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

say yes, to eat dinner together in his parloras they had used to do, play chess and talk companionably and then tobed, to sleep in the circle of his arm. But the image of her mother

andthen of Margaret Mainwairing, eagerly awaiting Linton's footfall, wasengraved on the retina of her mind's eye. "Have you forgotten, my lord,that weare promised to the Wesleys' this evening? There is

to be a recital—aharpist as I recall."

"I had forgotten, I must confess. You could, perhaps, plead yoursickbed as excuse." It was a last, desperate attempt, but he saw in hereyes, now strangely blank, that it would not do.

"There is nothing the matter with me that an hour's rest and a bathwill not cure, Linton," she said briskly. "And it will be a mostinteresting soiree, I dare swear."

"Indeed, my love," he concurred dryly. "If my absence will not disturbyou, I should prefer to spend the evening at Watier's."

"But of course, my lord. We do not need to live in each other'spockets, after all."

Linton bowed his acquiescence and left her chamber, desolation twistinglike serpents in his belly. He

had married a loving child—a childgrateful to him for his help, a child who, from the depths of herinexperience, had perhaps mistaken gratitude for love. For a few monthsthey had lived an idyll until Danielle had lost her naivete as she tookher place in the world of sham and pleasure. If she no longer lovedhim, then they faced a bleak future. He could have married any numberof eager eligible young damsels who would have born his children, actedas his hostess, run his households competently if not with Danielle'sdevastating efficiency, but Justin in his foolishness had waited forsomething else, and he had found it in the mercurial Danielle. He couldnot now imagine his life without her, but he was beginning to imaginehis life without her love. While she did not say the words he dreaded,he could still hope, still plan a campaign whereby he would woo thewoman as he had never needed to woo the child.

The following morning he appeared in her bedchamber, resplendent in afrogged silk dressing gown, his hair in a neat queue at the nape of hisneck. "You are feeling more the thing, I trust, love?" He bent to kissher—a simple morning salute.

"Indeed yes, I thank you, sir," she responded politely. "Did you passan enjoyable evening?" She was looking quite entrancing with her curlstumbled about her shoulders, her skin fresh from sleep, and a profusionof lace and ruffles adorning her negligee.

"I have urgent business at Danesbury." Justin smiled and rifledcarelessly through the scattered notes on her coverlet. "Your admirersare always faithful, my dear." But Danielle merely shrugged lightly."Will you accompany me?" He returned to the original subject withapparent ease. "Apart from the pleasure I shall take in your company,there are matters of the estate that you might wish to concern yourselfwith."

"If you require my presence, sir, then of course I shall be pleased toaccompany you."

It was said in the way she had given him her body until he had foundhimself unable to take in that way—a dull "as you command, my lord."

"I do not

require

yourpresence, Danielle. I merely wished for yourcompany. However, since I am sure you have more exciting things to doin town, I shall see you on my return." He refrained, with the greatestdifficulty, from slamming the connecting door. Had he looked back tosee the stricken expression on his wife's face, subsequent events mighthave taken a different turn.

During her husband's absence, Danielle threw caution to the winds andintensified her activities with D'Evron. No longer concerned thatJustin might remark on her erratic comings and goings in riding dresswhen she had taken no horse from the stables, or that he might lookaskance at the frequent visits from the chevalier, she was out at allhours, frequently returning late at night, heedless of the concern thiswas causing Bedford who controlled the backstairs whispers with Molly'smore than ample support, but awaited the return of His Lordship withmore than usual eagerness.

On one particularly tricky expedition, just a few days after Linton'sdeparture, Danielle called upon Julian's help.

"I must go at.night, Jules, and the chevalier is unable to aceompanyme," she explained calmly. "You

need not involve yourself, but you willdrive me and wait outside, then all will be

comme ilfaut

."

"What the deuce do you mean,

commeilfaut?

" His Lordship exclaimed."You cannot go to Billingsgate

at any time, and certainly not in the middle of the night."

"Not alone, no," she agreed. "But with you, I will have no fear. It isthe only time I can speak with Monsieur Farme and he is not being atall kind to his wife, you understand. He works at the fishmarket fromdawn till dusk and then drinks his earnings.

C'est abominable!

Madamedoes not even understand how to do the marketing in this country and hewill not help her in the slightest. The baby has the croup and monsieurcomplains constantly about the crying at night but he will not givemoney for medicine. It

is necessary to persuade him to see reason."

"Danny, you cannot mean to interfere in the private affairs of man andwife?" Julian looked at her in horror. "It is no business of yours."

"It most certainly is," Danielle declared. "Am I to stand by and watchthis happen? Do not be absurd, Jules. If you do not choose to accompanyme, then I will go alone."

Thus it was that the young Lord Julian found himself in a bare, grimyapartment smelling strongly of fish, surrounded by wailing tots andcoughing babies, watching his cousin's wife confront a mountainous manmuch the worse for liquor. Julian could not follow the exchange. Itbore no relation to the upper class French he had learned, but theeffect of a diminutive aristocrat speaking the language of the gutterwas quite apparent on Monsieur Farme's face.

Madame was an emaciated figure in a ragged gown,