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‘What on earth were they all doing here?’ Elinor asked, follow
ing Theo along the corridor as he tried to restore his shirt to some kind of order.
‘I haven’t the slightest idea—that damnable trunk lid banging down did not make so much noise it would rouse them from sleep, that’s for sure.’
‘Well, they were hardly likely to all be up recreating one of the famous orgies,’ she said, shakily attempting humour. ‘Not with Mama there. Can you imagine?’
‘That was an image I am going to regret you placing in my imagination,’ he said with feeling as they reached Lady James’s door. ‘Ready, Nell?’ Elinor put back her shoulders and shook her hair out of her eyes. She felt as though she was going to face a firing squad.
‘Ready.’
Mama was seated at her writing desk, her chair half-turned so she could scrutinise them as they came to stand in front of her. She did not ask them to sit down. ‘Well, Theophilus?’
‘I can explain, Aunt.’ He did not appear either cowed or abashed by the situation. ‘But first, tell me—how the dev—how on earth did everyone come to be in the hall at this hour of the night?’
‘Those two idiotic girls decided it would be fun to creep around the chateau after dark in search of the Gothic horrors Elinor was foolish enough to speak of. They are addicted to sensation novels, it appears. They heard a loud bang as they approached the hall, assumed it was burglars—or a headless fiend, they are confused on that point—and rushed back, hammering on everyone’s door and shrieking the place down.
‘Normally I would have allowed the search to take place without me—most irrational and foolish, it merely needed the count to summon his male staff to search for the intruders. However, I was surprised to see neither of you coming out in response to the racket and looked in your rooms. Expecting the worst, I joined the group.’
‘Mama, it was not what it seemed—’ Elinor began.
‘Nell.’ Theo took her arm and guided her to one of the wing chairs by the fireside. ‘I’ll explain, you sit down.’ She could not help but feel it was feeble of her to obey him. They had both got into this mess, she should be standing up to Mama at his side. But he looked cool and very confident and the smile he gave her was reassuring. Perhaps he could manage Mama better than she could.
He turned the other chair to face his aunt and sat down, uninvited. It was a good start—if she thought he was standing there to be carpeted like a naughty schoolboy, she was much mistaken.
‘I have involved Elinor, and you, in an assault, a theft and a murder,’ he began. The full frontal attack had the desired effect: Lady James’s eyebrows rose, she reached for her eyeglass, but she did not speak. ‘It began when I was commissioned to negotiate for the purchase of a unique, and utterly indecent, piece of precious metalwork…
‘…and if you think I, or any other man, can stop your daughter when she decides to involve herself in something, then I am afraid you are much mistaken, Aunt,’ he finished half an hour later.
Elinor could sense that Theo was making himself sit still in the silence that followed. Her mother looked at Elinor through her eyeglass, then turned it on Theo. ‘I collect you two do not wish to marry?’ she said calmly.
‘No, Mama, I—’
‘No, we do not.’ Lady James opened her mouth to utter her next question, but he answered it before she could speak. ‘Nor is there any pressing reason why we must. That scene in the hall was pure theatre.’ He was, Elinor thought blankly, extremely convincing.
‘Indeed? I am relieved to hear it.’ She let the eyeglass dangle on its black cord and watched it swing for a moment or two while Elinor contemplated her toes and wondered just how crimson she was blushing. ‘It would be prudent, I believe, to allow the impression that you are now betrothed. You will no doubt suffer considerable embarrassment for the remainder of your stay here, which I can only say is your just desserts. Once we are back in England, no more need be said—no one here moves in the same circles as we do.’
She waited, apparently for them to comment, then added with a certain malicious relish, ‘It will certainly put your mistress’s nose out of joint, Theophilus.’
‘Mama!’
‘Don’t be mealy mouthed, Elinor. That unprincipled creature is one reason I was quite confident that Theophilus’s amatory inclinations were directed elsewhere and not towards you.’
Had anyone ever tried to strangle the old witch? Theo wondered. But say what you might about her adder tongue, her attitude was an enormous relief. Or it should be. He was feeling unaccountably flat, but that, no doubt, was due to the shock of what had just occurred. Somehow he had been braced for an argument about marrying Elinor.
‘Mama, Theo must find this Chalice or repay Lord X a great deal of money,’ Elinor said, cutting across his musings. ‘Even then, if he does not get the Chalice, there is no knowing what Lord X might do.’ Lady James’s gaze came up to scrutinise his bruised face.
‘I did not suggest you stop looking for it,’ she said. Theo’s jaw dropped before he shut his mouth with a snap. Most of the time he felt confident he was in command of himself and of the situation—encounters with his aunt were a definite exception. ‘One cannot allow murder and theft to go unpunished. As for his lordship, I suggest you tell me his name, Theophilus. I have powerful friends.’
‘I do not break my clients’ confidentiality,’ he said, wishing he could in this instance. Goodness knows what, or who, Lady James Ravenhurst could summon to her aid if she wanted revenge upon someone. He shuddered to think, imagining a blood-crazed mob of Greek scholars pelting his lordship with heavy tomes.
‘I intend helping Theo,’ Elinor said firmly. He turned in the chair and smiled at her. Her chin was up and she was looking determined, despite the dark shadows under her eyes. He lov…He admired her courage.
‘Of course,’ Lady James said, startling them both. ‘We are Ravenhursts, we do not abandon each other in times of trouble. However, I warn you, if she is harmed in any way, Theo, I will have your hide. Now, off to bed, both of you. I have work to do in the morning.’
‘She called you Theo,’ Elinor whispered as they stood outside in the corridor looking rather blankly at each other.
‘I think we’re dreaming,’ Theo said, shaking his head. Elinor was still looking at him, the frown line between her brows furrowed. ‘And don’t do that.’ He reached out and smoothed it with his thumb. ‘Remember what your mother says about frowning.’ Her skin was warm and soft and he ran the ball of his thumb along one arching eyebrow, feeling the elegant vault of the bone beneath. ‘Goodnight, Nell.’
