Джорджетт Хейер - Friday’s Child

“No, for she told me she had been in poor health, and so could not do so.”

“Ha!” ejaculated his lordship. “Very pretty, by Jove! She would not dare!”

“Oh, dear, I was afraid she could not be quite the thing when I saw the kind of company she kept!” Hero said remorsefully. “For when I went to her house there was no one there whom I was acquainted with, except Sir Matthew Brockenhurst, and Wilfred Yardford, and I know you do not like me to be upon terms with them.”

“They saw you there? Damnation!” muttered his lordship.

“They — they did not pay much heed to me, Sherry, and I only bowed very slightly, I assure you!”

“It’s not that. If Yarford saw you, it will be all over town! Nothing could be more unfortunate! We shall have all the old tabbies — yes, and not only the old ones! — spreading it about that you’re fast. I dare say Brock may keep his mouth shut: dash it, he calls himself a friend of mine! Though, by God, if he were half the friend he’d like me to think him he’d have had you out of that den, and escorted you home! Why, Gil or George, or even Ferdy, wouldn’t have hesitated! However, it’s too late to worry ourselves over that now! Where did you meet the Gillingham?”

“At the Pantheon Assembly Rooms, Sherry. There was a masquerade.”

“Whom were you with?”

“With my cousin, Theresa Hoby, and a party of her choosing.”

“I might have known! It was her doing, then?”

“No, indeed it was not! Mrs Gillingham is unknown to Theresa, though she did say that she thought her quite unexceptionable — as I did myself, Sherry, for she seemed so, you know!”

“Yes, I know!” he said grimly. “Tell me the whole!”

She obediently recounted all the circumstances of her meeting with Mrs Gillingham, and while he listened his brow grew darker and darker. By the time he had been made aware of the manner in which the lady had insinuated herself into his wife’s company, of the arts she had employed to inspire Hero with confidence, and of her readiness to permit her to punt on tick, he was looking so much like a thundercloud that Hero faltered in her recital, and could only gaze imploringly at him. She saw then that there was more than anger in his face, an intent expression in his eyes, which seemed to be frowning not so much at her as at something beyond her. She ventured to say: “I have done very wrong, but I did not mean to, Sherry.”

He paid no heed; he was looking at the clock. “I am going out,” he said abruptly. “I shall be back to dine with you, however.”

“Going where, Sherry?” she asked uneasily.

“Never mind that! There is something I have to do — and I’m not dining until I’ve done it!”

“Don’t go! So angry with me — !”

“I’m not angry with you.” He put his arm round her, and hugged her. “There! You are the most troublesome brat alive, but you don’t mean to be! I ought never — However, it’s done now!” He turned her face up, and kissed her cheek. “No, don’t cry while I’m away, for there is not the least occasion for it! Besides, it don’t suit you to have red eyes, and I don’t like it. Promise?”

She nodded, rather mistily smiling, and he left the room, ran down the stairs, shrugged himself into his greatcoat, caught up his hat and cane, and let himself out of the house, striding off in a southerly direction down the street.

He had not far to go to reach his goal, and he was fortunate enough to find that the quarry had not yet left the house, although a chair had been called for to carry him to an evening party, his valet informed the Viscount.

“You need not trouble to announce me,” Sherry said, mounting the stairs to the first floor. “I’ll announce myself!”

The valet, perceiving nothing unusual in this, bowed, and retired again to the nether regions. Sherry continued on his way to the front parlour, and entered without ceremony.

Sir Montagu, who was dressed for a ball, was adjusting the folds of his cravat in the mirror, and it was in this mirror that his eyes met Sherry’s. For an instant he did not move, then he turned, smiling urbanely, and stretching out his hand. “Why, Sherry!” he said caressingly. “You young rascal, you gave me quite a start!”

“Did I?” said Sherry, ignoring the outstretched hand.

“Indeed you did! But you are always a welcome visitor, as I hope you know! What fortune did you have at the races?”

“I’ve not come to talk to you about the races.”

Sir Montagu’s brows rose. He said in a chiding tone: “You sound out of reason cross, my dear boy! Now, what has happened to put you in one of your miffs?”

“This has happened!” Sherry said, a very ugly look in his eye. “I find that someone — someone, Revesby! — has been trying to do my wife a mischief while I’ve been away from home!”

“Well, that is certainly very shocking, Sherry, but what has it to do with me?”

“Spare yourself the trouble of playing off your tricks on me!” Sherry flung at him. “I’m not the fool you take me for! I know what ladybirds you fly with, and Charlotte Gillingham is one of them!”

“Sherry, what in the world — ”

“Who set the Gillingham on to lure my wife into her house? She never did so for her own ends! Very clever, Revesby! But not clever enough! My wife was present when you disowned your bastard brat! It was she who took the girl under her protection, and you knew it! Yes, and all the town knows it, but it was not she who split on you, my buck! It was some others whom you would not dare to be revenged on, I fancy! By God, I should have known with what a fellow I had to deal! But I know now, and you shall answer for it!”

Sir Montagu was looking a trifle pale, but he replied with perfect composure: “You are out of your senses my dear boy. I suspect that you are even a little foxed. I do not know what you are talking of.”

“Oh, yes, you do!” Sherry said fiercely. “I’m not a country wench to be fobbed off so easily! I knew whom I had to thank for this start as soon as I heard the Gillingham’s name mentioned! You fool, did you believe I should not? Why, what a flat you must think me!”

“I think you a hot-headed young man, my dear Sherry. Go and ask Mrs Gillingham if I had anything to do with Lady Sheringham’s visit to her house, if you do not believe me!”

“Where did you raise the money to pay her for playing your game?” Sherry asked insultingly. “Or does she do it for love of you?”

“Go home, Sherry: you are certainly a trifle bosky! I shall not allow you to pick a quarrel with me, you know.”

“Won’t you, by God!” Sherry said, and struck him across the face with the gloves he held clenched in his hand.

Sir Montagu’s pale cheek flamed under the blow, and he stepped back quickly, breathing rather hard, and glaring at his antagonist.

“Well?” Sherry said. “Well? What’s your choice? Will you have swords or pistols?”

“I repeat: I shall not permit you to pick a quarrel with me. You are drunk! If you say that I set Mrs Gillingham on to ruin Lady Sheringham, you will be made to look a fool. I deny it utterly, and she will do so also!”

Sherry stood looking at him for a moment with narrowed, contemptuous eyes. Then he turned away, and set his hand on the doorknob. “My cousin Ferdy told me you were a commoner, Revesby,” he said. His words were like the flick of a whiplash, and Revesby stiffened under them. “He don’t know the half of it!” Sherry said. “You’re cow-hearted — and I never guessed it!”

He waited for a minute, but Sir Montagu neither spoke nor moved. Sherry gave a scornful laugh, and passed out of the room.

WHEN IT WAS GRADUALLY BORNE IN UPON THE Viscount’s two best friends that his annoyance with Sir Montagu, instead of blowing over, as they had gloomily supposed it would, had developed into what bore all the appearance of implacable hostility, they were so overjoyed that it was some time before they troubled to inquire into the cause of so complete a break in a most undesirable friendship. It presently occurred to Mr Ringwood, however, that the Viscount was not in quite such volatile spirits as of yore; and at a convenient moment, as he sat in his friend’s library, sampling some burgundy which Sherry had just acquired, he asked simply: “Anything amiss, dear old boy?”

Sherry looked up, surprised. “No, what should be?”

“That’s what I wondered. No wish to pry into your affairs. Just thought you wasn’t in your usual spirits. Very tolerable wine, this.”

“What do you mean, not in my usual spirits? Never better in my life, Gil!”

“Well, I don’t know, now I come to think of it, what I mean. Took a notion into my head. I do sometimes. Dare say it was because you left Watier’s early last night. Not like you. You ain’t at a standstill, Sherry?”

“Oh, lord, no! Fact of the matter is, I don’t mean to be. I’ve been talking to my man of business, and the long and the short of it is I’ve been having some over-deep doings, and it don’t answer. No harm done, but I don’t mean to go Tallerton’s way, I can tell you.”

“I’m deuced glad of it, Sherry!” Mr Ringwood said. “Never liked to see you going off with Revesby to those hells of his. Sharps and flats, my boy! sharps and flats!”

“Well, you won’t see me going off with him again to a hell, or anywhere else, for that matter!” Sherry said, an edge to his voice.

Mr Ringwood met those smouldering blue eyes with a gaze of steady inquiry. “Quarrelled with the fellow, Sherry?”

Sherry gave a short laugh. “I tried to call him out. Called him all the names I could lay my tongue to! Jupiter! I even hit him in the face! He’s cow-hearted. Told him so — and he took that along with all the rest!”