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

her eyes, red withweeping, sunken into the pale face. Her hands fluttered and twisted asDanielle's angry words flew through the room and Julian found himselfobliged to calm and soothe the woman while his cousin-in-law fought theman. It was a most disconcerting role reversal, but seemed onlyappropriate since Danielle was clearly more capable than he of dealingwith Monsieur Farme.

"Eh bien, monsieur, nous sommes enaccord, n'est-ce pas?"

Danielle, inthe twinkling of an eye, was the Countess of Linton speaking thelanguage of a de St. Varennes. "You will provide your wife with monieson which she may conduct your household and I will find someone whowill assist her in making her way about the market. I will also send unmedecin to look to the babe. His bill will be small, and you will pay

it withoutdelay, I think." She gave him her shark's smile. It was one Julian hadnever seen before and would rather not see again, he decided. Daniellehad issued no threats, no blustering accusations, but it would take astronger man than Monsieur Farme to resist the implied consequences ofcontinuing along his present course.

Danielle took Madame Farme to one side and spoke a few words. As shetook her hand in a gesture of farewell, madame felt the crispness of aroll of bank notes slipped into her palm that instantly clenched into afist. "I will visit you again, madame, in a day or so, just to see-howyou are going on." Danielle turned all smiles to the recalcitranthusband. "Monsieur Farme, I look forward to meeting you again."

Farme didn't appear as if he reciprocated the courtesy and Julian feltan absurd urge to laugh at the man's discomfiture. He restrainedhimself, however, and encouraged Danielle back to the waiting curriclethat was guarded by his own tiger who, after a few bewildered moments,had reverted to his origins and was exchanging slang with an interestedgroup of spectators.

Julian handed her into the curricle, took the reins, and instructed thetiger to stand away from their heads. The boy did so, springing upbehind with an agile twist of a wiry body.

"It is the outside of enough, Danny," Julian said eventually, once hehad negotiated the narrow streets. "You cannot continue in this way. Iam convinced the place was flea-ridden—I begin to itch already."

"Nonsense." Danny waved her hand in careless dismissal. "If there arefleas you can see them. There were none there. Bedbugs, mayhap, butsince you are not obliged to sleep in the beds, you need have no fear."

"Have you no sense of propriety?" Julian demanded, knowing the answerfull well.

"None whatsoever, Jules," she said cheerfully. "But I am truly gratefulfor your assistance. I hope it will not be necessary to ask for itagain."

"You damn well will ask for it," Julian stated fiercely. "I begin tothink I must lay the whole before Linton. I had no idea of theconditions in which you were acting."

"Jules, you cannot!" Danny exclaimed. "You promised."

"More fool I," he said glumly. "But I do not know what's to be done."

"Mon ami,

you must ceaseworrying. It is not necessary, I assure you."

Lord Julian remained unconvinced by this assurance and more than evercertain that in all honor he

could no longer be Danielle's accomplicein deceiving her husband. But in all honor how could he do otherwise?

As it happened, Julian need not have concerned himself. The balloon wasto go up very shortly and not

at his instigation.

Chapter 13

Linton returned from Danesbury after a two-week absence that he haddeliberately prolonged in the vague hope that Danielle would miss himand be in a more receptive mood on his return. He was also resolvedthat they would not follow the crowd to Bath for the summer season. Hewould take Danielle back to Mervanwey and in the quiet haven where theyhad passed such an idyllic summer last year, he would attempt torecapture his loving bride. It was quite possible, of course, thatDanielle would object to the plan but, for once, Linton was prepared toexercise the husband's right of command and brook no argument. If hewas again reduced to dragging her through the countryside on the end ofa leading rein, then so be it.

He found Danielle in the bookroom, dealing with correspondence. Hereyes lit up as she saw him and for a second he hoped, but then thewarmth was extinguished almost as if it had never been. "Why, Linton,"she said, offering her cheek for his salute. "I did not expect you sosoon."

"I had hoped you might have missed me," he replied with a smile as dryas fallen leaves. "But I am sure you have been well amused."

"Tolerably so." She shrugged her slim shoulders. "I have been lookingat the leases of two houses in Bath. It is almost the end of the Seasonand we must make a decision before they are all taken. You must tell mewhich one you prefer and I will instruct Peter to deal with thearrangements."

"We do not go to Bath," he said, deciding that confrontation at thispoint could hardly worsen matters.

"And why not, pray?" Her eyes snapped and her mouth took on thatmutinous pout that always spelled trouble.

"Because I do not wish it," Justin told her flatly. "We will go,instead, to Mervanwey."

"And if I do not choose to do so?"

"I regret to inform you, Madam Wife, that this is not a matter in whichyou have any choice." Her jaw dropped and she stared at him, speechlesswith indignation, her body stiff with rebellion. "You are looking sadlypulled, my dear," Justin went on. "A few months of sea air will restoreyou, I am convinced."

"Well, I will

not

go," shedeclared.

Justin raised his glass and subjected her to that unnerving scrutiny."No?" he inquired gently. "I beg leave to inform you that you aremistaken."

Danielle proceeded to inform

him

in a very few well-chosen epithetsexactly what she thought of this