Beauty in Breeches - By Helen Dickson Page 0,2

the windows streamed through her light brown ringlets shot through with chestnut glints. She was pouting prettily and sitting poised and straight backed, her hands folded in her lap. She was small and slender, with china-blue eyes and rosy dimpled cheeks. She bore only the faintest resemblance to her cousin Beatrice and was cast in a sweeter, gentler mould than Beatrice’s nature could ever imitate with success. The apple of her mother’s eye, Astrid was in the ascendant.

‘I have returned to organise Astrid’s birthday party,’ Lady Standish said. ‘It is to be a large affair, with only the finest society people invited. You should have seen her in London, Beatrice. I think Lord Chadwick was most struck.’

Beatrice was all attention. ‘Lord Chadwick? The Marquess of Maitland?’ she said mechanically. She realised her aunt was watching her intently and that her face was unguarded before her.

‘Of course. There could scarcely be a better match.’ Lady Standish paused to take a sip of tea. ‘There is no need to look so incredulous. It is quite natural. Did you not think Astrid was to marry some time?’

Beatrice gaped at her. If she had not been so taken aback by her aunt’s pronouncement that made her want to shriek, she would have laughed aloud. She had given little thought to the matter of Astrid’s future. She never thought beyond her own life, what she wanted—of returning to Larkhill, which was so very dear to her.

‘Lord Chadwick—he has been abroad for several months on one of his ships and only recently returned—showed great interest in Astrid. Indeed, the attention he showed her was commented upon by several; I am hoping he will approach me to offer for her. He is of excellent family, of sound character, sharp wits, intelligence and his fortune is quite remarkable. Through his own endeavours there is a fleet of ships flying his flag and carrying his cargo. He has mines of gold and silver that bought those ships, and his ownership of land is so vast no one knows how much. Astrid will indeed be a fortunate young woman if she manages to secure him.’

‘He sounds an impressive figure, Aunt Moira, but a grand title, wealth and happiness don’t always come hand in glove,’ Beatrice retorted tersely.

Lady Standish gave her a sour, disapproving look. ‘Any woman would be a fool to turn away from it. Astrid is certainly willing to entertain Lord Chadwick. The wedding will be a truly grand affair, with one of those new-fangled wedding tours to France and Italy, before they settle down to married life at Highfield Manor in Kent. It is an estate of some significance.’

While her aunt twittered on, Beatrice kept her face lowered, feigning interest in a magazine so Lady Standish could not see her, would not see that her face was white. She blindly turned a page so that her aunt would not be able to tell she could not control a grimace of anger and the tears stinging hot. She felt murderous. She wanted to leap to her feet and remind her aunt of the harm Lord Chadwick had done her family, harm she seemed to have forgotten, or considered unimportant when it came to choosing a husband for her darling Astrid. But Beatrice had not forgotten.

Beatrice wanted Lord Chadwick to suffer all the torments of the damned and crawl to her for forgiveness for being the architect of all her misery. She simply could not bear the thought of Astrid being the Marchioness of Maitland, Lady Chadwick, living her life in grand style, while Aunt Moira would have Beatrice married off to the first suitor who chanced her way.

‘Of course, should Astrid marry Lord Chadwick it will be a perfect match. If he offers for her now, they can be betrothed before the little Season starts in the autumn.’

Astrid had come out the year before and had been the toast of the Season. She had received several offers of marriage, but Lady Standish had considered the young men who made them too low down the social ladder and not rich enough for her daughter and had declined their offers, hoping for better things, a brilliant match, and to that end she had in mind Lord Chadwick.

‘If he does indeed offer for Astrid, it will be a spring wedding.’

Beatrice was unable to keep quiet a moment longer. Blinking back angry tears, she looked at her aunt. ‘But, Aunt Moira, how can you let such a thing happen? He alone is responsible