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

your trouble." The sovereign she handed the leader drew a smallgasp and four tugged forelocks. Danny responded with a nod and set offon foot to traverse the few hundred yards to Linton House. She was inno physical danger at this point but much in danger of social censureshould her unaccompanied walk fall under an unfriendly eye.

"Danny, what in Hades are you doing?"

"Jules!" She greeted him with a smile of relief. "You will give me yourarm, will you not?"

"I should rather think so! What are you about, coz? Going about town ina common sedan? Justin will

be ..."

"In quite a taking," Danny finished for him serenely. "But since hewill not know of it, we need have no fear."

Lord Julian, knowing his cousin, was not at all sure of that fact."Danny, you have been up to something, and I insist on knowing what."

"Insist, Jules?" Her eyebrows arched as they reached Linton House,Danielle in the perfectly respectable company of her husband's cousin.

"Yes, damn it, insist." Julian stopped at the bottom step. "If you donot tell me what you have been doing, I shall tell Justin exactly whatI saw."

"Jules, you would not! You could not be such a tattletale."

"You would be surprised, ma'am," he returned, grimly he hoped.

Danielle had a great need to unburden herself and Julian, while hemight hem and haw in an elder brotherly way, would as like as not enterinto her story with considerable enthusiasm. She did not believe forone minute that he would be capable of bearing tales to her husband andtold him so roundly, before saying that she had need of a confidant buthe might regret finding himself in that position.

Julian was quite certain of that fact but felt curiously responsible.His memories of the defiant urchin on the Dover road had not beencompletely extinguished and he had a lively sense of what his cousin'swife was capable in the right circumstances. If she was unable to tellLinton, then it was best that she tell him—at least that way one memberof the family would know what she was up to.

Danielle told him the whole in the seclusion of her own sitting roomand Julian listened in horror. His animadversions on the character of aman of honor who would involve a lady in such activities were met firstwith anger and then with laughter. "Jules,

mon ami,

the chevalier hasin no wise importuned my services. I do what I wish to do and it isquite safe, I assure you." The small pistol appeared from nowhere.

Julian took a step back. "Danny, please. Give it to me, your fingermight slip."

"My

finger!" Danielle wentinto a peal of laughter. "Idiot! If youdoubt my ability to handle a firearm,

you must ask Justin. He willvouch for my skill, I assure you."

"Maybe so." Jules gestured uneasily. "I would feel more comfortable,though, if you were to put it away."

"D'accord."

Danny shrugged andreturned the small weapon to her pocket."Now you know my story, Jules, and you will breathe not a word, on yourhonor?"

"I will not pledge my honor, Danny." Julian was suddenly serious. "Ifyou should disappear when you

are on one of these ridiculous journeys,you could not expect me to say nothing."

"No, of course not, but such an event is most unlikely. But I cannottell Justin because he will forbid it and then I shall refuse to do hisbidding and we shall really be in the basket,

n'est-ce pas?"

"Without doubt." Julian nodded gloomily. However indulgent his cousinwas of Danielle's peculiarities, there was a line he would draweventually. So far these two had continued to avoid a major battle witha delicate dance of compromise, but Justin would never acceptDanielle's present activities—not necessarily because they wereindecorous, although they were certainly that, but because they weredangerous.

"I have made you my confidant and as such have made you miserable."Danielle was suddenly all smiles as she took his hands. "You will notconcern yourself about this,

tucomprends

, Jules?"

"I will try," he said, unable to resist the infectious chuckle. "But ifyou are in difficulty, you will call upon me. You give me your word."

"You have it,

mon ami

. Now, Imust dress. We are to go to the operatonight and I think we have dinner guests. In fact, I am sure that wedo." Danielle pulled a face. "Justin's mama and several of her friends.The women are all cats and the men fuddy-duddies, but I must appeardemure and correct. So you will excuse me."

Julian made his way back to his lodgings on Albermale Street, his mindmuch exercised by Danielle's revelation. He had the most uncomfortablefeeling that he was duty bound to attempt to call a halt to herwanderings, but how to do that without involving Justin? And he couldnot break a confidence. Perhaps he should talk to D'Evron, put it tohim that he could not in honor involve the Countess of Linton in thesedangerous waters . . . Yes, Julian decided, that was the correct if notthe only course of action available

to him.

He ran D'Evron to earth later that evening at White's. The chevalierwas playing piquet with the elderly Lord Maulfrey. There was no sign ofLinton, fortunately, but he would be escorting his party to the

operaand safely out of the way for some hours.

Julian strolled over to the piquet table, greeting the two men with adisarming smile. "A word with you, D'Evron, when you are finishedplaying?"

If the chevalier was surprised at this request from a bareacquaintance, there was no indication on the

thin face. "At yourservice, Lord Julian."

Julian joined the macao table where Sir Anthony Fanshawe held the bank."Do you care to take my

place, Jules?" A young buck tossed a pile ofguineas on the table and arose with a world-weary sigh.

"The cards havethe devil in 'em tonight."

"I thank you, Markham, but the luck's not running