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“Four?” She threw a puzzled glance across the room to where Will was talking to another young lady, who was laughing at some jesting remark of his. “He is married?”
“Not that brother. I have another brother… a half-brother, really. A natural son of my father’s,” she added hastily, because the next question was bound to be about Ted’s mother, and it was as well to get the matter out of the way at once.
“Oh.” Miss Plummer’s face lapsed into blankness for a moment, but almost immediately she perked up. “But he has children? Young children?”
“Four. Two boys and two girls. The eldest boy is just five.”
“How delightful! Infants are so endlessly fascinating, are they not? Such dear, sweet creatures! How you must dote on them. And they will come to visit you in the summer — you must be counting the days until their arrival.”
Now, Julia was not a hard-hearted girl, and was fond of her nephews and nieces in a casual sort of way, being very glad to see them for short spells and even more glad when they went away again. She had always assumed that they would become more interesting when they were older and able to conduct a rational conversation, and less apt to squeal and run about breaking things. The idea that she might dote on them and be pining for a reunion was a foreign one to her, so she was rather at a loss for words. Fortunately, Miss Plummer was supremely indifferent to her feelings, for she sailed on majestically.
“My own sister has only two children, but they are such darlings! Young Charles is six, but so well-grown for his age that I am certain he will be taller than his father in the fullness of time, and Letitia quite agrees with me on the point. As for Seraphina, she is…”
Julia felt her mind beginning to wander. She wished now she had paid more attention when the new Mama had explained the family in detail to her. Miss Plummer’s sister was… Lady… Lady something or other, so who was Letitia? It was all too confusing. She heaved a frustrated sigh, and her eyes fell on Mr James Plummer across the room. He was standing beside Johnny and Pa and another man, but instead of attending to their conversation he was watching her, an amused smile on his face, almost as if he could read her thoughts. She could not help smiling back at him.
At once he set down the glass in his hand and crossed the room to her. “Miss Fletcher, we have a few minutes before the hour for dinner. Perhaps you would care to see the family’s greatest treasure? It is in the library.”
Mr Plummer’s company was far more agreeable to her than that of his dull sister, but Julia was not so ill-mannered as to show it. “Miss Plummer is telling me all about her nephew and niece.”
“Which she may do at greater leisure after dinner when the ladies have withdrawn. Patricia, you will not mind if I steal Miss Fletcher from you?”
Miss Plummer’s face resumed its blank expression as she inclined her head in acceptance.
Julia rose and took Mr Plummer’s arm. He led her back past the stairs and into the room beyond it. The library was dark, that was her first impression, all heavy panelling and a floor stained a deep brown to match, the few rugs not adding much colour. The glass-fronted bookcases were filled with serious-looking tomes, their titles picked out in thin gold letters on cracked leather covers.
In one corner, a few spluttering candles created a pool of light, and here stood Mr Michael Plummer with Rosie. Sir Owen was there too with Mama on his arm, but almost at once they turned and left, presumably having taken their turn at viewing the treasure.
“Shall we?” Mr James said, gesturing towards the lit corner.
“You have got up a rota between you, I see. Who is to introduce Angie to the treasure?”
“Ah, yes. My father was a military man in his youth, Miss Fletcher, and the regimented life has never lost its charm for him. He plans every detail of the campaign. We all have our orders, even for a simple dinner engagement, each of us being assigned a lady to escort, and a correct time to show her the flag. Lord Charles is the one designated to take care of Miss Angela, but he may not deign to so demean himself. His brother is a marquess, you see, and that makes him too grand to be told what to do. Whereas I—”
He stopped abruptly, but Julia could supply the rest of the sentiment. “Whereas you are the younger son of a baronet and must do as you are bid.”
He smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling in a manner that felt curiously intimate. They were almost alone in this darkened room, and it should have seemed improper but oddly, it didn’t. Another man might have taken the opportunity to flirt with her, but he did not.
“Naturally I do as my father bids me, whenever it coincides with my own wishes,” he said. “Now, what do you think of our treasure, Miss Fletcher?”
He ushered her forward, and she peered at what appeared to be a rag on the wall. “This old thing?”
Rosie turned horrified eyes on her. “Julia! It is the d’Auberne battle flag, last flown at Agincourt.”
“On which side?” Julia said interestedly.
“Ours, naturally,” Rosie hissed.
Beside her, the gamekeeper shook with silent laughter, but his elder brother said stiffly, “The d’Aubernes are our ancestors who came to England with William of Normandy, Miss Julia. They have been loyal to the rightful king of England ever since. Their flag was retired after the last d’Auberne fell on the field at Agincourt, brought home by the Plummer cousins. They built this house as a shrine for their lost relative, and to display his flag with the proper respect.”
“It would be more respectful to give the thing a good scrub once in a while,” Julia said. “It’s filthy. Is there a pattern beneath the dirt?”
Mr Michael Plummer immediately began talking about escutcheons and frets and dexter and sinister, mixed with an array of oddly assorted animals. Abruptly, he stopped. “Never mind. Let me take you back to the parlour, Miss Fletcher.”
Obediently Rosie rested her hand on his arm and allowed herself to be led from the room.
Mr James laughed out loud, then. “You are a minx, Miss Fletcher,” he whispered in Julia’s ear. “On which side, indeed!”
“I could not resist,” she said. “Is it time for dinner yet?”
