Чтение онлайн

They did not speak of London again, or of the Earl of Rosthorne, but when Felicity retired to her room that night he was there, in her head, as close and as real as ever.

‘The Earl of Rosthorne, sir.’

The butler’s sonorous tones filled the small, book-lined study, investing the announcement with considerable gravitas. Nathan squared his shoulders. After twelve months he was still not comfortable with the title. The gentleman sitting behind the large mahogany desk jumped up immediately and came forward to meet him. Nathan regarded him with interest. He knew Sir James Souden only by reputation but even if he had not heard that the man was an active supporter of Lord Wellesley, he would have been disposed to like him, for there was a look of intelligence and humour in his face and an energy in that lean body. Here was a man who was used to getting things done. He was smiling now at Nathan and waving him towards a chair.

‘Welcome, my lord, and thank you for coming so promptly.’

Nathan bowed.

‘Your message was waiting for me when I arrived in town this morning, Sir James.’

‘Ah, but knowing the object of this meeting I would not have been surprised if you had put it off.’

The twinkle in the older man’s eyes drew a wry grin from Nathan.

‘Always best to attack the unpalatable without delay, I find.’

‘Spoken like a true military man.’ Sir James gestured towards the decanters lined up on a side table. ‘You’ll take a glass with me, my lord? I’ve a very fine cognac—stolen from the French, of course, so you might appreciate it.’

‘I would, thank you.’

‘So,’ said Sir James, when the glasses had been filled and his guest was sitting in one of the comfortable padded armchairs that faced the desk. ‘So, my lord, how much have you been told?’

‘Only that his Highness wants me to help with the entertaining of his royal visitors.’

‘Aye. He’s turning the town into a damned beargarden for the summer,’ said Sir James, shaking his head. ‘But there, it’s all in a good cause. Peace, don’t you know, so I suppose we shouldn’t complain.’

Nathan sipped at his brandy. It was smooth and aromatic and definitely not to be hurried.

‘I am at a loss to know why he has summoned me here,’ he said at last. ‘I would have thought there were hostesses enough in London to entertain all the crowned heads of Europe. Mine is a bachelor establishment; my mother does not come to town. You may know she is an invalid and spends all her time at Rosthorne Hall—’

‘Oh, his Highness ain’t looking for you to give parties and all that sort of nonsense. The ladies will be falling over themselves to do that—and in fact I have asked Lady Souden to come to town for that very purpose—not that she needs any persuading to hold a party! But the Regent wants military men around him, especially to accompany Marshal Bl"ucher: the old Prussian is so highly esteemed that even Prinny is in awe of him. There will be so many of ’em, you see: Bl"ucher, the King of Prussia and all those princes, not to mention Tsar Alexander. And his sister, of course, the Grand Duchess…So we are all recruited to help: an army of attendants to ensure that his royal guests are not left to themselves for a moment. Your first task is to head up the Tsar’s escort from Dover. I know, I know, my boy; I can see from your face that you don’t like the idea.’

‘You are right,’ replied Nathan. ‘I begin to wish I had never left the army!’

Sir James laughed and got up to refill their glasses.

‘Do you miss it, my lord, the military life?’

‘It was the only life I had ever known, until last year. I obtained my commission in the Guards when I was sixteen.’

‘The title came as a surprise?’

Nathan nodded. ‘Quite. The old Earl, my uncle, had three healthy sons, so I never expected to inherit. But the two youngest boys perished in Spain.’ Nathan paused for a moment, recalling the icy winters and scorching summers: the torrential rain, cloying mud, flies and disease that took their toll of the troops. It was said more men were killed by disease and the weather than by Bonaparte’s army. The scar across his left eye began to ache. Too many memories. He shook them off. ‘Their loss may well have hastened the old man’s end. He died at the beginning of the year ’12 and his heir took a fall on the hunting field less than six months later. When the news came I thought it my duty to come home. Boney was on the run, after all.’ He allowed himself a little smile. ‘Since then I have been so tied up with my new duties I’ve had no time to miss the army.’

‘And do your new duties include looking for a wife? You will need an heir.’

Nathan’s reply was short. ‘My cousin is my heir.’

‘The ladies won’t see it that way.’ Sir James winked. ‘You are now the biggest catch on the Marriage Mart.’

An iron claw twisted itself around Nathan’s guts. ‘I do not think so.’

‘Oh? From all I’ve heard of you, my boy, you have never had trouble attracting women. Your reputation precedes you,’ said Sir James, when Nathan raised his brows. ‘It is said that Europe is littered with the hearts you have broken. Although to your credit, I have never heard that you seduced innocent young virgins.’

No, thought Nathan bitterly. Only once did I break that rule, to my cost!

His lip curled. ‘With such a reputation I would expect the doting mothers to keep their chicks away from me.’

‘But they won’t, believe me. They will be planning their own campaigns once they know you are in town.’ Nathan’s hand briefly touched his temple and Sir James smiled. ‘And don’t think that scar will frighten them away—’tis more likely to fascinate ’em; it will add to your attractions!’

Hurriedly Nathan rose. ‘If there is nothing else to discuss I must be away.’ He saw his host’s brows rise and tried to moderate his tone. ‘I do not think there is much that can be done until the allied leaders arrive next month.’

‘You are right, of course. We will meet again before then to discuss our roles.’ Sir James chuckled. ‘Thank God his Highness is too busy designing new uniforms for his troops and working on his plans for a grand spectacle in Hyde Park to worry about us. Goodbye, then, for the moment, my lord. If you have no other engagements, you might like to join me for dinner on Wednesday night. I am expecting Lady Souden to be here by then, but we shall not be entertaining: just a snug little dinner, if you care for it.’

Nathan bowed. ‘My presence in town is not generally known yet, so I have no fixed engagements.’ He bowed. ‘Thank you, sir. I should be delighted to join you.’

London, thought Felicity gloomily as she gazed out of the carriage window, was crowded and noisy and so very dirty. The roads were thick with rubbish and droppings from the hundreds of horses and oxen that plodded up and down, the cobbles only visible in the wheel tracks or where a crossing sweeper cleared a temporary path for a pedestrian and earned a penny for his pains. The cries of the flower-seller mingled with those of the knife-grinder and the hot-pie man as they hawked their wares from street to street. Rows of tall houses lined the road, mile upon mile of brick and stone with barely a patch of grass to be seen.

In one corner of the carriage, Lady Souden’s severe-looking dresser was snoring gently while Lydia herself was sitting bolt upright, staring out of the window, her eyes shining and a little smile of anticipation lifting her mouth. She was born to be a society hostess, thought Felicity. She delighted in parties and balls and could not understand Felicity’s reluctance to come to town. After all, she reasoned, if Felicity refused to go into society, what did it matter if she was in London or at Souden?

But it did matter. Felicity knew that there was danger in London.

Nathan Carraway was in London.

The carriage drew up outside Sir James’s house in Berkeley Square and Felicity followed Lydia through the gleaming front door and into the study on the ground floor, where Sir James was waiting for them. Lydia ran in, cast aside her swansdown muff and threw herself into her husband’s arms. He kissed her soundly before holding her away from him.