A Rose for Laura by Callie Hutton

18

The theater lobby was quite crowded, but that didn't prevent Lord and Lady Hereford from making their way through the throng to approach Laura and Keniel.

"Good evening, Mr. Singh, Miss Benson." Hereford shook hands with Keniel and nodded in Laura's direction.

"What a pleasant surprise," Laura said.

She was still glowing from having received the final papers on Lord Hereford's sponsorship. Things were looking splendidly for her orphanage.

"My dear, I'm amazed you have time for the theater. I thought you would be so busy with your urchins as to have very little time for this sort of thing." Lady Hereford raised her opera glasses and regarded her as if Laura stood yards away.

She tamped down the anger at the woman's words. "Not at all, Lady Hereford. I actually have time to enjoy other things. It is so nice of you to concern yourself with my social life."

Lady Hereford narrowed her eyes, apparently not sure if Laura had just insulted her. Laura offered a bright smile to soften her words. The last thing she needed was to make an enemy of the wife of one of her sponsors.

"Indeed? I never cease to wonder why a young lady would involve herself with cast off children." She waved her fan at her face. "But then I imagine without nobility status, one could dabble in many things others could not."

Laura felt Keniel's muscles tense under her hand. She gently squeezed his arm, warning him not to respond.

"That is true, my lady. 'Tis very nice to have such freedom." She turned her attention to Lord Hereford who seemed oblivious to his wife's cutting remarks. "Have you seen this play before, my lord?"

His face brightened which told her he must spend quite some time ignoring his wife. "Yes. I have seen it before, but I always enjoy re-visiting favorite works. What of you, Miss Benson, is this your first time?"

"Yes. It is. I'm looking forward to it very much."

They chatted for a few minutes more, Lady Hereford throwing in a disparaging comment every once in a while. Thankfully, a footman announced the play would be starting shortly and asked for everyone to take their seats.

"We have a box here if you would like to join us," Lord Hereford said.

Laura's stomach muscles tightened at the thought of spending the entire time listening to Lady Hereford criticize her and her orphans. She had hoped to enjoy the play but sitting next to such disdain would most likely give her a headache and wipe away any pleasure she would gain from the evening.

"Thank you so much, my lord, but Miss Benson and I are awaiting the arrival of other guests. Please go on and enjoy the play."

Hereford slapped Keniel on his shoulder. "Maybe next time, then."

"Certainly," Keniel said. He nodded at the couple and steered Laura away from them.

She let out a deep breath, feeling her muscles relax. "Are we waiting for other people?"

Keniel nodded at another man as he wove them through the crowd. Speaking out of the side of his mouth, he said, "Not unless you arranged it. Unless I am mistaken, Lady Hereford is not someone you would prefer to spend time with."

Laura smiled at the man who took the tickets from Keniel's hand. "Follow me, please."

Keniel placed his hand on her lower back as she followed the man into the theater. "You are certainly correct," she said, "Lady Hereford has never been someone whose company I enjoy. It amazes me how her husband can be so charming and generous, and she is so very, very—well I can't even think of the word."

They came to a stop as the usher compared their tickets to the seat numbers. "I hope she doesn't use those opera glasses to search us out to see if we did have friends with us."

He seemed almost surprised. The poor man had no idea what Society was like. "Do you think she is that interested in what we are doing?"

"Indeed. I'm certain she will see who is sitting near us, and if she knows them, she will definitely mention it to them."

He shook his head. "Why do you put up with this?"

"Frankly, I haven't for a while now. I've started to refuse more invitations than I accept." She turned to him. "That is why I enjoyed working at the club so much. And why I like dealing with the orphans—or urchins as Lady Hereford referred to them—because balls, soirees, routs, musicales, and so forth. become tedious after a while."

She settled back and scanned the program they'd been handed with the listing of actors performing that evening. It appeared to be a well-known cast, some of the actors she'd seen in other plays.

Soon the lights dimmed, and the conversation went from lively and loud to soft and mellow mumblings. With anticipation, Laura took in a deep breath as the curtain slowly parted and the play began.

Sometime during the performance, Keniel reached over and took her hand in his. At first she found it distracting, the warmth and the closeness, but shortly thereafter, it felt natural.

* * *

Keniel attemptedto concentrate on the play but found himself much more interested in watching Laura watch the play. She was not a woman who could hold her emotions inside. Every line that brought humor, sadness, surprise, and anger brought similar reactions to her face.

The plot was humorous as well as touching, and Keniel probably enjoyed it more than he had other plays he'd seen. But nothing was more gratifying than sitting next to Laura as the play unfolded. After one particular scene where she laughed throughout, he reached over and took her hand.

Was he getting in too deep? Was he headed for heartbreak? Maybe it was time to stop fretting about it and just enjoy the time they had together.

Once the play ended, and the gaslights came back on, he stood and assisted Laura from her seat. "I think a late supper might be a good idea. Do you agree?"

She slipped her arm into his and they made their way out of the theater. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I can certainly do with a cup of tea and a little food."

Several other theater-goers stopped by and chatted while they all waited for their carriages to be brought around. He did notice a couple of surprised looks on some of the men who patronized the club, but he told himself it was because he so seldom socialized. But no one snubbed them.

The weather had turned cooler than when they'd arrived, so he hustled them to his waiting carriage and helped her inside. "I made a reservation at Skeeky's in Covent Garden Market for us. If seafood appeals to you, we can go there. If not, we can always find somewhere else in the Garden."

"Oh, seafood sounds wonderful. I've been wanting to try that restaurant since it opened."

Keniel tapped on the roof. "Then we shall proceed there." After the carriage moved from the pavement into the traffic, he said, "I assume from watching you that the play held your interest."

"I loved it. It was funny and sad at the same time. What did you think of it?"

They bantered back and forth about the play, the parts of it they liked the most, but the overall opinion from them both was the play had been quite enjoyable.

They left the carriage and proceeded to the Market, a place he'd only been to once before. Working nights kept him from many of the London evening events, so the only time he'd been there to view all the things for sale had been during the day.

Covent Garden at night was a very different place. Theater-goers, tourists, ladies of the evening, and men looking for ladies of the evening strolled the area. They quickly found Skeeky's and Keniel ushered her into the restaurant.

Before they were even seated, Hunt and Diana entered the restaurant right behind them.

"What a lovely surprise," Laura said as she took Diana's hands and they both air-kissed each other.

Hunt shook Keniel's hand. "I assume you're coming from the theater?"

"Yes. What brings you this way?"

"The same. Diana and I attended the theater also. We saw The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert and Sullivan. Very good," Hunt said.

The restaurant host approached Keniel. "Sir, if you will follow me, we have your table ready."

Hunt stopped the man. "My wife and I also have a reservation. Is it possible to put the four of us at the same table?"

The host, apparently recognizing Hunt, said, "Of course, my lord. Just give me a moment to rearrange the tables."

"Well, then, it seems we are running into each other all over the place, eh, Singh?" Keniel turned to see Lord and Lady Hereford. Hereford turned to Hunt. "Looks like we all had the same idea."

The host returned, only to be sent back to rearrange the tables again to accommodate six people. Keniel glanced over at Laura who didn't seem too pleased with the Herefords joining them.

He leaned in, close to her ear. "I'm sorry. I will make sure you are not seated near her."

She waved her hand. "It's no problem. Truly. I've dealt with women of her ilk for years."

If Lady Hereford was an example of what women had to deal with, it was no wonder Laura had become disenchanted with Society.

They settled into their seats with Laura next to Hunt and across from Lord Hereford. Hopefully the distance between her and Lady Hereford on the other side of Hunt was far enough away to avoid the arrows she would most likely sling at Laura, given the chance. He wondered if the woman was this nasty to everyone, or if she selected Laura for her barbs.

"Are the babies adjusting to their new home?" Diana asked as the waiter filled their wine glasses.

"Yes. They are settling down nicely. Since we have new sponsors and therefore more money, I have been in touch with Mrs. Danby to alert her that we are now able to take a few older children, since her home is quite overcrowded."

"That's wonderful. Just so you know we haven't forgotten you, I have been in touch with Lydia who is also anxious to become involved. Amelia is still recovering from her confinement. I imagine it will be some time before she can join us."

Laura opened her mouth to speak, but Lady Hereford jumped in. "Lady Huntington, surely you don't approve of ladies involving themselves with orphans of the lower class?" she sneered.

Diana appeared speechless for a moment. "On the contrary, my lady. I think Miss Benson is doing a fine job of helping the most vulnerable in our society. My sisters-in-law wholeheartedly support her. I think it is a wonderful cause."

Lady Hereford took a sip of her wine and offered a tense smile. "I'm amazed that your husband allows you to involve yourself in such activities."

One could almost see the steam coming from Diana's ears. "My goodness, Lady Hereford. I don't depend on Hunt for permission to do things I feel are important. I was happy when he agreed to be one of Miss Benson's sponsors."

The woman's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "The Earl of Huntington is sponsoring an orphanage?"

Laura and Diana looked at each other. Hereford seemed oblivious to the conversation again, obviously a well-used skill, as he signaled the waiter for more wine.

"Why yes, my lady," Diana said. "Hunt has agreed to sponsor the orphanage, as has your husband as well."

* * *

It was almosta week after the trip to the theater and the horrid late supper with Lady Hereford. Shortly after the revelation that her husband had stepped up to support the orphanage, her ladyship developed a megrim and insisted they leave at once.

Laura had no idea how strong the relationship was between Lord and Lady Hereford, but he apparently had not disclosed his involvement to her. That was not an unusual situation in marriages among the nobility. Oftentimes couples barely saw each other, even attending separate social events. In fact, Lady Hereford had not accompanied her husband to the dinner at Hunt's house when Lord Hereford had become interested in the orphanage.

In the past week, she and Keniel had spent time together in the afternoons since he was needed at the club at night. They'd been to two museums, one art gallery, and a stroll through Borough Market, which claimed a history as far back as the eleventh century. Some insisted it was actually a market in the Roman times.

Keniel had seemed comfortable with their outings, and she hoped he no longer saw their relationship—whatever that relationship was—as a problem.

Now she awaited a visit from the solicitor who handled the business matters for the orphanage. He'd sent a missive the day before that with her permission, he would arrive at five o'clock on this date as he needed time with her and the other members of the committee. Christine and Marjorie were also on their way.

Laura closed the book she'd been attempting to read and placed it on the table alongside her. The missive from Mr. Grady had been short, with no indication as to what he needed to see them about.

Just as she returned from asking Cook to send in a tea service, the knocker on the front door sounded. Marjorie and Christine arrived with Mr. Grady on their heels.

After relieving themselves of their coats, the three followed Laura into Papa's study. Mr. Grady looked nervous and that raised awareness among the orphan committee members.

He pulled papers out of his portfolio and cleared his throat. Before he began to speak, however, tea arrived, and whatever it was he intended to tell them was put aside while they had tea and a light meal which would hold them over until dinner.

Eventually the cups were empty, crumbs rested on small plates and Laura wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Mr. Grady, can you tell us the purpose of this meeting? I don't mind telling you I am a bit troubled by your manner. Is there something we need to concern ourselves with?"

He took a deep breath and picked up the paper he had taken out of his portfolio earlier. "I believe there is a problem. I have here a document from the Magistrate that requires all of you to be in court Tuesday next."

Laura's mouth dropped open. "Magistrate? Court? For heaven's sake, why?"

"It seems several women have drawn up a petition to close down your orphanage."