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“Another of Delagarde’s cronies, you must know,” said Riseley with a grin, wafting a hand at his other friend. He had guided Maidie to a chair set into one of the alcoves formed in the window embrasures of the large saloon, a pleasant room done out in warm shades of brown and cream with gilt edging. The two gentlemen stood before her, effectively barring her view of the rest of the guests.
“Most remiss of our friend not to have presented us to you before this,” said Corringham.
“Yes, he would keep saying you don’t care for anyone who is not interested in astronomy.”
Maidie could not but be intrigued to meet those friends who knew Delagarde best, but at this patent falsehood, she gave Lord Riseley an amazed stare.
“He cannot have been saying so for long, because he has only known of my interest in astronomy these last few days.”
“I am prepared to wager, he has since expressed no interest in it whatsoever,” came with a teasing light in the gentleman’s eye. “Corringham, on the other hand, is agog. Are you not, Everett?”
“Utterly,” agreed the other, hand on heart. “You must tell me all about it.”
“I cannot. It is a vast subject, and I am myself still ignorant of many aspects. Besides, my great-uncle Reginald warned me on no account to bore others who do not share the interest.”
“But Everett does share it,” protested Riseley, mock-indignant. “At least, he is sure he will, if you are willing to introduce him to it. Come, Lady Mary, you must be able to cover the essentials in one little evening.”
Maidie stared at him, perplexed. She could no more understand what was his motive than she could believe Mr Corringham entertained a serious interest in her hobby. At any other time, she would have been glad to have pursued a natural curiosity to probe, in order perhaps to discover something more about Delagarde. But a nagging suspicion of a headache was making her edgy, and she lost a little of her newfound decorum.
“Lord Riseley, pray do not trifle with me in this way, for I am not in a mood for it. What is it you want of me?”
The two gentlemen exchanged glances—of amusement, Maidie thought. Then Riseley turned back to her, his grin decidedly sheepish.
“You are too shrewd, Lady Mary. I will leave Everett to explain.” He held up a hand as his friend cast him a glance of reproach. “No choice but to rat, old fellow. My mother’s party, you know. Must circulate.”
He winked at Maidie, and withdrew, leaving her to cast her questioning look upon Corringham. “Well, sir?”
The other cleared his throat, and pulling forward another chair, took his seat beside her. “It is all too obvious, I am afraid. We have heard a great deal about you.”
“From Lord Delagarde?” asked Maidie, before she could stop herself.
“Others too. Don’t be alarmed. A new face in town is bound to be the subject of great interest.”
Maidie glanced about the room, as if to verify this statement, and was a little dismayed to find her vision seemed a touch blurred. She brought her gaze back to Mr Corringham’s face and was relieved to find it in focus. She was scarcely aware she spoke. “I am not new any longer.”
“Perhaps not, but you are still something of an enigma. To Riseley and myself especially, for we had not met you. We have both been consumed with curiosity to find out what sort of a girl might attract—” He broke off, coughed again, and resumed, “I mean, what would induce our friend Delagarde to take a young lady under his wing in this way.”
Maidie’s eyes remained fixed upon him, while a rather painful restriction seemed to clutch at her chest. She had not missed the change of word. Clearly, Mr Corringham realised he had made an inappropriate choice at first. It could not have been a slip—could it? Her head felt curiously light, but a ring of discomfort encircled it. She frowned, finding it hard to think of what she must say.
“There was no attraction.” No, she had not meant to say that. “Of course not. Delagarde does not even like me.” She had not meant to say that either. “He was induced, you are very right. Between myself and Lady Hester, he found himself with little choice.” Should she have said that? Mr Corringham was looking most oddly at her. “I should not have told you that, I dare say.”
The constriction in her chest tightened, her nose pricked suddenly. Then she sneezed.
“I beg your pardon.” She groped in her petticoats for a pocket handkerchief. The pressure about her brow increased, and she narrowed her eyes, finding the light in the room too bright. “Lord Delagarde does not approve of me. I thought we were becoming f-friends at least, but—” To her consternation, she felt a stinging at her eyes, and quickly put up her handkerchief to cover them. Then she was seized by a fit of sneezing. Vaguely she heard Mr Corringham say something about Lady Hester, but could not take it in.
In a moment or two, as the sneezing died away, she was able to think a little more clearly. She knew what had happened now. She had caught Worm’s cold. Lord knew what she might have said to Mr Corringham, her head ached so! Looking up at last, she saw Lady Hester coming towards her.
The next bustling moments passed as a vague blur, but Maidie forced her senses alert when she found herself in Delagarde’s carriage, with his lordship for escort.
“Where is Lady Hester?”
“She could not come away just at this moment. She is engaged with old friends. I shall return to fetch her when I have seen you safely home.”
Maidie was beyond understanding this. It seemed most odd of Lady Hester to abandon her, quite unprecedented. Especially when she was obviously ill. That Delagarde should be obliged to bring her home seemed altogether disquieting.
“I am sorry to give you so much trouble.”
“Don’t be absurd.”
