with the shrewdness of long experience.
The Marquis stood for a while watching the play but, at the end of the hand, he casually placed his hand upon Charles' shoulder. Carlington glanced quickly up and then, obedient to that firm pressure, he rose and laughingly disregarded the protests of the other men, he followed Ruthin from the room.
‘I wish to talk to you, Charles. Upon a rather tiresome matter.’
Charles sighed. ‘I can guess what, I suppose.’
‘I imagine so. I find now that your childish prank is the talk of London . Everyone knows you planned to hold up Farnley and why. If you were convinced Farnley cheated, you should have left the matter with me. I could have handled the matter with rather more finesse. As it is, you have made it impossible for the affair to be settled quietly. I take it that it was only ill-luck that prevented you from holding him up?’
Charles smiled suddenly. ‘You may call it ill-luck but I think it might turn out to be the best bit of luck I ever had. If I had not tried to rob Farnley I would not have stopped Char—Miss Wrexham's carriage and I might never have found out what a wonderful creature she is. Oh, Ruthin, isn’t she glorious! Did you ever see such hair before? Such eyes?’
‘Charles, you are positively poetic tonight. But restrain your transports, I beg. Miss Wrexham is a most charming girl but I shall be very surprised if you receive any encouragement from her!’
‘What do you mean, Sir? If you are trying to interfere in this you will catch cold, and so I warn you!’
‘Do not threaten me, you young fire-eater,’ commanded the Marquis calmly. ‘All I mean is that Miss Wrexham cannot afford to become entangled with a penniless young spendthrift like yourself. No more can you consider marrying a girl who can bring you nothing. Not land, money or political influence. It would be madness on both your parts. I have it from Mrs Wrexham herself that they are come to London for the purpose of finding an eligible husband for Charlotte . I fear that you, my poor boy, are far from that.’
Charles was very white. ‘I cannot believe that Charlotte would sell herself merely for money and position. She is too high-minded for that. Besides, she cares for me, I know she does!’
If that is so, then I am sorry,’ rejoined Lord Ruthin. ‘But Miss Wrexham is a girl of great good sense and, moreover, a strong sense of duty. She will not marry to disoblige her family. Of that I am sure!’
FIVE
Carlington found Miss Wrexham disturbingly elusive in the days that followed. It seemed that whenever he called the ladies had just stepped out, nor was the dignified butler at all informative as to their whereabouts. His faith in Charlotte was unshaken, but it began to seem that her relatives were bent on keeping them apart. Poor, gentle Mrs Wrexham would have been horrified to learn that in his eyes she figured as a monster, cruelly forcing her innocent daughter into marriage with some unspecified but doubtless debauched nobleman. In fact, it was Charlotte rather than her tender-hearted mama who was resolute in avoiding the encounter. She felt unequal to the task of informing her impetuous suitor that he must think of her no longer and, although she frequently rehearsed the scene in her mind, she was aware that no dependence could be placed upon his behaving in the dignified way she envisaged.
Had she not had all the excitement of her first real ball to sustain her, this would have been a most miserable time for Charlotte . As it was, there was far too much to be done to allow her any time for reflection, not least in persuading her mama to lay aside the hideous cap she intended to wear for the ball and to don instead a smart velvet beret with a fetchingly curled ostrich feather which she insisted made her mama look ten years younger.
It was true that her few weeks in London had already made a great difference to Mrs Wrexham. Away from the rigours of her draughty
The Marquis stood for a while watching the play but, at the end of the hand, he casually placed his hand upon Charles' shoulder. Carlington glanced quickly up and then, obedient to that firm pressure, he rose and laughingly disregarded the protests of the other men, he followed Ruthin from the room.
‘I wish to talk to you, Charles. Upon a rather tiresome matter.’
Charles sighed. ‘I can guess what, I suppose.’
‘I imagine so. I find now that your childish prank is the talk of London . Everyone knows you planned to hold up Farnley and why. If you were convinced Farnley cheated, you should have left the matter with me. I could have handled the matter with rather more finesse. As it is, you have made it impossible for the affair to be settled quietly. I take it that it was only ill-luck that prevented you from holding him up?’
Charles smiled suddenly. ‘You may call it ill-luck but I think it might turn out to be the best bit of luck I ever had. If I had not tried to rob Farnley I would not have stopped Char—Miss Wrexham's carriage and I might never have found out what a wonderful creature she is. Oh, Ruthin, isn’t she glorious! Did you ever see such hair before? Such eyes?’
‘Charles, you are positively poetic tonight. But restrain your transports, I beg. Miss Wrexham is a most charming girl but I shall be very surprised if you receive any encouragement from her!’
‘What do you mean, Sir? If you are trying to interfere in this you will catch cold, and so I warn you!’
‘Do not threaten me, you young fire-eater,’ commanded the Marquis calmly. ‘All I mean is that Miss Wrexham cannot afford to become entangled with a penniless young spendthrift like yourself. No more can you consider marrying a girl who can bring you nothing. Not land, money or political influence. It would be madness on both your parts. I have it from Mrs Wrexham herself that they are come to London for the purpose of finding an eligible husband for Charlotte . I fear that you, my poor boy, are far from that.’
Charles was very white. ‘I cannot believe that Charlotte would sell herself merely for money and position. She is too high-minded for that. Besides, she cares for me, I know she does!’
If that is so, then I am sorry,’ rejoined Lord Ruthin. ‘But Miss Wrexham is a girl of great good sense and, moreover, a strong sense of duty. She will not marry to disoblige her family. Of that I am sure!’
FIVE
Carlington found Miss Wrexham disturbingly elusive in the days that followed. It seemed that whenever he called the ladies had just stepped out, nor was the dignified butler at all informative as to their whereabouts. His faith in Charlotte was unshaken, but it began to seem that her relatives were bent on keeping them apart. Poor, gentle Mrs Wrexham would have been horrified to learn that in his eyes she figured as a monster, cruelly forcing her innocent daughter into marriage with some unspecified but doubtless debauched nobleman. In fact, it was Charlotte rather than her tender-hearted mama who was resolute in avoiding the encounter. She felt unequal to the task of informing her impetuous suitor that he must think of her no longer and, although she frequently rehearsed the scene in her mind, she was aware that no dependence could be placed upon his behaving in the dignified way she envisaged.
Had she not had all the excitement of her first real ball to sustain her, this would have been a most miserable time for Charlotte . As it was, there was far too much to be done to allow her any time for reflection, not least in persuading her mama to lay aside the hideous cap she intended to wear for the ball and to don instead a smart velvet beret with a fetchingly curled ostrich feather which she insisted made her mama look ten years younger.
It was true that her few weeks in London had already made a great difference to Mrs Wrexham. Away from the rigours of her draughty
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