Page 54 of A Marriage is Arranged
The weather having finally settled down, they enjoyed a drive in the park that afternoon. Louise wore her new carriage costume of fine blue-grey wool with a fitted bodice and full skirt. The bodice emphasized her slimness.
“Milady has the perfect figure for the straight up and down mode,” said Véronique, frowning a little over the fit of the carriage dress. “But I see already the fashions begin to change. The waist and the derriere become more important. But by then you will be a Maman and your figure will be more full.”
It was true that within ten years the waist would reappear and skirts become fuller, but it was obvious to Louise when she was handed up into the curricle that, fashion or no fashion, one of the narrow-skirted day dresses would be entirely unsuitable for such a venture. How would one step up so high without pulling one’s skirt above the knee?
With her costume she wore a bonnet that, on the advice of Véronique, had a moderate poke with a matching lining and a jaunty but not extravagant feather.
“You do not wish your head to appear so large,” she said. “Elegance, not extravagance!”
So it was that the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury made their first appearance in the park as man and wife. Their happiness and enjoyment of each other’s company made them unaware that they were receiving a number of curious glances, and several people who might have been expected to stop and exchange a few words simply rode by, looking the other way. The happy couple was too busy laughing at something one or the other had said to pay any attention to anyone else. In any case, the opinion of other people meant nothing to the Earl, and Louise was unaware of the habit of riders in the park stopping to talk with friends every few minutes.
Louise was down first after changing for dinner. It never took her long and Susan by now had the knack of doing her hair. She was sitting in the drawing room with a glass of sweet sherry when she heard the front doorbell ring and the Dowager Countess was shown in.
“My lady!” said Louise. “This is a pleasant surprise!”
“I think not, my dear, when you hear what I have to say, but we’ll wait for Gareth.”
Louise was taken aback, but before she could say anything, the Dowager continued. “And please call me Grandmother! We are members of the same family now. Let me say, you are positively blooming, Louise. May I conclude that all is now well between the two of you?”
“Yes, it is, but how did you know we were having… problems?”
“Oh, I’m an old lady, Louise, I’ve observed a lot of marriages. That whole story of your wagering the bracelet was just too silly. I knew that boy of mine must have done something to vex you. I rang a peal over him and told him to come and throw himself on your mercy. Did he do it?”
“Yes, well, I think it’s fairer to say we threw ourselves on each other’s mercy. I was as much to blame as he.”
“Never admit such a thing, my dear! Let them think they are always in the wrong. Believe me, it’s much easier that way. You talked when you first came to London about men always having the upper hand. But we have our own ways of getting what we want. It’s best to learn that early. Ah, here he is!”
The Earl came in and as he kissed first his grandmother and then Louise on the cheek said, “How nice! My two favorite women waiting for me. I’m glad to see you, Grandmother . But what are you plotting?”
“Whatever can you mean? I never plot.”
Gareth laughed. “Yes, and I never make an objection in the House of Lords! Come on now, Gran, out with it!”
“Don’t call me that! Oh, thank you, Lisle.” The butler had come in with his lordship’s fino and a glass of oloroso for the Dowager. She waited until he left.
“It’s those dratted caricatures. It’s silly Betty Hightower, to whom I showed your picture of Caroline du Bois, you remember, Louise? Well, yesterday when those caricatures appeared in the newspaper, she told one of her bosom bows she’d seen one you had done just like it. By lunchtime today it was all over town that you are LS.”
The Earl had just taken a sip of his sherry and spluttered, “What? What are you talking about? Louise is LS? Ridiculous! Just tell me who is spreading that tale about and I’ll put a stop to it!”
Then he saw Louise’s agonized expression and stopped.
“You don’t mean it’s true?”
The Dowager had put her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.
“You didn’t tell him?”
Dumbly, Louise shook her head. “N…no.” She turned to her husband, “I… didn’t want to vex you after we just… I didn’t think there was any way they could be linked to me. I’d forgotten about Caroline du Bois.”
She ran to him and fell at his knees. “I’m so sorry, Gareth. I’m so sorry.”
“You mean you gave those pictures to the newspaper?” He was incredulous.
“No, of course not!”
And the whole story came out.
“You mean Rose, the maid you just asked me to send home in a carriage? In one of my carriages? I’ll dismiss her first, and let her make her own way home! That’s if I don’t prosecute her for theft! Her and that newspaper boy!”
“No, darling, you can’t do that. It wasn’t her fault. She loved him!”
“Love!” The word exploded from his mouth.
There was total silence for a moment. Then the Dowager said, “Yes. Love. It can make you do the stupidest things. We all know that, don’t we, Gareth?”