AN: As promised, the entrance of Sir Henry Pearce...
Elizabeth's father declined his share of Rosalind's invitation, and his daughter would have followed suit had Ruth not strategically mentioned the certain presence of Captain Levendis. Thus an imminent refusal was transformed into an immediate acceptance, and arrangements were made for the carriage to convey Miss Evershed and Miss Bailey to Major North's house on Wednesday evening and safely return them home to Upper Wimpole Street later that evening.
Therefore, at half-past seven on Wednesday evening, the Baileys' chaise drew up outside Major North's handsome Curzon Street residence, paid for by his wife's handsome fortune. Ruth and Elizabeth disembarked, the latter in a gown of white crepe, recently arrived from the shop of her fashionable modiste in Conduit Street, and the former in pale green muslin made by her own fair hands. A footman elegantly attired in tasteful livery admitted them to the house and led them into the drawing room, where the guests were conversing prior to dinner. Major North was engaged in conversation with his wife and two gentlemen, but immediately broke off to cheerfully greet his recently arrived guests. "Miss Evershed, Miss Bailey, good evening!" Tall, handsome and decidedly the man of fashion, Rosalind's husband was so much her opposite that anyone who had never seen him in the company of his wife might have suspected him of marrying her merely for obtaining the convenience of the thirty thousand pounds which was her fortune. Ruth, however, knew better - there was love, companionship and trust in this match, even if it was moderated by the clash of two fierce tempers.
The Major led them towards his wife and their two guests, while Elizabeth looked longingly over at Captain Levendis. Unfortunately he had been a moment too late in rising to greet her, and had now to endure the conversation of his sister and her own fiancee until Beth's release from her aunt and hosts. "Might I introduce Captain Adam Carter and Sir Henry Pearce?" Lucas began, formally indicating each of his guests with a wave of his hand. Captain Carter looked to be of an age with Major North, blonde and well-built with the friendly, open appearance of a man at home in fashionable society. Sir Henry was older by perhaps twenty years, of middle height and good build. His light brown hair was beginning to thin, but his hazel eyes held such good sense and kindness that Ruth liked him at once. "Captain Carter, Sir Henry, might I present Miss Ruth Evershed and Miss Elizabeth Bailey?" The men bowed and the women curtsied. Introductions completed, Lucas would have continued the conversation, had it not been for the untimely entrance of Lady Radford. Quickly excusing himself, the Major left his guests to become acquainted.
Captain Levendis took his chance and extracted his betrothed from under the eye of the admittedly handsome Captain Carter, who was conversing quietly with Mrs North. Ruth was left alone, for the moment, with Sir Henry. He was watching Elizabeth's retreating back with a smile of private enjoyment. Catching Ruth's eye, it widened. "Forgive me, ma'am," he began, and Ruth added his voice, deep and well-modulated, to the list of his pleasant attributes which she barely recalled having begun to note. "I understand the lady is engaged to Captain Levendis? She is a relation of yours?"
Ruth, always pleased to discuss her protegee, smiled shyly in reply and explained, "Miss Bailey is my niece, sir. She is engaged - the announcement was made but lately, however. They plan for a July wedding, before Captain Levendis must rejoin his regiment in the Peninsular." Sir Henry glanced over at the young couple, laughing and talking in a corner of the drawing room, and then returned his attention back to the young lady's aunt. "Does your niece intend to follow him there?" he asked quietly. Ruth's reply, and the anxiety it caused her, must have shown in her face, for Sir Henry smiled down at her reassuringly. "I assure you, ma'am, many more brides do so than not. It is a mark of devotion to her future husband that your niece has chosen to do so. Admirable, I am sure. My own wife chose to remain in England during my term of active service." This last line was uttered somewhat gravely. The idea that Sir Henry had a wife did not, for some reason, sit well with Ruth, but she composedly asked, "Is she not able to attend this evening? I should have liked to make her acquaintance."
An odd look passed across Sir Henry's face, and his gaze was fixed firmly on the wood of the Norths' drawing room floor when he replied, "Forgive me, Miss Evershed, I should have made myself more intelligible. I was referring to my late wife." Ruth could feel herself blushing at her unwitting mistake. She would have apologised had the dinner gong not at that very moment rung. The level of noise in the drawing room increased as the guests paired up. Major North extended his arm to Lady Radford, and Sir Henry stepped forwards to escort Mrs North. Finding her already on the arm of Captain Carter, he turned with good grace to Ruth and offered her his arm. She accepted it and stilled the tremor of her gloved hand as it rested upon his.
With an eye of approval, Lady Radford noted her goddaughter enter the dining room.
The Norths' only ever held informal dinners for close friends and relations, so conversation was not restricted to those seated next to each other. The guests were mainly intelligent, well-informed people, and their dialogue ranged across many subjects - literature, the forthcoming Royal Academy's Annual Exhibition at Somerset House, politics, before settling on Captain Carter's business expedition to America, undertaken a year or so ago. He spoke well and fluently, and was eager to answer the questions of the assembled party, most of whom had never been to the ex-colony.
"America is a very comfortable place - amiable people, ingenious minds, pretty women. I declare I could have stayed for a twelvemonth," he told them cheerfully. Ruth smiled at the openness and honesty of his character, a rarity in London society. Next to her, Sir Henry suppressed a chortle of almost bitter laughter, drawing a glance of mock indignation from Captain Carter. "But I forget," he reminded the company, "how much Sir Henry dislikes America." The object of his mirth bowed his head in acquiescence.
"I dislike them, my dear fellow, because I spent four years fighting them, and because it appears that we will now have to do so again," he pointed out dryly. Ruth's eyebrows rose significantly. She was foolish not to have realised sooner that a military man of Sir Henry's age was likely to have served in the war with America of the previous century, and thus have a somewhat coloured view of the sort of events that were currently occurring across the ocean. Sir Henry took a sip of his wine, before continuing. "The ability to rebel against the country of your forefathers is not one I particularly admire." His voice and manner assured everyone of the fixed nature of his opinion, but somehow it irritated Ruth.
"Liberty is not so very much to ask, Sir Henry." Silence fell heavily around the table, as everyone waited to see how Sir Henry would react to Miss Evershed's statement. The baronet merely gazed impassively at his interlocutor for several moments, and Ruth reddened slightly under his gaze. But she was determined not to concede the point. "Perhaps as a woman, I understand that desire for freedom better than any man ever could. And now, they do not seem to have any irrational reason for their complaints. Surely, we have no right to dictate the terms on which they should trade with France, or to force American citizens to fight in our Navy. I do not approve of the way their intentions have thus far been announced, but I find it impossible to disapprove of their motives." Sir Henry's face softened and he raised his glass to her in a silent salute.
"Just as, while I cannot approve of your opinion, ma'am, I must, I think, approve of the mode of its expression. But in these times, perhaps we all must learn to think a little differently." It was a compliment and a placation, and Ruth accepted both gracefully. Elizabeth, who had been anxiously listening to the discussion as if it could bring her aunt some sharp rebuke, relaxed somewhat and returned her attention to Dimitri, sitting on her left hand side. Ruth returned to her food, but Sir Henry found it more difficult to do the same. It was not often, after all, that a lady was met with who not only understood, but could also converse easily, on matters of foreign policy. She intrigued him. Lady Radford, across the table, set down her cutlery, smiling a well-hidden, but extremely self-satisfied smile...
AN: At this point in time, Britain would only have been a few months away from the Anglo-America War, declared by America on June 18th 1812. I like to think that Harry would have been anti-American, and that Ruth would still have retained her "Spirit of Atlanticism." Hope you enjoyed reading...