As soon as the words left Polly"s lips she regretted them, for it occurred to her that Lucille herself might have arranged to meet Lord Henry there.
A moment later she chided herself for even thinking such a thing. She knew that her unhappy feelings for Lord Henry were warping her judgement and making her p.r.o.ne to jealousy. It was a new and uncomfortable experience for her.
Lucille followed Polly"s look to see Lord Henry, deep in conversation with one of the Society"s members over by a marble pillar.
"Good gracious, you are right, Polly!" A frown furrowed her smooth brow.
"It does seem a little out of character, but I must suppose we do not know Lord Henry well enough to judge him!"
"Well, let us not distract him from his conversation!" Polly said hastily, suddenly anxious not to have to confront Lord Henry after the debacle of Richmond. Yesterday she had wanted an explanation; now, to be allowed to withdraw quietly from his company was the best that she could hope for. It was now clear that he did not intend to approach her and she thought dully that she should perhaps credit him with proper feeling for sparing her that embarra.s.sment.
Lucille was looking at her quizzically.
"You seem very anxious to avoid him, Polly! You will have to speak to him again one day, you know! Perhaps you might even give him the chance to explain himself!"
Polly blushed.
"I am embarra.s.sed by what happened yesterday," she admitted, "and I wish to give myself a little time to recover. You must know that I had started to cherish some hopes for Lord Henry and myself, but now I see that I was mistaken. I was prepared to hear him out, but he has not given me that opportunity, Lucille! Clearly it is not important to him! Best to let the matter pa.s.s, I think! " Lucille looked as though she would have liked to have argued, but as the Dit tons were approaching them again they beat a hasty retreat out into the sunshine and the matter was dropped.
"I do see that the Society serves a worthy cause," Polly said, in answer to Lucille"s enquiry as to whether she had enjoyed herself at the lecture, "but I fear I cannot appreciate its more gruesome aspects.
Oh, I am sure it serves a worthy medical purpose," she added hastily, "but I do feel it encourages people like Mr Dit ton to gloat over unpleasantness! As for the benevolent aspects--do you not feel uncomfortable about the way some people congratulate themselves on their generosity? Why, some of them were positively glowing with self-worth! Maybe I am unkind--" She saw Lucille smile and added defensively, " Well, do you not agree, Lucille? You are always so discreet in your charitable activities, and never expect fulsome thanks! " Lucille laughed.
"Yes, Polly, I do agree with you, as a matter of fact. I am not at all certain that I shall be returning to the Royal Humane Society! And at all costs we roust avoid your mama discovering our trip to investigate the Society"s activities! One mention of resuscitating the dying and she will very likely have a fit of the va pours!"
he ball at Mrs EUery"s that night could hardly have been further removed from the Royal Humane Society lecture, but a number of the same fashionable crowd graced the occasion.
It was another hot night, too hot for dancing and humid enough to worry Mrs EUery that she had not ordered enough champagne to quench the thirst and would be deemed penny-pinching by the ton. Polly, vigourously fanning herself after attempting the boulanger with Simon Verey, could only be grateful that this was the very last ball of the Season and they would shortly be leaving Town.
The Dowager Countess was chaperoning her daughter to the ball and was keeping a closer eye on her than she had done at Lady Phillips"s.
Polly returned punctilliously to her mother"s side after each dance, as anxious as the Dowager to avoid any encounter with Lord Henry March night. It was not possible to ignore him completely, for Lord Henry was escorting his sister to the ball, but it was entirely possible to avoid any opportunity for direct conversation and Polly was bent on proving this. Her heart was sore. He had only been amusing himself with her, after all.
At the end of the following set of country dances, Polly found the Dowager Countess seated next to the fearsome Dowager d.u.c.h.ess of Broxboume, with the Dit tons and a few others in sycophantic attendance. Simon Verey had been dancing with Lady Laura March night and as Polly rejoined her mother she saw Lord Henry at close quarters for the first time that night, casually bending over his sister"s chair to exchange a few words. Polly felt the blood come up into her cheeks as his grey gaze drifted thoughtfully over her. She avoided his eye and turned her shoulder so that he was not in her line of vision.
Disconcertingly, she felt as though he was still watching her and that his gaze contained amus.e.m.e.nt. She hated being so aware of his presence.
"We were talking of the Chapman case," the Dowager d.u.c.h.ess of Broxboume said, looking at Lord Henry through her lorgnette and permitting a faint, wintry smile to touch her thin lips. He was a reluctant favourite of hers.
"Mr Dit ton was just saying that the desperado has escaped!"
A soft gasp escaped from the lips of those ladies who found themselves overset at this piece of news.
"Escaped on the way to the gallows, what!" Mr Dit- ton confirmed excitedly.
"A whole gang of the felons set upon the cart and overpowered the guards!
There was rioting in Skinner Street and St John Street, and Chapman disappeared into the crowds and was never seen again! " The Dowager d.u.c.h.ess"s large bulk shuddered. "None of us are safe in our beds! Why, the man is a robber and murderer!"
The group looked around as though expecting Captain Chapman and his murderous brigands to burst in through the ballroom windows. And, indeed, it did seem for a moment that the chandeliers grew dim and a cold wind blew through the room.
The Chapman case had become something of a cause celebre in recent weeks, its topicality fanned into flames by the radical press. Chapman had been arrested during a theft on a gunsmith"s and the claim had been that he was stealing arms for an insurrection. Further investigations into Chapman"s activities suggested that he had also been behind a number of robberies of violence perpetuated on members of the ton, whilst his actions as a rabble-rouser were well known. The very name could send a shiver down the spine. It was as though he had become a figurehead for the poor, hungry and oppressed, who threatened the established order.
"They say," Mr Dit ton put in with the same eager ghoulish ness Polly had recognised in him earlier in the day, "that the man has a powerful protector, a n.o.bleman who is bored with his own easy existence and seeks excitement.
They say that he has spirited Chapman away! " A murmur of appalled protest ran round the group. "Surely not one of us!"
Miss Dit ton said, looking about to faint dead away.
"/ had not heard that rumour," the Dowager d.u.c.h.ess said, a little irritably.
"Is it certain?"
Mr Dit ton shrugged elegantly.
"Dear madam, who can say? But it would give a great deal of help to Chapman and his cronies to have a wealthy supporter! And not just that, but a man who has the entree to ton functions--why, such a person could advise on the subject for a robbery with violence, he could--" " You"re frightening the ladies, Dit ton," Lord Henry said gently.
Polly looked at him. He was wearing the same, languid look of boredom that was his habitual expression in general company and yet for a second she could have sworn that there had been keen interest in his face, as though he were absorbing all that Tristan Dit ton was saying.
"But are you not concerned, March night?" the Dowager d.u.c.h.ess demanded.
"Do you not fear for your life?"
Lord Henry smiled.
"Alas, no, ma"am. I have no energy to waste worrying about criminals and agitators. The set of my coat, the quality of my linen-- those are the matters that preoccupy me! Excuse me!"
And he strolled away into the card room.
"Well!" the d.u.c.h.ess said explosively.
"Was there ever such a man-milliner!
I am thankful we do not have to depend on the likes of Henry March night to defend us from the common people! " "Of course," Mr Dit ton said, a sly look on his equine face, "it may all be a facade, ma"am!
What if--" he leaned forward avidly "--Lord Henry is our man?
The pose of dandy would be a fine way to dispel suspicion! " This time there was a shocked gasp from his audience. Even the d.u.c.h.ess seemed uncertain how to react. Polly stood up. The candlelight seemed suddenly to make her head ache and she was aware of a constriction in her throat. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the presence of Lady Laura March night, who was looking so pale she looked in danger of fainting.
"Perhaps you will be so kind as to accompany me to the refreshment room.
Lady Laura," Polly said firmly, taking the younger girl"s unresisting arm.
"I feel in need of some lemonade. No, thank you, Mr Dit ton," she said sharply, as Tristan Dit ton leaped to his feet, "Lady Laura and I will do very well on our own!"
"Lord Henry is far too lazy to put himself to the trouble of planning insurrection!" the Dowager d.u.c.h.ess said, meaning well, but almost undoing all of Polly"s good work.
Mr Dit ton"s eyes gleamed.
"You may be correct, your Grace," he said smoothly, "but how can we know? I tell you, I shall be regarding Henry March- night with the greatest suspicion from now on! " Laura gave a faint moan.
"Poppyc.o.c.k, Dit ton!" the d.u.c.h.ess said, pinning her colours to the mast.