Sweet Hoyden (11 page)

Although she was touched by his declaration of devotion, Pandora was obliged
to conceal her amusement. "Dear Francois, I would not on any account have
you do that."

'You would have no choice, madame, for it is certain I would not first ask
your permission."

'It would pain me a great deal if you drew Ashe-ville's cork, and if, as is
like to be the case, he hurt you, then I would be distraught, and I am certain
you would not wish for that."

Frangois marched angrily toward the door. "Oh, it is not to be borne.
You are laughing at me."

'No, no!" Pandora hastened to assure him.

'You think I am just a boy, when in reality I am a man. I brought my sister
to safety out of
France
,
so I do know a little about these things."

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. "Oh,
dear," Pandora lamented, "I have succeeded in alienating the both of
them now."

'They will recover," her friend assured her, "but you must know, you cannot remain Louise de Chambray forever."

Pandora's eyes sparkled. "I don't believe it will be for much longer.
Asheville
is almost on
the point of committing a great indiscretion, and when he does, I can reveal
myself to him as his wife. Oh, the glory of it. I can scarce wait. In any event
he and I planned to hold our first Grand Ball in February, so he needs must
reinstall me in

Hanover Square

some time before that date."

A moment after, there came a knock at the door and a footman entered bearing
a large basket of flowers and fruit.

Rosamond gasped at the magnificence of it. "How
lovely."

'It is for Madame de Chambray, my lady," the lackey informed her.
"It has just arrived."

'Which one of your admirers, I wonder," Rosamond murmured.

Pandora laughed. "I have almost forgotten what it is to receive a token
of a gentleman's regard, for when I wed
Asheville
,
I was resigned to no longer having admirers."

'A mere marriage cannot stop gentlemen admiring you. You are like to have
more than before. When you wed, you left a good many gentlemen to wear the
willow."

Pandora went to take the card from the basket. "They're from
Asheville
. I might have
known. It is typical of his extravagance." A moment later she gasped and
Lady St. James said wryly, "Flowers from one's husband. How
unique."

Again Pandora gasped, and when she looked up, her eyes were filled with
panic. "
Rosa
, the note states he has gone
out of town for a few days. What can it mean? If he is gone to Brocklesby… ?"

'Then there is nought you can do about it if he has already left."

Pandora took a deep breath. "Indeed, you are correct. If I left now
for Brocklesby, I could not get there before him. What am I to do now? All will
be up, and long before I am ready."

In the face of her friend's panic Rosamond rose from the daybed and pulled
at the bell rope. "Let us see if we can discover more of the matter."
When a servant arrived shortly afterward, she asked, "Is his lordship
still at home?"

'I believe he is, my lady."

'Be pleased to ask him to wait upon me without delay."

Some few minutes elapsed before Roderick St. James appeared. "Rosa, my
dear, I was just about to leave for Boodles. What is it that is of such import
to delay my departure?"

His wife smiled placatingly. "Dearest, only look what Lord Asheville
has sent to Louise."

'Very nice," he murmured, scarcely giving it a glance.

'We were never more surprised to learn he is gone out of town,"
Rosamond went on. "I presume you knew of his departure."

'He did make me aware of it, yes, together with his regrets at, er"—his
face grew pink—"not being able to see Cousin Louise for the few days it
will take him to complete his business."

'I suppose he is anxious to see dear Pandora at Brocklesby Hall."

All the while the conversation was ensuing, Pandora stood at the window
looking out into the street below.

'I suppose so," Lord St. James replied, glancing uncomfortably at
Pandora, who was pretending not to be listening to the conversation.

'You must do more than suppose, dearest," his wife insisted. "I am
persuaded you know exactly what he is about."

'He didn't inform me of his movements, Rosa. You know
Asheville
can be as close as oak when he so
wishes. What is to you, in any event?"

'Curiosity, my dear, and naturally, Cousin Louise wished to thank him for
his token. We wondered when he will be returning to
London
."

'I do know he'll be back for Monday," her husband said with sudden
certainty, taking out his gold hunter and glancing at it before returning it to
his waistcoat pocket. "I called in at

Hanover Square

this morning, as a matter
of fact, to confirm that
Asheville
would be back in time to accompany me to a mill at Clapham Fields. His house
steward believes he is gone to
Newmarket
."
He glanced once again at the apparently uncaring Pandora. "He has three
horses in training there, not to mention all the breeding stock. Well, I
suppose he is bound to call in at Brocklesby Hall on his way back."

Rosamond and Pandora exchanged glances, and to Lord St. James's surprise, he
was all but knocked over by the two ladies, who made a very fast and
exceedingly undignified exit from the room.

EIGHT

It was almost dark when Lord Asheville's traveling carriage passed through
the gates of Brocklesby Hall and bowled at a spanking pace along the elm-lined
driveway. The great porticoed ediface loomed out of the gloom as he approached.
Lights were to be seen in several windows, and a thin plume of smoke curled
into the sky from each of the chimneys, giving the house an air of welcome.

The earl was greeted at the door by his house steward, Wilson, who took his
lordship's caped greatcoat, hat, and cane as he welcomed his master most
effusively. A fire in the hearth of the cavernous hall was a warming sight,
and the earl held out his hands toward it.

'A fire is lit in the drawing room, my lord,"
Wilson
informed him, "and Cook has
taken the liberty of preparing a cold collation."

'I ate on the road," the earl explained, "but you may bring up a
bottle of champagne." The man was about to do his master's bidding when
the earl added, "And fetch two glasses while you
are about it."

'Two, my lord?"

The earl smiled urbanely. "That is correct. One for
me and one for Lady Asheville. Where may I find her?"

The house steward began to look uncomfortable. "I'm afraid her ladyship
has retired early this evening, my lord. According to her abigail
she was suffering the headache and has taken laudanum. She left orders not to
be disturbed."

'That is exceeding odd,
Wilson
,
for there could be no one to disturb her prior to my arrival, and she had no
warning of that."

'No, indeed, my lord," the house steward answered in a baleful voice.

'However, I am persuaded it is unlikely she would wish to miss my brief
visit. Bring the bottle,
Wilson
,
and the glasses. I shall take them up to her myself. The champagne cannot fail
to raise her spirits and banish even the most severe of headaches."

The earl waited patiently in the hall in front of the fire, his hands
clasped behind his back, until
Wilson
returned with a silver tray bearing a bottle and two glasses.

Before relinquishing the burden to his master, the house steward cleared his
throat. "
Henderson
made mention of some accounts requiring your consideration, my lord. They are
set out in the library for your perusal, and I can send word for
Henderson
to come up to
the house immediately, seeing as you intend to remain only a short while."

'There is no need to trouble his evening rest, Wilson. The morrow will be
soon enough. I shall not be leaving here at the crack of dawn, you may be
sure."

'Very well, my lord," Wilson answered resignedly.

The earl hurried up the stairs, balancing the silver tray in one hand while
he knocked at the door of his wife's bedchamber. There was no reply, but
undaunted, he gently opened the door and slipped inside.

'Pandora," he whispered as he closed the door behind him.

Again there was no reply or any movement in the four-poster bed. Heavy
velvet curtains had been drawn to shut out the encroaching night, and the only
light in the room came from the embers of the fire.

The earl placed the tray on the bedside table and with one hand drew back
one of the curtains of the four-poster. Lying in the
center of the bed, clad in a satin bedgown, her red hair fanning out over the
pillow like a cloud, Pandora stirred gently.

He whispered her name once again, and this time her eyes flickered open.
When they focused on him at last, they registered extreme shock and she shrank
away in fear.

'
Asheville
,
what… ?"

'Don't be alarmed. I have only just arrived. How is your headache, my
dear?"

'My… ? Oh, gone, quite gone." All at once she
was totally awake. "
Asheville
,
what are you doing here?"

His lips quirked into a smile. "Why should I
not be here? It is my home, remember."

'I am well aware of that," she responded, displaying no pleasure at
seeing him. "I also realize all the diversions you are missing in
London
, and would not
want that for anything. I trust it is not concern for me that prompts this
visit."

'Your welcome is so fulsome, I am in danger of being overwhelmed by
it," he told her, his voice heavy with irony. "I had hoped you might
be pleased."

'I beg your pardon, but you must see that this is the greatest shock to me. Quite an unexpected honor."

The earl began to pour some champagne into the glasses. "
'Tis nothing to get into a pucker about, Pandora. I was visiting my stud
at
Newmarket
and decided to call in here on my
way back to
London
.
I was scarce diverted from my route."

'I am indeed honored," she told him sarcastically.

He handed her one of the glasses, which she was tempted to refuse, but then
she sat up against the lace-edged pillows and accepted it from him with an
ironic smile.

'We must make a toast, Gareth." She raised her glass. "To the success of your stud."

'How are you faring, Pandora?" he asked a moment later.

'How kind of you to inquire. Time passes here with
such speed, I scarce have a moment to spare. 'Tis quite amazing how busy I am."

'You surprise me," he told her as he sipped the champagne.

'I'm amazed you doubt it. I have never hemmed so many handkerchiefs, and my
eyes are grown quite red from all the reading I do. I had never appreciated
Mrs. Radcliffe before, but be sure I do now. Moreover, I am very well occupied
dispensing largesse among your tenants. Shame on you; you are exceeding
neglectful of your duties here."

'So bountiful. That pleases me very much, for a
caring Lady Asheville is precisely what is needed here."

'I own it is difficult to follow your dear mama, for she is regarded as
something of a saint, but I contrive very well, you may be sure."

'I dare say, with such an excess of activity, you have little time for
anything else."

'Oh, indeed, I do! On clement days I often embark upon botanizing
expeditions. You must see my prodigious collection of leaves before you go. It
will astound you."

'How improving," he said, draining his glass,
and it was his turn to be sarcastic.

'As you may observe, the good country air has had a great beneficial effect
upon me."

He smiled as he gazed down at her in the half light. "Yes, I can see
that is so. You look very beautiful, Pandora."

'As I recall, it was not a lack of beauty that prompted you to banish me
from all I enjoy."

He sank down onto the counterpane at her side and put his glass on the
table. "Can we not be done with this nonsense, Pandora? The truth is, I have found life tedious without you."

It was her turn to smile. "Oh, I am persuaded you have been much too
occupied for such feelings. I do receive correspondence from
London
, you know, so do not seek to gammon
me."

'Do not believe all you are told."

'I assure you, I believe only the half of it."

As he put his hand on her shoulder, caressing it gently, Pandora continued
to sip her champagne, apparently heedless of his touch, which in truth did
affect her. His hand traveled upward to caress the silky softness of her hair
before he cupped her chin in his palm and turned her face toward his, causing
her heart to beat faster.

When she was forced to look at him, he said softly, "I cannot believe
you are so indifferent to me. You never were before."

'You have not used me so ill before," she replied in a husky voice that
almost betrayed her true feelings.

'I am willing to forgive you," he whispered, his lips close to hers.

'Forgive me!" she protested, and he jerked away from her. "I have
done no wrong."

'It appears your sojourn in the country has not improved your temper, my
dear."

She could no longer meet his gaze and, instead, averted her eyes. "I
cannot forget the wrong you have done me or the anguish I have been obliged to
suffer ever since."