"Yes, it is," he said. "I hope the political situation has settled down by the autumn. With Boney escaped from Elba and things looking as if they are shaping up to a showdown any day, the matter is by no means certain." He looked at her suddenly. "But that is not what you meant, is it? You meant that because I am a man, I have the freedom to come and go as I wish."
She smiled. "It is very restricting to be a woman," she said.
"I confess I had not given the matter much thought before," he admitted. "I suppose I have always thought that females desired no more than husbands, homes, and families. But you have avoided such a fate so far, Miss Matthews. Do you feel very restricted by the conventions?"
"Sometimes," she said. "But I was not asking for your pity, sir. I had not thought a great deal about travel until I heard you talking of different places. I daresay that in reality I would grow very tired of the constant traveling and staying at inns."
She could relax with him. She began to think of him fondly as a real friend and looked forward to their meetings with pleasure. Jane did not have a close friend in London apart from Honor, with whom she did not see eye to eye on several issues. She came to smile a great deal when she was with Mr.Sedgeworth. She was able to keep the pain of not seeing Fairfax at bay except perhaps at night, when she frequently tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep.
She hesitated somewhat when Mr.Sedgeworthinvited her to join a party toVauxhallGardensone evening. She was terrified that Viscount Fairfax might also be of the party. But it seemed unlikely. He had been to no social functions in over a week. When Mr.Sedgeworthexplained that the hosts were his sister and brother-in-law and that they had invited several of their friends, she considered it safe to agree. She wanted to go. She had been to Vauxhall once with her parents and had thought it an enchanted place. She had been unhappy there, having no one for company but her parents, while scores of friends and lovers enjoyed themselves dancing or walking along the lantern-lit paths or laughing over the fireworks displays. She wanted to go back now with a friend and in company with his relatives and their friends.
She did wonder, though, when she knew who the hosts were, whether Honor was not perhaps right in her guess. Was Mr.Sedgeworthdeveloping an attachment to her? He certainly did not behave like a lover. She thought of him merely as a friend. Yet he was willing to escort her to a party hosted by his sister. She was not sure how she would react if he really did have a regard for her.
Her apprehension was put to rest, though, when a short while later he asked Honor too to join the Vauxhall party. Jane even smiled, in fact. Why had she assumed that she had been invited as his exclusive partner? She must be developing some vanity after receiving two offers in the past few weeks. It was a relief to know that Honor would be there too.
They were to dine at Lord and Lady Dart's house on
CurzonStreet
before leaving for Vauxhall. Jane and Honor were to travel there together in Sir Alfred Jamieson's carriage. Honor was not vastly excited.
"How do we know who will be of this party, Jane?" she asked. "We scarcely know the Darts. Certainly I do not know who their friends are.Probably all older married couples.And you and I are to share Mr.Sedgeworth. I could think of better things to do. He probably invited me only because it might have appeared ill-mannered not to. But I shall find it humiliating to have only half a man in attendance for a whole evening.And at Vauxhall too.I have been longing all Season to go there. And the first time it happens, we are to be part of a middle-aged party."
Jane laughed. "Lady Dart is probably no older than I am, Honor," she said. "Certainly she is younger than her brother. And he cannot be thirty yet. Besides, it is unlikely that she would have arranged a party of uneven numbers."
Honor brightened somewhat. "I wonder who the extra gentleman will be," she said. "I hope he is at least handsome. It cannot be Henley or he would have told me when he called this afternoon."
Jane knew the moment they entered the Darts' drawing roomwhothe extra gentleman was. He was standing with his back to the fireplace, a glass of something in one hand, appearing surely taller and more handsome than ever, his face pale and severe, looking as if he were attending his own funeral. She met Fairfax's eyes for a moment, long enough to see his slight bow of acknowledgment. Then her own eyes wavered and dropped, and she could feel the annoying color mount her neck and cheeks. And there was that old churning of the stomach, but far worse than ever before. Why had she not simply asked Mr.Sedgeworthif Viscount Fairfax was to be one of theparty? It would have been easy to do. A mere casual inquiry would have been enough.
It was too late now. Jane smiled and extended her hand to Lady Dart, who had come hurrying toward them. And her smile deepened when she saw Mr.Sedgeworthimmediately behind his sister, smiling his very friendly and comforting smile. Honor, having greeted both, smiled broadly and walked lightly across the room to talk to Fairfax.
Viscount Fairfax had the advantage over Jane, if advantage it were. He knew that she was to be of the Vauxhall party. He had personally accepted Lady Dart's invitation and felt obliged to keep his promise. But he had been furious the afternoonSedgeworthjoined him at White's Club, smirking in such a manner that Fairfax knew immediately that he was up to some mischief.
"I have just come from Jamieson's," he said.
"Oh?" Fairfax did not encourage talk of the ladies of that house.
"And have invited Miss Jamieson to be one of the Vauxhall party."
"You have what?" Fairfax was immediately alert.
"I have taken matters into my own hands, Fairfax," his friend said. "For some reason you have quarreled with the chit, and you have been in a black mood ever since. I am making a last effort to get you two together again."
Fairfax sighed. "Well, you can spend the evening entertaining her yourself, Sedge," he said. "I have already told you I am not interested."
"I can't," his friend said smugly. "I shall be escorting Miss Matthews, and I do not believe I am willing to exchange ladies. I find Miss Matthews far more interesting. No, you can have the beauty, Fairfax."
That was when Fairfax had become furiously angry. But what could he say?Sedgeworthknew nothing of his offer to Miss Matthews.And why should he be angry, anyway, and why so reluctant to see the woman again?He had merely been trying to make a marriage of convenience and had been rejected. What was so embarrassing about that? What had plunged him into such low spirits for almost two weeks? Women of Miss Matthews' caliber were easy to come by. Why did he dread having to face her? Why had he gone straight home after seeing her on the street that morning and not gone out again for the rest of the day?
Sedgeworth'smanner became more serious. "It is just one evening, Fairfax," he said. "At least give the little chit one more chance. If you find that you cannot patch up the quarrel, there is no harm done. You are going home next week. If you do decide that you wish to pursue her again, then why not make her one of your house party? You have already invited Joy and Wallace and the children. Why not Miss Jamieson as well? You would be able to see her in your home setting before making an offer. And she would be well-chaperoned."
Fairfax gave him a speaking glance.
"It was just a thought,"Sedgeworthsaid lamely.
Fairfax found it a great ordeal to wait in the Darts' drawing room knowing that she would arrive soon. It took all his presence of mind to stand with apparent unconcern across the room when she made her entrance with Miss Jamieson and found him with her eyes almost immediately. He bowed in their direction and was strangely pleased to witness her confusion. But why should he care? Why feel the same confusion himself? She was just Miss Jane Matthews, a mildly pretty woman past the first bloom of her girlhood. He fixed his eyes on the approaching figure of a smiling Miss Jamieson, looking quite as dazzling as ever. He prepared to be sociable.
Chapter Eight
