Sweet Hoyden (15 page)

Pandora laughed harshly. "If Lord Asheville is the blackguard you
describe, I take leave to doubt she would wish to return."

'I assure you she will be looking forward to that day most anxiously, just
as I await your answer."

Pandora didn't know whether to laugh or to cry-As she looked around for a
means to escape, she said breathlessly, "Sir Aldan, this is a great surprise
to me."

'The suddenness of my feelings has surprised me, too," he confessed,
"but I do not wish to lose what is so precious to me."

'You must give me more time to examine my feelings," she begged.
"Too much has happened so quickly."

Suddenly she caught sight of the earl, who had just entered the supper room.
He was glancing around, and then when his eyes came to rest on Pandora, she saw
that his face looked like thunder, and she was alarmed anew.

Not for the first time did she question what she was doing. She half rose
from her seat as he began to make his way toward her. Sir Aldan caught sight of
him, too, at that moment, and his expression hardened. Pandora had a sudden
fear about what might occur if they met in her company, and after hesitating a
moment, she had a further notion. Putting one hand up to her head she swayed
slightly on her feet.

''Tis so hot in here," she murmured, and when the earl was almost upon
them, she feigned a swoon.

Immediately a crowd closed around her as she was lowered into the chair. A vinaigrette was produced by one lady whose face hovered
over her.

'There is no air in here," someone said.

'The poor lady must have experienced so much. No wonder she has
swooned." As Pandora pushed away the pungency of the vinaigrette, her eyes
flickered open. Sir Aldan was fussing but looked completely helpless.

'Do stand aside," he begged. "Allow me near to her, I pray."

No one took any note of his plea, but the crowd did part as the earl pushed
his way forward.

'Call for Madame de Chambray's carriage at once," he ordered without
taking his eyes from her.

'Madame de Chambray will be recovered in a while," Sir Aldan told him
testily. "Pray leave her to me."

Pandora felt she could only close her eyes once more and feign further
weakness.

Without troubling to answer Sir Aldan, the earl scooped Pandora up into his
arms and began to carry her out of the supper room.

'By gad," Pandora heard Sir Aldan say,
"What is he about? The fellow is too top-lofty by far."

Although she was being carried through the crowded rooms to the interest of
all around them, Pandora had no thought for the gossip that would ensue, for
suddenly she was happy to be in Ashe-ville's arms, and she laid her head
against his shoulder, simply enjoying the sensation of being held by him. It
had seemed such a long time since she had lain in his arms.

Her carriage was just arriving when they came into the hall. A lackey opened
the door, and although Pandora was reluctant to be parted from him, she could
not tell him so. He gently placed her inside, and she sank back against the
squabs, feeling truly weak now. The lemon-scented cologne he always wore made
her head swim.

Although he had relinquished his hold on her, he did not draw away
immediately. "I am much obliged to you, my lord," she said in a
whisper. "I am always at your service, madame."

'I am a fearful nuisance, am I not?"

His lips twiched into a smile. "Only in the
most delightful manner, I assure you. Go home and rest," he added then,
his voice suddenly grown soft. "I fear you are exhausting yourself in a
round of relentless pleasure. I understand your need to do so, but mayhap it
is not so wise."

'You are full of good sense, my lord." He withdrew from the carriage
at last, and she sat forward a little, having rallied somewhat. "You seem
exceeding concerned for me."

' Tis only natural that I should be."
Pandora sighed and sank back into the squabs once more. "You are an enigma
to me, I confess. You warn me against Sir Aldan Buckley, and he counsels me
against you. Who on earth am I to believe?"

His eyes were very dark as they looked deep into hers. "Madame, you
must listen to your heart." fl

The spell between them was abruptly broken by the arrival of Francois, who
came running from the house. "Tante Louise, what is amiss?"

'Take your aunt home, monsieur," the earl advised as he stood to one
side. "She is a trifle unwell this evening, but I am persuaded it is
nothing to get into a pucker about."

'I take leave to disagree, my lord," the young man replied as he
climbed into the carriage, fussing all the while. Pandora was scarcely aware
of him until he asked, "Why did you have an attack of the vapors? Was it
the fault of Sir Aldan or Lord Asheville?"

'It was neither," she replied absently. "It was simply the
heat."

When Francois tapped the partition behind the driver, the carriage jerked
forward, and Pandora turned to look out of the rear window. The earl was still
standing on the driveway, and he raised his hand in a gesture of farewell as
the carriage started off before he turned around and walked back into the
house. Pandora stared after him until he had gone, and then she sat back,
staring sightlessly ahead of her and drawing a heartfelt sigh.

'You must listen to your heart," he had said.

Pandora dared not. She was too afraid of what she might find there.

TEN

Lady St. James entered Pandora's bedchamber late on the following morning,
to discover her friend still abed, sipping disconsolately a cup of chocolate.

'My dear Pandora, taking to your bed is quite unlike you. I trust that you
are not unwell."

'I am in fine health, I thank you, Rosa, merely
fatigued."

Her friend drew up a chair and sat by the bed. "I am obliged to confess
to being concerned for you, Pandora. Francois informs me that you had an attack
of the vapors last evening at the Hartingfords'. I have never known it in you
before."

Pandora smiled faintly. "It was not as it seemed. I merely pretended
that I swooned. It was opportune for me to do so."

Lady St. James peered at her worriedly. "Are you certain that is all it was?"

'Yes, you must not trouble your head on it."

'All the same, you do look a trifle hagridden this morning."

Pandora sank back into the pillows and sighed.

'Is it any wonder? This playacting would tax the most robust creature, and I
am beginning to realize I am not one of their number."

'I have feared for this for some days past. You can always cry off, my
dear."

'With each passing day I am more and more tempted to do so, until I see
Asheville, which makes me all the more determined to continue, only it becomes
more difficult to maintain the pretense. I cannot conceive why. At the outset I
had no notion how difficult it would be."

'Oh, my dear, you make me feel so guilty for encouraging this madness. It
did seem a lark, did it not?"

Pandora smiled genuinely now. "You must not blame yourself. After all,
it is I who has always been deemed a goosecap. Mayhap it is true after
all."

'You are as melancholy as a gib-cat this morning. I am becoming truly
concerned for you. Tell me what happened to precipitate this attack of the megrims.
I'll warrant, it is
Asheville
who has put you out of humor."

'Indeed, he is a part of my lowness of spirits. I cannot deny that, but,
Rosa
, 'tis everything that plagues me. The matter has
become impossibly complex. When I set out on this masquerade, it did not occur
to me that everyone would convey on dits to me as to Lady Asheville's character.
La! Little of it has been in the least bit flattering."

Rosamond St. James laughed in the face of her friend's outrage. "Surely
the reason is obvious to you, my dear."

'I am beginning to appreciate what a disagreeable baggage I truly am!"

'Tush. You are young, beautiful, wealthy, and the wife of one of the most
sought-after gentlemen in
London
.
Moreover, you have a gentleness of spirit that confounds them, so you may be
sure it is only envy that prompts such tattle. Rejoice in your true friends who
love you."

Pandora smiled. "Dear Rosa, you do raise my spirits. If only it was
just the tattle-boxes who trouble me. I believe I could dismiss them, but I
also have a care for your nephew, who has become very proprietorial. I would
not wish for the world to hurt him."

'You will not. You are his first calf love and a very necessary person in
his life. Recall, Frangois has never been away from parental or tutorial supervision
until now. He will recover, you may be certain."

'And Jeanne? She is constantly in high dudgeon, and
I am at a loss as to how to placate her."

'There you have youthful uncertainties, my dear. Poor Jeanne sees in you the
woman she would like to become, and in
Asheville
the man she hopes will one day claim her heart. As soon as a few beaux begin to
call upon her, you will see a distinct improvement in her humor."

'I do hope you are correct," Pandora answered worriedly.

'You may depend upon it. Now, have I contrived to dismiss most of your
worries?"

'Only partly," Pandora confessed, biting her lip. "Last night Buck
Buckley came up to scratch."

Lady St. James chuckled heartily. "This is famous! What a buffle-head
he is, but I can see that matters become daily more complex for you."

'That is only a part of it." When her friend looked intrigued, Pandora
went on. "As well as declaring his fondness for me, Madame de Chambray, he
also suggested that our match would enable Lady Asheville to return to town.
It seems Lady Asheville is madly in love with him after discovering the error
in marrying her husband." Her friend laughed heartily, but Pandora looked
disgusted. "The arrogance of that man is matched only by that of my
husband."

'I take it that Sir Aldan is not correct in what he believes your feelings
to be," Lady St. James ventured.

'Indeed, he is not!" Pandora declared in outraged tones.

'I can perfectly understand why you felt the need to feign a swoon."

'Especially when
Asheville
arrived looking as if he were ready to kill someone. I cannot conceive
why he was in such high dudgeon, for I am persuaded he arrived in that mind,
and it was not just the sight of me with Buck Buckley. That was when I deemed
it appropriate to swoon. I feared what he might say and do."

'
Asheville
has always cared too much for what is proper to do anything too outrageous."

'I was not willing to take the risk." Pandora sighed deeply once again.
"The worst aspect of the entire affair, I am bound to confess, is the
knowl-edge that
Asheville
has become entranced by another woman."

Rosamond St. James's eyes opened wide with surprise. "I have heard
nothing of that, I assure you."

'Madame de Chambray," Pandora chided gently, and her friend looked
abashed.

'How can you be troubled by that? You are Madame de Chambray. If you have forgotten
that, I must truly worry for your sanity."

Pandora laughed brokenly. "
Asheville
does not know that I am Madame de Chambray, which is more to the point. He is
harboring a definite fondness for a beautiful young French widow. Do not bandy
words,
Rosa
. You must own it is true."

'As I have already said on several occasions, you are able to end the play
now, if you so wish. You also have it in your power to end Lord Asheville's
association with Madame de Chambray. Not many wives are in the happy position
to be able to act in such a manner." When Pandora did not reply, she went
on, "I only wish I could bring you some solace, my dear, but I fear I
cannot. Matters will not grow any less fraught." She brought an envelope
out of her pocket. "This arrived this morning."

Before Rosamond St. James could reveal more, there came a knock on the door,
and a footman entered bearing a basket of flowers. "From Lord Asheville,
madame. He is downstairs inquiring as to your health."

Pandora drew in a sharp breath. "Tell his lordship Madame de Chambray
thanks him for his kindness and is in rude health." When the lackey had
gone, she turned to her friend once more. "Now do you see? How dare he be
so blatant?"

'Perchance he recognizes something in Madame de Chambray he finds
fetching," Rosamond suggested.

'No doubt it is the same quality he found fetching in that female he used
to visit in

Lady St. James addressed herself to the invitation. "Ernestina,
Countess of Asheville, has the pleasure of requesting the pleasure of the
company of Lady St. James and Madame de Chambray to a the
at Asheville House,

Pandora had drawn a horrified gasp at the mention of her mother-in-law's
name. "All is up now,
Rosa
," she
said grimly as her friend looked up at her. "
Asheville
's mother prides herself on being up
to snuff in all matters. Nothing escapes that sharp-eyed stare of hers. She
will see through my disguise at the first glance."

'Surely you credit her with too much power, Pandora. No one, including your
own husband, has yet penetrated your disguise, so why should one old
lady?"

'Evidently you are not acquainted with
Asheville
's
mother?"

'Only in passing, I confess. I own, she appears to be a trifle
alarming."

'What an understatement!" Pandora assured her. "I suppose you know
she was bitterly opposed to our marriage. She considered me totally unsuited
to such an elevated position. She'd as lief had
Asheville
leg-shackled to Fanny
Courdon."