Lord Exmouth's Intentions. Anne Ashley

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      ‘Did I?’ She looked decidedly vague, but as her son knew very well the Dowager’s appearance was deceptive. She might have grown quite indolent in recent years, rarely bestirring herself if she could possibly avoid it, but little escaped the notice of those dreamy brown eyes. ‘Ah, yes! It was only to remind you that the trunks are being sent on ahead today. We don’t wish to be burdened with piles and piles of luggage when we set forth on Friday.’

      ‘I believe Penn has seen to everything in his usual efficient way.’

      ‘What a treasure that valet of yours is, Daniel! Just like my own dear Pinner.’ She turned to the birdlike female, busily occupied in folding clothes into a sizeable trunk, and gave the faintest nod of dismissal.

      ‘I trust you are looking forward to the forthcoming sojourn in Brighton, dear?’ she continued the instant they were alone. ‘And quite content to bear your feeble old mama company for several more weeks? I must confess I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together here in London.’

      His lordship’s eyes, so very like his mother’s in both colour and shape, held a distinctly sardonic gleam. ‘You are neither feeble-minded nor old, my dear. And neither am I a moonling. So you can stop trying to hoodwink me, and voice the question which is quivering on the tip of that occasionally ungovernable tongue of yours! Which is, of course, am I looking forward to furthering my acquaintance with Miss Perceval. The answer to which is…yes.’

      His mother’s gurgle of appreciative laughter was infectious, and his lordship found it impossible not to smile. ‘Possibly just as well that I am anticipating a pleasant time by the sea, since Montague Merrell, together with half my acquaintance, is firmly convinced that the Reverend’s delightful daughter would make me an ideal wife.’

      ‘And so she would!’ her ladyship agreed, not reluctant to add her voice to those which in recent weeks had urged the personable Baron to consider seriously taking the matrimonial plunge once again. ‘She is without doubt the sweetest-natured gel you could ever wish to meet.’

      ‘I wouldn’t argue with that,’ he agreed amicably. ‘She is compliant and dutiful. She would never interfere with your pleasures, or cause you the least concern.’

      ‘I should wish to know her a little better before voicing an opinion on certain aspects of her character.’ He took a moment to study the nails on his left hand. ‘I strongly suspect that Miss Robina Perceval possesses rather more spirit than most people realise.’

      Her ladyship was inclined to take this as a criticism, but was not one hundred per cent sure that it was. Her son was one of those irritating people who always managed to conceal what they were thinking and feeling remarkably well. A disturbing possibility, and one which had never occurred to her before, did suddenly pass through her mind, however. ‘I hope, my dear,’ she said gently, ‘that you were not hoping to find a second Clarissa. You never would, you know.’

      His lordship regarded her in silence for a moment, his expression inscrutable, then he swiftly rose to his feet and went across to stand before the window, his body straight, but not noticeably tense.

      ‘I realise that,’ he said at length, his voice level and, like his expression, giving absolutely nothing away. ‘Clarissa was undoubtedly a rare creature. I have yet to meet her equal in beauty…And I doubt I ever shall.’

      Her ladyship, masterfully suppressing the threat of tears, looked across the room at him, at a loss to know quite how to respond. Not once since the tragedy occurred had he attempted to talk about the accident, at least not to her, and on the few occasions Clarissa’s name had been mentioned she had watched him withdraw within himself, shrouding himself in his own private gloom.

      ‘Do not look so stricken, my dear,’ he advised gently, turning in time to catch that unmistakable expression, that look he had seen flit over scores of faces during these past months. ‘I didn’t come to London with the intention of searching for a mirror image of my dead wife. I came for the sole purpose of finding someone who would happily take care of my daughters, be kind to them and yes, I suppose, take the place of their dead mama.’

      If this admission was supposed to relieve the Dowager’s mind, it fell far short of the mark. ‘I had hoped, Daniel, that you might have taken account of your own feelings in the matter, and not just your daughters’ needs. Do you feel nothing for Miss Perceval at all?’

      He was silent for so long that she thought he would refuse to satisfy her curiosity, but then he said, ‘I think Robina Perceval is one of the most charming, good-natured and innately honest people I have ever met. I would feel a great deal easier in my mind, however, if I thought she really did wish to spend the summer with us in Brighton?’

      ‘Daniel, whatever do you mean?’

      She looked so utterly bewildered that it was as much as he could do not to laugh outright. ‘Mama, I have always had the utmost respect for your acute understanding, but I must confess there have been occasions when you have allowed preconceived notions to cloud your judgement.’

      ‘But—but…’ The Dowager was momentarily lost for words. ‘I’m sure you are wrong, Daniel. The dear child simply jumped at the opportunity to bear me company when I first asked her.’

      ‘I do not doubt for a moment that she did, ma’am,’ he concurred. ‘It took me a short time only to discover that, although Miss Perceval possesses an innately charming reserve, she is by no means averse to socialising and has attained a great deal of pleasure during her time in London. Therefore it is quite natural that she would wish to continue the period of frivolous enjoyment if the opportunity arose. What appears to have escaped you completely, however, is the slight constraint in her which has been quite apparent to me since her return from Hampshire.’

      The Dowager had not observed this. Which was extremely remiss of her, she decided, for she didn’t doubt for a moment that her son, discerning demon that he was, had spoken no less than the truth. ‘I wonder what could have occurred to make her have second thoughts about accompanying us?’

      The look he cast her was more than faintly sardonic. ‘Come, come, ma’am, isn’t it obvious? Something or someone has made her realise what your real motive was for asking her in the first place.’

      ‘How thoughtless some people are! And just when things were progressing so nicely too!’ She looked as annoyed as it was possible for someone with her naturally amicable disposition to appear. ‘Why must people interfere, Daniel?’

      ‘Strangely enough, Mama, I have been asking myself that selfsame question during these past weeks,’ he murmured, casting her a smile which managed to convey both loving affection and exasperation in equal measures. ‘The damage has been done, however. She now knows what fate both you and her own mother have in store for her.’

      ‘Daniel, that simply is not true!’ She managed to hold his openly sardonic gaze for all of ten seconds before she made a great play of rearranging her shawl. ‘I admit I may possibly have mentioned in passing that, now your official period of mourning had come to an end, you might be considering a second marriage.’

      He raised his eyes heavenwards. ‘You do surprise me!’

      ‘And Lady Elizabeth may possibly have remarked on the fact that her eldest daughter, clearly betraying all the signs of truly motherly instincts, was unfailingly patient with her younger sisters,’ she continued, just as though he had not spoken. ‘But I assure you, Daniel, that I never suggested for a СКАЧАТЬ