All for Love by Jane Aiken Hodge Page B
Authors: Jane Aiken Hodge
waltzing,’ she said to Hyde as they formed their lines for the second quadrille.
‘Did I not? How very remiss of me. My apologies my dear.’ He bowed to her formally and the dance began.
Conversation, except in the briefest snatches, is almost impossible in a quadrille. ‘You are driving me mad,’ Fonseca managed, once, as they moved past each other.
‘I do not intend to.’ They were parted, inexorably, by the movement of the dance.
‘Sit the next one out with me.’ They met again.
‘Impossible, I have partners for all evening.’
‘I shall come to Winchelsea.’ The dance was over and they were standing for a moment among a crowd busy seeking new partners.
‘Oh, pray —’ she had been about to say don’t, but that would never do. She smiled up at him roguishly. ‘I vow sir, you are the most impossible tease in creation.’ And then, sighing with relief. ‘Yes, Mr. Bolton, it is indeed your dance.’
But, ‘Pray, what?’ Fonseca would not let her go.
‘Pray bring me some more of those ravishing camellias, sir.’
She smiled, curtsied, took Mr. Bolton’s arm and left him.
Chapter Five
Waking to exhaustion and a house in chaos, Juliet found herself actually glad of the proposed move to Winchelsea. True, it meant going once more through that tightrope business of pretending to know her way round a house she had never seen before. ‘And Winchelsea is huge,’ Josephine had warned her. But on the other hand it would get her safely away from the flood of post-party calls that would, otherwise have been inevitable, and, best of all, away from Mr. Fonseca. Perhaps, by the time he came to Winchelsea, Josephine would be back.
Juliet’s first thought, when she was dressed, was to send Satan off with a message to the faithful old servant whom Josephine had left in the house beyond Ruffton, both as caretaker, and, in just such a crisis as this, as means of communication. When she got back from Norfolk, Josephine would go to the Ruffton house first, would learn of the move to Winchelsea, and change her plans accordingly.
Satan had only just left when Hyde came tapping at the door of her boudoir, and she could not help a start of alarm at the thought of what he might have overheard. Mercifully, he seemed to have noticed nothing. ‘Are you quite worn out from last night?’ he asked. ‘Am I a brute to suggest we move today?’
‘No, no. I am quite looking forward to it. To tell truth, a little Savannah society goes a long way with me. After last night, I am more than ready to ruralise for a while, I can tell you! And think of the visits of congratulation we will be spared!’
‘Yes, indeed.’ He surprised her by taking her hand and kissing it. ‘A most successful party, thanks to you, my dear.’
‘Oh, pshaw! You know perfectly well I had nothing to do with it. Venus and the rest of them did all the work; I merely danced and enjoyed myself.’
‘Which is why you look, if I may say so, a trifle fagged this morning? Will you think me a quite medieval husband if I suggest that you go on ahead to Winchelsea as soon as you are ready? It will save you a plague of morning callers.’
‘But what about you?’
‘I shall join you later. Either tonight or tomorrow morning. A small matter of business has come up, on Scarbrough’s behalf. You remember, I am sure, what I was saying to you about him last night?’ His look warned her not to refer to Scarbrough’s troubles in front of Alice, who was busy in the next room.
‘Of course I remember. But you’ll not be long? I don’t much fancy acting Robinson Crusoe out there at the plantation!’ She was sure Josephine would make the complaint, though privately her heart was singing with relief. How much easier to reach the house at Winchelsea with only servants to see if she made any mistake.
‘You’ll give my kindest regards to Aunt Abigail.’ His next words reminded her of a hazard she had quite forgotten. ‘And tell her I hope to see
‘Did I not? How very remiss of me. My apologies my dear.’ He bowed to her formally and the dance began.
Conversation, except in the briefest snatches, is almost impossible in a quadrille. ‘You are driving me mad,’ Fonseca managed, once, as they moved past each other.
‘I do not intend to.’ They were parted, inexorably, by the movement of the dance.
‘Sit the next one out with me.’ They met again.
‘Impossible, I have partners for all evening.’
‘I shall come to Winchelsea.’ The dance was over and they were standing for a moment among a crowd busy seeking new partners.
‘Oh, pray —’ she had been about to say don’t, but that would never do. She smiled up at him roguishly. ‘I vow sir, you are the most impossible tease in creation.’ And then, sighing with relief. ‘Yes, Mr. Bolton, it is indeed your dance.’
But, ‘Pray, what?’ Fonseca would not let her go.
‘Pray bring me some more of those ravishing camellias, sir.’
She smiled, curtsied, took Mr. Bolton’s arm and left him.
Chapter Five
Waking to exhaustion and a house in chaos, Juliet found herself actually glad of the proposed move to Winchelsea. True, it meant going once more through that tightrope business of pretending to know her way round a house she had never seen before. ‘And Winchelsea is huge,’ Josephine had warned her. But on the other hand it would get her safely away from the flood of post-party calls that would, otherwise have been inevitable, and, best of all, away from Mr. Fonseca. Perhaps, by the time he came to Winchelsea, Josephine would be back.
Juliet’s first thought, when she was dressed, was to send Satan off with a message to the faithful old servant whom Josephine had left in the house beyond Ruffton, both as caretaker, and, in just such a crisis as this, as means of communication. When she got back from Norfolk, Josephine would go to the Ruffton house first, would learn of the move to Winchelsea, and change her plans accordingly.
Satan had only just left when Hyde came tapping at the door of her boudoir, and she could not help a start of alarm at the thought of what he might have overheard. Mercifully, he seemed to have noticed nothing. ‘Are you quite worn out from last night?’ he asked. ‘Am I a brute to suggest we move today?’
‘No, no. I am quite looking forward to it. To tell truth, a little Savannah society goes a long way with me. After last night, I am more than ready to ruralise for a while, I can tell you! And think of the visits of congratulation we will be spared!’
‘Yes, indeed.’ He surprised her by taking her hand and kissing it. ‘A most successful party, thanks to you, my dear.’
‘Oh, pshaw! You know perfectly well I had nothing to do with it. Venus and the rest of them did all the work; I merely danced and enjoyed myself.’
‘Which is why you look, if I may say so, a trifle fagged this morning? Will you think me a quite medieval husband if I suggest that you go on ahead to Winchelsea as soon as you are ready? It will save you a plague of morning callers.’
‘But what about you?’
‘I shall join you later. Either tonight or tomorrow morning. A small matter of business has come up, on Scarbrough’s behalf. You remember, I am sure, what I was saying to you about him last night?’ His look warned her not to refer to Scarbrough’s troubles in front of Alice, who was busy in the next room.
‘Of course I remember. But you’ll not be long? I don’t much fancy acting Robinson Crusoe out there at the plantation!’ She was sure Josephine would make the complaint, though privately her heart was singing with relief. How much easier to reach the house at Winchelsea with only servants to see if she made any mistake.
‘You’ll give my kindest regards to Aunt Abigail.’ His next words reminded her of a hazard she had quite forgotten. ‘And tell her I hope to see