Dizzy Dilemmas (5 page)

“I will explain just as soon as we get out of here! Come on!” This time Dizzy tugged forcefully but still Georgiana, not usually slow on the uptake, refused to be budged
. She dithered and Dizzy knew it was only a matter of moments before her antagonist of the night before would spot her. Turning to face her sister she took a calming breath before saying. “Three people have just walked in and I particularly wish to avoid one of the gentlemen.” Feeling a little more explanation was necessary, she added “I accidently poured water on him last night!”

“Ah, I am beginning to understand. So which one?” Georgiana asked.

“The tall, handsome one,” Dizzy replied

“They are both tall and handsome so that does not help me! Is he standing to the left or right of the lady?” Georgiana was beginning to sound exasperated and amused all at the same
time.

“I am not going to look
and risk eye contact!” Dizzy said forcefully. “I am trying to sneak away before he recognises me.”

“Perhaps h
e will not recognise you anyway. It was, after all, only a small incident at a ball”

Actually, it wasn’t quite such a small incident because after accidently spilled water on him, I then deliberately poured water on him!” In response to Georgiana’s incredulous expression she defended herself. “Well, he did provoke me!”

Oh goodness Dizzy, you do get yourself into some pickles do you not?” Georgiana could not help but laugh. “Instead of sneaking off you could always brazen it out. Were you formally introduced to him at all? If not you need not acknowledge him.”

“Do we have to have such a long depth discussion now, Georgie? No we were not introduced but Gideon spoke to him at length so I assume they are acquainted. Is he coming this way?” When Georgiana turned to look Dizzy hurriedly added, “No! Don’t make it obvious!”

“Oh for goodness sake! No he is talking to his companions. If he has any sense he will do his level best to avoid you! Come on, I think I spied a second exit o
ver this way. Let’s find the Egyptian mummies shall we?” So saying she grabbed her youngest sister’s hand and made for the second, less conspicuous exit situated on the far side of the exhibition hall.

Ross and Erica Devereaux; Marquis and
Marchioness of Trevellyn stood and glanced around the exhibition hall as they conversed with their companion. Ross and Marcus had forged a strong friendship when they had been comrades in arms, often isolated beyond enemy lines, and reliant only on each other to remain out of danger and the grasp of the French. That is until Marcus; unexpectedly inheriting the Duchy of Glenmore from his Grandfather, had resigned his commission and returned to the family estates. Being the son of a younger son, he had not been raised to manage an estate, let alone one of the wealthiest and most influential Dukedoms in the kingdom and therefore he had spent the last four years on intense training, learning established methods and traditions but also marrying them up with modern innovations and techniques. In that time he had sought the aid of Mr Robert Prentiss, an eminent businessman who had in turn introduced him to his reclusive partner Eric Hurst. Eric Hurst was in reality, Erica Wilmshurst and thus it was that Marcus had developed independent friendships with both Erica and Ross whilst they in turn remained strangers to each other. The fact, as it later transpired, that the two had been married to each other all along and their subsequent unorthodox and belated courtship at a house party was still a source of amusement to Marcus.

“
I am glad you decided to come up to town for part of the season. I had thought you were ensconced in the country for the foreseeable future overseeing your new home,” Marcus said.

“It is our new home that has brought us to town.” Erica informed him. “As you know Diggory Hall had been neglected for many years when we bought it. The builders have certainly made good progress in restoring it to former glory and the decorators have already begun so we are at the stage now of choosing fabrics and furniture.
London offers the best choice and so here we are.”

“What is so special about it? Surely you have enough properties littering the country at your disposal?”

“Erica wanted a home in her native Dorset close to both her brother and the sea. It is after all, a beautiful part of the world.  With it being near derelict to begin with, we have been able to pretty much redesign it to our own specifications without having to consider family history and tradition. We will hopefully have a modern, comfortable home when it is finished,” Ross answered.

“We are hoping to hold the next annual house party there this summer for close family and friends. You will be receiving an invite, Marcus so please do not make any plans for the beginning of August
,” Erica added. “Of-course I cannot promise it will be as exciting as last year’s events with kidnappings, ghostly monks and errant husbands but we will certainly try to make it entertaining.”

“
I would not miss it for the world!” Marcus laughed. “I only wish I had been able to attend last year.”

Changing the subject, Erica looked around her. “I thought it
would be busier than this,” she commented.

“It is probably a little early in the day fo
r the party goers of the Season,” Ross surmised.

“And the initial rush when they were first put
on display has probably abated,” Marcus added, also looking around.

Then he frowned. The frown turned into a growl. “Oh for the love of Zeus!”

His companions turned to him in surprise but it was Erica who asked the obvious question.

“What’s the matter?
”

“It’s her! The water-wielding she devil from last night. What is she doing here?”

“Viewing the marbles, I should think,” Ross was amused at his friend’s discomposure.

“Very
amusing I’m sure!”

“Which one is it?
” Erica asked, looking at the two young women who were engrossed in what appeared to be an intense conversation halfway down the room.

“The one with the chestnut coloured hair.”

“They both have chestnut coloured hair so that is not helpful. Is it the one on the left or the one on the right?” Erica persisted.

“Will you not be so obvious, Erica. Stop laughing Ross. I have no wish to attract her attention!”

“
What has happened to our calm, rational friend, Ross? Have you ever seen him so flustered? This girl must be something special do you think?” Erica could not help but tease much to Marcus’ disgust.

“
No indeed. Even when we were in imminent danger of being caught by the enemy, he remained utterly composed and yet here he is falling to pieces over a chit of a girl.” Ross joined in the teasing.

Marcus harrumphed “Do not be fooled, my friends, by that exterior. She is more dangerous than a battalion of French soldiers, believe me. Her brother, Lord Brockton, told me something of her past exploits last night after my encounter with her. He seemed quite keen to formally introduce us, no doubt in attempt to of
fload her. Any sane man would jump at the chance of ridding his household of such a mayhem maker. He has probably followed us here to force the issue!”

“That is Gideon Brockton over there isn’t it?” Erica asked, gesturing with a nod of her head to her left. “I have heard that they are a very close family so I think you are reading too much into it. Besides, they were here first and as we only decided to come ourselves
less than an hour ago, it is impossible for them to have known our intentions!”

Marcus harrumphed again.

Erica and Marcus laughed but taking pity on their friend, Ross said. “Come on. We will head on to the Egyptian exhibit and return when the coast is clear. I know Erica wants to see the mummified cats and I want to see what they keep under those mummy bandages.”

The Egyptian exhibits were housed
at the back of the museum on the second floor and therefore to reach it one had to climb a wide, shallow staircase and traverse along a gallery of portraits of people famous for exploration and scientific endeavours. Georgiana was particularly interested in the paintings and frequently stopped to read the information attached.

“Have you noticed how they are all men, Dizzy? Surely women are just as capable?”

“We are not given the same opportunities in education though are we? It is assumed that our brains are too delicate to understand basic politics, let alone scientific theories or philosophical debates. Of-course you and I know that is rubbish but the fact remains, until women are seen as the intellectual equal of men and are given equal access to education, then they will not be able to compete with their male counterparts.”

“Women make up half the population and so one should really see it as a serious waste of potential. I wonder if women will ever be able to attend university,” Georgiana said.

“I doubt it will happen in our lifetime
, if ever,” Dizzy shook her head. “If we are looking at lost potential in gently bred females, how much are we losing in not educating the lower orders of society?”

“Just listen to us? We had better keep our voices down less we be mistaken for bluestockings!” Georgie said in a loud whisper.

“We are closet bluestockings!” Dizzy reminded her. “But we do not want to be mistaken for revolutionaries. We would be thrown in the Tower for sure.”

“Can you imagine
Gideon’s reaction if he had two of his sisters locked up in the Tower?” Georgiana asked. “Do you think he would charge to our rescue or leave us locked up?”

“Oh definitely locked up! He would probably barter to have Genevieve th
rown in as well,” Dizzy said. “It would relieve him of a great responsibility. No more chaperoning us around, chasing off fortune hunters or warning away rakes. It would be his idea of heaven.”

They were just in the process of moving off when Dizzy became aw
are of voices approaching the corner they had just come around. Thinking it was Gideon, Genevieve and Gabriel she turned to greet them and came face to face with the one person she truly wished to avoid.  The incident and the man could have been ignored if it had not been for Georgiana who had, like Dizzy, been expecting to see her siblings and had started to address them.

“We were wondering when you were going to catch us up. Oh!”

“Were you expecting us to catch you up?” Erica asked shooting a glance at Marcus who she saw wore an ‘I told you so’ sort of expression that unfortunately also looked a bit smug and superior all at the same time which was guaranteed to set the young ladies teeth on edge!

“Yes. I mean, no! That is to say…” Georgiana started to explain but was a bit distracted by
the pain caused by her sister’s nails digging grooves into her forearm whilst the low growling next to her seemed to be escalating in volume.

“What my sister means to say,
” Dizzy jumped in a little too loudly, “is that we thought you were our companions, whom we are expecting; who we expect to join us any minute now!”

“We left them w
ith the marbles, you understand,” Georgie tried to clarify.

T
he absurdity of the situation was beginning to tickle her sense of humour but she knew if she gave in to the laughter bubbling up, Dizzy would probably slay her with just one scorching look. The result was that her voice came out somewhere between a snort and a giggle that would have made even her dear parents think she had lost her own marbles and was in need of urgent medical care!

Silence!

Only for a matter of a few seconds granted but to Georgie, who was trying to hold herself together and   to Dizzy, who was looking at her sister in bewilderment; it seemed to go on for an awful lot longer. The three people facing them also seemed a little befuddled but nonetheless very much amused if their frown twisted smiles were anything to go by.

“I
t is always amusing in an embarrassing sort of way when one mistakes someone for an acquaintance, don’t you think?” Ross smiled. “Erica does it all the time, don’t you my love?”

“Me!” Erica glared at him but not wishing to make the young women in front of her any more uncomfortable or that is to say, one of them for the other one seemed to be highly diverted rather than embarrassed. “Yes of-course. It happens to me and lots of other people all the time!”

“I cannot say I am in the habit of addressing strangers, through mistaken identity, on a regular basis or indeed ever!” Marcus commented folding his arms and grinning as the water nymph squirmed before him.

“Oh come old friend
, I seem to recall you mistaking the Conte de Levres son for the groom,” Ross reminded him.

“Ah but he
was acting inappropriately in the stables and dressed like a groom and as I had never met him before it is hardly the same, more a case of me mistaking his position, justifiably so considering his attire, rather than his identity, wouldn’t you say?”

“As I remember it he wasn’t dressed in much at all” Ross began to reply but Erica fearing a story unfit fo
r maiden ears jumped in with, “well never mind that!”

But then Dizzy was unable to restrain herself from asking “What was he doing in the stables?”