"We had best seek shelter," Lord Henry said, all hint of easy amus.e.m.e.nt gone from his tone.
"No, it is too far to the village. The House of Tides is nearer.
Hurry, please!"
Polly could understand his urgency. She had no coat to protect her, and already the rain was heavier. The sky over the sea had turned a leaden grey.
She could not believe how quickly the weather had changed and now the air was heavy with the threat of thunder.
The first nicker of lightning touched the sky as they reached the edge of Lady Belling ham"s land. Polly was almost in a panic now. She hated thunderstorms and the ones that rolled in from the sea could be particularly fierce.
"Not far now." Henry"s voice was rea.s.suring.
"We will go in the back way, through the shrubbery, as it"s closer."
He held the little gate open for her and they slipped through as the rain began to pour in earnest. Polly, clutching her soaking portfolio and box of crayons under her arm, wondered briefly what on earth Lady Belling ham would make of the arrival of two such drowned rats. She had only met her ladyship a couple of times for, though travelling copiously. Lady Belling ham was virtually a recluse when she was in Suffolk.
Henry helped Polly up on to the terrace with a hand under her elbow.
The steps were slippery in the rain and she almost stumbled.
Then the French windows were flung open before them and Lady Belling ham"s rich contralto tones, warm with amus.e.m.e.nt, said, "Well, upon my word!
Apollo and Niobe! Or am I mixing my Greeks and Romans? I was never very good at mythology, alas! " Polly, regardless of her dripping clothes, found herself engulfed in a huge scented embrace. Lady Bel- ling ham"s many colourful scarves wafted about her like a ma.s.sive sheet.
"Dear child!" her ladyship said fondly.
"How delightful to see you again!
And Henry! " Now there was a roguish twinkle in her dark eyes, "You have been away too long, dear boy!"
There was a fearsome clap of thunder overhead. Polly jumped violently.
"Come in, come in!" Lady Belling ham urged, stepping back so that they could go into the drawing- room.
"We have come to throw ourselves on your mercy, Lady Belling ham,"
Henry said with a smile, pushing the soaking hair back out of his eyes.
"Lady Polly and I were taking a stroll on the cliffs when the storm came up, and we thought to seek shelter here. Lady Polly has become separated from her party in all the confusion. I apologise for the imposition."
"Nonsense, dear boy, and you know it!" Lady Bel- ling ham clapped her hands so that her bracelets jingled loudly. A fat white cat, asleep on a puffy sofa, raised its head briefly before closing its eyes again with the most perfect indifference.
"I adore excitement, as you know," she continued, eyes sparkling, "and I lead such a retired life usually. Your arrival is most timely for I was about to succ.u.mb to ennui. I shall rely on you for all the gossip in recompense! " Her eye fell on Polly, dripping quietly on to the carpet.
"Dear me! I should not keep you talking or you will catch a chill!
Now, I will take Lady Polly away to change her clothing and Gaston, my general factotum, will fetch some dry things for you, my dear Henry!
Then he can go and see if he can find trace of your friends, my dear."
She smiled at Polly.
"I am sure we can reunite you all soon!"
She swept Polly out of the room, paused briefly in the hall to summon Gaston and give him her instructions, then whisked Polly off up the ornate staircase to a small bedroom decorated in the French fashion.
Polly stared at her reflection in the pier gla.s.s with something approaching horror. Her hair was straggling around her face, drying in wisps, and her clothes were sticking to her. She was not normally vain, but she could hardly bear to think of Lord Henry seeing her thus.
Lady Belling ham smiled understandingly.
"Never mind, my love! I am sure Lord Henry finds your dishevelment attractive rather than otherwise! That was always my experience of gentlemen! And I can see that he admires you exceedingly!"
Polly blushed bright red.
"Oh, Lady Belling ham, I think you must be mistaken. Lord Henry and I--" She broke off, quite unable to continue in the face of Lady Belling ham"s amused cynicism.
"Fustian, my dear! Stuff and nonsense!" Lady Bel- ling ham was busy pulling some enormous gowns out of the closet. Her voice was m.u.f.fled.
"You may pretend to be indifferent to each other, but you cannot cozen me!
I have known Henry March night for years and he has never truly cared for any young lady. But you ! Well!" She emerged with a huge lilac coloured dress over her arm. Polly held it up in front of her. It was going to look like a tent. If Lord Henry found her attractive in that then the only explanation could be that his wits must have gone a-begging.
Chapter Eleven.
QrysQ JVliss Dit ton certainly found the outfit rather diverting when she and the rest of Polly"s lost party were shepherded into the drawing-room an hour later.
"La, Lady Polly, you are all the crack! You must tell me where you buy your modes!"
"Miss Dit ton, I presume!" Lady Belling ham glided forward smoothly to greet her unwanted guests. Her smile was all that was gracious, but there was a look in those world-weary dark eyes that suggested that she had met Miss Dit ton"s type many times before and knew precisely how to deal with them.
She welcomed Miss Dit ton and her brother coolly, Hetty with more warmth and Peter with almost as much enthusiasm as she had shown Henry, who was now lounging before the fireplace watching with amus.e.m.e.nt. He looked considerably more elegant in his borrowed plumes than Polly did in hers.
Polly wondered where Lady Belling ham had got such stylish gentlemen"s clothes from. She could hardly imagine the lugubrious Gaston cutting a dash in the slim black pantaloons, black jacket and snowy white shirt.
Gaston had found Polly"s companions huddling in one of the cottages in Shingle Street. When the rain had started they had hurried to the carriages, intent on setting off back immediately until Peter had remembered Polly and had set out to look for her. This had delayed them sufficently for the road to become waterlogged, since it was scarcely more than a sandy track, and they had no choice but to inflict their presence on one of the glum village families until the rain stopped.
This was not quite how Miss Dit ton saw their predicament and she was loud in her condemnation of the noisome cottage and its smelly occupants.
"and do you know, my dear Lady Polly, they actually had the animals in there with them! " She shuddered.
"Apparently it helps them to keep warm!"
Polly caught Henry"s eye just as he tried to repress a smile.
"Doubtless your presence incommoded the poor pigs considerably," Lady Belling ham said, with a suspiciously straight face.
"They are not animals that take kindly to a disruption of their routine!"
The precise nature of Miss Dit ton"s difficulties now became clear. She could not snub Lady Belling ham, for she had no doubt that her ladyship was perfectly capable of turning her out into the rain if she chose.
On the other hand, the Dit tons had never acknowledged the former actress, even after the Sea graves had taken her up. Mr Dit ton cleared his throat noisily, settling himself on the sofa.
"Extraordinary customs these inbred country folk have! Why, I remember--" He broke off with a loud yelp.
"Good G.o.d, ma"am, that creature has bitten me!"