Page 31 of Her Summer Duke

Margaret shook her head.

“Lady Huntington, I beg your pardon, but I have no intention of marrying Lord Percy. None whatsoever. I am merely going to Brighton to relax and enjoy the theatre and the seaside. Nothing more. I have been wishing to go there for some time.” She changed the subject abruptly, “I hear that there is a new production at the Theatre Royal. I can hardly wait to see it. I do so love the theatre!”

Lady Mantrell shook her head and answered in a sharp tone.

“There is no guarantee that we will have time for theatre, Lady Margaret. There are Balls to attend and people to meet and…”

“But I am only interested in the seaside and going to the theatre.”

Margaret’s eyes sought her cousin, Phoebe’s. Phoebe immediately understood Margaret’s silent plea.

“Yes, we are both anxious to attend the theatre. And to walk on the promenade, and the beach. It’s to be a delightful holiday.”

Lady Mantrell shook her head. She was determined to get the upper hand.

“I doubt if I will permit going to the theatre to see a play if it is the sort of modern thing that has been produced lately – all too often, they are full of subjects quite unsuitable for a delicately raised young lady! What say you, Lady Huntington?”

Lady Huntington threw her hands in the air and almost slapped Lady Peabody and Phoebe in the face with them.

“I believe that the world is all out of hand, Lady Mantrell. Just all out of hand. Strange new works, all most inappropriate. What of the works of Shakespeare? Where is the world headed? We are talking about the Theatre Royal, are we not? This is a National disgrace, that is what it is.”

“Yes, and what do you think, Lady Peabody?”

Lady Peabody fiddled with the buttons on her bodice. She was rarely called upon for her opinion and therefore, she wanted to be concise.

“Theatre is often a depiction of society, I believe. Yes, there are items society may choose to forget, that is of course, quite understandable, but theatre allows us the opportunity to explore things which we might not wish to actually deal with in real life. The idea of writing a play to present that sort of thing, and then having that play performed at the Theatre Royal, well, it cannot be of unpropitious choice to go to see that play. Perhaps, some would say, there is a duty to see that play.”

She folded her hands in her lap, quite satisfied with her response.

Lady Mantrell sniffed. What did Lady Peabody know? The woman’s husband kept her sheltered, and rather removed from society. Lady Mantrell’s voice was firm and beyond reproach.

“I will not allow Lady Margaret to attend such drivel. The latest productions touch on topics which are quite inappropriate for a young woman.”

Margaret squirmed in her seat.

“Well, be that as it may be, still, I know that Lord Percy will oblige me in my wishes, should I ask.”

Her voice was firm. Lord Percy was certainly her winning card and she did not hesitate to use him. Lady Mantrell’s mouth fell open. She could not argue with Lady Margaret any further. She knew full well that the man was so smitten by the young woman that he, indeed, would give her anything her heart desired, but she did need to make at least a token protest.

“Well! That is most unseemly of you, Lady Margaret. I shall speak to Lord Percy, and forbid him from assisting you with respect to the theatre.”

Lady Huntington used the implications of the conversation to reiterate her question.

“So, Lady Margaret, you are entertaining the prospect of marriage to Lord Percy?”

Margaret sighed. The ride to Brighton had become extremely tedious. She leaned into Lady Phoebe’s ear.

“We must find a way to get away from Lady Mantrell,” she whispered, “I have to look for Ensign Ch—uh Captain Halstone. He wrote to say that he would be there, waiting.”

Lady Phoebe replied, “How romantic,” she giggled, “so a Captain is as romantic as an Ensign?”

Lady Mantrell leaned forward.

“What is so amusing Lady Phoebe? What is all this whispering? I demand to know.”

Both young women looked straight ahead and said nothing to the prying woman. Lady Mantrell leaned back again and spoke to her friend, Lady Huntington.

“Young people today have no manners or respect.”