A Bright Particular Star (15 page)

“
Can you describe y
our cousin
’s
carriage?
”
he
prompted
suddenly
.

P
uzzled by this
abrupt
change of subject
, she
studied
his profile
.
The tender
expression
had vani
shed;
now
he was
alert
,
unyielding.

“
I
t
’s
a sp
orting curricle,
”
she explained
,
“
not dissimilar
to
your own, but the design and paintwork is unique.
Perry had it built to his exact specif
ications.
It
’s
designed for speed.
”

“T
hen
I believe
he
has arrived.
”

She followed the directio
n of his gaze
.
Even in the twilight, there could be no mistaking Perry
’s
carriage.
It stood out against the two post-chaises drawn up behind it
in the courtyard
, its
u
nusual lines
illuminated by the light from the ostlers
‘
lamps
.

Despite there being
no sign of her cousin, Sophie recoiled from the window
with an involuntary gasp
.
Panic fluttered in her chest
,
questions crowded in her mind
.
How had Perry found her so quickly?
Had
Mr
Grey betrayed her after all?
She
could offer
no answers.
After those intimate moments with Theo, rational thought seemed to have flown
.
She was
certain of one thing
only
:
she would not go back
to Ludstone.

“
H
-H
e
’
ll be
here at any moment.
”
She glanced up
at her companion
.
‘
D
o you want to leav
e?
It would
be easier for you.
”

A mirthless smile curved his mouth
.
“
I wouldn
’t
miss this
for a bout with Gentleman Jac
kson himself!
”

“
Everything is
such a mess!
”
Sophie
wheeled away
,
tiredness and dejection
threatening
to swamp
her
.
“
I wish I had never dragged
you into this
.
”

A
moment later,
he
came to stand behind her.
“
I’m
here
and
I’m
staying,
”
he whispered
into
her ear
.
“
Let him do his worst
.
I won
’t
let him browbeat you.
”

“T
hank you,
”
she murmured
.

The words had hardly left
her l
ips when the door crashed open
.

Peregrine Sloane was a tal
l, willowy
man and
it would have been a stupid observer
indeed
who
failed to note his
aspirations to dandyism.

He
was resplendent in a white
driving coat
with a double row of
buttons, two tiers of po
ckets and at least ten capes, with a
striped ker
seymere waistcoat
under
neath
.
A
round his neck he wore a black cravat with white spots.
A hat with a high tapere
d crown and narrow brim was set on
his head
at a rakish angle
.
His extravagant clothes were
designed to
disguise t
he shortcomings of his figure
: his coat gave
the
illusion of broad shoulders
and a narrow waist,
while the
calves
of his tight pantaloons
looked suspiciously padded.
A
windswept
hair
style
completed the
fashionable look
.

A mouth with
a tendency to droop at the corners and too sharply drawn featu
res meant he could not generally
be considered handsome.
Now,
he could not even be thought
attracti
ve.
His complexion was flushed
, his thin lips
drawn back
in a sn
eer
.
Dark globular eyes glittered as they swivelled about
the room and, when his
gaze alighted o
n
Sophie
, they seemed
in danger of bulg
ing from their sockets.
His hands
flexed
into fists and
,
in an unfortunate habit
adding
nothing to
the
sophisticated air he aimed for
,
he began to
wave them
back and forth
.

Despite her anxiety, a
bubble of
laughter rose to Sophie
’s
throat
—
her cousin had never looked more like the crust
acean she had described to Theo.

“
You
t
iresome chit!
”
sna
rled the new arrival
.
“
My plans for this evening have been ruined.
I
’
ll make you wish you
’d
never in
convenienced me! What
are you playing at?
”

“
I might ask you the s
ame ques
tion,
”
interjected
Theo
.

The
se
arctic tone
s
,
emanating
from the shadows at the side of the room
,
caught Peregrine
’s
attention.
Frowning, he
raised
his
quizzing g
lass.
“
Who
in Hades are you?
”

“T
heodore Cavanagh
.
”

There was a flash of recognition
in Peregrine
’s
eyes
as
Theo stepped forward.
“
I thought I recognised the name,
”
he said,
looking Theo over with disdain
.
“
My mother has spoken of you.
You
’
re t
hat
wine fellow
!
How do you come to be here?

“
Your cousin
asked
for assistanc
e
and I was happy to give
it,
”
he replied
bluntly
.
“
And I
’d
be obliged if you would
address Miss Devereux
in a more respectful fas
hion
.
”

Ignoring this, Peregrine
gave a derisive snort
.
“
I knew she could not h
ave come this far alone!
Y
ou would have done better to put
aside your chivalry
and stay o
ut of our family
’s
affairs,
Cavanagh! Well,
you’re
not needed now
.
I’m
going to deal with my cousin.
”

“
I intend to stay.
”

“
Not necessary
,
”
snapped Perry, stripping
off his gloves.
‘
S
ophie is back where she belongs
,
in the bosom of her family.
I assume you are putting up here for the night, so go to bed a
nd forget the trouble this
silly chit
has put you to.
”

“
I wi
ll leave
when I please, no
t at your
inst
ruction!
”
retorted
Theo
.

Sophie in
tervened
, meeting her cousin
’s
gaze w
ith a defiant look.
“
I’m
not going back, Perry.
”

“
Of course you a
re, my love,
”
he
drawled
.
“
We
’
re getting married, or had it slipped your mind?
”

She
chose not to respond, asking
instead,
“
How did you find me?
”

A
brisk
female voice
then
observed
,
“D
id you imagine we would
n
’t
, you shameless
girl?
You
r
behaviour was not
entirely
unexpected.
”

Soph
ie
’s
gaze flew to the doorway
.
Eudora
Sloane
was
there
, her features
pinched wit
h tiredness, but her
basi
lisk
-like
stare in excellent
order.
She was dressed i
n a travelling costume of lilac
satin,
worn under a
silk spenc
er
and a voluminous cloak.
An anglesea cap with a plume of feathers and Limerick gloves completed her toilette.
A wan-f
aced, anxious-looking Olivia stood
behind her.

Eudora
was a handsome woman
of between forty and fifty years of age.
She was
tall,
with perfect deportment
and a masterful
mouth and chin
.
Eyes less
protuberant
but the same colour
as her son
’s
bored into Sophie and
her face wore an expression of deep disapproval.
So
p
hie knew that intimidating glare
well.

“
We soon
d
iscovered your duplicity
,
”
said Mrs Sloane
.
“
After lunch
eon
, your maid
went to see if you needed a tisane
.
When she
realize
d you were not in your room, she was alarmed and went to make enquiries
.
She passed Olivia
’s
maid
in the hallway and asked if she had seen yo
u.
Fortunately,
I emerged from the drawing room
just then
.
”
A satisfied look
flitted over
her
face.
“
It did not take long to extract
the details from Amy
.
A
ll my suspicions were confirmed.
I sought out Olivia at once, but she
has
stubbornly refused to speak of t
he matter.
It seems she
ha
s been consumed by some ridiculous
notion of honour and is determined not to betray you.
”