The Willful Widow (16 page)
"Psittacus erithacus,
I believe," he observed. Too intrigued by her companion to be self-conscious, Alan leaned forward to get a closer look.
"Hello, hello." Agreeably flattered at being addressed so respectfully, Boney inched forward to get a closer look himself. "Delighted to meet you," he chanted in the best imitation of Diana's voice.
"And a most clever one at that," Alan continued as he cautiously extended a hand. With a rare show of condescension, Boney hopped onto it.
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"Do you know parrots?" Diana asked eagerly. "It does seem to me that he is very clever, even for a parrot, but I am rather partial I must confess."
"I am only slightly acquainted with their history," Alan responded modestly, "but I believe that though they are endowed with the ability to imitate, they do so only when they are so disposed and never upon command or when one wishes them to."
"Oh, Boney is more than delighted to talk." Diana laughed ruefully. "But he does so only when he has judged a person to be worthy of the effort. You are to be commended at having won him over so quickly. In general, he deliberates at length before deciding to accept someone into the circle of human beings whose existence he acknowledges."
"I am indeed flattered, and I do have the highest regard for the species. They are extremely intelligent and gregarious as this fellow here so patently is." Boney winked and thrust out his chest at such obvious words of praise. 'They have been interacting with humans since antiquity, but perhaps you are familiar with Pliny's discussion on their speech and suggestions for training them."
Diana admitted that she was not.
"Ah, I shall have to find the passage and show it to you. But speaking of books, I have taken the liberty of bringing you my copy of Ferguson's
Astronomy."
Alan paused as he was struck by misgivings. "I beg your pardon. I suppose it is quite presumptuous of me, but last night you posed such questions as to make me think ... well, indeed it is a 146
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fascinating study and..." he trailed off in an agony of uncertainty.
"How very kind of you." Diana was touched as much by his respect for her interest in the subject as by his undisguised enthusiasm for it. "The study of the heavens involves so much of the history of mankind—explorations, philosophical debates, religious controversies, mathematics—that one cannot but be fascinated, though not a little daunted by its magnitude."
"That is why I selected Ferguson. Herschel himself was introduced to the science by this very book. He usually takes it and Smith's
Harmonics
with him when he retires to bed every evening, so you can see it is sure to inspire." Diana laughed. "I fear I shall disappoint you, for I feel quite certain that not only will I fail to grasp a great deal of the work itself, but I shall never become a great astronomer."
"Oh, do not say that. Lady Diana. Why anyone with an inquiring mind may do so if he or she but set her mind to it. After all, Herschel began life as a musician and did not truly become an astronomer until he was a good deal more advanced in years than you are. Nor should you let your sex interfere with such aspirations, for, after all, Herschel's sister Caroline is a highly regarded astronomer in her own right. She even commands an annual pension for her contributions to the science."
"I can see you will have me a stargazer yet." Diana could not but be flattered by his belief in her intellectual capacities, and found it rather touching that he should be so eager to encourage her. "But come, sir, tell me more. How did you 147
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yourself become a student of the stars. You must be quite a distinguished scholar yourself if you move in such exalted company."
The marquess blushed vividly. "At the outset I was interested only in the mathematics of it for the most part, but I made the acquaintance of John Herschel when I was in my last year at Cambridge. I was introduced to him by two friends of mine, Charles Babbage and George Peacock, both of whom share my passion for mathematics. We became friends, meeting often to discuss anything and everything. One holiday, knowing my reluctance to return home, my interest in optics, and my wish to acquire a better telescope, John invited me to visit him at Slough where his father had his observatory. It was the most astounding and enlightening experience I have ever had to see an entire household devoted to the study of the heavens and the pursuit of knowledge. I have done my poor best to emulate them ever since. Perhaps you would like to visit them. I should be delighted to take you down, for my sole purpose in coming to town was to visit them in order to learn how to go about setting up my own observatory."
"You are most kind. I believe I should enjoy that," Diana thanked him. It was something of a novelty to discover someone so entirely given over to one interest that all else was of secondary importance. After spending what little time she had in the
ton
, she found the marquess a refreshing antidote to all the petty and frivolous concerns of most of its members.
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However, something was puzzling her. Thinking back to their first encounter, she recalled that it was Justin St. Clair who had introduced them. Had he done so out of a spirit of mischief, hoping to provide a distraction from Reginald? Very likely, she thought furiously to herself. The mystery of it all was that a Corinthian and a rake such as Justin St. Clair should have any acquaintance with, much less friendship for, the misogynic Lord Beardsley. In spite of herself, Diana could not help alluding to this odd state of affairs.
"Oh, Justin," a singularly appealing smile lit up the marquess's features, "he's not as much a here-and-thereian as he would have one think. In fact, he is quite extraordinarily clever, though he would take great exception to my telling anyone so."
"He is?" Diana exclaimed in astonishment. Though, the more she considered it, recalling their exchange at the concert and chance meeting at the exchange, the less she was surprised by it.
"Oh yes. But in school the fellows make your life so miserable if they suspect you of being the least bit interested in your studies, you know. Justin was also so athletically inclined that he could make friends with everyone, even those who were sporting-mad, and he was so careful to hide any of his intellectual interests that no one had the least suspicion he was a true scholar. I do not know when he studied because every time anyone saw him, he was up to some sort of lark, but he always managed to excel, though he was rebellious enough that he was constantly at odds with the masters."
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"A holy terror, in fact," Diana agreed nodding. This was far more in keeping with the Justin St. Clair she knew.
"Yes." Alan grinned reminiscently. "But it was all in fun. He was never unkind the way the others were." The grin faded into a frown. "And he risked a good deal to become my friend." Without the least intending to, the marquess launched into a description of the day the two of them had met while Diana and Boney sat silent listening intently. They shook their heads sympathetically at the appropriate moments and exclaimed in disgust at the cruelty of schoolboys. Observing the varied expressions that crossed the narrator's face as the story was told, Diana began to form a very different picture of Justin St. Clair. Yes, he was toplofty and interfering, but always in the interests of what he thought was right and moral. Yes he was arrogant, but only to depress pretensions in others. The characteristics she had first ascribed to a roué bent on dissipation were nothing more than natural results of an adventurous spirit and an energetic mind stifled and bored by the enforced participation in the empty routine of the beau monde. She sighed to herself. How well she understood the rebelliousness that this prospect could engender.
"So you see," Lord Beardsley concluded, "it is actually Justin to whom I owe my continued interest in astronomy. If he had not rescued me and my telescope from certain destruction, I might never have carried on as I have. But," he glanced in horror at the clock, "I have taken up far too much of your time."
"Not at all" was the warm reply. 150
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"Not at all," Boney echoed.
"My interest has been quite piqued by all that you have told me. It is so rare that one comes across someone who converses intelligently that I quite delight in every opportunity that is offered to me. Besides, as I mentioned before, though I am quite capable of pursuing knowledge on my own in most subjects, I am woefully ignorant in those areas of mathematics and natural sciences in which you excel. It is most refreshing to meet a person who sees the world through different eyes."
"Perhaps you would like to accompany me to Greenwich tomorrow?" Alan could not have told from whence or how the invitation sprang to his lips, but having issued it, he hastened to reassure her. "The observatory is quite worthy of a visit and they have recently completed an addition to house even more scientific instruments. Most people cannot appreciate such things, but the craftsmanship is excellent and the clocks are truly magnificent. There is so much to see even if one is not an astronomer or a navigator, and the architecture is superior as well. It would be a most pleasant drive and I would be very honored if you would accompany me." He paused to draw an anxious breath.
Diana laughed. "Enough, enough. I am quite convinced, and I am most flattered by the invitation. I should be delighted to join you."
"You are? You would?" Alan could not believe his ears.
"Why, then I shall call for you at half after eleven. But now I must bid both of you good day." And before he could stop to 151
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reconsider his rash actions or lose his nerve, he bowed hastily to Diana and Boney and bolted from the room.
"Qwak, Qwak," Boney clucked in approval at such an appreciative visitor.
"Yes, indeed, he was very nice, was he not Boney?" Diana agreed. "But shy, very shy, poor man."
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Shy was not the first adjective that Justin would have chosen to describe his friend when he encountered him outside of Hatchard's several days later. Jubilant was something more like the way Lord Beardsley responded to his casual, "Why, hello, Alan. You are looking in prime twig for someone forced to pass his days in the frivolous metropolis." He bent to retrieve a volume that had slipped from the pile of books the marquess was clutching. "You must be keeping yourself well amused."
"Oh, tolerably." Alan responded in such an uncharacteristically offhand way that his friend bent a penetrating gaze on him.
"Hipparchus?" Justin turned over the volume, which he still retained in his hand. "But Alan, surely you know this by heart now."
A vivid blush stained his lordship's freckled countenance, and he shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another. "Well, I do, but this is for Lady Diana."
"Lady Diana?" Justin exclaimed in astonishment. Then the old lady had not been having him on, not that he disbelieved her, for Lady Walden was too awake on all suits to treat Justin St. Clair as a flat, but the idea of Alan calling on a woman had been almost too incredible.
"Yes. Lady Diana Hatherill. You introduced me to her at the Countess of Axbridge's rout," Alan retorted not a little defensively.
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"And so I did, dear fellow," Justin responded hastily in as conciliatory a manner as possible. "So I did. And I am delighted that you have thought fit to continue the acquaintance. It's only that you are such a misanthrope in general that it is something of a shock."
"I wouldn't say I was a misanthrope. I like good company as well as the next man, it's just that it is so devilish hard to come by." Lord Beardsley defended himself.
"Now, there you have it. I am in complete agreement with you, and I am delighted to have been the means of introducing you to one of those rare creatures who fulfills your rigorous qualifications." The sardonic edge to his tone was completely lost on Alan.
"She is a most agreeable person. It is easy to like her, and I find that I quite enjoy her company," his friend replied simply.
"You do?" Justin tried, not entirely successfully, to hide the note of disbelief in his voice.
"Yes I do. She makes me feel comfortable. She doesn't use any of those tricks to impress that so many others do. She converses most sensibly on any number of topics, and she can interest herself in anything. I find that a very attractive quality in anyone. I took her down to Greenwich with me, and she declared herself most grateful, for very few people think to offer her amusement that stimulates her mind." Alan spoke with modest pride.
Justin looked at him blankly.
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"Well, why shouldn't I take a lady to Greenwich? I should have taken you after all if you had been around, and Lady Diana is just as clever as you are." Oh, overweening pride, you are trampled into the dust, Justin exclaimed bitterly to himself. However his reply was one of airy unconcern. "Why indeed? And did she enjoy herself? Or perhaps, more important, were you able to enjoy yourself?" Justin simply could not picture his old schoolmate allowing another human being let alone a female, to tag along with him to his mecca.
"Yes I did. You know, Justin, it was very nice having someone to talk to on the journey there, someone rational that is. And she behaved in the most unexceptionable manner when we arrived, not putting herself forward, observing everything in a most intelligent manner and asking questions that were entirely to the point—illuminating even. I have not spent time as pleasantly with many a clever man, but excuse me, or I shall be late in calling on her." Lord Beardsley retrieved his books, nodded to his friend, and climbed into the curricle that had been waiting patiently for him. The lad holding the horses handed him the reins, and he headed off into the press of traffic, leaving Justin to stare off down Piccadilly after him.
