Page 4 of The Virgin in the Rake's Bed
“But to so blatantly disgrace yourself for the sake of a betrothal, Catherine. It is your reputation that we are thinking of,” Rebecca replied, but Catherine shook her head.
I have already made up my mind, and there is nothing you can do to prevent me. I have even chosen the object of my intentions,” she said, glancing across the room to where a tall and handsome gentleman stood conversing with a group of young ladies.
“It is the only way. He is a rake, I can tell, and I have made some discreet enquiries. His name is Hamilton Asquith, the third son of the Earl of Berkley, and by all accounts, a man easily led into scandal. It will be no trouble to find myself in a compromising situation with him and thus the engagement will be immediately called off,” Catherine replied, as Rebecca and Samantha looked worriedly at one another.
The plan had seemed simple enough to Catherine, who had thought it a stroke of genius when it had occurred to her the previous day. If she could not dissuade her father from announcing her betrothal to a man she had no desire to marry, then making herself as unattractive a proposition as possible was the only thing to do. She was naturally pretty and had no desire to cause temporary disfigurement by cutting off her hair or adopting an injury. Besides, such a thing would only be a short-lived solution. Instead, Catherine had resolved to create a scandal, one which the whole ton would soon be talking about and which would ensure that any potential husband would soon find himself aware of, thus securing her future as a spinster for many years to come.
“And you intend to seduce him in front of the whole ton?” Rebecca hissed, causing Catherine to laugh.
“Is it really any more ridiculous than dressing Samantha as a clergyman to break a pirate out of prison?” she asked, and her two friends were forced to admit that Catherine’s plans were always somewhat of an extreme.
“But your reputation, Catherine? When I and Norman were first together, I knew that in the end respectability would come. But you are about to blot your copybook forever. There can be no going back,” Samantha said, glancing nervously across the room to where the unwitting Hamilton Asquith was now helping himself from the punch bowl.
“I know exactly what I am doing,” Catherine said, annoyed that her friends could not see the sense in what she was doing.
There could be no other choice than this. The grandfather clock ticking ever closer to that fateful hour when Catherine’s father would make his announcement and her destiny would be sealed. It would require a miracle for her father to change his mind, and not being in the habit of working miracles, Catherine had but one choice left to her – to ensure her own destiny, because no one else would ensure it for her.
“And how will you seduce him? Will you walk boldly up to him and announce your intentions?” Rebecca asked.
“No, of course not. I will merely show him my intentions. He is bound to take the air, shortly, or slip out for some reason or another. I shall follow him and then speak with him. A man like that can hardly resist. I have watched him all evening, and he has made royal progress about the room, no doubt searching for his chance. Well, I am about to provide it,” she said, rising from her place, with an air of determination about her.
“Oh, Catherine, please think about what you are doing,” Samantha implored her, clutching at her hand, but Catherine shook it off dismissively, determined to see her plan followed through.
“I have decided, and you will not stop me,” she said, and before either of them could say anything further, she had pushed her way through the throng, following Hamilton Asquith, who had just excused himself from the company.
* * *
Ian was watching Rickard with bemusement. He had made attempts to speak to several women, some far beyond his possibility and some quite below it. Those who knew their own superiority had swiftly rebuffed him, whilst those who fell far short of anyone’s mark had embraced the attention with all the vigor which Ian had warned against.
Thus, Rickard now found himself dancing with a woman whom Ian knew would be trouble. She had appeared flattered at the attention and was now gazing into Rickard’s eyes with the expression of a woman who believes she has secured her man. Ian was far more tactful and had kept his own rules foremost in mind when talking to the women present that evening.
Some had presented a slight distraction and attraction, even for him to exchange a few polite words, even a compliment in exchange for their own toward him and thus, unlike his friend, Ian had made a progress through the room which did not result in any form of commitment – not even a dance. Now, as the music began, he found the atmosphere growing hot and stuffy, and desiring to take some air, he excused himself and stepped out onto the terrace. It was early spring, and twilight had fallen, the gardens of the Somerset residence heavy with the scent of fresh growth and blossom.
“Did it get too much for you, too?” a voice behind him enquired, and Ian turned to find Nicholas Lowood – the Marquess of Somerset - stepping out from the ballroom.
The two were casual acquaintances, on friendly enough terms, and had had some business dealings together.
“I cannot abide all the preening and ceremony. The way they all dance around one another. It is quite obscene,” Ian replied, gesturing over his shoulder toward the ballroom.
“I could not agree more, how thankful I am that such things are behind me. To think that I was once like that, myself,” Nicholas replied, shaking his head, and coming to join Ian leaning on the parapet of the terrace, looking out over the garden.
The two men stood in silence for a moment.
“Perhaps it is the lot of every young man,” Ian replied, and Nicholas laughed.
“You are only twenty-eight years old. We are about the same age, do you not think about marriage sometimes?” he asked, and Ian shook his head.,” he said,
“I have no desire for it, none whatsoever,” he said, and Nicholas smiled.
“You do not want to settle down?” he asked, and Ian shook his head.
Nicholas was happily married to Rebecca. They had a child together – a son, and a bright future ahead of them. Fate had been kind to Nicholas.
“Not after what happened to me,” Ian replied, and Nicholas nodded for the betrayal of Cassandra was common enough knowledge.
“They are not all so bad, I can assure you. Take Rebecca, for example. She is the loveliest of women,” he said.
“Which is why she is married to you, I am sure. I hold no animosity toward those who find themselves in such a happy state. But I myself will avoid it. I do not think I shall return to the throng just yet. Might I trouble you to smoke in the library. If it is convenient, of course?” he asked, and Nicholas nodded.
