Duchess by Chance(68)

“Furban.”

Simon laughed and everyone demanded to know the reason, and thoroughly enjoyed the tale of Mrs. Potter and her ferret turban.

“I have it. He could be a selection of fruit!” Claire cried, then clapped a hand over her mouth as all eyes looked at the Stratton box.

Simon groaned but everyone else laughed.

“His head and neck could be the pear,” Claire said.

“The body of a peach,” Eva added.

“Good Lord! Is that Lady Bethelhume who just threw her drink over the ghastly Mr Priestly?” Lady Dunbar demanded, cutting through their silly conversation.

In seconds, the entire Stratton party was pressed against the edge of the theatre box and peering down at the melee below.

“Nice shot, Lady Bethelhume!” Daniel called as the lady in question swung her fist into the face of a young man.

“Why is she hitting Mr Preistly, Daniel?” Eva queried.

“Priestly took her son gambling and he lost a considerable amount of money. It appears Lady Bethelhume took exception.”

On the stage, the actors had stopped and were now also watching the antics below, some even calling encouragement as the argument escalated.

“Look left - I believe another player is about to enter.” Simon pointed to an elegantly dressed man walking through the crowd below.

“Good Lord! It’s Lord Bethelhume. Now that is interesting. He rarely comes to the theatre. Told me last year he’d sooner have a tooth pulled.” Daniel placed his arms on either side of his wife to stop her falling over the edge. “Do you know he’s one man I would not be keen to come up against. He’s always struck me as someone who means business, even if he is in his fifty-ninth year.”

All eyes watched the gentleman in question gently remove his wife’s hands from the neck of Mr Priestley and push her behind him.

“I wish I could hear what he was saying.” Eva leaned further over the edge.

“Nicely done.” Simon applauded as Lord Bethelhume drew back his fist and planted it in the face of Mr Priestley. He then bent down and dragged the man to his feet, shook him like a rag doll, said a few more words and released him. Turning, he placed an arm around his wife before leading her from the room.

“Ohhhhh,” sighed the ladies.

“You will go to your club tomorrow, Daniel, and find out exactly what was said down there.”#p#分页标题#e#

“Nosey little thing, aren’t you?” Daniel laughed, placing a kiss on Eva’s cheek.

The actors filled off the stage, signaling the end of the first act, and Claire and Lady Dunbar stood.

“Come, Eva, Lady Dunbar wishes to stretch her legs and we shall accompany her.”

“How about you, Grandmother?”

“I shall stay here, child, and annoy the men.”

Giving her grandmother’s cheek a kiss for no other reason than she could, Eva then left with Claire and Lady Dunbar.

They walked and talked with the other guests and Eva strolled to the edge to look down below as Lady Dunbar and Claire stopped to chat with a friend.

“It was foolish of you to stop ceding to your father’s demands, Berengaria. Now your husband and brother must pay the ultimate price.”

Eva spun around to face Gilbert Huxley, but he had continued walking without looking back. On his arm, a lady was chatting gaily whilst he bent his head to listen attentively. She hadn’t imagined those words or their meaning. Panic gripped her. She had merely hoped to put her father off for awhile until she decided what to do yet it seemed Lord Huxley believed differently. How had he known her intentions were to stop any further payments? Was Reggie even now in danger?

“Eva?” Daniel appeared beside her. “What has happened?”

“Nothing. I just felt a little overwhelmed with so many people around me.”

“Don’t lie to me. Your knuckles are white they are gripping the balustrade so hard.” Anger flared in his eyes as once again he saw through her deceit. He turned from her to scan the guests around them and Eva had to stop him before he saw Lord Huxley and confronted him.

“Why did you follow me?”

With a final look, he returned his gaze to hers.

“Tell me who has put the fear back in your eyes.”

The words may have been softly spoken yet there was steel behind them.

“I…I have no idea what you mean.”

He was silent for several seconds, just looking at her, and Eva could not find the strength to pull away.

“We shall not have this conversation here but remember, Duchess, lying is a heavy burden not many can bear for long.”

She took the arm he held out to her and they silently made their way back to their seats.