Heart Specialist (12 page)

“
I will let you in on a secret, Miss Brooke,
”
the
comte
confided, leaning nearer to her to impart it.
“
One of these days I hope to marry an heiress, and then all my troubles will be at an end!
”

“
Or just beginning,
”
the doctor asserted.

The
marquise
reiterated her opinion that Philippe was impossible, but she did so in the indulgent way that proved he was really a prime favorite with her. And then she turned again to Valentine and said that she had been looking forward to meeting her ever since her nephew had first mentioned her, and although she said nothing at all about Miss Constantia, and was too well bred to refer eve
n
in a roundabout way to the money that had been left to her, the girl sensed that she was deeply curious about her and a little intrigued. To
h
er, fifteen million francs was probably such a trifling sum
that she would certainly not regard Valentine as an heiress, and the fact that she had not long ago been a secretary-companion, that she had left her own land in order to become one, that she spoke French beautifully and, in spite of the charm of her appearance, was plainly rather shy and diffident, were things that interested her far more.

“
My nephew is of the opinion that as a stranger to Paris, you ought to be shown more than you have been shown so far,
”
she observed.
“
I
no longer do very much entertaining—my rheumatism,
”
she admitted with her charming smile that would always have an ingredient of youth in it,
“
is a little trying at times, and I
’
m getting
old
!
But I would love it if you would drop in and see me any time you feel like doing so, and I understand you have a friend who is joining you from England? You must bring her along to see me, too, and one night we will arrange a little dinner party! Just a few of my very special friends and people you would like to meet!
”

“
You are very kind,
”
Valentine said and thought that although the doctor had not asked about Jane he had evidently made up his mind that she was joining her.

Madame la marquise
looked at her quizzically.

“
Do you know,
”
she said,
“
I
’
ve never before known my nephew to take such a particular interest in anyone quite as young as you are—a young woman, I mean. Naturally, in his profession he comes in contact with all ages and all types, but I
’
ve never known him to specially
mention
someone of your sex who wasn
’
t of a very sophisticated order indeed. His women friends are always sophisticated, and
I
have more than once lamented the fact that they were perhaps a little too much so!
”

“
Oh, but I
’
m not a particular friend of Dr. Daudet
’
s!
”
Valentine thought it best to enlighten her immediately, and as the doctor was out of earshot, talking by the window with the
comte
, she could do so without being overheard.
“
He
...
I
...
he is just being
...
rather kind!
”

The
marquise
smiled.

“
Because he feels perhaps, that you need a little kindness and protection—because you
are
young!
”
She smiled complacently.
“
That is as I thought!
”

Valentine looked down at her hands.

“
Dr. Daudet attended Miss Constantia, who was my employer, in her last illness—which was actually very sudden,
”
she explained.
“
And since then he has tried to advise me. He has done so because, well, things were a little unexpected.
”

The
marquise
patted her shoulder.

“
I know all about that, my dear, but we will not discuss it. And it is the unexpected things that are so exciting, don
’
t you think? Now that you are going to stay here in Paris with us you must begin to feel like the very young woman that you are and forget that your circumstances were perhaps not always quite so carefree. You must begin to realize that youth comes to us only once in a lifetime, and every moment of it has to be enjoyed. But don
’
t tell Leon I recommend you spread your wings, for somehow I do not think he would approve!
”
And she looked across the room at her nephew with the quizzical expression clinging about her mouth as well as in her eyes.
“
And whatever you do, don
’
t take
Philippe seriously under any circumstances!
”
she added warningly under her breath.
“
He has a charm which is quite devastating when he chooses to exert it, but the villain is also quite unscrupulous!
”

“
Now that is basely unfair, Tante Minette,
”
Philippe objected immediately, proving as he turned that he not only had very sharp ears, but that he had been quite unashamedly listening while apparently carrying on a conversation with the doctor.
“
I
am fully prepared to bring the entire battery of my charms to bear
O
n Miss Brooke, if she will permit me to see her again once she has left here this afternoon. And if as a result of what you have just said she won
’
t let me have her address, then I
’
ll use bribery and corruption to get it out of you!
”

“
There! What did
I
say?
”
the
marquise
said, spreading her white soft hands sparkling with many rings.

But on the way home Valentine admitted to the doctor that she thought the Comte de Villeneuve was amusing,
“
He seems to be quite uninhibited, and that is attractive,
”
she said.

“
If you admire a lack of inhibition in a man, well,
I
suppose it is,
”
Dr. Daudet agreed dryly.
“
But Philippe is exactly what Tante Minette said he is—unscrupulous. He has no money and he likes to live well, and usually he manages to do so. He will almost certainly pursue you!
”

“
What for?
”
she asked innocently.
“
My particular brand of attractiveness, or my fifteen million francs?
”

“
He would regard that as a drop in the bucket, but there is Chaumont.
”

“
And Chaumont is worth as much again?
”

“
Considerably more. Chaumont houses some valuable collections, all realizable.
”

She shook her head.

“
I don
’
t think the
comte
would sell his soul and his freedom for some valuable collections.
”

“
You may be right,
”
he agreed.
“
He is a bit of a rover, and a wife would handicap the instincts of a rover.
”

Then after a few minutes he asked,
“
Have you examined the contents of Miss Constantia
’
s jewel box yet? There are some valuable pieces in that, you know, and you could have them reset if you wanted to.
”

“
I haven
’
t looked at it,
”
she admitted. She had put it away in a place of safety when it was handed over to her, and somehow she couldn
’
t bring herself to pry into Miss Constantia
’
s personal possessions at this early stage. Perhaps when Jane arrived they might examine it together.
“
But it is quite safe,
”
she added.

“
It would be safer in the bank, if it isn
’
t already there,
”
he told her.
“
But you do realize that the contents of that jewel box are yours? Whatever happens!
”

She nodded her head mutely.

“
You could have one or two pieces reset,
”
he said again. He sent her a sideways glance.
“
Now is the time when you should feel interested in trinkets. And you are pretty enough to do them justice.
”

“
Thank you,
”
she said.

He concentrated on the road ahead and the lights that were flashing like dragonflies through the soft spring dusk.

“
By the way, you did write to your friend in England?
”
he asked.

“
To Jane? Yes. She has given her notice—unfortunately it had to be a month
’
s notice—and she will be with me soon.
”

“
Good!
”
he exclaimed and he really sounded as if he meant it.

Just before they reached the apartment he asked her another question.
“
What do you do with yourself, now that you are so much alone and all your time is your own? Oh,
I
know you have a very ardent admirer
,
”
he said with extreme dryness,
“
waiting to take you out and about at the drop of a handkerchief, and apparently he knows the right places to take you to—
”
it was the first time he had referred to the evening before, and she wondered secretly what his opinion of Peter was
“
—but kn
o
wing certain views you hold.
I
don
’
t imagine you will give him unlimited encouragement. In any case, unlimited encouragement is never wise unless you
’
re absolutely certain in your own mind what you want!
”

She was silent and afterward she was to puzzle over this somewhat abstruse observation he had made. She finally decided that he had meant it to be abstruse. But just then she thought he sounded the least bit peevish, and her daily doings could hardly be of interest to him, so she said nothing. Then she remembered the invitation she had received from Maitre Dubonnet—or rather, the wife of Maitre Dubonnet.

“
I shall be going out tomorrow night.
”
she said,
“
to the house of Monsieur Dubonnet. They are giving a dinner party, and
I
am to be one of the guests.
”

“
In that case you should have a pleasant evening.
”
he said.
“
The Dubonnets are delightful people, and the people they invite are usually very pleasant, too.
”

She wouldn
’
t have been in the least surprised if he had admitted that he had received an invitation as well: but he didn
’
t, and it crossed her mind as being just a little strange when he seemed to have much in common with the Dubonnets and was obviously in close touch with their circle of friends.

Therefore, when she arrived at the Dubonnets the following evening and found him among the guests, she couldn
’
t help showing her surprise. He smiled
i
nexplicably as he took her hand, but he said nothing, apart from hoping she had enjoyed her visit to his aunt the previous day.

Monsieur Dubonnet was the ideal host, and his wife was charming. She was almost naively interested in Valentine and placed her between an elderly bachelor professor and a young law student at the table, and said, as Madame Faubourg had said, that they must get to know one another. For once Dr. Daudet was not accompanied by Madame Faubourg, but his place at the table was obviously a place of honor, on the right hand of his hostess.

Valentine enjoyed the evening, but she would have enjoyed it a great deal more if she hadn
’
t been puzzling out in her mind—or attempting to puzzle out—the reason why Leon Daudet, having been told about the invitation she had received, hadn
’
t admitted to having received an invitation himself.

It could be, she thought, that he thought he might have had to offer to drive her there and spare her the journey in a taxi, if he had admitted he was to be a guest of the Dubonnets. Perhaps he was often pressed for time, and it would have been inconvenient picking her up. But somehow she didn
’
t think that was the reason. He had put himself out before to give her a lift, and it would have required only a very brief detour to pick her up at the apartment and then drive her to the Dubonnets.