The Toast of the Town Read online

  ‘Who is that splendid female in the gold dress, ma’am?’ he asked Eve, spontaneously. ‘She’s the kind of girl who’ll have no difficulty at all in producing a fine, healthy brood of children.’

  Evelina stared at him, too taken aback by this speech to make any immediate reply.

  ‘I beg your pardon,’ he said quickly, noticing her surprise. ‘It’s so long since I was in female company — I forget the observances of polite society.’

  ‘Pray do not regard it,’ replied Eve, recovering with an effort ‘That is my younger sister, Georgiana. She is always very much admired.’ She added mentally that it was the first time she had ever heard Georgy admired in that particular manner.

  He gave her a look of comical dismay. ‘Your sister? Oh, lord, ma’am, that makes it worse! What can I possibly say to redeem myself?’

  Eve laughed. ‘There’s no need to say anything. You couldn’t know who she was — although you must have met her when you arrived?’

  He grinned ruefully. ‘I fear I was late, ma’am, and the reception committee had dispersed. My own fault, but I was held up unavoidably.’

  They finished the dance next to Georgiana and her partner. Evelina sank into a curtsey, and the young man executed a graceful bow. As he bent forward, there was a sudden, loud rending sound. He clapped his hands between his shoulder blades, an almost comical look of dismay on his face.

  ‘Oh, God!’ he muttered, turning his head in an attempt to survey the damage. ‘I do believe I’ve split this damned coat, fiend seize it!’

  There was a sudden splutter of laughter from Georgiana which she did very little to conceal. He turned a furious face towards her.

  ‘It’s not in the least funny, madam!’

  Georgy laughed unrestrainedly at this. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t help it! And, anyway, if you will be such a dandy as to wear a coat that’s too tight for you ‘

  She continued to laugh; Evelina and Pamyngton were hard put to it not to follow her example.

  ‘Allow me to inform you, madam,’ said the Scotsman, in biting tones, ‘that this coat is too tight only because I haven’t worn it lately. I have neither the leisure nor the inclination to become a dandy.’

  ‘Nor the aptitude?’ murmured Georgy, sweetly, her laughter subsiding a little in face of his anger.

  He opened his mouth to retort, then closed it with a snap. He turned away from her, and addressed himself to Evelina.

  ‘I’ll escort you to your husband, ma’am,’ he said stiffly, ‘and then I’ll withdraw, with your permission.’

  With a reproachful look at her sister, Evelina accepted his arm. The young man bore her away carrying himself like a ramrod. Georgiana looked after them, then gave way to helpless laughter again, infecting her partner.

  After a moment, he said, ‘Who is that fellow? Would you like me to teach him better manners?’

  She shook her head, still laughing. ‘No, let be, Pam! My own manners were somewhat at fault, I fear, but I just couldn’t help it — it was all so droll!’ She sobered a little. ‘I’ve no notion who he can be, though he sounded as though he came from north of the Border, don’t you think?’

  ‘Can anything good come out of Scotland?’ asked Pamyngton, with an indulgent smile. ‘Let’s join the others, Miss Georgy, and forget all about the churlish fellow.’

  CHAPTER 2

  Reckless Young Woman

  The white road stretched invitingly ahead in the mellow October sunshine. The girl in the curricle felt a sudden urge for speed take hold of her, and gave the sign to her horses, a powerful pair of chestnuts. They leapt forward in an easy stride, their backs glowing in the sun like brown velvet. Her hold on the reins was light, but expert. Her green eyes glinted with ecstasy; the breeze blew back her fashionable bonnet, disclosing the richness of her auburn hair.

  Her companion, a young woman of much the same age, attired in a loose yellow gown which could not conceal the fact that she was pregnant, clung convulsively to her seat.

  ‘Georgy!’ she pleaded, in a soft voice. ‘Pray do not go so fast!’

  ‘Fast?’ Georgiana Eversley laughed, and tossed her auburn head in a reckless gesture that her sister-in-law recognized with misgiving. ‘You can’t call this fast, Susan — why, they’ve scarce stretched their legs yet! Lud, they’re prime steppers! I’ll say this for Hugh — he’s a prodigious judge of horseflesh!’

  Susan Eversley swallowed hard, and made a brave attempt to conceal her dislike of the speed at which they were travelling. ‘I only hope he won’t be vexed when he learns that we’ve taken them out,’ she said.

  ‘Why should he?’ retorted Georgiana, keeping her eyes on the road. ‘He said I could try them out some time. Now, didn’t he?’

  Susan agreed doubtfully. ‘All the same, I think he meant that you should drive them when he was beside you.’

  ‘Pooh! That would be poor sport, indeed, with Hugh telling me not to do this and that! I had far rather try out their paces on my own. Besides, what else are we to do, I’d like to know, with all the gentlemen of our party gone out shooting?’

  ‘We could have joined the other ladies on their walk,’ suggested Susan. ‘Or we could have played in the nursery with little Maria,’ she added, wistfully.

  ‘Well, we’ll play with baby Maria this afternoon,’ promised Georgy, in a milder tone. ‘But as for joining the others in walking down to the village to buy some more silks for that everlasting embroidery of theirs — pooh, I had far rather be dashing along in style like this, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘Ye-es,’ said Susan, doubtfully, staring at the road in rising trepidation. ‘But do slow up, Georgy — recollect there’s a bend in the road just ahead, before we reach the gates.’

  Georgiana’s laugh rang out clearly through the air. ‘What a piece of work you make, Sue!’ she exclaimed. ‘Don’t you trust me? You’ll see, I’ll take the curricle safely round the bend without any check in our speed!

  Do you care to wager on it? Your jade brooch against those diamond earrings of mine which you so much admire — is’t a bargain?’

  But Susan was too terrified to answer as the equipage swept round the bend in a whirl of dust.

  Disaster was upon them before Georgy’s undoubted skill and quick wits could do anything to avert it. Immediately before them was a gig drawn by a single horse. It had been approaching the bend in the road with caution and keeping well over to its own side; but the road was narrow at this point, and Georgy had swerved over to the wrong side in rounding the bend. The owner of the gig let out an angry shout, and pulled his placid mare up sharply. Georgy tugged desperately at the reins in a vain attempt to swerve away from the gig so that she could pass it in safety. The chestnut horses responded magnificently, avoiding a head-on collision; but they came abruptly to a halt, rearing, as the outside wheels of both vehicles locked together. The curricle stopped with a shuddering jerk that caused both ladies to fall forward on to the footboard. Luckily they were not thrown into the road.

  The driver of the gig had lost his hat at the moment of collision. He ran his fingers through his crisp dark hair in a gesture of irritation, as he quickly leapt down to the ground.

  ‘Hell and damnation!’ he exclaimed, angrily. ‘Just what are you about, madam! D’ye wish to make an end of yourself? You may do it with my right goodwill, but have the charity to wait until only yourself is involved! Damme if I ever saw such cow-handed driving — you’re not fit to have charge of a rocking horse!’

  Without waiting for any reply, he signalled to a youth who had been sitting beside him in the gig.

  ‘Here, Tom, you may safely leave Nelly. Try what you can do to help me quieten these two prime bits of blood, there’s a good fellow.’

  The lad obediently vaulted from the gig to join his companion, who had seized the bridles of the two chestnuts in his short, strong hands, and was trying to calm the frightened beasts. Evidently the boy was good with horses; for after a moment the dark young man was able to leave him in
charge, and come back to the occupants of the curricle.

  He found they had picked themselves up and were crouching side by side on the seat, white-faced and subdued. Susan was trembling violently. He glanced at her sharply, then, jumping on to the step, snatched up a rug which was lying at her feet, and draped it round her.

  He turned a furious face on Georgiana.

  ‘B’God, my fine madam, if this lady loses her child, she’ll know who to thank! Of all the downright criminal starts to get up to ‘

  Georgy’s face turned from white to red. Like Susan, she had suffered a severe shock; moreover, she had twisted her ankle in some way when she had fallen, and it was beginning to pain her. She turned on her accuser, her eyes flashing green fire.

  ‘Mind your manners, you — you clodpole, or it may be the worse for you!’ she threatened. ‘Do you know who it is you’re addressing? I am sister to Mr. Eversley at Fulmer Towers.’ She noticed with satisfaction that he gave a start at these words, and stared at her for a moment. ‘Yes, I thought that would change your tune! You are most likely some tenant who farms his land, I dare say. Well, you may find yourself out on your ear soon enough, if your tongue doesn’t learn more discretion!’

  His look changed to one of contempt. In spite of its hostile expression, she noticed that his face was almost handsome, with a strong mouth and a pair of deep, expressive brown eyes. She knew a momentary doubt. He had neither the air nor the accent of a local farmer. Moreover, she had a sudden conviction that she had seen him before somewhere, though the exact memory escaped her.

  ‘You may be sister to the devil himself for all I care,’ he replied, in blighting tones. ‘Nay, I dare swear you are! Still, if you’re from the Towers, as you say ‘

  ‘Do you presume to doubt my word!’ stormed Georgy, at that moment far from being her usual rational self. Not only was she suffering from shock, but feelings of guilt were creeping over her. She ought to have thought of Susan, she knew, but somehow she had forgotten her sister-in-law’s delicate condition in her own strong impulse to drive the chestnuts. And Susan was never one to fuss, which made it all the easier for others to overlook her claims to consideration. Georgy was beginning to feel furious with herself, and this insolent young man would do very well as a scapegoat. He even seemed set on filling the role.

  ‘I might at that,’ he retorted, sarcastically. ‘But that doesn’t signify at present. What does, is that this lady’ — he bent over Susan and took one of her trembling hands in his, placing his fingers over her wrist — ‘should be conveyed home and to her bed instantly.’ ‘How dare you take Mrs. Eversley’s hand in that presumptuous way!’ exclaimed Georgy, indignantly. ‘Let me inform you that when my brother comes to hear of it, he’ll most likely take a horsewhip to you!’ ‘He’d do better to take it to you, madam,’ was the careless reply, as the young man released Susan’s hand and jumped down from the step of the curricle. He turned an amused face upon Georgiana, who was now almost speechless with rage. ‘Don’t be foolish — I’m a doctor, and would have been calling upon Mrs. Eversley in a professional capacity later on today, in any event.’

  He walked round to the locked wheels, and surveyed them frowningly, then addressed the boy Tom. ‘Let’s see what can be done here.’

  It was Georgy’s turn to stare. A doctor! He was not the doctor who usually attended her brother’s family, she knew. That was a much older man called Hume. She turned to Susan, and put an arm about her.

  ‘Sue, are you all right? I’m sorry — I never thought — I suppose I was too impulsive — and selfish ‘

  Susan nodded, making an effort to control the chattering of her teeth. ‘Yes — don’t w-worry — I’m just c-cold ‘

  ‘Lud!’ exclaimed Georgiana, as an unwelcome thought suddenly struck her. ‘Hugh will just about slaughter me for this! What with you and the horses ‘

  ‘We w-won’t tell him, if you’d r-rather not ‘

  ‘Stuff! Why, this impudent fellow here will take the matter out of our hands, you may be sure! Sue, is he indeed your doctor? What’s happened to the other man, Dr. Hume?’

  ‘He’s away at p-present. I w-was told that his nephew w-would c-call during his absence,’ explained Susan, still shivering spasmodically.

  ‘Here, you mustn’t take cold,’ said Georgy, wrapping the rug more tightly about her sister-in-law.

  Meanwhile the doctor and Tom had been carrying out manoeuvres which had eventually succeeded in unlocking the outside wheels of the two vehicles. The doctor looked dubiously at the wheel of the curricle, and then transferred his glance to Georgy’s face.

  ‘That wheel’s almost wrenched off,’ he said. ‘You’d both best transfer to my vehicle, and let young Tom take the curricle back. But don’t think I shall let you drive, ma’am — even poor old Nell, though Lord knows she’s docile enough. I’ll lead her. It’s not far. Come Mrs. Eversley, you may safely trust yourself to me.’

  He walked round to Susan’s side, and held out his arms to help her down to the road.

  ‘Don’t go, Sue!’ cried Georgiana. ‘I have no intention of accepting this — gentleman’s’ — she accented the word bitingly — ‘escort! We may quite well drive home by ourselves!’

  ‘What, and land the curricle in the ditch before you’ve gone a yard?’ He smiled sardonically, and, reaching up to Susan, gently assisted her to alight. ‘Come, ma’am,’ he continued, in a brisk, but reassuring tone. ‘You’ll be comfortable enough in the gig for that short distance. And at least it’s in no danger of heeling over at any minute, as your vehicle is.’

  Susan turned an imploring look on her sister-in-law.

  ‘Pray c-come, Georgy!’

  ‘I have no intention of leaving this seat!’ Georgiana announced, heroically, setting her lips in a firm line.

  ‘Then, p-perhaps,’ began Susan doubtfully, turning away from the doctor, ‘p-possibly I ought not — not t-to come ‘ She was stopped from finishing by a fit of shivering.

  The doctor drew the rug more closely about her, and shook his head. ‘We’ll settle that, ma’am, never you worry. Now, come along.’

  He helped her carefully into the gig, then turned about purposefully.

  ‘And now for you, Miss Eversley!’ he said, a glint in his dark eyes.

  Before Georgiana could guess what he intended, he had reached up and lifted her bodily from the curricle. She struggled for a moment as he bore her to the gig, but his arms were unexpectedly strong, and she was forced to submit. He dumped her beside Susan as if she had been a bundle of washing.

  ‘You’ve hurt your foot,’ he said quickly, seeing her wince as her foot touched the floorboard. ‘Maybe a sprained ankle — I’ll take a look when we get you home.’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing,’ retorted Georgy; but for the moment some of the fire had gone out of her repartee.

  He did not bother to answer, but picked up Nelly’s reins and nodded to Tom. ‘You go on, lad, I’ll need to turn, and this is a bad place for that. Don’t put the wind up them at the Manor, now. Explain shortly that the two ladies are quite safe, and on their way home in another conveyance.’

  ‘Conveyance!’ scoffed Georgy. She said no more, however, sitting hunched up with an air of defeat, although inwardly she was seething. The only person who had ever dared to treat her in so high-handed a fashion was her brother, Hugh, whom she both adored and respected. To everyone else, and particularly to the male section of her acquaintance, she was the dashing Miss Eversley, who was above criticism, the Incomparable whose lightest whim must be obeyed.

  She stared resentfully at the young man’s back as he neatly turned the old mare and led her back along the road in the direction of Fulmer Towers. At any other time, she might have approved the firm set of his broad shoulders, and his swift, confident handling of the situation. As it was, she decided that it was easy to see from the way he carried himself that he was of a stubborn, autocratic disposition. Well, Hugh would soon give him the set-down he deserved, she reflected savag
ely. But where in the world had she seen this objectionable young man before? The recollection refused to come to her.

  When the gig finally drew up before the doors of the house, a great commotion awaited them. Tom, who had managed to bring the curricle back without further damage, had followed his master’s instructions to the letter; but he had not been able to allay all the alarm that had naturally been raised at his news. The ladies of the house party, now returned from their walk, crowded round the windows overlooking the drive. At first sight of the gig they flew to the door, and helped Susan indoors amid anxious twitterings and duckings.

  Georgiana found herself forgotten for the moment. She started to rise, but winced as she put her right foot to the floor. She hastily raised it again, transferring her weight to the other leg and clutching at the side of the gig for support.

  ‘For all the world like a clutch of broody hens!’ muttered the young man, looking after the ladies as they swept indoors with Susan in a flurry of petticoats. ‘They needn’t worry — yon lass will take no lasting harm.’ He turned to Georgy, and, seeing her predicament, pushed her gently back into the seat. ‘What of you?’ he asked, with a swift smile that was very disarming. ‘Let me take a look at that ankle.’

  ‘I’ll do no such thing!’ said Georgy, indignantly.

  ‘Come, it’s no time to be missish when you may have sustained an injury. It’s my belief it’s only trifling, but we’d best make sure.’

  Georgy flung him a withering look, and tugged at the hem of her green wool riding dress, so that it completely covered her ankles. His smile broadened into an attractive grin.

  ‘I’ll wager you’re not always so modest,’ he told her.

  The look in Georgiana’s eyes would have totally routed any of the gentlemen of her own circle. Her face flamed, but her voice was ice-cold as she asked, ‘What is your name, fellow?’

  He sketched a mocking bow. ‘John Graham, at your service, ma’am. Doctor of Medicine, and a surgeon at St. George’s Hospital, in London.’