Mesalliance (11 page)

Rockliffe
re-seated himself on the desk and folded his arms.

‘What a pity
that fellow Sheridan isn’t here,’ he drawled. ‘He could make a play
out of this.’

‘It’s not
funny!’ snapped Adeline. ‘Why don’t you
do
something? Tell
Cecily the truth before this whole farce gets completely out of
hand.’

‘Too late, my
dear. Here is your aunt … ah – and Diana. Almost the whole cast, in
fact.’

‘I’m glad you
can be so philosophical. Don’t you care?’

‘You mean am I
panic-stricken. And the answer to that is no.’

Lady Miriam had
sailed into the centre of the room and came to an abrupt halt, her
gaze fixed on Adeline.

‘What,’ she
asked glacially, ‘is the meaning of this?’

‘I hardly dare
say, my lady,’ volunteered Cecily, without noticeable hesitation.
‘But you can see the state of Adeline’s hair and gown for yourself.
And when Mr Horton and I came in, she and the Duke were
kissing
!’

There was a
long, fragile silence during which his Grace reviewed his options.
There were three. What he
could
do; what he probably
should
do; and what he
wanted
to do. He was still
reviewing them when her ladyship said carefully, ‘Am I to
understand that your Grace is responsible for – for my niece’s
present reprehensible appearance?’

‘Well that
would depend on whom you ask,’ he replied reflectively. ‘You might,
for example, try asking Mistress Diana. But I, personally, would be
extremely surprised if she told you.’

The cold gaze
swivelled to Diana, standing transfixed beside Cecily in the
doorway.

‘Well?’

For a moment,
Diana appeared to be at a loss. Then she said chokingly, ‘I don’t
know what he’s talking about. It – it’s perfectly obvious what’s
been going on between them. And I, for one, think it’s disgusting!’
And, pushing both her brother and Mistress Garfield aside, she
fled.

His balance
already precarious, Andrew slithered slowly down the wall and sat
on the floor. No one paid the remotest attention.

‘I am waiting,’
announced Lady Miriam, ‘for an explanation.’

‘Yes. I daresay
you are.’ Rockliffe came collectedly to his feet and faced Adeline.
He was in the grip of a mood of dangerous exhilaration and it
showed. He said, ‘I think it’s time we put an end to this. Don’t
you?’

‘By all means,’
came the acidulous reply. ‘It’s what I’ve been suggesting for the
past ten minutes. But I don’t see, now, how you expect to achieve
it.’

‘Don’t you?’ He
trapped her eyes with his own and his smile was one she had never
seen before. He said, ‘It’s really very simple. I’m going to marry
you.’

The silence
that followed this announcement was of cataclysmic proportions.
Then several things happened at once.

Andrew began to
sing a particularly bawdy song but was summarily cut off as Cecily
tripped over him in her haste to break the news to Diana; Lady
Miriam and her brother both began talking at the same time; and
Adeline disgraced herself still further by dissolving into helpless
laughter.

This had the
immediate effect of silencing her ladyship and Mr Horton as they
stared at Rockliffe, searching for signs of affront. There were
none. His Grace merely studied his snuff-box with a thoughtful air
– and waited.

Finally, when
Adeline’s paroxysm had dwindled to the odd gasping sob, he said,
‘Not quite the usual response … but one sees your point, of
course.’

‘Wh-what did
you expect?’ she asked, with some difficulty. ‘I might have said
“
My lord
Duke – this is so s-sudden
!” But then you’d
have thought I believed you m-meant it.’

‘I see.’ The
dark eyes gleamed. ‘And don’t you?’

Adeline drew a
long, steadying breath and pulled herself together. Beneath the
laughter was a tiny core of pain but that was for later. She would
not think of it now. She said, ‘In a word – no. I could, however,
list half a dozen reasons why you said it – but, just now, that
would be a trifle tactless, wouldn’t it?’

‘Perhaps … but
that need no longer concern you.’

‘I cannot,’
declaimed Lady Miriam, annoyed at being so long ignored,
‘understand any of this. I demand to know what has taken place in
this room and whether your Grace can seriously be intending to
marry my niece – though a more ludicrous suggestion I have never
heard. I wish also to --’

‘Presently,’
said Rockliffe, quietly but with utter finality. ‘I will discuss
the matter with you in detail presently. In fact, I look forward to
doing so. In the meantime, however, I wish to address your niece.’
He paused briefly. Out in the hall, Andrew was singing again. ‘Mr
Horton … perhaps you will now do me the favour of closing the door?
I do not, you will notice, ask you to remain outside it.’

‘How very
wise,’ said Richard, calmly shutting out Andrew’s ditty, ‘since I
have no intention of doing so.’

‘Quite.’ The
Duke turned back to Adeline. ‘And now, my dear, let us explode a
few misconceptions. You think I suffer from a sometimes
questionable and frequently misplaced sense of humour – and you are
right. But do you also take me for a fool?’

‘No.’ An
arrested expression crept into the aquamarine eyes. ‘No. What are
you saying?’

‘I am saying
that I have just announced, before witnesses, my intention to make
you my wife … and, even as we speak, Mistress Garfield is busy
spreading the glad tidings to all and sundry. So if I spoke out of
levity, my folly is well-served, is it not?’ He smiled at her.
‘
He
that diggeth a pit
– and so on. There are no
loop-holes. None. Nor am I looking for any.’

It was a long
time before Adeline spoke and, when she did, her voice seemed to
come from a long way off. ‘I still can’t believe you mean it.’

‘Neither can
I!’ snapped her ladyship. ‘I can only say that, if his Grace has
indeed
trifled with you --’

‘The word,’
interposed Richard Horton sweetly, ‘is compromised.’

‘Very well –
compromised, then.
If
he has done so – though I can by no
means accept the fact --’

‘Accept it,’
advised her brother again. ‘Look at her. How else do you think she
came to look like that?’

‘I was set upon
by a wildcat,’ snapped Adeline tartly, ‘and you know it perfectly
well. His Grace didn’t touch me. It was Diana.’

‘
What
?’
repeated Richard, his tone a nice blend of incredulity and
amusement. ‘You will have to do better than that, I fear. And as
for the question of whether or not his Grace has touched you …
Mistress Garfield has already testified to the truth of that, has
she not? No, dear Adeline, I’m afraid it will not do. It will not
do at all.’

‘I wish you
will be quiet!’ said his sister, her annoyance getting the better
of her. ‘There is no need for any of this. Adeline is not a
school-girl and, if she has behaved foolishly, she has only herself
to blame. As for your Grace’s generous offer – it does you credit.
But I cannot permit you to make such a sacrifice.’

‘Your ladyship
is too kind,’ remarked Rockliffe dryly.

And then,
before he could continue, the door burst open again to admit Nell
with Harry Caversham hard on her heels.

‘Is it true?’
Nell demanded hotly. ‘Cecily is telling everyone you’re going to
marry Mistress Kendrick because – oh God!’ She stopped abruptly,
staring at Adeline. ‘Oh God –it’s true, isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ said his
Grace, his gaze resting with lightly-veiled mockery on Lady Miriam.
‘It’s true. And now, if we have established that fact to everyone’s
satisfaction, I suggest that you all return to the ballroom and
attempt to enjoy yourselves.’

‘That is all
very well,’ objected her ladyship irritably, ‘but unfortunately
--’

‘Lady Miriam –
you have other guests,’ drawled Rockliffe. ‘You should go and
attend to them. Furthermore, your son is too drunk to stand and
ought, I fancy, be removed from the hall. Mr Horton – who, I
suspect, would very much like a private word with you - will
doubtless be happy to assist.’

‘Just so.
Ecstatic, in fact,’ said Richard, boundless satisfaction informing
every syllable. And, taking his sister’s arm, he led her firmly
from the room.

‘Why did you do
it?’ asked Nell, her eyes suspiciously bright. ‘How can
you
,
of all people, have been so
stupid
?’

‘Go away, Nell.
Console yourself with the thought that, if I am married, you won’t
have to stay with Lucilla … and try to mind what you say this
evening – particularly within the hearing of Mistress Garfield.
None of this is what it seems and it’s by no means the tragedy you
appear to think. No – don’t argue. We’ll talk later … but not now.
Just go.’

Rockliffe
waited while she made a slow and very reluctant exit. For a second,
he considered asking Harry to leave as well and then, deciding
against it, said, ‘Adeline. Sufficient unto the day, my dear. I’d
like you to allow Harry to escort you to your door and then forget
everything except the simple fact that I know what I’m doing. Will
you do that?’

‘I don’t know.’
She both sounded and looked exceptionally tired. ‘I don’t know. But
there’s no need to trouble Lord Harry.’

‘It’s no
trouble,’ his lordship assured her. ‘None at all.’

‘Thank you. But
I’d prefer, if you don’t mind, to be alone.’ She hesitated, looking
at his Grace and the ghost of her customary irony flickered in her
eyes. ‘It’s been quite an evening, hasn’t it? But I think you know,
without being told, that – though I appreciate you making the
gesture – it will be for nothing.’

He silenced her
with a faint shake of his head and his eyes still smiled.

‘Don’t turn me
down tonight. Tomorrow, if you must … but not tonight.’ Then,
taking her hand, he lightly kissed her fingers. ‘Goodnight,
Adeline. Try to get some sleep.’

Something tore
at her throat and she fled before it could take possession of
her.

Rockliffe
watched her go and then said resignedly, ‘Well, Harry?’

His lordship
was looking uncharacteristically grim.

‘The Garfield
chit is going around telling everyone that you compromised Mistress
Kendrick.’

‘Is that a
piece of information … or are you asking a question?’

‘Of course it’s
not a bloody question! Do you think I don’t know you better than
that? And I saw the state of her. Only a complete idiot could
suppose you had anything to do with it.’

‘Harry … you
overwhelm me.’ His Grace flicked an imaginary speck from one
immaculate cuff. ‘But sadly, people are very much inclined to see
what they wish to see.’

‘And you’re
going to let them?’

‘In this
particular instance, yes. Why not?’

Harry gave a
sudden crack of laughter.

‘You’re
incorrigible, Rock. Are you really going to marry her?’

‘Yes. I rather
think I am. Do I take it that you disapprove?’

‘Much you’d
care if I did. But no,’ said Harry thoughtfully. ‘No. As it
happens, I don’t. I like her. And you could do a lot worse – little
Miss Look-at-me-I’m-Beautiful, for example. But you must know as
well as I do that there won’t be any shortage of critics.’

‘You are saying
that I’ll be held to have made a
mésalliance
,’ said
Rockliffe placidly. ‘Yes. But I’m sure you’ll agree that is no
one’s business but my own.’

‘Then I wish
you the best of good fortune,’ shrugged his lordship. ‘But tell me
one thing, will you? Who
did
try ripping your future duchess
to shreds?’

The Duke was
engaged in shaking out his ruffles and thus took his time about
replying. But finally he said, with caustic humour, ‘Think about
it, Harry. I’m sure you’ll work it out.’

*

As early as
possible on the following morning, Lady Miriam summoned her husband
and brother to a private conference in her boudoir. She was not in
the best of moods. Her cherished ball had been an unmitigated
disaster; Diana was still indulging in pointless hysterics; and
before retiring for the night, Rockliffe had found time to address
her in terms which she suspected were vaguely threatening. It was
enough to make a lesser woman take to her bed … but my lady,
fortunately, was made of sterner stuff.

‘I have called
you here to discuss the consequences of last night,’ she began
briskly. ‘Obviously, Rockliffe can’t be allowed to marry
Adeline.’

‘Can’t he?’
enquired her husband blankly. ‘Why not?’

‘Don’t be
stupid, Roland. It’s absolutely out of the question. I wish – just
occasionally – that you would
think
.’

‘I
am
thinking, he objected mildly. ‘Seems to me it’d be a good thing. It
would stop Adeline getting on your nerves. And the fellow’s old
enough to know his own mind, ain’t he?’

‘You are
missing the point,’ said Mr Horton maliciously. ‘Miriam wanted
Rockliffe for Diana. What she assuredly does
not
want is for
Adeline to get him instead. I, on the other hand, am strongly of
the opinion that any duchess in the family is better than no
duchess at all. And if Miriam has spoken to his Grace she must have
discovered that Diana has put herself quite beyond the pale.’

There was an
ominous silence before her ladyship said sharply, ‘Are you saying
there’s some truth in Adeline’s monstrous allegation?’

‘Well, of
course. Didn’t Rockliffe tell you?’

‘No. He merely
said that, under the circumstances, the precise truth of the matter
could serve little purpose. Then he told me that, if she would
accept him, he intended to marry Adeline and that it would be wise
of me to accept it with a good grace.’