Denouncing Miss Holland
Penelope Hayes paced the parquet flooring of her drawing room as she awaited Buck's arrival. Thankfully, Buck had the manners to respond punctually to her summons, and within a few minutes, Rathmill, the Hayes' butler, announced that Mr Isaac Buck had presented his card.
Buck strode purposefully into the room and took Penelope's slim white hands in his own pudgy ones. He regarded her with approval. She was dressed exquisitely in a white organza blouse embroidered in black. Her hips were hugged by a rich skirt of merlot-coloured faille and her waist was cinched by a wide black velvet belt. There was a slight pink flush to the cheekbones of her perfectly oval face. Clearly, whatever she had to tell him was of great significance. "You have news?" he enquired.
Penelope gave Buck a cat-like smile and reclined slowly and gracefully onto an eau de nil chaise longue. She gestured for Buck to take a seat on a wing back armchair next to her. Penelope could see that Buck was desperate for her to share her news, but she couldn't resist dragging out the suspense for a few moments longer, making a great show of arranging her skirt so that it draped in elegant folds around her legs.
"What would you say, Buckie, if I told you that the virtuous Elizabeth Holland may not be quite so virtuous after all?" She looked up at Buck from underneath her dark lashes, a coy smile on her lips.
"I'd say that I find it hard to believe that the angelic Miss Holland could be anything but virtuous. Insipid and dull, yes, but naughty, never." Buck said lightly.
Penelope smirked. "Well, I have been reliably informed that Elizabeth is not as chaste as credited…"
"Do you mean that she and Henry have-"
"Henry? Of course not." Penelope snapped, a frown creasing her alabaster brow. "Don't be ridiculous, Buck. I have it on good authority that Henry Schoonmaker has absolutely no desire to touch Elizabeth Holland before or after the ceremony. No, the truth is much more satisfying."
"So, tell me Penny, who has plucked our dear Miss Holland?" Buck leant forward in his chair and gazed at Penelope intently.
Penelope looked disgusted. "Really Buckie, that is such a revolting word. You can be so crass sometimes. Well anyway, it turns out that Elizabeth Holland has been deflowered, to use one of your expressions, by a nobody."
Buck raised an incredulous eyebrow. "A nobody I know of?"
"Ha! That is exceedingly unlikely, seeing as Elizabeth's secret amour is none other than the Holland family's groom."
"You mean that Elizabeth Holland likes to take a tumble in the hay with a stable boy?"
Penelope gave a shriek of laughter. "Isn't it delicious? What do you think Henry Schoonmaker would do if he found out that his saintly fiancée is really no better than a common whore? I think he'd regret his decision to pass me over so cruelly."
"If he doesn't already," Buck returned, "I can't see the appeal of being married to drippy Elizabeth Holland myself. No doubt some man might, Teddy Cutting for one, but not Henry Schoonmaker. He was always meant for you."
"Indeed. But now Elizabeth is not quite as drippy as we thought. You have to admit, adding compulsive slut to her character makes her a little more interesting. However, I don't think even the ever-faithful Teddy Cutting will want her once this juicy piece of information gets out."
"Who told you about Elizabeth?"
"Oh, her lady's maid, whom Elizabeth dismissed today." Penelope waved her hand dismissively, indicating that ordinarily, Elizabeth's maid would be completely beneath her notice. "It seems she was desperate for revenge on Elizabeth and so shared this delightful little snippet of gossip with me when I passed her in the street. She had her price of course, but I think you'll agree it was worth it."
"And will you tell Henry?" Buck asked.
Penelope cocked her head and pursed her lips. "I'm not sure yet. I'd have to wait for the optimum moment, of course."
"Like their wedding day for instance?"
Penelope grinned. "Whilst I am sure that it would be hugely enjoyable to see Elizabeth Holland denounced as a harlot on the very day that she was posing as a virginal bride, I think it would be best to act with a little more tact." She paused. "Perhaps dear Liz may be amenable to a bargain," she said contemplatively. She glanced at the mantle clock. "And now, Buckie, you must go so I can change for dinner." She rose from the chaise longue and glided towards the door, her skirt whispering against the floor behind her.
"Penny, what are you going to do to Elizabeth?" Buck asked, his voice touched slightly with concern. Making snide remarks about Elizabeth and plotting her social downfall was one thing, but there was a hard glint in Penelope's eyes that Buck all of a sudden distrusted. How far was Penelope prepared to go in her quest for supremacy?
Penelope turned back. She walked towards him, a cold smile on her lips and patted his cheek. "Wait and see, Buckie," she whispered, "wait and see."