"I must suppose that anyone brought up in Suffolk considers the area around London to be too close to the city to be truly rural," Lord Henry observed.
"And no doubt I shall shortly be reminded of the difference for myself.
Were you aware that we are to spend some time near Wood bridge this summer? My mother has decided that it would be good for Laura"s health to go to the seaside, but to avoid crowds and excitement."
There was something dry in his tone which suggested to Polly that Henry had very similar views to her own on the d.u.c.h.ess of March night"s mollycoddling of her youngest daughter. Lady Laura was a little ahead of them now on her grey mare, her charming countenance turned towards young Lord Blakeney, who was evincing every sign of pleasure at being her chosen escort. Certainly Laura looked the picture of health and was revelling in the outing and the company.
"I am sorry that Lady Laura has been unwell," Polly said cautiously, "but she seems much recovered now. The waters at Bath must have a remarkably curative effect! And I hope," she added hastily, seeing Henry"s look of amus.e.m.e.nt, "that she will find Suffolk similarly restorative and not too dull!"
"Alas, I am the one who is likely to find the country slow," Henry said humourously, "especially as it will be devoid of your presence, Lady Polly, which is the only thing that might have made it tolerable for me! " Polly could not help blushing. She was also regretting rather strongly the Dowager Countess"s avowed intent of spending the summer in Bright on.
Perhaps she could contrive a stay at Dilling ham? But she did not want Lord Henry to feel too encouraged. "Nonsense, Lord Henry," she said bracingly.
"You have told me many times that you consider Suffolk a vastly pleasant county! I am sure you will find plenty to amuse you there!"
Lord Henry"s lips twitched.
"It was such a pretty compliment too," he murmured.
"I am sorry it did not please you."
Polly tried not to smile.
"It was very pretty," she agreed solemnly, "but I was not sure how much it was worth! " Lord Henry burst out laughing.
"I cannot put you out of countenance, can I, Lady Polly? You may take it as true--I should be very sorry to spend the summer months out of your company!"
Fortunately for Polly"s composure, Therese Verey brought her horse alongside at that point and Henry fell back to talk to Simon. They clattered into the yard of the Star and Garter and were pleased to find themselves expected and a delicious cold collation laid out on trestles in the garden. Polly, drawn into conversation with Therese and Jane Delahaye over the meal, only noticed Lord Henry"s absence as the party gathered itself to depart.
"Where is Henry?" Lady Laura asked innocently, as they walked slowly through the arch into the inn courtyard.
"He was here a moment ago! I thought-- Oh!"
"Rather showy," Polly heard Simon Verey say to Lord Blakeney, "and too short of bone-- Oh, I say! " The scene in the courtyard appeared to have a similar effect on all members of the party. One moment, Polly thought, they had been chatting amongst themselves and the next they had all fallen into horrified silence.
There was a carriage drawn up in the yard, pulled by the four showy white horses which Lord Verey had just been disparaging. Lord Henry March night was leaning against the side of the coach and chatting to its occupant, a smile of appreciation on his lips. As he saw the group emerge from the garden he straightened up and Polly saw a fleeting look of annoyance cross his face as though he had no wish to be interrupted.
A moment later, the lady in the carriage had leaned out and, taking Henry by surprise, planted a lingering kiss on his mouth.
There was no doubt that Lady Bolt had staged the action for maximum effect.
From within the carriage she would have seen Henry"s companions emerge through the archway and her sense of malice had done the rest. And whilst Henry moved away from her as quickly as he could, the damage was done. All the witnesses had an image of Lady Bolt"s hands resting lightly on Henry"s shoulders as she lowered her smiling scarlet mouth to his for several long seconds. Polly winced at the sight.
After that, everything became a little confused. Lady Bolt"s carriage rolled out of the yard, rather in the manner of the wicked fairy vanishing in a pantomime. Simon Verey had a quick word with Henry, who seemed to disappear as quickly as Lady Bolt had done.
"In front of his own sister too," Lord Blakeney was saying, outraged, as he shepherded a pink-faced Laura March night protectively into the inn.
"Lady Laura, please wait here whilst I have my phaeton brought round!
You cannot drive back with Lord Henry after that--" But here Laura March night proved surprisingly obstinate.
"I a.s.sure you, Lord Blakeney, I have no difficulty in accepting my brother"s escort back to Berkeley Square. I should be delighted if he chose to take me up!"
It was a shame Lord Blakeney could not see that he was doing himself great disservice in Laura"s eyes by criticising her brother, Polly thought. She was very loyal to Henry.
Polly saw the look of mingled regret and exasperation that pa.s.sed between Therese Verey and Jane Delahaye, as Therese said to her, "Lady Polly, it would be best, perhaps, if both you and Lady Laura drive back with us. It will be a bit of a squeeze, but I am sure none of us will mind..."
And Simon Verey had hastened away to attend to the setting to of his carriage.
Polly felt dazed and a little sick. Whilst she had common sense enough to see that Lady Bolt had planned the whole encounter, the memory of it filled her with revulsion. And Henry was hardly blameless. He had been chatting to the Cyprian only a moment earlier and had obviously been enjoying her company. Perhaps he had even arranged to meet her there to arrange a tryst later that day! Polly"s lost hopes mocked her. She had begun to believe Henry sincere, to trust him. Well, now she saw the error of her ways!
Polly spent the whole of the journey back to Brook Street in a numb silence and then went straight to her room, declining to tell even Lucille about the events of the day. Miserably she wondered why Lord Henry had made no attempt to see or speak to her before they had left.
He had disappeared with the speed of a man effecting a guilty exit. Had he approached her it would have been difficult to know how to deal with the situation, but she would have preferred to have had that opportunity.
Evidently he had not cared sufficiently about her opinion to make an effort to explain to her.
Defiantly, Polly put on her favourite dress and prepared for the ball at Mrs Fleetwood"s that evening. If she was going to have to face Lord Henry March night and the attendant scandal, she was determined to look her best.
As Polly had antic.i.p.ated and dreaded, the tale was all over Town.
"How foolish of Harry..." Lucille sighed, as she and Polly fended off the fifth curious gossipmonger "and how unlike him! " "I collect you mean he was foolish to be caught," Polly said tartly. She sat down rather heavily and rubbed a foot where her dainty dancing shoes were pinching. It did not add to her good humour.
Lucille looked reproachful.
"I mean to have allowed himself to have been trapped by Susanna! She is forever up to these little tricks just to amuse herself!"
Polly thought that Lucille was probably right, but she did not have any sympathy for Henry.
"I am persuaded that Lady Bolt did not force him into any situation unwillingly," she said coldly.
"I think you are too indulgent of his folly, Lucille!"
Lucille raised her eyebrows at this reproach.
"Well, upon my word, you are very harsh! Susanna has succeeded admirably!"
This caught Polly"s attention.
"Whatever can you mean, Lucille?"
"Why, simply that Susanna is currently engaged in an attempt to ruin the future for yourself and Henry! She has already succeeded in improving on the estrangement between Peter and Hetty. I think..."
Lucille smiled serenely ". I hope that she will not accomplish a break between Nicholas and myself!
I think that beyond even her charms! " Polly was staring at her sister-in-law in horror. "You think that this is all a plot of Lady Bolt"s?"
"a.s.suredly! She will engineer any chance to cause trouble! You should know that by now, Polly--" Lucille broke off with a little gasp and, turning her head, Polly saw that the object of their discussions had just come into the ballroom. As if to underline Lucille"s words, Susanna Bolt was hanging heavily on the arm of Peter Sea grave.
"Oh, truly," Lucille said, sounding more vexed than Polly had ever heard her, "this is the outside of enough! " It had been an unenjoyable evening. Polly danced a few desultory dances, chatted half-heartedly and waited in vain for Lord Henry March night to make an appearance. They retired early, leaving Lady Bolt in triumphant possession of the floor and of Peter Sea- grave, and the Dowager Countess railed ceaselessly against her all the way home. Polly slept fitfully and woke with a headache.
"Do you come with me to the Royal Humane Society lecture this afternoon?"