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Thus adjured, Maidie resumed her former chair as Lord Delagarde walked across and took a seat on a little sofa that faced the fire. She eyed him surreptitiously, aware that he was watching her. Not, she dared say, with any degree of approval. Not that she wanted his approval. If there had been any other option open to her, she would have felt much inclined to abandon her scheme, for she was sure he was going to prove difficult. He was evidently a man used to having his own way, and all too likely to give her a great deal of trouble.
The thought faded from her mind as Lady Hester came to the end of the letter she was reading, and spoke.
‘It is Dorinda’s hand, I can vouch for that.’
‘I never doubted it,’ said Delagarde. ‘I hope I can recognise my own mother’s handwriting. What of it? You have not heard the half of this ridiculous story. Here is this female—’
‘Lady Mary, you mean,’ interpolated his aunt.
‘If she is Lady Mary—’
‘Oh, I think there can be no doubt of that.’
‘Thank you,’ put in Maidie gratefully. ‘I cannot think why he would not believe me.’
Delagarde almost snorted. ‘Because your conduct hardly tallies with the title.’
‘Laurie, do be quiet!’ begged Lady Hester. ‘Let the child tell her tale in her own way.’
‘Her tale is imbecilic. She does not wish to marry some fellow or other, and has thus fled her natural protector to come here and demand that I bring her out, on the pretext of that letter. A more stupid—’
‘Hush! Let her speak.’
Maidie threw her a grateful look, and launched once more into an explanation of her difficulties and the ingenious solution she had worked out. Unlike her great-nephew, Lady Hester listened without comment, and even managed to keep Delagarde from bursting out until Maidie had finished. Only then did she speak.
‘I think I understand. There are one or two matters I should like to clarify, however. The exact relationship between us is readily discovered.’
‘Readily discovered?’ echoed the Viscount, incensed that his great-aunt should give the time of day to the chit’s nonsensical scheme. ‘If you hunted it down through half the family tree, I dare say. Besides, I am sure there must be a dozen other males closer related to her than I am myself.’
‘But none of them, my dear Laurie, is a viscount.’
Maidie found herself the sudden recipient of a suspicious look from his lordship, and a questioning one from Lady Hester. What were they at now?
‘Why should that weigh with me?’ she asked forthrightly. ‘I am an Earl’s daughter.’
‘And may look as high as you please for a husband? I wonder just how high you are looking to go.’
Regarding Lady Hester frowningly, Maidie shrugged. ‘His rank is immaterial. It is not that which will determine my choice. I only meant that my title is bound to make it easier for me to find someone willing to marry me.’
‘Undoubtedly,’ agreed Lady Hester affably. ‘Tell me, Lady Mary, why do you wish to be settled in life?’
A sigh escaped Maidie, as the picture of her self-imposed future formed itself in her mind. ‘To tell you the truth, I had as lief not be—married, I mean. But when Eustace began plaguing me with his attentions, and then Adela must needs try to hint me into accepting him, I began to see what awaited me if I chose to remain single.’
An odd look crossed Lady Hester’s face. ‘Well, I do not ask why you wished to remain single, for that I can readily understand. I am single myself. But what was it that you feared?’
Maidie shifted her shoulders in a gesture of discomfort. ‘To be the object of incessant suits for my hand. Once word of the legacy got out, I could see there would be no peace for me. So I thought the best solution would be to find myself a complaisant husband, who would not object to my continuing interest in other matters, and so end the nonsense at once.’
Lady Hester was regarding her keenly. ‘What legacy?’
‘Oh, I discovered when I came of age that my mother’s fortune had been settled upon me.’
‘Indeed?’
‘Yes, which is why Adela suddenly changed her behaviour towards me.’
‘I imagine she might,’ came the dry comment.
‘Of course I was glad to have such an independence,’ pursued Maidie, ‘for it made it possible for me to make my own choice of occupation, rather than become a companion.’
‘A companion! Good gracious, why should you wish to?’
‘I didn’t wish to. Only I previously thought that it would have been my one path to escape from working as an unpaid drudge to Adela. But I was forced to recognise that the very independence that offered me freedom also made me a target for gentlemen seeking to marry well.’
Lady Hester was now looking very thoughtful indeed. Was she beginning to understand the motives that drove Maidie? Delagarde, on the other hand, was still frowning heavily, she noted. He caught her eye, and got up.
‘Interesting though this history may be, Lady Mary, it makes no difference to—’
‘Laurie!’
‘What is it, Aunt Hes?’
‘Pray sit down again. It happens that I find this history extremely interesting.’ She turned to Maidie as Delagarde reluctantly reseated himself. ‘Let us re-examine this question of our relationship.’
‘But you have already admitted that the Burloynes are related to the Otterburns,’ Maidie protested.
‘Yes, but I am a little uncertain of your mother’s parentage. I did hear that one of the Burloyne cousins married Shurland, now I think of it, but I don’t recall which one. If memory serves me, there were three Burloyne brothers of my generation. Their father married into the Otterburn family, through one of the daughters of my own great-aunt.’
Delagarde blinked. ‘You are very well informed, Aunt Hes.’
‘One likes to keep abreast of these things.’ She sounded casual, but Maidie, when the elder lady turned back to her, was surprised to encounter an extremely penetrating glance. ‘Which of those three brothers was your grandfather Burloyne, child?’
‘The second one, Brice.’
‘Indeed?’ A long sigh escaped Lady Hester, and she sank back into her chair. ‘Well, well. Brice Burloyne’s granddaughter. And no male relatives.’
‘No, for all the Burloynes are dead now, and I have no uncles or male cousins.’
‘Except Shurland,’ put in Delagarde stubbornly.
‘But I have told you—’ Maidie began.
‘Enough!’ broke in Lady Hester. ‘Do not fall into a pointless dispute. Now, my dear Mary—if I may call you so?’
‘Oh, please don’t,’ begged Maidie instantly. ‘No one ever calls me Mary—except Adela, and that was only to annoy. My great-uncle Reginald, when he found himself saddled with the care of me, dubbed me Maidie, and so I have remained.’
‘Very well then, Maidie, if you wish it. Tell me about this Adela. She sounds a most unpleasant sort of woman.’
Maidie wrinkled her brow. ‘I would not describe her as unpleasant,’ she said, trying to be fair. ‘Her manner is no more objectionable than Lord Delagarde’s, for example.’
Delagarde’s infuriated glance raked her. ‘I am obliged to you, ma’am.’
Lady Hester laughed. ‘She is nothing if not direct, Laurie. I don’t suppose she means to insult you.’
‘Why should he care? Besides, he has said worse of me.’
‘And you don’t give a fig, I dare say?’ smiled Hester.
Maidie lifted her chin. ‘I am not come here to gain his good opinion.’
‘No, you are come here to gain my services,’ said Delagarde. ‘Not that I have the slightest expectation of your adopting a conciliatory manner! What I wish to know is, what was Shurland doing while this Adela was constraining you to marry her brother?’
‘Yes, why did you not appeal to him?’ asked Lady Hester.
‘I did,’ Maidie told them flatly. ‘His answer was that, between us, my great-uncle and myself had wasted his inheritance, and I would get no assistance from him.’
‘Wasted his inheritance?’ echoed Delagarde. ‘On what, pray?’
‘It does not signify,’ Maidie said hurriedly. ‘The truth is that it would suit him very well for my money to come into his family, even at one remove. Were I to marry another, he could not hope to get any share of it.’
‘He is scarce likely to gain directly from his brother-in-law’s marriage,’ objected Lady Hester.
‘No, but I am sure that he and Eustace have reached some sort of agreement on the matter, for there would otherwise be no reason for him to lend his support to Adela’s scheme.’
‘But what drove you to take this drastic action, child? Not that I blame you, but Adela could hardly force you into matrimony with her brother. And she did, I think you said, offer to bring you out.’
‘Yes, she did.’ Contempt entered Maidie’s voice. ‘It was only for appearances’ sake. She was afraid of what people might say of her, if it was seen that I married her brother without choosing him from among a number of others. And Eustace himself did not wish to figure as a fortune-hunter.’
‘Then why in the world did you not allow her to bring you out, and then choose another?’ demanded Lady Hester.
Maidie stared at her in frowning silence for a moment. Such a course had never even occurred to her. If it had, she would certainly have rejected it out of hand. She lifted a proud chin.
‘I may not be well versed in the etiquette obtaining in fashionable circles, but I assure you, ma’am, I am not without a sense of honour.’
She thought Lady Hester looked amused, but her tone was apologetic. ‘I had no intention of putting up your back, child. Are you suggesting that to have accepted a Season from Lady Shurland would have put you under an obligation?’
‘Yet you are trying to put me under a false obligation,’ cut in Delagarde swiftly.
‘It is not false!’ Maidie retorted indignantly. ‘If I had not your mother’s letter, I would not have involved you at all. In any event, this has nothing to do with being put under an obligation to Adela.’
‘Then what?’ asked Delagarde, finding himself intrigued by the workings of the wench’s mind.
‘I am not a cheat!’ Maidie exclaimed. ‘I would not pretend to one thing and mean another. Such conduct may suit Adela. It would not suit me. If I was prepared to marry Eustace, what need was there for a Season? But I am not willing to marry him. It would scarcely be honourable in me to dupe Adela into thinking I might do so, and allow her to bring me out only in order that I could find someone else. No, no. I must arrange it for myself, or I had better not wed at all.’
‘But you are not arranging it for yourself,’ Delagarde pointed out. ‘You are expecting me to arrange it.’
‘And so you shall,’ broke in Lady Hester Otterburn cheerfully.
‘What?’
‘My dear Laurie, you will hardly be outdone in the matter of honour, I should hope! It is not the part of a chivalrous man to leave poor Maidie to her fate. Besides, I know it must be an object with you to accede to your mother’s wishes. I cannot think you will do otherwise than make it your business to set Lady Mary’s feet upon the social ladder.’
Chapter Two
T emporarily silenced by the shock of his great-aunt’s perfidy, Delagarde watched in a daze as Lady Hester Otterburn ushered the visitor out. With disbelieving ears, he heard her encouraging the wretched female to return, bringing with her the duenna and all their trunks from the Maddox Street inn where she had left them. No sooner had the front door shut behind Maidie, than his lordship came to himself with a start.
‘Have you taken leave of your senses, Aunt Hes?’ he demanded furiously, as that lady walked back into the parlour.
‘I don’t think so,’ replied his great-aunt mildly.
‘Well, I do! What the devil possessed you to invite her back here? If you imagine that I am to be coerced into acceding to the wench’s idiotic request, you may think again.’
‘Then you will be a great fool!’ she told him roundly.
He stared at her. ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘My dear Laurie, if you cannot see what is right under your nose, I declare I wash my hands of you!’
‘I wish you would,’ he retorted, incensed. ‘Do, pray, stop talking in riddles, Aunt.’
To his surprise, she eyed him with a good deal of speculation for a moment. Then she smiled. ‘Gracious, I believe you really don’t know!’
‘Don’t know what?’
Lady Hester laughed at him. ‘How to bring a girl out, of course. No matter. You will learn fast, I dare say.’
‘But I have no desire to learn it,’ Delagarde stated, in some dudgeon. ‘What is more, I am not going to do so.’
‘Oh, yes, you are. I have quite decided that.’
‘You have decided it? Thank you very much indeed. Give me one good reason why I should allow myself to have this hideous charge foisted on to me.’
‘I might give you several,’ said his great-aunt coolly, ‘but one will suffice. You are far too hedonistic and idle.’
Delagarde fairly gasped. ‘I am what?’
‘I have long thought that the life you lead is ruinous. You have no responsibility, and nothing to do beyond consulting your own pleasure. It will do you good to exert yourself and think of someone else for a change.’
‘Oh, will it?’ retorted her great-nephew, stung. ‘Then allow me to point out to you that if—if!—I agree to this preposterous idea—’
‘Don’t be silly, Laurie! Everything is settled.’
‘—it is not I who will be exerting myself. It may have escaped your notice, Aunt, but it is usual for debutantes to have a female to bring them out.’
‘Quite right,’ said Lady Hester comfortably. ‘I shall do that.’
‘Not in this house!’ objected Delagarde. ‘Besides, you cannot do so. For one thing, you have no longer any position in society—’
‘That can readily be remedied.’
