Cartland

CHAPTER ONE

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1911

The beautiful mirrored ballroom at Lord and Lady Mercer’s vast mansion in Knightsbridge had seen many grand and exciting occasions, but none to rival the one in progress this warm summer evening.

The daughter of the house, Mary-Rose, was now eighteen and in honour of her birthday, her parents were throwing an extravagant fancy dress ball.

All the smartest and grandest members of London Society had flocked to the great house in a variety of marvellous colourful costumes.

Against Lady Mercer’s better judgement, the band now playing up in the gallery that ran round the far end of the sumptuous oval room, had been imported especially from America.

In a side room tables had been laid with a sumptuous buffet. Ice statues in the shape of flowers stood between huge crystal bowls full of white roses and lilies.

Everything wonderful had been provided for the guests; even champagne flowing down a pyramid of sparkling glasses.

Rumours abounded that there was to be a fire-eater and a juggler later in the evening and a giant cake with eighteen candles.

Everyone was excited and happy and no one was more excited than Lady Tamina Braithwaite.

Small, slender and dressed in a quite amazing concoction of colourful chiffon and feathers, Lady Tamina had come to the fancy dress party disguised as a bird of paradise.

With a sapphire and emerald silk skullcap hiding her long blonde hair and a feathered mask covering her face, no one would ever have guessed who she was.

But beneath the mask, Tamina was bubbling with happiness as she was whirled around the shining parquet dance floor.

Oh, Edmund, isn’t this the most marvellous party you have ever at ended?

Edmund Newson smiled down at his partner. He had flatly refused to wear a fancy dress costume this evening – he had a dreadful fear of looking stupid, but his fair good-looks with a dapper moustache accentuating the handsome curve of his mouth more than made up for his reluctance.

You are certainly the star of the evening, my dearest, he whispered as the music changed to a slow waltz and couples sank into each other’s arms.

Tamina laughed.

Oh, no, Edmund. Mary-Rose Mercer is the star and as it is her birthday, it is only right that she takes centre stage.

Edmund was concentrating on his steps and did not reply, but he knew that most eyes in the ballroom were following the quicksilver movements of the little green and blue bird of paradise and not the heavier tread of the young girl dressed in the great white wig and cumbersome outfit of the ill -fated French Queen, Marie Antoinette.

Tamina closed her eyes for a few seconds, allowing the world to whirl round her.

She was so happy! She was in love!

Edmund was an up and coming politician. He had just won a seat in a by-election to the House of Commons.

Tamina had met him a month earlier when she attended a race meeting at Ascot.

Her father, Lord Braithwaite, held a top position in the Foreign Office and on the morning of Ladies’ Day at Ascot, he and Lady Braithwaite had quietly left the country on a diplomatic mission to Italy.

Although Tamina considered herself to be a girl with very modern ideas and outlook on life, she had been reluctant to attend the races on her own. Luckily her elderly Godmother, Countess Lichley, who was very fond of her, had cheerfully agreed to be her chaperone.

But it had been an extremely hot day and after the buffet luncheon, the Countess had soon found a chair in a quiet corner and sat under her lace parasol to rest.

And the rest had turned into a long doze.

So Tamina had wandered around alone, and in one of the enclosures during the racehorse parade a mutual friend had introduced Edmund Newson.

Do you remember the day we met? she whispered now as they circled around the ballroom, their colourful reflections changing every second in the myriad of mirrors.

Edmund nodded.

Indeed, I do, little one. It is engraved on my heart forever as the most marvellous day of my life so far.

Did you fall in love with me immediately?

Of course, sweetheart! Why do you think I asked you to marry me the following week?

Tamina sighed.

It was all so wonderful. She felt like the heroine of a great romantic novel, swept off her feet by the good-looking and dashing hero.

Yes, she was engaged, but she had promised Edmund to keep their betrothal a secret!

Somewhere inside her head, a little voice whispered that her mother and father would be most upset to hear that she had been secretly meeting a young man and would soon be wearing his ring on her finger.

But Tamina pushed these doubts aside. Edmund was wonderful, so clever, so handsome, such a marvellous dancer and he loved her so much.

When her parents finally met him, she was sure they would love him too.

Tamina gazed up at his square ruddy face. Edmund was frowning – it made him look so sweet and serious. It was incredible to know that she was the most important person in the whole world to him.

Tamina knew her parents loved her, but as the youngest by far of three children she had never attracted their undivided attention and affection.

Her two older brothers, Peter and Guy, had made the family a boisterous masculine place for a little girl to grow up in.

She had learnt to ride, to climb trees, to fall over and scrape her knees without ‘blubbing’, as the boys called her tears.

When they had finally departed for boarding school, she had missed them dreadfully.

She had several governesses who tried to turn her into a feminine frilly child, but every time Peter and Guy came home, they dragged their little sister into all their madcap schemes.

I am so looking forward to introducing you, Edmund, to my brothers, she murmured as the music ended.

Arm in arm they walked out into the balmy moonlit garden and sat at one of the tiny tables scattered along the patio under flaring torches in bronze sconces.

Ah, yes. They are both in the Services I believe you told me? Away from home a great deal, I imagine?

Yes. Tamina felt tears prick her eyes for an instant. Peter, who is the eldest, is in the Army and dear Guy, who always has to be different from his brother, joined the Navy.

And do you expect them to be home on leave soon, my sweet? enquired Edmund, kissing her wrist just above the edge of her gloved hand.

No. Sadly not for months and months. By then I hope we can announce our engagement to everyone!

Edmund’s pale grey eyes looked sad.

No one wishes for that more than me, Tamina. But as I told you, I am honour bound to tell my elderly grandmother first. She brought me up when my parents died and has the right to know our brilliant news before anyone else.

Tamina’s eyes grew larger and bluer behind her feathered mask.

And your poor grandmother is sadly very ill, you said?

Edmund sighed.

Yes. But her doctor informs me that her health is slowly improving all the time. As soon as she is strong enough, you and I will travel to Scotland together and tell her our news. Until then, I fear we must keep our love a secret.

But what – what if your grandmother does not get better? whispered Tamina hesitantly.

Edmund patted her hand and stood up.

Then we will marry immediately. Now, I think some refreshment is in order. I believe ices are being served in the conservatory. Wait here, dearest, and I will fetch you one.

Tamina watched lovingly as he weaved his way through the dancing throng.

Just then a striking couple standing close to her chair caught her attention.

She recognised the half-masked lady in the dark red dress as Lady Eunice Kenton, but the man seemed to be a stranger and Tamina was intrigued to know who he was.

He was attired in formal evening dress, but his face had been darkened and he wore a magnificent Arabian headdress with a fold that swept across his mouth so that only his eyes could be seen.

Even as she watched, Lady Eunice tapped his arm playfully with her feathered fan and walked away towards the stairs, the red silk of her dress swirling around her beautiful figure.

The man watched her go, then sank down onto a little gilt chair next to Tamina and sighed.

Ivan, the Earl of Daventry, felt exhausted, weary in every bone of his body.

It was hard to remember that only three months ago he had been living a happy-go-lucky existence in Italy, free of all worries and commitments.

As the younger son of the influential Daventry family, he had never needed to take on the family duties and responsibilities that fell to his older brother, Geoffrey, who had been groomed to his position in Society from birth.

Ivan, five years younger, had wanted nothing more than to travel the world, learning about every country and the culture, history and geography and backgrounds of the people he met.

His immediate plan was to write a book about all he had seen and learnt and then – if he had thought of the future at all, it had been vaguely that at some point he would probably go into the Diplomatic Service where his knowledge could be of use to his country.

Even when Geoffrey had inherited the title, he had not worried about what lay ahead for the Daventry family in the years to come.

His adored elder brother was happily married and his wife, Honesty, was carrying the new heir to the Daventry title. Everyone’s lives seemed so happy and fulfilled. The future was rosy.

But all that had changed on a fateful snowy night in March when the carriage carrying Geoffrey, Honesty and their servants had overturned on a dark slippery road in the Lake District killing them all instantly.

It was hard now to even remember the last three months, he thought, closing his eyes against the whirling brilliance of the dancers in front of him. The pain and loss were still so great.

He was now the Earl of Daventry and his grief for his beloved brother and beautiful sister-in-law had to be kept under control, because there was so much to do and arrange.

Hurrying back across Europe at breakneck speed, he had been unable to believe the telegram he had received was true.

He had still half thought that it was someone’s idea of a bad sick joke, but knew in his heart of hearts that no one could be that evil.

Then he had been forced to deal with the funerals, the grief of both families and the servants, as three of the family staff had died as well.

Next was to come the endless legal documents and complications to do with the estate.

He had felt the blackness of despair and exhaustion about to swallow him up until he had met Lady Eunice while out riding one day.

He knew nothing of London Society. Many of the older traditions and etiquette had been swept away with the turn of the century. The pace of life was much faster now.

He had been away from England for too long and had lost touch with all his friends.

Lady Eunice’s brisk sympathy had been very welcome compared to the cloying affection of other acquaintances and he was now beginning to think that perhaps their new friendship might well blossom into something more lasting.

It was good to meet a girl whom he could trust