Sweet Hoyden (10 page)

Pandora cast a mischievous glance at her husband, who was beginning to look
rather angry. "I believe I would like that, Sir Aldan. Until
the morrow, then."

Triumphant now, the baronet rode off, leaving the earl still looking
annoyed. "Madame," he began, "I feel it incumbent upon me to
warn you of that particular gentleman."

Pandora's eyes opened wide in mock surprise. "What can you possibly
warn me about, my lord?"

'He is not all he seems."

She laughed. "Are any of us, my lord?" A moment later she added,
"From all I have observed, Sir Aldan Buckley is a fine figure of a man
and, I am bound to admit, a thoroughly pleasant companion."

'How little you females know," he murmured, looking straight ahead.

'Are you questioning my judgment, Lord Asheville?" she asked in
outraged tones.

He looked at her then. "No, indeed. I would
not for the world have you think so. I meant only that he is a tongue-pad,
easily able to hoodwink gullible ladies. You would not be the first, I fear,
but do not take what I say amiss, madame. My only desire is to protect
you."

'How kind of you," she replied, appearing mollified. "It appears
that you must be well acquainted with Sir Aldan to be able to speak of him with
such sure knowledge."

'I know him well enough," the earl answered somewhat shortly. "He
happens to be a fellow member of Boodles, which affords me some knowledge of
him. Unfortunately he is well known for being in dun territory. Accordingly he
is obliged to pursue heiresses, including my own wife, in regular attempts to
repair his finances."

'That is true of so many gentlemen, alas."

'Those of us who are not strangers to his ways are aware he is once more
deep into dun territory."

'I must admit to being shocked, Lord Asheville. I can scarce believe it of
him, although," she was quick to add, "I am certain you would not
seek to mislead me. As a married man yourself, you would have no motive for
doing so."

He turned to look at her once more. "Be wary, madame,
that is all I ask of you."

Pandora smiled. "If it pleases you, I will, my lord, but knowing these
unfortunate facts about Sir Aldan does not mean I cannot ride out in his
splendid curricle on the morrow."

He did not reply, but when another mutual acquaintance showed signs of
stopping to engage them in conversation, the earl whipped up his team, and the
carriage left the footpath.

As the phaeton plunged into the fields, Pandora held onto her hat and cried,
"Lord Asheville, what are you about?"

'Sir Aldan's team, you will discover, are daisy cutters compared to mine. I
thought I would like to show you what my rum prancers will do, so that you will
be able to discern the difference on the morrow."

'It is well known that you have the finest horseflesh in
London
. I must own it is famous."
Pandora sat back, prepared to enjoy his show of bravado. "When I left
Paris
such a short time
ago, I was devastated, but after all the kindness that has been shown to me by
everyone I have encountered, I am much heartened."

The earl drew in the ribbons to slow the phaeton, which was now far away
from all interruptions. "Madame de Chambray, you have no notion how
charming we English find French ladies."

'Am I to be flattered by that remark, Lord Asheville?" she asked
coyly.

He turned to give her a considered look, which caused her heart to flutter
unevenly yet again. "You are an amazing woman, madame, but 'tis not
flattery I speak, just the truth."

Pandora smiled and said gently, "I do not think you know me very well
as yet, my lord."

'Then, with your permission, I shall seek to know you better in the time to
come," he said harshly before directing his team of horses toward one of
the gates that led out of the park and back toward Curzon Street.

SEVEN

Roderick St. James threw his last hand of cards onto the baize and declared,
"I am all dished up, gentlemen."

'I fear that I am in a similar situation," Lord Asheville agreed.
"I have been roundly drubbed this afternoon."

One of their gaming partners smiled as he pocketed his winnings. "Is
it possible your good fortune is now ended,
Asheville
?"

'For today only, you may be assured," came the
reply as the earl got to his feet and walked away, accompanied by his friend.

One of those who remained murmured, "Mayhap Lady
Asheville's defection has affected him more than he will own."

'That would not surprise anyone," the other replied. "If she were
my wife, I would be desolate, but there is more to that matter than we have yet
seen. Rum business. Lady Asheville is not gone a sennight
before he is to be seen wooing a French widow. I could understand it if Lady
Asheville were not so fetching."

'Every man should be able to enjoy the company of a French widow. It has
nothing to do with the handsomeness of a fellow's wife."

As they left the gaming room, Roderick St. James said, "
Tis true, you did not game with your usual panache,
Asheville
."

'I cannot win every time, much as I would like to."

'No, indeed. That would be outside of enough.
However, it is apparent to me that you have appeared troubled of late. Missing
her ladyship, eh? Shouldn't blame you if you do."

'Truth to tell, I have not had the time," the earl replied.

'Ah, yes," the viscount murmured, smiling wryly. "I recall you
have been somewhat busy, which may have some connection with the arrival of
Cousin Louise. Her presence cannot help but be diverting. You have made much of
her. Mayhap too much for a man so newly wed."

'Do you object to my making that poor creature welcome in our country, St.
James?" the earl asked in some surprise. "I feel certain that Pandora
would not. I thought you would have been glad of it."

The viscount chuckled. "If that were all."

The earl looked shocked. "My motive is quite sincere, I assure you, my
friend. Would you have me ignore her?"

'Not for anything." He chuckled again. "In truth that baggage
puzzles me. She is not at all what I expected after
Rosa
's
description of her."

Lord Asheville looked interested. "In what manner does she puzzle you,
may I ask? She appears entirely straightforward to me."

His friend shrugged. " 'Tis odd how
high-spirited she is. I supposed she would suffer constant megrims for the
loss of her estates and country."

'Mayhap she expects to return home before long. Bad as it may be, it cannot
continue forever."

Roderick St. James nodded. "I dare say that is the truth of it."

'Tell me a little about her background," the earl asked. "I fear
she is reluctant to talk about it to me, which is quite understandable in the circumstances,
and I have forebore to ask her too many questions although I confess to being
curious."

The other man looked a little vague. "Truth to tell, I don't know that
much about her.
Rosa
prattles on so, there
are times when I scarce heed what she is saying. Madame de Chambray is a widow
and evidently of some worth, for we have not been called upon to stump the
blunt since she arrived. Her father was
Rosa
's
uncle, her mother's brother. Beyond that I know very little. Meanwhile the
house is full of females, with another due to join us before long."

'I fully understand how trying it must be," the earl told him with a
smile. "Lady St. James and Madame de Chambray are always seen to be in
high snuff."

'Not to mention Cousin Louise's niece." Again the earl looked
interested. "I don't believe I have met the lady." Lord St. James
waved one hand in the air. It was becoming clear he was not much interested in
his wife's relatives and was growing weary of the conversation. "The chit
is scarce out of the schoolroom. I tell you, when the three of them get
together 'tis like Bedlam in the house."

The earl laughed. "I can well believe it. I recall full well the times
I have walked in upon Pandora and your wife, which would no doubt present a similar
scene of mayhem." The earl paused for a moment or two before adding,
"Arriving at your house the other day, I did encounter Madame de
Chambray's abigail."

'Oh, yes, I believe I do recall some bracket-faced creature mooning about
the landing. Can't say I take much account of serving
wenches."

Lord Asheville's eyebrows rose a little. "Bracket-faced?
She appeared quite fetching to me." They wandered out of the club past the
lackeys and paused while their carriages were brought round. "Regrettably,
I shan't be able to accompany you to Tattersall's on the morrow," the earl
said thoughtfully after a moment.

'As you wish," his friend answered good-naturedly,
"but I thought you had it in mind to purchase a new hunter."

'I do, but it will have to wait awhile longer. I have more pressing business
to attend out of town. Be sure you convey my apologies and good wishes to Lady
St. James and Madame de Chambray."

'Certainly I will, but I cannot think why you deem it necessary."

'They might take my absence amiss." The earl's phaeton arrived, and he
took the ribbons, raising his hat to his friend. "Good day to you, St.
James. I shall make contact with you on my return."

'I do believe that toady would wish to make me his ch&re amie," Pandora declared when she discovered Rosamond
resting on her daybed on the following afternoon.

Lady St. James sat up when Pandora entered her sitting room, where she was
being entertained by Francois. "Are you referring to Buck Buckley?"

'No,
Asheville
."

Rosamond St. James laughed. "Is that not what you wished?"

'Indeed, but it is exceeding bothersome when one's own husband acts in such
a fashion. And sometimes he says the oddest things. There are occasions when
it seems that he knows, but that cannot possibly be."

'Have you had sight of him today?"

'No, but as he was aware Sir Aldan was taking me riding, I am persuaded he
will be sulking somewhere. I was obliged to go out early today to purchase a
new stock of eau de cologne.
Asheville
told me that mine reminded him of his wife's."

Her friend gasped. "My dear, you must have a care."

'Hence my new stock of patchouli. It is quite different to my usual floral
variety, I assure you, but I was never more mortified than when he made mention
of the similarity."

She cast a hesitant smile toward Francois who had been reading a paper with
great concentration. Then he cast it down, scornfully declaring, "Mon
Dieu, it is disgraceful that such things are allowed to be printed. If I knew
the culprit…"

He made as if to draw a nonexistent sword, which was a graphic enough
gesture for Pandora. "What can have put you in such a pucker,
Francois?" she asked.

' Tis nothing," he answered.

Pandora laughed. "I cannot credit that. You are in quite a fidge. Let
me see what has upset you so."

'It is of no account," he insisted.

'Give it to her," his cousin said resignedly.

'No! She must not see it. I will not allow it, Tante Rosamond."

Pandora looked to her friend for an explanation. "I confiscated that
from my maid, Pandora. It is one of those scandal sheets that tend to circulate
around the lower orders."

'A chronique scandaleuse." Francois added contemptuously
when he reluctantly handed it over to her.

'

'Which Lord A,' " Pandora read aloud, "
'only awaited the departure of his lady on an errand of mercy before taking up
with an enchanting and very much available emigree?' I suppose this is circulating
all over town," she added as she looked up.

'I am so sorry, Pandora," Rosamond told her in heartfelt tones,
"but no one is exempt from those Grub Street hacks. It does not help when
you are leg-shackled to a Corinthian crony of the Prince of Wales."

'I know," Pandora answered, and for once her tone was muted.

'It is not to be borne," the young man raged. "I vow someone will
pay for this slight upon you, my lady."

'It is nought but the truth," Pandora pointed out, clutching the paper
to her bosom, "but I do wonder which one of my 'friends' revealed this
little on dit. You have no need to be sorry,
Rosa
.
You are not personally to blame. We all must share the blame for our
life-styles, which attract the interest of these vile creatures. Moreover, it
is only what I planned, if you recall. The plan is working perfectly, and
this"—she waved the paper in the air—"is ample proof of that. It
could not be better, I fancy."

Rosamond sank back onto the daybed. "How long do you suppose you can
continue with the tarradid-dle?"

Pandora had walked over to the window, aware of Francois's brooding gaze.
Now she turned to look at her friend once again. "You do not grow tired of
it, do you,
Rosa
?"

The viscountess laughed. "Indeed, I do not, but there are times when I
fear for the outcome."

'No more than I, I assure you," came Pandora's
heartfelt reply. "The best that can happen is that
Asheville
and I have a greater understanding
between us when it is over. Matters, in any event, cannot be more tangled than
they are now."

'And the worst… ?" Lady St. James prompted.

Pandora sighed. "You have never seen
Asheville
in the vials of wrath."

'He would not dare to castigate you," Francois declared.

The remark caused Pandora to smile sadly. "My husband would castigate a
saint if he deemed the

Qfi circumstances correct, and let no one say I am one of their number."

'You need have no fear, my dear madame," Francois reassured her.
"Should Lord Asheville be so foolish as to
attempt to punish you, I will call him out."