Page 53 of The Twelve Days of Christmas

‘ Dieu nous en préserve! ’ he said once he had recovered. ‘I am appalled,’ and drawing himself tall, Maria’s father bestowed upon the Duke of Morley a stern look. ‘Your grace. I would have you remove yourself from my home immediately. You are no longer welcome at Wakely Hall.’

Sir Robert smiled tightly. ‘It would be my pleasure, my lord. I cannot imagine spending one more moment in such vulgar company.’ He turned a disdainful gaze upon Nicolas. ‘Farewell, old boy. Enjoy Paris, won’t you?’

And with not one further word or single bow, the Duke of Morley departed the room, leaving the rest of the party staring after him. That is, except for Miss Cordelia Sharpe, who looked ready to fall into a bout of hysterics.

‘Oh!’ she cried. ‘ Oh! Whatever shall I do!’ to which Tarquin Sharpe pursed his lips.

‘You shall return home,’ said he, ‘that’s what you shall do, until we can think of a way to manage the scandal.’

At this Cordelia’s beautiful face collapsed into tears, tears which Maria supposed now were genuine, since her ruse had failed so spectacularly.

‘He deceived me, brother! He offered me marriage! He said he loved me! Pity me, please!’

She looked about wildly, and upon seeing who stood closely at her elbow with a look of deep concern about his lined face, Miss Cordelia Sharpe promptly collapsed into a faint, right into the Earl of Starling’s waiting arms.

This then, appeared to be the end of it. All attention was now on Miss Sharpe, and Viscount Pépin announced that it was time to depart for the drawing room, where they might all be revived by the wassail bowl.

‘Well,’ Bertram Sharpe said, watching his sister carried out of the ballroom in the ageing earl’s arms, her burgundy skirts trailing upon the shining hardwood floor. ‘I be.’

Maria turned, and when she saw the troubled expression on Mr Sharpe’s face she felt – if not sympathy, since Cordelia deserved none – then a sense of obligation to shew it for her brother’s sake. None of it, after all, was his fault.

‘I am sorry it has come to this,’ she said. ‘I cannot imagine what you must be feeling,’ to which Mr Sharpe shook his head.

‘It is I who should apologise on Cordelia’s behalf. She has always been so troublesome, so headstrong. She was given too much free rein, I see that now, a terrible oversight on my part. I should have taken greater care of her.’

‘You could not have known of her deception,’ Maria murmured as the party departed the ballroom in search of Mrs Denby’s spiced punch.

‘But I should have,’ came the dejected reply. ‘It was my duty to mind her.’

Maria reached out to gently press his arm.

‘Mr Sharpe, you are not to blame for your sister’s behaviour. She was in perfect command of everything she said and did. That was clear enough in Bath.’

At this Mr Sharpe regarded her.

‘What was it Cordelia did there? Your mother implied …’

‘Ah,’ Maria said, colouring a little, and as she regaled the unhappy incident at Lady Warwick’s Midsummer Soirée, Mr Sharpe’s frown grew ever deeper.

‘And I confess I’m not the least bit sorry for spilling my wine over her,’ Maria admitted.

‘I’m afraid my temper rises exponentially if anyone dares treat any of my sisters ill. ’

‘A commendable trait, to be sure. I just wish Cordelia possessed the same caring spirit. Alas, she has shewn herself to be a spiteful creature, and dishonest, too, and see where this has got us. Whatever am I to do?’

So troubled did Mr Sharpe sound, that Maria felt inclined to lift his spirits in the only way she knew how, and that was to say something outrageous.

‘Well, you can look on the bright side of things.’

Mr Sharpe drew his brows. ‘The bright side?’

‘Why yes,’ she said, a smile lurking about her lips.

‘I hear the Earl of Starling is in want of a wife, and since an earl is only two ranks down from a duke, I scarce think Cordelia will complain. I wonder if we can contrive an engagement between the two of them before the night is out? It would save us all a great deal of bother.’

To this Bertram Sharpe stared, before his face creased into a laugh. ‘You certainly are blunt, Miss Maria.’

‘I speak as I find.’

‘So I see.’ He looked at her admiringly, before his face settled once more into a serious mien.

‘But let us consider the alternative. If the earl does not offer for my sister, and society hears word of what happened here today, the prospects of my entire family will be ruined. No one will wish to marry Cordelia, and –’ here Mr Sharpe flushed a little – ‘myself and my brothers will not be looked upon favourably either. You … forgive my own bluntness, Miss Maria, but a gentleman such as your father would not wish any of his daughters connected to a family tarnished by scandal.’

Maria stilled. Her chest grew warm. His implication was clear, and only then did she realise the true import of what had happened. What was it she had thought earlier?

She and her sisters could not do better .

Well, they certainly could if the Sharpe family were disgraced. But then, since when had Maria cared about such things? If she wanted to marry Bertram Sharpe (and the prospect was growing ever more favourable in her mind) then she would, no matter what her father thought about it.

‘Do you know what I find, Mr Sharpe?’ said Maria in musing tones. ‘I find that the older I become, the more I think one cannot be led by the expectations of the haut ton . I couldn’t give two figs what society thinks.’

It occurred to her then that she sounded exactly like Charlotte did whenever she launched into one of her lectures. The notion made her laugh, and Mr Sharpe bestowed on Maria a hesitant smile.

‘You are a singular creature, Miss Maria. No matter what happens. I hope you can accept my sincerest apologies for my sister’s behaviour. What a way to repay the hospitality of your esteemed parents, and yourself.’

Maria, still in high humour, regarded him with a dazzling smile. ‘There is nothing to forgive. Think no more of it, Mr Sharpe.’

The gentleman looked at her thoughtfully. ‘A truly singular creature. I don’t suppose that you would consent to call me Bertram? I should like it above all things.’

To which Maria did consent, and most heartily indeed.