Never Run From Love (Kellington Book Four) (3 page)

Just when Mel thought she would expire from the tedium
of the season, she learned of Mrs. Seton’s group, which sought to ban gin and
dangerous spirits.  While Mrs. Seton was rather more strident than Mel would
like, the very idea of helping the lower classes by eliminating the scourge of
poisonous spirits was similar to the Quaker teachings she’d been exposed to. 
And she liked doing something useful with her life.

Besides, it would provide her with sufficient cover
for her real mission.

Her aunt and uncle had been wary at first when she
said she’d like to attend a few afternoon meetings.  However, once she’d
discovered that a few other ladies of the
ton
also attended Mrs. Seton’s
meetings, her aunt and uncle had reluctantly agreed to let her go.  It probably
helped that Aunt Evelyn looked for every opportunity for Mel to gain greater
acceptance in society.  It had to be obvious that no one called at the house to
see Mel, although Aunt Evelyn and Mary did everything to include her when they
did have visitors. 

As a consequence, Mel had been given permission to
attend a few afternoon lectures.  What her aunt and uncle didn’t know – and Mel
felt horribly guilty for keeping it from them – was that she also accompanied
Mrs. Seton on her protests at night.  The few upper class member of the group
usually skipped those.  But you couldn’t very well do any reforming if you
didn’t run across people who needed to be reformed.

And they usually only came out at night.

Mel turned over in bed, wondering if she could get
just a few more minutes of sleep.  But then there was a knock at the door,
followed by Mary’s immediate entrance.  Her cousin settled herself on the bed
with a jolt that thoroughly jostled the still sleepy Mel.

Mary was truly a diamond of the first water.  She
was petite – several inches shorter than Mel’s height of five feet ten inches. 
Mary was blonde, blue-eyed, exquisitely mannered and bred from birth to become
the perfect wife of a peer.  She had her standards for a husband:  no one
beneath an earl, with at least ten thousand per year and an aversion to time
spent in the country.  Mary couldn’t see herself being far from the shops,
theatre and social whirl of the
ton
.  She’d enjoyed her first season
tremendously, despite not yet accepting a proposal of marriage.  She’d received
more than a few, but none that appealed particularly to her.

“The Raleighs’ ball is tonight,” said Mary with a
morning person’s enthusiasm.  “What are you going to wear?”

Mel had quite forgotten about the latest ball and
witlessly tried to think of an excuse to get out of it.

“Do not even think of not going,” said her cousin
with a smile.  “It will be one of the biggest events of the little season and
simply everyone shall be there.  If you ever hope to find a husband, you must
attend these events, no matter how boring you find them.”

“I don’t find them boring,” said Mel, who then had
to smile when she caught her cousin’s disbelieving look.  “All right, so I
would rather spend the evening with a good book or in conversation with you and
your parents.”

“But what about dancing?  You must enjoy that.”

“Considering the fact that I am often taller than my
partners, dancing is not quite as much fun for me as it is for you.”

Mary laughed.  “Oh, dear, poor Mr. Findlay looked
particularly chagrinned when you rose from your chair to your full height once
he’d asked you to dance at the Meriwether ball.  But I choose to look at your
stature as majestic, rather than something to shrink from.”

“I did not say I shrink from it,” said Mel with a
grin.  “Only that the gentlemen do, which brings up another point.  Why does no
one say anything at these events?”

“There you are mistaken.  A great deal is said,”
said Mary.  “You just aren’t paying proper attention.  You are also overlooking
one of the most important parts of a ball – the marvelous gowns.  I am looking
forward to wearing the blue silk with pearls and you should consider wearing
the topaz because it brings out your beautiful eyes.”

“I may not be feeling at all the thing tonight,”
said Mel, who dearly wished she could go back to bed and not have to think
about another ball.

“You will be in perfect health,” said Mary as she
squeezed her cousin’s hand affectionately.  “I shall insist upon it.”

As Mary left the room to plan her evening’s
wardrobe, Mel threw back the covers.  There was nothing for it, she supposed,
but to begin the day.

*                    *                    *

Ten of the clock came mercilessly early
,
thought Hal, as he dragged himself into Lynwood’s study for their family
meeting.  The unplanned stop at Dill’s had dragged on to almost dawn.  His
stomach was nauseated, his mouth was dry, he had a pounding headache and he was
still the tiniest bit drunk.  A quick stop in the kitchens – away from his family’s
scrutiny – had produced some dry toast, weak tea and the promise of the
Kellington family’s special “headache remedy.” 

No one knew exactly where the recipe had come from,
but it was rumored to have been the original concoction of their longtime butler
Heskiss, who’d seen the previous duke through an allegedly wild youth before
settling down with his duchess.  While Hal couldn’t imagine his father as a
wild young man, he had even greater difficulty imagining Heskiss coming up with
a potion to combat the ill effects of drink.

He wondered what other secret talents their butler
was concealing.

Hal walked into the library to find everyone there
before him.  Lynwood was seated at his desk, which meant this meeting would be
a serious one.  Ned, Jane and Violet were back home in Marston Vale, but Arthur
and Vanessa were there, recently returned from a very brief wedding trip to
assume duties at the Home Office.  Lizzie and Riverton were also in attendance. 
Lizzie looked decidedly green and Hal grimly noted there might be a race for
the chamber pot between him and his sister.  Lizzie, however, had a perfectly
good excuse for her nausea.  She was expecting. 

Riverton was hovering over his wife and, truth be
told, he didn’t look too well himself.  Lizzie said he was wearing himself out
looking after her.  She kept assuring him she was perfectly fine but absolutely
miserable.  Hal had no doubt she suffered from the nausea, but her perpetual
glow since learning she was expecting certainly put paid to any notion that she
was anything other than thrilled.

Hal was surprised to see that his maternal aunt Prue
was in attendance, along with her longtime companion, Mariah.  Aunt Prue and
Mariah were family favorites and had helped raise the Kellingtons after they’d
been orphaned.   Hal was always glad to see them, but their presence at the
meeting gave him an ominous feeling because it had been called by his paternal
aunt Agatha, the Countess of Crenshaw.  Aunt Prue and Aunt Agatha didn’t get
along and avoided each other at all cost.  There were many reasons for their
animosity, but much of it concerned a Kellington family secret.  Aunt Prue and
Mariah were very much in love, and had been for their twenty-year relationship. 
Since such unions were illegal in England, it was kept secret.  But Hal
suspected that even if the relationship hadn’t been an issue, Prue and Agatha
just wouldn’t have gotten along.

It wasn’t that Aunt Agatha was a bad person.  She
was just a high stickler who never really forgave her late brother for marrying
so far beneath him socially.  Hal’s mother had been the daughter of a baronet
and his father had been one of the prizes of the marriage mart.  But nothing
could keep them apart. 

Even death.

As Hal walked into the study slowly, praying
Heskiss’s headache remedy would be delivered shortly, all eyes turned to him. 
He began to understand the purpose of the meeting and wanted nothing more than to
turn and flee.

“Henry!” said Aunt Agatha with a volume that would
surely split his skull wide open, “you look terrible!”

“Good morning, Aunt,” he said to her dryly, nodding
in her direction, then immediately regretted the motion.  He turned to his more
agreeable relations.  “Aunt Prue, Mariah.  I did not expect to see you here.”

Aunt Prue, still a beauty in her early ‘40s, looked
at him with a combination of sympathy and amusement.  “Hal, as much as it pains
me to agree with the Countess, I must say you’ve looked better.” 

“Shall I ring for tea?” asked Mariah, ever the
peacemaker.

“Thank you, Mariah, but I believe Heskiss shall
bring me, uh, refreshments.”

“Would this be the kind of refreshments one requires
after overindulging?” asked Arthur with his crooked grin.  “I daresay you need
it.  Sure you don’t want me to ring for kippers or kidneys or sausage?” 

“Pray cease your teasing,” said Lizzie, looking
almost as green as Hal.  “For I am your unintended victim.”

At that moment Heskiss entered, carrying a glass of
a dubious-looking liquid on a silver tray, which he offered to a grateful Hal. 
At the same time, a maid set out a platter of crackers, biscuits and cucumber
sandwiches.

“Heskiss,” said Lynwood, after looking over the
dishes, “is Cook preparing something more substantive?”

The butler looked just the slightest nonplussed
before replying, “Your grace, Cook has asked me to, uh, inform you that since
breakfast is over, she will serve no food that may make Lady Riverton feel
unwell.  She further states that should any other lady….”  Here, he looked in
Vanessa’s direction, “…feel ‘unwell,’ she would like to be informed forthwith so
she can adjust the menu accordingly.  In the meantime, if anyone wishes for a
more substantive repast, she will have a table set in a room away from Lady
Riverton and any other lady who might be in a similar ‘condition’.”

“Is this Cook’s way of asking whether my wife is
expecting?” asked Arthur with a laugh, completely ignoring Vanessa’s vivid blush.

“I am sure Cook would never be so presumptuous, my
lord,” said Heskiss.  “Although any such information would be gratefully
received.”

“It is quite irregular, Lynwood,” said Aunt Agatha
imperiously, “that you would allow your servants to run roughshod over you.  It
would never happen in my household.”

“I daresay you are correct about your own household,
Aunt,” replied Lynwood.  “But as Lizzie and Vanessa’s health and comfort are
high priorities to me, I am grateful for Cook’s concern.  Heskiss, please
convey my thanks to her.  That will be all.”

As soon as the butler closed the doors behind him,
Aunt Agatha began.  “Henry, you have been conducting yourself with all the
dignity of an East End drunkard.”

Hal was decidedly not in the mood to be the subject
of a family debate.  “So it appears the difference is solely in geography,” he
replied, sipping his drink carefully.

“Aunt,” said Lynwood in his most authoritative
manner, “I do not believe name calling solves any problem, and Henry, you will
address your Aunt with the respect she deserves.  We are all here today because
of our concern for you.”

“I assure you there is nothing to be concerned
about,” said Hal as he finished his drink.  “If I may go?”  He started to rise
from his chair.

“No, Hal,” said Lynwood, “you may not.  For months
now, you have stayed out all night drinking and gaming.  Your days are spent
sleeping off your excesses and you have shown little interest in engaging in
activities worthy of your talents.”

“What if drinking and gaming are my talents?” asked
Hal, hoping to ease some of the tension in the room.

“Then I would be greatly saddened,” said Lynwood solemnly. 
“But not as disheartened as I am right now, knowing that my brother is wasting
his life.”

Hal looked stricken for a moment, before assuming
his mask once again.

“Hal,” said Aunt Prue, gently.  “You are a young man
about town and enjoying yourself as others do.  I daresay, even your brothers
and Riverton engaged in many of these activities, even if I am not supposed to
know about such things.  No one faults you for them.  But it does appear that
you are rather more deeply involved in this life than your brothers were.  And
we are worried.”

“It’s that Charles Francis fellow,” said Aunt
Agatha.  “He’s leading you astray.”

Hal answered coolly, “I assure you, Aunt, that
Francis and I take turns leading each other astray.  It is hardly his fault.  I
take responsibility for my own actions.”

“You need to take a wife,” said Aunt Agatha.  “It is
time you settled down.”

“None of my brothers married this young.  Liam still
isn’t married and he’s two and thirty.”

“He has a point,” said Arthur to his aunt.  “Ned and
I would likely be unmarried still if we hadn’t met the ladies we did.  I cannot
imagine my life without Vanessa, just as Ned is quite besotted with Jane.”

“See?” said Hal, grateful for the unexpected
assistance. 

“But, Hal,” continued Arthur in a most unhelpful
way, “I confess that while I engaged in many of the activities you so enjoy, I often
found myself wondering if there wasn’t something more to life.  After a while
the meaningless diversions of a single man began to pale.  My soul knew
something was lacking even if my head did not, if you will excuse me for waxing
poetic.”