She heard Alex say, ‘Jane, wait!’ but her pride would not permit him to see her tears.

Later, as she sat dry-eyed in her room and acknowledged to herself for the first time that she loved him, she thought bitterly that pride was indeed all that she had now.

Chapter Nine

‘Is this not fun!’ Lady Eleanor Fane said, a twinkle of repressed mirth in her eyes as she surveyed her ill-assorted guests as they sat on picnic rugs and under parasols.

There was Lady Dennery, a little worn and over-dressed in the unkind light of day, picking petulantly at her food. Beside her sat Alex Delahaye looking, Lady Eleanor thought, decidedly bored and moody. Oddly, it was as though he had reversed roles with his brother, for Lord Philip seemed happy and at ease as he laughed and talked with Jane Verey. A little distance from them sat Sophia, being charming to Lord Blakeney and apparently enjoying herself immensely. Lady Verey, a contented smile on her face, dozed in the sun.

Well! Lady Eleanor thought now, with secret amusement, if Miss Verey does not like Philip she is making a very good pretence at it! All seems set fair! And the Marchment girl, whom Philip seemed so taken with before, does not appear concerned! I wonder…Her gaze slid to Alex, who was leaning forward to attend to something Francine Dennery was saying. If Alex allows himself to be caught by her, then more fool him, Lady Eleanor thought astringently. Yet there was very little of the lover in Alex’s demeanour and every so often his gaze would rest on Jane Verey in a completely unfathomable regard.

The arrival of Lord Blakeney had been most opportune. He had called at Malladon on the fourth day of their stay, after visiting a rich old uncle in the neighbourhood and hearing that the Duke was in residence nearby. Philip, conscious of a certain constraint in the party, had pressed him to join them and Blakeney had taken little persuading.

‘Whole countryside’s buzzing with the news,’ he had confided to Jane, on the first evening. ‘Delahaye never comes to Malladon; now he’s not only here but he’s brought a party as well!’

Jane considered that it had been a decidedly odd week. On the surface, all had been delightful. There had been riding in the countryside and walks in the park and visits to friends and neighbours. There had even been an informal dinner and dancing in the evening, but now Alex Delahaye had signalled his intention to return to Town and the picnic was the last event before they all drove back the following day.

Beneath the surface matters had not been quite so straightforward. Jane, made hopelessly self-conscious by her behaviour in the library and the discovery of her feelings for Alex, had gone out of her way to avoid him. He had seemed preoccupied by estate matters and plagued by Lady Dennery’s increasingly broad hints about the future, and scarcely seemed to notice her anyway. Lady Verey had been dropping broad hints of her own, and Jane had suddenly awoken to the fact that her mother was expecting to announce the betrothal to Lord Philip as soon as they returned to Town. Meanwhile, Sophia and Lord Philip were moving inexorably towards their own conclusion, which Jane devoutly hoped entailed an engagement of their own. Suddenly it all seemed intolerably complicated and bereft of hope and enjoyment.

Jane swotted an eager wasp that was attacking her lemonade and tilted the broad brim of her hat forward a little to shade her face. She had also become aware of the unsettling nature of Alex’s gaze as it drifted over her. Certainly he could object to nothing in her manner, for she was behaving towards Philip with the greatest cordiality and he was responding effortlessly. Yet she sensed that there was something angering Alex, something she could not comprehend. It was very puzzling and she had been aware of it for almost the whole week.

She looked up and caught Philip’s eye. They had already agreed that Jane should manufacture a reason for a stroll and that Sophia and Blakeney should help distract attention. Sighing inwardly, Jane got to her feet and dusted the crumbs off her skirt.

‘Gracious, I feel quite in need of some exercise to walk off the effects of all that delicious food! Would anyone care to join me for a turn about the park?’

Lord Philip, taking his cue, scrambled up with alacrity. ‘I should be glad to, Miss Verey! Miss Marchment, Blakeney, do you care to come?’

‘Oh, yes, that would be delightful!’ Sophia agreed eagerly. She allowed Lord Blakeney to help her up and adjusted the ribbons on her bonnet. Jane took her shawl from Lord Philip with a pretty word of thanks. Lady Verey smiled indulgently to see such harmony.

‘You may discount me, my love,’ she said sleepily. ‘I am happy dozing here in the sun and I do not doubt that Lady Eleanor will keep me company. But perhaps the others…’

Jane saw that the Duke was frowning quite darkly. Some imp of perversity prompted her to extend the invitation as her mother had suggested.

‘Would you like to join us, your Grace? Lady Dennery?’

She saw Philip looking quite appalled and tried not to laugh. It seemed a safe gamble, for Lady Dennery was looking quite horrified. ‘Oh, no, I do not care to walk at all!’ she said as though Jane had suggested some activity in bad taste. ‘I am persuaded that Alex will stay here with me, for we may have a delightful coze together!’

Jane smiled brilliantly. ‘Just as you wish, my lady!’ She did not dare to look at the Duke for his reaction.

‘You run along, my dears,’ Lady Eleanor said comfortably. ‘We older folk will do very well here in the peace and quiet!’

Lady Dennery was now looking quite affronted to be classified with the ancients and the Duke’s frown had not lifted. He looked almost murderous. Jane dropped a mischievous curtsy.

‘Thank you, ma’am!’

The four of them wandered off, chatting happily amongst themselves.

‘Oh, I shall not be sad to return to Town,’ Sophia sighed. ‘The country is all very well, but it has not the same excitement! I believe Lady Jersey is hosting a ball next week that promises to be the highlight of the Season!’

‘Heard about that myself,’ Blakeney confirmed. ‘Word is that the theme will be classical myths and legends! The talk in the clubs was that Francine Dennery intends to appear in little more than a sheet!’

‘Won’t be the first time!’ Lord Philip guffawed, then caught Sophia’s look of innocent bewilderment and cleared his throat loudly.

Jane stopped abruptly, turning to Lord Blakeney urgently.

‘Oh, no! I have left my parasol behind and Mama will be furious with me if I catch the sun! She considers freckles most unladylike! Lord Blakeney, would you be so good as to run back and fetch it? I should be so grateful…’

Lord Blakeney was as amiable as he was undiscerning. Expressing himself honoured to be of service, he trotted obediently back in the direction from which they had come. Jane watched him go, then turned to her companions with a smile.

‘Pray walk on ahead! There is no sense in all of us waiting here! Lord Blakeney will only be a moment and we will follow you when he returns!’

Sophia and Philip needed no second bidding. Jane, moving into the shadow of a group of trees, saw them stroll away slowly, deep in conversation. She smiled in spite of herself. She would do a great deal to secure Sophia’s happiness and it was a joy to see her strategies working so effectively. Splitting up the group meant that Sophia and Lord Philip were, to all intents and purposes, alone, yet within view and perfectly respectable. Lord Blakeney would be back shortly, but Jane would ensure that she did not walk quickly enough for them to catch the others up. Really, she felt that she had the tactics to match any of the King’s generals!

Jane frowned a little as she contemplated the next stage of the plan. Matters were likely to become decidedly tricky from now on. For a start, she knew that Lady Verey intended the announcement of her betrothal to Lord Philip to be sent to the Morning Post as soon as they returned to Town. That had to be avoided at all costs. Then a way had to be found to solve Lord Philip’s financial difficulties and promote the match with Sophia. Jane was forced to admit that she did not have any ideas at present…

At that point her musings were interrupted by a completely unforeseen hitch.

A figure was striding towards her across the grass brandishing her parasol in his hand like an avenging angel. It was not the slightly corpulent Lord Blakeney, but the altogether more impressive figure of the Duke of Delahaye. In a sudden panic, Jane turned round and plunged deeper into the trees, heedless of the sudden slope and the muddy ground beneath her feet. She was not sure whether she was intending to run away or to hide; she only knew that she was about to be caught out and that she did not appear to be able to think quickly enough to explain herself.

In the event she was able to neither run nor hide, for Alex caught up with her with unnerving speed.

‘Miss Verey! What is this nonsense about a lost parasol? And where are my brother and Miss Marchment?’

Jane was at something of a disadvantage. The hem of her skirt was an inch deep in mud and her bonnet had slipped to one side, making her look like a dowager who had taken rather too much port. She was out of breath and flushed, and Alex’s proximity and the altogether furious look on his face increased the fluttering nervousness inside her.

‘There is no nonsense, your Grace,’ she said with more composure than she was feeling. ‘Why, you have the parasol there in your hand! Be careful that you do not attack that branch!’

She watched the grim expression on Alex’s face ease slightly as he lowered his arm and handed the offending parasol to her.