‘I’ve been thinking that myself,’ he said. ‘If Rock hears about it elsewhere – and he’s more or less bound to – we really will be in the soup. So would you rather I told him?’
‘No. But if you want to take your share of the blame, you can come and do it when I’ve finished. Shall we say tomorrow morning?’
‘I’ll be there. Are you going to warn Nell or am I?’
‘You are.’ Adeline smiled sardonically. ‘You’ve begun to figure as a cross between Sir Galahad and the Oracle … so it would be a pity not to put it to some good use, wouldn’t it?’
Upstairs in the nursery, having promised to stand sponsor to Amberley’s son, Rockliffe said, ‘Rosalind looks very well and is clearly happy. A weight off your mind, I imagine?’
Leading the way out of the room and away from the ears of the nursery-maid, the Marquis said, ‘Yes. I’ve written to the German doctor I told you of – so perhaps, in a few months, depending on his reply… well, we’ll see.’ He paused. ‘Meanwhile, how are things with you?’
Rockliffe shrugged slightly. ‘If you are asking about my marriage … it’s not exactly what I either hoped for or expected. But I persevere.’
Amberley opened his mouth to say, ‘But she’s besotted with you!’ and then thought better of it, realising that, since Rock must know that, the problem – if there was one – had to be something else. He said lightly, ‘Including your wedding, this is only the second time I’ve met her – but I like what I’ve seen. And Jack and Harry both seem exceptionally fond of her.’
‘Yes. They do, don’t they?’ drawled his Grace. Then, pointedly changing the subject, he said, ‘You may recall a conversation we had quite some time ago about the mysterious whereabouts of Francis Devereux.’
‘Vaguely,’ agreed his lordship, somewhat taken aback. And then, ‘Are you saying you’ve found him?’
‘Possibly. I could, of course, be completely wrong … but I rather think he’s currently treading the boards at the Comédie Française under the fanciful stage-name of L’Inconnu.’ And, smiling a little, ‘If it is him, he’s actually surprisingly good.’
*
The short journey home found Nell decidedly subdued and, in the darkness of the carriage, she slid her hand surreptitiously into Adeline’s for comfort. Then, escaping to her chamber, she spent a large part of the night wondering whether Harry’s words offered any basis for hope.
Finally left alone with his wife, Rockliffe smiled and said lightly, ‘If I promise to do nothing alarming, would you agree to drink a glass of wine with me?’
Adeline gazed back at him and was invaded by a sudden recklessness.
‘It has to be said that – to some of us – everything you do is alarming. But just this once, I’ll take my chance.’
He opened the door the salon and stood back to let her pass.
‘Am I supposed to applaud your courage?’
‘No. Just watch out for my elbows.’
He was still laughing as he poured the wine. Then, handing her a glass of Burgundy, he said, ‘So what else have I missed – apart from the unheralded descent of Dominic and Rosalind?’
‘The equally unheralded descent of Lewis and Cecily. Which reminds me. I have to plan a reception.’
‘For Lewis and Cecily?’
‘Who else? It’s quite simple. I pave Cecily’s way in society and she keeps quiet about what happened in Oxfordshire.’
‘I see. Very resourceful.’ He contemplated her over the rim of his glass. ‘And how does dear Lewis like all this?’
‘Lewis,’ came the demure reply, ‘is not a problem.’
‘And will not, I trust, become one,’ returned Rockliffe blandly.
The new, temporarily audacious Adeline merely shook her head and smiled provocatively. Then she said, ‘Paris was obviously entertaining. I trust your business prospered?’
‘Eventually, yes.’ His mouth curled in a slow smile. ‘And no. I neither extended my absence in order to worry you nor took … unhusbandly advantage … of my liberty.’
The narrow brows soared. ‘Didn’t you? Why on earth not?’
‘In the first instance,’ replied Rockliffe gently, ‘because I was quite legitimately detained; and in the second … because of all the women who came my way, not one compared favourably with my wife.’
He paused and watched her cloak of levity disintegrate. Then he said, ‘And if that is alarming, I apologise. But you did ask for it, didn’t you?’
~ * * * ~
TWENTY
Rising betimes on the following morning, his Grace was conscious of a strong sense of optimistic well-being. He breakfasted alone, allowed his secretary to bring various matters to his attention and then began sifting through the heap of correspondence engendered by his three-week absence. Half an hour later and with every trace of lazy contentment effectively wiped from his face, he strode from the room and virtually collided with Adeline who had been on the point of entering.
‘How fortunate,’ he said with unusual crispness. ‘I was just about to come in search of you.’
‘And I you,’ she smiled. Then, uncertainly, ‘Is something wrong?’
‘Why yes, my dear. I rather think it is.’ Rockliffe ushered her grimly into the library and closed the door. ‘I should like to know why – when Nell sees fit to make herself the talk of the town - you do not see fit to inform me of it.’
Adeline’s heart sank.
‘Oh,’ she said feebly. ‘I suppose it’s no good saying I was just about to do so?’
‘Were you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then no doubt you had an excellent reason for not telling me last night.’
‘Well, yes – I thought so.’ She met his gaze with wry candour. ‘I felt that there was no purpose to be served by immediately ruining your home-coming - and that therefore this morning would do. Obviously I was mistaken. Do you mind if I ask who told you?’
‘Who but Lucilla?’ His tone was caustic but his mouth had relaxed a little and, handing the letter out to her, he said, ‘Read it for yourself.’
Adeline skimmed swiftly through the tightly-scripted page and learned that Lucilla had been apprised of Nell’s disgrace by her friend, Maria Fitzroy. The details, moreover, appeared to be depressingly accurate. Sighing, she looked up at the Duke and said, ‘It’s difficult to tell from this which Lucilla enjoys most; blaming you – or criticising Nell.’
‘Quite. But it’s an ill wind, they say, that blows nobody any good.’ He paused. ‘It is true?’
‘I’m afraid so.’ She braced herself and then continued simply, ‘Nell attended a public ridotto with Sir Jasper Brierley and was brought home by Harry – who not only gave her a thundering scold, by the way, but also tried to break Sir Jasper’s jaw into the bargain. Unfortunately, she was seen and there was some gossip. The only consolation I can offer is that it’s over now – and no real harm was done, so far as one can tell.’
‘That,’ observed Rockliffe, ‘remains to be seen. But enlighten me. How did Nell manage this feat? And how come Harry was the one to put an end to it?’
‘She told me she had a headache – and I was stupid enough to believe her,’ came the bitter reply. ‘I let her persuade me to leave her and go to the Crewe’s ball with Isabel as planned. Then Harry came … and of course I told him. It was sheer luck that he knows Nell well enough to guess that she was up to no good. We came back here, found her missing and put two and two together.’
There was a long silence when she finished speaking and Rockliffe’s expression, though it defied interpretation, made her distinctly uneasy. Finally, when he showed no sign of answering her, she said defensively, ‘Harry was a great help, you know. And Nell is truly sorry.’
‘I daresay she is. It is, after all, the usual result of being found out.’ His voice was smooth as silk. ‘Correct me if I am wrong … but did not the Crewe assembly take place the night before I left for Paris?’
Adeline’s breath leaked away.
<
br /> ‘Damn,’ she thought weakly. ‘That’s torn it. Now he’ll never believe I meant to explain that as well.’
‘Yes,’ she said flatly.
‘I thought so. The occasion is distinguished in my memory as the one on which I found Harry here with you … on the point, I believe he said, of bidding you goodnight.’
‘Yes. He – he’d just brought Nell home.’
‘So I gather. And yet, so far from telling me what had occurred, the two of you seem to have actively chosen to keep it from me.’ The dark eyes examined her coolly. ‘Unless, of course, I am missing something?’
‘No. No – you’re not missing anything. Harry had hopes of hushing the thing up and he thought that, if you knew, you’d send Nell to Lucilla. So he asked me not to tell you.’
‘And you agreed.’
‘At the time, yes. I suppose I thought that there was no point in worrying you needlessly.’
‘My dear! Such touching concern for my welfare!’ he exclaimed sardonically. ‘I only wish I could appreciate it. Sadly, however, I find myself unable to be grateful to you for first conspiring with Harry to deceive me and then allowing me to leave for Paris ignorant of the fact that my sister might at any moment be facing social ruin. Quite apart from the damage you might have done Nell by denying her my support, it makes me wonder what exactly you think I am – and whether you take all your troubles to Harry.’ He paused, his mouth curling in something that wasn’t a smile. ‘The only thing I know for certain is that you don’t confide them to me.’
Adeline stared at him and discovered that she felt rather sick. She said with difficulty, ‘What troubles? I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Don’t you, my sweet? Then let me remind you. I’ll admit that – but for this business over Nell – I wouldn’t have remarked on it. But perhaps you’d like to explain why you found yourself so ill-provided-for that it was necessary to ask Matthew to advance you five hundred guineas?’
She stood very still while a raging, black desolation filled every corner of her soul. It was, of course, her cue to tell him everything … and she’d actually hoped that, this time, she’d bring herself to do it. But the timing was inescapably wrong. She could not do it … and, if not now, probably not ever.
Despair tinged her gaze with acid and put an edge in her voice.
‘Can’t you guess? I lost it at cards. And if I’d realised it was so important, I’d naturally have made my confession the instant I laid eyes on you. But you will doubtless be relieved to learn that the rest of my bills are paid – and that I can, if you wish it, account for every penny you’ve given me.’
‘You know perfectly well that I don’t give a tinker’s curse what you do with your allowance,’ snapped Rockliffe, his temper beginning to rise in earnest. ‘I do, however, very much resent being relegated to the edges of your life and given no more of your confidence than you’d accord a stranger. You never ask for my help, you won’t accept my affection – you don’t even appear to care for my company. In fact, it’s beginning to seem that the only things you do want from me are my title and my money. And that, my dear, is something I never thought to hear myself say.’
Silence, inimical and catastrophic, yawned about them while stricken aquamarine eyes met shuttered black ones.
Somewhere at the back of her mind, Adeline was aware that she ought to say something … but did not know what.
Rockliffe recognised that he had hurt her but repressed the urge to apologise.
‘You don’t deny it, I see,’ he said, at length.
She drew a long painful breath and managed the merest suggestion of a shrug.
‘Where’s the point? Simply telling you that you’re wrong isn’t going to do anything to convince you, is it?’
His anger ebbing, Rockliffe stared back at her and – just as he had done five months ago in Lady Miriam’s garden – tried to decide whether he most wanted to shake her or kiss her. Then, in the distance, he heard the pealing of the door-bell.
‘Hell,’ he sighed, ‘and damnation. I am in no mood for morning callers.’
‘It’s Harry.’
‘What?’ Suddenly the dark gaze was no longer hooded.
‘Harry,’ Adeline repeated, concentrating hard on keeping her voice steady. ‘He seemed to feel he ought to explain things to you himself, so I -- ’
‘Are you telling me,’ interrupted Rockliffe with dangerous calm, ‘that you even discussed with Harry when and what I should be told?’
Her throat closed up and she nodded mutely.
‘I see. Then you’d better go and give him a detailed account of our conversation, hadn’t you?’
Adeline swallowed hard. ‘Tracy … I -- ’
‘No. Don’t say any more. I think I’ve heard enough. And though I can’t pretend that this morning hasn’t been a revelation to me … you can rest assured that you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.’
‘But – please – won’t you see Harry for a moment?’
‘I think not.’ Sheer temper flared suddenly in his eyes. ‘You see Harry. After all, why break a habit? I am going to see Nell.’
*
Under the circumstances and all things considered, Adeline would also have preferred not to see Harry … but since the alternatives were either to leave him kicking his heels in the red salon or tell Symonds to evict him, it did not appear that she had much choice in the matter. Neither, as it turned out, was his lordship’s attitude particularly helpful.
‘Won’t see me?’ he exclaimed when she had finished. ‘I never heard anything so bloody silly in my life! Oh – I beg your pardon, Adeline … but it is, isn’t it? What good does he think that will do?’
Adeline sat down and leaned her brow against one slender palm.
‘Leave it, Harry. Tracy won’t see you – and even if he did, there’s nothing you can say that would make it any better. He’s right and we’re not - and there’s an end of it. So the best thing you can do is just go away.’
‘Damned if I will!’ Harry also sat down and crossed one satin-clad leg over the other. ‘I want to know what he’s saying to Nell - and I’ll sit here all day if necessary.’
‘Oh don’t be so stupid!’ Lifting her head, she stared at him in exasperation. ‘Can’t you see that you’re only making everything worse?’
Harry blinked and then appeared to regain his sense of proportion. He said meditatively, ‘You must have made a shocking poor job of it. Not that I’m surprised. I always thought making a completely clean breast of it was a bad idea.’
‘Very likely. And now you’ve said that, will you please leave?’
‘I suppose I’ll have to.’ He rose, strolled towards the door and then turned back as if struck by a sudden thought, ‘My God! You don’t suppose he’s jealous, do you? Because if he is, it’s the most -- ’
‘Go!’ Adeline surged to her feet, goaded beyond endurance. ‘Just go away! Or I swear I’ll not be responsible!’
Harry opened his mouth and then reluctantly closed it again. Knowing a last word but having the sense not to say it, he went.
*
While Rockliffe was asking his sister to explain her stupidity and Adeline was trying to get rid of Lord Harry, Jack Ingram paid a formal call on Lady Miriam and received gracious permission to pay his addresses to Mistress Althea.
Since, in typical fashion, Jack had done the thing properly and made sure that her ladyship was expecting him, his request came as no surprise; and, because it did not, Lady Miriam had taken the sensible precaution of sending Diana to be fitted for the new gown she’d insisted on ordering for the Queensberry Ball. Thus it was that Althea – robed in pink tiffany and hovering between doubt and delight – found herself summoned in due course to the parlour. And there, under her mama’s eagle eye, Mr Ingram took her hand and, with the sweetest of smiles, asked if he might keep it.
Thea blushed but did not avoid his eyes.
‘Oh yes, sir – if you please. Th-that is to say, I would be very ha
ppy.’
‘And I,’ vowed Jack, raising her fingers to his lips, ‘consider myself undeservedly fortunate.’
‘Very prettily said,’ approved Lady Miriam. And then, ‘I daresay you would like to be alone with your treasure … and I am not so insensitive as to stand in your way – for I am sure I may rely on your sense of propriety, sir.’
‘Certainly, your ladyship.’
‘Very well, then. I will leave you.’ She sighed sentimentally and patted Althea’s cheek. ‘No more than ten minutes, mind! It would never do for Mr Ingram to think I do not know what is proper.’
Mr Ingram watched her go and repressed a sigh of relief only to have Althea do it for him. He laughed and, capturing both of her hands, said, ‘Yes. It is pleasant to be left alone, isn’t it?’
She nodded shyly and her eyes held such a glow of wonderment that Jack’s amusement faded and his fingers tightened on hers.
‘I love you, you know,’ he said simply. ‘The only reason I’ve not said so before is that I was determined to demonstrate my respect by doing everything correctly. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care – for I do. Very much.’
Blushing even harder, Althea’s gaze fluttered down to his cream silk vest.
‘S-so do I.’
‘Do you?’ asked Jack with careful restraint. ‘Oh – I know you like me. But that’s not enough for marriage. And … I hope you haven’t accepted me because your mama wished you to do so.’
‘No – of course not!’ The blue eyes flew back to meet his. ‘How could you think it? Surely you know that I … that I …’
‘That you what?’
‘That I’ve b-been in love with you for weeks,’ finished Thea bravely. ‘Only I never thought you’d want to marry me.’
‘No?’ Joy transformed Mr Ingram’s pleasant but usually unremarkable countenance. ‘Then why did you suppose I’ve been dancing attendance on you quite so assiduously? I’ve scarcely set foot in my club for a month. Oh Thea – my little love!’
Finding herself swept almost literally off her feet into an embrace that deprived her of breath, Althea did the only thing possible. She flung her arms round his neck and kissed him back.
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