Extraordinarily, Polly had missed Lord Henry"s approach, so absorbed had she been in the romance of Lady Laura and Charles Far rant. Lucille had the grace to blush.
"Oh, Lord Henry! Perhaps we should not encourage them, but it seems such a pity for their hopes to be dashed..."
Henry grinned.
"Romance is most decidedly in the air tonight, is it not?"
He turned to Polly as though he had more pressing matters on his mind than his sister"s future. The gravity of his salutation was belied by the wicked twinkle in his eyes and she felt the same breathless sense of antic.i.p.ation that had come over her at the House of Tides.
"Dance with me," Henry said softly, persuasively, taking Polly"s gloved hand and pulling her to her feet.
Lucille caught her husband"s eye and smiled. "Some of the company seem to have no need of Cupid"s help," she observed lightly.
Polly was feeling the same melting excitement that had possessed her when she saw Henry enter the ballroom, but this time his proximity intensified the feeling. He drew her into his arms as the waltz struck up. She could not tear her gaze away from his, from that grave but concentrated expression in his eyes as he considered her face upturned to his. They did not speak throughout the dance, yet Polly was sharply aware of him all the time. The touch of his hand on hers, the brush of his body against hers gave her an acute physical consciousness of him.
Polly was caught in so potent a spell she had no wish to break it.
When the dance ended. Henry did not escort her back to Lucille"s side but to a love-seat in an alcove.
"Are you enjoying your day of uninterrupted pleasure, sir?" Polly asked lightly, smiling at him as she sat down.
"I have not yet had the opportunity to congratulate you on your second place in the race today! I hope you were not too disappointed to secede the cup to Mr Fitzgerald!"
Henry laughed.
"I have to concede to the better sailor! It"s true I was disappointed--one is always aiming for the prize."
There was something meaningful in his gaze that made the colour come into Polly"s cheeks. She hoped he thought her a prize worth winning.
"I was also disappointed that you were not able to join us for luncheon,"
Henry said, after a moment.
"I understand that the Dowager Countess does not approve of the Queen"s Head?"
Polly laughed.
"No, indeed! We tried to persuade her that it is a respectable hostelry but I think she feels it is little better than an alehouse!
But we did enjoy watching the race. It was a very beautiful day."
"Everybody seems most glad that the amus.e.m.e.nt is continuing here tonight,"
Henry said, looking about with a smile, "but then the Dowager Countess"s entertainments are renowned! " For a moment Polly thought of Mr Dit ton, the only person present who did not appear to be enjoying the evening. She almost told Henry about Dit ton"s curious malevolence when he was watching Hetty and his peculiar familiarity with her, but then she dismissed the thought. Mr Dit ton"s foibles were nothing to do with her after all.
"I hope," Lord Henry said, turning back to her with a lazy smile, "that you have recovered from the events of the night at the House of Tides.
It must have been a most disturbing experience for you. " "Finding Mr Dit ton creeping into my bedroom in the dark was indeed unpleasant,"
Polly agreed tartly.
"There were other events that night, however, that I found equally disturbing!"
Henry"s lips twitched.
"Indeed! Whatever could those have been?"
"A door that was locked which mysteriously became open before locking itself again," Polly said coolly, "and a meeting I witnessed between yourself and Lady Belling ham which led me to believe that both of you were engaged in the business of smuggling! " There was a silence whilst the dancers spun before them and the strains of the music swept on.
"Three curious events in one evening," Henry said thoughtfully.
"Yes, and those were only the three I witnessed! Who is to say that there were not more!"
Polly saw the flash of amused appreciation in Henry"s eyes.
"You have suspected me for a long time, I think," he said easily.
"A.
smuggler, a malcontent, a rabble- rouser, the rich patron of a dangerous criminal, perhaps. What extraordinary deeds you have credited me with.
Lady Polly! I wonder that you dare be alone with me! " "We are not alone," Polly pointed out, still cool.
"We were when I came up the turret stair the night before last and unlocked the door into your bedroom!"
Polly bit her lip to prevent the gasp that was almost audible. She had sought to provoke him without believing that she would hear answers such as this. Her dark eyes kindled.
"I might have known you had the key!
Creeping around in the middle of the night, and into a lady"s bedroom--" "Yes, you have no idea how much I have wanted to be there,"
Henry said smoothly.
"You were fast asleep and looking quite delightful with your hair tumbled all over the pillow! I was tempted--" " Lord Henry! " "Must you be forever interrupting my most ardent dreams. Lady Polly? Alas, that the reality is far colder than the fantasy! Or at least--" his tone dropped "--I used to think so..."
Polly fought to get a grip on matters before they slipped beyond her control.
"Lord Henry, I believe that you owe me an explanation! That is the point at issue, not your fevered imaginings!"
"Well..." Henry looked around at the crowded ballroom "it is too busy here for complicated explanations. If you will walk a little with me, I undertake to tell you all you wish to know. Or almost all," he added with a whimsical smile.
Polly eyed him with suspicion.
"Truly?"
"Truly!"
"But can you tell me? Should you?" Polly suddenly felt uncertain.
"Perhaps I do not wish to know after all--" " Too late," Henry said laconically, pulling her to her feet.
"You already know too much. Lady Polly! A little knowledge is more dangerous than the whole truth!"
At one end the wide ballroom doors led through to the winter garden, with its palm trees and warm, ferny twilight. They strolled slowly along the tiled path.