Mesalliance

by Riley, Stella

  ‘Why not?’ Adeline came smartly to her feet. ‘Show him in.’

  Nell’s brows rose but she waited for the butler to withdraw before saying, ‘Now what on earth can Jack want at this hour?’

  ‘It – it’s a family matter,’ responded Adeline desperately. ‘And private.’

  ‘I see.’ The dark eyes examined her speculatively for a moment and then Nell also rose. ‘Then it’s fortunate that I was about to retire, isn’t it? But you’d best take care what you’re about, Adeline. Rock’s behaving very oddly these days.’ And on this worldly-wise, if cryptic note, she walked out of the room.

  Thirty seconds later, Jack entered it and said, by way of greeting, ‘What’s the matter with Nell? She just passed me without so much as a word - but smiling most peculiarly.’

  ‘She’s being discreet,’ said Adeline. ‘Forget Nell. Just sit down and tell me. Have you seen Richard?’

  ‘Yes.’ He drew two papers from his pocket and handed them to her. ‘And you can stop worrying. It’s over.’

  Adeline scanned both sheets and then sat down rather abruptly.

  ‘Thank God – thank God. But how, Jack? How did you do it?’

  So he told her and, by the time he had finished, she did not know if she was laughing or crying.

  ‘I don’t know what to say. I’d begun to think I’d never be free of him – never. And now you tell me it’s over and even the relief is more than I can bear.’ She fought for control for a moment and then, rising, held out her hands to him. ‘I’ll pay you back as soon as I can, of course … but I doubt I’ll ever be able to thank you sufficiently. You – you can’t know what it means to me.’

  Smiling into the over-bright eyes, he took her hands into a comforting clasp and said, ‘Oh I think I do. And you’ve no need to thank me. I’m happy to have been of service – and, also, I’m grateful. But for you I’d not have known precisely what a blackguard Richard Horton is … and that’s important.’ He grimaced ruefully. ‘The sooner I have Thea safe, the better. It seems to me that house is a veritable vipers’ nest.’

  ‘It is. And Thea has never belonged there.’

  ‘I know it. And neither, my dear, did you.’

  Her mouth curled and she gave a small, husky laugh.

  ‘There’s a difference. I could hold my own.’

  ‘And can you still?’ He released her hands and grinned quizzically. ‘With Rock, for example?’

  ‘No. But that’s an entirely different matter.’

  ‘Yes.’ He paused and then said, ‘You love him very much, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes. Very much. And now, thanks to you, I can tell him.’ Placing her hands on his shoulders, she reached up to kiss his cheek. ‘So thank you with all my heart.’

  ‘This,’ remarked his Grace of Rockliffe icily from the doorway, ‘is becoming a habit – and one, moreover, which does not commend itself to me. No – pray don’t trouble to explain.’ This as Jack would have spoken. ‘I have absolutely no desire to tax your powers of invention for a second time. And really … one way and another … I believe I have heard enough.’

  He turned on his heel and was gone.

  ‘Hell!’ breathed Mr Ingram.

  ‘And damnation,’ agreed Adeline, the colour draining from her face. ‘Go home, Jack. There’s nothing to be done tonight and it would be a mistake to try. But as soon as this wretched ball is over tomorrow, I’ll put everything right. I promise.’

  ‘Forgive my asking,’ he said wryly, ‘but do you think you can?’

  ‘I don’t know. I hope so – for you, at any rate.’ She met his gaze with bitter candour. ‘As for myself … well, we’ll see. I’ll tell Tracy everything and hope he listens. If I’m lucky, he may even understand – though I suppose I shouldn’t count on it. For the last two months, I’ve been dogged by nothing less than total disaster.’

  ~ * * * ~

  TWENTY-TWO

  There was no denying, thought Adeline, as she examined herself critically in the glass, that the shimmering, shot-silk gown was a triumph. The blue of a peacock’s throat, it changed to violet when she moved … and the bodice was trimmed only with entwined ribbons of those two shades. The sweeping neckline clung to the points of her shoulders, the narrow sleeves ended at the elbow in a clever overlay of silk petals and the slyly whispering skirt was drawn back over a petticoat that echoed the dress but in reverse ... violet to peacock. The only difficulty was in deciding which of her jewels would best compliment the shifting, vibrant shade. Tracy, of course, would have known instantly … but he hadn’t attended her toilette for so long that it was stupid to hope he might do so now. Especially after last night.

  Sighing, she told Jeanne to bring her the Wynstanton diamonds. She had never worn them before but the occasion seemed to warrant full armour and, after what had happened last time, she couldn’t bring herself to wear the aquamarine set.

  By the time Nell sailed into the room, she was ready … diamonds at her throat and on her wrists, and her hair piled in loose curls with feathers fastened by a diamond clip nestling behind her left ear. Nell stopped dead and stared.

  ‘Oh!’ she breathed. ‘Adeline, you look beautiful. That gown is … amazing.’

  ‘Thank you – and yes. It is, isn’t it?’ She smiled and absorbed the glory of Nell’s gold net over white satin. ‘You look rather splendid yourself. Harry will be dazzled.’

  ‘That was the idea,’ confided Nell. ‘He’s here, by the way. I asked Symonds to let me know the instant he arrived. I didn’t want to go down before he came, you see.’

  ‘Naturally not. If you can’t make a Grand Entrance tonight, when can you?’

  ‘That’s what I thought.’ She dimpled mischievously. ‘So let’s go and do it together – and see if we can’t render both of our gentlemen speechless.’

  ‘That,’ observed Adeline dryly, ‘will be the day. But I suppose it’s worth a try.’

  Descending to the turn of the stair, they paused to look down on the hall below where his lordship was engaging Rockliffe in desultory conversation. By prior consultation with Nell, Harry wore a coat of dull gold brocade and had chosen, for this one special evening, to leave his fair head unpowdered. He had never looked more handsome and Nell glowed with pride. Adeline, however, had eyes only for her husband … elegantly saturnine in silver-laced black with the Order of the Garter displayed upon his chest and diamonds winking on his fingers and in his cravat. As always, his hair was confined at the nape in long sable ribbons – to which, tonight, was added a narrow diamond clasp; and as had been his habit again in recent weeks, it was thickly powdered. Adeline sighed.

  Then the night-dark eyes were upon her, causing the now familiar dissolving of her bones and he said with only a hint of mockery, ‘Behold, Harry. We are meant, I believe, to be dumbstruck.’

  Fortunately, Harry was - and while he was gallantly presenting Nell with a corsage of yellow roses, Adeline took the opportunity to say as quickly and quietly as she could, ‘Tracy – I know you’re annoyed but -- ’

  Annoyed? he thought. Darling, you have no idea! But said blandly, ‘Now why should you suppose that?’

  ‘You know why. And you can say whatever you like to me later. But don’t … please don’t let it spoil Nell’s evening.’

  ‘I doubt very much if anything can spoil Nell’s evening,’ he drawled. ‘On the other hand, if you insist on slipping away to kiss my friends, it may very well spoil mine.’ He surveyed her appraisingly and then offered his arm. ‘You look exquisite, by the way. The diamonds suit you. Shall we go?’

  To which, of course, there was no answer whatsoever.

  Queensberry House was already bidding fair to become crowded when they arrived and Harry and Nell were instantly besieged by well-wishers and affectionate teasing.

  ‘I do think you might have told me,’ said Cassie Delahaye in mock-dudgeon. ‘It was quite monstrous of you to leave me to read it in the Morning Chronicle. Indeed, if I wasn’t so very pleased for you both, I’d p
robably not speak to you at all.’

  ‘Well, I did want to tell you,’ owned Nell, ‘but Harry said that if I once began, there’d be no stopping me – and he was right, of course!’ She paused and looked doubtfully at her friend. ‘Are you sure you’re not just a little cross with me?’

  ‘You mean,’ grinned Cassie, ‘am I jealous? Yes – absolutely green. But only on account of your luck, you silly creature. Harry’s a darling … but I never had an eye to him myself. And much good it would have done me if I had – for it was always plain as anything that you and he belonged together.’

  Having congratulated Harry and left him talking to Rosalind, the Marquis of Amberley directed a thoughtful gaze at his Grace and said, ‘Well, Rock? Are you pleased?’

  ‘I believe so,’ came the languid reply. ‘I had thought better of Harry’s intelligence, of course … but there’s no accounting for taste, I suppose. And, oddly enough, he appears well able to cope with her.’

  ‘That must be a comfort to you. But it’s a good match - and universally popular by the look of things.’ He paused. ‘At the risk of receiving another rebuff, am I allowed to ask if you and Adeline have … resolved your difficulties?’

  Rockliffe looked at him. ‘You can ask. I’m no more inclined to talk about my marriage now than I was a week ago. I do, however, apologise for my lack of manners.’

  ‘Oh – well, that’s all right then!’ retorted the Marquis with rare sarcasm. And then, sighing, ‘I sometimes despair of you, Rock. But if you’re not going to dance with your wife, I trust you won’t mind if I do.’

  ‘By all means – if you can prise her away from March and promise to keep her out of secluded alcoves.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  His lordship’s brows rose.

  ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.’

  ‘No. This is something else,’ said Rockliffe thoughtfully, as he watched the minuet draw to a close. Then, as if reaching a decision, he muttered something under his breath that, to Amberley, sounded suspiciously like ‘Buggrit!’ and strode purposefully across the floor, leaving the Marquis to stroll behind him, laughing.

  ‘March, my dear fellow – you won’t mind if I steal my wife for a moment?’ his Grace said pleasantly, taking a firm grip on Adeline’s arm. ‘No. I thought not. Adeline – a brief word with you, if I may?’ And he drew her inexorably out on to the chilly, deserted terrace.

  Completely startled, she said, ‘Tracy? What -- ?’

  Then his arms were round her and his mouth stifled both words and thought. She had wondered if he would ever kiss her again … and, if he did, whether it would produce the same dizzying response. It did more. Fire rushed through every fibre of her body and stars exploded around her. She gasped … and he deepened the kiss until he felt her clinging weakly to him. Then, slowly, he released her.

  ‘I thought,’ he said, as if nothing had happened, ‘that if you wanted to kiss someone this evening, it might as well be me.’ Completely disorientated and beyond speech, Adeline allowed him to lead her back into the ballroom. ‘Dominic is waiting to dance with you. Hopefully, it is now safe for him to do so.’ And, placing her hand on Amberley’s velvet sleeve, he strolled unhurriedly away.

  The Marquis looked down into dazed aquamarine eyes with some amusement and said, ‘What was that all about?’

  She shook her head as if to clear it. ‘I don’t know. He …’

  ‘He what?’

  Adeline swallowed, summoned a smile and said, ‘Nothing.’

  In another room and exquisitely gowned in blue, Diana Franklin found her path suddenly blocked by Mistress Garfield.

  ‘Di – dearest! How lovely you look.’

  Diana smiled and let her gaze travel over Cecily’s expensive but grossly over-trimmed pink satin.

  ‘Thank you. I’d say the same to you, if I could – but you know I’ve always held that pink makes you look sallow.’

  Cecily’s undistinguished eyes narrowed a little but she continued to smile.

  ‘How irritable you are this evening. But one can hardly wonder at it, of course. You must be feeling dreadfully low. I only wish I knew what to say to cheer you up – but it’s rather difficult. You really aren’t having much luck lately, are you?’

  Diana stared at her freezingly.

  ‘I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about – and, to be honest, I don’t care. Excuse me.’

  ‘Wait! Do you really not know?’

  ‘Know what?’

  A gleam of avid pleasure informed Cecily’s sharp features.

  ‘But, my dear … about Harry Caversham and Nell. Haven’t you heard? They’re betrothed.’

  Quite slowly, the blood drained away from Diana’s skin leaving her patchily pale. She said distantly, ‘I don’t believe it.’

  ‘Well, it’s true, I assure you. The notice was in the newspaper this morning. I can’t understand how it was that you didn’t see it. And they’re in the ballroom this very minute, receiving everyone’s felicitations.’

  Diana discovered that she felt rather sick.

  ‘If you’re making this up,’ she said viciously, ‘I swear I’ll make you sorry for it.’

  ‘Don’t be stupid, Di. Where would be the point of making it up?’ Cecily paused to savour the moment. ‘I’m just sorry I had to be the one to tell you. It must be a horrid shock – particularly when we all know you had such hopes of attaching Harry yourself – oh!’ This as Diana pushed her violently aside in order to blaze a trail towards the ballroom.

  It took no more than a few seconds’ observation to convince Diana that Cecily had spoken the truth … but much longer than that for her brain to start functioning again. She looked at Nell in her gold and white gown, leaning laughingly on Harry’s arm whilst replying to words thrown at her by Philip Vernon and Mr Fox … and then at the expression of tender amusement in his lordship’s blue eyes as he smiled down upon her. For a time, the picture had no more meaning than a scene in a play; and then, deep down inside her, something began to stir.

  Harry had cheated her. He’d flirted with her and deliberately led her to suppose that his intentions towards her were serious. But they hadn’t been. He’d probably always intended to have Nell … and she, Diana, had been his dupe. It was not something she was prepared to tolerate.

  Of its own volition, Diana’s gaze moved on to encompass her twin, moving lightly through the gavotte with Jack Ingram. Thea had been different of late … less admiring and a good deal more assertive. It wasn’t satisfactory – and neither was the improvement in her looks. Thea was becoming just a little too pleased with herself; and the cause of it was that dull, ordinary man who’d not only been stupid enough to prefer Thea to herself but also dared take her in open dislike. He ought to be made to regret that, thought Diana clinically; and then, looking on Althea’s transparent happiness, ‘They both should.’

  Adeline danced by with the Marquis of Amberley … and the cornflower eyes followed her stonily. Who would have thought that her dowdy cousin could have acquired such style? But so it was. From the curling, peacock-dyed feathers in her luxuriant hair, to the high jewelled heels of her shoes, Adeline was the epitome of seemingly effortless elegance. Her gown – almost devoid of trimming but of such cut and so daring a shade that it made every other woman in the room look insipid – could only have come from the master-hand of Phanie and must have cost upwards of three hundred guineas. And the diamonds sparkling on her wrists and around that slender white throat caused Diana’s hands to clench savagely on her fan. She would have sold her soul for those diamonds …and, but for Adeline, she would almost certainly have had them.

  At this point it was no more than a logical progression to let her glance seek out Rockliffe; and, though she had not anticipated the hot tide of feeling that surged through her when she found him, she was not surprised by it. She had known for a long time that he was her evil genius and somehow responsible for all the ills th
at had befallen her. She looked at him now, standing slightly apart in his magnificent black and silver and doing nothing to court attention, yet in some way commanding it. He was, without question, the most attractive man in the room … tall, perfectly-proportioned and, above all, masculine. And those dark, enigmatic eyes … that just now were resting so intently on – whom? Diana interrupted her train of thought to find out – and then stiffened as the knife twisted unexpectedly in her stomach.

  Adeline. He was watching Adeline … and watching her, moreover, as though no one else existed. The blood began to seethe in Diana’s veins. She thought, ‘So that’s the way of it, is it? What a fool he is … what fools they all are! But I could change that. I wonder how his Grace will like to learn that his precious duchess is on such intimate terms with his good friend Jack that she tells him all her dirty secrets? I wonder how he’ll feel if he hears that he’s probably married a bastard?’

  A little smile curved her mouth and her eyes gleamed with malice. A sense of power flowed through her, as exhilarating as wine; and, with a step as light as it was predatory, she bore down on Rockliffe.

  His gaze was still on Adeline and his mood one of determination. In recent weeks, he had somehow lost sight of the fact that there was an explosion of sparks whenever they came together. Last night he’d gone home intending to seduce her but had let Jack’s unexpected presence deflect him. Tonight, he would make no such mistake. Tonight, come hell or high water, he intended to turn the sparks into a full-blown conflagration; and then … then he might finally find out if he had her heart as well.

  ‘Good evening, your Grace. Are you admiring your wife – or keeping an eye on her? I’m sure you could be forgiven for either one.’

  Rockliffe looked down into the jewel-hard eyes and took his time about replying. Under normal circumstances, he would have nipped this overture firmly in the bud. Just now, however, his particular devil was stirring … and Mistress Di was as good a target as any.