Chapter Two
On Friday evening, Natalya dutifully made her way to her aunt’s bedchamber at the front of the house for approval. She stood for a moment, regarding herself in the cheval mirror, then turned about so quickly that the skirts of her pink muslin flew out like an umbrella.
‘Well, Aunt, will I do?’
She threw a slightly defiant look at Mrs Pridham, who was watching her with a critical eye.
‘Very pretty, my dear,’ she said at last.
Natalya put a hand to the lace shawl that covered her shoulders.
‘Do I really need to wear a fichu? The neckline is very modest.’
‘Your uncle and I would prefer you not to draw the attention of all and sundry tonight.’
‘Really, Aunt, I am at a loss to know why you buy me fashionable gowns, if you do not wish me to attract attention.’
‘You need to learn all the graces, my dear, and that includes how to dress to advantage.’
‘But why, ma’am?’ Natalya pressed her. ‘For what role am I being prepared?’
‘Why, to be a lady, my dear, what else?’ Her aunt’s eyes slid away from Natalya’s questioning look. ‘Goodness, is that the time? Lord Dalmorren will be here soon and I have not yet finished my preparations. Oh, well, Mr Pridham must entertain him, when he comes!’
‘I could go down, Aunt, since I am ready.’ Natalya knew her suggestion would be rejected, but she made it all the same.
‘Without a chaperon? Good heavens, no.’
‘But why not? He can hardly seduce me in your drawing room, with servants just outside the door.’
‘This is no time for frivolity, Natalya,’ was the crisp reply. ‘A young lady can never be too careful about her reputation, especially one in your situation. Now, enough chattering. Off you go to your room and let me get on.’
Natalya left her, but instead of returning to her room she paused on the landing, staring out of the window, across the street towards the lush green of Sydney Gardens. It made no sense. Her education had been equal, if not better than most young men would receive, Bath’s finest modistes supplied her gowns with no thought to the cost, but she could not see that the purpose of this was to find her a husband.
When she had left school and joined the Pridhams in Bath she had been seventeen years old, eager and excited about the future. She had asked them if she was to have a London Season, only to be told that it was not necessary. They had given no reason, merely told her that Bath held sufficient amusements. Amusements, yes, but to what end? She had spent the last four years in Bath and any gentleman who showed the slightest interest in her was positively discouraged.
A movement caught her attention and she looked down as a large coach and four drew up at their door and Lord Dalmorren emerged. She smiled when she recalled how his invitation to them all to go to the astronomy lecture had taken Mrs Pridham by surprise. He had given her no time to utter a refusal and Natalya appreciated his ruthless tactics, but her smile faded as she watched him disappear into the house. It was not that she did not want to attend the lecture, but she remembered how she had reacted to His Lordship’s attentions on the dance floor. How his smile had caused her heart to behave most alarmingly. It would be difficult to relax and enjoy herself when she knew her aunt and uncle would be watching and listening for the slightest hint of a flirtation between herself and Lord Dalmorren.
As instructed, Natalya waited until the Pridhams had both gone down to the drawing room before she made her appearance. Her uncle was talking with Lord Dalmorren, who did no more than incline his head in greeting when Natalya came in. Almost immediately Mrs Pridham suggested they should be going, saying she would not want to keep His Lordship’s horses standing any longer than necessary in such a cold wind.
Lord Dalmorren handed the ladies into the waiting carriage with polite civility. He said nothing on the short journey to Bond Street and when they reached the Exhibition Rooms, he took a seat at the end of the row, next to Mr Pridham. Natalya should have felt relieved that he had shown no interest in her at all. Instead she felt a vague disappointment. But why should she be disappointed? She had done nothing to ingratiate herself with him at the Assembly Rooms. Why, he had even suggested that she was trying to discourage him! She peeped along the row. He was deep in conversation with her uncle. Perhaps he really did want company this evening, yet she found it difficult to believe that a gentleman as self-assured as His Lordship would be ill at ease in attending a lecture alone. He was an ainigma, as her Greek tutor used to say.
At the interval everyone moved into the next room, where refreshments were set out on a long table. There were no seats and in the crowded room the Pridhams were soon drawn into conversation with an acquaintance, leaving Natalya to drink her tea with Lord Dalmorren. Good manners dictated that they should not stand in silence.
‘It is certainly very full tonight,’ she remarked, looking about her. ‘There is not a seat to be had. You were fortunate to obtain four tickets at such short notice, my lord. I understand they were in great demand.’
‘I was, wasn’t I?’
She was not fooled by his bland reply and could not resist asking him if he had been obliged to purchase them from other ticket holders.
‘Now why should I want to go to so much trouble?’
‘That I do not know,’ she said, seriously considering the question. ‘I cannot think you are trying to fix your interest with me.’ She met his eyes and flushed a little. ‘Pray do not think this
