Sweet Hoyden (9 page)

'Then, let it be hoped she will soon have the means to return." After a
moment's pause Pandora ventured, "I do trust that she will be returning to
town before long."

'I think not, madame," he answered, to her chagrin. "Her relative
is suffering a long illness, I fear. There is no possibility of a quick
recovery."

Once again Pandora was obliged to swallow her anger. "That is indeed a
pity, my lord. I should have liked to make her acquaintance."

'I do not doubt you will yet have the opportunity. You would, I am
persuaded, have a good deal in common." He glanced past her. "It
appears that Her Grace, the Duchess of Melway, desires a coze, so regretfully,
madame, I must leave you for now, but it would please me to have the honor of
driving you in the park on the morrow. Do I dare to hope you will join
me?"

Pandora swallowed hard, for she recalled easily a similar invitation he had
issued at the start of their courtship. It was evident, however, that the
memory was not so clear to him. But when she smiled behind her flickering fan,
there was no sign of her despondency.

'I shall look forward to it. Until the morrow, my
lord."

The moment he had gone Pandora nodded grimly to Jeanne, who had stood aside
during the encounter, and a moment later they were gone.

SIX

At the appointed hour Pandora was dressed and ready for her ride in the
park. Even though she was always modishly dressed, on this occasion she had
chosen with particular care a blue velvet gown and a bonnet trimmed with
feathers. Around her neck she wore a sapphire necklace belonging to Rosamond's
French cousin.

It was unusual that she was ready so early for the appointment. More often
than not Pandora kept everyone waiting, including the earl, who found the habit
irritating and did not hesitate to tell her so. Today, as she awaited his
arrival, she could not help but compare the occasion with the first time he had
ever taken her out in his carriage. Because he had long been pursued by
debutantes and their mothers, for Pandora to be seen sitting up beside him in
his phaeton delighted her and drew a great deal of attention from all of her
acquaintances and his. The fact was soon reported all over town and regarded as
a triumph for her. Today she felt some of the apprehension she had experienced
on that occasion, but little of the pleasure, for his attention had been
something she accepted as her due. Now, in view of his recent behavior, Pandora
acknowledged she should have questioned his character far more closely before
agreeing to marry him.

To add to her current trials
Nan
was
becoming decidedly restless at being confined to the house and only being
allowed to attend her mistress's toilette. To make matters much more fraught
Frangois had taken violently against the appointment, and after being informed that
she would not be included in the outing, Jeanne had stormed off in a miff, exclaiming,
"Why is it I am only required for the dull outings?"

Before Pandora could soothe away her anger, Jeanne had rushed out of the
house, jamming on her chipstraw bonnet. Her departure from the house coincided
exactly with Lord Ashville's arrival in his high-perch phaeton.

As he handed the ribbons to a lackey, he glanced at the flushed girl who had
halted in her headlong flight at the sight of him and had adopted some semblance
of poise.

'Mademoiselle, are you not Madame de Chambray's abigail?" he asked as
he accosted her.

He spoke to her in fluent French, and she replied in a similar manner,
averting her eyes demurely as a maidservant might do, but which was out of character
for her.

'I have that honor, monsieur."

'Madame de Chambray, I am bound to say, has the exceeding good fortune that
you were willing to leave
France
and accompany her to
London
.
Not many servants have been willing to do so."

'I am shocked to think you might consider me willing to leave my mistress to
fend for herself in a strange country, monsieur. I
have no taste for what is happening in
France
."

'I am full of admiration for you. Have you, er, been in service with Madame
de Chambray for long?"

'A few months." Jeanne looked up then, her
eyes narrowing. "Why do you ask, monsieur?"

It was his turn to look away. "No reason, I assure you, beyond the fact
you look far too young to have been in service a great many years."

Jeanne's cheeks flamed as she watched him go into the house for his
appointment with Pandora. "Young, indeed," she scoffed. "I am
scarce younger than his own wife, and she has no notion how fortunate she is.
If Lord Asheville were my husband I would do anything to please him."

No one could have been aware of Pandora's inner qualms when she went to meet
her husband. She was fully aware of the pretty picture she presented coming
down the grand staircase of Lady St. James's house. Lord Asheville awaited her
in the downstairs hall, wearing a caped driving coat and Hessian boots that had
been polished to a high shine.

When she reached the hall, he took her hand and raised it to his lips, a
gesture that set her heart racing, something that made her feel quite foolish.

She was behaving like a mooncalf, and she hadn't been like that during his
courtship of her.

'How rare it is for a woman of such beauty to be prompt for an
appointment," he told her.

'My governess always instilled it into me that it is invariably best to be
prompt and thus invite no anger."

'How wise of her to do so; she has my profound gratitude," he replied
as he handed her up onto the box. "I have lost count on how many occasions
I have been obliged to cool my heels while waiting for Lady Asheville on just
such occasions as this."

'That must be exceeding irritating for you."

He laughed. "You may be sure of that, madame."

A moment later he climbed up beside her and took up the ribbons before they
set off in the handsome equipage for the short ride to
Hyde
Park
, where it was fashionable to be seen abroad at that hour of
the day.

'When Mrs. Huxtable made mention of your wife the other evening,"
Pandora ventured, "you made the most remarkable statement to the effect
you did not miss her. For a gentleman who has been wed for so short a time, I
find that a mite odd, my lord."

The earl was skillfully negotiating his way between two carriages, and when
that was successfully completed, he turned to glance at her, bestowing a most
charming smile that went a long way to melting the hardness she felt about her
heart. She was all at once tempted to reach out and touch him, to reconcile
their differences and return to their former amiability, which seemed just then
to be nothing more than a long-ago dream.

'Oh, I do trust that little remark was not misinterpreted, madame," he
said, with such obvious insincerity that the moment was instantly gone.

'I do not know how it is to be interpreted, my lord. I should not like to
regard you as hard-hearted, when your wife is evidently so good as to care for
an invalid regardless of her own desires. I am persuaded she would far rather
be in
London
riding with you in your carriage."

The approaches to
Hyde Park
were crowded at
that time of the day, not only with carriages but with horses and pedestrians,
too. Her presence in Lord Asheville's phaeton was causing no small amount of
interest, which came as no surprise to Pandora. Individually she and the earl
had always been the object of scrutiny, and as a married couple that interest
had become even more intense. As she had surmised, her apparent departure in
the middle of her first Season as the Countess of Asheville had set tongues
clacking all over town, and she doubted if anyone believed that she was caring
for an invalid relative.

'I realized soon after I had spoken," the earl was saying, "what I had said was open to being misunderstood. The truth
is, madame, Mrs. Huxtable makes me as mad as a weaver."

'From all I have heard, she has that effect upon everyone, which is one reason
to be guarded in what one says."

'I am delighted you have realized that fact. I intended to advise extreme
caution in her company. Guard your tongue well, and as to what I said the other
evening… I would not have you, of all people, think ill of me, madame."

'Then you did not mean it?" she prompted, unable to keep the anxiety
out of her voice.

'Not precisely as it appeared, I confess. Let me assure you that Lady
Asheville and I enjoy such a closeness of spirit, not even her departure for
Brocklesby Hall can remove it. Wherever she is, I feel she is always close to
me. That is all I meant, I assure you."

What humbug, she thought. When she turned to look at him, however, through
angry, narrowed eyes, his expression was not a telling one, and she replied in
a sweet tone, "That is a charming sentiment, my lord."

'And you express an inordinate interest in my wife, madame," he
commented, at the same time as he nodded to an acquaintance who was hacking by.

His remark caused her to look away quickly, and she resolved to hold her
tongue on that subject from then on, for it would not do to be found out at
this early stage. No, indeed it would not. The game was only just beginning.

'Shame on you,
Asheville
!"

The earl's carriage drew to a halt at the sound of Fanny Courdon's voice.
Pandora bit back her annoyance and forced a smile to her face. After all, it
was she who was occupying the place of prominence in the earl's carriage, and
that was bound to annoy the marchioness.

'Lady Courdon, what an honor!" he responded, appearing delighted to see
her.

'Shame on you," she repeated as her carriage drew abreast of his.

'What exactly should make me feel shame on such a delightful afternoon as
this?" he bantered, and she dimpled prettily.

'Why, poor Lady Asheville is incarcerated in the country, and here you are,
enjoying the company of one of the most sought-after emigrees in
London
. You are evidently
relishing every moment."

'Oh, it is surely evident what I am about," he countered. "It is incumbent
upon me to afford Madame de Chambray as warm a welcome as is possible. She
is, after all, a cousin of Lady St. James, and I am an old, old, friend of that
family."

'How conscientious you are about your duties, my lord."

'I have always considered myself to be so."

Lady Courdon looked thoughtful. "I am of the opinion that Lady
Asheville will be delighted to know of it when she is informed."

'Indeed, she will," the earl replied, retaining his appearance of good
humor. "And I am certain I may rest assured that you can be relied upon to
inform her. Indeed, you would be doing me a service, for I am such a poor
correspondent."

Thwarted in her attempt at mischief, Lady Courdon turned her malicious gaze
upon Pandora then. "How elegant you look, madame." As Pandora acknowledged
the compliment with an inclination of her head, the other woman drew a deep,
exaggerated sigh. " 'Tis amazing how Frenchwomen
lead in fashion, even when their country is in turmoil."

'Mayhap it would be more in keeping if I dressed as a Jacobin," Pandora
waspishly replied, something that made Fanny Courdon laugh, albeit harshly.

'La! What a funster you are, madame. au
revoir."

As the marchioness's carriage continued upon its way, Pandora muttered,
"She has more hair than wit, I fear."

Lord Asheville urged his team into a trot and replied, "
'Tis quite amazing, I do believe you have taken her in dislike."

'I think there is nothing amazing about that."

'Lady Asheville does not much like Lady Courdon, either."

'Your wife is evidently a lady of good taste."

'It has always been held that she is, as you are, madame. There are great
similarities between you. Even your eau de cologne is so like the one Pandora
wears."

'Pandora?" she asked in a bemused way, for she was shocked; having taken
so many pains to change her appearance, she had continued to wear the eau de
cologne mixed especially for her requirements in

'Lady Asheville," he explained, smiling at a young debutante who had
driven past accompanied by her mother.

'I brought my cologne with me from Paris, my lord," she hastened to
assure him. "It cannot possibly be the same as your wife's."

'Lady Asheville has hers especially mixed, so I doubt it, but it is similar,
I assure you, and most delightful."

For once Pandora was glad to see Sir Aldan Buckley approach them. He was
riding a chestnut mare and accompanied by a group of his rakish cronies.

'Lord Asheville," he said severely, "I insist upon taking you to
task."

'Do you, indeed?" the earl responded, looking not the slightest bit
pleased at the interruption this time.

'It is grossly unfair upon the rest of us that you persist upon keeping the
most delightful ladies to yourself."

The earl laughed then. "Must I apologize to you for that, Buckley? Or
shall I merely admire your good taste?"

'And I yours,
Asheville
."
Sir Aldan looked then to Pandora, who had been feigning disinterest in his
presence, smiling and inclining her head to many who were passing by.

'What a picture of radiance you present, madame," he enthused.

'I thank you, Sir Aldan," she replied demurely.

'Tomorrow you must ride with me."

At this she turned her full gaze upon him. "Must, Sir Aldan?"

'Only if you wish it," he quickly amended. "I am totally at your
service." He gave the earl a meaningful glance. "I should like above
all things to drive you in my curricle."