Heiress in Regency Society: The Defiant Debutante

‘Yes,’ she said, smiling at Angelina and taking her hand in an affectionate clasp. ‘I came just as soon as I received Henry’s note telling me he had arrived back in London with Angelina.’

‘And?’

‘And what?’

‘Is she all you expected her to be?’

‘Yes, she is. Angelina is very much dear Lydia’s daughter.’

‘Tell me, Uncle Henry—was your nephew obnoxious as a boy, too?’ Angelina asked boldly.

Her question earned her a broad smile of admiration from Henry. ‘Why—I do believe he was.’

She frowned, feigning sympathy. ‘How distressing for you all.’

‘So distressing that both Uncle Henry and Aunt Patience have complained bitterly over the years and threatened to disown me,’ Alex retaliated calmly, ‘but as you see, Miss Hamilton, as a family we have a way of sticking together.’

Angelina sensed there was a hidden message for her in his words, which she prudently ignored. Looking at Patience, she smiled shyly. ‘I can see Lord Montgomery’s affairs both concern and embarrass you, Aunt Patience—so you must be relieved to know that he is considering marriage.’

‘So Henry was telling me just before you came in. Is this true, Alex?’

‘That is so, Aunt,’ he replied, tapping his boot with his riding crop, sorely tempted to use it on the softest part of the chit’s anatomy. ‘I am considering it.’

‘Lavinia Howard?’

‘That is the young lady I have in mind.’

‘A sensible choice. The title and position she will acquire if she marries you will delight her family—especially her mother,’ she said with a faint trace of irony, ‘for she has long been desiring a match between you. However, I’m glad to know you are thinking of settling down at last, Alex.’

‘Thank you, Aunt,’ he replied drily. His smile was sardonic. ‘I shall endeavour to do my duty and produce an heir.’

‘Nevertheless, it will hardly be a love match,’ retorted his aunt with a note of disapproval in her tone.

‘No, but I have a high regard for Lavinia.’

‘Poor Miss Howard,’ murmured Angelina. ‘I doubt she knows what a cold and cruel fate awaits her if she takes you for a husband.’

Alex looked at her coldly. ‘There are very few men who love their wives, Miss Hamilton.’

‘Or women who love their husbands, it would seem. If Miss Howard will not be hurt by your indifference, she must be very unhappy or very cold.’

‘She is neither,’ Alex countered.

‘Henry tells me you are to give a small weekend party at Arlington to which she is invited,’ Patience put in quickly in an attempt to relieve the situation. ‘I shall look forward to meeting her again. In the meantime, I am so looking forward to getting to know Angelina better—which is why I shall be staying here until it is time for us to leave for Arlington next week.’

‘You are?’ Alex asked with some surprise.

‘Of course. Angelina cannot remain in this house with you and Henry alone. Her reputation would be beyond recall if it gets out.’

‘Then the obvious solution to that is for you to take her to Richmond. The park is lovely at this time of year. I’m sure the air will be more conducive to Miss Hamilton’s health and temper than it is here in town.’

‘There is nothing wrong with my health or my temper that a distance away from you would not cure, my lord,’ Angelina countered.

The bright silver eyes considered Angelina without a hint of expression, then with slow deliberation. Had it not been for the coldness that came into them, his reply might have passed as a flippant remark. ‘Then I shall have to take that into consideration and adjust my affairs accordingly to assist you in your cure, Miss Hamilton.’

Patience looked from Angelina to Alex crossly. ‘Good heavens! What is this nonsense? Why so formal? You must address one another by your given names if you are to get on.’

Both Angelina and Alex disagreed. Formal address conveyed neither affection nor intimacy, which suited them both.

‘Come, now, what do you say?’ Patience persisted.

Unwillingly, Alex conceded. ‘Very well, Aunt.’

‘Thank you. Now, in answer to your question, I did consider taking Angelina to Richmond, until Henry told me he is to visit Lord Boothroyd in Cornwall shortly. He has been away so long that I would like to spend some time with him before he goes. Besides, I would like to take Angelina shopping before we leave for Arlington. The clothes Henry had you fitted out with in Boston were adequate for the voyage, my dear, but I shall see you have some more day dresses for Arlington. When we return to London my dressmaker will fit you out for a whole new wardrobe. However, I shall ask her to call before we leave for Arlington and take your measurements so she can make a start.’

Alarm bells began ringing in Angelina’s head and she could see the excited gleam of future arrangements in the older woman’s eyes. ‘Oh! But I—I explained to Uncle Henry that I—’

‘Have no wish to be introduced into society.’ Patience smiled. ‘I know. Henry told me,’ she said, glancing meaningfully at her brother. ‘Tell me, have you not considered having a Season just for the fun of it, Angelina?’

Angelina’s expression became grave. ‘It’s a long time since I did anything for the fun of it, Aunt Patience.’

‘Launching a young woman into society is a serious and expensive business, Aunt,’ Alex stated sternly. ‘I dare say it can be “fun”, but one must not forget that all that time and effort is taken for the sole purpose of procuring a husband.’

Angelina glared at him. ‘I know that, which is precisely why I told you yesterday that it would be a waste of both time and money.’

‘Well—whether you have a Season or not is immaterial, my dear,’ said Patience lightly, attempting to defuse a situation that threatened to become explosive. ‘As the ward of the Duke of Mowbray you cannot hide yourself away indefinitely. It is imperative that you have a fashionable wardrobe.’

‘To pass her off in society, Aunt, she will need more than a fashionable wardrobe to be accepted,’ Alex said curtly. ‘She will also need instruction on manners and breeding, which, in my opinion, will take some considerable time.’

Patience studied her nephew’s stony countenance with something akin to surprise. ‘I disagree. Henry and I intend to employ a tutor to instruct her on all she needs to know. She is highly intelligent and cultured—which is more than can be said of some of the vain henwits who are turned out year after year for the Season, so it will take no time at all. What do you think, Angelina?’

Angelina knew Lord Montgomery was jeering at her, but refused to let him see how much the intended rudeness of his remark had hurt her. Glancing up at him, something in his look challenged her spirit and increased her courage in a surge of dislike. She managed to force her lips into a smile.

‘I think that is an excellent idea, Aunt Patience. Perhaps your nephew would care to sit in on my lessons. Unfortunately, it may take him a good while longer since he has more to learn than I. He is a man of high birth but low manners.’

Alex’s eyes narrowed and took on a most humorous glint, which Angelina took pains to ignore. She suddenly smiled radiantly, her soft lips parting to reveal her small, sparkling white teeth that dazzled her adversary. ‘If you have an aversion to joining me at my lessons, you could take them by yourself,’ she generously suggested, her expression serious but her dark eyes dancing with intended mischief, ‘if you can find the time between your many amorous affairs and business commitments.’

Alex stared at her, caught somewhere between fury, astonishment and admiration for her defiant courage. It was the first time he had seen her really smile and the effect was startling. It started in her eyes, warming them, before drifting to her generous lips, stretching them, parting them, her teeth small, perfect and white. In danger of becoming entrapped by his baser instincts, he straightened abruptly from his stance by the fireplace and walked forward, ignoring Angelina as he glanced from his aunt to his uncle, who was enjoying himself immensely.

‘Excuse me. I must go and change. I must also leave before I relinquish my carefully held temper and do something to your ward that will embarrass you both—something I would not regret, I might add,’ he snapped, clenching his crop between both his hands and leaving Angelina in no doubt what he would like to do with it.

When he reached the door he turned and looked back at Angelina, fixing her with a hard stare. ‘If there is anything I can do to make your stay in this house more pleasant, please don’t ask. I should hate to show discourtesy by refusing. But if you want to win my approval, you are going to have to change your attitude and make yourself more agreeable to me. That should be your first concern.’

Angelina’s ire at his condescending superiority was almost more than she could contain, but she gazed at him with a cool hauteur that belied her agitation and managed to speak calmly. ‘Why on earth should I want your approval? And as for my attitude, no one else finds it a problem. Perhaps it is your own attitude that is at fault.’

Alex glared at her before turning to leave. ‘I’ll see you all at dinner.’

‘Of course, my lord,’ Angelina quipped.