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will be several hours after the departure of the Prince Regent" "What do you mean? What are you saying?" Petrina asked. Even as she asked the question she saw all too clearly what Lady Isolda intended. It would be quite understandable that a newspaper, if they knew of it, should report that the Prince Regent accompanied by Lady Hertford had dined at Staverton House. It would also be of considerable interest to the gossip-loving Beau Monde if they learnt that Lady Isolda Herbert had stayed on afterwards and had not returned to her own house until the early hours of the following day. There was no doubt of the construction that would be put upon the prolongation of her visit, and the Earl would be forced to make honourable amends for the damage to her reputation by offering her marriage. Petrina had her suspicions as to where the Earl had been the night he had caught her climbing down the drain-pipe with the stolen letters. She knew that Lady Isolda's house was only a short distance from his own, but while the Earl might walk home unnoticed, Her Ladyship would drive with all pomp and ceremony from the front door of Staverton House and her servants as well as the Earl's would be aware that what the newspapers reported was true. The Earl's bed-room in the East Wing overlooked the garden, and perhaps, Petrina thought, Nicholas Thornton would be watching for the light in that window while the others in Staverton House were dark. It was just the sort of idea that someone like Lady Isolda Herbert would think up, which she knew would force the Earl into marriage simply because it would be impossible for him to do other than the honourable thing. Petrina had learnt since coming to London of some of the unwritten but very stringent rules by which Society regimented its members. A gentleman could drink himself under the table, own an astronomical amount of money, and have innumerable love-affairs with ladies and anyone else he fancied, but he must not offend the Social Code. This protected a lady's reputation, and Petrina knew that the Earl, if he offended, would be forced by public opinion to make retribution. It was a clever plan, but at the same time everything she felt for him cried out against it. The Earl had told her with his own lips that he had no wish to marry Lady Isolda or anyone else, and she believed him. It was only jealousy that had made her suspect, during the last few days when Lady Isolda's groom was continually knocking on the door, that he was weakening in that resolve. Now that she had learnt that he was being pressured into doing what he had no wish to do, she knew she must save him. Her thoughts were turning over and over in her mind, but she had not spoken, and after some moments of silence Nicholas Thornton said a little anxiously: "I hope you will help me." His words seemed to come to Petrina out of a fog and she thought frantically that while she had to help him she must somehow prevent him from doing anything which would hurt the Earl. "How much is Lady Isolda paying you?" she asked. "Ten sovereigns," Nicholas Thornton answered. "I will give you twenty," Petrina said quickly. "It is kind of you, Miss Lyndon, and of course I accept," Nicholas Thornton replied, "but I still have to have a story. My whole future is at stake!" "A story! A story!" The two words seemed to repeat themselves over and over in Petrina's brain. Then slowly an idea seemed to form itself piece by piece as if it were a jig-saw puzzle and she said aloud: "If I give you twenty pounds and a really good story, will you promise not to mention the Earl in any way, especially in connection with Lady Isolda?" "A good story?" Nicholas Thornton questioned. "A very good story," Petrina replied. "Whom does it concern?" "The Duke of Ranelagh." "He is news. Anything about him would certainly be acceptable." 'Then listen to me . . ." Petrina said, lowering her voice. * * * "Are we going to Ascot?" Petrina enquired of the Dowager Duchess. The Dowager Duchess shook her head. "Not to stay. I hope you will not be disappointed, dearest child, but I really could not attend the races for three days without being completely exhausted." "No, of course not," Petrina agreed. "I thought we might drive down for the Gold Cup," the Dowager Duchess said, "to back Bella as Durwin will expect us to do." 'That would be delightful," Petrina agreed. But she could not prevent herself from asking: "Will he drive with us?" The Dowager Duchess shook her head. "No, he is staying at Windsor Castle. The Prince Regent likes to have him there and we are not included in the invitation." The Dowager Duchess's voice was slightly spiteful as she added: "I would not really wish to have Lady Hertford patronising me and showing off that she is the hostess. I find it impossible to tolerate that woman!" "Then it is a good thing we are staying in London," Petrina said with a smile. "We have already been invited to luncheon in the Royal Box on Gold Cup day," the Dowager Duchess said. "You will find that amusing, and you will be able to wear that pretty gown you bought last week." "That will be lovely!" Petrina enthused. But as soon as she was alone she dashed off a note and told a footman to take it to an address which made him raise his eye-brows when he was out of her presence. Two days later, when the Earl had left for Windsor Castle, driving his team of black horses and looking extremely dashing in a new Phaeton painted in the yellow and black of his family colours, Petrina received a reply to her letter. She read it, concealed it in her reticule, then went to the Dowager Duchess's Sitting-Room. "Have you anything particular planned for this evening, Ma'am?" she asked. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |