asked you to come with
me. I'm worried that Lady Chalfield has plans for my friend. Plans
that include walking down one of the shady paths in the close
garden with a gentleman.”

“
I see, and you want me to do what
about this?”

“
I just thought, that maybe, if we
were there, we could, maybe, keep her out of trouble.”

Freddy laughed, “Lizzy, you're up
to your matchmaking again, aren't you?”

“
I'm not. I swear it.”

“
I'll go, provided you promise me
one thing.”

Elizabeth frowned, “What is
it?”

“
We eat here first. The food the
3/6 admission buys you, is execrable.”

Elizabeth readily agreed to this
suggestion. “I'd been worried about that. The lights won't be lit
until it's dark so we won't miss anything.”

They arrived in a cab after dinner,
the illuminations, all fifteen thousand lamps were lit and made for
an impressive spectacle. Freddy paid the seven shillings at the
entrance and they wandered in.

Despite the masks everyone was
wearing, it did not take long for them to find Lady Chalfield
because of her distinctive wig and raucous laugh. Elizabeth
introduced herself, “Lady Chalfield, have you seen
Charlotte?”

“
She's dancing with a young man.”
Lady Chalfield pointed towards a couple where a dandy was trying to
waltz with a young lady who was dressed in less than fashionable
clothes. The young woman was not enjoying the experience and kept
pushing the man's roving hands away from over-familiar
explorations.