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.”“I don’t think that’s the case at all,” Freddie blustered.“Of course Dev’s got the household and guests to consider but I can assure you that his intentions are—”He was unable to proceed any further in his garbled explanation of what he thought the Duke’s intentions were in the matter because Fenella whipped round, her face set and her jaw grim.She advanced upon him with an unforgiving look.Freddie took a few steps back until he stood on a stone and winced with pain.“Please desist from interfering in my affairs, Freddie,” she said in a low tone that bespoke utter determination.“I have already expressed my opinion to His Grace on the subject of my friendships.” As Freddie opened his mouth for a final word, she floored him with her coup de grace.“And since I have the permission of my employer, Her Grace—whom I believe is still capable of running her own affairs and managing her own staff—to associate with Sir Marcus, I shall do as I please.Moreover, for your edification, Her Grace believes Sir Marcus’ reputation is grossly exaggerated, and she thinks a mere mortal as he is incapable of achieving such depths of depravity, so most of these stories about him are patently untrue.Thus, if you have any consideration for the continuation of our friendship, you will drop this subject.”She turned on her heel and walked to the house.Freddie shrugged his shoulders in defeat and slunk back to the library.* * * *Devlin fared no better than Freddie did when he approached the Dowager regarding Fenella’s association with Sir Marcus.He was astounded to find his usually punctilious parent apparently blind to the facts as he strove to place them before her.“Facts?” asked the Dowager, peering at her irate son through her lorgnette.“Devlin, my dear boy, here I am in the middle of preparations for one of the biggest events the county has ever seen, Cook is in an absolute tither over the menus, and you come to me to present facts about something as innocent as an early morning ride? When I am expecting over forty guests to dine tomorrow night and a further twenty to dance after that?”“No, Mama!” Devlin growled, in very bad humour since he was sure his mother was pretending to be a querulous old lady, when they both knew very well that she was not.“I am telling you that Solesby is a rake, a renowned rake, and Miss Preston has been hoodwinked into believing he is a gentleman and subsequently went off unaccompanied with him this morning.When I commanded her to sever this undesirable connection, she was rude to me.”His mother’s eyebrows rose in a questioning manner at the word command and a small frown appeared on her face.He checked himself and repeated, more calmly, “I say rude, but perhaps my manner provoked her.” He scowled down at his tasselled Hessians, lovingly polished by Jackson to a mirror-like finish.“Perhaps your overbearing, domineering manner?” his mother asked, with a faint quiver of amusement in her voice.When Devlin’s head jerked up and he scrutinized her face to determine if she was laughing at him, the Dowager had schooled her features to reflect a sober attitude.“Oh, yes,” he muttered.“I can see who came running to tell tales.”“Not at all,” was her measured rejoinder.“I have to remind you, Devlin, that since I am Fenella’s employer it is up to me to decide whether I approve of her communicating with Sir Marcus.”“But the man’s a scoundrel, a known womanizer!” Devlin’s voice rose in anger.“No, he is a gentleman first, given his lineage, and I might add, an invited guest.”Devlin scowled.“I didn’t invite him.”“No, you did not but your lady friend did.And so you have to bear that burden and mind your manners,” was his mother’s tart reply.“Besides, I don’t think Sir Marcus is going to blot his copybook here at Deverell House, in front of some of the oldest and most respected families in the land.He is not stupid, let me assure you.What he does in his own time, in his less than salubrious club surroundings, has nothing to do with me or anyone else for that matter.”She turned a stern eye upon her son’s unsmiling face.“Just as what you do in your spare time and where you do it, is also none of my business.This is really not the time to pick a quarrel with Miss Preston so perhaps you can be persuaded to put more serious matters to the forefront of your attention.”Her tone was sharp and Devlin strode off glowering, with the opinion that everyone under his roof was conspiring against him in favour of that aggravating, obstinate female.* * * *Fenella had previously avoided dining with the other guests because she did not wish to draw attention to herself, nor did she care to invite renewed challenges from Lady Vane for Devlin’s affections.However, having discovered a new fortitude and having surprised both herself and several other members of the household, she vowed to stand her ground and make her own decisions in the matter of her friendship with Sir Marcus Solesby.She decided to attend dinner that evening as the Dowager had requested.Molly was delighted and made sure her hair was styled to perfection.Fenella slipped on the green gown, suppressing the unspoken, “Again!” that she felt and Molly undoubtedly thought.Molly once more performed wonders with fresh flowers and an elegant hairstyle, and her mother’s jewels added a touch of sophistication.Molly tactfully admired the results and when Fenella swept down the stairs just as Blenkins sounded the dinner gong, she comforted herself with the knowledge that at least most of the gathered company would not have seen her in the same gown several times already.An amiable gentleman, with whom she had a nodding acquaintance, escorted her into the dining room [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]