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What should possess her to say such an unhandsome thing of him? Aunt Hes was not wont to criticise, and he strongly suspected she had made it up on the spur of the moment. A ploy to push him into agreeing to sponsor that dreadful girl. Well, he had not agreed. What whim should take Aunt Hes to rush to the provoking female’s aid, he was at a loss to understand.
What had she said? Brice Burloyne was a nabob? One of these Indian fortunes? Oh, good God! And he was to figure as trustee? No doubt the creature would expect him to ward off fortune-hunters on her behalf. A vision of his hitherto ordered and pleasant existence rose up, and he could swear he saw it shatter. No! He would not be coerced.
Striding to the bell-pull, he tugged it with vigour, and then marched out into the hall just as a footman came quickly in through the green baize door at the back. Already he discerned an air of bustle about the house, for Lady Hester’s abigail was hurrying up the stairs, accompanied by one of the maids, and the stout housekeeper, pausing only to bob a curtsy to her master as he came out of the parlour, set her foot on the bottom stair and began to puff her way up.
“Where is Lowick?” Delagarde demanded of the footman.
“Mr Lowick has gone upstairs to confer with her ladyship, my lord.”
“Oh, he has, has he? Well, go up and bring him down here to me. And send for Liss at once!”
“I am here, my lord,” said his valet, entering the hall from the green baize door, as the footman ran up the stairs. Liss had apparently held himself ready, for he was burdened with several articles of clothing.
“My coat, Liss! My hat!”
“Both here, my lord.”
Delagarde allowed the valet to help him into the greatcoat, and seized his hat. He was standing before the hall mirror, placing the beaver at a rakish angle on his head, when his butler came hurrying down the stairs.
“Ah, Lowick.” Delagarde turned. “Listen to me! If that female should return here, you will—”
“Lady Mary, my lord?” interrupted the butler. “Your lordship need have no fear. Her ladyship has given me very precise instructions. All will be in readiness to receive her.”
“But I don’t want you to receive her!”
The butler bowed, and permitted himself a tiny avuncular smile. “Her ladyship has explained that you are a trifle put out by the inconvenience, my lord.”
“Put out!”
“It is very natural, I am sure, my lord. I understand there is an obligation which your lordship is determined to honour.”
Delagarde gazed at him. Devil take it! Aunt Hes had neatly outgeneralled him. Working on the principle, he dared say, it was never of the least use to try to keep things from the servants. No doubt she would have the entire household duped in no time at all, everyone working to thwart him. How was he to refute the obligation now, without appearing churlish or dishonourable?
“So she has drawn you in, has she?”
The butler gave him a puzzled look. “I beg your pardon, my lord?”
“Never mind.” He received his cane from the valet with a brief word of thanks, and turned back to his butler. “Lowick, I am going out.”
“Yes, my lord. You need not fear that every courtesy will not be extended to the young lady, my lord. The housekeeper is even now receiving her instructions to arrange for Lady Mary’s accommodation.”
“I do not wish to hear anything about it. Let me out!”
“But will your lordship not take breakfast first?” asked the butler, opening the front door for him.
“The only breakfast I require is of the liquid variety—and potent!” He started out, and then paused, turning on the top step. “And if Lady Hester should enquire for me, inform her I have left this madhouse, never to return!”
Chapter Three
Maidie, meanwhile, ensconced in the Hope family coach with her abigail in attendance, was congratulating herself on the outcome of her mission. To be sure, there had been a dreadful moment when she had doubted her ability to bring it off, but the entrance of Lady Hester Otterburn had changed all that. She was heartily glad of it, for she was now certain that, left to himself, Lord Delagarde would have repudiated her. It was fortunate Lady Hester had been visiting just at this moment, for failure did not bear thinking of. What in the world would she have done?
Not having made any contingency plan—for how could she have guessed Delagarde would dislike it?—she might have found herself at a loss. She supposed she would either have had to retreat to the Sussex house which was no longer her home, or to have continued on to the Shurland town house and revealed herself to Adela and Firmin, neither of whom had the least idea she was in London. No, she would not have done that. Nothing would have induced her to gratify Adela with a show of willingness.
But she was not, she remembered with a resurgence of emotion, obliged to do either of those things, thanks to Lady Hester Otterburn deciding, for whatever reason, that she wished Delagarde to meet his obligation. Obligation it most certainly was too. Maidie had seen quite enough of Lady Hester to guess she possessed sufficient influence over her great-nephew to ensure she had her way.
Arrived at the Coach and Horses where she had passed the previous night, Maidie lost no time in relaying the story of her success to her duenna.
It had not been with Miss Ida Wormley’s unqualified approval that she had set forth in the morning. Indeed, having kept up an incessant discourse against the scheme throughout the coach journey, taken at a leisurely pace over two days, from the Shurland estates at East Dean—to which Maidie had paid not the slightest heed—the Worm, greatly daring, had made a final attempt to dissuade her from going at all, becoming almost tearful.
