‘Of course you would like to believe that, would you not, Major? It must be galling to know that pretty little Clara chose me over a penniless soldier. I can see how it would be some comfort to think she was unhappy, but she was not.’ He stepped closer. ‘I served her very well, Clifton, remember that when you are lying awake at night!’
Sir Ronald turned on his heel and walked away. He picked up the newspaper and carried it over to the far corner of the room. Mr Graham gave Jack a knowing look.
‘Well,’ he said, rising, ‘I’m off to change for dinner. How about you, Clifton?’
The two men left the room together and as the door closed behind them Graham said softly, ‘A word of warning, Major. Be wary of Deforge. He’s a nasty piece of work.’
‘I am aware,’ muttered Jack grimly, ‘but he won’t call me out, no matter how hard I try.’
‘Not his style,’ Graham retorted. ‘You are more likely to be found in a dark alley with a knife in your back.’
Jack gave an angry snort. ‘I am surprised Renwick invited him.’
‘No choice, old boy. It appears he’s some sort of distant cousin to Mrs Renwick, and he almost invited himself. She of course is far too kind-hearted to turn anyone away, especially family—’ He broke off as they reached the hall, where they found their host greeting Alex Mortimer, who was divesting himself of his greatcoat. ‘Mortimer, how do you do! Good journey?’
Alex Mortimer looked up, a ready smile on his fair, handsome features.
‘The last stage was tiresome. One of the wheelers was lame. Couldn’t make any pace at all.’
‘Well, you are in good time for dinner,’ declared Mr Renwick. ‘I’ll have Grassington show you to your room—’
‘No need,’ cried Mr Graham, stepping forwards. ‘He’s in the room next to me, is he not? Clifton and I will take him up with us. Come along, Mortimer. Grassington can follow on with the bags!’
Linking arms with Jack and Alex, Edward Graham set off up the wide, shallow staircase, chatting merrily. Looking up, Jack realised that Mortimer was regarding him with a very thoughtful expression. No wonder, if Lady Allyngham had told him of their stormy meeting in London. Well, that was past now, and he hoped that after last night he and the lady could at least meet as friends. And once Eloise had explained matters to Mortimer, perhaps they could even work together to help the lady out of her predicament.
When the party gathered in the drawing room before dinner that evening, Eloise greeted Alex with unaffected pleasure, and she was happy to find that most of the party shared her delight. To have another handsome and eligible bachelor staying at Renwick Hall could not be considered anything other than an advantage, and she was amused to watch Mrs Briggate taking every opportunity to bring her daughters to his attention.
Seeing Lady Allyngham was alone, Jack crossed the room to join her. At first she did not notice him, for her eyes were on Alex Mortimer, who was standing on the far side of the room, surrounded by ladies.
‘Mortimer is very patient,’ he murmured. ‘I was not half so polite when the Briggate woman forced her chits under my nose. He will find himself leg-shackled if he doesn’t take care.’
She smiled.
‘Not he! Alex is too good-natured to snub anyone, but he will not allow the situation to get out of hand. Nor will he let either of those silly girls lose their hearts to him. He is far too kind for that.’
‘Perhaps his interests lie in another direction.’
She looked up at him, a startled look in her eyes.
‘I—I don’t understand you, Major.’
He gave her a rueful smile.
‘I thought his heart lay at your feet.’
‘Oh.’ The colour rushed back into her cheeks. ‘Oh, well, yes, I suppose that is true.’
He leaned a little closer.
‘Perhaps, when you talk to him, you will tell him that I am no longer your enemy. He has behaved like a dog with his hackles up ever since he arrived here. You may also tell him, if you please, that I am no rival. He has nothing to fear from me.’
He turned on his heel and walked away. Eloise stared after him, but she had no time to consider his words, for no sooner had he moved off than Sir Ronald Deforge was at her side and she forced herself to listen to his pleasantries and respond with a smile. There was no opportunity to speak to Alex until they were going into dinner, when he offered her his arm as they processed from the drawing room across the hall and into the dining room.
‘Well, my dear, you have all the men enchanted, as usual. And judging by the number of times I heard you laugh I suppose you must be enjoying yourself.’
‘You are mistaken!’ Eloise glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear them. ‘Until I know who has been writing those dreadful letters to me I cannot relax for a moment. Oh, Alex, it is so unsettling! With the exception of yourself and Mr Renwick, not one of the gentlemen can come near me without I have to suppress a shudder.’
‘Not even Major Clifton? I thought we had agreed he was above suspicion.’
Eloise spread her hands.
‘He is, but that does not mean I can bear to have him by me.’ She was not going to admit to Alex that the shaking she experienced when Jack Clifton was near was for a very different reason. ‘However, we are not enemies any more.’
‘You are not?’
‘No. We—um—we understand each other now.’
‘Is that since he took you into the garden last night?’ He grinned at her horrified look. ‘Graham took great delight in telling me that Clifton had cut me out.’
They were entering the dining room and Eloise was obliged to swallow the infelicitous remark that rose to her lips.
‘It was no such thing,’ she hissed. ‘We merely…talked, and he apologised for misjudging me.’ After a brief pause she added, ‘He said to tell you that he is not our enemy. And that he is not your rival.’
Alex handed her to her seat, saying, ‘Generous of him to tell me he has no interest in you.’
‘Yes,’ she said bleakly. ‘Isn’t it?’
The following morning Mr Renwick took the gentlemen off shooting and the ladies were left to amuse themselves. The more energetic of the ladies, including Eloise, joined their hostess for a tour of the grounds, ending with refreshments served at the Temple of Diana. As they approached the pavilion, Eloise could see that it was a perfect cube with shallow steps on four sides leading to columned porticos. It was a bright, sunny day and Mrs Renwick had ordered the wide doors of the pavilion to be opened and the chairs moved out under the porticos so that the ladies could all sit and enjoy the magnificent views. The occasional gunshot could be heard, carried on the light breeze. Miss Briggate and her sister whiled away the time by staring at the woods on the far horizon, trying to spot the gentlemen. Eloise took a chair beside her cousin and they sat in companionable silence, gazing out across the park. The autumn colours were beginning to show themselves and Eloise could not help comparing the cheerful riot of green, red and gold with the silver-blue landscape she had seen the previous night.
‘Such a sad sigh, Cousin,’ remarked Mrs Cromer. ‘I hope you are not unhappy?’
Eloise started.
‘Did I sigh? Oh dear, I was not aware of it. I beg your pardon. How could one be unhappy in this beautiful place?’
‘I could not, certainly, and when you were younger I remember how much you enjoyed being in the country,’ returned Meg, smiling. ‘But I have not seen you for a long time, Cousin, you may have changed. We have seen little of each other since you and Tony were married. Understandable, of course.’
‘No, it was very remiss of me,’ declared Eloise. ‘I should have made more effort to invite you to stay—’
Meg threw up her hands and laughed at that.
‘No, no, you young people were far too busy with your own concerns. Besides, I had my girls to look after, and they were a handful, always wanting to be gadding about the town.’ She threw a smiling glance at Eloise. ‘That is why I thought you might be missing the delights of London.’
Eloise quickly disclaimed, ‘Not at all, Meg, why should you think that of me?’
‘Gossip travels, my dear.’
‘Ah.’ Eloise turned in her chair to regard her cousin. ‘Gossip about me, I suppose. I know some people think I am behaving disgracefully.’
Meg leaned across and took her hand. ‘Cousin, it is only natural that you should want to enjoy yourself, after a year in mourning, but perhaps you have let your high spirits run away with you. And it is not only your behaviour in town: I am well aware that you and Major Clifton were missing for more than an hour last night. A reputation is far more easily lost than won, you know.’
Eloise bowed her head.
‘I know it. Did—did anyone else notice?’
‘I am sure they did! Mrs Renwick made some passing comment, but only to the effect that she was glad to see the major taking an interest in women again.’
‘Oh.’ Eloise began to rearrange her skirts, saying casually, ‘Our hostess knows the major well?’
‘Her husband does, certainly,’ replied Meg, turning her face up to the sun. ‘I understand Major Clifton suffered some disappointment in his youth. He was in love with a maid but she married someone else. Seems she was such a paragon that he has not looked at a woman since—not at women of his own class, that is,’ she amended with a knowing smile. ‘I have heard that he has had any number of mistresses.’