Patricia Veryan - [Sanguinet Saga 10] - Lanterns (22 page)

Mrs. Cordova halted before him, clasped hands pressed to her
mouth,
her big dark eyes fixed upon him with such drama as to be ludicrous,
yet he felt no inclination to laugh, and asked gravely, "Do you say
that this visitor will be responsible for a tragedy?"

She nodded.

''Here at Lanterns? Or at the dower house?"

''There you are," she wailed, throwing her arms wide. "Which?
I only
know that dark clouds are all about us. The Mystical Window warns of a
most dreadful threat. But it makes no sense, do you see? For sometimes
it seems to come from far away, and sometimes is here.
Here!
And how can that be? Unless…"

He said quietly, "Unless I am the threat."

''Oh, I hope not. I really do. Perhaps it is that I'm not
reading the
warning properly, but I felt I must tell you, just in case. So many
tangled threads. And death hovering… so
horribly!
And everything will be changed!" She moaned distractedly. "Oh dear, oh
dear!"

He stood and took her hands and led her to the chair again.
"Now,
now. Do not be so troubled. I thank you for coming down here to warn
me. But—your visitor may already have arrived, ma'am, in which case you
worry? for nothing."

She looked at him dubiously, and he poured a little more wine
in her glass and told her about his uninvited late-night caller.

''He must have been a big fellow to toss you about," she said,
looking somewhat cheered.

''His height is not exceptional, but he's almost as broad as
he is tall and
of
incredible strength."

''You saw that much—at night? Or is it that you have met him
before?"

''I've met him before, and certainly he has no love for me.
But in this instance I think he was simply looking for
The
Sigh of Saladin
. And that may be the danger you were warned
of, ma'am: that unscrupulous men are hunting for the supposed treasure."

''Hmm. This very strong man who attacked you. Is he English?"

''He is Chinese. And his master is a Swiss. There, you see?
They are from far away, yet they are here."

She gave a sigh of relief. "Praise heaven, then that would
explain it!"

''It would indeed, and it is nothing that would bring trouble
upon your brother's household, so you may be at ease."

''Ye-es." She sprang up in her abrupt fashion and trotted to
the door. "And I must be off."

Diccon offered to drive her up the hill, but she declined,
saying
that she liked to walk. He accompanied her across the drawbridge, and
when they reached the north end of the manor she stopped and reached up
to pat his cheek. "Such a kind smile," she said. "Poor boy. What a
terrible grief to have lost your lady so young. The young feel things
so very intensely."

Once again his breath was snatched away. He gasped, "You—you
heard about it?"

''No. But it was a simple puzzle to solve, after all. I did
know that
you had been devoted to your papa, but he died when you were eleven, I
believe, and you said your tragedy occurred when you were eighteen. At
that time you had already left home. Your mother was still living, so
the only other cause of such grief would be a lady." Her brow wrinkled.
"It might, I suppose, have been a beloved sister, or aunt. But—it
wasn't, so now you will think me very clever, no? And you will pay heed
to my warnings. Be very careful, 'plain and simple, Major Diccon.' You
are neither plain nor simple, and I know you have lived with danger for
most of your days. I fear you, my dear. But I like you. And I would
purely loathe to discover that we have arrived at the wrong solution to
what my Mystical Window is trying to tell me."

A beaming smile, a little pat on the arm, and she was gone,
but
Diccon still stood there watching as she walked with quick, bouncy
steps up the slope and across the meadow.

MacDougall emerged from the barn and wandered over to join
him. "Whisht! She's well away. It's demented she is, puir lady."

Diccon said thoughtfully, "Or very wise, Mac. Either way, I
think
you and I must do what we can to make Lanterns more secure. I've a
feeling that we've not seen the last of unexpected visitors."

''Oh, a famous fellow, I agree. I always liked George."
Sitting
beside Eric Warrington in the withdrawing room, Blake Coville was quite
aware of the admiration in the younger man's eyes, and although he
longed to terminate this conversation he added graciously, "In fact, I
helped him get out of England two years ago."

''Did you, by Jove! How famous! I never even saw Brummell. Did
you know him, Papa?"

''Not well," said Sir Lionel. "One encountered him at various
functions, of course. But I have never been an admirer of
the Carlton House set, and Brummell seemed to me a very cold fish. Etta
liked him, though, didn't you, my love?"

''He was very kind to me," said Marietta, "when he might
easily have
snubbed me. And that is how we judge people really, don't you think?
Less by what men say of them than by how they treat us personally."

Coville had come here this afternoon hoping for a private chat
with
Marietta. Unfortunately, young Warrington had driven in only moments
after he arrived. Now he was properly trapped and would likely be
subjected to a half-hour of dull small talk before he could decently
escape, without ever having spent a moment alone with her. All it
wanted was for the lunatic aunt to appear! He conjured up a rather
tight smile and said, "I hope that gentle tolerance will not be
extended to my step-brother. I have been trying to hint your sister
away from him, Warrington, but Miss Marietta is of a trusting nature,
and he has a smooth tongue and I fear has managed to deceive her."

Indignant, Marietta protested, "I think you are saying I am
gullible, which is not the case! I broached the subject with Major
Diccon and he gave me his word of honour that he has not harmed his
mama!"

Coville said with an edge to his voice, "Easy said, ma'am,
when he
has no honour!" Eric looked shocked, and Coville added, "My apologies
for speaking plainly. I've good reason for anger, Mr. Warrington, as
your father could tell you."

''Just so," said Sir Lionel. "And now is as good a time as
any.
Perhaps Mr. Coville will excuse us for a few minutes while you lend me
a helping hand downstairs. I've a small problem with my new invention."

Coville stood at once and said he would be on his way, but Sir
Lionel insisted he remain and take tea with them. "Fanny will brew up a
pot for us," he said jovially. "In the meantime, I feel sure Marietta
would enjoy to take a stroll around the gardens now that the weather is
so pleasant. Ain't that right, m'dear?"

Once again embarrassed by her father's sledgehammer tactics,
Marietta had no choice but to agree. Fanny tried not altogether
successfully to hide her amusement and went into the kitchen to prepare
the tea tray, while Sir Lionel took his son down to the basement.

On the stairs Eric said uneasily, "Perhaps I should go and
fetch
Aunty Dova. Surely it's not proper for Etta to be alone with Coville?"

''What, in our own garden? Never be so prim, boy. Coville
cannot very
well pay court to your sister whilst we all sit and gawk at him, now
can he? And I promise you he's a damn sight finer catch for her than is
that penniless and reluctant peer down the hill."

''Jove! There's no chance of that, is there, sir? Fanny says
he is a
bad man and that he very probably murdered his mama and hid her body in
the old barn." Reassured by his father's hoot of laughter, he went on,
"Yes, well, I must say it sounds like so much fustian to me, because if
it were true Bow Street would have him safely locked up in Newgate."

''So Marietta holds. Sir Gavin claims he hasn't called in the
law
because he don't want scandal, but…" Sir Lionel shrugged. "Who knows?
Temple and Cloud struck me as a reasonable enough man at first, but
he's up to his ears in smuggling at the very least."

''You never mean it! A
peer
—free-trading?"

''A peer who won't use his title, which of itself is a sure
sign he must be short of a sheet."

''Yes, indeed! Does he appear deranged?"

''No, no. Quite a fine-looking chap, in a manly way. One of
those
strong and silent types. Your aunt says there's an air of the panther
about him." Sir Lionel chuckled. "Emma and her fancies!"

''Is it truth that he was at Waterloo, sir?"

''So he says, and I'll own I'd not care to have his glove in
my face!
He'd be a man to reckon with. Hand me down that tub of glue, there's a
good lad."

Obliging, Eric said thoughtfully, "I know Fanny is afraid of
him, but Etta and Aunty Dova seem to like him. I wonder why."

''Because they're women, of course. Show them an upstanding
gentleman
of character, and they'll toss their pretty shoulders and forget him.
But let them suspect a man is dangerous and with a touch of mystery
about him, and they flock about him like so many moths round a flame.
Aye, you may smile, m'boy, but I've seen it before and I don't want to
find Etta fluttering around that particular flame! No future in it.
Now, you'd best run upstairs, and make sure Fan don't volunteer to keep
her sister company and drive poor Coville demented!"

''Oh, I think the guv'nor was grateful enough," said Eric,
riding
beside Marietta early next morning. "But he didn't like my having given
the funds into your capable hands."

Marietta sighed ruefully. "Poor dear Papa. I only hope he may
not begin to resent my interference."

''Interference be dashed! Now don't let him break your shins—I
mean,
borrow from the reserves, Etta! You ain't betrothed to Coville yet.
Er—are you?"

She laughed. "Foolish boy. As if I'd not have told you.
Certainly
Papa would have made the announcement if Mr. Coville had asked for my
hand."

''From the way he behaved yesterday afternoon, I thought he
was about
to do so. He seemed exceeding anxious to be alone with you. When I
peeped outside he was talking to you most animatedly. Wanted to find
out about our background, I'll warrant?"

Marietta watched the clouds that were massing to the
northeast, and
said slowly, "When first we met he said he intended to ask me lots of
questions about myself. But most of the time he only talks about
himself or wants to know whether I have been down to Lanterns." And she
thought, 'Just as Diccon said he would.'

''He's likely worried for his step-mama. I wonder you didn't
send him to Madame Olympias."

''You very much dislike Aunty Dova's—hobby, don't you, Eric?"

''Of course I do. I suppose the whole County must know their
local fortune-teller is really my aunt! What a come-down!"

''Oh, I hope they do not! You should only see how she dresses
when
she goes to the caravan! The wig, and all the paint on her face, and
the funny accent she uses. I promise you it would be hard to recognize
her and I think it simply would not occur to most people that a
gentlewoman would do anything so outrageous. Besides, she listens to
their troubles very kindly, and they really do value the advice she
gives them."

''Do they indeed! I shall go down and consult her myself. She
can
look into her crystal ball and tell me if there really is a treasure."

Marietta laughed. "Have a care, brother dear. Madame Olympias
would
be more likely to read your palm and find out all about your jaunts in
London."

Eric's grin vanished. He snapped, "How did you know I was in
Town?"

'' 'Miles Cameron' told her. Isn't it extraordinary that she—
Eric? You're not angry?"

''No. Of course not, you silly widgeon." His brilliant smile
chased
away that sudden look of rage. "But I think I'd best not let her read
my palm. My reputation would be—Jupiter! Who the devil is that?"

Marietta turned and saw a great grey horse galloping across
the
meadows at breakneck speed. "Oh, that's Major Diccon!" She waved. "I
think he has not seen us."

''He has now; see, he's turning."

''He'll have to swing south to cross the stone bridge."

''Devil he will! He means to jump the stream!"

Alarmed, she cried, "No! He cannot, it's too wide! Oh,
heavens! He has Arthur up before him! Wave him off, Eric!"

''Too late. There he goes. Oh, jolly well done! Gad, but he
can ride!"

Orpheus came thundering up, then slowed and approached them
with mincing decorum.

''Etta! Eric!" screamed Arthur, his face flushed and his eyes
blazing
with excitement. "Did you see? Sir G'waine an' me jumped over the moon!
Like the cow! Wasn't it fine?"

''A fine risk to take with my brother up before you," scolded
Marietta.

Diccon said blandly, "Oh, I felt perfectly safe in the company
of the dauntless Lancelot, ma'am."

Noting the smile on the man's fine-drawn face and the sparkle
in his
sister's eyes, it occurred to Eric that Mr. Blake Coville had better
make haste with his wooing.

''He says I mayn't try it till I get a horse like Awful," said
Arthur. "He says a man must know his mount 'fore—"

''Major Diccon says," Marietta corrected. "Not 'he.' You must
allow
me to present my brother, Major. Eric, this is Major Mallory Diccon
Paisley."

''Temple and Cloud, eh?" said Eric, reaching out eagerly for
the
handshake. "Very glad to meet you, sir. Jove, but that's a splendid
horse."

''Yes, he's a fine fellow." Diccon patted the stallion's
smooth neck. "I'm told you've a nice team of matched bays."

Eric blushed with pleasure but gave a man-of-the-world shrug.
"Oh,
pretty fair. They're good goers, but not in the same class with your
animal. Is he really called Awful?"

''Orpheus."

''And he is musical." Marietta glanced at Diccon and added
with meaning, "You must give my brother a demonstration, Major."