Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

youthful indiscretions would be more readilyforgiven by society than those of Edward Mainwairing. Julian's fortuneand lineage far exceeded the respectable.

"I was thinking also of your present circumstance," Lady Mainwairingwent on, dropping her eyes. "Your wife is not always the soul ofpropriety but she is very young and you manage to control . . ."

Justin released her hands abruptly and took snuff from an exquisiteenameled box. His eyes were bored, face expressionless.

Margaret made haste to retrieve her mistake. "Pray forgive me, Justin.I spoke without thought. I meant no criticism ... I was thinking onlythat your position and your experience of guiding the young might helpEdward."

"I suggest you buy him a pair of colors, Margaret, and see what alittle military discipline will do for him. It would certainly removehim from the company of Shelby and his like."

Margaret stiffened her shoulders. "I do beg your pardon for intruding,Linton. I am most grateful for your kindness in sparing the time tolisten to my woes." She managed a brittle little laugh.

Justin sighed and accepted his fate. Why was it that ever since thatafternoon when he'd yielded to a ridiculous impulse to rescue a grubbybrat from a baker's belt, he found himself unable to resist an appealfor help. He was now to take some wastrel stripling under hispatronage. It would have to be done discreetly, of course. Openpatronage of his ex-mistress's son would give the gossips food fortheir crying tongues and then he would have Danny's reactions tocontend with. He shuddered slightly at the prospect.

"I will do what I can, Margaret. I may, at least, discover the extentof his gaming and how deep his involvement with Shelby. When I havedone so, we will talk further."

"I shall be forever in your debt, Justin." Her smile was watery but sofull of genuine gratitude that the

earl felt ashamed of his earlier sharpness. It was a small enough tasktoundertake for an old friend.

He left her then and turned his horse toward St. James's and his club.It was as good a place as any for discreet inquiry and with any luck hewould find his cousin. Jules was close in age to Shelby and would

bemore cognizant of that rake's circles than Justin. Had Lord Linton beenaware of his wife's whereabouts and activities on that March afternoon,he would have lost whatever scant interest he had

in the affairs ofEdward Mainwairing.

Danielle and the chevalier, after a halt at Hoare's bank where Daniellehad drawn a substantial sum, left the relatively clean, well orderedstreets of central London for the backslums of the East End. Thestreets narrowed and their progress was slow as the chevalier'scurricle drew uncomfortable attention from the area's inhabitants.

D'Evron glanced sideways to his companion and was amazed at herapparent calm. She carried some hundred guineas in her reticule butwhat the chevalier did not know was that she also carried a small,silver-mounted pistol. The filth, poverty, and hostile curiosity seemednot to trouble her in the least but, again, D'Evron was not to knowthat the Countess of Linton had once survived in circumstances as bad,if not worse, than those evident around them. The chevalier, in spiteof frequent forays into this wasteland of squalor, was still ill atease and could only marvel at the gently bred aristocrat sitting besidehim, expressionless except for her large brown eyes that seemed to takein every minute detail of the scene.

They turned into a reeking alley, barely wide enough for the curricle.The grays stepped delicately over the uneven cobbles where every kindof filth had found a home. Children played in the running kennels,dodged beneath the horses' bellies; sad-eyed women with mewling babesat their shrunken breasts looked at them with the blankness of accepteddespair; their menfolk, almost as scrawny, spat obscenities.

Danielle stepped down from the curricle, hoisting her velvet skirts toher knees, revealing the well chosen, sturdy riding boots. She splashedthrough the stinking soil of the kennel saying not a word to thechevalier as she beckoned an emaciated scrap of tattered humanity. "Youwill hold the horses,

monpetit.

" She handed him a shilling and the bright gleam drew asharpbreath from the watchers in the street. A group

of men advanced as onebody. Danielle did not stop to think whether they were threateningherself or the child. The group found themselves facing a silentcontrolled figure holding a pistol. They backed away and the chevalierdecided that he need have no guilt about embroiling the Countess ofLinton in these affairs. Aristocrat she might be, gently bred she wasmost certainly not. Was the so impassive earl aware of this side of hischild bride?

D'Evron dismissed the interesting question. The chevalier was apragmatist with a job to do and he used what tools were available. Ifthey proved to be sharper than he had expected, so much the better.

He rapped on the half open door with the silver knob of his cane.Receiving no answer, he stood aside to allow Danielle admittance. Thenarrow dark passage stank of boiled cabbage and fish heads. The stenchof poverty and Danny's nose wrinkled with remembered distaste as shereturned her pistol to her reticule.

The man who emerged from a door at the end of the passageway lookedwell enough fed; brawny shoulders—their muscles turning to flab and thebroken nose of the ex-heavyweight. Little piggy eyes, Danielle thought.But the eyes widened as they took in the sight of this lady. She wasstill holding her skirts high to avoid soiling them on her boots andher expression of distaste had Mr. Barkis rubbing his handsobsequiously as he asked how he could serve my lady.

"You may take me to your tenants," he was informed. "After I havespoken with them, I will speak with you."

The little eyes narrowed speculatively. Mr. Barkis had recognized thechevalier, but he was of no account, just another emigre frog eater ofno power or influence. The lady, on the other hand, was icily English.If she had an interest in that pathetic group upstairs