PERSONSOFRANK

AnnaJacobs

Chapter1

“Persons of our rank,” declared the Dowager, quivering with

outrageatthemereidea,“donotfallinlove!Theymay,iftheyarethatwayinclined,cometofeelsomeaffectionfortheirspouses–Ihave known it to happen, even in the best of circles, though Imyselfconsideritextremelyvulgar–but–areyoulisteningtome,Beatrice?Eleanor?–Irepeat,personsofrankdonot,underanycircumstances,fallinlove!”

The two young women standing in front of her exchangedspeakingglancesbutknewbetterthantoargue,somadenoisestosignifytheywerepayingattention.

The old lady rapped her cane on the floor by her chair toemphasizethispointandaddedwithmonumentalscorn,“Nordopersonsofourrankreadsentimentaltalesaboutlowbredpersonsand their amours! They leave such absurdities for menials andgovernesseswhoknownobetter!”Hereyesflashedwithscornasshe surveyed her niece, Beatrice, and her granddaughter,Eleanor,bothinseveredisgraceforbeingcaughtreadinganoveltogether.

Beatricesuppressedasighandschooledherfaceintothecalmexpressionshecouldsummonupatwill.Heavenknewshe’dhadenoughyearstopracticethatsincehermother’sdeath,whenshewasbroughttoliveherewithherfather’smucholdersister.Sheshotaquickglancesideways,butsawwithreliefthatEleanorwasstaring past the Dowager out at the gardens and didn’t seemabouttoargue.

Asshelookedbackatheraunt,anotherworrysurfaced.Whatwould happen to her if the old lady died? The Dowager hadappearedso frail lately.Beatriceshutoff that thoughtresolutelyandtriedtopayattentiontowhatherauntwassaying.

“Andbothyougirlscomefromgoodstock,so...”Ontheothersideoftheroom,Eleanordugherfingersintoher

palm todistractherself.Shewasstill filledwithangerat seeingherenthralling tale thrownonthe firebyhergrandmother.Now

she and Beatrice would never know whether poor Melissamanaged to escape from the toils of the evil Count and bereunitedwithGervaise,herchildhoodsweetheart!

Andwhat’smore,Eleanordecided,simmeringwithrebellionasthe lecture continued, she had every intention of falling in loveoneday,whateverhergrandmothersaid,andhadalreadybeguntoinspecttheunattachedmenshemetwithextremeinterestandcare.Beasaidthatwasnotthewayyoudidit,butEleanordidn’tsuffer fromheryoungaunt’sshynessandhadevery intentionofstudyingthefieldofcandidates.NotthatthereweremanyyoungmenhereinthedepthsofHampshire,andsadly,noneoftheonesshe’dmetsofarhadtroubledherdreamsintheslightest.

ShecaughtaworriedglancefromacrosstheroomandwinkedatBea,butdidn’t defy or contradicther grandmother, inwhosechargeshehadbeenfornineyears.Onedidn’tgetone’sownwaybyoutrightoppositiontoherladyship.Infact,poorBeararelygotherwayatall,butEleanorwasneverquitesurewhetherthatwasbecauseshewassubmissivebynatureorbecauseshedidn’tcareenoughtodisputeLadyMargueriteGraceover’sauthority.

She herself was cast in a more resolute mould, Eleanor feltcomplacently, stealing a quick glance sideways to admire herreflection in the mirror over the fireplace. The new way ofarranging her hair looked very well, but this gown was far tooplain.Whitemuslin,forheaven’ssake,asifshewerestillachildinsteadofamaturewomanofnineteen!

Well,shehadnointentionofallowinghergrandmothertoplanher whole life for her, let alone choose her husband. Why,Grandmamma had spoken approvingly only last week aboutsecond cousinMaria’s engagement to a quite elderly nobleman,whowasthirty-twoifhewasaday.JustbecausehisfamilyhadcomeoverwiththeConqueror!

Eleanor knew her own future was presently underconsideration, because she’d just happened to overhear hergrandmothertalkingtothefamilylawyerrecentlyaboutmarriagesettlements.Unfortunately, one of themaidshad comealong atthatmoment and she’d tomove away from the door. But therewas no doubt she would be a rich prize for someone and she

meant tomake themostof that,whateverBeasaid.Only - thatwouldmeanleavingherbelovedSatherbytolivewithahusbandandshehatedthethoughtofdoingso.

The Dowager paused for breath, then continued the attack.“Pray tell me, Beatrice, since you are the older, why you werereadingsuch-suchvulgarities?”

EleanorwatchedanagonizedexpressioncreepoverBea’sface,sorushedtotherescue.“Weonlywantedtoseewhatsuchbookswere like, Grandmamma. How is one to know about love and -andsuchthings,ifonecannotdiscussthemorreadaboutthem?”

“Youhaveonlytoaskme.Icanalwaystellyouexactlywhatisor isnotsuitableforaGraceoverofSatherbyAbbey.”Shesawastubborn expression on her granddaughter’s face and addedsharply,“I forbidyou,doyouhear,absolutelyforbidyoutoreadsuch housemaids’ trash again! Love! Pah! Love is only for thelowerclasses,whocanaffordtobecomequiteridiculousunderitsinfluence! Or for those fools who have forgotten their station inlife.FoolslikemyyoungerbrotherWarwick.”

Thiswasoneof theDowager’s favourite cautionary talesandwas regularly trotted out and brandished before them as awarning. “Look what happened to him! Married for love, deadbefore forty,wifeandchild left living inpoverty. It is Iwhohavehadtoprovideformypoorniece!Mybrother’sfateisalessontousall.”

Beatricewasalarmedathowwhiteheraunthadgone,herlipsa thin blue-tinged line in a face like wrinkled parchment. Sheexchangedworried glanceswithEleanor and shook her head inwarningtosaynothingmore.

Aftera fewgaspingbreaths, theDowagerabandoned the restofhercustomarydiatribeandendedwiththesameoldwarning,“Tomarrywithoutmoneyistheheightofimprovidence,asIhavetoldyoumanytimesbefore,haveInot,Beatrice?Andwhyareyouboth standing there likemaidservants waiting for an order? Goandsitdownonthesofalikegentlefolk.YouknowIcannotabidepeopleloomingoverme.”

Beatricenoddedandobeyed,tuggingEleanoracrosstheroomwithher.ShehadsomesympathywiththeDowager’sviews,since

sheandhermotherhadlivedinextremepovertyforawhileafterherfather’sdeathandshehadneverforgottenwhatitfeltliketogotobedhungry.Ortobewithoutthemeanstopaythedoctor’sbills.

“Mindyou,”continuedtheDowager,inthesoftertonesofonedetermined to be fair, “Beatrice could perfectly well have foundherself somecurateor gentleman farmer tomarrywhowouldn’tcareaboutherlackofdowry.She’saDencey,afterall.Myfamily’spedigreegoesbackevenfurtherthantheGraceovers’andwecanholdourheadsupinanycircles.”Shesquintedatherniece,asifseeingherforthefirsttime.“She’sprettyenoughtoattractsomegentleman’sattention,too,wereshetosethermindtoit.”

Beatrice picked up her embroidery and made a determinedstab at it with her needle. Over the years, she’d grownaccustomedtoherroleas theDowagerLadyGraceover’sunpaidcompanion and had developed a genuine affection for her aunt;but once in a while she could not help thinking wistfully howpleasantitwouldbetomarryandhaveahomeofone’sveryown-andeven,perhaps,tohaveafamily.She’dalwayslovedchildren,whichwaswhyshe’dwelcomedthechancetohelpraiseEleanor,whohadbeen orphanedat the age of nine.But thatwasn’t thesameashavingachildofone’sown.Orahusband.

“In future, kindlydonot forgetwhat youowe to theFamily!”theDowagersaid,inwhatwas,forher,quiteamildtone.“Ihavebetterthingsplannedforyou,Eleanor,thanfallinginlove!You’llbe the last of the Graceovers, more’s the pity, but you’re richenoughtoseekahusbandamongtheTrueNobility.”

Eleanorperkedupandleanedforward,eagernessineverylineof her body. “What exactly have you got planned for me,Grandmamma?MayInotknow?”

Butthiswasgoingtoofar fortheDowager.“No,youmaynotknow,miss! I’ll tell you what you need to know when the timecomes.Andwhatareyoudoinglollingaboutonthesofalikethat?If you have nothing better to occupy yourself with, youmay goandpracticeyourmusic. Iwish tohaveawordwithBeatrice inprivate.”

Eleanor breathed deeply and rose to her feet. It was no use

arguing with her grandmother when the old lady was in thismood. As she turned to leave, she rolled her eyes at Bea, thencomposedherexpressionandleft.

Still feeling thoughtful, shemade her way to the Blue Salondownstairs,whereherfavouritepianohadbeenplacedoutofherladyship’shearing,sinceonly inconsideratepersons inflicted thesoundoftheirpracticeupontheearsoftheirfamilies.Thereshesatdownandbegan toplay, forshe lovedmusicandcould loseherselfinitforhours.

Butshekeptwonderingwhatwashappeningupstairs.Clearlyher grandmother was seriously considering the question of hermarriage.Buttowhom?Shewouldn’tmarrysomeoneshedidnotlike, however well-connected his family, on that point she wasquitedetermined.

InLondonagentlemanofhighenoughranktosatisfyeventheDowagerandhandsomeenoughtodelightthemostromantically-mindedyoungladyaswell,gotreadytogotoasmall,pre-seasonballdesignedtointroducesomeofthisyear’scropofyoungladiesto theways of the ton. In themiddle of tying his neckcloth, hepaused,scowledathimselfinthemirrorandsworesoftly,tossingasidethepieceofmangledcloth.“No,definitelynot.”

Turninground,hestaredathisvaletas ifhehadneverseenhimbefore,thensaidharshly,“I’vechangedmymind.Ishallnotbegoingouttonight,afterall,Beamish.”

“Butsir-““Thatwillbeall,thankyou.”Beamishbreatheddeeply,butsaidnothing.Hepickedupthe

pile of mangled neckcloths and walked out with his usualmeasuredtread.

Whenthevalethad left, thegentlemanflunghimselfdowninthe comfortable armchair in front of the fire and stared blindlyinto the flames. If he set one foot in that ballroom tonight,everyoneinthetonwouldknowthathewasseriouslylookingforawifethisseason.Anddidhereallywantthat?No,hedidnot!Heloathedbeingafocusofgossip,absolutelyloathedit.

Thetroublewas,hismotherwasgrowingveryinsistentthathemarry.ShehaddrivenupfromBathtoHertfordshiretovisithim

twice in the past year, and the last time she had made himpromisetospendatleastpartofthecomingseasoninLondon.

Hestretchedhistallbodywithasigh,feelingasuddenlongingsweep through him for his home in the country, for a canterthroughthewoodsandafreshbreezeonhisface.Thenhesighedandscowleddownathisfeet,forcinghimselftofacefacts.Itwashisdutytomarry.Hisabsoluteandinescapableduty.Hismotherwasrightaboutthat.

But somehow, he’d nevermet a ladywho didn’t bore him todeath after a few encounters. They were all so obliging, sobreathlessly eager to please him that itmade him feel angry. Ifhe’dsaidthemoonwaspurple,they’dhaveagreed.Andthey’dbejustaseager topleaseanyothergentlemanof fortune,anythingto get themselves a wealthy husband. He gave a snort of bitterlaughter.Oh,hewasafool,expectingtheimpossible.Personsofhisrankdidnotmarryforlove,butforsoundsocialandfinancialreasons.Whyshouldhebeanydifferent?

Hejerkedtohisfeetandwenttopourhimselfabrandy,thenslumpeddowninthechairagainwithagrowlofannoyanceandstareddownintotherichamberliquid.Hewasthreeandthirty,andhismotherwasright,damnher.Hehadtomarry.Heraisedtheglassinamockingtoast,“TomyfutureLadyWife!”

Hewouldn’tgototonight’sball,though,butwouldwaitfortheseasonpropertostartandproceedwithcaution,drawingaslittleattentiontohimselfaspossible.

He raised the glass in another toast to his reflection in amirror.“Here’stothelastoftheSerles!”Hewouldsuithimselfaswellinchoosingawife,hedecided.Hedidn’twantjustawomanofbreedingandfortune,butoneofapleasantnatureandwithareasonable intelligence. Surely there must be some womenaroundwhodidn’tuse theirbeautyasaweapon, live for gossipand fashion, and regard men merely as providers of heirs andmoney?

“Ha!”hesaidalittlelater,asherefilledhisglass,spillingsomebrandyonthepolishedsurface.“MaybeIshouldlookattheuglyones this time. At least they’d be grateful!”He drank to that aswell.

Beamishpeeped in a little later,worried thathismasterhadnotcomedownfordinner.Hegapedinamazementatthesightoftheoverturnedglassandthefiguresprawledinthechair,sleepingsoundly. It wasn’t at all like Mr Serle to dip into the brandy.Shakinghishead insurpriseanddisapprovalboth,hewokehismasterandpersuadedhim,notwithoutdifficulty,togotobed.

“She’s pushing him too hard,” hemuttered as he closed thebedchamberdoor.“There’sgoingtobetrouble.”

When Eleanor had left the room, the Dowager fidgeted andcleared her throat a couple of times, then snapped, “Put thatsewing down and pay attention to me, Beatrice! This isimportant!”Therewasapause,then,“It’stimewewerethinkingof the chit’s future, but I’m out of touchwith the younger set.”Shescowledacrosstheroom.“Don’tknowwho’swho inthetonanymore.”

Beatrice was thoroughlymystified. “Why should you need tokeepintouchwiththeyoungerset,AuntMarguerite?”

The Dowager ignored this, as she ignored all questions shedidn’t wish to answer. “And I’m too old to do another Season,more’s the pity.” She glared at her twisted hands, then foldedthem inher lap and fixed ahawk-like gazeuponherniece. “SoyouwilljusthavetogouptoLondonforme.”

“Me?GotoLondon!”“Yes,you,ninny!Whoelseisthere?Nomenleft inthefamily

now, are there? So we’ve only got ourselves to rely on. Ah, wewomenareweakvessels!”Sheattemptedtolookfrailandill-used,butonlysucceededinlookingevenmoreferociousthanusual.

“ButJohannalivesinLondon.Surelyyourdaughterwouldbethe best person to deal with any business you wish conductedthere?”Beatriceprotested.They’doccasionallyvisitedJohannaintown until the last couple of years, though they’d never goneaboutinsocietyduringthosevisits,becausetheDowagersaidthetonwasfullofnobodiesthesedaysandshehadbetterthingstodothansayhow-de-dotofarmersandshopkeepers.

The Dowager’s scowl deepened. “I shan’t trust her judgmentwhenitcomestofindingahusbandforEleanor.”

“F-findingahusbandforEleanor?”

“Stop repeatin’ what I say! Makes you sound like a sheep.”Marguerite Graceover looked down at her lap for a moment,sighed and said more temperately, “I shan’t ask Johanna toattendtothisforme!Lookatthesortofmensheallowedherowndaughters tomarry!Johnny-come-latelies,bothof them.Amerebaronet!Andthegrandsonofanabob!What’stheworldcomingtowhenadescendantoftheGraceoversmarriesatea-merchant?”

This connection had rankled with her for several years,Beatrice knew, though in the eyes of the world, Johanna’sdaughters had done well for themselves and the gentlemen inquestionwerenotonlyrich,butpleasant-naturedandhadmadetheirwives very happy. “Though you’ll staywith Johannawhenyou’reinLondon,ofcourse,”theDowageradded.“You’llneedherasachaperone,andsheknowseveryone,whether they’reworthknowingornot.”

“ButI-““Stop interrupting! How am I to getmy tale told if you keep

stoppingme?I’llwriteandtellJohannawhatIwantandtowhomyou’retobeintroduced.ThenyoucandotheSeasonandlook‘emalloverforme.”

Bynow,Beatricewasfeelingquitebewildered.“Lookwhoover,Aunt?”

“I’ve just been tellin’ you! Young people don’t know how tolisten to theireldersanymore!WhyamIalwayssurroundedbyditherers and half-wits? I’m talking about the younger set! Theton.Orwhatpassesforthetonnowadays.Personsofrank,mind,notnobodies and tea-merchants!You’ll have to goand look ‘emoverforme!HowelsearewetofindahusbandforEleanor?”

“ButIcan’t-““Of course you can! I’ll give you a list of acceptable families,

then you’ll only have to sort out one or two possible husbandsand invite themdownhere tomeetEleanor. I’ll do the rest.Weshouldbeabletogettheknottiedbeforetheendoftheyear-ifyouwillonlybustlearoundabit,thatis!”

“ButAunt,really,Icouldn’tpossibly-“The old face grew grim. “I’m not lettin’ the chit loose on the

town without me to keep an eye on her. She’s not only pretty,

she’s far too rich for her own good. And too impetuous. Butinnocent,ofcourse.I’veseentothat.Broughtherupproperly,atleast.”

Beatrice wondered what her ladyship would say if she knewaboutsomeoftheexploitswhichtheinnocentchithadbeenuptolately,thelittleexcursionsintothevillageunescorted,theflirtingat social gatherings just for practice. “But surely, AuntMarguerite,Johannacould-shecould-“

The cane thumped down again. “Johanna could not! Sheencourages the attentions of upstarts and mushrooms! I wantbetterbreedingthanthatformygranddaughter.”

Shebowedherheadforamoment,thenlookedatBeatriceandforoncetherewasnohauteurinthoseknowingoldeyes.“Thingis,thedoctordon’tthinkI’lllastmuchlonger,Bea.GetapaininmychestifIdomuchnowadays.There’snothin’hecandoaboutit.Ayearatmost,hethinks.M’heart’sfailing.”

“Oh, Aunt, I’m so sorry!” Beatrice moved quickly across theroomtokneelbyheraunt’schairandclaspherhand.

Thehandsqueezedhersonce,patteditandwaswithdrawn.“Ibelieve youmean that, forwhich I thank you,Bea, but I’m fiveand seventy, and I’ve had a good long life, so I’m notcomplaining.”Shelookedacrosstheroomintosomedistanceonlyshecouldsee.“ThepityofitisthatwithtwohealthysonsIdidn’tgetevenonegrandsontocarryonthename.That idiot,WilliamHerforth,willinherit.No,hedied,didn’the?Ikeepforgetting.Allthefaultofthatstupidwill!Howmyhusbandcametowriteit,I’llnever know!” Her eyes closed for a moment, then she jerkedupright.“WhatwasIsaying?”

TheseslightlapsesofconcentrationwereanotherthingwhichwasbeginningtoworryBeatrice.

“YouweretalkingabouttheHerforths,Aunt.”“Yes,soIwas.It’sHerforth’ssonwho’llbeinheriting,isn’t it?

What’sthefellow’snameagain?”“Crispin.”“Yes. Crispin! Did you ever hear such a ridiculous name?

Crispin!”sherepeatedwithawfulscorn.“It’sanameforactorsordancingmasters.”

“It’sonlyaword,”Beatricesaidsoftly.The Dowager’s mouth worked, as if she were swallowing

somethingdistasteful.“IsworenoHerforthwouldsetfootacrossthe threshold till Iwas gone, but I’ve changedmymind,had tochangemymind.I’veinvitedthatCrispinfellowtocomeandstayhere for awhile, because he needs to learn how tomanage theestate.Got tomake surehe’sup to snuff socially, aswell.”Hervoice trailedawayagainand foramomentor twoshedozed,asoldpeoplewill,fortheangerhadexhaustedher.

Beatrice went back to the sofa and sat on in silence, herthoughtsintoomuchturmoiltogoandfaceEleanoryet.Onceortwiceshe lookedacrossatherauntandfelt tearscome intohereyes. If her ladyship’s heart were indeed failing, she had goodreason to beworried aboutEleanor’s future.Her husband,whohaddiedtwentyyearsbefore,hadlefthiswifelifelonguseofandcontrolovertheestate,whichwasthentopasstothenextmaleheir.

Withtwosonslivingwhenhewrotethewill,hecouldperhapsbe forgiven for expecting that one of them or their descendantswould inherit, butalthoughbothhadsurvivedhim,neitherhadlivedbeyondtheageofthirtyandneitherhadsiredalivingson,sonowtheestatewouldpasstoCrispinHerforth,notEleanor.

Andtherewasanotherproblemtobeconsidered-whatwouldhappentoBeatriceherselfwhenherauntdied?Itwassomethingshe had worried about occasionally, but now it had suddenlybecomeofimmediateconcern.Shehadnootherrelativesandnotapennytocallherown.Whatwastobecomeofher?Surelyherauntwouldmakesomesortofprovisionforher?

In Hertfordshire, Crispin Herforth read the letter which hadjust been delivered by a groom from Satherby in growingindignation.

SirSince you are heir to Satherby and in view ofmy increasing

years, I have decided that it is necessary for you to becomeacquaintedwithyour future inheritance. I shall therefore expectyoutomaketimeduringthenextfewweeksforanextendedvisit

here.Pleaseadvisemeofthedateofyourarrivalanddonotdelayin

settingmattersintrain.MargueriteGraceover“I shan’tgo,”he told thespanielsnoozing in frontof the fire.

“She refused even to receive my father when he asked to visitSatherby,sowhyshouldIgotohernow?”

But as the day passed and he rode round his own muchsmallerestate,theDowager’swordskeptcomingbacktohim“inview ofmy increasing years,” she had said. Did thatmean shewasill?Dyingeven?

“Sowhat?”hetoldhisfavouritemare.“I’veneverevenmetthewomanandIdon’twantto,either.”

Butwhatifsheweredying?Howwouldhereconcilearefusaltovisitherwithhisconscience?

Notuntilhewasgettingreadyforbeddidheadmittheotherreason for going. Satherby Abbey itself. To inherit such a placewas a sacred trust. Somany people depended on you for theirlivelihood,somanygenerationsofthefamilybeforeyouhadgiventheirlivestoit.Yousimplycouldnotturnyourbackonthat.

Itwas twoweeks,however,beforehebowed to the inevitableandhisreplywasequallyterseandtothepoint.

DearLadyGraceoverI thank you for your kind invitation. I am not at present at

libertytovisityou,butshallhopetobefreelaterintheyear.CrispinHerforthHesmiledashesigneditandremainedinagoodmoodallday

ashemadecertainarrangements.Hewoulddothishisownway.Youdidnotwalkblindlyintoalion’sden.Oralioness’s,either.

TheDowagerwokeupwithastart,coughedandsplutteredforamoment,blinkedatherniece,thenrevertedtohertopic.“Havetosettleyouboth,butEleanor’smoreofaworry,d’yousee?She’sa considerable heiress, even if she can’t have this estate. Don’twant fortunehunters buzzin’ around.Can’t rely on a gal of her

agemakin’awisedecision.”“Yes,Aunt.”“And it’s only fair to leave you properly provided for as well,

Bea.” She saw that her niece was looking embarrassed. “Don’tthink I’ve forgotten you. I couldn’t look for a husband for youbefore,becauseIneededyoutohelpmebringupthechit.Toooldto do it all myself. Never had much patience with children,anyway.Andyoudidagoodjob,aswell,youngasyouwere.”

Beatricesmiled.“Thatwasapleasureforme,asyouknow.”“Yes.You’reabornmother.Y’shouldhavehadyourownfamily

bynow. It’smy faultyouhaven’t.But it’snot too late toamendthat.”

Beatriceflushed.“I’mnearlythirty,Aunt.Pastthinkingofsuchthings.”

“Twenty-eight last month. Don’t exaggerate!” Rap! went thesilver-headed cane that always stood ready by the chair. “Now!Holdyour tongueand listen! I’ve fixed itallupwith the lawyersand settled enoughmoney on you to get yourself a husband ofwhosebreedingweneedn’tbeashamed.”

“Idon’tcaretohaveyoubuymeahusband,Aunt!Ishouldbegratefulforasmallannuity,certainly,but-“

“Hoity-toity!”TheDowager’sfacesoftened.“You’lldoasyou’retoldbecause it’smydyingwishtoseeyousettledandbecauseIknowyou’dliketohaveafamilyofyourown.”

Beatrice shook her head, not wishing anyone to buy her ahusband.

“Please,Beatrice!Ibegofyou!Pleasedothislastthingforme!”Never once had Beatrice heard this autocratic old termagant

pleadwith anyone for anything. “ButAunt, I...”Her voice tailedawayandshecouldonlylookbeseechinglyatherrelative.

Thesunkeneyesstaredatherunwinkingly.Thebodymightbefailing,but themind inside itwasstillassharpasever. “Didn’tthinktohearmeplead,didyou?AndIdidn’tthinkI’dhavetodoit, either. Just goes to show. Death is a great leveller.” Shepaused,thenaskedsharply,“What’sgotintoyou,girl?WhathaveIaskedyoutodothatsticksinyourgullet?”

“Idon’t-Icannotliketheideaof-ofhavingahusbandbought

forme-someonewhowillonlybeinterestedinmymoney.”Her ladyship cackled loudly, sounding more like an ancient

parrot than a respected member of the upper classes. “Is thatall?”

“Isn’titenough?”“No! Itain’t enough!Whatotherway is there forpersons like

us to make a proper match? Whether you admit it or not,marriage is a business transaction. And besides,” she glared atBeatrice,angry forbeingmade to continuepleading, “I can’tdiewith you on my conscience, girl! I should have found you ahusbandyearsago.”

Beatriceshookherhead.“Aunt,Ijustcan’tliketheidea!”The old eyes narrowed in cunning and the voice grew softly

persuasive.“EleanorwillneedyouevenmoreonceI’mgone!Andyou’ll be able to look after her much better if you’re a marriedwoman, not to mention looking after yourself, too!” She clickedhertongueinexasperation.“Forheaven’ssake,child,awoman’sbusinessinlifeistomarry,andmarryaswellasshecan.”

“Ishallneedtothinkaboutit,Aunt.Ican’tjust-justsnapupyourofferstraightaway.Ican’t!”

Herladyshipnodded.“Yes,yououghttotakethetimetothinkabout something so important. It’s what I’d do myself in yourplace.Comehere!”

When Beatrice approached her chair again, she pulled herniece’sheaddowntowardherownandplantedonthesoftcheekthefirstandlastkissshewouldevergiveher.“You’reagoodgirl,inspiteofyourmother.It’stheDenceybloodcomingoutinyou,Idare say.Qualitywill always tell.”Shepattedherniece’s cheek,thenpushedherawayagain.“Goanddoyourthinking,then!Butsend my maid in to me first. And not a word about this toEleanor,mind!Promise.”

Beatrice’sthoughtswereinaturmoilasshetookrefugeinherown bedchamber. When Eleanor knocked on the door anddemanded admittance, she made no move to open it, simplycallingoutthatsheneededarest.

“ButBea-““Goaway,Eleanor.I’lltalktoyoulater.”

Shehad locked thedoor, soshe ignoreda renewed tattooonitsvenerablepanelsandplumpeddowninfrontofthefire.Oneofthefewindulgencessheallowedherselfwastositontherugandtoastherstockingedtoes.TheDowagerwouldhavebeenhorrifiedat suchundignified behaviour, butBeatrice had long ago foundthatstaringintodancingflameswasagoodwaytosortoutone’sthoughts.Shehadneeded todo thatmany timeswhenshehadfirst arrived at Satherby, a grieving and inexperienced girl ofseventeen,withnounderstandingofherfather’sworldandonlyalawyer’sassurancethatshewouldfindahomethere.

Well,shehadcometotermswithmanythingssincecomingtoliveatSatherby,soshesupposedshecouldcome to termswiththisaswell.But,shedecided,frowningintotheembers,althoughshemightnotbeabletofindahusbandwhomshecouldlove,asherparentshadloved,shewouldinsistonhavingsomesayastowhomshemarried.Shecouldn’tmarrysomeonewhomshedidn’tbothrespectandlike.Thatwouldbeheroneconditioninagreeingtoherladyship’swishes.

Alittlelater,Eleanorbangedonthedooragain.“Areyoureadyfordinner,Bea?”

“Oh,sorry!I’mnotchangedyet.Yougodownwithoutme.”WithashockBearealizedthatshehadallowedthefiretoburn

down low and was feeling thoroughly chilled. She put on morewood, then lit the candles with a taper, before changing herclothes and tidying her hair in time for the dinner gong. Shedidn’tbothertosummonthehousemaidwhosedutyitwastowaitonher if required.She’dnever grownused to servantshoveringoverherwhilesheperformedherintimatetasks.

“I’llhavetodoit,”shetoldherreflectioninthemirror,“butthechoiceofhusbandwillbemine,notmyaunt’s!”Ifanyonewantedher.Twoclearhazeleyesstaredbackatherinafaceanyoneelsewould have considered remarkably pretty, but which Beatriceratherdespised,forthefullrednessofherlipsandthebrillianceof her eyes were, to a mind schooled by long years with theDowager,rathertheatricalinappearance.

Shesmoothedthecreamyskinofhercheekwithonefingertipand turned to study herself from the side, then shrugged her

shoulders. She supposed she’d have no trouble in finding somesort of husband if she had a generous dowry, but oh dear, shedidn’twantthingstochange.ShehadcometotermswithherroleinlifeandwasquietlyhappyatSatherby,enjoyingthebeautiesofthe changing seasons in the country and the power she had toimprovethelotofthepoorertenantsontheestate.Thatmeantalottoher.

But when the Dowager died, everything would change. Herauntwasright.Beatriceneededtofacethatfactandprepareforit.Shesmoothedherfullsilkenskirts,shakingthepalebluefrillsaround her feet into place, then picking up a warm shawl tocounterthedraughtsthataboundedinthisancienthouse.Nouseworryingaboutthefuturenow,whenshehadn’tevensealedherbargainwiththeDowager.Takingadeepbreath,sheopenedthedoor.

I can do it, she told herself firmly, as she walked down thestairs.OfcourseIcan.MyauntwouldneverexpectmetomarrysomeoneIdespised.

Chapter2

It was dark and threatening rain when the old-fashioned

Graceover carriage reachedLondon, but thehousebeforewhichthecarriagestoppedwasglitteringwithlightsandhadattractedasmallcrowdofonlookers.TheSatherbycoachmanhadtowaitfortwo ladiesanda gentleman,all very lightly clad considering theinclement weather, to descend from another carriage before hecouldevenpulluptothedoor.

Beatricedrewinaslow,painfulbreathatthesightoftheothervisitors’elegantappearanceandconfidentdemeanour,andpulledher travelling cloakmore closely around her, feeling dowdy andcountrified.

Astheelderlyfootman,whohadjourneyedwiththemandwhohadservedtheGraceoversallhis life,handedherdown,hesaidquietly, as if he understood how she felt, “She always did likecompany,MissJohannadid.Herladyship,Ishouldsay.”

It was an ordeal for Beatrice to climb the steps to the frontdoorandfaceahousefullofstrangers,butthebutlergreetedherwithabowandafriendlysmile,andthatheartenedheralittle.Ashetookhercloak,shemurmuredthatshewasn’tdressedtomeetcompany, and he nodded instant understanding, showing herstraightintoasmallparlourawayfromthenoise.

“I’llinformherladyshipofyourarrival.”Servantswerealwayssokind,Beatricethought.Withasighof

relief,shesank intoachair.Thensherealizedthatagentlemanwas already occupying the high-backed armchair on the othersideofthefireplaceandstartedupagainwithagaspofshock.

He rose and bowed with a flourish, elegance personified.Boredom personified, too, from his weary expression. His blackpantaloons displayed shapely but muscular legs, and his coat,black also, was stretched across shoulders that needed nopadding togive thema fashionablebroadness.Thecoat’s raisedcollarandreveresframedshirtcollarswhichweregleamingwhite,but only moderately high, and which were embellished with a

cravat tied in a neat Irish knot and fastened by one small goldpin.

EventheDowager,Beatricedecided,couldnothaveobjectedtohis appearance, as she did to that of most of the youngergentlemenshemet.Theyappeared,shewaswonttodeclareandoften to their faces, to have bandaged their throats or to bewearing horse blinkers, so highwere their collars and so bulkytheircravats.

“I must apologize for startling you, Ma’am. Permit me tointroduce myself. Justin Serle at your service. Are you alsoseekingrefugefromthemerrymaking?”

Beatricewasquitetall, forawoman,buthewasmuchtaller,whichmadeherfeelatanunusualdisadvantage.Shehadtolookup at a face framed by dark hair and neat side-whiskers, anddominatedbyalongaristocraticnose.Hehadstrongfeatures,notexactlyhandsome,butforminganattractivewhole,orwouldhavedone,shedecided,iftheexpressioninhisgrey-blueeyeshadnotbeensochillandaloof.

She realized she’d been staring at him like an idiot at a fairandfirstblushed,thentookaninvoluntarystepbackwardsasthenamesankin.Oh,goodheavens!Serle!HewasattheverytopoftheDowager’slistandwasoneofthefewindividualsspecifiedbyfirstnameaswellasbyfamily.“I-Ibegyourpardon?Whatdidyousay,Sir?”shestammered,feelingstupid.

“Imerelywonderedwhetheryoutoowereseekingrefugefromthemerrymaking,Ma’am.”

Hedidn’treallysoundinterestedinheranswerandthatmadeherfeelworse.Shesoughtdesperatelyforasuitableresponse,butcouldthinkofnothingtosay.

Justin stared back at her openly, somewhat annoyed at theway she had been scrutinizing him. Who was she to stare so?Quite pretty, if you liked rosy-cheeked brunettes, which he didnotparticularly,butshehadcountrymannersandawardrobetomatch. She wasn’t at all like one of Lady Johanna Ostdene’susualguests,infact.Whowasshe?Somepoorrelative?

Beatricefoundhervoiceandtriedtoanswerhisquestion.“Er-no.I’mnotescapinganything.I’veonlyjustarrived.From-from

thecountry.”Shecouldhearhowflusteredshesoundedandsawa look of impatience flicker across his face. Thatmade her feelworse,but italsomadeher feelangry.Howdaredhebehavesoarrogantlytowardacompletestranger?Whodidhethinkhewas?Lordofallhesurveyed?

Before either of them could say anything more, a voiceinterrupted them unceremoniously. “Serle! Are you in hidingalready? I vow I’ll not invite you to one ofmyparties again.GobackatonceandtalktoMary.”

He gave an exaggerated sigh and flourished a bow. “Must I,LadyOstdene?Shehasthemost foolish laugh it’severbeenmymisfortunetohear!”

Beatrice couldn’t help staring. What an ill-mannered way tospeak about a fellow guest! She did not, she decided, like thelooks of this man, even if he did come from an ancient andrespectedline!Shelistenedtotherestofhercompanions’banterwithgrowingdisgust.

“No, no! You’re quite wrong there, Serle,” Johanna retortedwithasmile.“It’s IsabellaMardsleywhohasthesilliest laughofanyoneintown.”

Theybothchuckledat that, thenJohannasmiledatBeatriceandnoddedtothegentleman,“Idon’tthinkyou’vemetmycousinbefore,haveyou,Serle?”

“No,indeed.Wewerejustabouttointroduceourselves.”“Letmedoitforyou.BeatriceDencey-JustinSerle.”Theynoddedtoeachother,neithermakingtheefforttoshake

hands.Beatrice couldonlyhope thatherdislike for this type ofsuperciliousgentlemandidnotshow.

Johanna turned back and shook one finger playfully at him.“Well,Serle,wehadanagreementabouttonight,didwenot?”

Hethrewuphishandsinagestureofmockdefeatandgaveanexaggeratedsigh.“Tomygreatdismay,yes!Ishallkeepmyword,at whatever cost tomyself. Miss Dencey, delighted to havemetyou.”

Hebowedlanguidlytothembothandturnedtoleave.Johanna chuckledas shewatchedhimsaunter out. “What a

wretchheis!IknewpoorMary-she’smygoddaughter,youknow

–wouldn’ttakehisfancy,butheabsolutelypromisedtogiveheralittle attention tonight, for my sake, and I’ll hold him to that.WhereJustinSerleshowsaninterest,othermendonotdisdaintofollow,especiallywhenagirliswell-dowered.”

Beatrice flushed scarlet. She, too, was well-dowered, now.Wouldhercousinhavetobribepeopletospeaktoher?

Johanna came to present a perfumed cheek for a kiss, thenheldherguestatarm’slengthtostudyherface.“Soyou’reheretofindyourselfahusbandat last,areyou?Nottomentionone forEleanor aswell!Mamawroteme a long letter explaining all herplans.” She grimaced. “Typical of Mama! Full of contradictoryorders. But I couldn’t be more delighted to give you a Season,Bea!Truly, Icouldn’t! I’vebeenofferingtodo it foryears. Itwassuch fun gettingmy girlsmarried off that I wished I had a fewmoredaughterstobringout.AndnowIhavemywishgranted.”

Beatricedredgedupasmile.“It’sverykindofyoutosaythat,Johanna.”Shewishedshecouldsharehercousin’senthusiasm.Or her confident elegance. Plump as she was, Johanna alwaysmadehermuchyoungercousinfeelill-groomed.Hercurlsmightbegreyingnow,buttheyweredressedinanelaboratestylewhichflattered her still-pretty face. Her smooth white throat and softhands sparkledwith jewels andher gownsweremiracles of themodiste’sart.Butmostattractiveofallwasherlivelypersonality,whichmadehersuchfuntobewith.AsBeatriceknewsheherselfwasnot.Shewasfartooseriousandhadlittlesmalltalk.

“She’sahappysoul,myJohanna,”theDowagerhadoncesaid.“Married well, lives in comfort, has two perfectly satisfactorydaughters-birthedthemwithouttheslightesttrouble,ofcourse-anddidn’tlongmournthatnonentityofahusbandwhenhediedyoungandleftherafortune.Can’taskformuchmoreinlife,canyou?”

Beatrice would have asked for far more. Love such as herparentshadknownmightnotcometomanypeople,buttohopeforaffectionbetweenoneselfandone’sspousedidn’tseemtohertobeunreasonable.

Johanna hugged her again. “You poor lamb, you lookexhausted!”She linkedarmswithBeatrice. “Letmeshowyouto

your room. You’d be welcome to join the party - it’ll go on forhoursyet -but I cansee thatyou’renearlyasleeponyour feet.Thisway!I’vegivenyouPenelope’soldroom.It’sgotafineviewofthe square and the most comfortable bed in the house. Peoplealways sleep well there, I don’t know why.” Almost as anafterthought,sheadded,“Andhow’sMama?”

“Oh-er-muchasusual.”TheDowagerhadstrictlyforbiddenher to divulge anything to Johanna abouther declining state ofhealth.

“AndEleanor?Isshestillaspretty?Itmustbeayearormoresince I’ve seen her. I reallymustmake the effort to visitMamamoreoften.”

“Oh,yes.Eleanorisverypretty.Atleast,Ithinkso.And-andwith very lively takingways.” Though a little rash at times, sheadded mentally, already starting to worry about what Eleanorwouldbegettingupto,nowthatshewaslefttoherowndevices.

“Then we should have no difficulty finding her a husband,shouldwe?” Johanna escortedBeatriceup the stairs,waving toseveralpeopleenrouteandpromisingtointroducehercousintothemanothertime.

Anyonelesslikeherformidablemotherwouldbehardtofind,thought Beatrice. Johanna was always so affectionate andcomfortabletobewith!

Leftaloneatlast,shesighedandsatdownontheedgeofthebed.Noiseandlaughterfloatedupfrombelowandshewonderedhowanyonecouldpossiblyexpecthertosleepwithapartygoingon.Withinhalfanhour,however,shehadallowedayoungmaidtounpackhertravellingcase,drunkaglassofhotmilksweetenedwithhoney,eatenapieceofcakeandsettleddownforthenight.

Sheexpectedtohavedifficultyfallingasleep,butinstead,sheproved her hostess’s point that it was, indeed, the mostcomfortablebedinthehouse.

When she awoke the following morning, it took Beatrice aminute or two to remember where she was, then she sat boltupright in the bed. She was in London already and rushingtowardafateshedefinitelydidnotrelish.Whatsortofmanwouldwant tomarry awoman as old as shewas, and one,moreover,

whose family connectionswerenot all they shouldbe?Anolderman,ofcourse!Awidower,probably.

Herimaginationranriotforafewminutes,picturingaseriesofelderly gentlemen creaking down onto their knees to propose toher,thenshegaveashakylaughandbanishedtheimagesfromhermind.Shewouldtakeonestepatatime.First,shemustgrowaccustomed toLondonways, forherAuntMargueritehadnevergone about much in society on their occasional brief visits totown,confiningherselftoreceiving,inmuchstate,thefewpeopleofhergenerationstillalivewhoseancestryshedidnotdespise.

Beatrice stared across at her trunks, remembering theelegance of the people she had seen the previous evening. Shemust purchase some more stylish clothes. She smiled at thethought.Thatprospect,at least,wasapleasantone.Whowouldnot enjoy buying a completely new wardrobe? She took a deepbreathand toldherself thatnotuntil all thatwasaccomplishedneedshethinkoftheotherthing.Notforanotherweek,anyway.Thisdecisionmadeherfeelmuchbetter.

Her determined expression faded slowly, however, as sheremembered the arrogant gentleman she’d met the previousevening.Ohdear!Ithadstartedalready,withoutherwishingitto,for she’d met one of the Names within minutes of entering thehouse.JustinSerle,ofMelburyPark,Hertfordshire,thelistsaid,with a tick beside the name to indicate that he was a highlypreferredcandidate.Shecouldstillseehishandsome,disdainfulface looking down at her with controlled politeness, and sheblushed again as she remembered how she’d stammered andstuttered in reply to his questions. How stupid she must haveappearedtohim!

Andhowarroganthehadappearedtoher!Shegaspedaloudandgiggledsuddenly,as itoccurredtoher

thatheexactlyfittedthedescriptionofthevillaininthenovelhergrandmother had burned. The Conte di Maggione! Oh, shedefinitelyhadtopurchaseanothercopyandfindouthowthetaleended,ridiculousasitwas.

Aknockonthedoorheraldedtheentranceofthesamesmallmaidwhohadhelpedherunpackthenightbefore,thistimecome

to light the fire. “Shall I fetchyourhotwaterupyet,miss?Andwouldyoulikeateatray?Andifyouplease,herladyshipsaystotellyouthatI’mtohelpyougetreadyandlookafteryourthingsuntilyoufindalady’smaidofyourown.”

“Idon’tneedanyhelp,thankyou.”Thegirl’s face fellsodramatically thatBeatricewasmovedto

askherwhatwaswrong.TheDowagerfrequentlygrewangrywithherforpayingsomuchattentiontoservants,butitwasonethingshe refused to change. Servants were people with the samefeelingsasanyoneelseandoneofthefewpowersshehadwastomake their lives a little more pleasant by showing herappreciationfortheirservices.

“Please miss, I know I’m not a real lady’s maid, but Sarah,whatmaidsforherladyship,she’sbeengivingmelessonsandshesaysIhaveaknackwithhair,andI’mgoodwiththeironingandmending,too.Iwon’tletyoudown,honestIwon’t!”

Beatrice realized from this that she would be blighting theyoungmaid’s big chance in life if she denied needing any help.Shecouldn’tpossiblyrefusesuchaplea.“Verywell,then.”

The thin facewas instantly radiant. “Oh,miss, youwon’t besorry!I’llbeeversocareful,you’llsee.Now,I’ll justgoandfetchyouateatray,thenI’llgetyourhotwater,andafterwards,I’llgetyour things ready. Sarah’s shown me ‘zactly what to do.” Thewordspouredoutinanenthusiasticstream.

“Justamoment!”“Yes,miss?”“Youhaven’ttoldmeyourname.”“Ooh,soIhaven’t!Sorry,miss!I’mTilly.ShortforMatilda.”SoBeatrice submitted to the first of her London ordeals and

allowedherselftobeattendedbytheeagerTilly,whowouldn’tlether do a thing for herself, butwho really did have a deft touchwithhairandwhoabsolutelyradiatedhappinessasshereverentlyperformedherduties.

BreakfastwasnotuntilnineandBeatrice,aninveterateearlyriser, felt the daywas half gone by the time shemade herwaydown to the small dining-room. She was already at table whenJohannafloatedin,stilldressedinachambergown.

“Ah,thereyouare,Bea!Didyousleepwell?”“Verywell.”“OfcourseyoudidgotobedmuchearlierthanIdid.Butthen,

I’ve never been much good in the mornings. How dreadfullyenergetic you look!” She yawned again and languidly helpedherselftoapieceoftoast.“DidTillylookafteryouallright?Sarahthoughtwemightgiveheratryout,but ifshe’snotsuitableyoumust tell me. In any case, we’ll soon find you a proper lady’smaid.”

“Oh,no!”Beatriceexclaimedinvoluntarily.“Why,whateverdoyoumean?”“I-Iprefertolookaftermyself.”“Well, you can’t do that in London, silly,whatever you do at

Satherby.Why,IdaresayIchangemyclothesfourorfivetimesaday,andyou’llbedoingthesame.You’regoingtoneedsomeoneto look after your things.Mama said Iwas to find you the bestlady’smaidtobehad,andnevermindtheexpense.Infact,we’renottoconsidertheexpenseofanything.Whatdeliciousfunwe’regoingtohave!”

“Oh,dear!”Johannagrinnedather.“Hasshebeenlayingdownthelawto

youaboutwhatyou’retodoandnotdo?”“Well, she has, rather. And I’ve no ambitions to look like a

fashionplate.Iprefertofeelcomfortable.Areallady’smaidwouldbesuretodespiseme!YourSarahdoesalready!”

Johanna burst out laughing. “No, she doesn’t! She wouldn’tdare!That’sjustherwayofmaintainingherdignity.”ShestudiedBeatrice carefully. “Youknow, if youdon’tmindmysayingso, Ithink you’re shyer than either of my girls were, Bea, and theywereyearsyoungerthanyouwhentheycameout.Youshouldn’tbesomodest!Iprophesyyou’lltakeverywell.Anymaidwouldbepleased to lookafter you. Theyhave their pride, youknow, andyou’reprettierthanIremember,oryouwillbe,oncewe’vegotyouproperly gowned and your hair dressed to better advantage.Besideswhich,youhaveaverysubstantialdowry,andthat’ssureto-“

Beatricedroppedherknife.“Ihavewhat?”

“SurelyMama told you howmuch she’s decided to settle onyou?”

Beatrice’scheekswereburning.“No!”“Didn’tyouevenask?”“No!”“Well, isn’t that just like her? She adoresmakingmysteries.

Andhow likeyou tobeembarrassedby it.Don’tcolourup,yousillygoose!Inmyopinion,awomanshouldknowherownworthtothepenny.Why,mygirlsknewexactlywhattheywouldbringtotheirhusbandsbeforetheywereeventwelveyearsold!”

Beatrice was speechless. Aunt Marguerite always said thatmarriagewasabusiness,but tocalculate theexchangeratessoopenly filled her with embarrassment. A very substantial dowrymight buy her a husband whose birth didn’t displease theDowager,butwoulditbringheramantowhomsheherselfcouldwarm?

“Anyway,” Johanna went on, not noticing her guest’s utterdemoralization, “Mama’s decided to settle twenty thousandpoundsonyou.Thatshouldgiveyouagoodrangeofchoice,oncethewordgetsabout.Beatrice!Beatrice,whereareyougoing?”Shestared open-mouthed at the half-open door. The sound of hercousinrunningupthestairsfloatedbacktoher.

“Well, Mama said you were nervous about all this, but shedidn’t tell me you were so very touchy!” she said aloud. “Nowondersheleftittometotellyouaboutthedowry!”

After a minute, she smiled to herself and murmured, “Still,suchmodestymightsetanewstyle,ifIplayitwell.”Shereachedforanotherpieceoftoastandsmeareditliberallywithbutterandblackberryconserve,herthoughtsbusywithplansforlaunchingher cousin. An evening party first,with a full-scale ball later. Afew dinners and visits to the theatre, and who knew what elsewouldbeonofferfromotherhostesses?Whatfunitwouldallbe!

Upstairs, Beatricewas staring unhappily out of her bedroomwindow, breakfast forgotten. “What am I to do?” shewhispered,pressingher palms toher burning cheeks. “Howam I to face itall?Twentythousandpounds!It’sfartoomuch!Noonewillcarewhat I’m like - they’ll justbe interested inmymoney!AndAunt

Margueriteknew,sheknewperfectlywell,thatI’dhavetoacceptitaftermypromisetoher!”

ItwasoveranhourbeforeshecouldcalmdownenoughtofaceJohannaagain.Theonly thingwhichkepther toherpromiseoffindingahusbandwasthethoughtthatasamarriedwomanshewould be better placed to protect Eleanor. And her niece’shappinessmatteredverymuchindeedtoher.

Tillycameupto findhereventually, to letherknowthatherladyship was nearly ready to go out shopping. Beatrice askedautomaticallyforhercloak,butTillyshookherhead.“Cloaksisn’tworn for shopping in London,miss. I’ll unpack the rest of yourthings for you while you’re out, but perhaps you can tell me ifyou’vegotapelisseorspenceryouliketowearwiththatdress?Ifit needs ironing, I can easily run down to themaids’ room andsmooth it over.Wealwayskeep the flat ironsnear the fire onaspecialstand.”

She was obviously bursting to help and was as good as herword, returning within minutes carrying Beatrice’s perfectly-ironedpelissereverentlyacrossherarms.“Hereyouare,miss.”

As she smoothed the pelisse with tender hands, Beatricewatched her thoughtfully. She hated the idea of having her lifeinvaded by a starchy lady’s maid, like the one who servedJohanna.ThemajesticSarahruledhermistresswitharodofironwhereherappearancewasconcerned.ThatwouldnotatallsuitBeatrice.Perhaps,though,ifshecouldpersuadehercousinthatTillywasable to cope, thingsmightnot turnout toobadly.Shealready felt comfortable with the girl, who was cheerful andwilling.

“Isityourambitiontobecomealady’smaid,then?”sheaskedcasuallyasshepreparedtogodownstairs.

“Ooh,yes,miss!AndSarahsaysImayjustdoandshe’sbeengivingmelessonsforagesnow.I’mtobeavailabletohelpguests,yousee,nowMary’sleft,andI’mtogetanextraguineaayearifyou’resatisfiedwithmethistime.”

She looked so anxious about it all that Beatrice smiled andsaidinhergentleway,“Well,you’vebeendoinganexcellentjobsofar,Tilly.”

Shewasrewardedbyanotherbeamingsmile.Beatrice nodded as she studied her reflection, for Tilly had

managed to tame the heavy hair that gave its owner so muchtroubleanditnowlayinsleekwavesonherbrow,withthebackhair looped neatly up. If I really do have to have a maid, shethought, watching Tilly’s still-smiling face behind her in themirror,IthinkI’dmuchpreferacheerfulyounggirllikeher.DidJohannasaywe’dhavetochangeourclothesfourorfivetimesaday?Ohdear!Howtedious!HowevermanyclotheswillIneedforthat?

Johanna looked her cousin over critically when she camedownstairsagain,thennodded.“Nottheheightof fashion,butaneat enough turnout. Trust Mama to find you a good countrydressmaker. Anyway, we’ll soon improve on that and have youcutting a dash in town.” She hesitated before adding, “Are youovertheshockoffindingyourselfarichwoman,yet,love?”

Beatriceshookherheadruefully. “I’msorry if Iseemedrude,but Johanna, I still can’t believe it! How can I accept somuchmoneyfromyourmother?Ihavenorighttoit!”

“Just say thank you andbe grateful.Mama’s extremely rich,youknow,andsheneverdoesanythingshedoesn’twantto.Andlookhowyou’veputupwithherforalltheseyears.Weallknowwhatanautocratsheis.”

“She’sbeenverykindtome-inthecircumstances.”Johannascreweduphernose.“Well,Ithinkitwasquitegothic

ofherfamilytocutyourfatheroffwithoutapennylikethatandleaveeverythingtoMama!”

Beatriceshrugged.“Thatwasalloveranddonewithlongago.Itstilldoesn’tentitlemetosucha-afortune!”

“You’ve earned every penny, I promise you. Now, let’s forgetabout all that nonsense and go and see Odette. She’s beenmymodiste for years. She charges prodigiously high, but she’s agenius,my dear, an absolute genius. You’ll soon be setting thefashion if youput yourself inherhands.AndMamadid sayweweretosparenoexpense.”

Beatricesighedaudibly.“Don’tyoulikeclothes?”Johanna’stonewasincredulous.

“Well, Idonormally,of course Ido,butat themoment I feellikeanofferingbeingpreparedforsacrifice.I-IdaresayI’llgrowusedtotheidea.”Shesmiledbravely.

Johannaroaredwithlaughter.“Oh,Bea,you’llbethedeathofmeyet!Growused to it, indeed!Youshould revel in the ideaofbeingworthtwentythousandpounds.Mama’skeptyoutooquiet,butdon’tworry,I’llsoonteachyouhowtoenjoyyourself.”

Wisely Beatrice did not try to contradict her, but she ratherdoubtedthatshewouldenjoycitylifeamongsomanystrangers.SheallowedJohannatogossipaboutfashionsallthewaytothemodiste’s, but her own thoughts were still in turmoil. Twentythousandpounds!shekeptthinking.Toomuch.Fartoomuch.

It’dattractfortunehunters.She couldn’t help remembering the hardships she and her

motherhadsufferedanditoccurredtoherthatonlyafractionofthat dowry disbursed earlier would have made them bothcomfortable and perhaps kept her mother alive for longer. Fatecould be so capricious! She took a deep breath and remindedherself, as shehadmany timesbefore, that theDowagerhadn’tknown of their circumstances and thus could not be held toblamefortheirdifficulties.

The two ladies were granted the honour of an immediateinterview with Mademoiselle Odette herself, and Johannaexplained her cousin’s needs and aspirations so frankly thatBeatricewassoonblushingagain.

Odettenoddedbrisklyandturnedtostudyhernewcustomer.EvenJohanna’stonguewasstilledasshewatchedthemodiste.

“Willyoupleasestandupandwalkabout,MissDencey?Yes,nowsitdown.Standupagain.Turnround.Hmm!Letmethink.Dopleasesitdownagain!”

Beatricesankgratefullyontoaspindlygiltchairandstaredatthecarpet,feelingmorethaneverlikeasacrificialvictim.

After a few minutes, during which Odette moved to surveyBeatrice fromseveral angles,her impersonal fingers turninghernew client’s head first one way, then the other, the modistenodded. “We shall set anew fashionwithMissDencey, I think,your ladyship. Restrained, ladylike elegance. Simple, but

exquisite.Theshynesswillenhancethis.Goodcolours,wonderfulfabrics, no fuss. You’ll see.” She began to take Beatrice’smeasurements,nodding inapprovalasshecalledthemoff toanassistant.

When that was over, Johanna nodded in a friendly way. “I’llleave it all to you, then, Odette. How soon can you havesomethingready?”

“Withinadayortwo.Whichgarmentswouldyoulikemadeupfirst,LadyOstdene?”

“Somethingforpayingmorningcalls,somethingforwalkinginthepark-oh,andaneveninggown,ofcourse.”

“I’llsendthemroundassoonasthey’reready,yourladyship.Afittingofatoile tomorrow, ifyouplease,MissDencey, togiveustheexactsizing,thenwe’llmakeupapaddedfigureforeverythingbutthefinalfittings.Price?”Shecockedherheadononesidelikeabright-eyedbird.

BeatricehadnoideaandlookedtoJohannaforhelp.“Thepriceisirrelevant,Odette.Aslongasyouliveuptoyour

usualstandards.Iwishmycousintobenoticed.”Odette’seyesgleamed.“Haveyoueverknownmeto fail,your

ladyship?”Johanna was admiring herself in a mirror. “No, you don’t

normallyfail.Thisisquiteoneofmyfavourites,Odette.”“Itdoeslookwellonyourladyship.”JohannaturnedherattentiontoBeatrice.“Mycousinisalittle

differentfromtheusualyoungladymakingherdebutinsociety.”“Yes,indeed.Colourswillmakeanicechangefromwhitesand

pastels,yourladyship.And,ifImaysayso,MissDenceymaybeolder than theusualyoung ladymakingherdebut,butshehascharacterandresolutioninher face.Withherheightandfigure,wecannotfailtomakeagoodimpression.”

Bythis time,Beatricewasagainscarletwithembarrassment.Shefeltasifshe’ddonenothingbutblushandstuttersinceshearrivedinLondon.Shehatedtobeafocusofattention,absolutelyhatedit.

“Please letushavesamplesofthematerialsyou’vechosenassoonaspossible,sothatwecanpurchaseaccessories.”

“Certainly,yourladyship.”As theysettledback in thecarriage,Johannasighedhappily.

“Now, accessories. Stockings, gloves, shawls, bonnets. We’ll goandinspectafewthingstoday,butwewon’tbuymuchuntilwehaveoursampleswatches.Oh,whatfunitwillallbe!”

“Don’twehaveanychoice-aboutthecoloursandmaterials,Imean?”venturedBeatrice.

“Choice? With Odette?” Johanna hooted with laughter. “Iwouldn’tdaretellherwhattouse!She’sagenius,mydear,apuregenius!Justleaveitalltoher!”

Theyspentabusymorningshopping, firstat thepremisesofHarding, Howell and Company, who had a most amazingemporium,situated inSchombergHouse inPallMall. Itactuallyconsistedofseveralshopsallundertheoneroof,eachseparatedfromtheothersbyglazedmahoganypartitions,andtoBeatrice’sdazed eyes it seemed enormous. The shop even contained arefreshmentroomupstairswherecustomerscouldbeservedwithwines, tea, coffee and sweetmeats. Johanna confessed to aweaknessforthepastriessoldthereandproveditbyconsumingthreeofthembeforetheycontinuedontoGraftonHouseinNewBondStreet.Thiswassocrowdedthattheyhadtowaitforquitefifteenminutesbeforetheycouldevenbeattendedto.

At both shops, Johanna introduced Bea to a bewilderingnumber of ladies whose names she was sure she would notremember.Bythetimetheyleft,herheadwasspinningwithnotonlynamesbutalsothehugenumbersofitemsforsale.

As the two ladies were walking out toward their carriage, ahaggard-looking man with one arm missing, who had beenbeggingnearthecorner,collapsedsuddenly inthestreet.BeforeJohannacouldpreventher,Beatricehadrushedacrosstohisaidandwasactuallykneelingdowntohelphimsitup, ignoringthedirtonboththegroundandhisperson.

Johanna,horrified, rememberedhermothercomplaining thatif Beatrice saw an injured bird, it had to be brought home andtended. Well, she wouldn’t be able to tend all the beggars inLondon!Andthisoneappearedtobeasdirtyastherestofthem.

“Bea!”shecalled.“Bea,comeback!”

Shewasignored.“I’msorryforcausingtrouble,miss.”Themanlettheladyhelp

himtohisfeetthenleanedagainstthewall,lookingwhiteandill.EventhenBeatricecouldn’tleavewellalone.Whilehercousin

watched inhorror, shecommandedasmallboy loiteringnearbytofetchsomethinghottoeatanddrink,heldoutasixpenceandpromiseddoublethatamountasarewardforhimselfifhecarriedouttheerrandswiftly.

“Givethatmansomemoneyandcomeaway!”hissedJohanna,stepping closer to twitch at Bea’s sleeve. She glanced round,terrifiedthatsomeonesheknewwouldseethemandgossipaboutthestrangebehaviourofhervisitor.

She was again ignored. Within minutes, Beatrice had foundout that the man was an ex-soldier and was currently withoutmeansofsupport,alsothathehadbeenillforthepastweekandhad nothing to eat for two days. Not content with giving himmoney,shequicklydiscoveredthathisambitionwastobecomeapie-man, but that he lacked the capital to launch this businessventure. Tipping the change out of her purse, sheprovidedhimwithenoughmoneytodothat, togetherwithsomesoundadviceandhernameandaddress.Hewastocomeandletherknowhowthingswent.

Only after this was all arranged, the boy had brought backsome food and the man had promised to keep in touch wouldBeatriceconsenttoreturntothecarriage.

“You really shouldn’t hand out money to such people, youknow!” Johanna protested, once they were safely inside thecarriage.“Andjustlookatthedirtonyourdress!”

Beatrice looked down in surprise, then shrugged. “Thatmanlost his arm defending his country and no one seems to care.WhatdoesabitofdirtmatterifIamabletohelphim?”

“You’llneverhearfromhimagain.”“I think I will.” She stared at her cousin. “I can remember

myselfwhatit’sliketogohungry,youknow.”Johannacouldonlygapeather.Afewsecondslatersheasked

inhushed tones, “Didyou really gohungry,Bea?Actually,” shegulped,“nothaveenoughtoeat?”

“Manytimes.MymotherandIhadverylittlemoneytoliveonand you knowhow food prices rose during thewar.Weweren’ttheonlyonestosuffer,either.”

“Goodness,whyhaveyouneversaidanythingaboutitbefore?”“Whatwas the point?What’s past is donewith and can’t be

changed. Even my aunt didn’t know till afterwards how badthingshadbeenforus.Mymotherhadherpride,too,yousee.Itwasonlywhensherealizedshewasdying thatshewrote to theGraceovers’manofbusiness.Andbythetimehereplied,shewasdead.”

Johannacouldonlypatherhand.ItwasbeginningtooccurtoherthatBeamightnotbequiteasmeekandamenableasshe’dexpected.Then,puttingsuchanunwelcomeideafromhermind,she quickly recovered her good humour, leaned back in thecarriageandchanged thesubject, smilingoncemore. “Spendingsomeoneelse’smoneyissuchfun,Bea,evenbetterthanspendingone’s own. I’ll ask the housekeeper to send a message to aDomesticEmploymentAgencywhenwe gethomeand tomorrowwecanstartinterviewinglady’smaids.”

Beatricescreweduphercourageandshookherheadfirmly.“Idon’t wish for a strange lady’s maid, Johanna. Couldn’t I -couldn’twe,Imean-justseehowTillygoeson?”

“Tilly?She’sanicechild,butyou’llneedmorehelp thanshecangiveyou.”

“Johanna,pleasebelievethatIreallydisliketheideaofhavingafashionable lady’smaid!”Beatricetookadeepbreathandsaidinavoicethatwasalittleunsteady,“It’sTillyornoone!”

“Nonsense!Youcan’tmeanthat!”“Idomean it! I’mnotusedtoall this.”Tearsgathered inher

eyes. “Please, Johanna, let’s just try Tilly for a few days. Thatcan’t do any harm, surely. I like her cheerful nature and she’sbetterwithmyhairthanIam.”

Johanna eyed her shrewdly, realized that her cousin wasgenuinelyupsetandcapitulated.“Oh,verywell!”Afterall,Sarahwould be there to help out and Sarah was obviously enjoyingtrainingTilly.Ithadputherinagoodmoodforweeksnow.“Butthegirlisonlyontrial,mind,”sheadded.“Don’tsayanythingto

heraboutapermanentplacetillweseehowshegoes!”“Whateveryouwish,Johanna.”Beatricesankbackinrelief.Whentheygothome,itwastofindthehouseinanuproar.A

carriagestoodatthedoorandthereweretrunksandparcelsalloverthefloor.

Aheadpeeredoverthebanisters.“It’sme,Mama!”“Jennice!Whatareyoudoingintown?”Johanna’s younger daughter chuckled naughtily. “Fleeing,

Mama.”“What on earth do youmean by that? And come down, will

you?I’mgettingacrickinmynecktalkingtoyoulikethis.”A very pretty young woman descended the stairs. Beatrice

staredather.HowJennicehadchangedsincehermarriage!Shewasplumperthanshehadbeen,butBeatricewishedshelookedeven half as assured and elegant as the newcomer. In that,Jennice took after hermother. The pair of themmade Beatricefeelverydowdytoday.

Jennice planted a hearty kiss on her mother’s cheek and afleeting one in the air above Beatrice’s ear. “So nice to be heresafely!”

“Safely?” Johanna quizzed. “It’s only a two-hour drive fromLymsby.”

Jennicescowled.“Well,tohearBoristalk,you’dthinkwehadtodrivethroughforestsfullofhighwaymentogethere.”

Johanna swept them both into her own small sitting room,callingouttothebutlertosendtheminsomerefreshmentsbeforeshe perished of hunger. “Now, young woman, kindly explainyourself!” shesaidwithmocksternnessasshesatdown. “Whatexactlyareyoufleeingfrom?”

Anotherchuckle.“Frommyhusband,Mama!”“Oh,that’sallright,then.What’sBorisdonethistime?”“ThreatenedtokeepmeatLymsbyfortherestoftheyear.”“Goodness, what a dreadful fate! Why should he want to do

that?”Jennice’s expression became positively smug. “Because I’m

abouttomakeyouintoagrandmama!”“What!”

When the shower of hugs from Johanna was over, JenniceexplainedhowexcitedBorishadbeenatthemerepossibilityofachildandthenhowunbearablydespotichehadbecomeonceitsexistencewasconfirmed.“AsifIwereillorsomething!Itoldhimchildbearingisaperfectlynaturalthingandthatcommonwomencontinueworkinguntiltheverylastminute.”

“Andwhatdidhesaytothat?”“He turned up his nose and said that his wife was neither

commonnorrequiredtoworkforherliving,andwouldbelookedafter as befitted her station. So there was nothing for it but toshowhimhowsillyhe’sbeing.”

“Oh,Idoagree!It’sfataltoallowahusbandtodictatetoone.”“Iwaitedtillhewentovertoafriend’stolookatsomehorses-

I’msickand tiredofhimgoingoutand leavingmealone! - andthen I left straight away. I just hope nothing sends him homeearly.Heshouldn’tgetbacktoLymsbytillafterdark,sohewon’tsetoutforLondontonight,butIdaresayhe’llbeheretomorrow,breathingfireandbrimstone.”

Johanna beamed at her. “Dearme, I’m terrified at themerethought.”

Beatrice, watching, could onlywonder at theway theymadethe relationship between husband and wife seem amere game.Shecouldn’thelpfeelingsomesympathyforBoris,whomshehadnotyetmet.

Jennicesmiled.“I’llsoonbringhimround,you’llsee-atleastIwill if you’ll only helpme by telling himhow dangerous it is tothwartthewishesofawomancarryingachild.”

Johanna threw back her head and laughed. “You neverchange,Jennice!Verywell,I’llhelpyou.Butwhenyougetbigger,IdothinkyoushouldretiretoLymsbyandsetpoorBoris’smindat rest.Husbandsarealwayssomuchmore fussywith the firstchild.He’llprobablyleaveyouinpeacewiththeothers-atleast,hewill if thisone’saboy.Andyouwillhavetocossetyourselfalittlemorethanusual,youknow.”

“Well,ofcourseI’llretirewhenIgrowbigger!Youdon’tthinkIwishtobeseeninpubliclookinglikea-acowinmilk!YouknowhowgiganticPenelopegotand Idare say I’ll be the same.But I

haveamillionthingstodofirst:buyallthelatestnovelstokeepmyselfentertainedduringmyincarceration,arrangeforsomenewclothestobemade-oh,allsortsofotherthingsthatonecanonlydointown!”

She turned to Beatrice. “And I must apologize, Bea, forignoringyou like this.Whatareyoudoing inLondon?HaveyoufledfromGrandmamma?”

Chapter3

Two days after the visit toOdette, the first of Beatrice’s new

clothes arrived, thanks to the efforts of three seamstresseswhohadstayedupuntillateeachnightsewing.Odetteherselfcametosupervise the final trying-on, a rare attention, but the modistewasratherpleasedwithwhatshehadcreatedandwishedtoseethathereffortswereproperlyappreciated.

TillystoodinawedattendanceasOdette’sassistanthelpedhermistress don a soft apricot-coloured street dress with a highwaist.

Beatrice studied herself in the full-length mirror, her eyesshining with wonderment at how flattering the dress was. Twolines of simple tucking gave body to the fabric just above thescalloped hem, and the long full sleeves ended in tucking, too,withnarrowcreamlaceruffles.Thesewerematchedbyasoftlacefrillratherlikearuffaroundthehighneckline.Towearwiththedress,therewasapelisseinadeepercolourofapricotvelvet.Shehadneverpossessedanythingwhichsuitedherhalfsowell.

She turned to Odette first and reached out to clasp themodiste’shands,“Thankyou!”shesaid,withacatchinhervoice.“IneverdreamedIcouldlooksoelegant!”

Johannanotedinamusementthatthemodistewascompletelywon over by this egalitarian treatment and watched her pressBeatrice’s hands in return, before releasing them and steppingbackwards.

“You will set a fashion, Mademoiselle,” Odette prophesied. “Ishall make sure of that. And, if I may suggest, to go with thisdress a simple poke bonnetwould be bestwith a full brim andvery little trimming. Perhapsun tout petit peude dentelles, nottoo much lace, mind! And one spray of flowers in a colour tomatchthepelisse?”

“Whateveryousay.”Beatrice turnednext tohercousin. “I - Idon’tknowwhattosay,Johanna.”

Her cousin’s eyes softened. “You don’t need to say anything,

Bea. I’m thoroughly enjoying all this. And you look lovely. Now,try on the ball dress! I think Odette has excelled herself withthat.”

BeatriceretiredbehindthescreenwithTillyandtheassistantinattendanceandOdettestood there,asmallsmilecurvinghermouth.Whenhernewestcustomeremergedlikeabutterflyfromitschrysalis,shemadenoattempttomoderateherdelight.

Thedresswasinasoftcreamysilkwhichglistenedslightly.Itwastrimmedabovetheonefrillwhichgracedthehemwiththreerows of narrow satin ribbon just a shade or two darker. At onepoint the frill rose to ahigher point and the ribbonalso curvedupwards a few inches to meet a near-flat spray of delicate silkrosesinalightercream.Thesewereechoedbyamatchingsprayonasatinfilletforthehair.

Beatrice’s delight in the dress lent a sparkle toher eyes andsoftcolourtohercheeks.Shehadbeendreadfullyafraidthatthedictates of fashionwould forceher todress inmultiple flouncesandgaudytrimmings,orfussystrandsofartificialflowerslikethepicturesinLaBelleAssembléeandTheLadiesMonthlyMuseum-Johanna’s favourite reading material. Odette had capturedBeatrice’swishesexactlyinthiselegantsimplicity.

“Ihavejustthethingtowearwiththat!”Johannalefttheroomabruptly, to return with a huge shawl, two and a half squareyards of fine satin-striped Lyon silk, with a scalloped edging.“There! You’d think we’d matched the colour of the ribbonpurposely,wouldn’tyou?Drapeitroundyourshoulders,Bea!”

She stood back to gauge the effect and was rewarded byanother nod of approval and complicity from Odette, who wasbecoming more French by the minute in her excitement. “C’estparfait,YourLadyship.Absolumentparfait!Everythingshouldbeofthepurestlinesformademoiselle,butoftheveryfinestquality.Trèssimple,mais trèschic. I’ve foundsomematerialswhichareratherspecial.Ithink,non,j’ensuissûre,thatyouwillbepleasedwiththem.”

Johanna nodded. She wouldn’t have dared disobey Odette’scommands, even if her own fashion sense hadn’t told her thesamething.“That’sexactlymyopinion,”sheagreed,“butitwon’t

doforthecourtdress.”“Certainlynot!”Odette’seyesgleamed.“Forthat,weshallneed

moreelaboration,or itwillbe takenasa lackof respect forHerMajesty.”

“Do I have to be presented?” pleaded Beatrice, though sheknewshehadlittlehopeofescapingthisordeal.

Twoshockedfaceswereheronlyanswer.Shesighed.“Ishallfeelsoridiculous!Hoops!Andfeatherson

myhead!Ishallseemsixfeettall!Ican’tbeartothinkofit.”Johannashookherhead. “Mydear,weall go through it and

weallsurvive.Andhoopsarenotnearlyasmuchtroubleasyoumight expect, since youwon’t be sitting down in them, even onthe carriage ride. Sitting down really is difficult to manageelegantly.”ShesawBeatrice’smouthopenforanotherprotestandheld up one hand. “No! Not another word!” She turned to themodiste. “Odette, we shall leave the design of the court dressentirelyuptoyou.White,ofcourse.”

“Biensûr.”Beatricesighedagain.Shehadforgottenaboutbeingpresented

in her anxiety about her aunt’s list of eligibles. Now it loomedbeforeherasyetanotherordeal tobe faced,perhapsoneof theworst.Shewasquitesureshe’dmakeafoolofherself,asshehadin her encounter with Mr Serle. And why she kept thinking ofhim,shecouldn’timagine.

Thenextdayshewore thenewapricotdressasshesatwithJohanna in the salon, it being her ladyship’s day to receivevisitors. Her natural serenity lent her the gentle dignity whichbest suited both her looks and nature, but she was completelyunaware of how well she looked, for she was concentrating ontryingtorememberpeople’snamesandonlearningwhatsortsoftopicsladiesdiscussedwhentheywentoutandaboutinsociety.

Justin Serle arrived just as the last visitorswere leaving.Hewasapparentlyafrequentcaller,beingafriendofJohanna’sson-in-law.Anexpressionofobvioussurprisecrossedhis faceashegazed at the transformation of the foolish woman in crumpledtravelling clotheswhomhe’dmet a few evenings previously andwhomhehaddismissedoutofhandasanonentity.

Beatricecouldeasilyguesswhathewasthinkingandfeltherindignationrise.Howdaredthatmanjudgeherbyappearances?Whatafrivolouscreaturehemustbe!Shegavehimonlythetipsofherfingerstoshakeandremovedherhandfromhisasquicklyas politeness allowed, turning away and giving him noencouragementtolingerbyherside.

WhenhecrossedtheroomtositnexttoJennice,whowasinhighfettletoday,Beatriceretreatedtositinthebaywindowandstaredownatthestreet.Shehadfoundthelasthourorsorathertedious.DidnoonetalkaboutanythingbutpartiesandfashionsandthelatestgossiphereinLondon?

Thesunwasshiningoutside,butnooneseemedtowishtogooutandenjoyit.PoormenfromManchesterweresohungrythatagroupof themhadtried tomarchonLondontodemandhelp,but no one cared. The newspapers seemed glad to see theBlanketeers dispersed by troops, but the sufferers had all hersympathy.

The doings of Princess Charlotte had been themain topic ofconversation for several of the ladies that day. Beatrice hadalready seen Her Highness in the distance, driving past in acarriage: a plump young lady with yellow hair andundistinguished features. She had been extremely disappointedbytheappearanceofthemuch-fêtedHeiressofEngland.

Across the room, Justin stared at her.He hadn’tmissed thelookofdisapprovalonMissDencey’sfaceasshetookhishand,orthewaysheturnedawayfromhimassoonasshecould,andhedecidedthatevenifhisfirstimpressionofherasacountrydowdhad been wrong, he had not been mistaken in her character,which was serious to a fault. She would definitely not take intown,withthatprimexpression,andshewascertainlynottohistaste,howeverwellshelookednow.

Putting her firmly out of his mind, he began to flirtoutrageously with Jennice whom he had known all his life andwho therefore knewbetter than to takehim seriously.Whenheglanced sideways again, he saw Beatrice’s look of disapprovaldeepenandfeltasenseoftriumph.

“So,Justin,howdoyoufindthisyear’scropofyoungladies?”

Jennicedemanded,loungingbackonthesofainamannerwhichtheDowagerwouldhavecondemnedinstantlyashoydenish.

He pulled a face. “Much the same as last year’s. Sweet,innocentanddeadlydull.”

“I vow you’re too demanding. The poor girls haven’t got achancewithyou! It’s timeyou tookawife, foryou’repast thirtynow. “‘Tis your duty, sir, your solemn duty!” She wagged onefinger at him inmock reproof, but her laughing eyes belied herwords.

Hebenthisheadforamomentasifinshamedacceptanceofherreproof. “Iadmit itand Ihave tried,believeme!But ifagirlpossesses one good quality, she inevitably possesses two badones.Andsurely it’snot toomuch toask thatawife shouldbepleasantinappearance?YouwillnoteIdonotstipulatebeautiful.ThatwouldbetoasktoomuchofProvidence.”

“Well,thereareanynumberofpleasant-lookinggirlsforyoutochoosefrom!”

“Yes,butIrequireoneortwootherqualities.Absolutelyinsistonthem,infact.”

“Suchas,sir?”“Asoftvoice,amodicumofintelligenceandthecapacitytoact

as my hostess and châtelaine without tittering like a laundrymaid.”

AsBeatricelistened,shewatchedthemenviously,admiringthedexterity with which Jennice handled the light-hearted reparteeand wishing she were similarly skilled. She could maintain aconversation,forthathadbeenpartoftheDowager’straining,butnotwith suchverveand lightness. Indeed, she feltherself tobeextremely dull and prosaic by the standards of her CousinJohanna’sset.

InthemiddleofMrSerle’svisit,LordBorisNewthorpearrivedat lasttoconfronthiserrantwife,andsincehewasboilingwithrage and was acquainted with or related to all the personspresent,hedidnotscrupletostartaquarrelinfrontofthem.

Hestruckaposeinthedoorway,onehandonthedoorframe,theotheronhiship,andwaiteduntilalleyeswereonhim.“So,Madam,Ifindyouhereatlast,doI?”

Beatrice could only gape, for she was not aware that LordNewthorpewasgiventoamelodramaticturnofphrasewhenhisirewasroused.

Jennicetiltedhernoseupwardsandallowedafewmomentstopassbefore saying sarcastically, “Since I left anote to tell you IwascomingtovisitMamaandsinceIwaswithyouonlytwodaysago, I cannot understand either your difficulty in findingme oryourtonenow,Sir!”

The aggrieved husband ground his teeth quite audibly. “YouknowwhatImean,Madam.”

“I’msureIdon’t!Ineverdowhenyougetonyourhighhorse,Boris!And-ifyou’vebeensoveryworriedaboutme-whyhasittakenyoutwodaystogethere?”Shetossedherheadathim.

“Majesty had sprained his fetlock! I had to see that it wasproperly tended. You know how ill-tempered he is with anyoneexceptme.”

“I’mwellawarethatthathorseismoreimportanttoyouthanIam!”Jennicestoodup,turnedherbacktohimandpretendedtostudy her reflection in amirror, patting a curl into place whilewatchinghimfrombeneathhereyelashes.

Heglaredatherandturnedtobowcoldlytohismother-in-law,whotooktheopportunitytoreintroduceBeatricetohim.Buthisthoughtswereclearlynotontheintroductions.Assoonashehadbowed over the visitor’s hand, stared blankly at her and saidthroughgrittedteethhowdelightedhewastoseeher,heturnedbacktohiswife.“Kindlyinstructyourmaidtopackyourthings,Madam!”

Jennicespunround,mouthopeninshock.“Certainlynot!”“If you don’t,” Boris was growing redder in the face by the

minute and rapidly losing his dignified tone, “then I shall giveSusantheordermyself.”

Jennice’sdignityalsobegantoslip.“Well,shewon’tobeyyou,sothere!She’smymaidandsheanswersonlytome!”

“In that case I shall be compelled to turn her off and find amaidwhodoesrecognisehermaster,shan’tI?”

Jennicelosttherestofherelaboratepoiseabruptlyandtookasteptowardhim.“Youwouldn’tdare!”

Heputonehandonhisheartandstruckanoblepose.“Idaredoanythingtoprotectmyunbornchild!”

“My dears, pray calm down!” murmured Johanna, who wasfinding it hard to conceal her amusement. Neither of thecombatantspaidhertheslightestattention.

“I never heard of anything so mean in all my life!” declaredJennice,bothhandsclaspedatherbosomandtearssparklingonher eyelashes. “Threatening to turn away Susan, who has beenwithmeforyearsjustbecauseyou’remiffed!You’reabeast,BorisNewthorpe, an absolute beast! What sort of a father will youmake? Oh, my poor baby!” She pressed her hands protectivelyoverherstomach.

“You have only to obey your husband’s lawful commands,Madam,andthewomanmaystayonasyourmaid!”

“Obey your commands! Obey your commands! I never heardanythinghalfsogothic!Andthatfromamanwhosehorseismoreimportanttohimthanhiswife!”

Boris scowled at her and abandonedhis pose. “Dash it all, Iexplained about that, Jen. If it had been any other horse thanMajesty...”

She sniffed scornfully. “Anyway, you deserved that I shouldleave.Orderingmeabout like that and thengoingoff to lookathorsesandleavingmeonmyown!Whatsortofhusbandlycareisthat,pray?AndwhodoyouthinkIamanyway-yourslave?”

“You’remywifeandhavepromisedtoobeyme.”She brushed that awaywith a careless gesture of one hand.

“Ohpooh,whoevermeansthat?It’sjustwords.”He drew himself up again and tried to regain lost ground.

“Madam,Iinsistthatyoudoasyou’retold!”“Well, Iwon’t! And I think you’re a beast to callme ‘Madam’

like that.And if youdare toevenbegin tocarryoutyour threatabout Susan...” Jennice was unable to think of anything direenoughtothreatenhimwithinreturn,soshehidherdilemmabyburstingintotears,whichusuallybroughthimtoheel.

Thistime,however,allthetearselicitedfromherhusbandwasascornful,“Hah!”andanotherdramaticpose,thistimewitharmsfolded.

Beatrice,bythistimescarletwithembarrassmentanddistressatthepublicnatureoftheiraltercation,feltagentletouchonherarm.MrSerlewasstandingbesideher.

“MayIsuggestthatweleavethemtocompletetheirquarrelinprivateandgooutforastrollroundthesquare,MissDencey?”

Hiseyeswerebrimmingwithlaughterashekeptaneyeonthetragicomedy being played in front of them, but he had noticedthathishostess’scousinwasgenuinelyupsetbythequarrelandforsomestrangereasonthathadtouchedhim.Shemusthaveavery tender heart and be very naïve about the gameshusbandsandwivesplayed.Well, thatwasbetter thansomeof thebrass-faced harpies you met in town, who cared for nothing butthemselves. In fact, for some strange reason Miss Denceyremindedhimofhisgrandmother,whomhehadloveddearlyandwho had also been very tender-hearted. “We’re certainly in thewayhere,”headdedquietly,offeringherhisarm.

Shestoodupquickly.“Ohyes!Theymustwishtobealone!”He rather doubted that, since both the Newthorpes loved

playingtoanaudience,buthedidn’tvoicehisdisagreement.Jennicesobbedtwiceas loudlywhenBorisdidn’trushtoher

side,then,afterlookingathimcovertly,sankgracefullyontothesofa and demanded that someone bring her a vinaigrette beforeshefaintedquiteaway.“Oh,howdidIcometomarryamonsterlike you?” she declaimed, one arm covering her eyes. “What afatheryouwillmakeformychildren!Youwillcaremoreforyourhorsesthanformypoorbabies!”

BeatricetookMrSerle’sarmandlethimguidehertowardthedoor.

Johanna turned her head away for a moment, shouldersshaking with suppressed laughter, but her guest didn’t noticethat.

Justin left Beatrice waiting in the hall and went back towhisperinhishostess’sear.

Johanna nodded permission. She knew it would be a whilebeforeBoriscouldbebroughttoheelandJennicecalmeddown,andalthoughshethoroughlyenjoyedwatchingtheminx’santics,she could see that her young cousin was suffering from acute

embarrassment. Poor Bea had always been oversensitive aboutquarrels,whileJenniceandBorisenjoyedtheirsthoroughly-nottomentionthetenderreconciliationsthatalwaysfollowedthem!

Beatrice stood in the hallwithMr Serle,waiting for her newvelvetspencertobebroughtdown.

When Tilly had assisted hermistress to don it and a simplestraw bonnet, the butler stepped forward to open the door forthem.

“Ithink,”Justintoldhimquietly,“yourmistresswillnotwishtoreceiveanyothercallersthismorning.”

Jennice’ssobbingwasquiteaudibleevenfromthefrontdoor.A shriek of rage punctuated it suddenly,making Beatrice gasp,butthebutlerdidn’tflinch.“Quiteso,sir,”hesaid.“MissJennicedoesgetatrifleupsetattimes.LadyNewthorpe,Ishouldsay.”

“We’ll just takeawalkroundthegardenshere inthesquare.You can send someone out to fetch us when the fireworks areover.”

“Certainly,MrSerle.Fineclementweatherweareenjoying,arewenot,Miss?Thespringflowersarejustcomingoutnicelyinthegardens.Ifancyyou’llenjoythedisplays.”

Not until they were outside in the weak spring sunlight didBeatrice realize that Jennice’s quarrel with her husband hadthrownher intocloseproximitywithsomeonewhowasalmostacomplete stranger and towhom shehad taken a strong dislike.Shestoppedabruptly.“I-er-shouldwebe...”andcouldn’tthinkhowtophraseherquestionwithoutsoundingimpolite.

“If you mean is it proper for us to be out walking togetherwithoutachaperone,yes, it is,thatisaslongaswekeeptothepublicgardenshere.I’msureyou’dprefertobeoutofthehousewhile thosetwocontinuetheirquarrel.My friendBoriscanbeatriflearrogantattimes,butIthinkhe’smorethanmethismatchinJennice.Doyouknowwhyhe’ssoeagertotakeherawayfromtown?Ihadthoughttheywereplanningtocomeuphereforthewholeseason.Theyusuallydo.”

“She’s expecting a baby,” Beatrice replied without thinking,thenflushedandstoppeddeadjustasshewasabouttotakehisarm.“Ohdear!I’mnotsurewhetherIshouldhavetoldyouthat!

Praydon’ttellthem.Imean...”Hervoicefadedandshecouldonlystudytheflowerbedtoherleftinanattempttohideherblushes.Whydidthismanmakeheractsofoolishly?Shehadonlytobeinhispresencetofeelflusteredandbreathless.

Hebegan to feelboredat thismissishbehaviour,but offeredherhisarm.Hestudiedheras theybegan towalk.Awomanofher age shouldhavemore social confidence, though the flushedfaceandover-brighteyesbecameherverywell. In fact, shewasfar more attractive than he had thought at first. He preferredtallerwomen likeher. Itwasannoying tohave tobenddown totalk to someone. “Youneedn’tworry about tellingme the news,MissDencey.Borisisachildhoodfriendofmine-wemoreorlessgrewup together -and I’mboundtobeoneof the first toknowaboutthebaby.Nowonderhewantshertoreturnhome!”

Beatrice nodded and looked down at his arm, feeling a littlebemused by how conscious she was of touching him. And howstronghisarmfelt!Sheglancedsidewaysathimandcaughtherbreathathowhandsomehewaslookingtoday.Foramomenttheworldseemedtofadearoundthemandshewasconsciousonlyofhim, then she realized he was speaking again and tried to paybetter attention. Shemust learn to behavemore sensibly in hispresence.

“The twoof themhavebeenmarried for fouryearswithoutasignofthepreciousheir,”Justinsaid,hisvoiceratherscornful.

Astheystrolledon,Beatriceprotested,“It’sonlytobeexpectedthathewouldwishforchildren.It’soneofthemainpurposesofmarriage, isn’t it?” Apart from the money aspects, a voice saidinsideherhead.Peopleofherclassseemedtomarrymoreoftenformoney than for love. “Besides,” her voice grew softer, “whatwomandoesnotwishforchildren?”

Herlongingforachildechoedclearlyinhervoice,whichmadehimslowdowntostareatherinsurprise.Notmanyoftheyoungladies he’dmet in town were so honest about their feelings. Infact,itwasn’tfashionableeventospeakofone’schildren,exceptperhapstoveryclosefriendsandrelatives.

“Jennicewasdelightedaboutthechild,Ithink,”Beatricesaidthoughtfully, “thoughnotaboutBoriswishingher tostay in the

country.”“I’m not an expert on children. Most of the women I know

complain loudly of the tediumof thebreedingprocess and thenleave their offspring to the care of nursemaids. Jennice won’tenjoy being cloistered at Lymsby, nor can I see her devotingherselftoherchildren-well,notoncethenoveltyhaswornoff.”

Heandhisyoungerbrotherhadrarelyseentheirownmotherandhadbeenraisedbytheirnurse.Fortunately,thatredoubtablewomanhad furnished themwith the permanent affectionwhichall children need and as well, they had each other’s company.Therebeingonlyeighteenmonthsdifferenceinage,theyhadbeenascloseasmanytwins.

The same nurse was now in charge of the housekeeping atMelburyandhadlatelytakentoreinforcingwhathismothersaidby scolding Justin roundly whenever he visited his countryestates. She made no secret of the fact that she considered itshamefulandselfishforhimtoremainsingleforsolongandthusomittoprovideanheirfortheSerleline.

“Ifyouarenotcareful,”Mrs.Powishadtoldhimbluntlyonlyaweekpreviously, “yourunmarried statewill becomeahabit andyou’ll endupa crab-tempered oldbachelor,withno one to loveyouinyourdecliningyears.”

Mrs.Powishadbeenfarmoresuccessfulinpersuadinghimtoconsiderhisdutythanhismotherhad,forshehadn’thesitatedtoremind him that the lack of an heir would also mean that hiscousinwouldinherittheestate.“Andwhatwillbecomeofallthetenants then?” she had added ominously? “Have you thoughtabout that, eh,Master Justin? If not, then youhadbetter startdoing so at once! Your Cousin Luke has already gambled awaymostofhisowninheritanceandwillbehappytowastetheSerlefortunesaswell, foramorereckless,spendthriftcreature Ihaveyettomeet.Heshouldhavebeenspankedmoreoftenasachild.”

“Youneverspankedusatall,Powey!”Justinhadteased,inanattempttodivertherfromthistedioustopic-buthehadfailed.

“Youtwoneverneededspanking.MasterLukedid.Imindhimvisiting here and breaking your toys - on purpose.” She drewherselfuptoherfullheightoffivefeetandoneinch,andfinished,

“I had thought better of you, Master Justin, than to see youneglectwhatyouowetothefamilylikethis.Ihadindeed.”

Justinturnedthecornerofthesquareautomatically,stilllostinhisthoughts.Thematterofanheirhadnotseemedimportantwhile his elder brother was alive, but Peter had been killed atWaterloo nearly two years previously. Justin still missed himdesperately andwas quite aware that hehad grown coolerwiththeworld since his brother’s death, for he had no one tomakehimlaughnow,ortoteasehimoutofhisdignity.

ThistimeMrs.Powis’swordshadbeenreinforced,unknowntoher,bythefactthathiscousinLukehadrecentlyaskedforaloanto cover his gambling losses, to prevent the heavily mortgagedMendletonestatesbeingseizedbycreditorsandsold.Justinhadrefused to supply that loan. Even as a boy Luke had neverreturnedthethingshewas lent;asagrownmanhehadturnedintoadashedloosefish.Why,thefellowhadeventriedtopledgehiscousin’snametocertaindebts,thoughthefamilylawyerhadsoonputastoptothat.

Soasaresultofallthepressure,Justinwastryingveryhardindeed tosteelhimself to the ideaofmarriage.The troublewas,apart from the lack of a suitable lady, he had a private worry,whichhewasunable todiscusswithanyone,aboutwhetherhecouldactuallybringhimselftomakelovetoasillyyoungchitwhodidnotattracthimpurelyforthesakeofbegettingchildren.Themerethoughtoffailuretodosomadehisbloodruncold.

Beatrice glanced sideways at Mr Serle, saw he was lost inthoughtanddidn’ttrytomakeconversation.Hewaslookingsadand she couldn’t helpwonderingwhat he had to be sad about.Perhaps Johanna would know. It was none of her business, ofcourse,butifheweresuchaclosefriendofthefamily,sheoughtto know which subjects to avoid introducing with him. Shenoticed that one lock of hair had fallen across his brow andcouldn’t help smiling a little to see how boyish that made himappear, for all his elegant clothing.Shedefinitely preferredmenwith dark hair. They looked so much more distinguished thanfair-hairedmen.

“I couldn’t leavemy children to be brought up by servants,”

shesaidafterawhile, voicingher thoughtsaloud.Was that thesortofbehaviouragentlemanofrankwouldexpectofhiswife?

Justin made a noncommittal noise, not at all interested inwhatshe,oranyotherunmarriedlady,intendedtodowiththeiras-yet-unborn children.At leasther soft voicedidn’t grateuponhisearsandshedidn’tconstantlydemandhisattention,soitwasnogreattrialtowalkwithher,thoughitwasapityshehadthattendencytogrowflusteredfornoreason.

“Ithinkchildrenneedasmuchloveasyoucangivethem,”sheadded, sighing as she thought of dear Eleanor, whom she wasmissingdreadfully.

“Andareyou-er-anexpertonchild-rearing,MissDencey?”he asked, resigning himself to a discussion of this topic. Itwasamusing, really, for he knew she was a spinster well past theusual age of marrying. What could she possibly know aboutraisingchildren?

Sheflushedatthemockeryinhisvoice.“I’vehadthepleasureofbringingupayoungrelative fromthetimeshewasnineuntilnow, and since Eleanor is nineteen, I know a little about suchthings,Sir.”

Her gentle dignity made him feel suddenly ashamed. “I crypardon,MissDencey.Ididn’tmeantomockyou.Iwasunawareofyourexactcircumstances.”

Shebowedherheadinacknowledgmentofhisapology,butherexpression told him plainly that she didn’t really care what hethoughtandhewasrathersurprisedatthat.

“DoyoumeantomakealongstayinLondon?”heaskedidly,itbeingastandardquestiontoputtoanewcomer.

“IsupposeIshallhavetostayforthewholeSeason.”Hertonewasdespondent.

The unexpectedness of this answermade him look at her insurprise. “You don’t sound very enthusiastic about that. Mostyoungladiescan’twaittohavetheirLondonSeasons.”

She spoke impatiently, her mind still on Eleanor. “Well, asyou’venodoubtnoticed,MrSerle, I’mnotexactlyyoung.Andtotellthetruth,I’mnotatallthrilledaboutdoingtheSeason!”Norwas she thrilled to be thrown into the company of an arrogant

person like this man, who spent his time either making tritemeaninglesscommentsorelsebeingodiouslysarcastic!Why,hewould make Eleanor’s life an absolute misery! she decidedindignantly.Ishallcrosshisnameoffmyaunt’slisttheminuteIgetbacktomyroom!

He smothered another sigh andwondered if the Newthorpes’quarrelwasoveryet.

“I’mhereatmyaunt’sbehest,notbymyownchoosing,”shewenton,thinkingaloud.“AndI’mnotatallsurethatIshallenjoyspendingsolonginthecity.Imuchpreferlifeinthecountry.”

Hedidn’t reallybelieveher.Somanypeoplesaidsuchthingsfor effect, especially those trying to sound blasé. What womanwould not relish the opportunity to buy a wardrobe full of newclothesandsampleallthepleasuresoftheLondonSeason?

Afteranotherawkwardpause,hebegantospeakofthepartiesplannedbyhisfriends,assumingMissDenceywouldbeattendingthem all with her cousin and she dutifully followed his lead,thinking how tedious these festivities would become, crammedone upon the other as they seemed to be. As she murmuredresponses,shewonderedwhichwildflowerswereoutinthewoodsat Satherby and whether in London she might sometimes beallowed to go out for proper walks, not like this boring dawdleroundandroundthesquare.Afewspringflowerswerecertainlyout in the gardens here, which consisted of four narrow flowerbedscontainingstiffrowsofplants.Poorlittlethings!Shehadafellow feeling for them. Already she was feeling restless andpennedin.

OntheirnextcircuitBeatricepausedtostretchoutahandandcaress a frond of soft spring foliage on one of the bushes. “Theyoungleavesaresobeautiful.Buteverything’sallcageduphereinLondon,isn’tit?”

Assheresumedherwalkandhersilence,Justinrealizedwithsurprisethatshewasjustashappytostudythebeautiesofthegarden as to indulge in polite conversation. In fact, he thought,smilingwryly,herathergottheimpressionthatshepreferredtheflowers tohis conversation.Whichwasmostunusual for a ladyfavoured with his attentions. He walked in silence for a while,

determined to make her furnish the next topic of conversation,andwasamazedwhenshesuddenlystoppeddead.

“Oh, there’s Tom!Would youmind,Mr Serle, if I just had awordwithhim?”

She left his side without waiting for his permission and heturned toseewho thisTomwas.Tohisutterastonishment, theman turned out to be a poor haggard creature, lacking an armand with a rather grimy and tattered sleeve pinned across hischest.Hewasanoldsoldier,fromthelooksofhim.Thestreetsofthe capital were still full of men like him, though the war hadbeenoverfornearlytwoyears.Intrigued,JustinfollowedBeatriceacrossthesquare.

“Oh,Tom,I’msogladtoseeyoulookingbetter!”sheexclaimed.Theman touchedhis cap, as if saluting an officer. “Came to

showyoumetray,Miss.”“Yes,it’sexactlyright!Now,youmustbesuretokeepitclean.

Thatmakessuchadifference,youknow.”Justin watched in amazement as his erstwhile tongue-tied

companion, who seemed to have completely forgotten hispresence, laughed with Tom over some escapade or other andthen questioned him closely about the details of his businessplans. When her face was animated, as it was for this shabbycreature,MissDenceywasquitestartlinglylovely.Ashelistened,he found that Tom’s business appeared to consist of sellinghotpies froma tray slungaroundhisneck topeoplehemet in thestreets,andthewholecontraptionseemedtohavebeenrecentlyfundedbyMissDencey.

It was Tom who, after a while, ahemmed and begged thegentleman’spardonfortakingupthelady’stime.

Beatrice’s animation vanished abruptly. “Oh yes, I had quiteforgotten.Idobegyourpardon,MrSerle!IwasjustsogladtoseeTom looking better. He’s been very ill, you see. You be sure tokeep your chest warm, Tom! I shall keep an eye open for youwhenI’moutshoppingtomorrow.”Shewatchedashetouchedhiscapandwalkedaway,thenturnedbacktoJustin,herexpressionschooledtothatofadutifullisteneroncemore.

Hewasirritatedenoughtosayunguardedly,“That’sastrange

kindofacquaintanceforalady!”Knowing how annoyed Johanna would be at this further

encounterwithTom,Beatricecould feelherselfcolouring.“Isawhim collapse in the street a fewdays ago fromhunger andwasabletohelphim.Allheneededwasalittleassistanceandhewasquite capable of earning himself a living. It’s shameful the waythese old soldiers are abandoned by their regiments. Thegovernmentoughttodosomethingaboutthem,ifnooneelsewill!TomlosthisarmatWaterloo,poorfellow.”

She sighed and dropped her eyes. “I’m sorry. You cannot beinterestedinhim.Youweresaying...?”Hereyesbecameglazedasshewaitedforhimtotakeuptheirconversationagain.

Justinfeltindignationsurgeupwithinhimsostronglythathealmostallowedhimselfthepleasureofgivingheraset-down.Herehe was, honouring her with his company for over half an hourandshecouldhardlybebotheredto listentohim!Thenshe lefthim in mid-sentence and became animated at the sight of ashabbyoldex-soldier,amereranker!

His expression was for a moment so savage that Beatricestaredathiminastonishment.

“I canbevery interested inanyonewhowasatWaterloo,”hesnapped,“sincemyownbrotherwaskilledthere!AndIapplaudyourgenerosity inhelpingthatman,MissDencey. Ido, indeed.”Hewouldkeepabetterlookouthimselfforoldsoldiersfallenonhardtimesfromnowon,headdedmentally.Peterwouldnothavelikedtoseehismen in trouble.He’d thought theworldof them,and they of him. Some of them had even written to the familyafterPeterwaskilledtosaythat.Justinhadfoundtheirill-spelledletter signed by six names very touching and still had it in hispossession.

Beatrice flushed. “Oh.Well - I thankyou for thecompliment,butit’sapleasuretohelppeoplelikehim.”

“Notallladiesfeelthatway.Youaretobecommended.”Anembarrassedsilencefellandtheywerebothrelievedtosee

afootmancomingacrossthesquaretotellthemthatherladyshipwaswaitingforthemwithalightluncheonassoonastheywerereadytoreturn.

Justinwascertainlyhappytojointheothers,forMissDenceywasnotatallacomfortablecompanion.AndthememoryofherlaughingfaceasshespoketoTomstillratherpiquedhim,iftruthbe told. Few ladies were so transparently impervious to hischarms and none had ever before shown herself to be actuallyboredbyhisconversation.

Beatricestifledasighas they turnedbacktowardthehouse.“Itseemsapitytostayindoorsonsuchalovelyday.”Forgettingher Londonmanners, shewalkedbackwithwhat could onlybedescribedasastride.

Justin noticed that she turned at the door to look backlongingly at the sunny sky. She clearly meant what she saidaboutwishingtobeoutdoors.Shewas,hedecidedashewatchedher,themostpuzzlingladyhehadevermet.

Indoors,theyfoundJohannawaitingforthemalone,hereyesstillcrinkledinamusement.

“Hasthebattlebeenwon?”askedJustinlightly.Beatrice frowned to hear him talk so flippantly about

somethingasseriousasaquarrelbetweenhusbandandwife.“It has indeed. The combatants are indulging in a touching

reconciliationatthisverymoment.”“Andwhowontheengagement?”“Whodoyouthink?”shecountered.“Jennice,ofcourse.I’dbackheranyday.”Therewasatingeof

scorntohisvoice.Thatwaswhatyougotformarrying.Awifewhowheedledandwept,doinganything to getherownway.Hehadseenithappenalltoomanytimes.

Johannainclinedherhead.“Correct!JenniceistostayintownwithmeforamonthortwobeforereturningtoLymsby.Boriswilljoinusherefromtimetotime.”

Beatriceoccupiedherselfwithherfoodastheothertwojokedabout the Newthorpes. Would she ever grow used to the waymembers of the ton poked fun at serious things? If she wereexpectingababy, the lastplaceshe’dwant tocometowouldbeLondonandthelastthingshe’dwishwouldbetorunawayfromherhusband.She indulgedherselfbriefly ina little fantasyof ahome and family of her own - and why Mr Serle’s face should

figureinthatfantasy,shecouldn’tunderstand.Asifshe’dwanttomarry a man as fashionable and uncaring as him - howeverattractivehewas-andyoucouldn’tdenythathewasattractive!EvenJennicerespondedtohischarm.

“Anddidyoutwoenjoyyourwalk?”Johannaasked,intriguedtofindouthowJustin,whousuallybestowedhisattentionsonlyupon spirited ladies of dashing habits, had coped with a quiet,serious-mindedcompanion.

“Verymuch!”hesaidautomatically,inclininghisheadtowardMissDencey.

“Beatrice?” Johanna asked, for her cousin was avoiding hereyes.

“Oh,thegardensareverypleasant,Johanna,anditwasvery-um,kindofMrSerletoescortme.ThoughIhavetoadmitthatIprefer realwalks in the countryside.One is so restricted in thetown.”

Johanna raised her eyebrows in surprise at this lukewarmstatement. “You’llhave togrowused to taking theair in suchaway, I’m afraid,my dear,” she said. “I’mnot one for longwalksmyself,andcertainlynotbriskones.Imuchprefershopping.”Hergrin at Justin showed him just how amused she was by hisfailuretocharmthelady.

Herespondedwiththetiniestofshrugs.Beatrice,whohadn’tnoticedtheinterchange,kepthermouth

resolutelyclosedonthetruthfulcommentshewouldhavelikedtomake.“Shoppingcanbeverypleasant,too,”shemuttered,unabletothinkofabetterresponsewithouttellinganoutrightlie.

Once Justin had taken his leave, Johanna asked curiously,“Didyounotenjoyhiscompany?”

“Whose?”“Whosedoyouthink?Serle’s,ofcourse!”“Itwaskindofhimtotakemeawayfromthequarrel.I’mnot-

notusedtosuchthings.”“Serle isaccountedverygoodcompanybymostyoung ladies,

not to mention being thought handsome. Why, he’s one of themostsought-afterbachelorsintown!Now,hewouldmakeaverypropermatchforyouorEleanor.”

Beatrice didn’t like to see everyone fawning over amanwhocared so little about the people around him. She abandonedcautionandpolitenesstosayroundly,“Well,I’mnotayoungladyand if you reallywant to know, Johanna, I prefer peoplewhoseconversation is less frivolous and who don’t spend their timemockingotherpeople.”

Hertonewassevereanddismissive.ShehaddefinitelydecidednowthatJustinSerlewouldmaketheworstpossiblehusbandforEleanor. Dear Eleanor needed someone more serious-minded,someonewhowouldcounterherimpulsiveness.Butnotsomeonestuffy.Thatwouldbejustasbad!Ohdear,thiswasallgoingtobesodifficult!

Beatrice wished, and not for the first time, that her AuntMargueritehadentrustedthistasktosomeoneelse.

Chapter4

Within a few days, Beatrice had grown more used to her

cousin’s indolent habits and to the patterned behaviour of theupperclassesintown.OntheirbriefvisitstoLondon,beforeheraunt grew too frail to travel, shehad suspected that sucha lifewould not suit her; now, as the slow days passed and shestruggled to stay awake until late at night, she grewmore andmorecertainofit.

Back at Satherby she had been able to keep more rationalhoursandhadamyriadoccupationstokeepherbusy,whatwithvisitingthetenants,helpingthesick,managingalargehouseholdforheraunt,practisinghersinging,talkingtoEleanororsimplywalking in thehomepark.Here inLondonJohanna’shouseransmoothly without the need for much attention from its languidmistress.AndnooneBeatricemethereeverseemedtosaywhattheymeantortodiscussanythinginteresting.

Inordertoavoidupsettinganyone,shedevelopedthehabitofwalking outwithhermaid early in themorning,whenJohannaandherdaughterwerestill inbed.ShelovedtowatchthestreetlifethatteemedinLondononceyougotawayfromthecalmoasesinhabitedbytherich.

Johanna expostulated with her in vain. “But such creaturesaredirty!”

“So would you be if you had to share a water pump with adozenotherstreets!”

Johanna couldn’t even begin to imagine that situation, soignored it. “Well,don’t letanyoneseeyouontheseexpeditions-andforheavenssake,takeafootmanwithyouforprotection!”

Beatrice didn’t actually refuse to do this, but simply ignoredthis instruction. A starchy footman would drive away the verypeople she wanted to talk to. Tilly was quite enough company,thankyou.

Unfortunately,thisinnocentdesiretohelpherfellowcreaturesledherintotroubletheweekafterJennice’sarrivalintown.Early

onemorning she was watching with amusement an old womanbuyingapiefromTomandmakingabigfussaboutwhichonetochoose from his tray. The two of them had already had sharpwords because he had refused to let the customer feel all hisstock to see which pie was the warmest, and they were nowvigorouslydebatingwhichwastheplumpestpieonoffer.

Smiling, Beatrice wished she had her sketch book, for shewould have loved to try to capture the old woman’s expressionandthewayherwholebodywasabsorbedinthechoosingofthatonepie.

Then Tilly screamed and shouted, “Stop thief!” and Beatricerealizedwithashockthatasmallboyhadcutthestringsofherreticuleandwasevennowdartingalongthestreetwithhisbooty.If it hadn’t been for Tilly’s quick eye, he’d have got awayunnoticed,forBeatricehadfeltnothing.

Angryatbeingcaught like that,shestartedtorunafterhim,following him round a corner and off themain street. She sawhimturnanothercornerandincreasedherpace.

Tilly,puffingandgasping,wassoonleftbehind.Beatricehadspentmostofheryouthroamingthecountryside,

as she grew older, fending for herself and her mother. Sherevertedinstinctivelytothesamemodeofbehaviourinthiscrisis,forgetting that it was shocking behaviour for a lady to run likethat.

Suddenly, as she turned yet another corner, she felt herselffallingandwasunable toprevent it.She thuddedto thegroundandlaythere,halfstunned.Afigureloomedoverherandafilthyhandreachedouttowardthegoldchainaroundherneck.

“Tut!Tut!”saidahoarsevoice.“Verycarelessofmetotripyouuplikethat!Whataprettynecklace,mydear!”

Beatrice slapped his hand aside and covered the chain withherownhand.Whenshetriedtorollawayfromhim,however,itonly brought her into contact with another pair of legs clad inraggedfustiantrousers.Anothermanwasbarringherwayontheother side and another set of black-nailed fingers was reachingdowntowardher.

Avoicescreamed,“Theresheis!Help!”

Beatrice’s new assailant cursed and tried to grab the goldchain. She fought him off, but then something struck her headand pain exploded around her. As she felt the chain snap, theworldrecededintoaredmist.

It was some time before she came to her senses. Through ablur of noise and pulsating colour, she gradually became awarethat shewas leaningagainst aman’s chest,withTilly crouchedbesideherfanningherface.

“What-happened?”Tilly stopped fanning for a moment to clasp her hand. “Oh,

Miss!Areyouallright?Yougaveussuchafright!”“What on earthwere youdoing chasing someonedown these

unsavoury lanes?” demanded a furious voice above her head.“Hadyoutakencompleteleaveofyoursenses,MissDencey?”

“Iwas...they’dstolenmyreticule.”Shehadtoforcethewordsout, forherheadwas still swimming.She fumbled atherneck.“Andtheytookmychain.”

“That’swhenoneofthemkickedher,sir,”Tillyputin.“Youshouldhaveletthemtakeit,MissDencey.Theywouldn’t

have hesitated to kill you for it! These are the back streets ofLondon, not some country village! Such men would cut yourthroatassoonaslookatyou!”

“It’s Justin Serle,” Beatrice said, who was still feeling verystrange.“Howdidhegethere,Tilly?Andwhyishesoangrywithme?”

“Idon’t thinkshe’s come toherselfproperyet, sir,” themaidwhispered.“An’she’sthatpale!I’veneverseenhersowhite.”

“She’ll probably be sick in aminute,” he said, still soundingangry. “Peopleoftenarewhenthey’vebeenhitonthehead.Canyourunandfindusahackneycab?”

“I don’t think I ought to leave her,” said Tilly dubiously. “Ifshe’ssick,she’llneedme.Andwhatiftheycomebackagain?”

“I can defend her if those villains return, believe me.” Hisexpression was steely, though his arms were still gentle as hesupported Miss Dencey. To his surprise, he was again feelingprotectivetowardher.Whatwasthereaboutherthatelicitedthisresponseinhim?

Tilly stood up, hesitating, seeming uncertain where her dutylay.

“MrSerlehasaverystrongheartbeat,”announcedBeatrice.“Ican hear it quite clearly.” She nestled against his chest with ahappymurmur.

Justinjerkedhisheadinthedirectionofthemainstreets.“Onyour way, girl! I want to get Miss Dencey home as soon aspossible.Thebestwayyoucanhelpyourmistressatthemomentistofindusacab!”

Footsteps clumpedup to a point behindBeatrice’s head, butshecouldn’tsummonuptheenergytoturnroundandseewhoitwas.

Tom’s voice announced gruffly, “They got clear away, sir, I’msorrytosay.Icouldn’tkeepupwiththem.Look,Icangoan’getyouahackney,ifyouneedthisyoungwoman’shelp.”

“I’d prefer you to stay here with me, Tom, in case we’reattacked again. Move yourself, girl! Tom, go and stand on thestreet corner andkeepan eye onMissDencey’smaid.Wedon’twanthergettingattackedaswell.”

Tillybowedtothevoiceofauthorityandmovedoff.Beatrice, lying there dreamily, heard the conversation

continue.“Idoubt I’dbemuchhelptoyou inascrap,sir.”Tom’svoice

soundedtightandangry.“You’vestillgotonehandandtwofeet,haven’tyou?Ofcourse

you’dbesomeuse.”The other voice becamemore cheerful. “Well, I’d certainly do

mybest,sir.NicestladyIevermet,MissDenceyis.LuckydayformewhenIcollapsedinfrontof‘er,Icantellyou.”

Justinstareddownatthepalefacesoclosetohis.Hehadn’trealizedbeforehowlongMissDencey’seyelasheswere,orwhataprettycolourherhairwaswhenthesunwasshiningonit.

Shelookedupathimforamomentwithunfocusedeyes,thengrimaced. “I feel s-sick.” She was finding it hard to form thewords.“ButIcan’t-can’tsitupproperly.”

Deftly, Justinmoved her into a sitting position and held heruntil she had finished vomiting, then lifted her in his arms,

carrying her a short distance along the street before stoppingagain.He fumbled inhispocket forhishandkerchief andwipedhermouth.

Sheallowedhisministrations,leaningagainsthimagainwhenhe had finished, for he felt so warm and comforting. The worldwasbeginningtomakealittlemoresensenow.“I’msorrytobesomuchtrouble.”

“You were quite feather-brained to take such a risk!” Heglanced around, alert to the possibility that the thieves mightcome back with reinforcements. Then he looked down and sawtearscomeintohereyesathissharpwordsandhisvoicebecamegentle again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be scolding you now. Youmustbefeelingdreadful.”

The world was still hazy around her, but she felt a need toexplain.“Didn’tliketo-toberobbed.”

“He dropped your gold chain when I hit him with me tray,Miss,”volunteeredTom.“I’vegotitheresafeforyou.”

“Oh, Tom! Thank you somuch!” She tried to turn her headtowardhim,butwincedaspainshotthroughher.

Justin’svoicesoundedinherear.“Youshouldberesting,MissDencey,nottryingtotalk.Ormove.”

“Oh.Yes.”Sheclosedhereyesandtriedtodothat,butcouldstillhearwhattheyweresaying,as if itwereat the farendofalongtunnel.

“Remind me to reimburse you for the pies you lost,” saidJustin.“MissDenceyisveryobligedtoyou.AsamI.Youboreintothatvillainlikeagood‘un.”

“Ah,youshould ‘aveseenmewhenI ‘adbothmearms,”saidTomregretfully.“I’dha’caughtoneof‘emforsureinthemdays.NorIdon’tneedpayin’to‘elparegulartrojanofaladylikeMissDencey.”

“You’vemorethanearnedareward.”“Well, all right, then. No, not that much. I wouldn’t take

nothin’atall,sir,onlyIneedmoneyformorestock,yousee.Minegotspilled - full tray, itwas, too -an’all thepieswill ‘avebeenpickedupandet. Iain’tgotnothin’savedyet,withyousee,meonlyjuststartinginthetrade.”

Beatrice felt Mr Serle fumble in his pocket and one of hishands momentarily left her. As the hand returned to hold hermoretightly,shegaveintothetemptationtosnugglemorecloselyinto the crook of her rescuer’s arm. “You’re stronger than youlook,”shemurmured.“Notjustadandy.”

Justin,whopridedhimself onhis sportingprowess, stiffenedandexclaimedinastonishment,“Adandy!Isthatwhatyouthinkofme?”

“Always talking about fashions and parties,” she explained,still feeling light-headedandmore thanhalf convinced that thiswas just a dream and a bad one at that. It didn’t reallymatterwhat she said in a dream. She’d never dare say such things toanyoneinreallife,ofcourse,thoughshehadoftenlongedto.

Justin’slipstightenedandTomhidagrin.“Always immaculatelydressed,” shecontinued. “In theheight

offashion.That’sadandy,isn’tit?”TherattleofwheelsandthesoundofTilly’svoice interrupted

Beatrice’s ramblings, and she felt herself being lifted up andsettled in a vehicle which smelled of stale sweat and mouldystraw.Shecouldn’thelpmoaning,forbeingmovedmadeherheadstab with pain, but a gentle voice promised she would soon besafeinherbed,soshesubsidedagainstSerleoncemore,clingingto him with her free hand. “I feel safe with you,” she confided.“Don’tletthemhitmeagain!”

“No,Iwon’t.”As the cabbegan tomove,Beatrice could feelherselfdrifting

away into a warm darkness. The dreammust be coming to anend. She would be glad to wake up. Her head was hurting somuchshecouldn’tthinkproperly.

Justin stared down at her beautiful hair, tumbled on hershouldersnowandbrushingagainsthischin.Hehadasuddenurge to stroke it, so lustrous was it, and he barely preventedhimself fromdoingso.Fortunately themaiddidn’tseemtohavenoticedanything.Butthestrangeimpulsescontinuedtobombardhim.HecouldfeelMissDencey’sbreastsrisingandfallingagainsthischest.Shehadawoman’sfigure,warmandsoft,notaslightgirlish frame, like so many young ladies, some of whom had

barely turned seventeen. It surprised him that he hadn’t fullyappreciated before what an attractive woman she was. Perhapsthatwasbecauseshewasn’tshowy,didn’tsetouttoattract.Shewasjust-herself.

His expression became grim as he remembered what shethoughtofhim.Adandy,indeed!

Another period of jolting was followed by a chorus of voicesand by more movement and light, which hurt her head again.Beatricesighedinreliefwhenaman’sdeepvoicetoldtheotherssharplytobequietandthenorderedsomeonetoshowhimwhereMissDencey’sbedchamberlay.

“You’re breathing very deeply,” Beatrice told the person whowas carrying her. “Where are you taking me? Oh!” For as hestartedtoclimbsomestairs,theincreasedjoltingmadeherheadbegintothrobagain.Sheclutchedhisshouldertightly.

“Isithurtingyou?”“Yes.”Hervoicewasamerethreadofsound.“I’msorry.Butsee,we’rehereatyourbedroomnow.”Ashelaidheronthebed,sheopenedhereyes,onlytofindthe

roomspinningabouther.Withasigh,sheletherselfspiraldownintothedarkness,gladtoleavethepainbehind.

WhenBeatriceawoke,itwasdarkandJohannawassittingbyherbed.Therewasarustleofsilk,thenawhisperof,“Bea?”

“Johanna,”shemanaged.“What-whathappened?”“At least she seems to be in her right senses,” Johanna

commentedtosomeone invisiblebeyondthepoolof light thrownbyasinglecandle.

Beatricefrowned.“OfcourseI’minmysenses?ButwhyamIlyingherewith...Oh!”Memoriescamefloodingback.

“Youwereattackedinthestreet.”“Itwasn’tadream.”“No.Andfancyrunningafterathieflikethat.Don’tyouknow

howdangerousthosealleysare?”A cool cloth was laid on her forehead and Beatrice sighed.

“Nice,”shemanaged,closinghereyes.“Doesithelp?”“Yes.Head’saching!”

“I’m not surprised! Those villains kicked you! Such peopleshouldbehanged!”

“They were probably hungry.” Beatrice tried to see who elsewas in the room, but gasped as her head throbbed in protestagainstevenaslightmovement.

Johannapattedherhand. “Nevermind that!Just try to rest,Bea!Thedoctorsaidnothingisbrokenandyou’llbeallrightinadayortwo.”

“Yes.I’dliketo-rest.”Therewasafireflickeringinthegrateand its cheerful flameswere tugging at the corners of her eyes.Shecouldn’tkeepthemopen.Shecouldnot...

Itwaslightwhenshewokeagainandthistimehermaidwassittingbesideher.

“Howdoyoufeel,Miss?Youlookabitbetternow,Imustsay.Gotabitofpinkinyourcheeksagain.Yousleptformostofthenight,thoughyouwasabitrestlessjustbeforedawn.”

Beatrice’s head was still aching, but she could think moreclearly,atleast.Shegaspedasshestartedtorememberwhathadhappenedandtriedtopersuadeherself that itwas justadreamthat she had accused her rescuer of being a dandy - butsomehow, her memories of that conversation seemed only tooreal.“Tilly!”shesaid,afteraminuteortwo.

“Yes,Miss?”Shesimplyhadtofindoutwhethershehadreallyspokenher

thoughtsaloudandbeensorude topoorMrSerle. “Did I -um,sayanything-um,anythingimpolitetoMrSerleyesterday?”

Tillygiggled.“Well...”“Tellme!”“Well,Miss, Tom says you toldMrSerle hewas a dandy an’

said thathe only talkednonsense, an’ Tomsayshewasn’t bestpleasedwiththat.”

“Ohdear!”“Don’tyouworry,Miss!He’llsoonforgetit,MrSerlewill.He’sa

kindgentlemanandheknowsyouwasn’tyourself.”Beatrice groaned. Out of her senses or not, she’d been

extremely rude! How would she ever face Justin Serle again?What must he think of her? Especially as, dandy or not, he’d

cometoherrescueanddrivenawayherattackers.Shelaythereforaminuteor two, thentried to turnherheadto lookatTilly,buttheeffortmadeherheadthrobagain.

“Justyouliestill,Miss.I’llgoan’tellthemyou’reawake.”Beatricedozedoffafterthat,untilshebecamesuddenlyaware

ofadebatebetweenJohannaandTillyas towhether thedoctorshould be summoned again. “I’m all right,” she managed andopenedhereyes.“Idon’tneedadoctor.Johanna!”

Her cousin leaned over her. “Is there anything you do need,love?”

“I’mthirsty.”“Tilly,getyourmistressadrinkofthatbarleywaterthedoctor

ordered.Afterwards,we’llspongeyoudown,Bea,sothatyoufeelfresher.”

“Yes.Yes,I’dlikethat.”Shedrankawholeglassofliquid,thenallowedthemtodoas

they would with her. Almost before they’d finished theirministrations,shecouldfeelherselfdriftingintosleepagain.“Sotired,”shesighed.

By the following day, apart from a slight residual headache,Beatricefeltwellenoughtobehelpedtoacouchbythefireinherroom.

Jennice came to visit her, but Beatrice couldn’t seem toconcentrate for long on what her visitor said, for the loud,cheerful voice and lively conversation made her head throb.Johanna came in later andwasamore comfortable companion,becauseshetalkedquietlyandsoftly,notdemandinganswers.

Tilly was best of all, because she said very little and that inhushed tones, seeming to notice what her mistress neededwithoutbeingtold.

JustinSerlehadsentahugebunchofhothouseflowers,whichgazedaccusinglydownatBeatricefromawoodenplantstandinthebaywindow. In theend,after trying invain to ignore it,shetoldTilly to takethemaway,pretendingtheirperfumemadeherheadacheworse.

Itwasseveraldaysbeforeshefeltstrongenoughtoresumehernormal lifeagain,days inwhichsheworriedabout the fact that

shehadinsultedMrSerleandmustdefinitelyapologizetohimassoonasshepossiblycould.

During that period of convalescence she was fussed over byeveryservantwithaclaimtoattendher. Fromthestartof thisvisit, Johanna had watched with wry amusement as Beatricegraduallywonoverherservantsandhadthemeatingoutofherhand, evenMoreton,whowas famous forbeingoneof themostsuperciliousbutlers in town.ButhewasnothaughtywithMissDencey. With her, he was fatherly and helpful, especially sinceheraccident.Forher,hewouldunbendamazinglyandthetwoofthem held long conversations about the manners of the tonnowadays and those in his youth, or the difficulties ofmaintainingstandardsduringtherecentwar,withpricessohighandfoodandgoodssoscarce.

WhileMissDenceywas ill, therewasdistinct rivalrybetweenthevariousservantsastowhocoulddomostforher,anditwasnoticeable that Moreton found several excuses to visit herupstairs,evencarryingupthenotesfromwell-wishershimself,asignalhonour.

Tilly had now become very possessive of her temporarymistressandJohannacouldseethattherewouldbenochanceofhiringamoreexperiencedlady’smaidafterthis.

Even thatman Tom had appeared at the kitchen door everyday,beggingfornewsofMissDencey.

Once she had recovered, Beatrice resumed her socialengagements, somewhat embarrassed by the notoriety she hadacquiredbecauseofheradventure.JustinSerle,she found,wascastintheroleofherorescuingapoorfoolishlady.Peoplespokeofhisbravery inthemostextravagantterms,as ifexpectinghertoswoonawayatthemerethoughtofit.

Nooneseemedtogiveheranycreditfortryingtofightoffherattackers,butrather,theyhintedathowfoolishshehadbeentotry to follow the thief.Shehad todigher fingers intoherpalmsseveral times to prevent herself from answering sharply, butthanks to her years of training with the Dowager, no onesuspected how angry she sometimes felt. Well, she hoped theydidn’t.

MrSerlecametocalluponherassoonasheheardshewasout and about again, and though she had been dreading thismeeting, she couldn’t refuse to see him. When he sat down,Johanna,forewarnedofherneedtoapologize,tactfullywentintothenextroom,leavingthemalone.

Beatrice took a deep breath and began the speech she hadprepared. “I wish to tell you that I - I’m grateful, no, I meanextremely grateful to you, Mr Serle, for - for rescuing me fromthosemen.”Sheknewthewordshadcomeoutwoodenly,sothatshesoundedinsincere,butshecouldn’thelpthat.

“I’mhappytohavebeenofservicetoyou,MissDencey.”His voice was as stiff as hers, his expression cold and

accusing.Hemuststillbeangryatwhatshehadsaid.“Ibelieve,”shesaid,headbent, fiddlingwiththefringeofhershawl,“thatIoweyouanapologyaswell.”

“Whatonearthfor,MissDencey?”Shecouldn’tnowimaginethismanholdinghersocarefullyin

his arms. Thememory of the way she had nestled against himhadmadeherblushseveral times,not tomentionhauntingherdreams.“I’msorryfor-forsayingthings.Aboutyou.ThingsIhadno-norightto-to...”

“Thereisnoneedto...”But she couldn’t leave it at that.Sheknewshehad tomake

himunderstand.“Ididn’trealize,yousee,thatitwasreal.Ifeltsodistant.IthoughtIwasdreaming.”

If that was how she dreamed, she must have a very lowopinion of him. He tried to contain his anger. He couldn’tunderstandwhyhewasstillsoannoyedwithher.WhatdidMissDencey’s opinionmatter to him, after all? “Pray give it nomorethought.Yourwitswerewanderingaftertheblow.Idoassureyouthatnoonecouldpossiblytakeoffenseatwhatyousaidwhileyouwereinthatcondition.”

“You still sound angry, though.” She looked at himuncertainly,herexpressionvulnerable.Hefelthiseyessoftenashe looked at her. “Imeantwhat I said. Pray give thematter nomore thought.Weshallblame it on theblow toyourhead.AndyousaidnothingtowhichIcouldtakeoffence.”

Sheknewthisforalie,butshecouldn’tthinkwhatelsetosay,howtomendmattersbetweenthem.Intheend,shewasrelievedwhenJohannarejoinedthem.

TheconversationatonceturnedtothesocialinanitiesBeatricesodespisedandthereaftershemadelittleattempttojoinin.

Justin respondedautomatically tohishostess’s remarks,butkept wishing he could say something to take the anxiousexpression from Miss Dencey’s face. But he couldn’t think ofanythingconciliatorytosaytoher.Whenheglancedsideways,hesaw that Lady Ostdene was observing him closely, whichmadehimfeelevenworse,forsheknewhimonlytoowell,beingliketheaunthehadneverhad.

Hemadeagreaterefforttomaintainalighttoneandhopedhehadsucceeded, for ifhebehaveddifferently towardMissDenceyfromthewayhebehavedtowardotheryoung ladies,hishostesswouldnoticeatonceandwonderwhy.

Just before he left, he remembered something which wouldpleaseBeatrice-andwhyeverdidhekeepthinkingofherbyherfirstnamewhenshewasnoconnectionofhis,notevenafriend?“I’veseenTomonceortwice,MissDencey,andhavekeptaneyeonhimforyou.He’sdoingwellwithhispies,hasfoundabettersupplierandisbecomingquitepopularincertainstreets.”

She beamed at him. “Oh, I’m so glad! Thank you for thatinformation,MrSerle!”Hervoicewaswarmagain,as if shehadcompletelyforgottentheirdifferences.

He smiled back at her, delighted to have pleased her. “Iwasglad to help. He’s a decent sort of fellow and came to your aidwithoutathoughtofhimself.”

Theypartedonamorefriendlynote.Afterwards, Johanna, who had been eavesdropping

unashamedlyinthenextroomwhiletheyspokeprivately,insistedonknowingwhathercousinhadsaidtoJustinthatrequiredanapology and nearly choked with laughter when Beatriceconfessed. “Well, that’s probably the biggest set-down Serle hasever received in his life,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes.“Callinghimadandy!JustinSerle,ofallpeople!Ohdear,IwishIcouldtellourfriends,butofcoursethatwouldbeunpardonable

whenhesokindlyrescuedyou.Besides,Ihavesomefondnessforhimmyself.”

“Well, I’ve apologized to him about it,” muttered Beatricedefensively,“soIdon’tseewhatmoreIcando!”

Johanna,stillchuckling,informedhercousinthatSerlewasanotedCorinthian,afamoussportsmanandrider,andinnowayadandy. “A dandy, my dear, is likely to lisp at you, to wave hishandswhenhespeaksandtowaftfloweryperfumealloveryou.”

“Ohdear!Whydid Inotknowthat?”Serle’smovementswereall decisive - though graceful, too, and he had smelled of somecrispcologne,whosescentshefoundveryattractive.

“Whydid you think it in the first place?” Johanna couldnotstopchuckling.ShewishedshehadbeentheretoseeSerle’sface.

“Well, he puts other men quite in the shade by the way hedresses.Healwayslooksso-soelegant.”

“That’s because he’s not a dandy! Simply a gentleman ofexquisitetaste.”

“Oh,dear.OughtItoapologizeagain.Ididn’tdoitverywell.”Beatricefrownedandadded,“Butthatstilldoesn’texplainitall.Johanna, why does he behave so languidly? And talk only offrivolous things? It’s as if - as if he didn’t really care aboutanything.”Yethewassostrongandmasculine.Hehadrescuedher,heldherinhisarmsandcarriedheruptoherroom.Andshewas no fragile flower. She remembered the way his chest hadmoved,ashebreatheddeeply,labouringunderherweight.And-she flushed-hehadheldherwhenshewassickandbeenverygentle with her afterwards. She remembered it all quite clearlynow.

“Bynomeansmustyouapologizeagain!Itoldyou:it’lldohimgood to know how others see him sometimes. I’m very fond ofJustin, but he has lived behind a barrier since his brother’sdeath, concealing his feelings from the world. He does have aserioussidetohim,youknow,buthedoesn’tcaretobroadcastit.He takes a keen interest in improving his estates and inagriculture generally. His tenants and employees are very welllookedafter,Icanassureyou.”

“I’mgladofthat.”

Johanna saw that Beatrice was still looking thoughtful andsuddenlybegantowonderaboutthetwoofthem.ItwasnotlikeJustintoshowthathecaredaboutsomeone’sopinionanditwasnot likeBeatoworrysomuchaboutsomethingsounimportant.Shewould,shedecided,keepaneyeonthemthenexttimetheymetandseehowtheybehavedwitheachother.Wasitpossible...?No, Serlewould surelymarry amore dashing lady than quietBeatrice.Butstill...

Duringthefollowingfewdays,Johannacouldn’thelpnoticingthat forsomeonewhoaffectedcomplete indifference toMrSerle,Beamentionedhisnameratherfrequently.Andforsomeonewhohadbeensogreatly insulted,JustinpaidanamazingnumberofvisitstocheckonMissDencey’srecoveryandtoreporttoheronTom’sprogress.

Wasitreallypossible,Johannawondered,thatherquietyoungcousinwasproving attractive to JustinSerle, themanofwhommatchmakingmamashaddespairedforyears?Howveryamusingitallwas!AndwhatafeatherinhercapitwouldbeifshecouldpromoteamatchbetweenBeaandJustin.

Evenherfussymotherwouldapproveofthatconnection.

Chapter5

TheDowagerwasupset.“Lookatthis!”shesaid,brandishinga

pieceofpaperatEleanor.“Howdarehe?”“What’s wrong, Grandmamma?” Now that Bea was away,

Eleanorfoundherselfexpectedtolistentohergrandmothermoreattentivelyover theirmiddaymeal -whichmadeherrealizehowskilfully Bea had smoothed things over before and kept the oldladytranquil.Shetriedtodothesame,buthadtoadmitthatshewasnotasgoodatthisasheryoungauntwas.

“You can never trust a Herforth to do what’s right!” theDowager saidbitterly. “Althoughhe is theheir toSatherby - anhonourhedoesnotdeserve, Imightadd-hehaswrittentosayhewillnotbeavailabletovisituntillaterintheyear.”

“Ididn’tknowyouwereexpectinghim,Grandmamma.”“IinvitedhimexpresslytocomeheresothatIcouldmakesure

he’s up to snuff. But,” awful scorn filled her voice, “he cannotevenmake theeffort.”Shescowleddownat the letter. “Ignorantclodpate!Placingfarmingandsuchmenialoccupationsbeforethewell-beingof estateswhichhavebelonged toTheFamily for twocenturiesandwhich it isnowhisboundendutytopreserveandprotect.”

Eleanor was surprised at the depth of anger in hergrandmother’s voice. “But he cannot just leave his otherresponsibilities, surely?”sheventured. “Andhe isgoing tocomeherelaterintheyear,sothatwillbeallright.”

“Satherby isby far themost importantofhis responsibilities.And I had planned to have him here now. He must learn tobehave inawayconsonantwithhisnewand totallyundeservedstatus in life.” She breathed deeply, crumpled the letter in herhand,thenletitdropbesideherplate.

Eleanor returned to her breakfast, but when she glancedsidewaysshewasworriedathowwhiteandfrailhergrandmotherlooked.

Indeed,afterthisexpenditureofnervousenergy,theDowager

admittedtohermaidthatshefeltquitewashedout,andagreedtorestandrecruitherstrengthforafewdayswhileshedecidedonwhattacktotakenextwiththeelusiveheir.

Her fretting and fuming at mealtimes would have madeEleanor’s life quite intolerable had that young lady not hadseveral other things to divert her. She had lately found anothersupplierofromanticnovelsinthenearbytownandhadherheadstuffed full of the adventures of a series of dashing heroines sorecklesstheyregularlylandedthemselvesinthedireststraitsjustas the dinner bell rang. Then poor Eleanor had to endure anevening’ssuspensebeforeshecouldfindouthowtheirproblemswereresolved.

In addition, there was Snowy. The fluffy white puppy, whichBeatrice had given her before she left, needed training andexercising,andthatoccupiedaconsiderableamountofEleanor’stime. A dog which was to be allowed inside the Dowager’sresidence when he grew older needed impeccable manners andmustbeperfectlygroomedatalltimes.

Best of all, however, Eleanor hadmade a new acquaintance,quiteunknowntohergrandmother,andthisaddedconsiderableinteresttoherdays.

Only Eleanor’s groom, Anders, was aware of her new friend,and although he objected strongly at first, she managed topersuadehimtosuspendjudgment.

Anders had been her father’s head groom and had broughtEleanor to the Abbey himself after the carriage accident whichhadkilledherparentsandyoungerbrother.Hergoverness,whohad broken her ankle a week previous to that, had declinedabsolutely to subject herself to the jolting of a journey acrosscountry,and the restof thestaff,who lived indire terrorof theDowager’srarevisits,weregladtoabnegateresponsibility.

OnceatSatherby,AndershadbeenofferedthejobofbecomingMiss Eleanor’s personal groom, for the Dowager, grim-faced inflowingblack,didnotneglectherdutytolookafterherfavouriteson’sfaithfulservants,howevermuchshemightbegrievingoverhisdeath.

Fromthatdayonwards,AndershadsupervisedMissEleanor

and her riding with the utmost care and now boasted that shewasthebestladyriderinthecounty.

As the sole linkwithher past, hewas the only other personapart fromBeatricewhowas able to cheerup the solitary childmourning the loss of her parents and brother. He had chosenMissEleanor’shorsesforher,guidedherthroughthemysteriesoflearningto jumpandaccompaniedhertoher firsthunt.Hewasgenerally reckonedby the other servants tobewilling tokill forher,ifnecessary.

Lefttoherowndevicesandfeelingmorethanusuallyrestlessthat day, Eleanor went for a walk in the woods, disobeying theDowager by doing sounescortedby eithermaid or groom - anddisobeyingAnderstoo,forheagreedabsolutelywiththeDowageronthispoint.

Eleanor felt she desperately time to herself. It had been atrying week since the letter from Crispin Herforth, with hergrandmother’s temper fluctuating between rage and scorn, andEleanorwasfindingithardtoremaincheerful.

The puppy strayed from the narrow path to follow a quiteirresistible scent and refused to obey a command from hismistresstoreturntoheel.Terrifiedoflosingherpet,sheranafterhim and caught up just in time to see him disappear down arabbithole.Someofthesoftearthfellinonhim,soalthoughhemanaged to turn round, he was unable to get out again andcoweredinthenarrowtunnel,whimperingwithfear.

With no thought for her own appearance, Eleanor fell to herkneesandatoncebegantryingtodigthepuppyout,scoldinghimallthetimeinatendervoice.

Shedidn’thearanyoneapproachandstartedinshockwhenatwigsnappedbesideherandavoiceasked,“Issomethingwrong?”

“Oh!”Shebrushedherhairawayfromherfacewithonedirtyhand,hopingshe’dnotdepositedanysmearsofdirtonhercheek.“Oh,youquitestartledme,sir!”Itdidn’toccurtohertobeafraidof the stranger, for it wasn’t in her nature to be suspicious ofothers,andbesides,thegentlemanhadaverywarmsmile.

“I’m sorry about that.” He knelt beside her. “I thought youmusthaveheardmecoming.”

Shesatbackonherheelsandsmiledathim. “No. Iwas toobusytryingtohelppoorSnowy.”

“Yes,soIsee.MayIassistyou?”He was staring at her in undisguised admiration and she

foundherselfblushingslightly.Foramomenteverythingseemedtohappenveryslowlyandshewasconsciousonlyofthestranger,with his blond hair and bright blue eyes smiling down at her.ThenSnowywhimperedandshejerkedbacktothepresentcrisis.“I’mhavingdifficultydiggingmydogout, for theearthwillkeepfalling back in again. I’m afraid my poor little darling will besmothered if I’m not careful and I daren’t go for help, becauseSnowymaybringtheearthinonhimselfwithhisstruggles.OrImaynotfindhimagain.”

“LetmeseeifIcanhelp.”Obedientlyshemovedaside.Thestrangerwasundoubtedlya

gentleman,neatly,thoughnotfashionablydressed,andhedidn’tseemtocarethathe,too,wasdirtyinghisclothes.Ashebegantodig, she couldn’t resist staying beside him and they workedtogethertoholdbacktheearthandenlargethehole.

Onceor twice theirhands touchedandshewas surprisedathowshe reacted, jerkingaway, almost afraid to touchhim.Andyet,howcapablehishandswere!Hedidn’tseemtomindthathewas getting very dirty and she liked that in him. She stole aglanceortwosidewaysastheyworkedandwhenshecaughthimlookingather, forsomereasonshecouldn’tunderstandshe feltherselfblushingagain,areactionshehadneverexperiencedwithanyotheryounggentleman.

With the stranger’s help, the puppy was soon released, butwhenSnowytriedtowalk,heyelpedandsatdownagain,nuzzlingabackleg.

“Let me see!” Eleanor’s companion picked up the wrigglinglittlecreatureandexaminedit,seemingtoknowexactlywhathewas doing. “I don’t believe the leg is broken, but hemust havetwistedthejointsoit’llbesoreforadayortwo.”

“Oh,thankyou,sir!”Stillonherknees,shekissedthepuppy’sface,butdesistedwhenitsefforttolickhernoseinreturnmadeityelpagain.“Bestillnow,Snowy!”shecommanded.

Thestrangergot tohis feet,stillholdingthepuppy,andheldouthishandtohelpherup.Whenshe took it,hepulledher toher feet and for amoment they stood close to one another, notspeaking,juststudyingoneanotherquietly.Itseemedimportantnot todisturb thatsilencewithconversation, important too thatshelearneverydetailofhisappearance.

He was only slightly taller than she was, for the Graceoverswereatallfamily,eventhewomen,butshedecidedthatinspiteofthatdefect- foralltheheroesinhernovelswereoversixfoottall-hewasratherhandsome.NotashandsomeastheDukeofHanmouthinCressida’sRevenge,ofcourse,buthewasquitethebest-lookinggentlemanshehadevermetinreallife.

Not that she had met many eligible gentlemen, she thoughtruefully, for they lived so quietly at Satherby. She hadn’t evenbeen allowed to become well acquainted with the few she didencounter from time to time at the hunt or at the houses ofneighbours. They were, the Dowager invariably said when theycalled,notofsufficientconsequencetobeseriouslyconsideredasfuture conjugal partners for a Graceover. So they were notencouragedtocallagain.

ItneverseemedtooccurtoGrandmammathatonemightjustenjoytheircompanywithoutwantingtomarrythem,butitdidtoEleanor.

“I don’t think I’ve met you before,” she said now in herforthrightway.“Areyounewtothedistrict?”

“Yes. I’m visiting some family friends at Treevers Hall. Myname’s-er-Lanby-ChristopherLanby.”

Shedidn’tnoticehisslighthesitationoverthename,butheldoutherhandwithherusualsunnysmile,“I’mEleanorGraceover.IliveatSatherbyAbbey.”

Whenhetookthehandinhis,shecouldn’thelprealisingthathewasholdingitforamomentortwolongerthanwasnecessary,butshedidn’tmindthat.UnlikeBeatrice,shewasquitepreparedto flirt a little.Her only impediment so farhadbeen the lackofgentlemenuponwhomtopracticethatart.

“Yes, I’veheardof you,”he saidafter aminute,his eyes stilldevouring her. “You’re the Dowager Lady Graceover’s

granddaughter,areyounot?”“Yes.”Sheremovedherhand fromhisandwonderedwhat to

do next. Of course, it wasn’t quite the thing to talk to strangegentlemen in the woods, but he had arrived just in the nick oftime to savepoor littleSnowy,and in factwasstill carrying thepuppy. “Oh, do give Snowy back to me! He’s dirtying yourwaistcoat.”

“It’llcomeclean.Andifitdoesn’t,I’llbuyanotherone.”Sheratherlikedhisindifferencetohisappearance.Shewasan

unceremonious creature herself, for all the Dowager’s love offormality,andnevermindedwhenshemuddiedherskirtsortorethemonbrambles.SheleanedforwardtopatSnowy’shead,wellawarethatthisbroughtherownheadnearertoMrLanby’s.“He’sbeenaverynaughtyboy,buthe’ssorrynow.Areyounot,youngsir?”

Thedogwriggledwithdelight,thenyelpedagain.“Oh,youpoorlittledarling!”“He’ll need carrying, I think. Let me do that for you, Miss

Graceover.”ThemanwasholdingthelittlecreatureasifhewerequiteusedtodealingwithanimalsandSnowywasnowtryingtolickhisfingers,soEleanorknewthathemustbeaniceperson,inspite of them not having been introduced properly. Anders saiddogscouldalwaystellaperson’srealnature.

Shewasstillstandingveryclosetothestrangerandwonderedwhysheshouldbefeelingratherdistantandbreathless.Perhapsitwasjusttheafter-effectsoftheshock.Shemovedbackasteportwo,butitmadenodifference.“Well-allright,then.We’renotfarfromhomeifwegointhisdirection.”

Astheywalkedthroughthewoodstogether,theybegantotalkandfoundtheyhadoneortwoacquaintancesincommon,notablythe neighbours with whom he was staying, though she hadn’theardofMrLanbybefore.Shesoongrewcomfortableenoughwithhim to chat about her life at Satherby, telling him about hergrandmother and poor Bea, who had been forced to undergo aLondonseasonwhenitwasthelastthingsomeonelikeherwouldenjoy.

“Not that you’re to think thatBea is aboring sort of person.

She isn’t! It’s just that she has little interest in fashion andgossip.Well,neitherdoI,actually.”

“Ithoughtallladieswereaddictedtoboth.”Shewrinkledhernoseathim.“Thereareother things in life,

sir.NotthatIwouldn’tliketovisitLondonmyself.I’dlovetogotoafewtonparties,even!ButIprefertolivemostlyinthecountry.”Infact,shelovedSatherbyAbbeysomuch,shecouldn’timagineliving anywhere else, though when she had said that, hergrandmotherhadtoldhernottobesofoolish.Aladylivedwhereherhusbanddid.

“Why did you not go to London with your aunt, then?” heasked.

She made a moue, which made him suddenly want to kissthose soft pouting lips. “Because Grandmamma says I’m tooyoungandrackety.”

He stopped walking for a minute to stare at her. She waspretty,butbetterstillshewasfrankandlively.Helikedherandwantedtoknowherbetter.Herealizedshewaslookingathiminslightpuzzlementandaskedhastily,“Whydidyour-Bea,thatis- go to London, then, if she doesn’t like fashionable parties?Couldn’tshehavesaidno?”

“WhenGrandmammadecidesonsomething,it’sratherhardtorefusetodoasshewishes. I thinktherewasanotherreasonforBeagoing,butGrandmammadidn’tconfideinme.”Eleanordidn’tadd that the reasonseemed toconcernher, for thatmighthavesoundedconceited.

“SoBeaisnotenjoyingherself.”“Not completely. She writes that she is enjoying the theatre

andseeingthesights,ofcourse,butnotsomuchtheparties.AsIcould have predicted, if anyone had bothered to ask me!” ShedecidedthatMrLanbyhadalovelysmileandsheenjoyedthewayhelistenedtoherwithflatteringattentiveness.Severaltimes,shefoundherselfrespondingtothatsmileinkind.

Once they had discovered they shared a passionate love forriding, they spent the rest of thewalk exchanging tales of theirfavouritehorses.

When they got to the edge of thewoods, however,Mr Lanby

hesitated.“PerhapsI’dbetterleaveyounow.”She paused beside him. “Won’t you come in and meet my

grandmother.”Helookeddownruefullyathisclothes,whichwerecoveredin

blacksmearsfromthedigging,aswellasdribblefromthepuppy,whichwasnowchewinghappilyawayattheremainsofoneofhiscoat buttons. “I think I’d better not. I’m unfit to meet anyone,leastofallagreatladylikeyourgrandmother.”

“Oh,Grandmammawon’tmindthat!Andshe’llwishtothankyouforhelpingme.”

Heshookhishead, lookingsomewhatembarrassed. “I - look,I’mafraidthere’snowayofhidingit,MissGraceover,butIdon’tthinkI’dbettercomeinatall.YourgrandmotherwasnotonthebestoftermswithmyparentsandIthinkImightnotbewelcomeinherhouse.”

“Ohbother,ifthat’snotjustlikeher!”Eleanorexclaimed.“Shehasthestrangest ideasofour familyconsequenceandis foreversnubbingperfectlynicepeople!”

Shefeltdesperatelydisappointed.Nowshewouldn’tbeabletopursuehisacquaintance.Andshewantedverymuchtoknowhimbetter,forshelikedhimbetterthananygentlemanshehadevermet, as well as feeling herself under an obligation to him.“Perhapswhenshehearshowyou’vehelpedme,she’llchangehermind?”sheventured,butnothopefully.

He shookhishead. “I doubt it. The - er - disagreement is oflongstanding.Ihavenot,ofcourse,mettheladymyself,butfromwhat I hear of her...”Delicately he left the sentenceunfinished,butshookhisheadagain.

Eleanor’sfacefell.“I’mafraidyou’reright.Ifshetakesadisliketosomeone,Grandmammararelychangeshermind.”Shesoughtdesperately for a reason to detain him and her eyes fell on thedog.“ButhowamItoletyouknowaboutSnowy?You’llwishtoknowhowhegoeson,willyounot,sinceyousavedhislife?”

Helookeddownatherwithanevenwarmersmilethanbefore,forshewasastransparentinherintentionsasanyschoolgirl.Infact,shewasoneofthemostdelightfulgirlshehadevermet,withthe most beautiful eyes, dancing with life and laughter. “Yes, I

would rather like to know how he goes on,” he agreed with astraightface.

Eleanorstartedfiddlingwiththepuppy’sears,wonderingwhattosuggest.

Hewasmore experienced. “Doyouoftengo forwalks in thatpartofthewoods?”

She dimpled at him, quick to seize on this opportunity. “Ohyes,mostafternoonsifitisfine,forGrandmammalikesmetogetsomeexerciseandshealwaystakesanapthen.”Shedidn’tnoticethatshewasstandingcloseenoughforthepuppytochewhappilyon one of the ribbons of her dress. In fact, theyhadboth quiteforgottenthelittlecreaturewhichhadbroughtthemtogether.“I’mveryfondofwalking,”sheadded.

Herepressedasuddenurgetokissthedirt-smudgedbloomofhercheek.“I’mfondofwalkingmyself.”Hedecidedthathereyeswere hazel shot with gold and her hair was the most beautifulshadeofrussetbrownthathe’deverseen, fullofglintinggoldenlights.

Shelookeddown,alittleafraidofthesensationsrisingwithinher.WhattheDowagerhadactuallysaidtoherwas,“Getoutanduseupsomeofthatdrattedenergy,child,forIcan’tabidepeoplewhofidgetintheirchairs!Goforawalkorarideorwhateveryouyoungpeopleliketodonowadays!Butdon’tgoofftheestate.Andtake that silly little creature with you! It’s not properly trainedyet.”

“The strange thing is,” Mr Lanby said, his eyes filled withlaughter, “thatmy hosts also like to rest in the afternoons. Anamazingsetofcoincidences,isitnot?”Infact,hishostshadbeenfriends of his parents, not of himself, and were nearer to theDowager’sagethanhisown.

“Then I may see you tomorrow, perhaps,” Eleanor said, toetracingpatternsonthegroundassheavoidedhiseyes.

“Iverymuchhopeso.It’sfarmorepleasanttohavesomeonetotalktoasonewalks.Ihavenoacquaintancesinthedistrictyet,apartfrommyhostandhostess.Perhapsyoucouldtellmewhatthereistosee,thebestridesandsoon?Idon’tknowthispartoftheworldatallandIshallbehereforaweekortwo.”

Shebeamedathimwithnoattempt to concealherpleasure.“Ohyes, I’dbehappy todo that. It’sagood timeof theyear forwalksandwehavesomeverybeautifulridesinthedistrict-ifyoudon’tmindtakingafewfences,thatis?”

“One can always dismount and look for a gate,” he said,keepinghisfacestraight.

She gave the most delicious gurgle of laughter. “Now you’reteasing me. A man who knows as much about horses as youobviouslydocanhavenofearofjumps!”

Whatabeautifulingenuouscreatureshewas!“Wemustpray,then,thatitdoesn’train.”

Sheexamined theskyanxiously. “Idon’t think itwill. I shallaskmygroomwhen Igetback.Andersalwaysknowsabout theweather.”

Crispin knewhemust takehis leave before anyone from thehouse saw them together, reluctantashewas topart fromher.Don’tgetintoodeep,youfool,hesaidtohimself.You’veonlyjustmether.And theymayalreadyhaveplans forher, planswhichdon’tincludesomeonelikeyou,fromthepoorersideofthefamily.Aloudhesaid,“Takeyourdog,then,MissGraceover.There!Willyoubeallrightnow?”

“Oh,yes.It’snotfar.”It was really strange, she thought as she watched him walk

away, how she felt whenever his hands touched hers. As ifsomethingwasmakingthemtingle.Asifshewantedtoholdontooneofthosehandstightlyandnotletgo.

She remained where she was at the edge of the lawns,watchinghimuntilhewasoutofsight,herheadononeside.Herthoughtswere in such turmoil that the puppy’swrigglingswerecompletely ignored. She liked him. In fact, she might even befallinginlovewithhim.Wasthatpossiblesoquickly?

Anderswasscandalizedtohearoftheencounterandwouldinnowayhearofhisyoungmistressgoingoffonherowntomeetastrangegentlemanthefollowingafternoon.Infact,hescoldedheratlengthforhavinggoneanywherewithoutanescort.“Ithoughtyou’dgrownoutofsuchtricks,younglady!”

Shetiltedherheadathimandpulledaface.“Really,Anders,

youcanbeasstuffyasGrandmammasometimes!”Sheexplainedcarefully the delicate situation betweenMr Lanby’s parents andtheDowager,butAnderswasnottobemoved.

“That’s asmay be, Miss Eleanor, but it still doesn’t make itrightforayoungladylikeyoutogooutforwalksonherownandwell you know it! Downright disobedient, you were today, andwhat her ladyshipwould say tome for not stopping you, if sheknewaboutit,Idreadtothink!Andasforyoutalkingtostrangegentlemenandarrangingtomeetthemagain, Idon’tknowwhattheworld iscoming towhenayoung lady inyourpositiondoessuchthings.Herladyshipwouldhaveafitifsheknewaboutit.”

She laidherhand onhis arm coaxingly, afraidhewould tellhergrandmother.“Weonlytalkedalittle,Anders.MrLanbyisaverywell-manneredgentleman.Noone,absolutelynoone,couldhave faulted his behaviour toward me. And if he’s staying atTreeversHall,well,hemustberespectable,becausetheTreeversareasancientandasfussyasGrandmamma!”

Anders foldedhisarmsandshookhishead inawayhehadwhenhewasdispleasedwithher,buthiswordsshowedhewassofteninga little. “Well, youcandoyour talking inmycompanynexttime,oryou’llnotdoitatall!”

She looked at him pleadingly, but could see no sign of hisrelentingfurther.“Oh,verywell!”shesaidcrossly,thenhesitated,before adding. “Please don’t tell Grandmamma aboutMr Lanby!Youwon’t,dearestAnders,willyou?Youknowhowunreasonableshecanbewhenshetakesadisliketosomeone’sfamily!”

“I’llmeetthegentlemanfirst,MissEleanor,andthenwe’llsee.If he seems respectable, and if you promise me faithfully thatyou’ll always take someonewith youwhen you go tomeet him,thenperhaps,justperhaps,weneednotinformherladyship.ButI’mmakingnopromises,mind!”

Sheflungherarmsroundhisneckandhuggedhimruthlessly,inspiteofhisprotests.“You’readearandIdon’tknowwhatI’ddo without you, Ander-Panders!” It had been her childhoodnicknameforhim.

“Giveover,do,MissEleanor!”hesaid,quite failingtoconcealhis pleasure. “What would her ladyship say if she saw you a-

huggingofmelikethat?”“She’dsayIwasbeingover-familiarwithaservantandgiveme

a scolding about what’s suitable behaviour for a person of myrank.” She pulled a face. “But I don’t care for such nonsense.Why,I’veknownyouforlongerthanabsolutelyanyoneelse,evenBea, and if I can’t hug you, who can I hug? And anyway,Grandmamma never comes down to the stables, does she, sowe’requitesafe.”

She grinned at him cheekily and he shook his head at heragain, tryingwithoutsuccess tohidehisownsmile.Aminxshewas,aproperminx,butnotanastyboneinherbody.

Hestoodandwatchedherrunbacktothehouse, leavingthedirty,yawningpuppysprawledacrosshisboots,chewingattheirlaces.Whenshe’ddisappeared fromsight,hebentdown topickthe little animal up, sighing. Not for him to question herladyship’sways,butitwasashametokeepalivelylasslikeMissEleanor shut away from other folk of her own age, a propershame, it was! He wouldn’t allow his young lady to make anyunsuitableacquaintances,butitwouldn’thurttolookthisfellowover.IfhewasvisitingtheTreevers,hemustbeagentleman,andMiss Eleanor had been moping about ever since Miss BeatricewentuptoLondon,inspiteofthatdrattedpuppy.

HewouldmakeinquiriesofthegroomsatTreeversHallaboutthis fellow Lanby. The servants’ grapevine could yield a lot ofinformationthatwouldsurprisethegentry.Hepickedthepuppyup, looked it in the eyes and shook his head at it. “See whatyou’ve done now, little fellow! You’d better watch your step infuture,orIshallgiveyouaproperscolding!”

Snowytriedtolickhisnose.Hecradledthesmallwarmbodyagainsthischest.“Well,let’s

goandtakealookatthatlegofyours,shallwe?AndIdaresayabowl of bread and milk wouldn’t come amiss, either, eh?” Onerough fingertip tickled it gently under the chin, but a frownremained onhis face asheministered to thepuppy.Hewishedvery much that Miss Beatrice were here to take charge of thesituation.She’dknowwhatwastherightthingtodoandhehadagreatdealofrespectforherjudgment.

The idea of some strange gentleman taking advantage of hisMiss Eleanor was a worry that even haunted his dreams thatnight.

AsMrLanbyhauntedEleanor’sdreams.

Chapter6

InLondonJustinSerlewasnottheonlygentlemanshowingan

interestinBeatrice.Shemightunderrateherownattractionsandinsist shewashereonly to findahusband forEleanor,but shewas both charming and pretty, as well as having a substantialdowry.

Only the previous evening, Lady Clayrie had commented onthis to Johanna. “That cousin of yours has got good manners,betterthanmostyoungfolknowadays.WhenshegotcorneredbySt John Hardinge at Amelia’s rout, I tried to rescue her. Feltguilty,himbein’aconnectionofmine.Youknowwhataboreheis.”

Johanna raised expressive eyebrows. They had all beencorneredbyStJohnHardingeatonetimeoranother.

“Well, I couldn’t get across the room in that crush, so Iwatchedyourcousinlisteningtohimandyou’dhaveswornfromherexpressionthathewasawit,insteadofahalf-wit.”

Lady Clayrie guffawed so loudly at her own joke that shechoked and by the time she’d recovered, she’d found anothersubject topursue.Butwhat she’d said left Johanna thoughtful.She,too,wasfindingBeafullofsurprisesandinmorewaysthanone. She would never have expected her shy cousin to becomequitesopopular.

Lady Jersey said much the same thing about Beatrice, andJohanna had a hard time keeping her face straight as thegarrulous woman known as “Silence” to her own generationabsolutelylavishedpraiseonthenewcomer.

“Onegetssotiredofdealingwiththecapricesandfussationsofthemoredashingtypeofperson,”LadyJerseydeclared.“Yourcousinistheeasiestguestimaginable,withimpeccablemannersand an elegant simplicity in her dress that has taken very wellwith the other patronesses. You must be sure to bring her toAlmack’sregularly.”Sheraisedoneeyebrow.“Dowry?”

Johannaseizedtheopportunitytospreadthenews.“Ibelieve

mymotherhassettledtwentythousandonher.”“Indeed.Thenitshouldn’tbehardtofindherasuitableparti.”“Ihopenot.”Butshewasn’tsureBeatricewouldagreeabout

whatmadeagentlemansuitable.The followingdayJustin,arriving lateasusual foramusical

evening,paused inthedoorwayto listentoapleasantcontralto,thesortofvoiceitwasapleasuretolistento,especiallyasitwassinging something in English instead of one of those damnedincomprehensibleGermanliederthatalwayssoundedlikefuneraldirgestohim.HeblinkedinsurprisewhenhesawthatthesingerwasBeatriceDencey, for hewould have thought her too shy toperforminpublic.

When thesongwasover, shesettleddownat thepiano, faceslightly flushed at the applause, to accompany first one thenanother young lady. The Dowager had insisted on both herchargesbeingabletoentertaincompany-somethingtheoldladyconsidered a social imperative - but although Beatrice hadlearnedtosingwhenrequested,shewouldrathernothavedoneso. She much preferred acting as accompanist, her skill at thepianoforte being such that the other young ladies present wereabletoshowofftheirvocalprowesstotheverybestadvantage.

FromacrosstheroomJustinwatchedherencouragearatherbashfulyounglady,whowasflutteringaboutwithhermusicandwho looked ready toburst into tears inher terror of singing forthefirsttimebeforetheLondonton.

The terrifiedyoung ladydrew inadeepbreathandturnedtoface her audience, while from behind her Beatrice murmuredencouragement.Hesmiledatthescene,noddingapprovalofMissDencey’skindness.Nowondershewaspopularwithherownsex,for all her quietness and her self-effacing manners. And thatmadehimwonderwhattherewasaboutherthatpeopletooktosoreadily?Hefoundhimselftryingtoanalyzethisandforgettingtomove on, so that another new arrival had to ask him twice tostandasideandallowotherstoenterthesalon.

TheotherguestsfoundJustinSerleveryunlikehisusualselfthatevening,soquietandthoughtful.AnditwasnoticedthathemadeaparticularefforttospeaktotheyoungHarnstonchit,who

hadovercomehernervousnesstosingsoprettilytothem.Washereally looking for a bride from this season’s hopefuls or did hehavesomeotherreasontobekindtothegirl?HespentquiteabitoftimechattingtoMissDencey,too,buttherewasnosignofhimflirtingwithher.

AfterthateveningBeatricefoundthatseveraloftheveryyoungladiestooktoconfidingtheirhopesandfearstoher,astheycouldnotdototheirownmamas.Withthemtreatingherlikeaneldersisterorcousinandeagerlyawaitingherarrivalatparties,shenolongerfeltastrangerandenjoyedhelpingthemsettleintosociety.TheyremindedherverymuchofdearEleanor-thoughtheywerenotasprettyorlively,ofcourse.

As Johanna expected, Lady Jersey let it be known thatMissDenceyhadaveryrespectabledowryandwasinthemarketforahusband. This set the seal uponBeatrice’s success, though shewouldhavebeenhorrifiedifshehadknownaboutit.

Johanna took care that she didn’t find out. It was the waythingsweredoneintheirworldanditwasfoolishofpoorBeatogetupsetaboutthemoney.Youhadtoknowyourownworthandmakethemostofit.Why,Johannawouldassoonhaveletoneofherowndaughtersmarryapennilessyoungersonasshewouldhaveshavedherhead.

Duringtheweekswhichfollowed,brothers,youngersonsandnephews were summoned up to London by various steely-eyedmatrons and displayed to Miss Dencey in all their masculineglory.BeatricestudiedeveryonetowhomshewasintroducedforEleanor’s sake, not her own, and didn’t realize for a while howmuchinteresttherewasinherself.ThemarksandnotesagainstthenamesontheDowager’slistmultipliedrapidlyandthepaperbecamequitewornfromheranxiousperusalsofit.

ThefirstproposalofmarriageBeatricereceivedshockedhertothecore,comingas itdid fromagentlemanwhomshehadonlymet three times and that briefly. When he drew her into ananteroomafteradance,sheprotested,“MrTarrow, Idon’t thinkweshould...”Shefellsilentinhorrorashefelltohiskneesbeforeher,blockingherwayout.

“My dear Miss Dencey,” he began, seizing her hand and

coveringitwithwetkisses.“Mydearestlady-““Oh,please.MrTarrow,pleasedonot!” Shewas scarletwith

embarrassmentbynow.“MissDencey, Imust speak! I cannotwait any longer. Since

themomentIfirstsawyouIhavelongedtocallyoumyown.Onlysay that youwillmarryme and I shall be the happiestman intown!”

He tried tokissheragainand indesperation, shepushedathischestwithbothhands.Sincehewasononekneeatthetime,thismadehimlosehisbalanceandbythetimehehadscrambledtohis feet,hewasasred-facedasshewas.Heplacedonehandonhischestandopenedhismouthtospeak.

Beatrice rushed to prevent him. “Please don’t say anythingelse,sir!Ihavenowishtomarry.”

For amoment, his expressionwas anything but conciliatory.“Dashitall,”hebegan,“whatelseareyouhere forbutto findahusband?Theword’soutallovertownaboutyourdowry.”

“What?”Shetookadeepbreath,angerkindlinghereyes intobrilliance,thenrepeatedfirmly,“Ihavenodesiretomarryyou,oranyoneelse.”Sheretreatedstrategicallybehindapotplant.“AndIshallnotchangemymind.Pleaseleavemenow,MrTarrow!”

Seeing the implacable expression on her face, he could donothing but bow stiffly, his movements constrained by the sizeandheightofhisnowrathercrumpledneckcloth,beforestridingoutoftheroom.

Shestayedwhereshewasforamoment,handspressedtoherburningcheeks,thensaidaloud,“Howdidhefindoutaboutthatdreadfuldowry?”Asshewaswaitingfortheflushtosubside,shecaught sight of two legs behind another potted palm tree andgasped.“Oh,no!Who-who’sthere?”

Justinsighedandmovedforward.Hewouldhavepreferredtoremain unnoticed, for he knew she’d be embarrassed that he’doverheardtheincident.“Icrypardon,MissDencey!Ihadnowishtoeavesdrop,believeme,butthegentlemanwassoeagerIhadnotime to revealmypresencebeforehe launched intohis speech.”He took the fan fromher trembling fingersandbegan towaft itgentlytoandfroinfrontofherflushedface.

“Hewasonlyeagertogainaccesstomyfortune!EvenIhaveheardabouthisdebts,”shesaidbitterly.“AsifI’dacceptsuchaperson!”

“He’s a fool, and always has been,” Justin said with rathermore warmth than he had intended. Actually, he felt likepursuing Tarrow and knocking him to the floor for upsettingBeatricelikethis.

Shelookedathimshyly.“He’s-he’swhatIaccusedyouof,MrSerle, is he not? A dandy? So I’mmore sorry than ever formyerror. It was because you always look so elegant that I, well, Imistookmatters.”

Hesmiled,a smileasgenuineasher compliment. “Tarrow isindeedoneofthedandyset,”hemurmured.“Allthecrack,orsosomepeoplesay,buttomehe looksmore likea fowlstuffed fortheoven.”

“Yes.Andthatridiculousneckcloth!Itmustbeat leastafoothigh!Hecan’teventurnhishead,butmustmovehiswholebodyto look sideways!” She laughed suddenly. “If some of our oldervillagerscouldseehim,they’dbeconvulsedandhe’dheara fewhometruths!”

“Canwenotarrangeit?Ihaveafewoldertenantswhohaveasimilarfranknessofspeech.”

“Oh,don’ttemptme!”Hercolourhadfadedtonearnormalandherexpressionstillshowedgenuineamusement.

He returned the fan and offered her his arm. “Perhaps weshouldreturntoLadyOstdenenow?Areyoufeelingbetter?”

“Yes.AndIdothankyouforbeingsounderstanding.”“Itwasmypleasure.”JohannawasmerelyamusedwhenBeatricetoldheraboutthe

offershe’dreceived.“Oh, Tarrowwon’t do for you!” she said, dismissing theman

withawaveofherhand.“But itwassohumiliating!”Beatriceprotested.“Howcanyou

talk about it so casually?Hewasn’t offering forme, but formydowry!Howdidheevenknowofit?”

“Oh,thesethingsgetaround.Imayhavementionedittooneor two ofmy friends.”She saw the anger inBeatrice’s eyes and

shrugged. “That’s thewayof theworld,mydear, and youwon’tchange it. And you are here to find a husband, are you not? Imust say I thought even Tarrow would have hadmore addressthan to rush things. He must be badly dipped again. He’s aknowngamester.”

Such frank talk disgusted Beatrice, but she could hardlycomplaintoherkindhostess,whowasgoingtoinordinatetroubletotakeheraroundandintroducehertopeople.

Theattentivenessof certaingentlemencontinued to increase,toBeatrice’sgreatembarrassment,andseveraltimesthewatchfulJustin Serle rescued her in the nick of time from what sheconsidered to be an unpleasant situation. She began to feel socomfortable with him that she treated him like a cousin or abrother.

However,herblatantlackofinterestinhimasamanbegantopique him. He wasn’t at all sure he enjoyed the role of “saferelative”,whichwasonehe’dneverplayedbefore.

Fortunately, not all the gentlemen were as blatant in theirpursuit as Mr Tarrow, and Beatrice managed to enjoy herselfsomeofthetime,especiallywhentheywenttothetheatreortheopera,orwhentheycouldattendasalonwhere theguestswereexpectedtotalkofliteratureorpoetryinamoreintelligentway.

Johanna pulled a face sometimes at the nature of theentertainmentsBeatricepreferred,butrealizedthatshewouldn’tbeabletokeephercousinhappyif theyonlyattendedthemorefrivolousfunctionswhichsheandherdaughterenjoyedmost.

Afterawhile,Johanna realized thatJustinwaswatching theattentionBeatrice received, oftenwitha frownofdisapproval onhis face. And that frown became a scowl if he saw her severaltimestalkingtothesamegentlemen.

Hedidnotyetrealizethereasonforhisowninterest,Johannathought, watching them both with growing amusement. But itcould be only one thing. He was attracted to Bea. It was sodiverting towatchhimandso important to let things take theirnatural course that she threatened to murder her daughter ifJennice dropped so much as a hint to anyone else about thepossibilityofseriousinterestbetweenBeaandSerle.

“Ifyoudothat,BeatricewillfreezeandJustinwillretreat,”sheinsisted.

Jennicepulleda face,but foronceheldher tongue.ShewasquitefondofJustinandwouldbegladtoseehimmarriedintothefamily.

Beatrice,moreintentuponworkingthroughtheDowager’slistof eligible suitors forEleanor, treatedall the gentlemenwhodidnot displease her with a distant kindness that piqued othersbesidesJustin.

Johannawatchedthisinpuzzlementanddecidedafterawhilethat itwasnotgoingtobeaseasyasshehadexpectedtobringBea to accept anyone, even Justin Serle. Her cousin wasgenuinely not looking for a husband for herself. Johanna couldonlybethankfulthatneitherofherdaughtershadbeensohardtomarry off. Theyhadbothworked enthusiasticallywithher tofind themselves husbands and had discussed the candidates atgreatlengthbeforesettlingonone.

She became so concerned about the situation that shediscussed it with Jennice. “I really can’t understand Bea. Shemakesnopushtofixanyone’sinterestuponherself.I’mnotevensure that she’s really interested in Serle. Sometimes they seemverycozy together,butatother times, shedoesn’t evenseem tonoticehim.”

“Thenshe’safoolnottomakeapushtocapturehisinterest,for he’s very eligible.” Jennice chose another sugar plum andpoppeditinhermouth.“Perhaps,”shebegan,hermouthfullandher words almost inaudible, “a clergyman would be more thethingforBea?Imean,she’salwayssoserious.”

“Yes.”Johannalookedthoughtful.“Whocanweintroduceherto?”Shegaveaknowingsmile.“Ifwecansetupanotherseriouscontender,maybethatwillpushJustinintoaction.Icouldswearhelikesher.Hecertainlyseekshercompanyoftenenough.”

“And she his,” agreed Jennice, licking the sugar from herfingers. “I thoughtwhen theywerewaltzing theothernighthowwell they looked together. Shenever looks as relaxed in anyoneelse’s arms.Anddid you seeher facewhenhewas flirtingwithGwendolineFirsby?”

Johannaleanedforwardeagerly.“No!Didshelookupset?”“Yes.Foraminuteortwo,anyway.Thensheturnedawayand

didn’tlookacrossathimagain.”“Hmm.That soundspromising. Iwish I’d seen itmyself.But

I’dbetternotsayanythingtomymotheryet.Youknowwhatshe’slikeonceshegetsanideaintoherhead.Iwouldn’tputitpasthertosummonJustindowntoSatherbyandaskhimhisintentions-andthatwoulddrivehimrightaway.”

Theybothchuckledatthethought.SoalthoughJohannadulyreportedinherletterstohermother

thatoneortwogentlemenweremakingalittleprogresswithBea,shedidn’tmentionSerle.

Asthedayspassed,LadyMargueriteGraceover’sletterstoherdaughter became more and more querulous in tone and shecomplainedbitterlyaboutthedelaysinsettlingwhatwassurelyavery straightforwardmatter.Mama, Johanna told her daughter,alwaysdid expectpeople to obeyher orders inanunreasonablyshorttime.

Inher responseJohannasuggested thathermotherconsiderextending the list of eligibles, which was very restricted. Why,Johanna could think of several gentlemen who might well beworthy of consideration for Eleanor. She mentioned one or twonamesasexamples.

Shereceivedastingingreplycommandinghertodoasshehadpromised and ordering her not to interfere with Beatrice’sinstructions.TheDowagerwasonlyinterestedinpersonsofrankand breeding for her granddaughter and niece, thank you verymuch!

After twomoreweekshadpassedwithoutanyprogressbeingmade,LadyMargueritewroteaverysharplettertoBeathathadherdroopingallday.Guiltoverwhelmedher.Shehadletherauntdown badly. But try as she might, she couldn’t see any of thegentlemenshehadmetmakinggoodhusbandsforEleanor.

Bytheeveningof thatdayJohannacouldstand itno longer.Shesathercousindownforafranktalk.“Youmustn’tletMamabullyyoulikethis,Bea.Shemeanswell,butyouknowwhatshe’slike.”

“She has a right to complain. I’ve been neglecting my dutyquite shamefully and looking only to enjoy myself. I must stopgoingtosomanyconcertsand-and...”Hervoicefaltered.

“You can’t do much more than you are doing,” Johannapointedoutreasonably.“You’vemetmostofthepeopleonthatlistwhoareupintownthisseason.”

“I must do more!” Bea went up to her room and wrote anextremelydetailedreportonthosegentlemenshehadmetsofarandsentitoffthenextdaytohergrandmother.

Whenshereceivedthereport,theDowagerthumpedherstickonthefloorinrageanddemandedofheavenwhyshewassaddledwithsuchfeeble-witteddescendants.

“Is somethingwrongwithMissDencey?” her ladyship’smaidventuredtoask.

“Yes.She’sturnedintoatimid,romanticnincompoop!Lookatthat!”Shewavedtheletterintheair.“Shedon’tthinkanyofthemaresuitable forEleanor,andon themost ridiculousofgrounds.Too stupid. Too reckless. Not kind enough. Not kind enough!Whatdoes she thinkwe’re looking for - a saint?They’remenofbreeding,ain’tthey?Someofthemmustbepresentable!”

Lippings knew better than to respond and merely stoodattentivelybesidehermistressasthetiradecontinued.

After a sleepless night, Lady Marguerite decided not to takeissuewithBeaagainaboutherfailuretonominatesomesuitablecandidates for Eleanor’s hand. “However,” she told her maidgrimly,“ifthingsdon’timprovesoon,Ishalltakemattersintomyown hands. I am not yet too old or too decrepit tomanagemyfamily’saffairs,andsotheywillfindout.”

Chapter7

JohannacontinuedtopuzzleoverBea’sfuturewhilethepairof

themworkedtheirwaythroughtherestoftheeligiblesonthelist.It wasn’t hard for Johanna to ensure that Bea got tomeet andinspect all the unattached scions of those particular lines whowere presently in town. Some of them, she warned, were quiteyoung gentlemen, some of them not so young. The Dowager’sinstructions specified that all unmarriedmalesup to the age offorty were to be considered in those families of whom sheapproved.

“DoesMama honestly expect,” Johanna asked in frustration,“that a girl as young as Eleanor will even consider marrying amanofthirtyorolder?”

“She expects everyone in her household to do exactly as shetells them, whether it’s reasonable or not. But I don’t thinkEleanor will obey meekly in something as important as this,”Beatrice said thoughtfully. “She tries to avoid clashes with myaunt,butthey’reveryalikeandshehasawillofherown.”

From then onwards, the two ladies sat down after eachmeetingwithanewgentlemanfromthelistandcomparednotesin a way which would have horrified most of the young bloodsconcerned. Beatrice, unwilling to discuss her own suitors, washappy to discuss at length thosewhowere under considerationfor Eleanor. She set ridiculously high standards, though, inJohanna’s opinion, and to make matters worse, she was moreconcernedwiththegentlemen’spersonalqualitiesthanwiththeirstationinlifeandtheirfortunes.

“What about young Lord Haroldby? He’s certainly not ill-favoured andwill come into a very respectable fortunewhenheinherits,”Johannaaskedoneday,feelingthatthelatestcandidatehadbeenbetterthanmost.

“Young Lord Haroldby,” declared Beatrice, lips curlingscornfully,“is fartoodaredevil inhiswaysandwillundoubtedlykillhimselfwithintheyear.Didyouseethathorsehewasriding

intheparkyesterday?”“Well-““Andsomeonetoldmethathe’sreadytoacceptanywager,any

wager at all, and even makes it a point of honour to do so,howeverridiculousthebet.”

“Well, most young gentlemen are like that. He’ll settle downoncehe’smarried.”

“Ihavenowish toseemydearestEleanorwidowedyoung.Amanlikethatwon’tdoforheratall.”

Johanna rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, but didn’t wasteher time arguing this point. “What about the Barrowdene heir,then?”Johannaasked,reachingforanappletartlet.“He’sratherhandsome,don’tyouthink?”

“Ifyoulikethatsortofpalegoodlooks.He’sapingLordByroninhismannerismsandhe’s far toomoody.Thatwouldneverdofor dear Eleanor. She’s the most affectionate, sunny-naturedperson in all creation, and his moods would drive her todistraction in a fortnight.” She saw Johanna begin to open hermouth and said savagely, “And if you’re going to ask about theHonorableFergusKitsby,IhavetotellyouthatI’veneverbeensodisappointedinanyoneinallmylife.”

Johanna could only sigh. The Honorable in question wasmakingmorethanoneyoungdebutanteactinafoolishwayanddampen her pillow with fruitless yearning. “He’s thought to beverystylish,”sheventured.

“Whenseenatadistanceonthedancefloororatthetheatre,perhaps.”

“Andhissmileis-““Is pleasant enough, I will admit, but that makes it all the

worsewhenyou findout thathehasshockinglybadbreath.Hemust eatnothingbut onions!And,” shepausedbefore revealingthe most dreadful tidings of all, “he not only wears paddedshoulders,butalsoapaddedchestpiecetohiscoats.”

“It’sallthecrackforgentlementohaveabroadsilhouette!”Beatricewasnottobemoved.“FalsityisathingwhichIhave

alwaysabhorred.”Thepaddedchestpiecehadbeenthefinalstrawinalonglistofdisappointments.Shecouldjustimaginewhather

auntwouldsayaboutthat!“You’refartoodemanding,mydear.Youreallycan’tcondemn

a man because he wears padding! He’s only following fashion,afterall.”

“Well, I find I don’t care for that particular fashion. Andanyway,Ithinkthatamountofpaddingreflectsadeviousnessofspirit.IcaretoomuchaboutEleanor’shappinesstoentrusthertoamanwhopresentsafalseappearancetotheworld.Whoknowswhatliesanddeceitshewouldpracticeuponheraftertheyweremarried!”

BeatricewaslookingsodesperatelyworriedthatJohannawasmoved to cross the roomandhugher. “Look, love, forget aboutEleanor forawhile!Let’s turnour thoughts toyourown future.You’re alsohere to find ahusband for yourself and you’ll neverhaveabetteropportunitythanthisseason.”

Beatrice shook her head, lips tightly pursed. “I don’t matterhalf as much. There’s plenty of time for me to find myself ahusband later if I sochoose.And Idokeep it inmind, I assureyou. I’vealreadycome to theconclusion that I’dprefer tomarrysomeonewholivesmainlyinthecountry.That’senoughprogressfornow.”

She fiddled with a fold of her skirt and added, “I know youthink I’m being over-fussy, but your mother is very concernedaboutEleanor’sfuture,andit’snotgoodforhertoworryso.Ijustcan’t settle to thinking ofmyself until I’ve sorted something outforEleanor.IpromisedAuntMargueritefaithfullythatIwouldn’tfailherinthis.”

She hadn’t told her cousin that the Dowager’s health wasdeteriorating fast, and this omission was preying on herconscience,foritneverseemedtooccurtoJohannathatanythingcouldhappentohermother.

AspiritofmischiefmadeJohannasay,“ThenitmustbeJustinSerle,afterall,Bea!Hiscousinishisheirnowthathisbrother’sdead,andLukeSerleisagamblerandreprobate.Ineverthoughtto seeSerlebrought to thealtar, butLuke’s going todo it if hegoesonlikethis.”

Beatricetriedtothinkofsomeothersubjectofconversation.

“IwonderwhomSerlewillchoose,”Johannacontinued.“Choose?” exclaimed Beatrice, in tones of great disgust.

“Choose! You speak as though he had only to signal and anywomanwouldcomerunning!”

“Well,heisveryeligible,youknow,nottomentionhandsome.He’sbeenmuchsoughtafterforyears.”

“Handsome is not everything!” declared Beatrice, nose in theair.“MrSerleisnotasarrogantortrivial-mindedasIhadthoughtatfirst,Iwilladmit,butalthoughhemaynotbeadandy,hedoesspend a lot of time on his appearance and his conversation isfrequentlyveryfrivolous.Icannotapproveofthat.”Orsoshetriedtotellherselfwhenevershefoundherselfthinkingabouthim.

“My dear, what do you expect him to talk about at socialgatherings? Riots and mayhem?” Johanna was watching herclosely. “I like Justin. I’m surehe’dmake an excellent husbandfor Eleanor. He’s always very pleasant company and you mustadmithe’sanexquisitedancer.”

Beatricecouldn’tdisagreewiththat.She’dhadthepleasureofdancing with Mr Serle at many functions and found him theperfect partner. Their stepsmatched so well she didn’t have tothinkwhatshewasdoing,butcouldfloatawayonthemusic.Shedidnot,however,intendtoadmitthattoJohanna.“Well,Ithinkamanofhisstationandwealthoughttosetabetterexamplethanhedoes!Fancybeingfamousforthewayyoutieyourcravat!Orfor thehorsesyoudrive!Amanshouldstandonhisownmerit,not that of his animals! And him a great landowner, too! Heshouldspendmore timethinkingabouthis tenantsandabout -aboutagriculture!”

“Oh,pooh!Agriculture!Whocaresaboutthingslikethatwhenone is in London? Agriculture is a topic only suitable for thecountry,andtheninverysmalldoses.ThelandheownsmaybewhatmakesJustinSerle so eligible,but tobeprosingonaboutturnipswouldmakehimthegreatestboreintown!”

Beatriceresolutelyheldhertongue.“Anyway,” Johanna continued airily, “Boris tells me Serle is

seriously looking for a wife, so I can’t help being interested inwhom he’ll choose. He’s been impervious to a whole series of

beautieswho’vesettheircapsathimovertheyears.”ShelookedsidewaysatBeatriceandaskedcasually,“WhatdoyousaytotheMetterleighheiress?Shemightdoforhim,don’tyouthink?”

“Her!Inevermetsuchanempty-headedfeatherbraininallmylife! Shehasn’t got an idea inherhead, apart from clothes anddancing. Even Mr Serle would not choose someone like her!”Eleanorsighedandaddedhalftoherself,“ThoughIdaresayhe’llchoose someone just as frivolous and they’ll spend their timediscussingclothesandthelatestgossipandhowtotiecravats!”

“You’reveryscathing.Don’tyoulikeJustin?”“Oh, he’s pleasant enough,” Beatricewas avoiding Johanna’s

laughing,knowingeyes,“andmyauntthinksagreatdealofthefamily, but well,” her fingers were fiddling with a ribbon now,“there’s not enough substance to him. Though I do owe him adebtofgratitude forsavingme fromthosemen,and I trynot toforget it. But I couldn’t think aman like him right for Eleanor,whateveryousay.AndIcouldn’tmarryamanlikehimmyself!”

Shetossedherheadatthemereidea,whichnoonehadraisedbut herself, then changed the subject hurriedly. “Did I tell youhow well poor Tom is doing? He’s found himself some morerespectablelodgingsandhiscough’scompletelygone.”

Johanna raised her eyes to heaven and let the question ofmatrimony drop. She’d come to the conclusion that her cousinBeatrice,forallhersweetbiddableways,wasasstubbornastheDowagerunderneath.

Afterafewfruitlessweeks,theyhadtotakeJennice,whowasstill staying with her mother in town, more fully into theirconfidence.Sheenteredintothesearchwithrealenthusiasm,forit was just the sort of thing she enjoyed. She was in bloominghealth,butwasbeginningtoshowhercondition,sowasmakingthe most of what she called her “last weeks of freedom” byindulginginafreneticroundofsocialengagementsandshopping.HeronlyconcessiontoBoris’sworriesaboutthebabywastotakeanapeveryafternoon.Andthat,sheconfidedinhermotherwithagrimace,wasonlybecauseshereallydidfeelsleepy.

Jennicestudied theDowager’s listcarefully, fornaturallysheknew all the families on it. “Hmm,” she said after a while,

“Grandmamma is very choosy, isn’t she? I can thinkof adozenothergentlemenI’dhaveconsideredeligible-andseveralofthemhavenicejuicyfortunes-yetthey’renotonherlist.AndwhyonearthhaveyoucrossedJustin’snameoff,Bea?Youcan’taccusehimofbeingtoofatorofhavingasniff,andhecertainlydoesn’tpadhiscoats!Why,he’seasilythemosteligiblebachelorintown!”

Sheleanedbackandsmiledreminiscently.“Ididconsiderhimformyselfatonetime,youknow,butIdecidedhe’dbetoohardtomanage.MydearBorissuitsmemuchbetter-thoughevenhe’sgettingabittroublesomesincewestartedhavingthebaby!”Sheshookherheadandrepeatedinpuzzlement,“WhydidyoucrossJustin’snameoff,Bea?”

“Beatrice thinks he’s not serious-minded enough,” explainedhermother,eyestwinkling.

“Justin?” Jennice screamed with laughter. “Oh dear, I musttellhim!Suchcriticismhasneverbeenoffered tohim inallhislifebefore!Mostpeoplesimplyfawnoverhim,whateverhesaystothem!”

“Don’tyoudaresayaword tohim!”commandedhermother.“You’llonlyembarrasspoorBeatriceandyou’llputhiminafitoftemper.Infact,ifyoubreatheawordofanyofthis,wewon’tletyouhelpusatall.”

Jennice pulled a face. “Well, I wouldn’t really tell him, ofcourse I wouldn’t - I’m not rag-mannered - but I can’t helpwishing Icould teasehim justa littleabout it.”Shesighedwithregret at the delectable prospect of giving Justin Serle anunanswerableset-down,forheoftenteasedherandusuallywontheirverbalbouts.

After a fewminutes’more perusal she handed the dog-earedsheetofpaperbacktoBeatrice.“Whatareyougoingtodoifyoucan’tfindanyonesuitable?”

“Idon’tknow.You’venoideahowIworryaboutthat!I’vemeteveryoneonthelist,well,everyonewhoisintown.Icanhardlygoroundthecountrysideknockingatthedoorsoftherestofthem,canI?”

“Letme see this again, Bea.” Jennice took back the list andstudied itwitha frown,countingsomethingonher fingers, then

shelookedupatthemwithatriumphantsmile.“Ihaveanidea!Abrilliant idea!Mama, you can’t say thatBeatrice is enjoyingherSeason,canyou?Eventhoughshe’ssettinganewfashioninherownquietway,Ineversawanyonesouninterestedinpartiesandballs.Shemightjustaswellnotbeonthemarket.”

“Don’tbevulgar,dear!”Beatriceflushed.“Surelymyfeelingsdon’tshowsoclearly!”Jennicegrinned.“Theymaynotshowtoothers,butweknow

youa little better,mydear andwehearwhat you say after theparties.”

Beatriceturnedtoherkindhostess.“Johanna,it’sgotnothingto dowith you or your hospitality, really it hasn’t! You couldn’thavebeenkindertome!I’mjust-I’mnotcutoutforthissortoflife.Ipreferthecountryand-andrealthings.”

Johannanoddedgloomily,butreachedacrosstopatherhandreassuringly.“Iknow,love.”

“Well,then,”saidJennice,positivelybeamingatthem,“nolessthan three of the families listed here live near us, well, nearenough to visit occasionally, and I know half a dozen othereligibles in our district alone who might suit Bea, even ifGrandmamma didn’t consider them good enough to put on herlistforEleanor.AndBorisisgrowingsoimpatientformetoreturnhomethatIsupposeI’llhavetoleaveLondonsoon.Butitwouldbe delightful to have some company, sowhydon’t you andBeacomebacktoLymsbywithus,Mama?Stayforawhile.IpromisetointroduceBeatodozensofeligiblegentlemen!”

Johanna looked at her thoughtfully, then eyed Beatricesideways.WhatJennicehadn’tmentionedwasthatMelburyPark,the Serle demesne, was the next estate to Lymsby. It would bevery interesting to see whether Justin followed them to thecountry-andhowBeatricereactedtothat.“Whynot?”sheaskedlightly.“Whatdoyouthink,Bea?Youkeepsayingyou’renotfondoftownlife.WecouldgoandspendaweekortwowithJenniceifyoulike.”

“Oh,I’dlovethat!”Beaexclaimed.Anythingtoavoidreturningto theDowagerasa failure.The lastmissive fromSatherbyhadcontainedanothersharpqueryas towhynoneof thegentlemen

onthelisthadyetbeeninvitedtotheAbbey,nottomentionwhyBeatricehaddonenothingaboutherself,whenJohannareportedaconsiderableinterestbeingshowninher.

“We’ll do it, then!” said Johanna, who intensely dislikedcountry life, but who intended to see how this comedy playeditselfout.

They set off within the week, an impressive cavalcadeconsisting of a carriage large enough to carry four persons inextreme comfort, followed by the servants in another vehicle,amongwhomwas an excited Tilly, who had to be told twice byJohanna’sSarahtositstillandbehavelikeaproperlady’smaidbefore she would stop jiggling around. The baggage followed intwomorevehicles.

Lord Newthorpe, who had come up to town to escort them,chose at the last minute to ride with his groom in attendance,whichJennicesaidwasablessingsincehewasthemostfidgetytraveller in the world and never stopped criticizing the way thevehiclewasbeingdriven.

The journey intoHertfordshirewasneither longnor onerous.Jennicesometimestalkedasifshelivedinaremotecounty,butactually,shewaswithinlessthanthreehoursofthecapital,andit was a pleasant drive at that. How pretty Hertfordshire was!Beatricesettledbacktoenjoythesceneryandallowedtheotherstogossipastheywished.

Lymsby Hall was a modern residence built by Boris’sgrandfather, who had indeed made his fortune in tea, to theDowager’severlastingdisgust,butwhohadalsobeentheyoungerson of a perfectly respectable old county family. Boris’s parentswerenowdead,buthe’dinheritedtheirloveofLymsbyandwasapassionatelandscapegardenerwhenhewasn’thunting,shootingorfishing.

Luckily formaritalharmony, theneighbourhoodwasn’t shortof families with whom the young couple might enjoy a variedsocial lifeandtherewasaveryprettyassemblyhall inanearbytownwhereballswereheld,whichwere quite tolerable, Jennicesaid, if one took one’s own party and kept away from the localshopkeepers.

Shownup toanelegantsuiteon the first floor,which lookedout over the beautiful parklands surrounding Lymsby, Beatricedrewinadeepbreathofpleasure.Surelynoonecouldobjecttoher going for long walks here? She could take Tilly with her, ifnecessary.Shehadbynowgrownquitefondofthegirlandhadtoadmit it was indeed necessary to have a lady’smaid when onewas involved inasmanysocialeventsasshehadbeenover thepastfewweeks.She’dalreadydecidedtoaskTillytostayonwithher after her return to Satherby. The Dowager wouldn’t object,shewassure.

Fromwhat Jennice had been planning on the journey, therewould seem to be no shortage of company near Lymsby. Theseplans had caused several squabbles with Boris before theirdeparture,forheseemedtothinkhiswifeshouldtaketoherbedimmediatelyuponarrivalandstaythereuntilafterthebabywasborn.

NotuntilJohannaassuredhimthatitwasbetterforpregnantladies’health if theytookregularexercisedidhedesist fromhisplanstoimmureJenniceinanoverheatedchamber,withseveralattendantsathandtopreventherfromliftingevenafingertip.

Johanna listenedpatientlywhenhewent on todiscusswhatkind of exercise would be safe. No, riding would not be at allsuitable,butregularwalksinthegroundswouldbejustthethingfora lady inadelicateconditionandalsoregularoutings inthecarriage to visit their friends and neighbours, for this wouldpreventtheexpectantmotherfrommoping.MopingwastheworstpossiblethingforladiesinJennice’scondition.

Beatrice was obliged to hide her smiles as Boris wasmanipulated into agreeing to everything Jennice wished to do,whilehis youngwifehappily promisednot to indulge in variousactivities she heartily disliked, such as tramping through thewoods.

Jennice in the countrywas farmore to Beatrice’s taste thanJennice in the town. They found interests in common in therunningofalargehouseandthevagariesofservants,thoughherstaff seemed to give her far more trouble than the servants atSatherby had ever given Beatrice. But then, Jennice seemed to

thriveoncrises,andifonewerelacking,shewasquitecapableofcreatingsomedramaorothertoaddinteresttotheday.

The first week they were a little short of company, Jennicecomplained,andshesulkedaboutthatuntilBoriscoaxedheroutofhermoodwiththegiftofaprettynewbracelet.Theirsociallifedeveloped rapidly after that, however, and soon there was adinnerpartysomewheremostevenings,oranimpromptuhop,oranalfrescoluncheon,orsomeotheroutingtoenliventheday.

These casual country affairs were much more to Beatrice’staste than theLondoneventshadbeen,but evenso, shewouldhavewelcomedfewerofthemandventuredtosayso.

Jennice lookedather reproachfully. “Haveyou forgotten thatoneofthereasonswecameherewassothatyoucouldmeetsomeofthegentlemenonyourlist?”

Beatriceblushedandadmitted that shehad indeed forgottenit.

“Don’tyouwanttofindyourselfahusbandaswellasoneforEleanor?”

“Notsomeoneonlyinterestedinmydowry.”“WellwhatdoyouthinkoftheVicarasapotentialhusband?

Foryou,ofcourse,notforEleanor.He’dbetoooldforher.”Beatrice realized guiltily that she had nearly forgotten her

mission for a few days in her enjoyment of the beautifulcountrysidearoundLymsby.Herheartsankandshefeltsuffusedwithguilt.Shewas lettingherauntdownoncemore.“I’msorry,Jennice.Iwasjustenjoyingbeinginthecountryagain.”

“AndtheVicar?”“No.Ithinkhe’stoooldformeaswell,andbesides,I’venever

likedmenwithredhair.”“No. That particular shade of bright ginger makes their

complexions seem so washed-out, doesn’t it? Well, it does ifthey’reaspaleashe is.Oh,well,we’ll justhave to look furtherafield.”

Beatricesighed.It was several days before Beatrice found out that Serle was

theirclosestneighbour.“Be good to have old Justin back,” said Boris one day over

breakfast. He beamed at them all impartially, in the best ofhumoursbecauseoneofhismareshadjustfoaled.

Jennicenudgedhermother.Beatrice’s fork froze inmidair. “Mr Serle? I was not aware -

doeshelivenearby,then?”“Next estate, if you don’t count the Thatchbule family,” said

Borisindistinctly,hismouthfullofkidneys.“Andwedon’t.”“I-hadn’trealizedhewassoclose.”“How did you find out he was expected, Boris dear?” asked

Jennice, all sweet innocence.She’d alreadyknownabout it, buthadkeptquiet,wishingtoseeBeatrice’sreactionwhensurprisedbythenews.Actually,she’dhavepreferredJustintohavesimplywalkedinonthemoneday.TheshockofthatwouldsurelyhavecausedBeatricetobetrayherfeelings.“I’dheardnothing.”

“Oh, my groom heard it from one of the Melbury groomsyesterdayeveninginthevillagealehouse.Justinwillprobablybeheretoday.”

“Is he - has he brought anyone down with him ?” askedJohanna, since Beatrice was rearranging the food on her plateverycarefullyandshowingnosignthatshewishedtoparticipateintheconversation.

“Idon’tthinkso.Hedoesn’tusually.ButIdaresayhe’llholdadinnerortwowhilehe’shere.He’llprobablyaskyoutoactashishostess, as he usually does, Jen, but you could do it instead,Mother-in-law.Jen’dbetternottireherselfwithsuchthings.”

Jennicepulledafaceathimbehindhisback.“We can get some shooting in, too,” he went on, still full of

enthusiasm. “Justin’s woods are overrun by pigeons and he’llhave to do something about them or they’ll be moving into mycovertsnext!Of course they’renotasgoodeatingaspheasants,butthetenantslikethemwellenough.”

Beatrice grimaced, thusbetraying the fact that shehadbeenlistening.Shecouldneverbear to seebirdsslaughtered, thoughtheDowageralwaysgloatedover thesizeof thebagandallowedfavouredpersonstoshootatSatherbyduringthehuntingseason,aslongastheystayedelsewhere,forshedetestedholdinghouseparties.

Boris turned tohis guests,beaming. “You ladiesmaycare totakeagunoutwithusoneday,eh?”

Jennicelookedpained.“Notinmycondition.”“I wasn’t considering you,” her spouse told her. “It’s obvious

youcouldn’tdoanythinglikethatnow.”Hiseyesrestedgloatinglyonherstomach.

“Yes,I’mfartoobigtogoclamberingthroughthewoods,aren’tI?” Jennice looked down at her increasingly pear-shaped figurewithimmensesatisfaction.“It’sgrowingsoquickly,Iwouldn’tbesurprisedifIdidn’thavetwins.”

Borispaled.“Twins!HaveyouaskedDr.Sangleraboutthat?”“Good heavens, no! I was just joking. He’s such a fussy old

boreIdon’tmeantoseehimforagesyet.”“What?Jennice, I gave strict orders that youwere to consult

himassoonaswereturned!”Jennice tilted her nose at him. “Well, I haven’t,my Lord, so

there!I’mfeelingperfectlywell,thankyou,andIdon’tneedtoseeadoctor!”

Borisstoodupandthumpedthetable,shootingforgotten.“Inthat case, I shall fetchhimmyself this verydayandmake surethatyoudoseehim!Ifyouthink,Madam,thatI’mgoingtoriskthelifeofmyunbornson-“

“Or daughter,” put in Johanna, unable to resist thetemptation.

“Daughter!” exclaimed Boris, scandalized. “We Newthorpesneverhavedaughters first, I’llhaveyouknow,orwehaven’t forgenerations!ThoughIwouldn’tputitpastmywifetodoso,ifonlytospiteme!”

Jennice tittered. “Well you can’t do anything about that, MyLord!EvenaNewthorpecan’tdictatethesexofhisoffspring.”

“No,butIcanseethatyougetproperattentionwhileyou’reinthis condition. And what’s more, if you try to avoid seeing Dr.Sangler,Ishallbringhimtoyourroomandholdyoudownmyselfwhileheexaminesyou.”

“Youwouldn’tdare!”“Oh,wouldn’tI?”“Ishalllockthedoor.”

He folded his arms and took up a melodramatic pose. “I’llbreakitdown.”

Tears suddenly sparkled on Jennice’s lashes. “Oh, how canyoubesocrueltome?”sheasked,hervoicebreakingpatheticallyas she spoke. She sniffed delicately and applied a lacehandkerchieftohereyes.

“Cruel?Is itcrueltocareaboutyourwelfare?”demandedheroutraged husband, not to be cajoled when such an importantmatterashisunbornsonwasatstake.

Johanna nudged Beatrice and they left the two lovers tocontinue their quarrel and reconciliation in peace and comfort.However, foronceBorishadhisway,andtheafternoonsawthedoctor’s gig bowl up to the door and that gentleman shownstraight up to my lady’s bedchamber by Lord Newthorpe inperson.Nordidthechamberdoorprovetobelocked.

“Well,” said Johanna, smiling broadly, “I never would havebelievedit!Shedoesn’tusuallygiveinsoeasily.”

“I thinkI’llgo foraride,”saidBeatrice,whohadbeenpacingaboutrestlesslyforawhile.Afterreceivingyetanotherperemptorymissive from Satherby, she was suffering from another wave ofguiltathavingtotallyfailedtocomplywithheraunt’swishes.Shehad dutifully allowed Jennice to introduce her to severalgentlemen from thedistrict,whomJennicedescribedaseligible,andthesehadincludedtwomorefromtheDowager’slist.

ButLordWhinber’ssonandheirhadprovedtobeared-faced,hunting-mad country bumpkin, however elevated his breeding,and he was so lacking in sensible conversation that he wouldhave driven Eleanor insane within an hour. And as for MrStandrey,well,hemightlookbetterwhenhehadrecoveredfromhiscold,butshedoubtedit.Anoseaslargeasthatcouldnotbutintrudeuponone’smaritallife.

A groom saddled a horse for Beatrice and would haveaccompanied her on her outing, but she waved him away. “I’monlygoingforagentlerideroundthehomepark,”shesaid.“Youneedn’tcomewithme.”

“Buthislordshipsaidthat-“Shestaredathimfrostily. “Idonotwish forcompany, thank

you,Semsby. I shallbestayingwithin thepark. I can’tpossiblycome to any harm there!” What she desperately needed at themomentwassometimealonetothinkthroughherpredicament,forpredicamentitwasundoubtedlybecoming.

SherodeslowlyalongtheleafyalleyscutthroughthewoodsbyLord Newthorpe’s father to enhance the pleasures of just suchoutings.Gradually thepeaceof thedayseeped intoherandshebegantorelax.Shewasquitecontenttoletthehorsepickitswayslowly over the soft earth so that her own thoughts could driftmilesaway.

Afterawhile,shecametoaquietpoolwhichshehadn’tseenbefore on her outings. It was so beautiful there she decided todismountandsitforawhileonafallentreetrunk.Butalthoughshecontinuedtorackherbrain,shecouldmakenosenseofherownfeelingsorcometoanyconclusionaboutasuitablehusbandforEleanor.

Suddenly she realized that the sunwas appreciably lower intheskythanshewouldhaveexpectedandwhenshelookedatthelittle fobwatchpinnedtoherwaist,wasstartled torealizeshe’dbeen out for over two hours. They would be starting to worryaboutherandprobablythegroomwouldnowbeintroubleonheraccount,whichwasquiteunfair,becauseSemsbyhadtriedtodohisduty.Hastilysheputonherglovesandpickedupherridingswitch.

Themarewascontentedlymunchingthelushgrassattheedgeoftheclearing.Beatricestrodeovertotheanimalandsetherfootin the stirrup,but justas shewasstarting tomount, twobirdsscreeched out of the undergrowth, erupting right under themare’s hooves, and the animal reared in fright. Unprepared,Beatricelosthergriponthereinsandwasthrowntotheground,forwhichAnderswouldhavescoldedherroundly.

“Alwayskeepholdofthereins,MissBeatrice,”hehadtoldhertimes without number. “Whatever happens, don’t let go of yourhorse’sreins!”

Shetriedtogettoher feetandfoundshe’dtwistedherankleand couldn’t stand, only sit and watch the mare vanish fromsight, stillwhinnying inprotestat thebirds’unprovokedattack.

She triedagain to getupbut couldbearnoweight on that footandsankbacktotheground,grimacinginpain.

“Howstupidofme!”sheexclaimedaloud.“Anyidiotknowstokeepafirmholdofthereins!”

“Careless indeed,” a voice informed her. “You seem to beremarkably prone to accidents, Miss Dencey. And it appears Ishallneedtorescueyouonceagain.”

Sheblushedscarletinembarrassment.“Ohno!MrSerle!”“Noneother,”hesaidlightly.“AndasIammyselfonfoot,I’m

afraidIcan’trushofftocatchyourhorseforyou.Howcameyoutoberidingalone?I’msureBoriswouldn’tapproveofthat.Heis,ifanything,overprotectiveofhiswomenfolk.”

Shecouldfeelthewarmthinhercheeksandshedidn’tknowhow to look him in the face. “I - I wanted to think aboutsomething, so I dismissed the groom.” She moved incautiouslyandwinced.

Hekneltbesideher.“You’rehurt.Whereexactly?”“I’vetwistedmyankle.”“Letmeseeit.”Shedrewback“It’s justasprain.There’snothingyoucando

about it.” The thought of exposingher leg tohis gazemadeherfeelsuddenlyshy.

“Ihadn’t expectedyou tobemissish.Letmesee it.Youmayhavebrokensomething.”

“Of course I haven’t! I’d know if it were broken. It’s just asprain,Itellyou!”

“Nonetheless, I prefer to check for myself.” He pushed herhandasideandraisedherskirttoremoveherboot.

“Icanremovethestockingmyself, thankyou.”Shecouldfeelherselfblushingfuriously.

Hegrinnedandavertedhisgaze,then,whenshesaidshewasready, he turned to examine her ankle. With gentle fingers hepalpated the joint,whichwasswelling rapidly. “No, you’re right.It’snotbroken.ButIthinkweshouldbatheitincoldwateroritwillcontinuetoswellandbecomeverypainful.There’sarockbythe pool that you can sit on while you dangle your foot in thewater.Putyourarmsaroundmyneck.”

Withoutwaitingforananswer,hepickedherup.Forasecondtime,shefoundherselfbeingcarriedinhisarms,

pressed closely against his chest. She was filled with the sameurgetonestleagainsthim,butthistimeresisteditsternly.

He walked across to the rock and set her down gently. Thepainofmovingher footmadeherdraw inherbreathand forgeteverythingelse.

“It’llfeelbetterwhenyou’vehelditinthewater,Ipromiseyou,”he said encouragingly. He helped her to immerse her ankle,noting that shewas rather pale and seeing how she gritted herteeth as the coldness of the water began to penetrate. “It’suncomfortable, I know, but there’s nothing quite so good for aswelling.Bearwithitforaslongasyoucan,mydear.”

She nodded, unable to speak, for the ankle had startedthrobbingandshockwasnowsettingin.Hadhereallycalledher“mydear”?No,shemusthavemisheard.

“Areyouallright,MissDencey?”“Yes,”shemanagedafterawhile.Butthepainwasmakingher

biteherlips.“Of course you’renot!”His voicewaswarmandsympathetic.

“Thatanklemustbehurtingabominablyandwillhurtmorewhenwetrytomoveyou.Here,leanagainstme.”

Before she could protest, he had put his arms around her,uponwhichsheforgoteverythingbuttheclosenessofhim.Slowlysheraisedhereyesandfoundhimgazingearnestlydownather.She couldn’t seem to look away and when he bent to kiss hergently on her cheek, she couldn’t even protest, for she wantedquitedesperatelyforhimtodoitagain.

“What were you thinking of to ride so far on your own?” heasked,hiswarmbreath fanningher face. “You’re inmygroundsnow,youknow,notBoris’s!”

Itwasanefforttospeak.“Ihadn’trealizedthiswasyourland.”A picture of her lying there injured and alone made him

suddenly say harshly, “You could have been killed and no onewouldhaveknown!”

She was hurt by the tone of his voice and could only lookdown,blinkingthetearsfromhereyes.

Hedidn’tnotice,butcontinued,stillinascoldingtone.“Boris’sguestsdon’tusuallybehaveinsuchabacon-brainedmanner.”

Sheburstintotears.Hewashorrified.Howcouldhehavebulliedherlikethatwhen

shewas inpain?Without thinkingof theconsequences,hetookher inhis armsandkissedher cheekagain, thenher lips. “Ah,don’tcry,Bea!I’msorry!Ididn’tmeantoripupatyou.”Neitherofthemnoticedtillafterwardsthathe’dusedherpetname.

“I don’t - don’t normally cry like this,” she gasped, clutchinghimas if hewereher only support in aharshworld. “I despisewomenwhocryfornothing.Itmustbethe-theshock.”Shetriedto stop weeping, but the effort only made her sob harder, herworrieshavingleftherfeelingverylow.Andtheembarrassmentofhaving to be rescued a second time by Justin Serle madeeverythingworse,somehow,forshe’dcrossedhisnameoffherlistandhedidn’tdeservethatinsult.

When she had eventually hiccuped to a halt, still leaningagainst his chest and clutching his sodden handkerchief, shetriedtoapologizeformakingsuchafuss,buthewouldn’thearofit.

“It’s my fault. I was far too sharp with you. I should haverealized you were in a state of shock. And that ankle must behurtinglikethedevil.”

“It is,”shesaid inasmallvoice. “But it’smyown fault,afterall.Gettingmyself into a scrape again!What an idiot youmustthinkme!” She scrubbed furiously at her eyes and tried not tothinkofthewayhe’dkissedher.

“Idon’tthinkthatofyouinthatwayatall.”“Don’tyou?”Sheraisedhereyesagainandcouldn’tbelievethe

tendernessshesawonhisface.Silence whispered around them and neither spoke, but the

looks they exchanged said a great deal, as did the colour inBeatrice’scheeks.

Intheendhewastheonewhobrokethesilence.“Letmelookatthatankleagain.”Heknelttoremoveherfootgentlyfromthewater and hold it in his warm hands. The swelling had gonedown,butthe legwasbluewithcoldandtheswollenanklewas

now showing signs of bruising. He could feel her shiveringslightly.

“HowoneartharewetogetyoubacktoLymsby?”heworriedasheputhisarmroundheragain.

She laidherheadonhis shoulder, giving in to temptation toleanagainsthiswonderfulmasculinestrengthjustforamomentmore.“I-Icanperhapslimpalong-ifyouwillhelpononesideandifyoucanfindmeapieceofwoodtoleanon.”

“Impossible! That ankle will start throbbing once you beginmovingaround.We’llhavetogetyoubacktomyhouse,but it’stoofarformetocarryyou,soImustseekhelp.”

Shedidn’twant to see anyone else, justwanted to stayherewithhim,feelingsafeandcherished.

“Mrs.Powiswillbedelightedtohavesomeonetofussover.”“Mrs.Powis?”Bea’svoicewassoftanddreamy.“Myoldnurse.”Heraisedonehandtobrushastrandofhair

from her eyes. “She’s a tartar, but her bark is worse than herbite.”Beatrice’seyeswere,hedecided,evenmorebeautifulwhenbrightwithtears.Hewantedverymuchtokissthetearsaway,tokissherproperly this time,with thepassion thatwaswelling inhim, but hewas afraid of frightening her. “She -my nurse - isexcellentwith allmanner of hurts. I gave her plenty of practicewhen I was young, as she never lets me forget. Now,” he puttemptationresolutelyaside,“letmehelpyouawayfromthewater.Yourankle’squitebluewithcold,butithasstoppedswelling.”

Therockwassmallandhewasalreadybalancingonitsedgewherewaterhaddrippedfromherfoot.Ashehelpedhertorise,hisfootstartedtoslipandbeforeeitherofthemcoulddoanythingtoprevent it, theyhadbothfallenintothewater.Luckily, itwasonlyacoupleoffeetdeepatthatpoint,butastheybothsurfaced,Justin was betrayed into a curse and Beatrice couldn’t helpsplutteringandsplashingasshetriedtorightherself.

Hecaughtholdofheralmost immediatelyandheldherheadabove thewater. “Areyouall right?MyGod, I’msosorry!Ofalltheclumsythingstodo!”

Shewasshakinginhisarmsastheysatthereinthewater.“Beatrice!MissDencey!Please-it’sallmyfault-butI’llsoon

gethelpand-“Hebrokeoffasherealizedshewaslaughing,notcrying.

“Look at us!” she spluttered. “Did you ever see anything soridiculous?What a comedy of errors! Oh,my goodness, you dolooksilly!Yourhair,MrSerle,iscoveredingreenweeds.”

Thehumourofthesituationbegantodawnonhim.“Andyou,Miss Dencey, are also wearing a coronet of water weed.”Chuckling, he knelt in the water beside her and helped herremovetheclinginggreenstrands.Butwhathereallywantedtodo was pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly, not thosegentle touches he had risked before, but passionate kisses. Thedesirewassostrongitshookhim.Instead,heofferedtopullherupontotherock,andsheburstout laughingagain.Howlovelyshelookedwhenherfacewaslitupwithamusement!

“I hardly dare let you help me!” She chuckled again. “We’llprobably wind up under the water. Oh, oh, my stomach hurtsfromlaughing.”

Very gingerly, he assistedher out of thewater anddrewherbacktotherock.Itwasatthatmoment,withhercoolwethandinhis, thatheadmittedtohimself thathe lovedher.Howsplendidshewas!Whatotherwomanwouldhaveseenthehumourinthissituation? Now, still standing on the rock staring at her, herealized that one could enjoy sharing one’s life with a sensiblewomanlikethis.Thatone’slifewould,infact,beblightedbeyondredemptionifonewasnotabletospendtherestofitwithher.

Theirlaughtertailedoffastheybothbegantoshiver.“Ithinkit’ll be best if I run back to the house for help, rather thanexpectingyoutolimpalong.”Helookedatherinanxiety,forshewasquitepalenowandwasshiveringviolently.“Youmustn’tjoltthatankle.Willyoubeallrightonyourownforafewminutes?”Hehelpedhertositdown.

“Yes, of course.” The ankle was throbbing again, she wasfreezingcoldandherurgetolaughhadcompletelyfaded,butshesawnouseincomplaining.Shewatchedhimrunoffthroughthewoods,herexpressionbemused.

Thememoryofhislaughingfaceastheysatsplutteringinthewatermade her smile briefly, then the smile vanished again as

sherememberedthekissesandrealizedhowattractiveshefoundhim.Andthatwasfollowedbythefurtherrealizationthathewastheonemanshehadmetwhomshecouldlove.Didlove,infact.

No!Shemustn’tthinkofthat!Shehadnorighttolovehim!Hewas AuntMarguerite’s first choice for Eleanor.Hewas the onlyoneonthelistwhomBeatriceherselfcouldthinkatallsuitableasa husband. She had made a promise to the Dowager, a mostsacred promise to a dying woman. One couldn’t betray such apromise.

She drew a deep breath and began to give herself a severetalking to. By the time, he returnedwith help, she was able tofacehimwithreasonablecalm,relievedthathershiveringhidanyfeelings she might betray, relieved that the presence of otherspreventedhimfromsayinganythingpersonal.

Deepwithinherself,shefeltlikeweeping.Butthatwouldcomelater,whenshewasalone.Forthemoment,sheallowedthemtohelp her but tried to avoid meeting his eyes. Those kisses hadmeantnothing,couldmeannothing.JustinSerlewasnotforher.

Chapter8

At Satherby, the day following Snowy’s adventure dawned

sunny and bright. Eleanor shivered with happy anticipation asshe jumped out of bed and went to stare though the window.SincetheDowagerwasstillalittlelethargic,noimpedimentarosetopreventEleanor fromkeepingher rendezvouswithMrLanby,though it seemed a long time until luncheon was over and theDowagersafelybackinherchamber.

After themeal,Eleanordressed inoneofherprettiest gownsandspentalongtimefussingoverherhair,tillhermaidstartedtostareather.

When at last the clock showed it was time to leave, EleanorwentdowntothestablestomeetAndersasarranged,notdaringtodisobeyhim,forsheknewthathe’dkeephispromisetoinformtheDowagerifshetriedtoleavehimbehind.Andersalwayskepthisword.

She spent a minute or two petting Snowy, who was stillconvalescinginoneofthestalls,thensuggestedtheyleave,tryingnottosoundtooanxious.

Anders shook his head, sighing. “Aye, I suppose we can gonow.But Idoubt I’mdoingtherightthing, lettingyoumeetthisman.”

“Yousaidyouwould!”“Yes, well, that was yesterday. Today, I’m not so sure. Mind

now,ifIdon’tlikethelooksofhimandsaywe’retoreturn,thenyoumustdoasyou’retoldstraightaway.Promiseme!”

“Well, I will promise, but only because I’m sure you’ll findnothingtoobjecttoinMrLanby.”Shedancedalongthewoodlandpath beside the elderly groom, chattering happily about theprogressofthelatestfoalandspeculatingastohowsoonSnowy’sleg would be better. “Perhaps I can take him up to the housewhenwe-Oh,MrLanby!Youquitestartledme!”

He had beenwaiting there for nearly an hour, annoyedwithhimself athowafraidhewas ofmissingher.Whenhe saw that

she’d brought someone with her, he looked toward the manquestioningly,forhewasobviouslyaservant.Servantornot,thefellow looked disapproving and when their eyes met, he didn’tlowerhisorlookaway,butstaredsteadilyback.

EleanorfoundthesightofMrLanbysosplendidthatitwasaminuteortwobeforeshecouldspeak.“Thisismygroom,Anders,cometokeepaneyeonme.”

Theoldermanwasathismostwooden.“You’llpardonmeforcoming along, sir, but her grandmother doesn’t approve of herwalkinginthewoodsalone.”

The youngermannodded, but lookeddisappointed. “It’s onlytobeexpectedthatayoungladyshouldhaveproperguardians.“

“Oh,pooh!“Eleanorexclaimed.“AsifIneedguardiansonourownland.”

“Ihavetolookafterher,”Anderscontinued,determinedtogetthingsclear, “for she’sas trustingasakitten.”His tone impliedthathewasnot.

“Well!” exclaimed Eleanor, setting her hands on her hips.“Whatanawfulthingtosay,Anders!”

“It’s true, though,Miss. Anyway, I’ll just drop behind a littleand leave you two to choose our path. It’s a pleasant day for astroll,andnomistake.”

When Anders was out of their hearing, Mr Lanby smiled atEleanor and said softly, “So you brought your guardian angelalongtolookmeover!”

“Ididn’tbringhim,”hertonewasatriflesulky.“Heinsistedoncoming.Thetroublewithservantswho’veknownoneallone’slifeistheyneverrecognizewhenonehasgrownup.”

“I have a butler who feels just the same about me andsometimestreatsmelikeanaughtyschoolboy.”

Her dimples returned. “Well, then, Mr Lanby, you willunderstandmyfeelingsprecisely.”

Heofferedherhisarm.“Whereshallwego?”She took the arm, feeling suddenly shy. “There’s a very

pleasantwalkthroughthewoodstotherighthere,whichcomesout at a bit of high ground. You get a lovely view of the villagefromthere.It’soneofmyfavouriteplaces.”

And after that, the time simply flew and she soon relaxedagain.She couldn’t have saidwhat they talked about, only thatthey’d been comfortable together. It was as if they’d known oneanotherforyears.He’dmadeherlaughandthey’dneverbeenatalossforatopicofconversation.

But all the time there had been shivers of something elserunning beneath the words, some unspoken communicationbetween them. And she knew it meant something important,knewshewishedtoseemuchmoreofhim.

At the end of the walk, Crispin clasped one of her hands inbothhisandsaidsimply,“Maywemeettomorrow?”

Shedidn’thesitate.“Yes,ofcourse.”“Ishalllookforwardtoit.”Shestoodandwatchedhimwalkaway,repressingtheurgeto

runafterhim.NotuntilMrLanbyhaddisappearedfromsight,didsheturnandmarchbacktowardthestables,notsayingaword,tryingdesperatelytounderstandherownfeelings.

When they arrived, she turned to confront Anders. “Well, doyouthinkhe’saproperenoughgentleman?”

“Hedoesseempleasantenough,Iwilladmit.Butproperisasproper does. You still can’t go a-meeting him without yourgrandmother’sknowledge.”

“IcanandIwill.”Heshookhishead.“Anders-please.”Hervoicebrokeontheword.He sighed deeply, saw the desperation in her face and said,

“Well-aslongasyoutakemewithyoueachtime.Promise!”“Ipromise.”Sheclosedhereyesinthankfulness.When she’d gone, he shook his head. There had been

something in thewaythetwoof thembehaved-somethingthatwas going too deep too fast. He’d have to try to find out moreabout thisMrLanby.Hedidn’twanthis youngmistress gettinghurt.

Eleanor met Mr Lanby four times that week, with Andersaccompanying them doggedly each time, in spite of all herprotests and pleading. He could see the love growing betweenthem as if it were something tangible, even if they themselves

didn’tyetrealizeit.The old groom lay awake at night worrying about his young

lady,forshe’dtoldhimherladyshiphadsomedisagreementwiththe gentleman’s family, and it seemed certain that only troublecouldcome fromthat.Yethehadtoadmit that thetwoof themdid seem made for each other. Even an old bachelor like himcouldsensethat.

But how was he to find out about the gentleman’scircumstances?Allhisinquiriessofarhadlednowhere.MrLanbymight be staying with the Treevers, but nothing seemed to beknownbytheservantsthereabouthishome,hisfinances.CouldthemanofferMissEleanorenoughtosatisfyherladyship?

Anders also began to suspect that there was some sort ofsecret being kept, for although Mr Lanby would talk about hishomeandhishorsesallafternoon,niceasyouplease,everynowandthenhewouldcatchhimselfupinthemiddleofasentence.Couldhebeanadventurer?Hedidn’tseemlikeone,butperhapshewas setting a trap forMiss Eleanor, who had a tidy fortunewaitingforher?

ThesesuspicionsfadedwhenevertheywerewithMrLanby,foramoreopen-lookingfaceyoucouldn’twishtofindonanyone,buttheworriescamebacktoAndersmanytimesinthedarkhoursofseveralanxiousnights.

WhenthegroomlaidhisfearssquarelybeforeEleanoroneday,she sat frowning and pulling Snowy’s ears. “He can’t be hidinganythingbad,”shesaideventually.“Ijustknowhecan’t,Anders!”

“Soyoususpectsomething,too,Miss?”Shehatedtoagreebutshewouldn’tlietohim,sonoddedher

head.“Miss,pleasebecareful!”“Yes. I will. I’ll be very careful indeed, I promise.” Then she

walked away, lost in thought, heedless of the little animal leftwhiningbehindher.

Whichwas not, Anders decided,watching her, at all like hisMissEleanor.

Onthetenthdayofthisidyll,afterarainydayhadpreventedthem meeting and left Eleanor fretting, she and her young

gentlemanwentagaintothelookoutandsatthereonthegrassyknollonahorseblanket,staringacrossthevalley.

“I think,”he toldher, face very solemn, “Ihadbetter confesssomethingtoyoubeforewe-beforethisgoesanyfurther.”

Herheartjumpedinherbreast,forhelookedsoserious,andacold feelingcreptupherspine.Sheknewshecouldn’tbear it ifanything were to separate them now, but she managed to saymorecalmlythanshefelt,“Goon.”

“I-Ihaven’tbeenquitehonestwithyou.”Shecouldonly stareathim. “Aboutwhat?” sheasked,panic

fillingher.He took a deep breath. “Well, first of all - my name isn’t

ChristopherLanby.”Heseemedtobehavingtroublecontinuing.“Whatisyourname?”shepromptedatlast.“It’s-Crispin.”She gasped aloud. It was such an unusual name that she

askedimmediately,“NotCrispinHerforth?”“I’mafraidso.”“Butwhydidn’tyoutellmethatatonce?Whydidyouneedto

comehereincognito?”“Iwantedtoseemyfuture inheritance.Afewweeksagoyour

grandmother invited me to stay so that I could get to knowSatherby. It was a – well, a rather condescending letter. Thatmademeangry,so Irefusedtocomestraightaway.But IaskedtheGeneral if Icouldcomeandstaywith them. IwantedtoseeSatherby.I’dheardsomuchaboutit.”

“Grandmamma was very angry that you didn’t come herestraightaway.”

“Yes. Imeanther tobe. I grewuphearinghow fearsomeshewas,soapartfromanythingelse,Ididn’twanttoriskasnub,orworsetreatment,notinahousewhichwouldbemineoneday.”

“No.Icanseethat.Shecanbedifficult.Isthat,”shebegantofiddle with thematerial of her skirt, avoiding his eyes, “all youhavetoconfess?”

“Isn’titenough?”Her heart lifted and she dared to steal a glance sideways.

When she caught him looking at her, she said simply, “That

doesn’t seemso very terrible a thing tome.”She smiledandhesmiled back at her. For amoment, she would have sworn theyweretheonlypeople inthewholeuniverse.Thenherexpressionbecame serious again and she added, “I realized somethingwasworrying you, of course. You’ve been a bit quiet the last day ortwo.”

“Yes.Andyou’vebeenverypatientwithme.”“Iwaswaiting for you to reveal all,” she said demurely, eyes

glintingathim,“astheysayinnovels.”“Minx!”She smiled. “So now we know where we stand, do we not,

Crispin?”“Notquite.There’ssomethingelsewhichneedssetting right.”

Forgettingtheattendantgroom,hepulledher intohisarmsandkissedhersoftlips,ashe’dbeenlongingtodosincethefirstdaytheymet.

Shemadenoprotest,onlyraisingonehandshylytostrokethecrispblondehair.

“IthinkI’vefalleninlovewithyou,EleanorGraceover,”hesaidabruptly,staringanxiouslyintohereyes.

“I should hope so, CrispinHerforth.” She smiled at him, notshyly,butshowingherownfeelingsquiteopenly.“Iwouldn’tliketo thinkyoukissall theyoung ladiesyoumeet in thewoods inthatmanner.”

Foranswer,hekissedheragain,sothattheworldspuncrazilyaroundherandshehadtoclingtightlytohim.Heheldhercloseforamoment,thengrowledinherear,“Northatyoukissallthegentlemenyoumeet-whetherinthewoodsorelsewhere.”

“No,” she said, with one of her very direct looks. “I’ve neverkissed anyone in this way but you. And I shall never kiss anyothergentlemanagain.”

All thoughts of flirtationhad left herminddays ago and shewasmoreconcernedtoverifytheexactmomentwhenhe’dknownhelovedherandtotellhimhowsheherselfhadknownitasearlyas the second day, when she saw him waiting for her in thewoods.

Neither of them remembered Anders, sitting on a fallen log

sometwentypacesbehindthemandheremainedwherehewas,doing nothing to stop them kissing one another. His mind wasgreatlyrelieved,forhehadunashamedlyeavesdroppedupontheirconversation, not moving away until he had heard who “MrLanby”reallywas.

TheheirtoSatherbywasn’touttogainMissEleanor’sfortune,forhewouldhaveagreateronehimself.Andanyway,MrHerforthwas a nice young gentleman, just right for Anders’ young lady.The only thing that really worried the groom was what theDowager’s attitude would be to this whirlwind romance. Herladyship had a lot of high-nosed notions about what was rightand even the servants knew she considered few gentlemenremotelyworthyofhergranddaughter.

Still, Anders mused to himself, chewing on the stem of hisunlit pipe, itwasMissEleanor’s happiness thatmatteredmost,notthatofabossyoldwomannearingtheendofherlife.AndsohewouldtellLadyMargueriteifshemadetroubleforthesetwo-evenifhelosthisplacebecauseofit.

Theloversspentaprecioushalf-hourtellingeachotherexactlywhat hadmade them fall in love and stealing a kiss or two atintervals.

ItwasEleanor,nothingifnotpractical,whosaidthoughtfullyin the end, “I don’t knowwhatGrandmamma is going to say tothis,Crispin.She’snotatallfondofyourfamily,youknow,andshe intendsme tomarry a gentleman of the highest breeding.”Shepulleda faceat the thought. “In fact, she’sbeendiscussingmarriagesettlementssecretlywiththelawyersformonthsandI’msurethat’swhyshe’ssentpoorBeauptoLondon,tolookovertheeligiblesuitorsforme.”

She spoke rather hesitantly, for he’d said nothing to her ofmarriage yet, but surely she couldn’t bemistaken about wherethiswasallleading?

The arm around her tightened. “I must see her ladyship atonce,then,andtellherhowwefeel.Youwillmarryme,willyounot,mydearestgirl?Idon’tthinkIcouldbearitifyoudidn’t.”

Shesmiledradiantlyathim.“Well,ofcourseIwill,silly,but,”thesmilewasreplacedbyapuckeringofthebrows,“Idon’tthink

youshouldgoandseeGrandmamma!Notjustyet,anyway.”“Whyevernot?Surely,evenLadyMargueritewillseethatit’sa

very good solution to the inheritance problem? It’ll keep herpreciousSatherbyAbbeyinthefamily.”

Eleanorwrinkledher nose in thought. “Well,Grandmamma’snotquitelikeotherpeople.Shemayapproveeventually,ifthingsareputtoherinjusttherightway,butthereagain,shemaynot.Youcannevertellandsherarelychangeshermindaboutpeople,sowemusttreadcarefully.”

“Shewillhavetochangehermindaboutus.”“Oh yes, I know that! But it’s better to tread softly with

Grandmammaand lether thinksomething isherown idea.Notjustbecauseyoucanneverforcehertodoanything,butbecauseI don’t want tomake her unhappy. She’s very autocratic, but IloveherdearlyandIwon’thaveherhurt.”

“Whatdoyouthinkweshoulddo,then?”She frowned and began tracing the lines on the palm of his

hand, “I thinkyoushouldgohomeandwrite toher that you’vebeenthinkingthingsover.SayyoufeelshewasrightaboutyourvisitingSatherbyandthesooneryoucomethebetter.”

“Willshestillwelcomeme?”“Idon’tthinkshe’llwelcomeyouatall,butshe’llprobablywish

you to come. She thinks you’ll need showing how to run theestate.”

“AsifIhaven’tbeenrunningmyownforyears!”“Oh, howmany years? I had thought you were only twenty-

four.”“I am, but my father was never much interested in such

matters, so I’ve been more or less managing things since justbeforeIwassixteen.”Heraisedoneofherhandstohis lipsandkissed it gently, his eyes holding hers and promising so muchmore.“Goon,mylove.OnceIgethere,whatmustIdo?Pretendtofallinlovewithyoualloveragain?”

“Undernocircumstances!Grandmammastronglydisapprovesof people who fall in love. She considers it vulgar. We mustpretendtobecompletelyindifferenttooneanother.”

“Idon’t think I cando that!”Hegave in to the temptation to

plantakissonthetipofhernoseandthatledthemintoamorelingeringembrace.

When they had drawn apart again, she said severely. “Youmusthidethefactthatyouloveme,Crispin!Believeme,Iknowher!TheimportantthingistopersuadeGrandmammathatyou’reworthy of inheriting and reallywill care for the estate.We can’tconfuseherby falling in love!Notat first.She’d likely sendyouawayagainandtellyoutowaituntilshe’sdeadtoclaimSatherby,thenfindmeanothermantomarry-notthatIwould,ofcourse.”

“Shesoundsfearsome.”“Shecanbe!Makenomistakeaboutthat,Crispin!She’shada

hard life, lost nearly everyone she loved, and yet she’s survivedandnotgivenintohergrief.”

“You’reveryfondofher,aren’tyou?”Shelookedrathersurprised,sayingslowly,“Yes,Iam.Ihadn’t

realizedquitehowfonduntilnow.Ishouldhatetobeatoddswithher.”When she looked at him, she had tears in her eyes. “Andespeciallynow.”

“Whynow,mypreciousone?”“BecauseIdon’tthinkshe’sgotmuchlongertolive.Sheseems

weaker lately.Shehasn’tsaidanythingtomeabout it,well,sheneverwould!Butyoucantellbythewayshemovesandbyhowlongshehastorestifshedoesanything.Soitwouldbenicetodothisinawaythatwouldpleaseher.Doyouunderstand?”

“OfcourseIdo,mydarling.AnditwillbenotroubletoshowherhowmuchIcareabouttheestate.It’stheloveliestplaceI’veeverseen.I’mafraidyou’veagreedtomarryamanwho’safarmeratheart. I couldonlybehappy in the country,dealingwith theland.Soifyouhankerafterthefashionablelife...”

“Oh,no!I’macountrygirl,too.BothBeaandIare.AndIloveSatherby.” She looked at him shyly. “That’s not why I want tomarryyou.Iwouldwantto,anyway,whereverwehadtolive,butitdoesmakethingsquiteperfect.”

“Thenwe’reparticularlywellsuited.”She lookedathim,herheadonone side. “Youknow, itmay

soundstrange,butIunderstandnowwhatGrandmammameantwhenshesaidthatmarriagewasabusinessarrangement.Idon’t

thinkIcouldeasilycontemplatemarriagewithamanwhowishedto live in town,howeverhandsomehewas,orhoweverengaginghisways.Doesthatsoundmercenary?”

“No, for I feel thesame.That’syetanotherreasonwhyyou’rethe perfect woman forme. But Eleanor, you’remine now and Imeantokeepyou.WhateverIhavetodotoachievethat,Ishall!Even if your grandmother doesn’t approve. Even if it meansabductingyou.”

She could see that he meant every word and a thrill wentthroughher.“Good,”shesaid,somewhatbreathlessly.“BecauseIdon’tthinkyou’llreallylikewhatI’mgoingtosay.”Shewasbacktotracingpatternsonhishand.

Heraisedherchinandkissedherverygentlyonthelips.“Tellme,then,adorableone.”

“Well, while you’re learning about the estate, I think I mustfind anunsuitable gentleman to fall in lovewith, or at least, toflirtwith.”

Hestiffened.“No!Icouldn’tbearthat!Eveninpretence.”Shesighedinexasperation.“Itoldyouyouwouldn’tlikeit.But

it’stheonlywayIcansee,soyou’lljusthavetobearit.”“Butwhy?”Sheansweredhimobliquely. “Crispin, I’m the onlyperson in

the world, I think, who can manage to get my own way withGrandmamma, and even then, it doesn’t always work. Bea justdoesasshe’stold,well,mostofthetime,anyway.Eventhelawyeris terrified of Grandmamma! And the bailiff creeps in like aquiverylittlemousetoseeher.Soyouabsolutelymustpromisetodo as I say, because it’s our only hope. I won’t go against herwishes, not openly, anyway. And I won’t make her final yearsunhappy,ifIcanhelpit.She’shadtoomuchunhappinessinherlifealready.”

“Youhavenodoubtsaboutmarryingme, though?”heasked,surprised to see how resolute she could be when she wantedsomething. He began to wonder whether she did not, perhaps,resemble her grandmother more than anyone realized. But hedecidedshewasnottheonlyonewithastubbornstreak.HewasbredfromGraceoverstock,too.Hewouldgoalongwithwhatshe

said for now, even though he didn’t like it, because she clearlyknewLadyMargueritebetterthanhedid.Buthewouldn’tfollowhersuggestionsmeeklyforever.Iftheydidn’twork,ifhehadto,he’dwhiskherawayandmakearunawaymatchofit.

“Of course I don’t have any doubts! I always know my ownmind.”Shebeamedathim.

“IthinkImustbethemostfortunatemanonearth.”Shesighedindelight.“That’sthenicestthinganyoneeversaid

tome!Saysomemore!”He spent the next tenminutes telling her how beautiful she

wasandhowhelongedtomakeherhiswife,andshesatleaningagainst him, chuckling with delight at his more outrageouscompliments.

This dalliance was much superior to the behaviour of theheroesinnovels,whoneverseemedtohaveanysenseofhumouratall, justasherCrispinwasfarsuperiortothevariouscountsandmarquisesaboutwhomthetaleswerebuilt.Hemightnotbetallorwonderfullyhandsome,butsomehowhewasjustwhatshewanted.

And if it was necessary, she would defy the world to marryhim.

Chapter9

BythetimeJustin’sgroomshadhelpedhimtocarryBeatrice

back to the house, her teeth were chattering uncontrollably, inspiteofthehorseblanketshe’dsnatchedfromthestablestowraproundher.

Mrs. Powis had been warned to prepare for them and theminute they entered the house, they were both swept away toseparate bedrooms, where hot baths and even hotter cups ofchocolateawaitedthem.

The housekeeper was amazed to hear that her master hadbeenmeetingunknown ladies in thewoods.Her curiosityaboutthismysteriousMissDencey ledhertotendthestrangerherselfand to abandon her nurseling to theministrations of his valet.Shehopeddesperatelythatthestrangerwouldprovetobealadyand not the other sort, though she couldn’t see Master Justinbringing an immodest female back to a respectable household.Shewasalsopraying that the ladywas indeed the object ofhisaffections.He’dbeenfeelingverylowsincehisbrother’sdeathandletaloneitwastimehegothimselfanheir,shewouldliketoseehimhappyagain.

A very little time with Miss Dencey served to convince Mrs.Powisthatthiswasnoschemingharpy,butasensibleladywithwhom itwas a pleasure to chat, or itwouldhave beenhad thelady not been shivering so violently. When the shiveringcontinued, Mrs. Powis decided to reinforce the cup of hotchocolate with a brandy toddymade to her own special recipe.This she insisted onBeatrice swallowing, in spite of the latter’sprotests.

“Never shall I forgive myself,” declared Mrs. Powis, armsakimbo, “if I letyoucatchachillwhen it canbeprevented!NorwillMasterJustin-Imean,MrSerle-forgiveme,either.WehaveabetterregardthanthatforourguestsatMelbury.”Shespoiledthishighmoral tone by adding, “Thoughhowhe came to be soclumsy as to tip you both into the water, I cannot imagine! I

thoughthe’dgrownoutofthatsortofescapadeyearsago!Ishallhaveawordortwotosaytohimlateraboutit,Ipromiseyou!”

In vain did Beatrice protest that she wasn’t given to takingchillsandthatshehatedbrandy.

“Nor should I think you’re given to immersing yourself in icywateronanastychillyafternoon,Miss!MiddleofAprilandstillascold as February!” declared Mrs. Powis, eyes alight with thefervourofonewhohaddevotedherlifetolookingafterthehealthandwelfareofothers.“We’llnotriskthechill,thankyou,soI’dbegratefulifyou’djustswallowthisdownwhileit’shot.”

“But-“beganBeatrice.Mrs.Powisswelleduptotwicehernormalsizeandasked,with

awe-inspiringdignity,whetherMissdidnottrusthertoknowherownbusiness.

Quitecowed,Beatriceswallowedthetoddyandallowedherselftobetuckedintoabedwhichhadjustbeenthoroughlywarmedby a bustling maidservant with a warming pan filled with hotembers. She lay luxuriating in thewarmth, and before long fellasleep.

“Ah,”saidMrs.Powis toherself,assheprepared to leave theroomhalfanhourlater.“That’smorelikeit!”Shegazeddownatthe stranger, admiring her russet hair and healthy complexion.She and Master Justin would make some handsome babiestogetherandMrs.Powiswasstillyoungenoughtohelprearthem.Turning to themaidwhohadbeenposteddiscreetly inacorneraway fromthebed,sheordered inawhisper, “Continue tokeepaneyeonMissDencey,ifyouplease,Mary,whileIcheckthatthemasterisallright.”

Mrs. Powis then strode along the corridor to find out fromMasterJustin justwhat this ladywasdoing inhisgroundsandjustwhathehadbeendoingtotumblethembothintothewater.Downright careless, that was! But Miss Dencey didn’t seem tobearhimanyillwillforit,whichwasanothergoodsign.

WhenBeatriceawoke,itwastofindthedaywelladvancedandtheroomhalfindarkness,withJohannasittingbyherbed.“Oh!Ididn’tmeantofallasleep,”shegasped,stillconfused.

“If Mrs. Powis meant you to sleep, then you had no choice,

believeme,Bea!Howareyoufeelingnow,mydear?”“Embarrassed!”Johanna chuckled. “You do seem tomake a habit of getting

intoscrapesandlettingSerlerescueyoufromthem,don’tyou?”Beatricewas thankful theroomwasdarkenoughtohideher

blushes.“Itwasanaccident.Anditwashisfaultwefellintothepond,notmine!”Honestycompelledhertoadmit,“Thoughitwasmyowncarelessnesswhichleftmewithoutahorse.”

Johanna just chuckled again, well pleased by what hadhappenedandhopingitwouldbringthemtogether.

“I’ll getupat once,”Beatrice said, verymuchonherdignity.“I’msorrytohavecausedallthistrouble. Idon’tknowwhytheysentforyou!I’mperfectlyallrightnow,exceptformyfoot.”

Johanna’s hand pressed her back against the pillows. “Don’tyoudaregetup!”

Beatricestaredupatherinastonishment.“If you set one foot out of that bed, you’ll bringMrs. Powis’s

wrath downuponme and that’s a fate I’d rather escape, thankyou very much! I have strict instructions to send for her theminuteyouwakeupandnotto letyouleavethebedunderanycircumstances until she’s seen you, and, my dear, I dare donothingbutfollowthoseinstructionstotheletter.NoonewhoisatallacquaintedwithMrs.Powiswoulddaretodefyher!”

“ButJohanna,I’mperfectlyall-Wait!No!”But it was too late. The bell had been pulled and not long

afterwards,Mrs.Powissurgedin.SheimmediatelyfeltBeatrice’sforeheadandtuttedtoherself.“JustasIthought!Feverish!”

“I’m perfectly all right, Mrs. Powis! Really I am!” Beatriceprotested.

“Ah,butwillyoubeallrighttomorrowandthedayafterifwelet you get up so soon?” demanded the domestic tyrant. Sheturned to Johanna. “It’s a good thing you sent for your things,YourLadyship,sothatyoucanstaywithustonight.MissDenceywill be sneezing by tomorrow and in no fit state to travel if wedon’tlookafterhernow.”Shetuckedtheblanketsfirmlyaroundherpatient.

“I’vetoldMasterJustinwhatIthinkofhimfortumblingintoa

pondonafreezingspringdayathisage,”shewenton.“Andasforpullinga lady into thatnastydirtywaterwithhim,welldidyouever hear of such a careless thing?” She smoothed the covers,smilingreminiscently.“Mindyou,hewasevenworsewhenhewasa boy! If he couldn’t find something to fall into, he’d findsomethingtofalloutof,withequallybadresults.He’donlytoseeatreetowanttoclimbit!ThenumberoftimesI’vehadtonursehimbetter,andMasterPeterwithhim.It’sawonderI’mnotinmygravealready!”

“This time it was partly my fault,” ventured Beatrice, notwishingJustinSerletobearalltheblame.“I’dsprainedmyankleandhesaiditwouldbebetterifitweresoakedincoldwater.”

“Themasterhasalreadyexplainedwhathappened,thankyou,Miss.AndI’llsaytoyouwhatIsaidtohim:it’sonethingtosoakan ankle - which I’ll allow is the sensible thing to do in thecircumstances-but it’squiteanother tosoakthewholeperson!Master Justin loses any sense he ever had when he gets nearwater. I couldn’tcount thenumberof timeshe’s fallen into thatverysamepondandcomehomecoveredinnastygreenweed.Youshould hear what the laundry-maid said about the state of hisshirttoday!”

“Yes, but it was only because he was trying to help me,”pursuedBeatrice,still tryingtoprotectherrescuer, “sowecan’tblamehim!”

“WhatIwouldliketoknowiswhyyouwereoutridingwithoutagroominthefirstplace,”saidJohanna.“Whatonearthgotintoyoutoday,Bea?”

She could feel her colour rising. “I just - wanted to have athink.Somewherequiet.”

“Well,Lymsby’sanythingbutquiet today, I’llgrantyou that!”Johannasighed.SheturnedtoMrs.Powisandsaidwithfeignedcasualness, “There is some question of whethermy daughter isexpectingtwinsornot,yousee,soBorishassentforthedoctor-andJennicedoesn’tlikefusses.”

Mrs.Powis’seyesbrightened.“Twins!Now,thatisgoodnews.”“Yes, but we shall have to look after her. I would,” Johanna

avoidedmeeting Beatrice’s eyes, “certainly value your advice on

that.”Mrs. Powis beamed at her. “Any time, your ladyship. The

NewthorpesandtheSerleshavealwaysbeengoodneighbourstooneanother.”Thenshe turnedback to eyeBeatrice. “I’ll goandordera lightmealnowforyounow,Miss.Andafterwards,whenyou’veeatenit-everyscrap,ifyouplease!-youaretogotosleepagain. There’s nothing like a good long sleep for reducing thechancesofachill.”

She marched majestically out of the room, tossing over hershoulder.“Bytomorrow,she’llbeabletolimponthatfoot-ifshedoes as she’s told now, that is, Lady Ostdene - and I’ll find awalkingsticktohelpher.”

When she’d left, Johanna put her hand over Beatrice’s. “Mydear, I’d be extremely obliged if you did as youwere told whilewe’rehere.”

“ButJohanna-““Please! You see, Boris is going to ask for Mrs. Powis’s help

with the birth - though what Jennice will say to that, I don’tknow.Mrs.Powisisthebestmidwifehereabouts,evenifshedoesterrifyeveryone.”

Beatricemuttered toherself, but gave inanddidas shewastold. Shewas surrounded bywell-wisherswhowere driving hermadandwhowereall in leagueagainsther.Besides,shedidn’twishtocausemoretroubleforMrSerle,withMrs.Powisorwithanyoneelse.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, however, she jerkedupright and clutched at her cousin’s arm. “Johanna! Youwon’ttell anyone about this, will you? Promise me! I couldn’t bearpeople in town to know!” They would say she’d been throwingherselfatMrSerleandinsisthewasnotforher.Asifshedidn’tknowthat.

“My dear girl, surely you’ve lived in the country for longenoughtorealizethatwewon’tneedtotellpeopleanything.Thenews will already have wafted around the district and bytomorrowit’llhavecreptacrossthecountywithoutanyhelpfromme.”

“Ohdear!You’reright.It’sjustthesameatSatherby.”Beatrice

stared into the distance, then said firmly, “That settles it, then!I’m not going back to London! I can’t face what people will sayafterhavinghimrescuemeagain!Ijustcan’t!”

“We’ll think of something,” Johanna said soothingly, pattingher hand. “There’s no need to do anything drastic. Now, go tosleep,do.”

In the morning, Mrs. Powis reluctantly conceded that thedanger of chillshadprobablybeenavertedand gavepermissionfor Beatrice to leave Melbury, though not until after luncheon,whenthedaywouldhavewarmedupalittle.

Beatrice found her ankle to bemuch better andwas able tomove around quite easily with the stick, if more slowly thanusual.

Whenshelimpeddownstairs,shewasmetbyherhost,witharuefulsmileonhisface.

“Idohopeyou’reall rightnow,mydearB-MissDencey?Canyoueverforgivemefortippingyouintothewater?”Hissmilewasparticularlywarm,begginghertosharehisamusement.

AwarethatbothJohannaandMrs.Powiswerewatchingthemwith great interest,Beatrice said stiffly, “Itwas anaccident. I’mperfectlyallright,thankyou,MrSerle.”

Justinalsobecameawareofthetwospectatorsandsaidinalowvoice,“Look,Ineedtotalktoyou,Beatrice.Alone.”Heraisedhisvoiceandadded,“Wouldyoucaretocomeandseemyfather’scollectionofoilpaintings,MissDencey?They’reon this floor,soyouwon’thaveanymorestairstoclimb.”

Afteramoment’shesitationandadoubtfullookathercousin,Beatrice acceptedMrSerle’s armand allowedhim to escort heralongto thegallery.Nowwouldbeasgooda timeasanytocutshort his attentions. She would then have the satisfaction ofknowingthatshewasdoingherdutytoherauntanditmustbejusttheaftermathoftheaccidentwhichwasmakingherfeellikeburstingintotearsatthemerethoughtofwhatshemustdo.

WhenMrs.Powiscamebackalittlelaterwithalightsnackforthe guests, she found only LadyOstdene sitting thoughtfully bythefire.

“They’restilllookingatthepaintings,”Johannasaid,yawning

andstretchinglikeawell-fedcat.“Idon’tthinkweshoulddisturbthemjustyet.”

“We’ll leave them to come back of their own accord,” Mrs.Powis agreed. “If Imight ask, your ladyship, hasMaster JustinknownMissDenceyforlong?”

“For amonth or two. They seem to get on well, most of thetime,anyway,butdon’tgetyourhopesup,Mrs.Powis,forthere’sbeen nothing lover like about them so far. In fact, they veryfrequentlyarguewithoneanother.”

Mrs.Powis’s eyesbrightened. “That’sa verygoodsign, if youdon’tmindmysayingso,yourladyship.Hewouldneverbehappywithaladywhodidn’tstanduptohim.He’slikehisfatherthere.”

“We’ll see. My cousin’s not really interested in finding ahusbandforherself,thoughit’swhatmymotherwishes.”

“Evenbetter.MasterJustinhatesladieswhochaseafterhim.”Johanna shook her head but didn’t continue the discussion.

With any other couple, she would be sitting here expecting aninterestingannouncement.WithBeaandSerle, shehadno ideawhattoexpect.

Shelookedattheclock,sighedanddecidedtotakeadvantageof themoment on her own behalf. “I shall be glad to return toLymsby,forIdon’tmindtellingyou,Mrs.Powis,thatmydaughterisratherupsetatthepossibilityoftwins.”

Mrs.Powisfrowned.“AndMasterBoris?”“He’sdelighted.But I fearJennice isnot thematernal type. I

don’tquiteknowwhattodoaboutthat.”“Youmakesuretheyputthebabiesintoherarmstheminute

they’reborn.Itneverfails!”“The trouble is,”Johannaconfided, “thedoctoralsosaid that

Jennicehasbeenracketingabouttoomuchandheadviseshertotake thingsmoreeasily fromnowon.Boris isdetermined toseethat she does so, and the two of them have done nothing butsquabbleaboutiteversincethedoctorleft.”

“Sheneedsagoodtalkingto!Theideaofit,andherprobablycarrying The Heir to Lymsby! Still, I dare say she’ll growaccustomedtoit.Dotwinsruninyourfamily,then?”Mrs.Powishadahungryexpressiononherface,

“Oh, yes! In both the Dencey and Graceover lines. Mygrandmotherboretwins.”Johanna’sfaceclouded.“Unfortunately,theybothdied,poorthings.ButIbelievetherehavebeenseveralothercaseswithhappieroutcomes.We’dhavetoaskmymotherfordetails.Sheknowseverythingaboutthefamilyhistory.”

“Twins do need careful rearing, that’s for sure,” agreed Mrs.Powis. “If I can be of any assistance to Miss Jennice at thebirth...”

“Oh,Mrs.Powis, ifonlyyouwould! I’msure thatwithyoutohelphergivebirthandtolookafterthemallafterwards,Jennicewouldcopeverywell.Astrangerisneverthesame.Thedoctoristalkingaboutbringing inamonth-nurse fromWatford,buthowdoweknowwhatshe’dbelike?”

“We don’t know. And I shall be delighted to help, LadyOstdene.Delighted.”

In the picture gallery, Justin stole a glance at Beatrice,wondering how to start. Strange that he’d thought her silly onfirstacquaintance!Shewasprobablythemostintelligentwomanhe’d evermet. And the bravest. Not tomention being beautiful.Andwhoelsewouldhavebeenabletolaughattheirmisfortunesyesterday?

Hewalkedon fora fewpacespointingoutsomeof thebetterpaintingsashewonderedwhether topresshis suit immediatelyorwhetheritwouldbebettertoleaduptothedeclarationwithafewcompliments.He felthorriblyuncomfortableandasnervousasanycallowyoungmanathisfirsttonparty.AndBeatrice,whohad a distant air to her today,wasn’t contributingmuch to theconversation,orevenlookingathim,whichdidn’thelpmatters.

“Perhaps it might be more pleasant to sit outside in thesunshine?”heventured,offeringherhisarmagain.

Shejumpedbackasifhewerepoisonous.“Oh,no!Thankyou,butI’dmuchratherstudythepaintings.”Shestoppedinfrontofalandscapeandperuseditearnestly,thoughitmighthavebeenapageofalgebraicalequations,forallshenoticedaboutit.“Lovely,”shesaidinafaintvoiceandashemovedtowardher,shelimpedhurriedlyontothenextpainting.

“I’mgladyoulikethem.Weshareseveralinterests,dowenot?”

Herheartlurchedatthewarmthinhiseyes.Ifonlyshedidn’tfeel so - shewouldnot allowherself to finish that thought.Shestaredatanotherblurofcolour.Shecouldhardlybesorudeastocut him short and flee back to her cousin’s protection, so shecontinued tomovealong thewall ofpaintings, jerkingon to thenext every time he drew too near or took a deep breath, as ifabouttospeak.

After a fewminutes of this, he stepped forward quickly andwithafirmhandturnedBeatriceroundsothatshewasforcedtolook at him. “I rather get the impression that you’re trying topreventmefromspeaking,MissDencey.”

Herfaceflamed.“Oh,no,I-Ijust-I’mstillfeelingatrifleoutofsorts.That’sall.Whatdidyouwishtos-saytome?”

He tried to takeher intohisarmsandshepushedhimawayquite roughly, lettingherwalking stick fall to the ground inheragitation.“Ohpraydon’t!Wemustn’t!”

Hepickedup the stickandhanded it toher, frowning. “Whymust we not? I had thought we were getting on well together -morethanwell.You’veseemedtoenjoymycompanyoverthepastfewweeks.AsIhaveyours.EvenwhenIpushedyouintothepoolyoudidn’tseemtohateme.”

“No!Imean,yes,butit’snotright!Wecannever...”She wrung her hands and turned on him eyes so full of

anguishhewasstartledintoasking,“HaveIoffendedyouinsomeway,MissDencey?”“No.Oh,no!”Howcoulditoffendherforamanlikehimtopay

her attention? But shemustn’t allow it. Hewasmarked by theDowager forEleanor.Hewastheonlyonesuitableonthewholelist. If anyone deserved a good husband, dear Eleanor did. AndBeatriceowedsomuchtoheraunt,thatshecouldn’tletherdownoutofsheerselfishness.

He looked at her earnestly. “The last thing I wish to do isdistressyou,MissDencey,butIhadthoughtthisasuitabletimeto talk about ourselves. Perhaps, though, if you’re still feeling alittleundertheweather,weshouldpostponeourdiscussionuntiltomorrow?”

“Oh,yes!Yes,that’saverygoodidea.”Shehardlyknewhowto

stop herself from bursting into tears at the pain of having toprevent his proposal, and she found herself quite incapable oftelling him to his face that she didn’t wish to marry him. Shewishedverymuchtomarryhim.Shecouldimaginenothingbetterinthewholeworld.“I’mf-feelingatrifledizzy.IfIcouldjusts-sitdownandbequiet...”

“Certainly.There’sacouchoverhere.Letmehelpyoutoit.”“No!” The violence of her rejection surprised them both.

“Actually,whatI’dreallylikeistoretiretomyroom,ifyoudon’tmind,MrSerle.Mrs.Powiswasright.Animmersionincoldwatercanleadtoachill.Imustbeatrifle-atriflefeverish.”

He realized there was something else wrong, something shewas concealing from him, but he didn’t feel he could press herwhen she was looking so desperately unhappy. He rememberedthe feelofher inhisarmswhen theydanced, thegoodsenseofherconversation,thebeautyofhereyes-why,therewereadozenthingsaboutherwhichhadgrownuponhimgradually,sothathewasnowquitedeterminedtomakeherhiswife.Hedidn;tfeelherto be indifferent to him, either. Indeed, her expression alwaysrevealedmoreabouthertruefeelingsthansherealized.

Hesmiledather,feelingquiteoverwhelmedwithloveforher.Shelookedasifshewasabouttoburstintotears.They turned as one to walk slowly back along the gallery,

neitherspeaking.Justinwasbothperturbedandpuzzled.Hehadn’texpectedto

fall in love, not after all these years on the town, and he wasfeeling rather hesitant about it. Perhaps Beatrice wasexperiencing similar feelings? She was older than most womenlookingatmarriageandprobablyafraidofridicule.Perhapsshe’dgivenupany thoughtofmarriageandnowneeded time to growusedtotheideaagain

?Forthemoment,hecouldonlyescorthertoherbedchamber,then go down to let Lady Ostdene know that her cousin wasfeelingunwell.

Once in her room, Beatrice threw herself upon the bed andgaveway to the tears. A touch on her armmade her catch herbreathonasobandstareupattheworriedfaceofhermaid.“Oh!

Tilly!Id-didn’tseeyou.”“IsthereanythingIcando,Miss,anythingatall?”Beatriceshookherhead.“No.Noonecanhelpmenow.Please,

Ican’ttalkaboutit.Willyoujustpackmythingsforme?”“Areweleavingnow,then,Miss?”“Yes.I-Ican’tstayhere.Hewill...Imustgetawayfromhim!”

ShecouldseeTilly’sastonishmentatthisdramaticstatementandwent onquickly, “I think it’s time forme to return toSatherby.Tilly, would you consider coming to work forme asmymaid -permanently.Ithinkwemightdealverywelltogether.”

The youngmaid broke into a beaming smile. “Oh yes, Miss!Oh,I’dloveto!”

“It’llmeanyoumovingawayfromLondon.Icouldneverliveinacity.Idon’tthinkI’lleverreturn.”

“Oh,Idon’tmindwhereIlive,Miss.It’sthepeopleascountinlife,isn’tit?”

Beatrice’s eyes filled again. “Yes. The people.” And the mainpeopleinherlifewere,hadtobe,Eleanor,whomshehadhelpedraise, and the Dowager, who had taken her in when she wasdestitute,andwhohadsolittletimelefttolive.Theirwishesandtheirhappinesswerefarmoreimportantthanherown.

TherewasaknockonthedoorandJohannapokedherheadinside.“MayItalktoyouforamoment,mydear?”

Beatrice nodded dismissal to Tilly, dragged in a deep breathand prepared for the first onslaught. She took the initiative byimmediatelydeclaringher intentionof returning toSatherby thevery next day and refusing to give her reasons, refusing also toexplainwhyshe’dbeenweeping.

“Butmydear,theremustbesomethingwrong.IsitSerle?Howhasheupsetyou?”

“MrSerle?Upsetme?Of coursenot. Pleasedon’t think that.He’sbeenextremelyk-kindtome.It’snothim,it’sme!I’mjust-homesick.YouknowIdon’tlikeallthis-thisfussandsociability.And I haven’t really enjoyed London, either, though you’ve beenquitewonderfultome.”

“Butwhyrushoffhomelikethis?Whynow,sosuddenly?”“I told you. I feel homesick. And as for now, well, at the

moment you have Jennice to look after.How proud you’ll be tobecomethegrandmotheroftwins!”

“Bea,dear-““Oh,Johanna,pleasedon’ttrytostopme!Ineedtogohome!”

TearswelledinBeatrice’seyes.“Please,justletmegohome!”She sounded so agonized that Johanna stopped trying to

argue,merelyclaspingherhandandsayingquietly,“Idon’tknowwhat’supsettingyou,mylove,andI’mnotgoingtopryintoyourprivateaffairs,butpleasebelievemethatifIcaneverhelpyouinanyway,Ishallbeveryhappytodoso.”

That started Beatrice’s tears falling again and she threw herarms round her cousin and sobbed incoherently into hershoulder.Butshestillwouldn’tsaywhathadhappenedbetweenherselfandSerle.

Andshewasstillinsistentonreturninghome.

Chapter10

Asthecarriagebowledalongthehighwayintheearlysummer

sunshine,Tillytriedtomakeherselfinvisibleinthecornersoastoleave her mistress in peace with her thoughts. She didn’t knowwhat Mr Serle had done to upset Miss Dencey, but whatever itwas,heshouldn’thavedoneitandthetroublemustbehisfault,becauseMissDenceywasthekindestmistressasever lived,andwhyshewasn’tmarried,withahomeofherown,Tillydidn’tknow,forshewasasprettyasshewaskind.

When they arrived in Satherby village, she saw Miss Denceytakeadeepbreath,asifpullingherselftogether,thenturntoher.

‘Youcannothelpbuthavenoticed,Tilly, that I -well, I’mnotfeeling very happy at the moment and - and you’ve perhapsguessed that it concerns Mr Serle. I’d be grateful, very gratefulindeed, if youwouldnotdiscussmyproblems -not even tohintaboutthings-withtheotherservants.’

‘IhopeIknowhowtobehavebetterthanthat,Miss.’‘Thank you.’ Miss Dencey put her hands up to check her

bonnet.‘Isthisstraight,Tilly?’‘Justaminute,Miss.Letme tie the ribbonsagain.Thereyou

are!Andapropertreatyoulook,too.’Buthowsadhermistress’sexpressionwas!

When the carriagepulledup inside the frontportico,Tilly gotout and looked round, trying to take in everything, absolutelydetermined todo credit toMissDencey. The frontdoorswere soenormousshecouldn’thelpstaringupattheminawe.AndBorrill,the butler, was flanked by two tall footmen, with superiorexpressions.

Tilly claspedherhands in frontofher,whichSarahsaidwasthe best thing to do with them if you had nothing to hold, andfollowed her mistress inside, trying not to show her ownnervousness.

MissDenceywasjustturningtowardstherightwhentherewasashriekofjoyandayoungladyinpinkalmosttumbleddownthe

stairs inherhaste to flingherself into thenewcomer’sarmsandpeltherwithquestions.

That would be Lady Eleanor, Tilly guessed, the niece MissDenceyhadbroughtup,theoneshewassofondof.Shewatchedwith great interest as the two ladies embraced, seeing a distinctresemblance between them: both were tall, with lovely hair ofexactlythesameshade,thoughMissDencey’swasmorestylishlycut.

When the younger woman gestured towards the stairs, MissDenceyshookherhead.Theyyoungeronepulledafacethentheywentoffintheotherdirectiontogether.MissDenceydidn’twanttobealonewithhernieceyet,inTilly’sopinion.

Anolderwomaninrustlingblack,withamassivekeychainatherwaistcameroundthecorner justthenandmadestraight forthenewcomer.

‘I’mMrsInchby,thehousekeeper.’‘Yes,Ma’am.’‘You’reMissBeatrice’snewmaid,Ibelieve?Tilly,isn’tit?’‘Yes,Mrs Inchby. I’m TillyHulls and I used towork for Lady

Ostdene before Miss Dencey took me on.’ She knew thathousekeepers preferred staffwho had beenwith the family for awhile.Insomecountryhouses,onlyrelativesofstafforoffspringoftenantsoftheestatecouldgetjobsatall.

The housekeeper’s expression relaxed slightly. ‘Our MissJohanna,aswestillthinkofher.Isshekeepingwell?’

‘Oh,yes,MrsInchby,verywell.’‘Andhowlongdidyouworkforher?’‘Since I was fourteen, Ma’am. Eight years. I started off as a

junior housemaid, but her ladyship’s maid, Sarah, has beentrainingme up for a lady’s maid and now I’m to work for MissDencey.’

‘WecallherMissBeatricehere.’‘Yes,MrsInchby.I’llrememberthat.’‘Well, you seem toknowyourmanners.Are yougoodat your

trade,Tilly?’Shehesitated, thendecidedthetruthwouldbesafer. ‘I’mstill

learning it, Mrs Inchby, but Miss Den-Miss Beatrice, I mean,

seemspleasedwithmyworkandI’lldomybestnottoletanyonedown,I’msure.’

Mrs Inchbynoddedagain.She’d already guessed that the girlwasn’t a properly-trained lady’smaid. She was too cheerful andhonest.Experiencedlady’smaidsoftenhadanexaggeratednotionof their own worth, which was probably why Miss Beatrice hadchosenthisone,becauselikelyshejustwantedsomeonecheerfulandpleasanttolookafterherclothes,asoneoftheyoungmaidshaddonebeforesheleft.

‘Well, Tilly, I’ll takeyouup to yourmistress’s roomsnowandyoucanunpackher thingswhile I’mhavingabedroompreparedforyou.We’rewellhousedandfedhere.Thefamilylooksafteritsown, so see you serve themwell in return. And if you have anyproblemsorquestions,cometomewiththem.’

TillyfollowedMrsInchbyupstairs,veryimpressedbythesizeofSatherby,butamazedathowolditsfurnishingswere.You’dthinkthey couldaffordnewcurtainsandsomemoremodern furniturethan these dark old things! As for the suits of armour, they fairgaveherthecreeps,fortheylookedreadytoleapoutatyou.Anditwasn’tverynicetostickswordsandspearsalloverthewalls,wasit?Plainunfriendly,ifyouaskedher.

Downstairs,Beatricewasendeavouringtoanswerthequestionsherauntthrewather.Shethoughtshewasdoingquitewell,butafterawhile,LadyMargueritedismissedEleanor.

“Now,givemearoundtale,Beatrice.Whyhaveyoureturnedsounexpectedly?Hassomethinghappened?Haveyoureceivedanoffer?”

“No. I just - I was homesick, Aunt Marguerite, and - and Ithink I’ve completed your commission with regard to Eleanor,thoughIhaven’tf-foundahusbandformyself-andwell,Iwantedtocomehome.”Shehadtogulpbackasob,she feltsodesolatestill.

“Hmmph!Whataboutthechit,then?Whomhaveyoudecidedupon?”

Her aunt’s fragile appearance only emphasized that Beatricehadmade the right decision, but even so, she had to force thewordsout. “I thought -MrSerle.He is superior in everyway to

theothergentlemenImet.”“Aha!Ithoughthewouldbe!Goodstock,theSerles,exceptfor

thatworthlesscousinofhis,andhemusttakeafterhismother’sside! Pity young Peter Serle got himself killed atWaterloo.Whytheydidn’texecutethatmurderer,Bonaparte,whenhestartedallthefightingupagain,insteadofsendinghimtoliveincomfortonanother of those islands, I’ll never know.He’ll find someway ofescaping again, youmarkmy words!” She sat back and lookedsmuglyatherniece.“Anyway,I’vealreadyinvitedhimdownforavisit.”

“Who?”BeatricewasstillthinkingofBonaparte.“Serle,ofcourse!”Beatrice felt the blood drain from her face and the room

waveredroundher,sothatshehadtoclutchthearmofherchair.Butheraunt’seyesightwasn’tgoodandtheoldladydidn’tseemtonoticeanythingamiss.

“Ididn’twanttowaitanylongerandyouwereshilly-shallyingabout,soItookmattersintomyownhands.Serleshouldreceivetheinvitationtoday.Isentoneofthegroomsacrosscountrywithit. I don’t trust those mails. Never have. I knew Serle’sgrandmotherquitewell,youknow,becausewecameouttogether,butshedidn’tmakeoldbones,poorElizabeth.Knewherson,too,Serle’s father.Andhismother. I shouldhave just trusted inhisbreedinginthefirstplaceandsentforhim.”

Beatrice swallowed hard and forced some words out, “Well,then, we shall - shall have to s-see whether he accepts yourinvitation or not.” But she prayed fervently he would not. Shecouldn’t imagine how she would ever face him again withoutgivingherselfaway.

A smile flickered over the Dowager’s face. “Oh, I think he’llcome! But I won’t tell himwhy he’s been invited until he’smetEleanorandI’vehadtimetolookhimovermyself.”Shefrowned.“But what about you? Why haven’t you got yourself engaged?Wasn’tthedowrylargeenough?”

Beatriceblushedbrightscarlet.“Itwasmorethanenough!Fartoomuchforme!They-someofthemenImet,thatis-wereonlyinterestedinthemoney.I justdidn’t,I-“Shefumbledtoahalt

foramoment, thenmanagedto findthestrengthtosaybluntly,“Aunt,Itried,Ireallydid,butyouknowIneverlikedtheideaofyourbuyingmeahusband.Itmakesmefeelveryuncomfortable.Andbesides,IthinkI’dprefertoremainsingle.”

“Hmm.We’llseeaboutthat.Butnotnow.Youlooktired,girl.That’s what London does to you. Toomany late nights and toomuch racketing around. I must say you’re well turned out,though. That colour suits you. Trust Johanna for that. Shehasan excellent eye for style and colour.” She waved one handdismissively.“Anyway,we’lldiscussyourfutureanothertime.”

Beatricemanagedtomuttersomeplatitude.Almost as an afterthought, theDowager asked, “Oh, before I

forget,how’sthatyoungerdaughterofJohanna’s?Breeding,ain’tshe?”

“Yes.And thedoctor told them justbefore I left thatshewasprobablyexpectingtwins.”

“Twins, eh? Good girl! That’s doing your duty with avengeance.”Shechuckledatthethought.“Ofcourse,twinsrunintheGraceoverfamily.AndintheDenceys,too.”

“Goodheavens!”saidBeatricefaintly.“Onbothsides?”“Oh, yes.Good stock, you see.Mind, twinsdo give youabit

more trouble and they’re harder to rear. I had twin brothersmyself.” Her expression became sad for a moment, then shesniffedandbanished thosememories. “Well,as it turnsout, I’mnotdispleasedthatyou’vecomehome.Iwasgoingtosendforyouanyway.Ishouldhaveknownbetterthantoexpectyoutomanagethingsforme,thoughI’msureyoudidyourbest.You’retoogentlefor your own good, Beatrice, and always have been. Like yourfather.Nevercouldstandupforhimself,poorWarren.Andyou’reexactlythesame.”Itdidn’tseemtooccurtoherthatsheflewintotantrumswithpeoplewhodidtrytostanduptoher.

Beatricebitherlip,butsaidnothing.“So,” continued the Dowager with great cheerfulness, “I’ve

decidedtotakeahandinthingsmyself.”Beatriceclosedhereyesandprayedforpatience.Whateverher

ladyshipsaidordid,shedidn’tintendtomarryamanwhomshedidn’trespect,justbecauseheraunthadarrangedit.Oroneshe

didn’t love, a voice whispered in her head, but she refused tolistentothat.Lovewasoutofherreachnow.

“I’vegotmyselfamaidatlast,”sheannounced,tryingtodivertheraunt’sattentionfromthesubjectofhusbands.

TheDowagerallowedherselftobedivertedandlistenedtothestory of Tilly’s trial and appointment, approving the idea of alady’smaid inprinciple, but reserving judgmentuntil she’dmetthe girl. She then allowed Beatrice to guide the conversationtoward clothes and listenedwith an appearance of interest to adescription of the ravishing ensembles Odette had designed forher, not to mention the elaborate court dress and itsaccompanying feathers. “ ... though I’m afraid Odette was veryexpensive,”Beatricewoundupapologetically.

Lady Marguerite dismissed that with a wave of her hand.“Personssuchasourselvesmustdresstosuitourstation in lifeandtosetanexampletoothers.”

“I think,”saidBeatrice,whenshehadrunoutofclothesandbonnets to describe, “I’d like to go and changemy clothes now,AuntMarguerite.Travellingalwaysmakesonefeelsogrubby.”

“Yes,youdothat,girl!”TheDowagerwatchedhergo,stillwiththat affable smile on her face, but it faded once the door hadclosedbehindherniece.

“I shouldhave known that shewas too shy to look after herown interests,” shesaidaloudwhenshewasalone. “Well, I stillhaveafewsurprisesupmysleeve,Miss,asyou’llshortlyfindout.Lippings, bring me my writing materials and tell them I needanothergroomtodeliveramessage.”

Toherdismay,BeatricefoundEleanorinherbedroom,gettingacquaintedwithTillyandexaminingthenewclothes.

“Ihopeyoudon’tmind,Bea.Icouldn’twaittoseeyourLondonthings!”

“OfcourseIdon’tmind.Thankyou,Tilly.Youmayleaveusforawhile.”

Eleanor started fiddling with a pair of gloves. “WasGrandmammapleasedwithwhatyoudidinLondon,Bea?”

“What do you know about that?” Her voice came out moresharplythanshe’dintended.

Eleanoropenedhereyesverywide. “Nothingmuch,Bea, justthatGrandmammawished you to undertake some commissionsforherinLondon,didshenot?”

Beatriceforcedherselftostaycalm.Shewasseeingproblemswheretherewerenone,shetoldherselffirmly.“Well,IthinkIdidwhatshewished,moreorless,anyway.Thoughshereallywantedmetofindmyselfahusband.”

“Ithoughtso.Andwastherenooneyouliked?”“Notenough.Anyway,IdoubtI’mthemarryingkind.”Beatrice

waspleasedthatshehadmanagedtospeaklightly.“Howdoyoulikemynewclothes?”

LiketheDowager,Eleanorallowedherself tobediverted fromthe dangerous topic, but she, too, had noticed that Bea hadavoided answering her question directly. She had also noticedhow sad her aunt was looking. “I adore them! Before I’m verymuch older, I intend to goup to Londonmyself andhave someclothes made for me by a fashionable modiste. These areravishing!Iliketheapricotonebest.It’ssuchaprettycolour.”

Beatrice fingered it wistfully. That was what she had beenwearing the first time she’d really talked toSerle, the dayBoriscame up to town to confront his wife. She’d always liked thegown,butdidn’tthinkshecouldfacewearingitagainforitwouldstirupallhermemoriesofhim.Shetriedtosmile.“Yes.Itusedtobemyfavourite,butI’vewornittoooften,Ifeel.AndwhatdoyouthinkofTilly?”

“She seems nice enough. I’m going to introduce her to myBetty when she gets back from the village. They’re bound tobecomegreat friends, justasweare.Why, Idaresay they’ll telleachotheralltheirsecrets-justaswedo.”

BeatricelookedatherwithnarrowedeyesandEleanorsmiledwith such an innocent expression that she at once becamesuspicious.However,shedidn’twishtoprobeanysubjectdeeplyjust now, so she continued to show off the new garments andbonnets, and talk about Londonpartiesuntil itwas time to getchangedfordinner.

She didn’t allow herself to think of Justin Serle coming toSatherby.Well,notmuch.Thatprospectwastoodifficulttoface

at the moment. And anyway, surely he would refuse? Yes, ofcoursehewould.Shewascountingonthat.

Duringdinner,Eleanoraskedcasually, “What’sMrSerle like,Bea?”

Beatrice choked onher fish and itwas amomentbefore shecould respond. “Why do you ask?” She saw that Eleanor waswearinghermostguilelessexpression,whichdefinitelymeantshewasuptosomething.

“Well, you’ve invited him down to stay, haven’t you,Grandmamma?” Eleanor turned to the Dowager again, “And Iknewyou’dmethiminLondon,Bea.”

Beatrice had regained control of her emotions, if not of hercolour. “Yes, I have met him once or twice. He’s about thirty.Elegantly dressed, but not - not a dandy. Tall, dark, nothandsome exactly, but very,” she sighed and gazed into thedistance, “very distinguished looking.” After a pause, she addedwithout thinking, “And he’s a marvellous dancer. The easiestpersonI’veeverdancedwith,Ithink.”

Eleanorsaidnothing,butdidnotfailtonoticeeverynuanceofthatdescription.Orthesighsthataccompaniedit.

“Isheamanofsense,though?”demandedtheDowager,whohadalsobeenlisteningcarefully.“Doesheknowwhat’sduetohispositioninsociety?”

“Oh,yes.He’svery-very-“Beatricewantedtosayautocratic,butthoughtthiswouldnotappealtoEleanor.“Yes,hedoes,”shefinishedlamely.

TheDowagernodded,onlypartlysatisfied,butdivertedbythereferencetodancing.“Ilikeamanwhocanshowaneatleg.Yourgrandfatherwasanexcellentdancer,Eleanor,asIwasmyself inmy younger days.” She looked down at her twisted hands andsighedbriefly.

Beatrice’s heart was wrung for her. Her aunt nevercomplained,butwasobviously ina lotofpain.Shemustnot lettheoldladydown.

Eleanor kept her own counsel about certain suspicions thatwere beginning to form in her mind about Bea. She would seewhatshecouldgetoutofTilly.Sheratherpridedherselfonher

ability toelicit information frompeoplewithout their realizing it.Findingoutwouldkeephermindfromherownproblems.

She was missing Crispin quite dreadfully, though he’d onlybeen gone a few days. However, she’d already received a letterfromhim,sentviaAnders,andthathadcheeredherupgreatly.Her first love letter! She knew it by heart already. And it wasmuchmore satisfying than the flowery languageused innovels,forittalkedofrealthingsandoftheirfuturetogether.Aswellashisloveforher.Tearsofjoyhadcomeintohereyeswhenshefirstreadit.

Whateverittooktheyweregoingtospendthefuturetogether,she vowed. She and Crispin would find some way to win hergrandmother’sconsenttotheirmarriage.

The next morning, the Dowager joined them for breakfast,which showed shewas in fine fettle, for she rarely left her ownsuitebeforeeleveno’clock.Sheutteredacrowoftriumphassheopened her mail. “I thought he’d come round!” she exclaimedgleefully.

Hertwoyoungrelativeslookedatherquestioningly.“ThatHerforthfellow.Theonewiththesillyname.Crispin.The

heir.YouknowtheoneImean!”“Yes,Grandmamma.”Eleanorkepthereyesdownandstarted

tobutterapieceoftoast.“Irememberyoumentionedhim.”“Iwrotetohimwhileyouwereaway,Bea,invitinghimtocome

hereforavisitandlearnabouttheestate,anddoyouknow,thefellowhadthe impudenceto turnthe invitationdown!Well,he’scome to his senses now. See!” She read from her letter.“Conscious of the honour of your invitation ... regret that Iwasunabletoacceptimmediately,buthavenowarrangedmatterstobe taken care of in my absence ... quite see the necessity forgetting to know Satherby ... happy to bewith you as soon as Ireceiveword.

That’s a bit more like it! He shows some proper feelings, atleast.”

“Andshallyousendhimwordtocome,Grandmamma?”“Of course! He can come next week.We’ll make up a house

party.Serlewon’trefuseme,andtheSmeathleysaregoingtobe

stayinghereaswell.”Beatrice and Eleanor exchanged puzzled glances. Who were

the Smeathleys? Lady Marguerite rarely invited people to stay.Shehadbeendeclaring foryears thatshewastooold forhouseparties.Whowantedtofacestrangersoverbreakfast?shealwayssaidscornfully.Whowantedtospendalldayentertainingpeoplewhowould be better off staying at home andkeeping their ownhousesinorder.

“WhoaretheSmeathleys,Grandmamma?”Eleanorthought itbesttochangethetopic,afraidshemightbetrayhowhappythenewsofCrispin’scomingvisithadmadeherifshetriedtospeakofhim.

“What?Oh,yes.Bettertellyouabout‘em.They’reconnectionsbymarriage,relativesofyourUncleAlfred-theonewhodiedsoyoung.PityIeverallowedhimtomarrymypoorHarriet,butthereyou are. How was I to know he’d get himself killed withoutproducinganheir?Nousecryingoverspiltmilk.Shedidn’t liveverylong,either.Nicegirl,myHarriet,butshewasneverstrong.Shewas a bit like you,Bea, not one to look after her ownbestinterests.Goodthingshehadmetosortherlifeout.Goodthingyou’vegotme,too!Icanstillholdmyteamtogetheranddon’tyouthinkotherwise!”

She was obviously in high spirits and was just as obviouslyplotting something. “TheSmeathleys,” shewent onwitha smugsmile, “are a church family. ItwasJohannawhoput it intomymindthataclericmightbe just thething forBeatricehere.Shelikeslookingafterthepoor,helpingthesick,allthatsortofthing.Mightaswelldoittosomepurpose.”

Beatricestaredatherinhorror.“The Smeathleys have a son,” the Dowager continued. “He’s

turnedthirtynow.Goodageforanambitiousclerictomarry.Andthisone’sambitious.They’vegotsomehopeshe’llendupwithabishopric.He’sapparentlywell regarded.So I told themtobringhimdownheretomeetBea.”

Beatrice, who had been growing steadily paler, could keepquietnolonger.“Aunt!ItoldyouIhavenowish-noneatall!-tomarry.I’mtoosetinmyways.And-andI’mhappyhere.”

“Well,youwon’tbeabletostayonhereafterI’mgone,willyou,so you’dbettermakeup yourmind to give this fellowa seriouslookingover.Iwon’tforceyoutomarryhimifheturnsouttobeanick-ninnyoramealy-mouthedBible-spouter,butyouowe it tome to look him over, at least.” She paused, stared at her nieceandaddedquietly,“Don’tyouthink?”

Recalling theway theDowager had once begged for her helpandhowshe’dletherdown,Beatricecouldonlyswallowandnodmiserably.“I’llbehappyto-tomeethim,”shesaidinalowvoice.“Butdon’texpecttoomuchofme.Please.”

“We’lllookhimovertogether,”herauntsaidsoothingly.EleanorintervenedtokeeptheDowager’sattentionawayfrom

poorBea,whowaslookingterribleandwhowasdefinitelyhidingsomeguiltysecret.“Grandmamma,iftheSmeathleysarecomingheresothatBeacanlooktheirsonover,whyisMrSerlecoming?”sheasked,judginghertimetoanicety.

LadyMarguerite chokedoverher cupof teaandhad tohaveherbackpattedbeforeshecouldrespond.Shefixedasterngazeuponhergranddaughter.“Hmm.Isupposeyou’llhavetobetoldsometime.Situpstraightandpayattention.”

Eleanordidasshewastold.TheDowager chewed her lip for amoment, then said, “Well,

Eleanor, I’m thinkingof findingyouahusbandaswell - a goodmatch,mind.SomeoneworthyofaGraceover.You’retherightagefor marriage. That’s why Bea went up to London, to look oversomeoftheeligibles.AsI’dexpected,shethoughtSerlethemostpromising.Goodfamily,that!I’dalsohopedshe’dfindahusbandfor herselfwhile shewas at it; I settled a decent dowry on her,leastIcoulddo,andJohannasaysthattherewassomeinterest,butitseemsnoonecaughtherfancy.”

ThelastwassaidwithheavysarcasmandalookwhichmadeBeatrice feel as if her aunt were heaping coals of fire upon herhead. She could only stare down at her plate and long for themealtoend.

Eleanor clappedher hands, still intent on diverting attentionfromherpooraunt. “What fun!You’llhave to tellmeeverythingyou can remember about Mr Serle, Bea! Every little detail. I

shouldn’tatallobjecttobeingmarried,Grandmamma,aslongasheisn’tugly,ortooold,orunkind.”

She sat back with the air of one willing to oblige and sheremained inahighlycheerfulmooduntil themealended. Ifhergrandmotherbelieved itwastime forhertomarry, thatwasonehurdlegotover.ThefactthatitwasCrispinsheintendedtomarryneednotbementionedasyet.

Watching her aunt surreptitiously, Eleanor decided poor Beaneededsometimealone,soshetalkedaboutthebeautifuldisplayof lily-of-the-valley in the South Wood, not to mention thefritillaries along the water meadows, until Beatrice said shethoughtshewouldgo forastrolland lookat them. “And Ihopeyoudon’tmind,Eleanor,”sheended,“butI’dliketobealoneforawhile.IdidnothingbutmeetpeoplewhileIwasaway,and-andquitefrankly,I’dwelcomethechanceforsomepeaceandquiet.”

“Oh,yougo,Bea.Idon’tmindatall.I’vegotanewpianopiecetopractise.”Eleanorturnedtoleave,thenswungbackagain.“ButwouldyoumindifBettyandIaskedTillytoshowusallyournewclothes again first, so that we can study the latest fashions? IshallwanttolookmybestforMrSerle,shan’tI?”

“Dowhatyoulike!”Beatricefledforthewoods,horrifiedatthejealousy which had seared through her at Eleanor’s innocentwords.Shecouldn’tthinkhowshe’dfacehimandheronlyhopewasthathewouldrefusethe invitationandstaywellaway fromSatherby.

Surelyhewould?

Chapter11

The day after his abortive attempt to propose to Beatrice,

Justin went to Lymsby to see how she was recovering. He’ddecided that if thingsdidn’t gowellwithhis attempt toproposethistime,he’dconfideinLadyOstdeneandaskforherhelp.Hedidn’t come to this conclusionwithout considerable thought, forhedislikedbetrayinghisvulnerabilitytoanyone.

Beatrice was not indifferent to him! Surely he couldn’t bemistakeninthat?Thewayshereactedtohim.Thewayshefeltinhisarms.Thewaytheirbodiesmouldedtogetherwhentheywerewaltzing. But he couldn’t understand why she’d become soagitatedwhenhetriedtopresshissuit.

Herememberedthewaythey’dsatandlaughedtogetherintheicywater of thepondandhis confidence rose. Thenhe recalledthe way she’d avoided his eyes the previous day, changing thesubject and generally rendering it impossible for him to declarehimself,andhisconfidencesankagain.

AtLymsbyhehandedhishorsetoagroomandwalkedupthestepstothefrontdoor,feelingnervous.Inside,hewasshownintoasalonandlefttowait.Severalminutesdraggedbyandhebegantoprowlaroundtheroom.Itwasn’tliketheNewthorpestokeepavisitorwaiting.Perhapssomethingwaswrong?

WhenLadyOstdenecameinat last, lookingworried,Justin’sheart lurched. “Is Miss Dencey all right?” he asked before hecouldpreventhimself.

Johanna looked surprised at the abruptness of this greeting.“It’skindofyoutocall,Serle,butI’mafraidyoufindusatsixesandsevenstoday.”

“Miss Dencey?” he prompted, his voice harsh with anxiety.“Shehasn’ttakenachill,hasshe?”

“Bea? Oh, didn’t she tell you? She left this morning. ShedecidedtogobacktoSatherby,saidshewashomesick.”

“What?”Angerhadmadehisvoiceover-loud,andJohannablinkedand

staredathim,jerkedoutofherownworries.“Issomethingwrong,Serle?”

“IcametoseeMissDencey,”hesaidstiffly.“Iexpected...sheknew I was coming and she made no mention of any plans toleave.”

“Her decision was rather sudden,” Johanna agreed, studyinghimclosely.

“She’stakennohurtfromherdrenching,though?”“Oh, no. Bea’s never ill. She has the most robust health of

anyone I know, and Eleanor is much the same. My motherascribes it to the excellence of Satherby’s air and generalsituation.”

“I’mgladtohearthat.”Hebegantofiddlewiththebraidonthearmofthechaironwhichhewassitting,wonderingwhattosayordonext.

Johanna’s attention was now fully engaged. “I think you’dbetter tellmeabout it,” shesaidsoftly. “I’veneverseenyou likethisbefore,Serle.”

He smiled at her ruefully and gave in to the temptation toconfideinsomeone.“I’veneverfeltlikethisbefore,LadyOstdene.”

“Likewhat?”Sheheldherbreathandwatchedindecisionandworryflitacrosshisface.Shewasgladtoseethathe’dlostthatcooldetachedlookhe’dwornforsolong.“Itoftenhelpstotalktosomeone,” she coaxed, “and you’ve known me long enough totrustme,surely?I’malmostlikeanhonoraryauntbynow.”

“Idon’tquiteknowhowtostart,”heconfessed,staringdownathishands,unabletofaceher.

Whenhedidn’tcontinue,sheaskedquietly,“It’sBeatrice,isn’tit?”

“Yes.” He stood up and went to stare out of the window,tossing thewords overhis shoulder ather in shortbursts. “I’vecometoloveher.Ithought,no,Iwassureshefeltthesame.ButyesterdaywhenItriedtospeak,toaskhertomarryme,well,shepreventedme.ShelookedsoupsetIcouldn’tpressthepoint.Andyet,”hefumbledinhispocketandthrewdownacrumpledpieceofpaper,“thatcamethismorning.Andwell-Idon’tknowwhattothinknow.”

Johanna read her mother’s invitation to stay at Satherby.“Aaah,”

“Whatdoyoumeanby“Aaah”?”heaskedirritably.“IfBeatricehasno feeling forme,asshe implies,whyam Ibeing invited tostayatSatherby?”

“I doubt Beatrice knew about this invitation. It’s from mymother.Shesometimestakesthebitbetweenherteeth.Shecanbeaverydeterminedwoman.”

“SocanyourCousinBeatrice!”“We’renotafamilyofditherers,”sheagreedsmugly.“Well,not

usually.”Shewastryingtomakeuphermindastohowfrankshedared

bewithhimwhenthedoorcrashedopenandBorisstrodein.Hedidn’tnoticeJustin, andeven ifhehad,wouldhavepaid

himnoattention.“You’llhavetocomeandtalktoher,Mother-in-law!”heannouncedloudly.“She’sdeterminedtogetupandIwillnothaveit!”

“Boris,dear,goaway!”“Shehasnorightto-Whatdidyousay?”“I told you to go away. Serle and I are discussing something

importantandprivate.”A shriek of anger from upstairsmade Boris growl under his

breathandstalkoutoftheroomagain,bangingthedoorbehindhim.

Johanna ran her fingers through her hair distractedly, quiteruining Sarah’s expert handiwork, a thing she would nevernormallyhavedareddo,thenturnedtoJustin.“Look,Ican’ttalknow,everythingisinchaosheretoday.Jenniceisn’tatallherself.Could youpossibly comeback tomorrow? I’ll have time by thenfor a long talk with you. I can’t deal with anything else at themoment, notuntil I’ve sorted Jennice andBoris out.He’s beingunreasonably protective and she’s throwing hysterics at regularintervals.”

Hegaveagruntoffrustrationandstooduptoleave.Johannawentoverandlaidonehandonhisshoulder,gazing

earnestly intohiseyes.“It’snotasbadasitseems,Serle. I,too,amsureBeatriceisn’tindifferenttoyou.”Therewasaloudburst

of sobbing from upstairs and she closed her eyes in despair. “Idon’t know what’s got into that daughter of mine. She’s donenothingbuthavescreamandweeptoday.Wouldyou,couldyoupossiblylendusMrs.Powisforafewdays?I’mbeginningtothinkshe’s the only one who can talk sense into those two idiotsupstairs.”

He hid his disappointment. “Of course. I’ll ask her to comeacross immediately.” There was nothing for him to do, but bowgracefullyandleave.

Herodehomeslowlyand thoughtfully,butasheapproachedhishome,hecouldn’tresistthetemptationtoturnasideandvisitthe pool in the woods. There, he sat on the rock for nearly anhour, thinking hard, before coming to some conclusions of hisown.

“Ha!” said theDowager triumphantly over breakfast the nextday.“He’scoming.Toldyouhewould.”

“Who’s coming, Grandmamma?” asked Eleanor, suspendingher enthusiastic demolition of a juicy piece of ham and somecoddledeggs.

“Serle.”Beatrice,attheothersideofthetable,triedtocontinueeating

as if nothing special hadbeen said, buther cheeks turned firstred, then white, and the stricken expression which passedfleetinglyacrossherfacebetrayedher.

Only Eleanor noticed, however, the Dowager still beingengaged in gloating over her triumph. “When is he coming,Grandmamma?”

“Intwodays.”Beatricedroppedherforkwithaclatter.TheDowagerfrownedather.“Itain’tlikeyoutobesoclumsy,

girl!Areyoufeelingallright?Wecan’thaveyougoingdownwithsomethingwhentherearegueststobeentertained.”

“I’m sorry, Aunt Marguerite. I was just, um, just thinkingaboutsomethinganddidn’twatchwhatIwasdoing.”

“Well,becarefulwhatyou’rethinkingaboutoverthenextfewdays!Youwon’tbeabletobreathewithoutsomeonewatchingyouoncetheyarrive!HousepartiesaretediousbeyondbeliefandIam

fartoooldtomanagethings,soit’llbeuptoyoutwotokeeptheguestsentertained.”

She looked round the oak-panelled room and nodded insatisfactionat itsappearance.“Ishallgobacktobreakfastinginmyroomswhilethey’rehere,Ithink.Inevercouldfacepeopleonanemptystomach.”

EleanorsawthatBeawasstillstrugglingtoappearnormal,sosteppedinquickly.“Verywell,Grandmamma.We’lllookaftertheguestsforyou.”

“You’dbetterarrangeafewpicnicsanddinnersandinvitetheneighbours,too.Thoseworthinviting,thatis!Iwon’thavecuratesand farmers at Satherby, whatever the occasion. You can startmakingyourplans today. I’ve toldMrs. Inchby toget the roomsreadyandshecanconferwithcookaboutwhat to feed ‘em,butyou’d better keep an eye on what she’s doing as well, Beatrice.Shehasn’thadahousefullofvisitorstolookafterforyears.”

Shechewedapieceofhamthoughtfully, thenwavedher forkat her niece. “Not that I don’t trustMrs. Inchby - she’s a goodhousekeeper and knows her job - but we don’t want anythinggoing wrong, do we?” She put her fork down, pushed her plateaway and rang the bell. “I’ll leave it to you to oversee thepreparations,Beatrice.”

She waved a hand to signify that the footman should startpushingthewheeledchairshewasmovedaroundin.

Beatricesatandwatchedherauntleave,tooupsettohideherfeelings.Closinghereyes foramoment,she trieddesperately tothink what to do, but her mind seemed utterly blank. All shecouldthinkofwashisname.Serle.Serlewascoming.Serle!Andshedidn’tknowhowshewasgoingtofacehim.

“What’swrong,love?”Eleanoraskedsoftly.“Wrong? Nothing!” Beatrice caught the other girl’s eye and

realized that she couldn’t hope to keep up this pretence withsomeonewhoknewheraswellasEleanordid,soaddedhastily,“Well,Idohavejustabitofaheadache,butit’snothing.”

“Perhapsyou’restartingtheinfluenza?”“Iwouldn’tdare!”Beatricemanagedawrysmile. “No, I just -

well, to tell you the truth, Eleanor, I don’t wish to getmarried.

Andcertainlynottoastrangerwhowouldn’tlookatmetwiceifIhad no money. I wish Aunt Marguerite hadn’t invited theseSmeathleystovisitus.”Shepausedforamoment,thenofferedadistraction, “Did I tell you that your grandmother has settledtwentythousandpoundsonmeasadowry.”

Eleanor clapped her hands. “Why, that’s marvellous! Andyou’vecertainlyearnedit!Thinkofthewayyou’velookedafterherall these years. And after me, too.” She went over to hug heryoungaunt,whohadbeenlookingverydowninthemouthsinceherreturnfromLondon.

“It’stoomuch,”Beatriceprotested.“Nonsense! Don’t you think that a woman should bring

somethingofherowntoamarriage?Ido.”“Butthat’sthewholepoint!”Beatricecried.“Idon’twanttoget

married!”Eleanor stared at her, head on one side. “What’s made you

change your mind? You always said you’d love to get marriedwhenwetalkedaboutit.Andyousaidyou’dliketohaveseveralchildrentoo.Weevenusedtodrawuplistsofnamesforthem.Ithink you’d make a splendid mother, Bea. Just see how wellyou’vedonewithme!”

Therewasnoresponsetoherlittlejoke,noteventhecurveofalipinatokensmile,andshefrownedagainasshestaredacrossthetable.Beamustbefeelingreallybad.WhateverhadhappenedtoherinLondon?

Beatrice spoke emphatically, articulating everywordwith theutmostcare.“Idon’twanttomarrysomeonewho’sonlyinterestedin my money and breeding capacity, Eleanor! That’s all thosegentlemen in London cared about and that’s all this Smeathleypersoniscomingherefor!Ifhe’sanambitiouscleric,hewouldn’teven consider a wife who brought him nothing. And I won’t besold like that! Iwon’t!”Shestormedoutof the room,somethingshehadneverdonebefore.

Left alone with the remains of her ham, Eleanor shook herhead. “There’sdefinitelysomeone inLondonshe’s interested in,”she murmured. “She wouldn’t get so upset if it were just aquestionoffindingherselfahusband.Ithinkshe’salreadyfound

him,onlysomething’sstoppingthemgettingmarried.”Shewaved the fork to and fro trying towork it out, the food

forgotten.“ShegetsveryagitatedwheneverGrandmammatalksofthehouseparty,yetshe’sneverevenmettheSmeathleys,ormyCrispin, so that only leaves Mr Serle. Mmm. I must definitelyspeaktoTilly.”

AftercheckingthatBeatricewasoutofthewayconferringwiththe housekeeper, Eleanor went to look for themaid. Under thepretence of studying one of the London dresses again, shemanagedtoelicitaconsiderableamountof informationfromthemaidaboutBeaandMrSerle,includingtheinvoluntarydunkinginthepond,whichBeatricehadsomehowquitefailedtomention.

Without realizingwhat shewas doing, Tilly also revealed thefactthatMrSerlehadupsethermistressgreatlyjustbeforetheyleftLymsby.

Hummingtoherself,Eleanorthenwentawaytohaveaseriousthinkaboutthatandherownsituation,whichwasnotgoingtobeeasy to resolve, either.Her grandmother hadn’t even thought ofCrispin as a possiblehusband forher, presumably because shedidn’t approve of that branch of the family. It was Serle whomEleanorwassupposedtomarry,whileMrSmeathleywasclearlydestinedforBea.

If Eleanor were to carry out her plan to make the Dowageraccept her marrying Crispin, she would have to pretend to beattracted to someoneunsuitable first. Butwho? Therewas onlyMrSmeathleyandhowonearthwasshetopersuadeanyonewhoknew her that she’d fallen in love with a middle-aged cleric ofturned thirty? Her grandmother and aunt were certainly notstupidenoughtobelieveanysuchthing!

She did not, however, allow herself to become downheartedaboutthisdilemma.Problemsweretheretobesolved.Therewasalwaysaway through them ifyou lookedhardenough,andsheknew herself to be a very enterprising person, not to mentionbeingutterlydeterminedtomarrythemansheloved.

Three days later, the householdwas on tenterhooks and theDowagerwasalternatingbetweenextremesatisfactionatherownclevernessandquerulousnessatthethoughtofherprivacybeing

invadedandherinfirmitiesparadedbeforestrangers.In theafternoononwhich theguestsweredue toarrive, she

summoned her niece and granddaughter to attend her and satboltuprightinherwheeledchairintheChineseSalon,waitingforthegueststoarrive.

When Crispin Herforth was shown in, the Dowager said“Hmph!” quite audibly and her expression as she studied himdidn’tseemtoEleanortoaugurwell.

“How kind of you to inviteme here, your ladyship,” he said,bowingoverherhand.

She allowed him to touch the hand briefly, then repeated,“Hmph!”inadisapprovingtone.

Heremainedwherehewas,aslightsmileonhis lips,quietlyconfident of himself. Eleanor, watching him, thought howattractivehewas looking,withhisneat country clothesandhisblue eyes set so steadily and fearlessly upon the Dowager. Herheartswelledwithpride.Hewasn’tafraidofanyone,herCrispin!After amoment or two, she lowered her eyes again in case herexpression betrayed her. You couldn’t be too careful withGrandmamma.

“You don’t take after the Graceovers!” declared the Dowager,still eyeing the newcomer. “One would think you’d show somesignoftheblood.Weneverhaveblondhair!”

“I believe I take after my mother’s family in looks, yourladyship.”

“Pity!Still,there’snothingwecandoaboutthatnow.”Hemanagednottosmile.“No,yourladyship.”The stick rapped the floor for emphasis. “I can’t have you

saying“yourladyship”everyotherminutelikethat,becauseyouareoneofthefamily,whetherwelikeitornot.Soyou’dbettercallmeAuntMargueritefromnowon,thoughI’mnotyouraunt,justsome sort of second cousin. Still, Aunt’s more respectful to awomanofmyage.”

“Ishallbehonoured,AuntMarguerite.”“Hmph! That’s as may be. Now - this is my niece, Beatrice

Dencey, my brother’s daughter. And this is my granddaughter,Eleanor.It’llbebestifyouaddressthembothascousins.”

Hegravelyshookthehandsof the twoyounger ladies,oneofwhomgavehimaroguishwink.

Thestickwasrappedagain,butnotinanger.“Weneedtoplanwhattodowithyou.You’dbettersitdownfirst.I’mgettingacrickinmynecklookingupatyou,forallyoudon’tcarrytheGraceoverinches. Idon’t thinkoneofmymenfolkwasundersix feet tall.”Sheshookherheadsadly.

“I’mverysorrytodisappointyou,AuntMarguerite.”“Nousecryingoverspiltmilk.You’retheheirnow,andthat’s

that! At least you don’t dress like a coxcomb. The bailiff willexplaintoyouhowtheestate isrun; I’ve toldhimtoexpectyoutomorrow in theestateoffice. It’s in thestableblock.EleanororBeatricecanshowyouroundthehousewhentheyhavetime.”

Another moment’s thought and she added, “We’re expectingotherguests,sothereareboundtobeplentyofridingpartiesinthedistrict.Youmightaswellgooutwiththem,becauseit’llhelpyougettoknowtheestate.You’lljointherestofusformealsandin the evenings, of course, but you’ll be busy with the bailiffduringtheday,otherwise.Atleast,youwillifyoudoyourduty.”Shesoundedratherdubiousaboutthis.

Heinclinedhishead.“IshallbehappytogetacquaintedwithSatherby,AuntMarguerite.AnditmaycomfortyoutoknowthatI’mquiteusedtomanaginganestatealready,forI’vebeendoingitsinceIwassixteen,thoughnotoneasbigasSatherby,ofcourse.”

Shestaredathimsuspiciously.“Butyourfatheronlydiedlastyear!”

“He’d left the management of things to me for several yearsbeforethat.Heinfinitelypreferredhisbooks.Hewasquiteanotedmedievalscholar,actually,somethingofanauthorityontheCodeofChivalry.”

“Hewasalwaysburyinghisheadinhisbookswhenhewasalad, too. Iwas surprisedhe bothered tomarry at all. AndwhatgoodareLatinandGreektoalandowner?I’lltellyouwhatgood-none!DoyouthinkSatherbywouldbe insuchgoodheart ifmyJohnhadsatinthelibraryreadingoldbooksandspoutingLatin?No, it wouldn’t!” She spluttered to a halt and stared at him,sighing thatheshould looksohealthywhileherownsonswere

longdead.When she spoke again, it was more moderately. “Well, your

father’sdeadnow,andyouseemtohavemoreideaofyourdutythanhedid,atleast,soI’llnotsayanymoreaboutit.”

“Itisn’tduty,”hesaidsimply,“butloveoftheland.”This time the look she cast him was more friendly. “Well,

youngman,we’llhave towaitandseewhetheryoucan feel thesame way about Satherby.” She remembered a further point ofgrievance and glowered at him abruptly. “But with a name likeCrispin,younevercantell.Whatonearthgotintoyourfathertocallyouthat?”

He couldn’t repress a quick smile. The old lady was just asrudeashis fatherhadalwayssaid,butCrispin rather likedherspirit.Mostwomenofheragedidlittlebutsitandgossip,orhugtheir fires. She was still doing her duty, even though she wasconfined to a wheeled chair and twisted with arthritis. Besides,shewas thegrandmotherofhisdarling, soheowedheragreatdeal of respect and tolerance, for Eleanor’s sake. “It was mymother’schoiceofname,Ibelieve.Idaresayyou’llgrowusedtoit.”

Feeling it would be better to change the subject, he gazedaroundhimwithappreciation.“Thisisalovelyroom.”

TheDowagernodded,acceptingthistributeasnatural,ratherthan taking it for flattery. “M’father-in-law did it. It was all thevogueinhisday.Ihaven’tcaredtochangeitandhopeyouwon’t,either.Peopleshouldtreasuretheirinheritance.”

“I wouldn’t think of changing it. That’s the most beautifulChinese carpet I’ve ever seen. Their colours and designs arealwayssorestful,don’tyouthink?Andthisisasuperbexampleoflacquerwork.”Hemovedovertoacabinetandbegantostrokeit with knowing fingers. “My own great-grandmother was rathertaken by the Chinese vogue and I was able to preserve herbelongings,thoughmyauntwishedtothrowthemoutwhenmymother died. I have them carefully stored in the attic at home.There’s a cabinet which is almost the twin of this one, butsmaller.Itwouldlookwellinthatcorner.”

The Dowager blinked. She had thought of training him to

preserve Satherby and its treasures, but had never evenconsideredthepossibilitythathemightbeabletoaddtothem.

“I’dbeverygrateful ifsomeonewouldspare thetimetoshowme round the house, whenever it’s convenient,” Crispincontinued,not lookingatEleanor.“I’vehearda lotabout it frommy father. I believe that the remains of the old abbey are stillstanding?”

“Pilesofoldstones!Shouldhavebeenclearedawayyearsago.Watch your step if you go there. It’s dangerous and you’re theonlymalelefttothefamilynow.Howlongareyoustayinghere?”

Anotherofhisneatbows.“I’matyourdisposal foras longasyouwish,AuntMarguerite.”

“We’ll have to see, then.” She was slightly mollified by hisremarks,butwasn’t going to showany softeningofher attitudetowardhimuntil shehad got toknowhimbetter.She rang thesilver bell by her side and a footman answered. “Show MrHerforthuptohisroom,ifyouplease,Robert.”

She turned back to Crispin. “I’ve had them prepare themaster’s suite for you.” That decision had cost her a wakefulnight,butshe’dcometotheconclusionthatshecoulddonolessthangivehimtherespectduetotheheir,eventhoughhewasn’tworthy.“It’syoursbyright,afterall.Youcangoforawalkinthegardensonceyou’veunpacked.”

Eleanorwatchedhim leave, then turned toher grandmother,eagertohearwhatshesaidabouthim.

“Hecan’tbemorethanfivefeetten.Pityhe’ssoshort.Iprefertallmen!”declaredherladyship.“Still,hedon’tdresslikeaman-milliner, I’ll give him that. And he looks you in the eye, as agentleman should. I can’t abide fellows with shifty eyes. Butthere’snohintofGraceoverinhim,noneatall.I’mdisappointedinthat.Yourgrandfatherwouldhavebeenheartbrokentoseetheestatepassfromthetrueline.”

“Yes,whatapity!”agreedEleanor.“Why!”shesmiledasiftheidea had only just occurred to her. “I’m the only one left of thetruelinenow,aren’tI?”

The Dowager treated her to a puzzled stare, as if she’d saidsomethingstrange.

Satisfiedthatshe’dplantedaseed,Eleanorasked innocently,“Whatdidyouthinkofhim,Bea?”

“He seemed pleasant enough.Good looking in a quietway, Isuppose.”Shespokeonlytofillthesilence,butwassurprisedtoreceiveabeamingsmilefromEleanor.

“Well,” declared the Dowager, “the fellow talks sense, at anyrate.Which ismore thanhis father everdid.”Forher, thatwastantamount to an admission that Mr Herforth had made afavourablefirstimpressionuponher.

Theycontinuedtositinstateinthesalon,awaitingtheirotherguests.Beatricetriedtooccupyherselfwithherembroidery,butthestitcheswentsadlyawry.Eleanorchattedtohergrandmother,encouraging the old lady to tell them about her youth, whichusually put her in a good humour, but though her ladyshipobliged automatically, it was plain that her heart wasn’t in herreminiscencestoday.

Theyhadnotlongtowaitforthenextarrival.Beatrice’sheartlurchedatthesoundofwheelsonthegravel,andshegrippedherembroidery tightly. Was this him? She was both longing anddreadingtoseehimagain.

“Shall I go and peep through the window to see who it is,Grandmamma?”askedEleanor,winkingatBeatrice.

“Certainly not! A lady never peeps through windows! A ladymaintainsacalmdecorumatalltimes.”

ButitwastobeseenthattheDowager’sownmouthwastenseandherhandwasfidgetingonthesilverhandleofhercane.

After a while, the door opened and the butler appeared. “Mrand Mrs. Smeathley, your Ladyship, and Mr AugustusSmeathley.”

The Dowager’s face briefly registered disappointment thenbecamecalmagain.

The trio who entered were rather a surprise to everyone. Allthree were very tall and stately, with dark hair and palecomplexions. Theymoved like amatched set of carriage horses.The twoolderSmeathleysshowedacertainembonpointand thedarknessoftheirhairwastouchedwithsilver,butthisinnowaydetracted from their massive dignity or from their startling

resemblancetoeachother.Asfortheson,hewasnotonlytall,buthandsome,thoughina

restrainedsortofway.Hisfacehadtheclearly-etchedprofileandalabaster complexion of a Greek statue, his dark hair curledimmaculately across his brow andhismovementswere gracefulandstudied.Helookedlikeamanwhoexpectedlifetoservehimwithmanyfavoursandwhohadnotyetbeendisappointed.

Beatrice’sheartsankatthesightofhim.Eleanor,ontheotherhand,brightenedvisiblyasthefullglory

ofAugustusSmeathleyburstuponthem.Whatapieceofluck!Hewas so handsome she could pretend to have fallen in lovewithhimonsight,inspiteofhisadvancedage.Shewaitedforthetrioto salute the Dowager, which they did with the air of imperialambassadors greeting a minor king, and continued to observethemcarefullyastheywerepresentedtoBeatrice.

She noticed that Augustus Smeathley studied her aunt veryshrewdlyindeedashetookherhand.Thatmanhascomeheretoseeifhecangetabargainforhimself,shethought.Hewouldn’tdo forBea,even ifshedidn’t lovesomeoneelse.Shestudiedhiscalculating expression again. She didn’t like him very much,howeverhandsomehewas.Therewassomethingoilyabouthim.

AsheturnedfromBeatriceandtookEleanor’shand,however,she allowed her eyelids to flutter and gazed up at him with adazedexpressiononherface,asifshewerequitestunnedbyhismagnificence.Hebowedoverherhandandforafewsecondsthecalculating expression showed itself again, to be quickly wipedawayandreplacedbyasmile.“MydearCousinEleanor,howverydelighted Iam tomeetyou!”hesaid, inacaressing,mellifluousvoice.

You,sir,areacalculatinghypocrite,shethoughttoherself,assheflutteredhereyelashesathim.Ishallhavenoqualmsaboutdeceivingyou.

“Oh, I’m delighted to meet you too, Mr Smeathley,” shewhispered shyly, making her voice soft and silly like that ofCarolineBunnington,wholiveddowntheroadandbecamequiteidiotish at themere sight of an eligiblemale. “I’ve heard so-o-omuchaboutyou!”

Itwasveryhardtokeepherfacestraightasshesaidthis,butbydintof thinkingofCrispinand imaginingshewasaddressinghiminstead,shemanagedit.

MrSmeathleypattedherhand,whichhe still retained inhisown. “And I’ve heard a lot about you, too, my dear CousinEleanor.”

TheDowagerharrumphedloudly.He at once relinquished the hand and turned to give Lady

Margueritehisverybestattention.When he stole another glance sideways, Eleanor dimpled at

him and was pleased to see him pause in mid-sentence for amoment, before continuing to speak to the Dowager. Heavens,would he never stop talking? And why was her grandmotherlookingsopleased,noddingsooften?Notmanypeoplecouldhavehersmilinglikethat.

Whenatlastthesecondsetofvisitorswasdispatchedtotheirrooms, Eleanormanaged, bymeans of picturing the time whenshewouldbemarriedtoCrispin,tomaintainadreamyexpressiononherface,whichhadboththeDowagerandBeatricestaringatherandthenexchangingpuzzledglances.

“What do you think of ‘em,Bea?” asked her ladyship. “Goodlooking,ain’the,youngSmeathley?”

“Isupposeso,AuntMarguerite.”“We’llhavetoseewhathe’sliketogetalongwith,though.First

impressions aren’t everything, not where husbands areconcerned. That voice will sound excellent in a church, but itmightbehardtolivewith.He’sborntobeabishop,though,withthatvoiceandface.”

“I’djustlovetohearhimpreach!”sighedEleanor.The Dowager frowned at her and said pointedly. “Bea, you’d

bettermake sure you sit next tohimat dinner. Start getting toknowhim.Hisparentshaven’tchangedabit.Alwayswerefulloftheir own importance, but they won’t give us much trouble aslongaswefeed‘emwellandsupply‘emwithplentyofnewspapersandjournals.ThatsideofAlfred’sfamilyalwayswasalittledull.Surprised they even managed to produce someone like thisAugustus.”

The parentsmight be dull, but the son is a sharp customerandthewayhewastoad-eatingGrandmammamademefeelquitenauseated!thoughtEleanor.It’sgoingtobehardtopretendtobeinlovewithhim,especiallywithCrispininthesamehouse.AndI’llhaveto findawaytogetCrispinaloneandtellhimwhatI’mdoing.

Beatricewasstaringdownatherlap,wishingdesperatelythathercomingordealwereover.Shekeptthinkingsheheardcarriagewheelsonthegravelofthedrive,thenwonderingwhetheritwasdisappointment or gladness she felt at the thought of seeingJustinSerleoncemore.

“Did you not hear what I said, Bea?” repeated the Dowagersharply.

Beatricejumped.“What?Oh,yes,AuntMarguerite.SitnexttoMrSmeathleyattable.”Shehadtakenaviolentdisliketothemanon first sight, for allhispolishedaddress, butdarednot say soyet.Hisorderedcurlsandwell-manicuredwhitehandsfilledherwithrevulsionandbesides,hehadlingeredoverEleanor’shand,asifsheweretheonehehadbeenbroughttheretomeet.Perhapshehadothergameinview?

But what she simply could not understand was why hadEleanorbeenlookingsosoulfullyathim.Surelyshecouldn’thavebeentakeninbyastuffedshirtlikehim?Butthen,shehadmetso very few eligible gentlemen that anything was possible. Theyknew nothing of how susceptible she was to good-lookinggentlemen.

Oh, heavens, this nightmare of a house party was growingworsebytheminute!

Itwasn’tuntiljustbeforethedressinggongrangthatthethirdcarriagearrivedandbythistime,theDowagerwastwitchingwithannoyance and fatigue. “About time, too,” she grumbled as thesoundofwheelsandtrottinghorsescamecloserandcloser.

When Justin Serle was shown into the Chinese Salon,Beatrice’sheartstartedtothud,inspiteofherresolvetoremaincalm.Hewasashandsomeasever,andevenafterajourney,hemanagedtolooksupremelyelegant.Buthisexpression,whenhelookedather,wasinscrutable-orwasshereadingtoomuchinto

it?Whatdidhe thinkof thisvisit?Whyhadhecome?HowwasshetomakehimrealizethatitwasEleanorhewastheretomeet,nother?

Hewasbowingoverheraunt’shand. “Imustapologize, yourLadyship,forcomingintogreetyouwithoutchangingmyclothes,butyourbutlerinsistedonit,sinceyoudineearly.”

TheDowager tookhishandand staredupathim. “You looklikejustyourgrandmother,”shesaidinashakenvoice.“Ihadn’texpectedthat.Samehair.Sameeyes.Elizabeth’ssmile.”

Itwasn’toftentheDowagerallowedhervulnerabilitytoshow,andBeatrice’sheartwentouttoher.Howterribleitmustbetobethelastsurvivorofyourgenerationandtoseeallyourfriendsandrelatives die before you!Well, AuntMarguerite should not haveher dyingwishes thwarted, if her niece could help it. Serlewasstillsmilingdownatthetwistedfigureinthewheeledchair.HowgenuinehissmilewascomparedtoSmeathley’s.

Beatricedidn’trealizethatherownexpressionhadbecomeasdreamyasthatofherniecewhenfacingAugustusSmeathley,butEleanor did not miss a single nuance. Fancy Bea feeling likeCrispinandIdo,shethoughtinawe.Atherage!IhopeMrSerlefeelsthesamewayabouther.

“I’mhonouredthatyouthinkIresemblemygrandmother,yourLadyship.”Justin’svoicewasgentle.“Ihavenorecollectionofher,unfortunately, but her portrait hangs in our picture gallery andit’salwaysbeenoneofmyfavourites.Shelooksasifshesmiledalot.”

“Shedidsmilealot.Shedidindeed.”TheDowagertookadeepbreathandrecollectedherself.

“Hrmph.Youknowmyniecealready,Ibelieve?”“Yes,ofcourseIdo.We’reoldacquaintances.Goodday,Miss

Dencey.”HestrodeovertoclaspBea’shandandfeltitshakinginhis. As he looked down into her eyes, his own softenedinvoluntarily.“Arewenot,Beatrice?”headdedsoftly,sothattheDowager didn’t catch the words, which were a caress inthemselves.

Foramoment,Beatriceforgotherselfandsmiledbackathim,hereyesbetrayingtheloveshewastryingtodenyasclearlyasif

theyhadspokenitaloud.“Howdoyoudo,MrSerle?”“Ihopeyourankleisbetter.”“It’squiterecoverednow,thankyou.”Goodness!Just lookat them!marvelledEleanor.Well, Idon’t

needtoworryaboutwhattodowithSerle.Helovesher,too.Bea’sbeingverynoble,keepinghimforme,soImustfindoutwhy,butI’llbebetteroffwithmyCrispin.Whatfunthisvisitisgoingtobe!

Beatrice swallowed hard and forced herself to stand back. “Idon’t thinkyou’vemetmyniece,MrSerle.This isEleanor.”Hervoice had become cool and impersonal again, as if he were astrangeroradistantacquaintance.

Heturnedatoncetogreettheyoungerladywithasmile.Smilingbackathim,Eleanordecidedshewouldhavetogeton

goodtermswithhimassoonaspossible.Hemightmakeaveryusefulally.Afterall,therewasalottoarrangeandheronlyhopeof success lay in making the Dowager believe that arearrangementofpartnerswasherownidea.“I’mverypleasedtomeet you, Mr Serle,” she said cheerfully. “I hope you had acomfortablejourneyhere.”

“Delightful.Thisisquitethepleasantesttimeofyear,don’tyouthink,MissGraceover?”

“Ohyes,verypleasant.Thegardensaresoprettyonecannothelp but enjoy being out of doors.” But she could see his eyesstray back to Beatrice, who was deliberately looking the otherway.Whathadgotintoheraunt?Ifshelovedhim,sheshouldbedoing all she could to get herself married to him, not throwinghimatherniece.Eleanor intendedtofight forCrispintoothandnail.Butno-Beawasjustthesorttobenobleandself-sacrificingabouteverything.

Well,thatwasn’tgoingtobeallowed.The Dowager rapped her cane on the ground. “I bid you

welcometoSatherby,Serle,butas it’s late,we’llhave topursueouracquaintanceoverdinner. It’stimeweallchanged.Wedon’tkeeptownhourshere.Wedineatsixsharp.”

“I shan’t keep youwaiting, your Ladyship.Mymanwill haveunpacked my things by now.” He followed the footman out,tossingoverhisshoulderforBeatrice’sbenefit,“I’mnodandy!”

Beatriceblushedscarletanddeliberatelyupsetherembroiderysilksontothefloortocoverherconfusion.

“Good looking fellow,” said theDowagerbeforehewas out ofhearing.

Beatrice saw him cast a laughing glance at her over hisshoulderandonceagainsheavertedhereyes.

EleanorobservedwithapprovalthatMrSerlehadagoodsenseof humour. “He is very good looking,Grandmamma, but not asgoodlookingasMrSmeathley,doyouthink?”

“Smeathley?”TheDowagerblinkedinsurprise.“Isupposethefellow’sallright,buthecan’tcomparewithaSerle.Don’tlikethewaySmeathleydoeshishair,either.Ifthosecurlsarenatural,I’lleatmywalkingstick.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re wrong!” declared Eleanor, clasping herhandsatherbosomandsighing.Shewondered foramoment ifshewereoverdoingthingsandshehadgreattroubleholdingthepose,buthadthesatisfactionofseeingbothladiesstaringatherinpuzzlement.Toherrelief,neithersaidanything.

AssheandBeatricewalkeduptotheirrooms,shemanagedtoprattleonlyofAugustusSmeathley,thoughshewashardputtokeeptheeulogiesgoingallthewayupstairs.

Dinnerwasn’tacomfortablemeal, forseveralmembersoftheparty had too much at stake to allow themselves to relax. TheDowagersatattheheadofthetable,flankedbyMrSerleandtheelder Mr Smeathley. Eleanor was set at Mr Serle’s right hand,with Crispin next to her. Beatrice sat on the other side of thetable,betweenthetwoMrSmeathleys,whichmadeitverydifficultfor her to avoid Justin’s eyes. Beyond Mr Augustus Smeathleywashismother,who said very little to anyone,but smileda lotandpartookofeverydishofferedtoher.

They were served in state by both footmen and the butler.Eleanorwasthelifeandsouloftheparty,prattlingonaboutthisand that,and flutteringhereyesatMrSmeathley inaway thatsoonhadCrispinfrowning.

Beatricesenthernieceoneortwowarningglances,whichweretotallyignored.

TheDowager,whosehearingwasnotofthebest,maintaineda

dignifiedsilencemostofthetime, forshehatedtomistakewhatsomeone had said and thus betray her own weakness, but shethrewsharpquestionsatherguestseverynowandthentoshowthemshewasstillincharge.

Beatricespentthewholemealwishingthefloorwouldopenupandswallowher.Shehadalwaysconsidered thosewords,whenshe read them innovels, tobeas stupidas theywere trite,butthey exactly expressed her wishes at the moment. She didn’tthinkshecouldmaintainhercomposureoverseveraldaysspentinhiscompanyandwonderedwhethershedaredpretendtocomedownwiththeinfluenza.

TheelderSmeathleyswere,astheDowagerhadprophesied,notrouble to entertain, for they maintained a dignified silence formostofthemealthebettertoconcentrateontheirfood.

Their son proved himself not only an accomplishedtrencherman,butalsoonewhowascapableofcontributingmorethanhis fairsharetotheconversation.HisunctuousutterancesformedaregularbasscounterpointtoEleanor’sbrightprattle.

Withinashorttime,thesoundofhisvoicehadsetBeatrice’steeth on edge. Thatman is a practiced sycophant, she thoughtindignantly,andifthisisthewayheintendstomakehiswayupthroughtheecclesiasticalhierarchies,thenthechurchiswelcometohim.ItamazedhertoseeEleanorhanginguponhiseverywordandtreatinghisthreadbareutteranceslikepearlsofwisdom.

AndEleanorwasmakinglittleefforttoconversewithherotherneighbour, Mr Serle, though he’d addressed several extremelyintelligentremarkstoher,towhichBeatricehadfeltcompelledtorespondherself.

Crispin Herforth was very quiet during the meal, observingeverything very closely. He wasn’t enjoying the sight of Eleanorhangingupon that buffoon’swords andhemeant to have somesharpwordswithheraboutitafterwards.Alreadyhewasdeeplyregretting that he’d agreed to be guided by her in winning hergrandmother’s consent to their marriage. To his mind, deceitneverpaid.Ifitwereuptohim,hewouldseekaninterviewwiththeDowager the very nextmorning to let her knowhowhe feltabouthergranddaughter.

Serlewasalsoquiet,forhisattentionwasfocusedonBeatrice,whowas lookingsostrainedandweary thathisheartached forher. She’d kept herself in the background and tried to avoidmeetinghis eyes ever sincehis arrival, thoughhe’dmanaged togainseveralresponsesfromher,thankstoEleanor’s inattention.Whatpuzzledhimwaswhytheoldladyhadinvitedhimhere?Hehad a faint hope that the invitation had been prompted byBeatrice,butnowhecouldn’tbelievethat.

His eyes strayed tohisneighbour.Surely theDowagerdidn’tthinktomatchhimwithhergranddaughter?Eleanorwasalovelyyoungthing,buthewastoooldforher,evenifhisaffectionshadnotbeenengagedalready.He rather thought thechitwasup tosomesortofmischiefandhemeant,ifhecould,tofindoutwhat,in case it was something which might upset his poor love. HeturnedhisheadandwatchedwithsomeamusementthewaytheyoungminxwasflatteringSmeathley.Themanwastakeninbyit,behaving like the veriest greenhead, for all his massive clericaldignity.

Whentheladieseventuallyrosetoleavethegentlementotheirport,theDowagerannouncedfirmlythatshewouldexpecttoseethe gentlemen in the drawing room within the half hour. “I donot,”shestaredround,“approveofimmoderatedrinking.”

“Norwouldwewishtostayawayfromtheladiesfortoolong,”AugustusSmeathley said, throwinga languishing glance towardEleanor.

Crispinwashardputnottopunchhimintheface.In fact, it was barely twenty minutes before the gentlemen

abandonedtheirport,becauseeachofthethreeyoungeroneswasso careful to guard what he said that conversation in no wayflourished,whiletheelderSmeathley’sattentionwassolelyonhiswineglass.

That port wine, Justin thought regretfully, was some of thebest he’d ever tasted and should have been treated morerespectfully than being gulped down as it was by the elder MrSmeathley and ignored by Mr Augustus Smeathley, who wasvisibly fretting to rejoin the ladies. Herforth seemed a decentenoughfellowand,indifferentcircumstances,Justinwouldhave

beenpleased to pursue a closer acquaintancewithhim, but forthemoment, until he had summedup exactlywhowas playingwhichgame,hewouldkeephimselftohimself.

Hecomplimentedthebutlerashelefttheroomonthewaytheporthadbeencellaredanddecanted,andmadehimselfastaunchally,because ifBorrillhadonepassion in life, itwas thepropermanagementofgoodwines.

Theladies,havingensconcedthemselves intheBlueDrawingRoom,passedaratheruncomfortabletwentyminuteswaitingforthegentlemen.Beatricesawherauntsettled,notingthattheoldladywasalreadydisplayingsignsoffatigue,thensatdownnexttoher and pretended to embroider, putting in somemore crookedstitches.

TheDowagerandMrs.Smeathleymadedesultoryconversationabout mutual acquaintances and the foibles of long-deadrelatives. Eleanor, after twitching about restlessly for a fewminutes,wenttothepianoandbegantoplay.

It was there that Crispin saw her as he entered, her hairaureoledbythecandelabrumbehindherandherfirmlittlehandscaressing a delicate melody from the keys. She seemed for themomenttohaveforgottenthattherewereotherpeoplearoundherandhereyeswerehalfclosedassheplayed.Withoutthinking,hewenttostandbehindhertoturnthepagesandwithastartsherealizedthatthegentlemenhadreturned.

Undercoverofthemusic,shewasabletoinstructhimtomeetherontheterracehalfanhouraftereveryonehadretiredandtostay away from her until then. Further confidences wereprevented by Augustus Smeathley, who loomed up beside themandbegantohumthemelodyinarichfruityvoice.

Eleanor kicked Crispin on the ankle, which he correctlyinterpretedasanordertoremovehimself.

Hedidsomostreluctantly,hislipstightwithannoyance.“Do you sing,CousinAugustus?”Eleanorwas cooing behind

him.“Idelightinit,mydearyounglady,delightinit.”Withinminutestheyhadfoundsomesuitablemusicandwere

entertaining the company with a duet that proved Smeathley’s

boastedloveofmusictobenolie.Itwastheonegoodthingabouthim,Eleanorthought.

TheDowagerwatched them forawhile, tappingout the tunewithawrinkled,twistedhand,butshedidn’tallowthetête-à-têteto continuebeyond threeduets. “Excellent!” she called. “Nowgoandfindmethatsketch-bookofBeatrice’s,child.IwanttoshowCrispintheperspectivesofthehouseandgrounds.”

Old andhalf deaf shemight be, butwithinminutes shehadthem organized into the pairs she wanted. Crispin with herself,SerlewithEleanorandSmeathleywithaverysilentBeatrice.TheseniorSmeathleyswereallowedtoentertainthemselvesbydozinginacorner.

ToBeatrice,theeveningseemedtolastforever.

Chapter12

Attheprescribedtime,wheneveryoneseemedtohavegoneto

bed, Crispin tiptoed down the dark staircase, wishing he daredlight a candle. It was all very well for Eleanor, who knew thehouselikethebackofherhand,tosuggesttheymeetoutsideonthe terrace, but he would have preferred to wait until earlymorning,whenhecouldseewherehewasgoing.Hefumbledhisway to the bottom of the stairs, praying that everyone else wassound asleep, and with some trepidation made his way acrosswhatseemedavastexpanseofhallway.

Adooratthebackofthehallopenedsuddenlyandashaftoflight stopped him dead in his tracks. He waited where he was,heart pounding, to see who had caught him behaving sostrangely.

“Didyouwishforsomething,sir?”Crispinsighedwithreliefatthesoundofthebutler’svoice.“Yes.” He sought desperately for an excuse. “I wanted to go

outsidetosmokeacigarillo.NotthesortofthingLadyMargueritewouldappreciateonedoingindoors, Isuspect,andIdidn’twantto disturb the rest of the house. Now that you’re here, perhapsyou’d tell me which is the best place to go. The terrace, Ithought?”

“Yes, sir. If you’d follow me. I would suggest you go outthroughthelibrary.”

Crispinfollowedhim,hopingthemanwouldn’twaittoseethefictitious cigarillo being lit.Damn!He’d better get hold of some,just incaseheneeded to repeat theexcuse.That’swheredeceitgotyou,intotangles!“Thankyou.”

“Wouldyoulikemetolightyouacandle,sir?”Borrillgesturedwithhisowncandlesticktowardanunlitcandelabrum.

“Yes.Thankyou.I’ll leaveitinside,though,andjustuseittolightthecigarilloinalittlewhileandguidemebacktomyroomwhenI’vefinished.Themoon’srisingnowandit’sfullenoughtoprovidemewithallthelightIneed.Youneedn’twait.I’lllockup

whenIcomeinagain.You-er-won’tmentionmylittleweaknesstoLadyMarguerite,willyou?”

Borrillsmiled.HehadalreadydecidedthatheapprovedofTheHeir.“No,sir,forit’soneIshare.”

CrispinwaiteduntilthedoorofthelibraryhadclosedbehindBorrillbeforegoingoutside.Hedidn’tdarecalloutandcouldonlywaitforEleanortofindhim.

Arustleofskirtsandalowchuckleheraldedherappearance,and before he could take another step, she had thrown herselfintohisarmsandwasraisingherfacetobekissed.

“Oh, how I missed you!” she sighed, when at last they torethemselvesapartandwenttositonabench.

“And I you, my darling. But what the devil you mean byplayingup to that fellowSmeathley! I came very near to callingthiswholeshamofftonight,Icantellyou!”

She giggled. “He is rather a fool, isn’the? I’venothadmuchexperienceofmen,butheseemsverygullibleinhisconceit.AmIdoingitwell,theflirting,Imean?”

“Much too well!” he growled, and kissed the tip of her ear,whichwas temptingly close tohis lips. “If he continues todrooloveryouinthatdisgustingway,Ishallwinduppunchinghimintheface!Stupidwindbag!”

“Well, Ihave toencouragehima little,so thatGrandmammawill think I’m falling in lovewithhim. I can’tpretend to likeMrSerle, for he’s the one she wantsme tomarry. He seems quitenice,though,don’tyouthink?”

“HangSerle!Look,love,let’sbedonewiththisplayactingandjust tell your grandmother straight out that we’ve fallen in loveandwishtogetmarried.”

“Oh,how Iwishwecould!” shesighed. “But Ipromiseyou itwouldn’t work. Firstly, she doesn’t believe that persons of ourrankshouldallowthemselvestofallinlove.WhenshecaughtBeaandmereadinganovelonce,shethrewitonthefireandreadusa dreadful lecture about only housemaids falling in love.” Shesmiled reminiscently. “And Iwas just about to find outwhetherMelissaescapedfromtheevilcountandmanagedtobereunitedwithherchildhoodsweetheart,too.”

“Dreadful. Tellme the damned book’s name and I’ll buy youanothercopy.”

“Oh,there’snoneed.Igotmymaidtopurchaseanotherformetheverysameweek.”

Heshookwith laughter.“Imighthaveknown.”Andofcoursehe had to kiss her again, she was looking so beautiful in themoonlight.Thenhadtostopatakissortwoincaseheshockedherwithhispassion,becauseforallhertalk,shewasclearlyaninnocentwheremenwereconcerned.

“Aah,”shesighedashepulledaway. “Imissedyousomuch,Crispin!”

“Andwhatelsedoyouwishtotellmeaboutyourgrandmother,mylove?”heprompted,keepingfirmholdofherhand.

“Well,Ithinkifwetoldherthetruth,shewouldprobablysendyouawayagain.Believeme,shecanbeveryautocraticattimes-especiallyifherwilliscrossed.No,I’vegottoshowdisinterestinMrSerleandafascinationwithSmeathley,”shegrimacedattheprospect, “until she decides to do something about it. She’sdeterminedtomarrymeoff,forsomereason.”

Hesighedandtheybothsattherequietlyforawhile,handinhand, her head against his shoulder, staring at the moonlitgardens.

Eleanor broke the silence, aware that she shouldn’t lingertheretoolong, incasesomeonesawher.“You’llbegladtoknowthatyou’vemadeanexcellentfirst impressiononher, inspiteofbeing calledCrispin, and youmust continue towooher favour.And-“shepushedhimaway,“Stopit!Ican’tthinkproperlywhenyou’rekissingme!”

Hechuckledandpretendedtopullhishandawayfromhersaswellashislips,butshewouldn’tallowthat.

“My master stroke is that I’ve planted an idea inGrandmamma’s mind about me being the last of the trueGraceoversandIratherthinkshe’lldecidetoletmemarryyouintheendtokeepthefamilybreedingfromthetrueline,evenifthetitlehaslapsed.”

“You’readeviouslittleschemer,andIdoubtI’llbeabletocallmysoulmyownafterwe’remarried.Butflirtingwiththatfellow

sticksinmygullet!”Hisvoicerosealittlewiththevehemenceofhisfeelings.

“Shhh!Someonewillhearus!”Justin, whose bedroom window looked out onto the terrace,

was lying awake trying to work out how to get Beatrice on herown, so that they could have a frank discussion. As Crispin’svoicerose,Justinrealizedthatthewhisperingshehadputdownto night animals and rustling leaves was the sound of peopletalking outside.He couldn’t resist getting out of bed to seewhotheywere.

By the time he’d managed to open the window, the couplebelow him on the terrace were once again entwined. Lookingdown,hecouldonlyseethetopsoftheirheads,halfobscuredbysomedamnedcreeperwhichgrewinprofusionupontheoldwallsandbythebranchesofatreewhichought,hethoughtangrily,tohavebeenbettertrimmed.

As the couple drew apart, Eleanor brushed her hair backbehind her ears. Justin sucked his breath in sharply. He hadseenBeatricetuckherhairoutofthewayinjustthatmanner.Hetried desperately to make out the features of the people belowhim, but the lady, who could have been either Beatrice orEleanor, was now sitting with her head on the gentleman’sshoulder.Byleaningperilouslyfaroutofthewindow,hemanagedto confirm that the man was Crispin Herforth, but he couldneither confirm nor deny his fear that the woman might beBeatrice. He remained there, feeling murderous, trying to seemoreclearlyandfailing.

Eventually the two people below stood up andwent indoors,but thatwasnohelp to thewatcher above, for as soon as theymoved away from the bench, they were hidden by the buildingitself.

Justin sighed and went back to toss around until the smallhoursofthemorningonabedwhichseemedtobefulloflumps.If that had beenBeatrice on the terrace, it would explain a lot.She might have been attracted to him in London, but she waspresumably already promised to another. And it was clearly asecretattachment, forCrispinhadshownnosignsofpayingher

attention during the evening. In fact, Mr Herforth had beenremarkablyself-composed.

It might pay, Justin decided grimly, to get to know thatgentlemanbetter.Hewasn’t going to giveBeatriceupwithout astruggle.Andofcourse,thewomanmightturnouttobeEleanor.Heprayeditwould.

The following morning, the younger members of the partydecided to ride out to look at Eleanor’s favourite view, a placewhereshehadspentmanyhappyhours.

Crispincaughthereyeforamomentandsmiledatthiswayofdescribingtheirpreviousrendezvousspot.

Augustus Smeathley proved to ride very heavily and to havelittleskillatmanagingeventhesluggishmounthe’dbroughtwithhim, which made the other four members of the party, allaccomplishedhorsemenandwomen,lookathimindisgust.

Crispin,findinghimselfnexttoSerle,couldn’thelpexclaiming,“Thatdamned fellowshouldn’tbeallowed tomounta camel, letaloneahorse!”

“Aheavygentlemanineveryway,”agreedJustin.“Hadyoumethimbefore?He’ssomesortofaconnectionofyours,isn’the?”

“Good heavens, no! And even if he were a relative, I’d neveradmititinpublic.No,asfarasIcanmakeout,he’saconnectionof Lady Marguerite’s younger daughter’s husband.” He lookedwith loathing at Mr Smeathley’s broad shoulders. “No,” herepeated, almost to himself, “that fine gentleman will never beinvitedtoputhislegsundermytable,Icanpromiseyou!Doyouknow, he recommended some verses from the Bible to me thismorning,asbeingsuitableforthosewhomtheLordhadfavouredwithexcessiveworldlywealth!Theimpudenceofthefellow!”

“Didhe,now?”Justingrinned.“Whatdidyousaytothat?”“IrecommendedhimtoreadProverbsThree,VerseSeven.”“Did you, by heavens? I wasn’t aware that you were deeply

religious,MrHerforth.”Crispinchuckled.“I’mnot,butIwasforcedtolearnversesof

the Bible many times in my youth as a punishment. Neverthoughtthey’dcomeinuseful,whichjustgoestoshow.”

“Mightoneaskwhatthatparticularversesays?”

Thegrinbroadened. “Benotwise in thineowneyes: fear theLordanddepartfromevil.”

Justin let out a shout of laughter thatmade the others turntheirheadstostareatthetwomen.HedecidedthathedefinitelylikedMrHerforthand realized ruefully thathewouldnotblameBeatriceforhavingformedanattachmenttohim.

“Ithatyourownmare?”heaskedafterafewmoments.“She’saneatly-builtcreature.”

“Yes.”Crispinleanedforwardtopatherneck.“ButIshan’tberidingherformuchlonger,shallI,oldgirl?It’sabouttimeIbredfrom her. Be a pity to waste this line, just because I’m fond ofridingher.”

The two of them went on to discuss horses and found acommoninterest inthebreedingofsuitablemounts,whichbothheld to bemore reliable than chancing one’s luck at the sales,sinceyouneverknewwhatsortof temperamentastrangehorsemighthave.

Duringthecourseoftheconversation,itbecameapparentthatCrispinknewthecountrysideroundSatherbyratherbetterthanaman should who had only arrived the previous night. Justinlookedathiminpuzzlement.

Realizingthathe’dbetrayedhimself,Crispingrimaced.“I’mnogoodasaconspirator,amI?ImustbegyounottobetraymetoLady Marguerite, Serle. I’ve been staying with friends in theneighbourhood, spying out the land before I came to stay atSatherbyitself.”

“Didyounotmeetanyofthefamilywhileyouwerehere?Thatwasalittlerisky,surely?”

“Oh,shewillnotbetrayme!”Crispinbrokeoffagain.“Hellanddamnation! Can’t I keep anything to myself?” He stared at hiscompanion.JustinSerlewasagreatdealmoredangerousthanhehad at first appeared. Crispin decided to terminate theconversationatoncebeforehebetrayedall.“Ithinksomeonehadbetter rescueMissDencey from thatbore,”he saidandspurredhishorseforward.

Justinwatchedhimgo,frowning.HaditbeenBeatricemeetingHerforthontheterracethepreviousevening?Surelyshewasn’tin

lovewithhim?Hewasapleasantenoughfellow,withoutguileormalice,butmuchtooyoungforher.Thenherealized,withahugelighteningofhis spirit, that itwas farmore likely tobeEleanorwhomHerforthhadmet if he’dbeen stayingnearhere recently,forBeatricehadonlyjustreturnedfromLondon.

He beamed around him, certain he’d hit upon the correctexplanation, then studied what the others were up to withrenewedoptimism.ThatyoungminxEleanorwasgivingnosignofanyattachmenttoCrispin,forJustinhadbeenwatchingherandBeatrice surreptitiously. Eleanor hadn’t even glanced his way,chattingtohercousinmostly.

As Crispin joined them, Beatrice looked up with a smile sowarm that Justin muttered something under his breath andbegan to doubt his own conclusions again, in spite of theirunassailablelogic.Hewishedbitterlythatshewouldsmileathimlikethat,asshehaddoneinLondon.Hewishedhecouldgetherawayfromtheothers.

“Theysayit’sthefirstsignofmadness,youknow,”saidavoicebesidehim.

HelookedroundtofindthatEleanorhaddroppedbacktojoinhim. “I do beg your pardon. I didn’t see you join me, MissGraceover. I thought you were with Mr Smeathley and MissDencey.”

“Yes, Iwas.How interestingMrSmeathley’s conversation is!”Shesighedandrolledhereyes.

“Don’t try your tricks on me!” he said deciding on shocktactics.“You’renomoretakenbyhimthanIam!”

Shestaredathimopen-mouthedforamoment,theninclinedherheadinasalute.“Howveryperceptiveofyou,MrSerle!Praydon’ttellGrandmamma!”

“MayIknowwhyyou’redoingit?”“Oh, just funning,” she said lightly. “Beatrice said I couldn’t

foolAugustusSmeathleyintobelievingIwasattractedtohimandIwageredIcould.IthinkI’vesucceeded,don’tyou?”

“Yes,youhave.Buttowhatpurpose?”She lookedathimsideways,debatingwithherselfhowmuch

to reveal. “Why, to show Grandmamma he’s not a suitable

husband forpoorBea,of course.”Asparkofmischiefmadeheradd,“Particularlynow.”Shegavehimaquizzicallook.

“Whynow?”Histonewasharshandthewordscameoutmoresharplythanhe’dintended.

“Becauseheraffectionsareengagedelsewhere,ofcourse,”sheanswered lightly, then, as Beatrice turned to call some queryaboutwhich route theyshould take,Eleanor leftMrSerle’ssideandcanteredforwardtojointherestoftheparty,leavinghimnoalternativebuttofollowsuit.

OnceagainSerlebegan todoubtBeatrice’s feelingsand foramoment felt despair surge through him, then his expressionbecame grim. Even if Beatrice did have an understanding withHerforth, he didn’t intend to give her upwithout a struggle.Hecouldn’tbemistakenaboutthewayshereactedtohim,thewayshelookedathimsometimes.Hecouldn’t!

He rode the rest of the way to the lookout in grim silence,makingnoattempttoconversewithanyoftheothers.

Oncetheretheydismounted,thegentlementiedupthehorsesandnearlyeveryonesatdowntoenjoytheviewfromtheshadeofsometrees.

Only Augustus Smeathley remained standing. He began towander to and fro, as if admiring the view and after a fewminutes,hecalledout,“MissGraceover,Iwonderifyoucouldtellmewhatthatlandmarkis?”

As the landmark in question wasn’t visible from where theothersweresitting,Eleanorwasobligedtojoinhim.“Yououghttolookatthistoo,CousinCrispin,”shecalledoverhershoulder,notwanting, forsomereasonshecouldn’t fathom,tobeonherownwithSmeathley. “Grandmammawishesyoutoget toknoweverybitoftheestate.Whydon’tyoujoinus?”

Hejumpedtohisfeet.“Certainly,CousinEleanor.”Beatrice started to rise and follow them, but by the simple

expedient of setting his hand on her skirt, Justin managed topreventherfrommoving.

“Weneedtotalk,”hesaidquietly.“Wecanhavenothingprivatetosaytooneanother.”“Canwenot?Ihadthoughtthat-“

“No!”Shepulledfutilelyattheskirt.“I think you’d better explain why you say that. I believe we

haveagreatdealtosaytoeachother.AndIalsobelieveIreceivedsome encouragement from you in London.”He reached out andseizedherhand.

“Let me go!” she whispered furiously, trying in vain to pullaway.“Youhavenoright.”Shecastananxiouslookattherestofthe party, but their backs were turned and they wereconcentratingontheview.

“Why did you run away from me at Lymsby, Beatrice? Whycouldn’tyouexplainyourfeelingstomethen?”

Shehungherhead,veryconsciousofthewarmthofhishandonhers. “I - Iwas cowardly. I shouldn’thave letmy interestbeengaged.Itconflictedwith...”Hervoicefadedaway.Shecouldfindnowordstoexplainitwhichdidn’tbetraythedepthofherfeelingsforhim.

“Conflicted with your other interest,” he finished harshly. Tohear it from her own lips seemed so final. “You should haverememberedhimsooner,shouldyounot?”Hereleasedbothhandandskirt,andbegantostandup.“Don’tbeafraidthatI’llpursuewhere I’m not wanted,MissDencey! I’ll find an excuse to leaveSatherbyatthefirstopportunity.”

It was her turn to catch hold of him. “Oh no! Please, youmustn’t!”

“Butyou’vejusttoldmethatmysuitishopeless!”hesaid,stillspeakingangrily.“WhyonearthshouldIstayhere?”

She flushed and avoided his eyes. “Because of AuntMarguerite.Ohplease,pleasestayforawhilelonger!”

Hethrewuphishandsinbafflement.“Why?Iwishyourauntno harm, but why in heaven’s name should I wish to please awomanwhomI’veonlyjustmet?Shehasnoclaimuponme.Givemeareasoninplainwords,ifyouplease,MissDencey!”

She took a deep breath and summoned up all her courage.“Because-becauseshewishesyoutomarryEleanor.That’swhysheinvitedyouhere.”

He stared at her, amazed. “Do you think me so fickle as tochangemyaffectionsovernight?”

“N-no,but,butshe-Eleanor,Imean-she’ssuperiorineverywaytome.Onceyougettoknowher,youcannotfailtolikeherbetterthanme.”Shedidn’tknowhowtolookhimintheface.

“Andthatwouldpleaseyou?”“Yes.”Butsheturnedherfaceawayasshespoke.Hewasnowfeelingevenmorebewildered.Shestoleaglancesideways.“Ibegyoutobekindtomyaunt,

MrSerle.She’sgrowingold,wishestoseeEleanorestablishedandhasagreatregard-averygreatregard-foryourfamily.Imust-mustfollowherwishesinthis.”

“That’s quite gothic!” he declared. “I have no intention ofmarrying to please someone else, especially whenmy affectionsare engaged already.” He paused, then added softly, “With you,Beatrice,andonlywithyou.”

She could only stare at him and wish desperately that shecouldfollowthedictatesofherownheart.

Asthesilencecontinued,sheraisedhereyestomeethis.Whathesawinthemlookedlikelove,hewassureitwaslove-

butitwasmingledwithdespairand-somethingelse.“Ithink,”hesaidslowly,“you’reconcealingsomethingfromme,Beatrice.”

She could only shake her head and turn it away again,knowing that if he looked at her too closely, he would see thetearsshewashavingtroublekeepingback.

When she didn’t speak, did not look at him, he realized hecould push her no further at this stage, not in such a publicsituation.“Come,thisisfruitless.Isuggestwerejointheothers!”

But hewould, he vowed, find away for them to speakmoreprivately.Hereachedoutandpulledhertoherfeetbeforeshehadtime to move of her own accord and they stood for a moment,closetogether,withhimstillholdingherarmwhileshefoundherbalance. “Beatrice, Beatrice, I don’t understand you at all,” hesaidpleadingly.“AndIwishyouwouldtellmethewholetruth.”

Shesteppedbackwardsandsaid incool tones, “I’vesaidall Iwishto,MrSerle.Pleasebetteryouracquaintancewithmyniece.”Hervoicebrokeonthelastwordandshestartedwalkingblindlytowardtheothers.

He shook his head in utter bewilderment as he followed her

acrossthegrassyhillside.Eleanoratoncenoticedthetears trembling inBeatrice’seyes

andmanaged tostandbetweenherand theothers toshieldherfrom their gaze for next few minutes while she fought for self-control.

Shewasfeelingquiteexasperatedbyheraunt’sbehaviourandlongedtogiveheragoodshaking.EspeciallywhenshesawSerlelookingequallyupset.WhatcouldpossiblypreventBeatricefromacceptinghisattentions?Fromwelcomingthem?Sheclearlylovedhim.

It was almost time for luncheon when they arrived back atSatherbyandtherewasnotimetodoanythingbutrushupstairsto wash and change their clothes. She would, Eleanor decided,speaksharply toSerle later.SurelyhecouldseehowmuchBealoved him?He certainly gave the impression that he loved her?Hadheaskedhertomarryhimornot?

After the midday meal, Crispin reluctantly left the others tomeet with the bailiff, while they went to sit in a pleasant roomnexttothelibrary.

While the older Smeathleys passed on toEleanor one or twoitems of interest from the newspapers which they had beenperusingduringthemorning,AugustusdescribedtheiroutingtotheDowageringlowingterms.

Beatrice sat silently by her aunt’s side, the maltreatedembroidery lyinguntouched onher lap. She said yes andno atintervals, or nodded her head, which was all Mr Smeathleyseemed to expect ofher.But shehad little idea ofwhathewassaying, because she kept seeing Serle’s face, hearing him pleadwithhertomarryhim,hearinghimsayhestillcaredforher.Butevery time she saw how frail her aunt was, itmade her realizethatshemustn’tupsettheoldladyordenyherthislastwish.

ShesawtheDowager’sexpressionbecamemorealittleglassy-eyedasMrSmeathleycontinuedtopontificateaboutthebenefitsofhealthyandrationaleexercise.Herauntdidn’tliketobetalkedat for too long but was obviously studyingMr Smeathley. Onceshe rubbed her head, as if it was aching and gradually herexpressionturnedtooneofopendisapproval.

WhenEleanorjoinedthemandstartedtoencourageAugustustodescribethearchitectureofWellsCathedral,onthesubjectofwhichhehadalreadyboredBeatrice to tears,hewasallowedtotalkedaboutituninterruptedforabouttenminutes.Then,astheDowager began to grow visibly restless, Eleanor broke into theperorationwithanoffertoshowhimtheflowergardens.

HerosewithanalacritywhichlefttheDowagerfrowning.Sheturnedtoherniece.“Whydidn’tyougowiththem,Beatrice?”

“I’drathernot.Andanyway,Iwasn’tasked,wasI?”“Haven’t taken to Smeathley, have you?” her aunt asked

abruptly.“N-no,I’mafraidnot.Ididtry,but...well...”“He’ssettinghiscapforEleanor,unless I’mmuchmistaken,”

theDowagersaid.“Theimpertinenceofit!Whodoeshethinkheis?”

“ButIdon’tthinkshe—surelyshewouldn’t...”Beatrice’svoicetrailed away, as she remembered the rapt attention with whichEleanor had listened to Mr Smeathley’s no doubt erudite buttediousmonologueonchurcharchitecture.

The stick quivered as the twisted old hand tightened on it.“He’sgoodlooking,inhisownway.Andthetroubleis,thechit’snothadanyexperienceofmen.It’smyfault.I’veprotectedhertoomuch.I’llhavetospeaktoSerleaboutherbeforethisgetsoutofhand.Perhaps...”Shedidnot finishhersentence, just fellsilentforamoment,thensaidcurtly,“AskSerletocomeandseemeinmy rooms in a quarter of an hour, if you please. And then gooutside and join those two. I’m not leaving Eleanor alone withSmeathley.Hewon’tdo forherandanyway,he’sonly interestedinhermoney.”

“Or mine,” Beatrice said, trying to smile, but knowing she’dfailed.

“Hmph.Well, as youdon’t likehim,he’llnot get that, either,willhe?”Shereachedout topatBeatrice’shand. “Iwouldneverforce you into marriage with someone you disliked, child. Youshouldrealizethat.Now,ringformyfootman.”

BeatricedidasshewasbiddenthenmovedacrosstospeaktoSerleandpasson theDowager’s request. “Lippingswill come to

fetchyouwhenLadyMargueriteisready.”Sheturnedawaybeforehe could say anything personal to her and went outside, heremotions in turmoil again. She had only to get close to him toforgetallhergoodresolutions.

Justin watched her go bleakly. Once he’d spoken to theDowager and explained that he could not accede to her wisheswith regard to Eleanor, perhaps he should leave Satherby? Itwouldbethemostdignifiedthingtodo.

No sooner had he made that decision than he changed hismind.Whyshouldhenotstayand fight forBeatrice’saffection?Whygiveinsotamely?

Histhoughtsseesawedfromonedecisiontoanotherinawayhewouldn’thavebelievedpossibleamonthpreviously.He’dneverbeen in love before and was finding it a most frustratingexperience. Even his own reactions bewildered him, and untilnow,he’dpridedhimselfonbeingarationalman.

He was relieved when Lippings arrived to take him to theDowager.

Hefoundtheoldladysittingbythewindow,sunkinthought,and when he moved across to join her, he saw that she wasstaring at the three people walking up and down in the rosegardens.Heclearedhisthroatandsheturnedherhead.

“Ah,thereyouare,MrSerle.”Shemust have been very beautiful once, he thought, rather

likeEleanor.Herspiritstillshoneundauntedinhereyes,thoughher body was clearly failing. “The gardens at Satherby are verybeautifulatthistimeofyear,”hesaidaloud.

“Whatdo I careaboutgardens,”shesnapped. “Sitdown,willyou,Serle?Ican’tabidelookingupatpeople.Now,whatdoyouthinkofmygranddaughter?”

“She’sanicechild,”hesaidcarefully.“Child?She’snineteen.”“She seems a child to me,” he reiterated, hoping to avoid a

confrontation.“I’dratherhopedyou’d findherattractive,”shesaid. “In fact,

tobeplain,I’dwelcomeamatchbetweenourhouses,andthat’swhyIinvitedyouhere.”

There was a moment’s silence, then he shook his head. “Iregrettodisappointyou,yourladyship,butit’snotpossible.”

“Not spoken for, are you? Beatrice said nothing about anyotherattachments.”

“It’snotgenerallyknown.Shewon’tlookatme,anyway.”“She’s a fool, then!” The Dowager sighed and they both

remainedsilentforafewminutes.“Youlookverytired,ma’am,”heventuredafterawhile,forshe

waswhiteasasheetandherhandwastremblingvisiblyonthearmofherchair.“Allowmetosendforyourmaid.”

Shesighedagainandcrumpledforwardsuddenly.Hecaughtherbeforeshecouldfalltothefloor,thenmanaged,

withoutlettinggoofthefrailoldbody,toringthehandbellthatstoodonthetablebesideher.Shewasaslightasanautumnleafinhisarmsandherskinhadsomethingofthesametexture.Herbody seemed a dried-out husk with its life juices nearly gone,whichmadehimfeelsadandprotective.

Lippings came hurrying in and called out, “Oh no!” beforeexamining her mistress with the air of one who knew herbusiness. “Can you carry her through into the bedroom forme,sir?”sheasked.“Ithinkshe’sjustfainted.Ithoughtforamomentthat-well,shehasabadheart,yousee-but it’s justa faint, Ithink.”

They got the Dowager onto her bed, then Lippings asked,“Please,sir,don’ttelltheotherguestsaboutthis,justsendMissBeatricein.She’stheonlyonewhoknowshowbadherladyshipis.That’swhyshewassenttoLondon.Her ladyshipwasrelyingonherto...”Shebrokeoffandstaredathiminhorror.“Idobegyourpardon,sir.”

“Please don’t stop there,” he said, scenting an answer to hisworries.“WhyexactlydidMissDenceygotoLondon?”

“TofindahusbandforLadyEleanor,Ibelieve.Andforherselfaswell, if she could, butmainly for LadyEleanor.Her ladyshipgaveheralistofsuitablefamilies.”

HopebegantodawnagaininJustin.“Didshe,now?”“I shouldn’t be telling you this, sir. It was the shock. Please

don’t mention what I said to her ladyship. The slightest upset

couldkillher.Thedoctorsaidshehasn’tlongtolivenow.That’swhyshebeggedMissBeatricenottoletherdown.”

“No,Iwon’ttellher.”Helefttheroomwithoutseeinganythingaround him and once he’d fetched Beatrice, made his wayinstinctivelytothepeaceofhisbedroomtothinkthingsthrough.Ifhisdarling-andforthefirsttimesincehisarrival,hecalledherthat in his head with some hope for the future - if his darlingknewthatheraunthadn’tlongtolive,knewthattheoldladyhadset her heart on him marrying Eleanor in order to keep herpreciousgranddaughtersafewhenshewasdead,thenshewouldtrytofulfilheraunt’slastwishes-evenatherowncost!

HetriedtorememberhisexactconversationswithEleanorandCrispin. Neither of them had actually said Beatrice was in lovewithCrispin, or hewith her. And the figure he’d seen from thebedroommusthavebeen,Eleanor.Thatwaswhattheminxwasplotting about, though he couldn’t think why! If the Dowagerwished to see her granddaughter married, surely the heir toSatherbywasagoodenoughmatchforanyone?

Hisfacebrightenedandhisheartbegantothudasherealizedthat very possibly he had mistaken the whole affair - no, notpossibly,probably.Beatricedidlovehim.Shedid!

With joy flooding through him, he moved toward the door,intendingtoconfrontherwiththisatonce,thenhestoppedasherealizedshewouldstillbewithheraunt.After twitchingaroundforawhile,hewentout forawalk,unable to sit stilluntilhe’dspokentoBeatrice.

Chapter13

The doctorwas summoned and pronounced LadyMarguerite

to be suffering from exhaustion. Since he’d persuaded theDowagertotakeadraughtthatsenthertosleep,Beatricewasnotabletodiscusswithherauntwhattodoabouttheguests,soshesimplytoldthemthattheirhostesswasovertiredandmustrest.

Justincaughtheronherownafterwards.“Doyouwishmetotelleveryonetoleave?”

Shestaredathim,unabletothinkclearly.Ifshesaidyes,shewouldgetridof theSmeathleys,butJustinwouldgotoo,and ifhestayed,herauntmightbehappier.AndtherewasalsoCrispinto think of. He should definitely remain here at this dangeroustime, in case ... her thoughts faltered. Somehow, she couldn’timagineSatherbywithoutheraunt.

She realized dimly that someone was supporting her andmakinghersitdown.“Putyourheadonyourkneesforamoment,Beatrice!” commanded a firm, but gentle voice. “I think you’refeeling a little faint yourself. It’s probably delayed shock.” Sheobeyedhimbecauseitwaseasiertodothatthanargue.

ThesamevoicetoldBorrilltofetchaglassofbrandyforMissDencey,whowasfeelingfaint.Thenthevoice’sownerhelpedhertositupandsipit.ShefoundshewasonceagainleaningagainstSerle’schest,buthadn’tthestrengthofwilltopullaway.Oh,thatshemighthavetherighttoleanagainsthimeverydayofherlife!Despairfilledher.

“Takeanothersip,ifyouplease,mydearfoolishgirl,anddon’ttrytospeakforaminuteortwo.”

Deargirl!He’dcalledherdeargirl.Herheartbegantopound.Whensheventuredto lookupathim,heplantedavery fleetingkissonherbrow,whichsentwarmfeelingsrunningthroughherbody.Shecouldn’thelpclingingtohishand.

“You’vebeenmakingamountainout of amolehill,Beatrice,”hesaidsoftly,hisexpressiontender.

Heplantedanotherkissonhercheekbeforeadding,“We’llfind

awaythroughthistanglewithoutupsettingyouraunt,Ipromiseyou.I’mnotgivingyouup.Andyouaregoingtomarryme.”

She stared at him for amoment, then gave in to temptationandleanedagainsthim,puttingonearmroundhiminthemostshockingly familiarmanner, feeling amazed at how natural thatfelt.“Youkeepcomingtomyrescue,”shesaid,withaghostofachuckle.

“You obviously need me around, then, or who knows whatother troubles you will fall into.” He could see her lips curvinggently intoasmileandputa fingerunderherchintomakeherlookupathimagain.“Weshallbemarriedassoonaspossible,”he continued in a voice that brooked no argument. “You can’tpossiblymanageeverythinghereonyourown.”Heputafingeronherlipstopreventherfromspeakingasheadded,“Ican’tbeartolivewithoutyouformuchlonger,mydarling.”

Tearsoverflowed fromhereyes. “Oh,Justin,howcan Ibesoselfishastoaccept?”shewhispered.

‘Howcanyou think I’dmarryanyone else?But Ido see thatyoucaredeeplyaboutyouraunt.’

“Especiallynow.”“She’sfailing,isn’tshe?”“Yes.““Blameitallonme.AndneverforgetthatIneedyou,too.”Herhandstoleup to caresshis soft,darkhair. “Doyou?Do

youreally?”“Oh,yes.Lifewouldbeunbearablewithoutyou.”“And - and do you really think we can do this without

upsetting my aunt?” Hope was growing in her and joy wasbeginningtosingalongherveins.

“I’m sure of it. Will you marry me, Beatrice? You haven’trepliedtomyproposalandI’mfeelingrejectedandforlorn.”

“Oh, Justin! I - “ She did not seem able to breathe properlywhenshewassoclosetohim.

Hisgriptightened.“Nomoreprevarication.Yesorno?”Shelookedupathimwitharadiantsmile.“Yes.Yes,ofcourse

I’llmarryyou,dearestJustin.”Shewassuddenlysurprised thatshe’devenconsideredanyothercourseofaction.Agreatweight

seemedtofallfromhershouldersasshespoke.A cough from the doorway made them both turn round.

Eleanor came in, shutting the door behind her and sayingwithmockseverity,“Dearme,Beatrice,aladyshouldnevershowherfeelingsinpublic!Orallowherselftobealonewithagentlemantowhomsheisnotrelated.”

Justinwouldn’tallowBeatricetomovefromtheshelterofhisarms. “You may be the first to congratulate us, MissImpertinence.”

EleanorsquealedandrushedtoplantakissonBeatrice’sface,hesitated,thenhuggedSerleaswell.“Oh,I’msoglad!Iwasatmywit’sendastohowtobringyoutwotogether!”

Two faces gaped at her and she said airily. “Well, I couldn’thelp but see how you both felt. I know Bea too well and yourfeelingsshowedsometimeswhenyoulookedather,MrSerle.”

“Impertinence is not a strong enough word for you, younglady!”Hesaidwithmockseverity. “Andmy friendsandrelativesusuallycallmeJustin.”

Shepulledafaceathim.“Justin,then.”“Eleanor, you won’t say anything until we can tell Aunt

Marguerite, will you?” Beatrice begged.” Not to anyone. Promiseme!Theslightestshockcouldkillher.”

ThelaughterleftEleanor’sface.“IsthatwhyyouwerebeingsonobleaboutSerleandme?Isshe-reallybad?”

Beatrice nodded. The two of them clasped hands, for thethoughtoflosingtheoldtermagantwho’dlookedafterthembothforthepasttenyearscausedapaintoodeepforwords.

ThedoorstartedtoopenandJustinmovedawayfromBeatriceas Mrs. Smeathley sailed in. “I came to see how you were,Beatrice,” she said. “We were worried about you, and it’s notseemly to stay here alone with a gentleman. Surely your maidshould have been summoned to attend you by now? In fact, Ithinkyoushouldgoand liedownuntilyouhaverecovered fromtheshockofyouraunt’sillness.”

Eleanor cleared her throat. “You don’t seem to have noticed,Mrs.Smeathley,butBeatriceisnotalonewithagentleman!I’mhere,too.”

“Youareanunmarriedlady.”“It’s very kind of you to worry,” Justin said, frowning at

Eleanor tomakeherkeepquiet, “but I thinkwe can leaveMissDenceytoherniece’stendercare.Allowmetoescortyoubacktothedrawingroom.”

He held out his arm in so imperative a manner that Mrs.Smeathleyobeyedhimmeekly.AtthedoorJustinturnedtosmilebriefly across the room at his love, his heart lifting at theanswering softening of her eyes, then he led the older ladyinexorablyout.

Beatrice,whowasstilllookingpale,agreedtogoandrestforawhile, so Eleanor escorted her to her room, left her in Tilly’sdevotedhandsandthenwenttolookforCrispin.Shecouldn’ttellhimBea’sgloriousnewsyet,butshewantedtobewithhimforawhile, until shehad grown accustomed to the thought of losinghergrandmotherinthenearfuture.

InsteadshemetAugustusSmeathley,paradingmajesticallytoandfroontheterrace.Hehastenedtowardher.“Mydear,myverydearMissGraceover,howisyourgrandmother?”

“Sleeping.Thedoctor gaveheradraughtand toldus to stopherfromdoingsomuch.It’sexhaustion,hethinks.”

“ShewishestoseeyousafelyestablishedbeforetheLordcallshertoHim.Onecanseethatsheknowstheendtobenear.”Hesaid this perfectly calmly, with no hint of regret or sorrowsoundinginhisvoice.

Eleanor foundthatbydigginghernails into thepalmsofherhandsshecouldpreventherselffromspeakingsharply.Takingadeepbreath,shemanagedtosaycalmly,“Doyouthinkso?She’ssaidnothingtomeaboutit.”

“Aclergymanhassomeexperienceofthetypesofthingswhichcauseconcerntothosewhosedaysarenumbered,”heintoned,asloudlyasifhewerepreachinginchurch.

Apassinggardenerstoppedtostareattheminsurprise.“Pray come for a walk among the roses,” she said hastily. “I

want to pick a bunch forGrandmamma’s room. Flowers alwayscheeroneup,don’tyouthink?”

“Indeed,yes.FlowersareoneofourLord’smostbeautifulgifts

to mankind.” He escorted her with measured steps to the rosegardensandassoonastheywereoutofsightofthehouse,hefellupononekneebeforeher. “MissGraceover, I cannotkeepquietanylonger.WordscannotexpresshowIfeel.SufficeittosaythatoneglancewasenoughtoshowmethatyouweretheoneaboveallotherswhomIshouldwishtotakeasmywife.”

“It was Beatrice you came here to meet,” Eleanor could notresistpointingout.

“Ibelievethatwasmentionedasapossibility.ButassoonasIsawyou,IknewtheLordhaddestinedusforoneanother.AndIcouldseeyoufeltthesame.”

Shestaredathiminamazement.Didhereallythinkthiswasthewaytoproposetosomeone?Ortospeaktothewomanhewassupposedtobeinlovewith?

“Although our fortunes are not equal,” he continued, hardlyseeming to lookather,gazingmostlyupat thesky, “Icanofferyouahighposition in theworld, for Ihave every expectationofbeingofferedabishopricinthenottoodistantfuture.”

“Oh,”sheexclaimed,claspingherhandsandgivingwaytohersenseoftheridiculous,“Iamnotworthyofsuchanhonour!”

Herosefromhiskneeandcarefullydustedhistrousers.“Haveno fear on that score, my dear girl. You may be young andinexperienced,butundermyguidance,youwilllearnallyouneedtoknowtosupportmeinlifeasawifeshould.”

Heseemedtotakeit forgrantedthatshe’dacceptedhimandwent on to describe the house he currently occupied, a mostsuperiortypeofresidence,thoughsmallerthanheliked,andthendetailedthegloriestobeexpectedofabishop’spalace.Hemadenoattempt to takeher intohis armsor even tokissher cheek,but expoundedwith immense enthusiasmupon the topic of hisowndazzlingfutureintheecclesiasticalhierarchies.

Shesoongrewboredwith thisanddecided that she couldn’tkeepup thepretenceany longer. “Imust retire tomy room. I’mquiteoversetbyyouroffer,MrSmeathley.”

“The femalemind is easily thrown into turmoil,”he said inakindly tone, nodding at her. “Fear not! Once we are married, Ishall protect you from all problems and guide you carefully

throughthemazesoflife.”“Ihaven’tacceptedyouyet.”“Ibegyourpardon?”Sheraisedhervoice.“Isaid:Ihaven’tacceptedyouyet.”Hestaredatherthroughnarrowedeyes,andthenblinked,as

ifseeingherforthefirsttime.She stared back at him and shook her head decisively. “Nor

shallI!”“Whatdidyousay?”“NorshallIacceptyou.”Sheenunciatedeachwordslowlyand

clearly. “You’re too old formeand far toomercenary.And,” sheadded,carriedawaybythepleasureofgivinghimawell-deservedset-down,“IshalltellBeaaboutyourproposalandbeghernottomarryyou,either.Well,shewouldn’tmarryanyoneIdislikedandbesides,Idon’tthinkshe’stakentoyouherself.”

Whenshesawhisfuriousexpression,sherealizedshe’dgoneabittoofarandwishedshe’djustofferedhimasimplerejection.Hetook a step forward, looking somenacing that she took a hastystepbackwards,feelingsuddenlyafraidofhim.

“Why,youlittle-“To her relief, she saw Crispin at the other side of the rose

garden and fled to his side, calling, “Cousin Crispin! Will youpleaseescortmetomygrandmother’srooms?”Shelaidherhandon his and nipped his arm imperatively. Taking the hint, heinclinedhisheadtoSmeathleyandledherawayrapidly.

They did not, however, return to the house, but went andwalkedupanddownneartheornamentalpool.

“Whatwasallthatabout,mightIask?”heaskedcurtly.“Whathasthatdamnedfellowbeensayingtoyou?”

“Well -um,hewas justproposing tome,” shesaid, trying tosoundairy,butonlymanagingtosoundasnervousasshefelt.

Crispin’svoicewassosternsheshivered.“I see. Well, you’ve certainly been encouraging him to think

you might favour his suit, so that was only to be expected!” Apause,then,“Anddidyouaccepthim?”

“OfcourseIdidn’t!”“Well,that’ssomething,Isuppose.”Buthistonewasstillcool.

“Infact,InotonlytoldhimIwouldn’tdreamofmarryinghim,butIs-saidIdidn’tlikehim,either,andwouldtellBeatricenottomarryhim.”Shewasbitingherlipassheadded,“OnlyafterIsaidthat-well,Ifeltabitafraidofhim.He’ssovery-large.”

“It never pays to tamper with someone’s affections, Eleanor.Eventhoseofafellowlikehim.”Heeyedherandsaidfirmly,“I’vebeen thinking thingsoverandhavedecided thatas soonas theDowagerhas recovered, I shall seekan interviewwithher -andtheearlier,thebetter.Icategoricallyrefusetocontinuewiththisdeceitanylonger!”

She had never seen him in this mood before. All she couldthinkoftosaywas,“Yes,Crispin.”

“Andmindyoudon’tstartflirtingwithanyoneelse!”Hespoiledthemasterful effect by smiling at her as he added, “Until we’remarried,you’reonlyallowedtoflirtwithme.Andafterthat,Ishallexpectyoutobeadutifulwife.”

“Oh, yes, Crispin,” she said enthusiastically and they bothbrokeintolaughter.

As they got to the south end of the water garden, Eleanorcouldn’t resist peeping through the hedge at the rose gardens.“He’sstillpacingupanddown,”sheannounced.

Crispin leaned forward to look and they saw Mr Smeathleypick up a piece of fallen branch and swish it viciously at aparticularly fine bush, sending a shower of blood-red petalsflutteringacrossthepath.

“What a despicable thing to do!” she muttered. “That’sGrandmamma’sfavouriterosebush.”

“Shh.Wedon’twanthimtoseeusspyingonhim.“Iwonderwhathe’sthinking.Hestilllooksangry.”Swish!went thestickandanother rosebush lost itsblooms,

thenMrSmeathley’sexpressionbecamethoughtfulandhetossedawaythestick.

“Comeaway,”Crispinsaid.“I’vehadenoughoflookingatthatfellowtolastmealifetime.”

Tenminuteslater,astheyweresittinginaleafyarbour,withhis arm round her shoulders, they heard footsteps and sawAugustusSmeathleypassbywithagrimair.

“What can he be doing?” she asked in astonishment. “Thatpathleadsonlytothewoods.”

“Whateveritis,youarenottointerfere!”heordered.Shepulledafaceathimandsubsidedagainsthimagain.But

theydidn’tseeMrSmeathleycomingback,thoughtheystayedinthearbourforquitealongtime.Andshecouldn’thelpwonderingwhathehadbeendoing.Andwhathehadbeenthinkingabouttobringthatlookofgrimdeterminationtohisface.

Dinnerthateveningwasabriefmeal,withlittleconversation.BeatricetookthefootofthetableandbeggedCrispintositatitshead,oppositeher.

Mrs. Smeathley couldn’t conceal her annoyance, for she feltthat, as the oldest lady present, she should have been awardedthis honoured position.What wasMiss Dencey, after all, but apoor relative? Consequently, she sat in majestic sulks for thewholemeal.

As no one else commented on the seating arrangements andeveryone treated Miss Dencey as the hostess, she was evenangrier with the young woman by the time the meal ended.Consequently, when her son asked for her help, she was quiteprepared to do what he wanted. Not that she approved of hisplans,buthewashersonandshewouldbegladtohelphimtoafortune-andanyway,itservedthatyoungwomanright.

Beatricebegged thecompany toexcuseher immediatelyafterdinner. “I wish to see how my aunt is feeling and checkarrangementsforhercareduringthenight.”

Eleanor, who was hoping to have a chat with Crispin, wentinto thedrawing-roomandbegan to play softlyupon thepiano,but Augustus stuck firmly close to the two of them, as ifdeterminedtopreventatête-à-tête.Hewasinsistentlyaffable,asiftheincidentintherosegardenhadneveroccurred,buthestillmadeEleanorshiverwhenhenarrowedhiseyesandlookeddownhisnoseatherinanassessingway.

JustinfollowedBeatricefromtheroomandmanagedtohaveaword alonewithher before she retiredbydint of simply pullingherintothelibraryandsweepingherintohisarms.

“I’msureIshouldn’t,”shesighed,leaningherheadagainsthis

shoulder.“I’msureyoushould,”hecountered. “Youmustbeworntoa

frazzle with the worry about your aunt on top of the strain offindingsomethingtosaytothosefools.”

“Youdon’t liketheSmeathleyseither,doyou?”Shesmiled inspiteofherworries.

“Can’tstandthem.Knowthetypewell.Thesonwillgetoninthe church, though not, perhaps, to as high a position as heexpects. He’s got an inflated opinion of his own worth, but animposingappearanceandaloudvoiceisn’tallittakestobecomeabishop.”

Sheshuddered.“Isometimeswonderifheisn’tquiteruthlessbeneaththataffability.”

Hestaredatherinsurprise.“Idoubtit.He’sshownnosignsofit, anyway. But what can he do to you, even if he is the mostruthless fellow on earth? You’re perfectly safe here in your ownhome.”

“Notwhathemightdotome,buttoEleanor.Shehasdefinitelyled him on, but I noticed at dinner she appeared to havecompletelylostinterestinhim,didn’tyou?Andheglancedatherangrilywhenhethoughtnoonewaslooking.”

“Ineverthoughtshedidhaveanyinterestinhim.”Hefrowned.“And she toldme she’d wagered with you that she couldmakehimbelieveshewasenamouredofhim.”

“Wageredwithme?”Heramazementwassopatenthefrowned.“Wagered!” she repeated, in a disgusted tone. “Do you really

thinkI’dencouragehertobehaveinsuchavulgarway?”“Thenwhatwassheuptowithhim?”“Idon’tknow,butIintendtofindout,Ipromiseyou!”ButEleanorwasn’tinherroomwhenBeatricewenttobed,so

shewasleftwondering.The followingmorning theDowagerwas feelinga littlebetter,

butthedoctor,whohadcalleduponherveryearly,refusedtoletherreceiveanyvisitorsandevenBeatricewasonlyallowedtogoinforaminutetoaskhowshewasfeeling.

“Tired,”sighed theold lady. “I thought I couldmanage itone

last time,but I can’t,Beatrice, I can’t.What arewe going todoaboutthemall?”

“Nothingatthemoment,”saidBeatricefirmly.“You’renotwellenough to thinkclearlyandas theguestsareno trouble tome,we’lljustleavethingsastheyareuntilyou’realittlebetter,shallwe?”

LadyMargueritenodded,her eyelidsalreadydrooping towardsleep.

Beatrice watched her for amoment, nodded to Lippings andtiptoedout, feelingas if theworldwere topsy-turvy.She’dneverseenherauntquiescentlikethisanditterrifiedher.

Duringbreakfast,SmeathleywassoattentivetoBeatricethatshecouldn’t fail torealizehewasnowcourtingheragain.Whenherequestedthatshewalkwithhiminthegardens,shemadeanexcuseofhavingalottoattendtoinheraunt’splace.Somethingabout theway he looked at hermade her feel nervous of beingalonewithhim,shecouldn’tunderstandwhy.Heputherinmindof a stable cat stalking an unsuspecting bird. Only she wasn’tunsuspecting,thankgoodness.

LaterinthemorningAugustusSmeathleytookhimselfoffintothewoodswith a gun, but thatwas the only period of relief forBeatrice.HewassoassiduousinhisattentionstoherfortherestofthedaythatshebeggedJustintostaynearherandnotallowSmeathleyachancetobealonewithher.

LikeEleanor,shewasbeginningtofindhimmorethanalittlefrightening. While Justin was with her, she could dismiss herfears,butwhenshewasalone,theyreturnedtotormenther.

The followingday, theDowagerwas somuchbetter that shestarted demanding to get up again. As the weather had turnedshoweryandthewholehousefeltdamp,Beatriceandthedoctorboth felt shewould be better keeping to herwell-heated rooms.However, they did allow Crispin and Justin each to visit herbriefly,atherrequest.

Crispin tookone lookat thepale sunken faceandknew thiswasnotthetimetopresshissuit.

It was Justin who left her looking happier, for he chattedquietly of his home and of his closest neighbour, her

granddaughter,Jennice.HeevenmadetheDowagersplutterwithlaughterseveraltimes.

“Howdidyoudoit?”Beatriceaskedhimafterwards,forshe’dbeen listening outside the door and was awed at his skilfuladdress.

“Thesecretistotreatoldladiesasiftheywerestillyoung,”hetold her with a smile. “Did you think that age rendered themimpervioustoalittleattention?”

“MyAuntMarguerite?”“Evenyouraunt.She’sveryproudofhavingoutlivedmostof

hergeneration,youknow,andofstillbeing in fullpossessionofherfaculties.”Hesmoothedthefrownfromherbrowwithagentlefingertip.

She gasped and clutched him as that feathery touch sentsensationsflutteringaroundherbodyandmadeherfeelsuddenlyshortofair.

Hegaveheraquickkissonthecheek.“Don’tworry,mylove.Youraunt isonthemendnowandwill lastawhile longer, longenoughtowatchusmarry,Ihope.”

“Ifwecankeepherfromshocksandannoyances.”“We’lldothat.”Shestared intohis eyes, still astonished thathe shouldcare

forhersodeeply,andashisarmsopenedtoher,movedintothemwithout hesitation and rested her head against his shoulder,feeling as if she had reached the only safe refuge in the wholeworld.“Ihopeso,Justin.”

Theystayedlikethatforseveralmomentsandneitherfelttheneedtospeak.

Somehow the rest of the day crawled past. The weatherworsened, with grey skies and more showers, quite in tune,Beatrice thought,withhermood.Howeverwas she to bringherauntroundtotheideaofJustinasahusbandforherselfinsteadof for Eleanor? But she now knew that she would marry him,whateverhappened.Shecouldn’tevenimaginealifewithouthim,soquicklyhadhebecomeapartofher.

Shortly after Beatrice had retired to her room that evening,therewasaknockonthedoor.ShegesturedtoTillytoanswerit

andcontinuedtobrushherhair,anactivitywhichalwayshelpedhertothinkclearly.

“It’sanotefromMrs.Smeathley,Miss.”Tillyheldoutascrewofpaper.

“Oh,bother,whatdoesshewant?I’veonlyjustlefther.”Beatriceopenedthenote,readitwithafrown,thenlookedat

themaidinpuzzlement.“Shewishestoseemeimmediatelyuponamatterofextremeurgency.Well,youcanjusttellhermaidthatI’vegonetobedandcan’tseeanyoneuntilthemorning.”

“ThemaidtoldmeMrs.Smeathleywasalreadywaitingforyouinthelibrary,Miss.Shedidn’twaitforananswer.”

Beatrice scowled into themirror, then sighed. “I suppose I’llhavetogodowntoher,then.Sheisaguest,afterall,thoughwhyshe had to wait until now to speak to me, I don’t know!” Shepulled her hair back and tied it with a ribbon, examining theresult in the mirror. “That’ll have to do. Don’t wait up for me,Tilly.IcaneasilymanagetoremovethisdressmyselfafterwardsandIknowyou’retired.”

Shewhiskedoutoftheroomwithoutwaitingforananswer.Tilly began to tidy up the rest of the room, then sat down

stubbornlytowaitforhermistress.Downstairs, no one was waiting in the library and Beatrice

looked round in puzzlement. She heard a sound outside andrealizedthattheFrenchwindowswereopen.Itseemedastrangetimeforanelderlywomantotaketheair,butthen,shefoundtheSmeathleys a strange family. She shook her head irritably andwentouttoinvestigate.

Before she had realized what was happening, some thickmaterialwasthrownoverherheadandaheavyhandmuffledhermouth. The whole operation was conducted so rapidly andskilfully that she had no time to scream before hermouthwasfilledwithchoking layersof clothandshewasdragged forward,awayfromthehouse.

Amazementasmuchas fearpreventedher fromstrugglingatfirst,butthensherealizedthedangershewasinandtriedtofreeherarmsfromtheencumbrance.Whenshecouldnot,shebitthehandthatheldhermouth.Avoicecursedandsomeonecuffedthe

sideofherhead,makingitspinforamomentortwo.Herattackercontinuedtodragheralongtheterrace.

With fear mounting, Beatrice struggled desperately, but theman holding her was immensely strong and her efforts were invain.Afteraminuteor twoshewas thrown facedownupontheground and he pressed her head against the damp earth withwhatmustbehiskneewhileherhandswere tied firmlybehindherback.

She suspected there was more than one assailant, but theclothblanketedoutsoundaswellassight,soshehadnoideaofwho theywere.Somethingwas tiedover thematerialacrosshermouth,whicheffectivelypreventedherfrommakinganythingbutthemostmuffledofnoises.

This leftonlyher feet freeandshe tried touse them,kickingout vigorously.At one time, she felther right footmake contactwith something soft and a yelp issued from her mysterykidnapper,whichgaveherabrieffeelingofsatisfaction,butapartfromthat,hewasverymuchincontrolof thesituationandtiedupherfeetnext.

She feltpanicsurgingup.Whatdid thispersonwantofher?Whywouldanyonewanttokidnapher?

She was picked up and slung face down over someone’sshoulder,thenhebeganmoving.Shecouldhardlybreatheforthestifling layersofclothand terror filledher,assherealised therewasnothingshecoulddotofreeherself,thatshewascompletelyinhispower.

Afterafewminutesofintensediscomfortandjolting,shewasdumpedonthegroundagainsohardthatshecouldonlylietherefor a moment, feeling disoriented and helpless. There was thesoundof a door opening and shewasdraggedunceremoniouslyintowhatfelt likesomesortofbuilding.Thedoorslammedshutandshewasleftalonewithherfears.Throughouttheattack,herkidnapperhadn’tsaidawordand thatseemed tomake itall somuchmoresinister.

She could only lie on the cold floor and wait for somethingdreadfultohappen.

Whowasdoingthis?

Whentimepassedandnothingfurtherhappened,shebegantorecover a little from her fright and grow angry. The darknessseemed suffocating beneath the thick folds ofmaterial, but shetoldherselffirmlythatshe’dmanagedtobreathesofarinsideit,soshewasn’t likelytochoketodeathnow.Sheforcedherself totake deep, even breaths and gradually her heart stoppedfluttering.

Foratime,shestruggledagainsttheropesbindingherwrists,butinvain,fortheyweretiedtightlyenoughtobiteintoherflesh,sosheabandonedthat.

Hermindkeptdarting fromone thing toanother in themostdisorientedway.Aheroineinanovelwouldn’thavebeencaughtoutlikethis,thoughaheroinewouldprobablyhavefaintedfirst,then done something ingenious andmaking her escape againstimprobableodds.

Only thiswasn’tmake-believe andBeatricewas beginning torealisehowhelplessonereallywaswhenone’shandswerefirmlytiedbehindone’sback.

Sheheardthedooropenagainandatoncefrozewhereshelay,makingaquickdecisiontopretendtobeunconscious.Butnoonetouched her. She strained her ears and thought she heard thesoundofascuffleandgruntsasiftwomenwerestrugglingcloseathand.A cry, then something fell againsther skirts. Thedoorslammedagainandshedistinctlyheardaboltbeingshotfromtheoutside.

If shehadbeenable to, shewouldhave shriekedwith terrorwhenshefeltsomeonemovingonthegroundbesideher,butthegagpreventedthis.Handsgropedacrossherbody,butsheforcedherself to lie still. Thehands reachedherheadand toher reliefbegan to unfasten the gag. When the stifling material wasremoved,avoiceaskedinthedarkness,“Whoareyou?”

Toherastonishment itwasAugustusSmeathley’svoice.Thatdidn’t make sense, so she continued her pretence of beingunconscious.Thewayhishandsrovedacrossherbodyincreasedher fear and bewilderment, for thiswasn’t theway a clergymanshouldbehavewithanunknownandunconsciousfemale.

Whenthehandslingeredandbegantocaressherbreasts,she

decideditwastimetowakeup.“Uhhh.WhereamI?”sheasked,annoyedthatshecouldthinkofnothingmoreoriginaltosay.Tohergreatrelief,thehandsstoppedtouchingher.

“MissDencey!Isthatreallyyou?”“MrSmeathley!”“ItisindeedI,dearlady.”“Wherearewe?”“Inagardenshed.Weappeartobeprisonershere.Areyouall

right?Theyhaven’thurtyou?”“I’mnothurt,butmyhandsaretiedbehindmyback,andmy

feetaretied,too.Canyouunfastenthem?”He fumbledwith the ropes for amoment and freed her feet,

thenmovedtoherhands,butstoppedquitequicklyandsaid,“I’mafraidtheseknotsaretootight.”

Her intuition told her that his presence here was nocoincidence and the feeling persisted that he must have beeninvolvedinthekidnapping.Itmadeasortofsense,ifhewerenowintendingtomarryherinsteadofEleanor,shesupposed.Hewasunsure of her and wished to compromise her. Well, whateverhappened,shewouldnotmarryhim!Shewouldassoonmarryatoad!Sooner!

“Howdidyoucometobehere?”sheasked,judgingitsafertobehaveasthoughshebelievedwhathetoldher.

“I saw a stranger, an uncouth-looking man, behaving in asuspiciousmannernearthehouse,soIfollowedhim.Imusthavemadeanoise,becausehewaswaitingformebehindthisshed.Ifearheoverpoweredmeandcastmeinside. IamamanofGod,notapugilist!”

“Butwhyshouldanyone lockmeuphere in the firstplace?”shedemanded.“Whatcouldhewantwithme?”

There was a silence, then he suggested dubiously, “Ransom,perhaps?”

“Ihavenomoney!”“Butyourauntisanextremelyrichwoman.”Beatricesuckedinherbreath.“Andshe’sasickone,too.The

shockofthiscouldkillher!MrSmeathley,I’vegottoescape!”“Wemustprayforguidance.”

Shegaveanangrysnort.“Well, I’dfinditeasiertoprayifmyhandsweren’ttiedbehindmyback!”

“Theknots-“hebegan.“Whydon’tyouseewhetheryoucanfindsomethingtocutthe

ropeswith?”sheaskedtartly.“EvenamanofGodshouldbeabletodothat!”

“It’sverydarkinhere.”“Your hands aren’t tied, so you can surely feel your way

around? Theremust be something sharp that you could use tosawattheropes.”

Shedarednotlethimseethatshesuspectedhimofarrangingthis.Shewaited impatiently,hearinghim fumblingabout in thedarkness. What if he left her tied up and then assaulted herperson? The mere idea of him touching her again in that waymadeherfeelill.

“I’vefoundsomethingsharp,”hesaidatlast.“It’ssomesortofgardenimplement,Ithink.”

Andyou’venodoubt realizedhowsuspicious itwould look ifyoudidn’treleaseme,shethoughttoherself. “Thankgoodness!”she said aloud. “Oh, Mr Smeathley, my arms are hurting somuch.”

As he pulled her into a sitting position, his hands againstrayedbrieflyacrossherbody.Shesaidnothingandhebegantosawatherbonds. Itseemedto takea longtime,butat lastshefelt the bindings slacken.When they fell away and she tried tomove,shecriedoutinvoluntarilyaspainshotupherarms.

“Prayallowmetomassageyourarms,MissDencey,”hesaidinathroatyvoice,hisbreathhotonhercheek.

“Keepaway!Imean,thankyou,MrSmeathley,butthere’snoneed.” She was only too conscious of the size of the bodysupporting her and was sure he could easily overpower her,whether she was bound or not. “Thank you for your help, butsensation is returning tomy limbs and I canmove onmy ownnow.”

The arm round her shoulders was not removed. “Howeverbraveyou’retryingtobe,mydearMissDencey,afemaleinyourcircumstances must be terrified. Allowme to comfort you until

youareyourselfagain.”“Oh, Ialwaysrecoverquicklywhen I’vebeenkidnapped,”she

said as lightly as she could. She pushed away from him andmanagedtostandupbeforehe’drealizedwhatshewasdoing,buthe did the same and, to her mingled fear and frustration, shefoundherself trappedinthecornerofthehutbyhis large,well-fleshedbody.

“I’m afraid you may faint, Miss Dencey. Too sudden amovementcouldbedangerous.Oryoumighttripoversomethinginthedarkness.”

“Praymoveback!Suchclosecontactbetweenusisunseemly,MrSmeathley,”shesnapped,losingpatience.

“MygivennameisAugustus.”“IprefertocallyouMrSmeathley.Wearen’trelated.”Stillhedidn’tmoveaway.“Whateverwesayordo,”hepointed

out,“thiswholesituationishighlyunseemly,andI’mgladyou’verealized that. A young unmarried woman alone at night with aman towhomshe isnot related isashocking thing, evenwhenthemanhappenstobeaclergymanwiththepurestofintentions.However, you need not worry. I shall, of course, marry youafterwards. I candono less. Your goodname is quite safewithme,mydearBeatrice.”

Shepushedpasthim. “Ineed tomovearound,sir, to restorethe circulation inmy limbs.” She didn’t dare tell himwhat shethought of his offer. As long as she kept up the pretence ofbelievinghistale,shemightbesafe.Shebumpedintoashelfandcriedout involuntarily.Alargehandgropedforherandshewasfirmlyseizedagain.

“Areyouallright,mydearBeatrice?”Thearmagainslidroundhershouldersandoneofhishandslingeredquiteopenlyonherbreast. “Ah,” breathed a voice in her ear, a voice husky withpassion,“youareaverywomanlycreature.”Thehandcontinuedtocaressher.

Shetriedtopullawayfromhim,buthewasfarstrongerthanshewas.

Chapter14

First half an hour, then an hour passed and Miss Beatrice

didn’t return to her room. Her maid became more and moreworried.SurelyMrs.Smeathleycouldnotbekeepinghermistresstalkingforsolongatthishourofthenight?

Tillywentcautiouslyoutintothedarkcorridorfromwhichledthe main bedrooms used by the family, and crept along it,listeningatdoors.

There was a light in the suite occupied by Mr and Mrs.Smeathleyandthemurmurofvoicesfrominside.Thelightwentout. A short time listening at the door confirmed that husbandandwifewereboththere,settlingdowntosleep.

TherewascompletesilenceatMissEleanor’sdoor.Tillyreturnedtohermistress’sbedroom,fidgetedaroundfora

minuteortwomore,thenlitacandleandwentoutagain.Asshemade her way downstairs by its flickering light, the suits ofarmourmadehershiver,becausethemovingshadowsmadethemlook as if theywerewaiting to pounce, but she swallowed hardandpressedon.Letitnotbesaidthatshehadfailedhermistressintimeoftrouble.Shefeltquitesuresomethingwaswrong.

The house was silent, full of dark shadows and rustlingsounds.At thebottomof thestairs,Tillypausedto listenagain.Nothing.

Shegropedherwaytothefrontdoor,butitwasbolted.WherewasMissBeatrice?

Shewenttolistenoutsidetheoldlady’sroomsonthegroundfloor.Uttersilence.

Evenmoreworriedthanbefore,shetiptoedbackupthestairs,again checked her mistress’s room, but found it as empty asbefore.

ShewenttolistenoutsideMissEleanor’sroomagain,butthat,too,wasdark and therewasnot even ahint ofmovement frominside.

As she turned to go back to hermistress’s room, she saw a

manstanding in the shadowsbehindher and jumped in terror,sagginginreliefwhensherecognizedhim.

“Bequiet!”hewhispered.“It’sonlyme!”“Oh,MrSerle!”Sheclutchedherbreast,forherheartwasstill

pounding,andtriednottosobaloudinshock.“Shh.Whatareyoudoingcreepingroundthecorridorsatthis

hourofthenight,Tilly?”“IwaslookingforMissBeatrice,sir.Shehasn’tcomeback!”“What!Wheredidshego?”“DownstairstospeaktoMrs.Smeathley.Anotecame,asking

forher.”“Whobroughtthisnote?”“Mrs.Smeathley’smaid,sir.Butthatwasoveranhourago.”Justinstoodmotionless foramoment, tryingtoworkout the

implicationsofthis.“Wherecanshehavegone?”“That’swhatIwastryingtofindout,MrSerle.Iwenttolisten

outside Mrs. Smeathley’s bedroom and I heard her and herhusbandspeaking,soshecan’tbethere.Ievenwentdownstairstocheck.”

“I heard you coming back up the stairs. Look, we can’t talkhere.Let’sgobackinsideMissDencey’sroom.”

Once there, Tilly explained again about themessage, ending,“... and I’m ever so worried, sir, for it’s all dark and locked updownstairs, even near her ladyship’s rooms, so where canMissBeatricehavegotto?”

“Idon’tknow,butIpromiseyouI’llfindout.I-““What’swrong?”Eleanorwas standing in thedoorway inher

nightgown,withacloakclutchedaroundher.“Andwhere’sBea?”Serleturnedtofrownather.“Shh!That’swhatwe’retryingto

workout.”“Youmean-she’smissing?”“Yes.”Eleanorstaredathiminamazement.“Butshecameuptobed

agesago!”Anotherformappearedinthedoorway.“OhCrispin,Bea’sdisappeared!”Eleanorthrewherselfintohis

armsandheclaspedhertohim.

Intersephrases,Justinexplainedthesituation,asfarastheyknewit.

“We’dbettergoandlookoutside,then,”saidCrispininacalm,matter-of-facttone.“Shecouldhavegot lockedout.Comealong,Eleanor.Youknowthehouseandgroundsbetterthanwedo.”

She refrained from pointing out that if Bea had been lockedout, she would only have needed to knock on the door to gainadmittance, since Borrill’s room was downstairs in this old-fashionedestablishment.

Theycreptdownandwentoutthroughthelibrary,tryingnottomakeanynoise.Astheystartedexploringtheterrace,quicklyestablishing that there was no sign of Beatrice out there, thebutlerwokeupandjoinedthem.

Serlehaddifficultyhidinghisfrustrationastheyweredelayedfor yet another explanation when Beatrice could be in gravedanger.

However,Borrill’spresenceproved tobeanadvantage, forheslipped back inside and came out with three storm lanterns,whoselightwasagreatimprovementontheflickeringcandlesthetwomenwerecarrying.

They all spread out along the terrace and started to searchmorecarefully.

ItwasCrispinwhodiscoveredbrokentwigsandleavesnexttooneofthebushes,withanoverturnedpottedplantnearby.

Justin examined the evidence, his expression becominggrimmerandgrimmer,thenhewentfurtheralongthatsideofthehouse,wherehefoundmarksinthesoftearthnearaflowerbed,asifsomethinghadbeendraggedalongtheground.

Careful scrutiny of the area, with lanterns held close to theground, revealed large footprints leading away from the house,withslidemarksalongsidethefirstdozenorso,thenajumbleofmarks,thennothingbutthelargefootprints.

“Someone’s been dragged along here, I reckon,” said Borrill.“Lookatthosemarks,MrHerforth.Andtheystoppedhere,millingaround. I reckon they picked Miss Dencey up and carried herafterthis.”

No one argued with his unspoken assumption that Beatrice

had been kidnapped, but Eleanor clutched her beloved’s handandfoundcomfortinthewayhegaveitaquicksqueezeandkeptholdofit.

“Yes,”heagreed.“I’dsayyouwereright,Borrill.”“Wheredoesthispath leadto,Eleanor?”demandedSerle,his

voicesharpwithanxiety.“Well,nowhere,really.Justtosomesheds.”“Showme!”Clutchinghercloakaroundher,Eleanor ledthewaythrough

theshrubbery,holdingCrispin’shandquiteopenly.Withhisfreehand, he held one of the lanterns up to light their way. “Thatmust have beenwhereMr Smeathleywas going yesterday,” shewhispered.

“I only hope we’re in time,” he said, then could have kickedhimselfwhenhesawherlookevenmoreanxious.

“Ifhe’s touchedBea, I shall findoneof grandfather’sduelingpistolsandshoothim,”shesaidthroughgrittedteeth.

Hesqueezedherhand. “Noneed. I rather fancywecan leavehimtoSerle.”

Her eyes brightened and she looked sideways to see thatSerle’s lips were a tight, bloodless line and his free hand wasclenchedintoafist.

The sheds proved a disappointment, for they were empty ofanything except garden implements and sacks. Frustrated andafraid for Beatrice, Serle prowled round the bushes behind thehutsandthenreturned,onlytostopdeadinhistracks,frowningasifinthought.

“Wherecanshebe?”askedEleanorloudly.“Shh!” Serle’s whisper was so ferocious that everyone fell

silent.Hestoodinalisteningposture,thenlookedatCrispin,whowasalsolistening.“Didyouhearsomething?”

“I’mnotsure.Overthere,doyouthink?”“Yes.” They listened again in silence, then Justin said, “I

definitelyheard something that time. It sounded like awoman’svoice.”Themere thought thatBeatricemightbe insomesortofdistressmadehimsetoff in thatdirection,withoutbothering tofindoutwhethertheotherswerefollowinghim.

Walking in single file now, they pushed their way along anovergrownpathand found that it led them toanotherhut.Thisonehaditsdoorfirmlyboltedfromoutsideandhadalargekeyinthelockaswell.

“Hello?” Justin called, banging on the door. “Is anyone inthere?”

Frominside,someonecried,“Oh,thankgoodness!”Thevoicehadadistinctquaverandatthesoundofit,Justin

thrusthis lantern intoEleanor’s hand and threwhimself at thedoor, tearing back the bolt and nearly ripping the door off itshingesasheflungitopen.

HesnatchedthelanternbackfromEleanorandthrusthiswaythroughthenarrowdoorway,callingalmostimmediately,“ThankGod!She’shere!”

When he came out a moment later, he was supportingBeatrice,whowasclingingtohimopenly.

Eleanor threw herself at them, embracing her cousin andJustin indiscriminately. “What happened? Oh, Bea, we were soworriedaboutyou!Oh,thankgoodnessyou’resafe!”

Beatrice shivered and pressed against Justin. “I wasabducted.”

Eleanor stared at her for a moment, then gasped, “Like inCressida’sRevenge?”

“Itwasn’tatalllikethosestupidnovels!”snappedBeatrice.“I’llhaveyouknow,Eleanor, thatwhenone’shandsare tiedbehindone,it’sjustnotpossibletowrigglefree.Norcanonespiritoneselfthroughaheavydoorthat’sboltedontheotherside!”

“Oh!”Eleanor’stonewasfaintlydisappointed.“Andwhat’smore,onecan’tscreamforhelpwithamouthfull

ofgag.Infact,adventuresarenotatallpleasantinreallifeandIhopeIneverhaveanotheroneaslongasIlive!”

“I’llmakesureyoudon’t,”Justinpromisedquietly.Eleanor looked so disappointed that Crispin burst out

laughing. “There you are, then,my love. I feel exactly the sameway about adventures, so you’ll just have to be content with amundanelifefromnowon.”

Agroanissuedfrominsidethehutandtheyallfroze.

“What’s that?” Crispin demanded, amusement vanishing. “Istheresomeoneelseinthere?”

“Oh,IforgottomentionthatSmeathleyislyingonthegroundunconscious,”drawledJustin,noteventurningroundtowardthehut.“Howdidthathappen,Beatrice?”

Hisbelovedbegantofidgetwithhiscoatbuttons.“I’mafraidIhithimovertheheadwithaflowerpot.I-um,IseemtohavehithimabitharderthanIintended.”

Eleanorgapedather.“Butwhy?”“Because he’s the one who kidnapped me and,” Beatrice

blushed,“becausehewasbehavingimproperly.”CrispinputonefingertiponEleanor’slips,andshookhishead

towarnhernottopursuethispoint.“I dare say he has a thick skull,” Justin said savagely. “It

certainly looks thick. Let’s leave him to recover on his own.”Though the fellowdidn’t deserve to comeout of thisunscathed,andJustinhadeveryintentionofcomingbackoncehehadseenBeatricesafelytoherroomtoteachhimasharplesson.

Crispinwenttopeerintothehut.“Hishandsappeartobetiedbehindhisbackaswell.”

They all turned to stare at Beatrice. “Well, he kept trying toforce his attentions on me and telling me we’d have to getmarried!As if I’dmarryhim!So Ihithimon theheadwith thefirstthingthatcametohandandthentobesure, I tiedhimupwithastripofmypetticoat.”

Forallhisanger,Justingaveasnortoflaughter.Crispin’schuckleechoedit.“Well, that sounds just as good as any heroine in a novel to

me,”saidEleanorapprovingly.“Howverybraveofyou,Bea!”“Itwasn’tbravery, itwasdesperation.”Beatriceshudderedat

thememoryofSmeathley’shandsonherbody.“As if I’d let you marry anyone else, whatever happened!”

Justindrewhercloserandkissedhercheek.“How did you both get in there in the first place?” Crispin

staredatthehut.“Sincethedoorwaslockedfromtheoutside,Igathertheremusthavebeensomeotherpersoninvolved?”

“Ididn’t seeanyoneelse,but Idid think therewere twomen

involved. Smeathley pretended he’d been following an intruderwho’d overpowered him, but Justin, I’m sure he was the oneresponsible for me being kidnapped, even if he didn’t do ithimself.”

Justin’s eyes took on a fierce gleam.He set her gently asideandtookasteptowardthehut.

Beatricegrabbedhiscoatanddraggedhimback.“Pleasedon’thit him any more! I think he’ll have a very sore head in themorningandthat’ssurelyenough.”

His voicewasharshwith suppressed rage. “A sore head,mylove,isnotnearlyenoughpunishmentfortryingtocompelyoutomarryhim.Orforforcinghimselfuponyou.Youmusthavebeenterrified!”

Shenodded,swallowinghard. “Iwasat first.Later Igrewtooangrytobeafraid.”

Hesmiledatthat.“Likethetimeyouchasedthatpickpocket?”Her answering smile shut out the rest of the group. “A little

likethat.”Thenhersmilefaded.“ButJustin,thinkforamoment!Ifwedoanythingtobringhimtobook,AuntMargueritewillgettohear of it. She’ll be furious and that wouldn’t be good for her.Justin,please!Letthematterdrop!Forhersake!”

Crispinhadcomeoutof thehutasshewasspeaking. “She’sright, you know. We don’t want the old lady upset, especiallynow.”Hegrinnedroundatthem,“However,there’snoreasonwhywe shouldn’t leave Smeathley in there overnight to cool off. I’veremovedhisbondsandwecanlockthedooragain.Idaresayoneofthegardenerswill findhiminthemorningifheshoutsloudlyenough.”

Eleanorbroketheirstartledsilencebygurglingwithlaughter.“That’s not a mundane sort of thing to do, Crispin! That’s awonderfulidea!”Shegazedathimadoringly.“Howverycleveryouare!”

Borrillcoughed.“Ifyouwouldtrustmewiththekey,sir,IcanensurethatMrSmeathleywillbefoundbysomeonewhowillnotpay much attention to what he says. We have a gardener, OldHenry,who isverydeafandbad-tempered.”HegazedblandlyatCrispin.

“An excellent idea!” said his future master, passing over thelarge,rustykeythathadbeeninthedoor.“We’dbeverygratefulforyourassistancethere,Borrill.Infact,you’vebeenofgreathelptoustonight.Ishan’tforgetthat.”

“It’sbeenapleasure,sir.Weservantsare,ifImaysayso,veryfondofMissBeatrice.”Hebowedinherdirection.“Andyoumaybe sure that no word of this will get out from myself or MissHulls.”

“Iwon’t say aword.” Tilly drewherself proudlyupright, thensaw her mistress shiver. “But I do think we ought to get MissBeatricebacktoherroomnow,sir.She’scold.”

Justin nodded. “You’re perfectly right. And she doesn’t evenknowyetthatsheowesherrescuetoyou,Tilly.”

Aseveryonemadeapprovingnoises, themaidstareddownatherfeetinpink-cheekedembarrassment.

“Thankyou,Tilly,”Beatricesaidwithawarmsmile.Justin turned to the butler. “I’ll be down again in aminute,

Borrill, if you couldwait. I need to discuss a smallmatterwithyou.”

“Certainly,sir.”Borrillshothimaspeculativeglance.Crispinlookedfromonetotheother.“Needanyhelp,Serle?”“No, thank you. I prefer to manage this on my own - with

Borrill’sassistance.”JustinbegantodrawBeatricegentlytowardthehouse.As theywalked,hebent closer toher toaskquietly,“Willyoubeallrightnow,mylove?”

She smiled at him. “Oh, yes. I’m not the sort of person tosuccumbtohysterics.”Sheyawned.“Infact,I’mexhausted.”

“Besuretolockyourbedroomdoor.”“Yes.I’lldefinitelydothat.”Shelaidherfreehandonhisfora

moment,marvellingathowstrongaman’sbodycouldfeel.“Iwish-“hebegan,thenclosedhismouth.“So do I,” she said softly, not needing to be told what he

wished.Foramomenttheystoppedmovingtostareintooneanother’s

eyes,thenhemurmured,“Youwon’tkeepmewaitingforlong,mydarling,willyou?Wecangetmarriedverysoon,can’twe?”

Hervoicewasslightlybreathless.“Assoonasyoulike,Justin.”

Eleanor, shamelessly eavesdropping, jabbed her elbow inCrispin’sribsandbeamedathim.BehindhersheheardTillysighsentimentallyandwhensheglancedsideways,shecouldseethateventhenormally impassiveBorrillhadallowedhimself tosmilefondly.

Thenextmorning,Justinwokejustbeforedawnandmadehiswaydownthebackstairsveryquietly.Ashepassedtheservants’hall,Borrillcameout,carryinga lighted lamp,andthetwomennoddedtooneanother.

“I thought I’d deal with Smeathley now,” Justin said quietly,butwithanedge tohis voice. “It’s light enough to seewhat I’mdoing.”

“One of the footmen has spent the night outside the pottingshed,withinstructionsnottospeaktoMrSmeathleyortoallowhimoutuntilIgivepermission.I-um,tookthelibertyofwarningMichael,who is a strapping young fellow, thatSmeathley’smanmighttrytoreleasehismaster,andIpromisedtherewouldbeasmallgratuityforMichael’strouble.”

“Excellent.”Justinraisedoneeyebrow.“Shallwego,then?”“Yes,sir.”The footman was sitting on a garden chair, with his back

againstthedoorofthepottingshedandhisarmsfolded,buthejumpedtohisfeetwhenhesawthem.

“Notrouble,Michael?”Borrillasked.“I have heard a few strange sounds from time to time, Mr

Borrill.Soundedasifsomeonewasshoutingforhelpfrominsidetheshed.”Hesniggered.“ButIpaid‘emnoattention,justasyousaid.NorIdidn’tchaseafterthepersonwhochuckedafewstonesatme,either.”Helookedupattheskyandeasedhisshoulders.

“Thankyouforyourhelp. I’dbegrateful ifyou’dnotmentionthistoanyone.”Justinslippedacoinintohishand.

Michaelbetrayedhispleasureatthislargessewithabeamingsmile, then, as Borrill frowned at him, his expression becameimpassiveagain. “Thankyouverymuch,sir. Iwasglad tobeofuse.”

NotuntilthefootmanwasoutofsightdidJustinmovetowardsthesheddoor.“Doyouhavethekey?”

“Yes,sir.”“Ishouldbegratefulifyou’dpreventanyonefromintervening.

Unlessthere issomethingwrongwithmyhearing,wehavebeenfollowedouthere.”

“Thereisnothingatallwrongwithyourhearing,sir.Andyoucanrelyonmetowatchyourback. Iamnot, if Imaymaketheclaim,aweakling.”Hepresentedthekeywithadistinctflourish.

Justintookit fromhim,butbeforeheopenedthedooroftheshed,hebangedonitseveraltimeswithoneclenchedfist.

There was the sound of movement from inside and a ratherhoarsevoiceyelled,“Help!I’mlockedin.”

As Justin flung the door open, Smeathley staggered out,lookingdrawnanddishevelled,withahugepurplebruiseonhisright temple. “Serle! I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you!Someone hit me over the head and lockedme in the shed lastnight,and-“

“Iknowexactlywhathappenedlastnight.”Smeathleygrewverystill.“And if you ever mention one word of Miss Dencey’s

involvement, I shall make it my business to blight your wholefuture career in the church. I happen to be the godson of yourBishop-andIhavecertainotherconnectionsinhighplaceswhowould be shocked to hear of your unconscionable actions. It isonly to protectmy futurewife’s name that I am refraining fromaddressingthismatter.”

“Sir, I deeply regret to tell you that you aremistaken in thelady’scharacter.Sheledmeon.She-“

Not for one seconddidJustindoubtBeatrice’s versionof thepreviousnight’sevents.SuchfurysizzledthroughhimatthisliethathedrewbackhisrightarmandpunchedSmeathleyonthejaw,puttingallhispent-upangerintotheblow.

As the man staggered backwards, Justin followed up byanotherpunchtothefellow’ssoftbellywithhisleftfist.“Onlytheworst sort of scoundrel would impugn a lady’s honour,” hedeclaredinringingtones.

With a soft “Oof,” Smeathley folded in themiddle, staggeringbackwards inacrab-likepostureandseemedtobeexperiencing

somedifficultyinbreathing.Hewasbroughtshortbythewalloftheshedandmoanedaloudashehuddledagainstit.

Amanrushedoutofthebushes,brandishingabigstick,butBorrillmovedquicklyforwardandstuckoutoneleg,trippinghimup and snatching themakeshiftweapon fromhim. “Stay out ofthis,you, ifyouknowwhat’sgoodforyou.”Hekeptthestick inhis hand and so fierce was his expression that themanservantcrawledbackwardsbeforestandingupagain.

“Standupandfaceme,youscoundrel!”Justinmovedforwardagain, clenched fists raised and ready, butAugustusSmeathleymade no attempt to fight back, only cowered against the shedwall.

“Iam-amanof-thecloth,”hemanagedtopleadinahoarsevoice,seemingtohavedifficultybreathingproperly.

When Justin took another step forward, Augustus shrankawayfromhim,holdingonearminfrontofhisface.

“Coward!”Smeathleyturnedhisheadawayandsaidnothing.Justin let his fists drop, feeling cheated. “If I ever hear that

you’ve so much as mentioned Miss Dencey’s name in public, Ishall find you,” he said slowly and with savage emphasis, “andmake you extremely sorry. Physically sorry. Whether you fightbackornot.”

“All adreadful -mistake,”Smeathleywheezed. “Assure you -notsayanotherword-completemisunderstanding.”

With a snort of disgust, Justin took a step backwards andbeckoned Smeathley’s manservant forward. “Take yourself andyourmasteraway fromSatherbyAbbeyasquicklyas youcan -anddon’tevershowyourfaceshereagain.”

Hestoodwitharms folded,hisexpressiongrim,watching thetwomenmoveslowlytowardsthehouse.Hisexpressionlightenedintoa slightly twisted smile ashenoted thatSmeathley seemedstill tobehavingdifficulty in standinguprightandwas, indeed,leaningratherheavilyonhismanservant.

“Nicepairofpunches,those, if Imaysayso,sir,”Borrillsaidmildly.

Justinflexedhislefthand,wincingalittle.

“Areyouhurt,sir?”“Justascratchor two.Smeathley’sdamned fobwatchgot in

thewayofthesecondpunch.Idoubtit’llevertellthetimeagain,though.”

Borrillexchangedcomradelygrinswithhim,thentookadeepbreathandtransformedhimselfintoabutleronceagain.“I’llsenda message to the stables to have their horses saddled andwaiting.”However, he so far forgot himself as to add, “Iwonderhowhe’llexplainthebruises?”

“Justas longashisexplanationsdon’t includeMissDencey.”Justin let out his breath slowly. The mere thought of whatSmeathley had tried to do to Beatrice the previous night madehimwanttochaseafterthefellowandbeathimtoapulp.

ThankingBorrillagainforhishelp,hestrodeofftothehouseto get ready forwhat promised to be an interesting day.By thetimeitwasover,heintendedtohavesetadateforhismarriage.And no one was going to prevent him, not even an autocraticelderlylady.

WhenCrispincamedowntobreakfast,Eleanorpokedherheadout of the door of the small parlour andbeckoned imperatively.BeforeCrispincould joinher,however,Borrillmoved forward toreportinalowvoicetohisfuturemasterthatthetwounwantedguestshaddepartedpost-haste soonafterdawn. “MrSmeathleyleft a note for her ladyship, but it was delivered to her roomsbeforeIcouldinterceptit,I’mafraid.Ihopehedidn’tsayanythinguntoward.”

Justin camedown thestairs just thenandCrispin turned towait forhim.Withamutterof impatience,Eleanordartedoutoftheparlourtotugbothmeninside.Shethenclosedthedoorandpressed herself dramatically against it. “You’re not getting anybreakfastuntilyou’vetolduswhathappenedthismorning.”

Beatricecametorangeherselfbesideherniece.“Iagree.”“This isn’texactlyatale for ladies,”Justinobjected.“Butyou

canrestassured thatSmeathleyhasdeparted inhaste -and insomediscomfort.”

“Didyouhithimhard?”Eleanorasked.Beatrice gasped and took hold of Justin’s left hand, which

displayed some signs of bruising across the knuckles. “You’rehurt.Whathappened?”

“Onlyafewscratchesandabitofbruisingwherehisfobwatchgotinthewayofmysecondpunch.Itwaswellworthit.He’llbefeelingrathersoretoday,Ipromiseyou.”

Eleanor clapped her hands together gleefully. “Oh, I wish I’dbeentheretoseeit.”

“SodoI!”saidBeatrice.“Dearme,”saidCrispin.“Ihadn’trealizedhowbloodthirstyyou

twoladieswere.”JustindrewBeatricetooneside,hiseyessearchingher face.

“Didyoumanagetogetsomesleep?”“Notmuch.Butthatdoesn’tmatter.”Heraisedherhandtohislips.“Itmatterstome.Infact,your

welfareismymainconcerninlifenow.”Eleanor nudged Crispin as Beatrice stared up at Serle with

whatcouldonlybedescribedasaglowinglook.Crispin took the opportunity to put his arm round his own

beloved’sshouldersandgiveheraquickhug.Thebreakfastgongsoundedafewsecondslaterandbothpairs

ofloversbrokeapart.Eachgentlemanofferedhisladyanarmandtheystrolledtowardsthediningroomtogether.

Therewasverylittleconversationduringthemeal,thoughtheolder Smeathleys did wonder what urgent church business hadcalledtheirsonawaysosuddenlyastheyate theirwaythroughplatespiledhighwithfood.

The four lovers held a conference of war in the libraryimmediatelyafterthemeal,theproblembeing:howcouldthetwogentlemenbestapproach theDowager toask forherpermissiontomarryhernieceandgranddaughter?

“She must never know what Augustus Smeathley did,”Beatrice insisted. “She’s taken a dislike to him and will neverinvitehimorhisparentshereagain.Thatmustbeenough.Andshe won’t,” she blushed slightly as she looked at Justin, “haveanyreasontotryanymorematch-makingofherownafteryou’vespokentoher.”

“Definitelynot.”Hissmilewasacaressinitself.

But they still could not agree on the best approach. Crispinwasall forbeingcompletelyhonestwithher ladyshipaboutwhowishedtomarrywhom.

Justin thought they might approach the matter with somedelicacyanddelaythefinalannouncementoftheirintentionsforadayortwo.

The two ladies were trying to work out how to spare theirelderlyrelativeanysuddenworryorupset.

Before a decision had been reached, Borrill brought asummonsfromherladyship.“HerLadyshiprequestsMrSerleandMr Herforth to present themselves at her private sitting roomimmediately.”

There was a moment’s silence, then, “How did she look,Borrill?”Beatriceasked.

“Somewhatbetter,Ibelieve,miss.”“I’mcomingwithyou,Crispin!”Eleanordeclared.“No.Let’sseewhatshewantsfirst.”“But I’m best at getting round her! In fact, I’m the only one

whocanmakeherdoanything.”Heeyedhersternly.“Notthistime,mylove.Thistimeweshall

dothingsmyway.”Beatrice intervened. “He’s right, Eleanor! You know how she

hates it ifanyonedisobeysherorupsetsherarrangements.Shemusthaveareason forwanting tosee them.We’llhave to leavehertodothingsherownway,orwe’llonlymakemattersworse.”

Eleanorscowledat themboth,butcouldn’tmaintainherbadhumour for long. “Oh, verywell! But do hurry back as soon asyoucan,Crispin,forI’mdyingtoknowwhatshewants!”

Thetwoladiesfidgetedaroundforthenexttwentyminutesorso,speculatingastowhatcouldbehappeningintheEastWing,thenatlastthebutlercametosummonthemtojointheothers.

“Is my grandmother all right, Borrill?” demanded Eleanor,refusingtostandonceremonywithhim.“Doesshelookangryorupset?”

“Herladyshipseemstobeinanexcellenthumour,miss.”Beatrice andEleanor exchangedbewildered glances.Did that

mean shehad agreed to their betrothals, or had thematter not

yetbeenbroached?Theyentered theDowager’s rooms to findJustinstandingby

thewindow andCrispin sitting on a couchbeside her ladyship.Justinshookhisheadatthem,whichtheytookasawarningtosaynothing.

“Howareyou,Grandmamma?”askedEleanor,bendingtokissthewrinkledcheek.“Youlookmuchbettertoday.”

“I’ll be better still when the other two Smeathleys have left.Thatyoungupstartoftheirswrotemeamostimpudentletter,nottomentiondepartingwithouttakinghisleaveofme!Well,he’llnotbe invitedhere again!None of themwill! In fact, I shall cut theconnection.They’reonlyrelatedbymarriage,anyway.Theremustbebadbloodintheirfamilysomewhere.What’stheworldcomingtowhenaclergymanflirts likethat?I’veagoodmindtowritetothe Archbishop to tell him not to do anything for that youngfellow!”

“What exactly did Mr Smeathley say in his letter?” askedBeatricewhenherauntstoppedtodrawbreath.

“Hehadtheimpudencetotellmethathedidnotwishtoofferfor either of the two young ladies - as if I’d have let himmarryyou,onceI’dgothismeasure!-becausehedidn’tfeeltheywouldmakesuitablewivesforaclergyman.Theimpertinenceofit!”

When she started rapping the cane on the ground toemphasize her point, Beatrice realized her aunt must be muchbetter,andthat,farfromdamagingherhealth,Smeathley’sletterhadquiteinvigoratedher.

“Andhesaidhehadtakenhisleavethiswayinordertosparetheyoungladiesanyembarrassment,”addedherladyship.“Asifwecouldhaveanythingtobeembarrassedabout!”

“Spare us embarrassment!” exclaimed Eleanor, highlyindignant.“Why,that-“

“ImustsayIdidn’tcareforhimmyself,”Beatriceinterrupted,pinchingEleanor’sarm,afraidofwhatherniecemightblurtout.“Infact,Ifoundhimagreatbore.”

“Hmm! Andwhat about you,miss?” demanded theDowager,turning toEleanor. “Itseemed tomeatonestage thatyouwererathertakenwithhim!”

“Oh,thatwasjustagame.”“Game, eh?” She nodded in sudden understanding. “And I

supposeyoutoldhimso-whichiswhyhetookahuff?”“Well,whenheproposedtome,Ihadtorefusehim.”Eleanor

stared down at her feet, “And - well, I suppose I might havespokenabittoofranklyaboutmyfeelings.”

TheDowagernodded in satisfaction thather guesshadbeencorrect and cast a regretful look at Serle. Shewould have beenpleased tomarryhim toher granddaughter.At least shehadn’terredthere.Hewasagentlemanofbirthandbreeding,unliketheotherfellow.“That’llbewhatupsethim,then!Cantinghypocrite!Andwhatdoyoumeanby flirtingwithanyone,miss?YouareaGraceover,notakitchenmaid!”

“Iwas justpractising,Grandmamma,”Eleanorsaid,allwide-eyedinnocence.“Itdidn’tmeananything.”

“Practising flirting!” spluttered theDowager. “Persons of rankand breeding do not even consider indulging in such tastelessbehaviour! If I ever catchyoudoingsomethingso ill-bredagain,miss,I’llteachyouhowtoflirt,Iwillindeed!”

Eleanor casther eyesdown,but thisdidn’t preventher fromlookingsidewaysatCrispin.Shegotnohelpfromthatquarter,forhewasdispleasedwithheraswellabouttheflirting.

“Anyway,that’salloveranddonewith!”LadyMargueritesaid,changing tone and addressing the two young women moretemperately. “What I’vedecidedupon foryour futures isn’twhatI’d firstplanned,but it’lldo,yes, it’lldo tolerablywell,giventhecircumstances, and I’ll thank you two chits to do as you’re toldabout this.”She fell silent andstared round the room, studyingthemallthroughnarrowedeyes.

“What have you arranged, Grandmamma?” Eleanor asked asthesilencecontinued.

“Ihavedecided,miss,thatyouhadbettermarryyourCousinCrispin.Ifyoumustflirtinfuture,youwillkindlydosowithyourownhusband.Though Ipersonallyhadratheryoubehaved inamannermoreinkeepingwithyourstationinlife.”

Eleanorsaidnothing,onlyputtingherheadononeside,asifshewerethinkingtheproposalover.

The Dowager, never famous for her patience, waited only aminute, then snapped, “Well, what do you have to say to that,hey?”

Crispin cocked an inquiring eyebrow at his beloved, grinningopenly.

“Mmm,” said Eleanor thoughtfully, “I suppose it might justanswer.”

“Mightjustanswer!”TheDowagerglaredather.“It’saperfectsolution,giventhatSerle’saffectionshavesettledelsewhere!YourmarryingCrispinwill keepGraceover blood at Satherby, even ifthenamehastochange.You’retomarryhimatonceandnomorearguments,miss.Mightjustanswer,indeed!”

Eleanor pouted. “Well, I don’t think that’s fair at all,Grandmamma!”

“Not fair! What’s not fair about it? You just said yourself itmight answer. Make up your mind, young lady! Make up yourmind! Iwon’t force you into anything youdislike, buthe seemsfairly presentable to me and you don’t seem to object to hiscompany.He’swilling,that’sforsure.”ShestaredatCrispin,andcackledwithlaughterasheflushedunderheropenscrutiny.

“It’s not the idea of marrying Crispin which is unfair,Grandmamma,”Eleanor said, allwide-eyedstill. “In fact, I quitelikeit.ButIdon’tappreciatethewayyou’rebothgoingaboutit.How do you think it feels when one’s grandmother does theproposing?Can’thespeakforhimself?”ShepulledacheekyfaceatCrispin.“Idon’tthinkit’sfairatallifI’mnottohaveaproperproposal,onbendedkneeand-andeverything!”

Crispin had difficulty keeping his face straight and Justinchuckledaloud.

Even the Dowager’s lips twitched. “And is that your onlyobjection,miss?”

Eleanor lookedatCrispin, pretending to considerhimashergrandmotherhad.“Well,he’snotbadlooking,really,andIshouldrather like to stay at Satherby. But I do insist on a properproposal.I’dfeelcheated,otherwise,Ireallywould.”

TheDowagerletoutarustyspurtoflaughter,whichshetriedunsuccessfullytoturnintoacough.“Thenyou’dbettertakeher

away and propose properly, young Herforth! And see that youmakeagoodjobofit,too.Bendedkneeandall.”

“Yes,AuntMarguerite.”Heheldouthishand toEleanorandwith a quick sideways glance at him, she placed hers in it andallowedhimtoleadherfromtheroom.

TheDowagerwatched them leave, then turned toBeatrice. “Igather,”shesaiddryly,“thatyouandSerlehavealreadycometoanunderstandingofsorts.”

Beatriceblushed.“I’mafraidso.I-Ihopeyoudon’tmindtoomuch, Aunt Marguerite. I didn’t mean to spoil your plans andbecomeattachedtohim.Itjust-happened.”

“Ishouldhaveknownyou’ddosomethinglikethiswhenIsentyou to London without me. If Johanna couldn’t keep her owndaughters in order, why should she manage it with you? Still,you’ve done quitewell for yourself, Imust say. Itwill be a verygoodmatch.”

Justin made her a flourishing bow in acceptance of hercompliment.

The Dowager’s eyes were gleaming with suppressedamusement. “You’ve done better than your father did, that’s forsure, Beatrice. Serle is not only a man of breeding, but hasenoughmoney, I gather, tomake comfortable settlements uponyouand your children. Iwouldn’t agree to themarriage, else! Ifthingsarenotdoneproperly,thenextgenerationsuffersforit.Asyoudid.”

Beatrice’s facewasnowbrightscarlet.“AuntMarguerite!”sheprotested,embarrassedbythisbusinesslikeattitude.

“It’strue,miss,asyouwellknow.Nousedenyingthefacts.”JustincameacrosstotakeBeatrice’shand,smilingatherina

way thatmadeherbreath catch inher throat. “I think you canrelyuponmetokeepmattersonaproperfooting,yourladyship.Beatriceis,alas,incurablyromantic,butatleastshehashadthegoodtastetosettleheraffectionsonmeandnotonsomelowbornfellow.”

Beatricebarelysmothereda laughasher joysuddenlybegantooverflow.

“True, true! I brought her up to knowwhat she owes to the

family.” The old lady brandished her cane at them. “I supposeshe’ll complain as well if I say anymore. You’d better take herawayandmakeheraproperproposal,Serle.YouandIwillsortoutthebusinessarrangementslater.”

“Anexcellentidea,yourladyship.”Neitherof themnoticedtheDowager’s lipstwitchingorheard

thehoarselittlechucklethatescapedhercontrolasshewatchedthemleave.“Whodotheyallthinkthey’refooling?”sheaskedtheair aroundher as she rang forhermaid. “I’mnot inmydotageyet,thankyou!”Still,althoughtheoutcomewasnotwhatshehadplanned,shewaswellpleasedwithit.

When Lippings came in, she found Lady Marguerite stillchuckling,andthisdevelopedintosuchaheartyboutoflaughterthatherladyshipfellintoachokingfitandhadtohaveherbackpounded as if she were a common sort of person and not amemberofthenobility.

Justin shepherded Beatrice from the room with the greatestcelerityandpulledherintothelibrary.Theminutethedoorwasclosedbehindthem,hegatheredherinhisarms.

Sheheldhimoffforamoment,inmockanger.“Howonearthdid you persuade her to agree?” she demanded. “Yes, and howdare you speak about me like that! Good taste to settle myaffectionsonyou,indeed!”

But before she could take him to task, he had drawnher tohimandsilencedherwithanurgentkisswhichleftherfeelingsobreathless that she could only cling to him for a moment andwonderthataman’stouchcouldsetherwholebodytinglinglikethis.When shehad taken a few careful breaths, she demandedweakly, “Well, aren’t you going to propose to me properly, MrSerle?”

“Justin.”Shesmiled.“Justin,then.”“DearestJustin,even?”Sheblushed,butrepeatedthewordssoftly,hereyessteadyon

his,“DearestJustin.”“I rather thought I had already proposed,my darling. But if

youinsistonanother...”hepaused,smilingdownatherinaway

thatmadeherheartlurch.“Willyou,”hepunctuatedeachphrasewithagentlekissonalternatecheeks,“marryme-andnextweekplease-ifnotsooner?”

“Oh, I think I’dbetter!” shegasped, clinging tohim inaveryunladylike manner, “and yes, yes, as soon as possible, if youplease, for I’m developing a strong desire to embrace youwheneverI’malonewithyou,andthatsortofbehaviorwillneverdobetweenpersonswhoarenotmarried!”

He brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and lookeddown at her very seriously, still clasping her lightly around thewaist.“DearestBeatrice,areyousure?”

Shedidn’t try toavoidhisglance,but lookedhimstraight intheeyes.“I’mverysure,Justin.”Thenhersmilereturned,forshehadnever felt so gloriouslyhappy in all her life. “Mind, I’ll onlymarryyouifyoupromisenottothrowmeintoanymorepools.”

Hethrewbackhisheadandroaredwithlaughter,thenpulledher into his arms again to kiss her passionately. “I promisenothing,” he said in ahusky voice, “except to love you for ever.AndIdemandthesamepromisefromyou.”

In fact, considering theywereallpersonsof thehighest rankand breeding, there was an extremely vulgar display of feelingsandaffectionthatdayatSatherbyAbbey,andeventheDowagerstartled her maid several times by giving sudden cackles oflaughterfornoapparentreasons.

Copyright©1992byAnnaJacobsOriginallypublishedbyRandomHouseAustraliaElectronicallypublishedin2010byBelgraveHouse/RegencyReadsALLRIGHTSRESERVEDNoportionofthisbookmaybereprintedinwholeorinpart,byprinting,faxing,E-mail,

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