Page 19 of The Marriage Game
As the day for the planned visit to Lady Alicia approached, Caroline began to have doubts about her well-meant idea. What if Lady Alicia refused them entrance? In fact, what if they were publicly denied entrance, and this was witnessed? It would be everything dreadful, would it not, to have that story spread about?
Jane encouraged her to see the plan through. “Kindness is never wrong,” she insisted.
Thankfully, Caroline’s friends – yes, she now had friends, and they had come to visit her more than once since the tea party! – had agreed that they should all arrive together. A show of force, Miss Johnson had said. They met at Miss Johnson’s house, and had then taken the large and rather showy Johnson carriage to Lindsay House.
“No butler seeing this carriage would deny us entrance,” Miss Johnson had insisted.
As it turned out, she was quite right. The butler took one quick glance at the obviously costly equipage and admitted them at once.
“We are here to see Lady Alicia,” Miss Johnson announced, removing her hat, gloves and coat as if there could be no doubt of her welcome.
The butler shook his head. “Lady Alicia is seeing no one.”
“She will see us,” Miss Johnson insisted. “Tell her that Miss Johnson, Miss Taylor, Miss Davies, and Miss Bingley are here to see her.”
A voice spoke from behind the butler. “Jamison, what is it?”
The butler turned and replied, “There are several young ladies here to see Lady Alicia; I have informed them that Lady Alicia is not receiving visitors just now.”
The gentleman who had spoken stepped forward and said, “May I take the liberty of introducing myself? I apologise for my forwardness, but there is no one here to do the honours. I am Gregory Lindsay, Alicia’s brother.”
The ladies quickly curtsied and introduced themselves.
“My Lord,” Miss Johnson murmured.
“No, I am the second son, so it is just Honourable,” he told them. “Doubtless you have heard of my sister’s misstep. Alas, I think all of London has done so.”
Caroline replied, “We have, yes; but we are here to offer her our support. We were at school with her.”
“How very kind, Miss Bingley! She has locked herself in her room, refusing to see anyone, but I think that to be the very worst thing for her.”
“Indeed, she should show herself to everyone,” Miss Johnson agreed. “And she should simply laugh at her own foolishness; that way the gossip will die down.”
“I hope you will convince her of that,” Mr. Lindsay said, sincerely. “If you would wait in the drawing room, I will – well, I will force her to come down! It may take some time, so I beg you to be patient.”
Upon being assured that the ladies would be very patient indeed, Mr. Lindsay directed the butler to escort the ladies to the drawing room and have refreshments brought at once. And it was well that they had been directed to exercise patience, as it was a full hour before Lady Alicia appeared, her brother behind her. She looked very ill; her face was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. She had lost perhaps a stone, as her gown hung on her.
Her guests rose at once and curtsied. She did not curtsey in return; instead, she stood in the doorway and said, “You have come to gloat over me, I take it.” Her tone was dull.
Her guests gasped. “Of course not!” Miss Johnson replied at once.
“No, indeed,” Caroline added. “We have come to offer our support.”
Lady Alicia shook her head. “What support can you possibly give me?”
“Friendship,” Miss Taylor returned, simply.
Lady Alicia’s face suddenly crumpled. “I have no friends,” she said, her voice breaking. “All my friends deserted me when they heard of my disgrace!”
“Then they were not true friends,” Miss Taylor said, firmly.
Mr. Lindsay now spoke. “Alicia, please. Sit with these ladies for a time. It would do you good.”
Lady Alicia walked into the room and perched gingerly on a sofa; her brother sat beside her and held her hand.
“Are you truly here as friends?” she said, weakly.
“Yes,” Caroline said, firmly. “We all make mistakes, Lady Alicia. Society judges young ladies harshly for our mistakes, and if do not support one another, then what chance have we?”
“Exactly what I have been saying,” Mr. Lindsay contributed. “You make it worse by hiding away, Alicia.”
“Exactly right,” Miss Johnson insisted. “You must be seen, as often as possible. Teashops, museums, theaters. Yes, there will be snickers at first, and you will have to bear that, but the snickers will die down as soon as a new scandal comes to light.”
They fell silent as Lady Alicia stared at her slippers and then at her guests. “I was not kind to any of you at school,” she admitted. “I do not deserve your present kindness.”
“You most certainly were not!” Miss Johnson agreed. “But that is over and done.”
“Miss Bingley prompted us to visit you,” Miss Taylor said. “And she was right to do so.”
“Then I thank you, Miss Bingley,” Lady Alicia said. “And I thank each and every one of you for showing me kindness when I showed none.” Her voice was humble.
Plans were made then for the six of them to meet at a teashop in Mayfair in two days’ time. “May I be permitted the honour of joining you and treating all you ladies to tea and cakes?” Mr. Lindsay asked.
The ladies blushed and agreed eagerly. They rose to take their leave, and Mr. Lindsay bowed over each of their hands. It escaped no one’s attention that he lingered rather long over Miss Bingley’s hand.