"No, indeed!" said Judith, rather startled. "Worth, what do you mean to do? Do you stay?"
"Oh, I think so!" replied the Earl.
Sir Peregrine's brow lightened. "Oh! Well, if you judge it to be safe I don't suppose you would keep Judith and the child here if you did not?"
"I don't suppose I should," agreed the Earl.
"What does Harriet wish to do?" enquired Lady Worth.
"Oh, if it can be considered safe for the children, she don't wish to go!" Sir Peregrine caught sight of his reflection in the mirror over the fireplace, and gave the starched folds of his cravat a dissatisfied twitch. Before his marriage he had aspired to dizzy heights of dandyism, and although he now lived for the greater part of the year on his estates in Yorkshire, he was still inclined to spend much thought and time on his dress. "This new man of mine is no good at all!" he said, with some annoyance. "Just look at my cravat!"
"Is that really necessary?" said the Earl. "For the past hour I have been at considerable pains not to look at it."
A grin dispersed Sir Peregrin's worried frown. "Oh, be damned to you, Worth! I'll tell you what it is, you did a great deal for me when I was your ward, but if you had taught me the way you have of tying your cravats I should have been more grateful than ever I was for any of the rest of the curst interfering things you did."
"Very handsomely put, Perry. But the art is inborn, and can't be taught."
Sir Peregrine made a derisive sound, and, abandoning the attempt to improve the set of his cravat, turned from the mirror. He glanced down at his sister, tranquilly sewing, and said in a burst of confidence: "You know, I can't help being worried. I don't want to run home, but the thing is that Harriet is in a delicate situation again."
"Good God, already?" exclaimed Judith.
"Yes, and you see what an anxious position it puts me in. I would not have her upset for the world. However, it seems certain Boney can't move against us yet. I shall wait until the Duke comes before I decide. That will be best."
The Earl agreed to it with a solemnity only belied by the quivering of a muscle at the corner of his mouth. Sir Peregrine adjured him to let him have any reliable news he might chance to hear and took himself off, his mind apparently relieved of its care.
His sister was left to enjoy a laugh at his expense. "Julian, I think you must have taken leave of your senses when you permitted Perry to marry Harriet! Two children, and another expected! It is quite absurd! He is only a child himself."
"Very true, but you should consider that if he were not married we should have him enlisting as a volunteer."
The thought sobered her. She put down her embroidery. "I suppose we should." She hesitated, her fine blue eyes raised to Worth's face. "Well, Julian, our morning visitors have all talked a great deal, but you have said nothing."
"I was under the impression that I said everything that was civil."
"Just so, and nothing to the point. I wish you will tell me what you think. Do we stay?"
"Not if you wish to go home, my dear."
She shook her head. "You are to be the judge. I don't care for myself, but there is little Julian to be recollected, you know."
"I don't forget him. Antwerp is, after all, comfortably close. But if you choose I will convey you both to England."
She cast him a shrewd look. "You are extremely obliging, sir! Thank you, I know you a little too well to accept that offer. You would no sooner have set me down in England than you would return here, odious wretch!"
He laughed. "To tell you the truth, Judith, I think it will be interesting to be in Brussels this spring."
"Yes," she agreed. "But what will happen?"
"I know no more than the next man."
"I suppose war is certain? Will the Duke be a match for Bonaparte, do you think?"
"That is what we are going to see, my dear."
"Everyone speaks as though his arrival will make all quite safe - indeed, I do myself - but though he was so successful in Spain he has never fought against Bonaparte himself, has he?"
"A circumstance which makes the situation of even more interest," said Worth.
"Well!" She resumed her stitching. "You are very cool. We shall stay then. Indeed, I should be very sorry to go just when Charles is to join us."
The Earl put up his quizzing-glass. "Ah! May I inquire, my love, whether you are making plans for Charles's future welfare?"
Down went the embroidery; her ladyship raised an indignant rueful pair of eyes to his face. "You are the most odious man that I have ever met!" she declared. "Of course I don't make plans for Charles! It sounds like some horrid, match-making Mama. How in the world did you guess?"
"Some explanation of your extreme kindness towards Miss Devenish seemed to be called for. That was the likeliest that presented itself to me."
"Well, but don't you think her a charming girl, Julian?"
"I daresay. You know my taste runs to Amazons."
Her ladyship ignored this with obvious dignity. "She is extremely pretty, with such obliging manners, and a general sweetness of disposition which makes me feel her to be so very eligible."
"I will allow all that to be true."
"You are thinking of Mr Fisher. I know the evils of her situation, but recollect that Mr Fisher is her uncle only by marriage! He is a little vulgar perhaps - well, very vulgar, if you like! - but I am sure a kind, worthy man who has treated her quite as though she were his own daughter, and will leave the whole of his fortune to her.
"That certainly is a consideration," said Worth.
"Her own birth, though not noble, is perfectly respectable, you know. Her family is an old one - but it does not signify talking, after all! Charles will make his own choice."
"Just what I was about to remark, my dear."
"Don't alarm yourselfl I have no notion of throwing poor Lucy at his head, I assure you. But I shall own myself surprised if he does not take a liking to her."
"I perceive," said the Earl, faintly amused, "that life in Brussels is going to be even more interesting than I had expected."
Chapter Two
When Judith, on setting out for Lady Charlotte Greville's evening party, desired Worth to direct the coachman to call at Mr Fisher's for the purpose of picking up Miss Devenish, she could not help looking a little conscious. She avoided his ironic gaze, but when he settled himself beside her, and the carriage moved forward over the pave, said defensively: "Really, it is not remarkable that I should take Lucy with me."
"Certainly not," agreed Worth. "I made no remark."
"Mrs Fisher does not like to go into company, you know, and the poor child would be very dull if no one offered to escort her."
"Very true."
Judith cast a smouldering glance at his profile. "I do not think," she said, "that I have ever met so provoking a person as you."
He smiled, but said nothing, and upon the carriage's drawing up presently in front of a respectable-looking house in one of the quiet streets off the Place Royale, got down to hand his wife's protegee into the carriage.She did not keep him waiting for many seconds, but came out of the house, escorted by her uncle, a little stout man of cheerful vulgarity who bowed very low to the Earl, and uttered profuse thanks and protestations. He was answered with the cool civility of a stranger, but Lady Worth, leaning forward, said everything that was kind, enquired after Mrs Fisher, who had lately been confined to the house by a feverish cold, and engaged herself to take good care of Miss Devenish.
"Your ladyship is never backward in any attention - most flattering distinction! I am all obligation!" he said, bowing to her. "It is just as it should be, for I'm sure Lucy is fit to move in the first circles - ay, and to make a good match into the bargain, eh, Lucy? Ah, she don't like me to quiz her about it: she is blushing, I daresay, only it is too dark to see."