Lady Beneath the Veil(21)

       
           



       

'N-no, indeed,' she murmured.

He glanced around.

'It is difficult to speak here, it is so crowded. Perhaps, could I beg the honour of escorting you to supper?'

It took Dominique only a moment to decide. Gideon was nowhere to be seen and this young man was watching her so hopefully.

'Of course, monsieur.'

The supper room was very busy, but her companion led her to a small  table in one of the alcoves. An elegant supper was laid before her, but  Dominique hardly noticed, for she was soon lost in reminiscences about  France. Raymond Lamotte was eager to talk and she guessed that he was  homesick, as she had been when she first came to England.

'Of course it was easier for me,' she told him. 'I was a child, just  ten years old, and my English mother had tried to ensure that I was  familiar with the ways of this country. For you, monsieur, it must have  been so much more painful.'

'It was. I did not wish to quit France but what could I do? My friends  were imprisoned, or worse. At first I was in favour of the revolution.  The country needed to change, mais oui, but then came the Terror and the  execution of the poor King and Queen-it was too much. The change was  going too far.'

'That is exactly what Papa thought,' exclaimed Dominique. 'But his views were too moderate and no one wanted to listen.'

'So he brought you to England?' He raised his hand and signalled to the waiter to refill their glasses.

'No.' Dominique waited until they were alone again, pleased for the  delay so that she could muster her thoughts. 'He arranged for Mama and  me to come here while he remained in France.' She added quietly, 'We  have not heard from him for ten years.'

'Ah, I see. Je regrette-'

She raised her hand, fending off his sympathy. Glancing up, she noticed with surprise that the supper room was almost empty.

'Oh, dear, how the time has flown,' she said. 'The dancing will begin  again soon. Thank you, Monsieur Lamotte, I have enjoyed our  conversation, but I must get back.'

'Of course, I shall escort you.' He rose and held out his arm to her.  'If you will permit, I should like to talk more with you. It is so  refreshing to be able to speak freely about my country with someone who  loves it as I do.'

She nodded, saying shyly, 'I should like that too, sir.'

'May I call upon you tomorrow morning?'

'No!' She stopped in alarm, imagining Gideon's anger if a Frenchman  should arrive at his door. 'No, that is not possible.' She swallowed,  aware of his disappointment. 'But perhaps...perhaps you will be walking  in Green Park tomorrow, sir, at ten o'clock? It is a popular promenade.'

'And...will you be there, Madame Albury, at ten o'clock?'

'I will,' she declared, stifling her conscience. After all, there could  be no harm in them meeting in public. 'I will be there.'

'Then so, too, shall I,' declared Monsieur Lamotte. They were entering  the ballroom, where the musicians were already tuning up for the next  set. He said, a laugh in his voice, 'I would ask you to dance with me,  but I fear I have taken far too much of your time already and see  several gentlemen giving me the angry look.'

She blushed and disclaimed, but did not seek to detain him. Even as she  watched him walking away two young gentlemen came up, cheerfully vying  with each other for the privilege of leading her out. Smiling, Dominique  turned her thoughts away from Raymond Lamotte and gave herself up to  the enjoyable task of choosing a dance partner.

* * *

'I am sorry I was not able to take you in to supper,' said Gideon as  they rode home later that night. 'Anthony and I were caught up in a  political discussion and I did not like to abandon him. I hope you found  someone to look after you?'

'Yes, I did, thank you.'

Dominique struggled briefly with her conscience, wondering how she  could explain to Gideon about Monsieur Lamotte, but even as she tried to  frame her reply he took her hand, saying, 'That's good. I am glad you  are finding your feet in town, Nicky.'

'Oh, yes,' she replied. 'I go on much more comfortably, now I know so many people.'                       
       
           



       

'Aye, I noticed you were never without a partner tonight.' He laughed.  'It will soon be that you will not have need of me to accompany you at  all.'

She turned, looking at his dark shape beside her as she said earnestly,  'Oh, never say that, Gideon. I would not be half so comfortable if you  were not with me.'

He laughed and raised her hand to his lips.

'Flatterer!'

Did he really think that, or was he perhaps looking forward to the day  when he could leave her to fend for herself and return to his old  bachelor ways? Dominique longed to ask him, but she kept silent, fearful  of his answer.





Chapter Nine

Dominique met Raymond in Green Park the following morning. They spoke  only briefly, but arranged to meet again the next day, and the next.  Raymond was a charming companion. Not only were his recollections of  France quite riveting, but he was also interested in her own childhood  memories, and since she dared not mention her French connections to  Gideon it was a relief to be able to talk about her family with someone  who understood what she had been through. Soon she felt that they were  firm friends.

However, they had very few acquaintances in common, so it was some  weeks before they met again socially, at an evening party given by Lord  and Lady Dortwood. Dominique spotted Raymond in the crowd, but although  he acknowledged her with a faint nod the evening was well advanced  before he came over to greet her.

'I thought you would never ask me to dance,' she said, when he led her out to join a new set.

'I was not sure you would wish to acknowledge me,' he murmured. 'I see you are with your husband.'

'Of course I will acknowledge you,' she said, feeling the heat burning her cheeks. 'I am not ashamed of knowing you!'

She danced on, unsettled by the realisation that she had not mentioned  her friendship with Raymond to anyone. Their morning walks in Green Park  had so far excited no comment since they had never met anyone with whom  Dominique was acquainted. Now it occurred to her that others might  consider such meetings to be clandestine. That would not do, at all.

When the dance ended she took Raymond's arm and firmly led him across  the room to where Gideon was waiting. She performed the introduction and  after a short exchange Raymond moved away. Gideon lifted his quizzing  glass to watch him go.

'Where did you say you met him?'

'At the Knightsons' ball.' She frowned up at him. 'Really, Gideon, was  it necessary to be so cold towards Monsieur Lamotte? You barely spoke  half-a-dozen words to him.'

'I beg your pardon, my dear, but we have so little in common.'

'It was more than that. You were positively arctic!'

'I am certainly surprised by your friendship with the fellow.'

'You are offended, because he is French,' she declared hotly. 'Your hatred of the whole race is quite unreasonable.'

He did not reply and with a toss of her head she turned away.

'Nicky!' She stopped and he said quietly, 'I would rather you did not pursue your acquaintance with Monsieur Lamotte.'

She turned, her brows raised in haughty surprise.

'That is outrageous! You cannot dictate with whom I shall associate.'

'I was not aware I was dictating to you, my dear, merely making my wishes clear.'

'It is the same thing.'

'Not at all.'

'And if I refuse to comply?'

His eyes narrowed. He leaned closer so that his words were for her alone.

'Do not forget, madam, that you are my wife.'

Her head went up.

'But I am not your slave!'

With a swish of her skirts she flounced away from him.

How dare Gideon dictate to her! It was nothing but prejudice, because  Raymond was French, and she was tired of it. She wished Gwendoline was  here, but she was attending some tedious political dinner with  Ribblestone. There was no one else present to whom she could pour out  her anger and frustration, so she took herself off to the card room and  proceeded to lose a large portion of her pin money.

* * *

However, by the time she left the card room her temper had cooled, so  that when she saw her husband in the ballroom she went straight up to  him, saying penitently, 'I beg your pardon, Gideon, I should not have  ripped up at you so.' His brows went up, but the harshness left his face  as he took her outstretched hand and she was emboldened to continue. 'I  understand why you might not like Monsieur Lamotte, but he is a link  with my childhood, the life I knew before we moved to England.' She  clung to his fingers. 'Please do not ask me to give him up.'                       
       
           



       

He stared down at her, a look she could not interpret in his hazel eyes.

'Is he merely an acquaintance, Nicky, nothing more?'

'Of course. What else should he be?'

'And your morning meetings with him in Green Park?' When her eyes flew  to his face he gave her a wry smile. 'You were seen, by Anthony. I told  him it was nothing and the fact that you had your maid with you gives  weight to my belief.'