An Unreasonable Match. Sylvia Andrew

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      “Sir Hugely Perfect?” Lady Perceval went over to her son. “Hugo! How unkind! Are you really called so?”

      The colour had risen in Hugo’s cheeks, but he shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “Not by everyone, only Lowell and his cronies. The rest of my acquaintance are not so childish.”

      Hester cleared her throat. “Where…where did such a name come from, Lowell? Mama is right. It isn’t kind.”

      “It’s from a book,” Hugo answered for Lowell, who had hesitated. “A piece of rubbish which came on the scene a month or two ago. But no one of any sense could possibly take it seriously.”

      “A book?”

      Lowell held his sister’s eyes. “A book called The Wicked Marquis. And Hugo is mistaken. It’s not just my set. The whole of the beau-monde is talking about it.”

      Lady Perceval was looking bewildered. “Hugo? A wicked marquis? What are you talking about, Lowell?”

      “Hugo isn’t the wicked marquis, Mama. He’s just a character in the book. One of a great number.”

      Hester said faintly, “Mama, I should quite like to see my room. I feel sadly dishevelled, and…and I have a touch of the headache.”

      “My poor child! I thought you seemed rather pale—we rose so early this morning, Hugo. I dare swear you were not even awake when we left Perceval Hall. Come, my dear!” At the door she paused. “I hope to see you later, Hugo. Are you dining here?”

      “Certainly! I couldn’t neglect you all on your first evening in town. I must bring you up to date! Sophia Cleeve’s ball was a huge success, by the way. No expense spared, naturally. And in her quiet way little Robina is doing very well.”

      “Excellent! Excellent!” Sir James beamed with pleasure.

      His wife was equally pleased. She left Hester and came back into the room to join Hugo and her husband. “What a relief for her mother!” she exclaimed. “Elizabeth was so worried at the expense of it all, but if Robina can make a reasonable match, the prospect for her sisters is vastly improved. She is, of course, a very pretty girl. Do you know who…?”

      Hester seized her opportunity. She pulled Lowell out into the hall and pushed him into a side room, shutting the door firmly behind them. Then she turned.

      “What have you done, Lowell?” she hissed.

      “I don’t know what you m—”

      Hester gave her brother a most unladylike shake.

      “Yes you do, you little toad! How did you find it? And what did you do with it?”

      “Oh, you mean The Wicked Marquis? I sold it.”

      “You what?”

      “I sold it. I showed it to a friend of mine in Cambridge and he was as keen as mustard about it. He knew where to go to get it printed, and…”

      “You…you sold it? For publication? You’re trying to hoax me, Lowell—no respectable publisher would handle a thing like that!”

      “Well, no. That’s where old Marbury was so useful. He knew a fellow who dealt with the other kind.”

      “Lowell!” Hester was horrified, but Lowell was too full of enthusiasm to notice.

      He went on, “It needed spicing up a bit for that kind of trade, of course, so I did that. I brought it up to date as well. I didn’t do at all a bad job, either. The chap I sold it to was quite impressed.”

      “You…you traitor, Lowell! How could you! How dare you!”

      He looked injured. “I thought you’d be pleased. It wasn’t doing any good in that dusty old cupboard, and now it’s a huge success. Don’t listen to what Hugo says. It’s not just my set—everyone is talking about it.”

      “Oh God!” she said in despair, pacing up and down in a fever of anxiety. “Oh, Lowell! How could you? We’re ruined!”

      “Nonsense! For one thing, no one knows who the author is—”

      “But they’re bound to find out! It wouldn’t be difficult to work out who wrote it—all the people in it were the ones I knew. I’m surprised Hugo hasn’t worked it out already.”

      “That’s where my bits came in,” said her brother proudly. “I think you’ll find that I’ve obscured the tracks enough.”

      “I must see it—immediately. Tonight!”

      “I don’t think so, Hes. Gaines and I are off to Astley’s tonight. Tomorrow.”

      “You’ll bring it tonight, you snake—”

      “Hester!” Lady Perceval came into the room. “I thought you had gone upstairs. Whatever are you doing here? And Lowell!”

      “I…I…er…I have some messages for Lowell. From the Vicarage.”

      “Henrietta, perhaps?” asked her mother with a significant smile. “I won’t ask what they are—you obviously want to deliver them in private. Lowell, shall we see you tonight?”

      Her two children answered at the same time. “Yes!” said Hester. “No, unfortunately not,” said Lowell with an apologetic smile. Sir James, hearing this, was annoyed.

      “What’s this, sir? Your mother and I would have liked you to be here!”

      “Sorry, Papa! It’s Gaines. He’s leaving town tomorrow. He has to go down to Devon for a few weeks. Tonight’s the only night we can go and we’ve been promising ourselves this treat for ages. I’ll be here tomorrow morning—about noon.”

      With this his parents had to be content, though they were not best pleased. As they turned to go Hester, who had been thinking furiously, said, “Mama, Lowell has suggested we go for a short walk. He thought that might relieve my headache better than lying in a stuffy room. I should dearly like to see where he lives. I know it isn’t far. Just round the corner…almost.” She gave Lowell a sweet smile. Only he could sense the determination behind it.

      “Well…”

      “I’m sure he’ll look after me, Mama. Won’t you, Lowell?”

      “Of course! If you’re sure you want to…”

      “I want to. May I, Mama?”

      A few moments later Hester was accompanying Lowell to Half Moon Street. After a silence she said, “You haven’t told me yet how you discovered it.”

      Lowell had had time to reflect on Hester’s reaction. He had genuinely thought that it was a wonderful jest to have her book published, but now he was no longer so sure. It was a long time since he had seen Hester in such a rage.

      “I…I was waiting for you in the attic. This was some time ago, Hes. You were a long time coming. So…so I explored. The key was on top of СКАЧАТЬ