thanks.
There was something in his eyes, as they met hers, which made her shiver. Clearly he was assessing her and she could tell that he thought she was rather attractive.
He smiled at her in a way which made her want to strike him.
"I suppose you realise that I shall be standing for South Gradley, the new constituency next to Sir Elroy's," he said, speaking as though the whole world must be interested in him.
He smiled at her as he went on,
"It is not as large as his, but I'm hoping, almost against hope, that I will, with a great deal of help from Lady Doreen, win the seat."
"I imagine it must be very interesting to be the first in a new constituency," Rosina said. "And of course you are fortunate to have the power and influence of the Blakemores on your side."
She could not keep a slight bitter emphasis out of her voice, but he did not notice. Nor did she expect him to. This man was blinded by vanity and assumed that everyone took him at his own estimate.
"I am indeed fortunate to have Lady Doreen on my side," he replied smoothly. "She has promised to canvass for me, and I know she will do it brilliantly."
He smiled at Lady Doreen.
"Are you listening?" he asked. "I am singing your praises."
"So I should hope," she said at once. "Otherwise I'll go and work for the opposition."
"You are wonderful!" Arthur said, looking at her as he spoke.
As their eyes met, Rosina knew exactly what Lady Doreen was feeling. It was the same as Miss Draycott had felt just before she received that fatal letter, and it was terrible to witness.
She turned away biting her lower lip to prevent herself from telling this man what she thought of him.
Lady Blakemore bustled up to them.
"I hope you two aren't talking politics again. I declare, Miss Clarendon, my girl is always trying to engage Mr. Woodward in political discussions, when I'm sure he gets enough of them with my husband."
Lady Doreen smothered a giggle, and Rosina knew that whatever their discussions were about, it wasn't politics.
"Sir John Crosby," announced the butler.
Sir John entered the room quietly, and was warmly welcomed by the Blakemores. When he had done his duty he made his way to the little group in the corner, smiling at Rosina, bowing low over Lady Doreen's hand and then doing the same for Miss Holden, who simpered and sighed.
It seemed that he had met Mr. Woodward on a previous occasion, and they exchanged bows.
Suddenly a silence fell over the room. Everyone looked up to see a new arrival standing in the doorway. He was in his late fifties with a strong face, a beaky nose and sharp, penetrating eyes. At his side was a plump, comfortable looking woman.
"Mr. and Mrs. William Gladstone," announced the butler.
Lady Blakemore hurried to greet the great man who led the Liberal party, and who was widely expected to be the next Prime Minister. The room began to buzz again. Arthur Woodward's attention was riveted.
It took the Gladstones some time to greet everyone, because so many people wanted some of the great man's time. When he came to the Clarendons he shook hands and stood talking intently with them in a way that everyone agreed was very significant.
Then his eyes warmed as he saw Rosina.
"And how is my dear god-daughter?" he asked, hugging her.
"All the better for seeing you, dear Uncle William," she said, embracing him and then embracing Mrs. Gladstone, who also greeted her warmly.
Lady Doreen had also met Mr. Gladstone before, but she was not his god-daughter. There was an extra warmth in his greeting of Rosina, and she sensed that Arthur Woodward was aware of every nuance as his sharp eyes darted from one to the other.
It was time to go in to dinner. Rosina found herself sitting between two gentlemen whom she did not know, but with whom she fell easily into conversation. On the other side of the table she could see Lettice Holden flirting shamelessly with Sir John.
But her efforts would be useless, Rosina felt sure. He had far too much delicacy
There was something in his eyes, as they met hers, which made her shiver. Clearly he was assessing her and she could tell that he thought she was rather attractive.
He smiled at her in a way which made her want to strike him.
"I suppose you realise that I shall be standing for South Gradley, the new constituency next to Sir Elroy's," he said, speaking as though the whole world must be interested in him.
He smiled at her as he went on,
"It is not as large as his, but I'm hoping, almost against hope, that I will, with a great deal of help from Lady Doreen, win the seat."
"I imagine it must be very interesting to be the first in a new constituency," Rosina said. "And of course you are fortunate to have the power and influence of the Blakemores on your side."
She could not keep a slight bitter emphasis out of her voice, but he did not notice. Nor did she expect him to. This man was blinded by vanity and assumed that everyone took him at his own estimate.
"I am indeed fortunate to have Lady Doreen on my side," he replied smoothly. "She has promised to canvass for me, and I know she will do it brilliantly."
He smiled at Lady Doreen.
"Are you listening?" he asked. "I am singing your praises."
"So I should hope," she said at once. "Otherwise I'll go and work for the opposition."
"You are wonderful!" Arthur said, looking at her as he spoke.
As their eyes met, Rosina knew exactly what Lady Doreen was feeling. It was the same as Miss Draycott had felt just before she received that fatal letter, and it was terrible to witness.
She turned away biting her lower lip to prevent herself from telling this man what she thought of him.
Lady Blakemore bustled up to them.
"I hope you two aren't talking politics again. I declare, Miss Clarendon, my girl is always trying to engage Mr. Woodward in political discussions, when I'm sure he gets enough of them with my husband."
Lady Doreen smothered a giggle, and Rosina knew that whatever their discussions were about, it wasn't politics.
"Sir John Crosby," announced the butler.
Sir John entered the room quietly, and was warmly welcomed by the Blakemores. When he had done his duty he made his way to the little group in the corner, smiling at Rosina, bowing low over Lady Doreen's hand and then doing the same for Miss Holden, who simpered and sighed.
It seemed that he had met Mr. Woodward on a previous occasion, and they exchanged bows.
Suddenly a silence fell over the room. Everyone looked up to see a new arrival standing in the doorway. He was in his late fifties with a strong face, a beaky nose and sharp, penetrating eyes. At his side was a plump, comfortable looking woman.
"Mr. and Mrs. William Gladstone," announced the butler.
Lady Blakemore hurried to greet the great man who led the Liberal party, and who was widely expected to be the next Prime Minister. The room began to buzz again. Arthur Woodward's attention was riveted.
It took the Gladstones some time to greet everyone, because so many people wanted some of the great man's time. When he came to the Clarendons he shook hands and stood talking intently with them in a way that everyone agreed was very significant.
Then his eyes warmed as he saw Rosina.
"And how is my dear god-daughter?" he asked, hugging her.
"All the better for seeing you, dear Uncle William," she said, embracing him and then embracing Mrs. Gladstone, who also greeted her warmly.
Lady Doreen had also met Mr. Gladstone before, but she was not his god-daughter. There was an extra warmth in his greeting of Rosina, and she sensed that Arthur Woodward was aware of every nuance as his sharp eyes darted from one to the other.
It was time to go in to dinner. Rosina found herself sitting between two gentlemen whom she did not know, but with whom she fell easily into conversation. On the other side of the table she could see Lettice Holden flirting shamelessly with Sir John.
But her efforts would be useless, Rosina felt sure. He had far too much delicacy
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