Jo Beverley - [Rogue ] (27 page)

The Eleanor in the mirror nodded and smiled.

Eleanor did not admit to herself that her happiness with this resolution sprang from the fact she wanted to see Nicholas, but she certainly found it no hardship to hold to this resolution. She canceled her engagements for the day and stayed in the house, hoping to see him.

The first result of this, however, was far from desirable. As Eleanor sat reading in the drawing room, Hollygirt came to her. "I beg your pardon, ma'am. You said you were not at home, but the gentleman who has called says he is your brother."

Eleanor was stunned. Nicholas had warned Lionel never to try to contact her. As she sat in silence trying to decide her best course of action, Hollygirt spoke again. "Mr. Delaney gave me instructions you were never to be at home to Sir Lionel, but the new footman admitted him, and the gentleman is most insistent. He said it was an important family matter. Perhaps I could ask him if he wishes to leave a note."

Despite her earlier good intentions, the fact that Nicholas had given the servants instructions to deny her without consulting her decided Eleanor to see her brother. In view of all his earlier fine talk about independence, she thought her husband had overstepped his authority. After all, she was in her own home, surrounded by her own servants. If Lionel said one word out of line she would have him thrown out, and take pleasure from it.

"Show my brother up, Hollygirt," she said firmly. "We shall not require refreshments."

The butler paled. "Are you sure that is wise, ma'am?"

"He is my brother. Show him up."

As soon as Lionel stepped into the room Eleanor told him he had five minutes, no more.

His friendly smile was undimmed, though his pouched eyes darted about, valuing everything in sight. "Tut tut, Nell. What a way to greet your only brother."

Faced with him she found the residue of fear that had haunted her evaporating, and she replied with tolerant contempt. "Dear brother. Who has always been so kind and thoughtful."

"Can you deny," he asked with a grand gesture, "that I had a hand in bringing you to this magnificence?"

Eleanor was struck dumb. She should have known Lionel did not know the meaning of guilt and always convinced himself he had acted for the best. He usually managed to convince others, too.

She abandoned all thought of bringing him to a sense of his wickedness. "Oh, sit down, Lionel, and tell me your business. You'll be sooner gone."

He sighed and looked pained as he arranged himself in a chair. "You always were ungracious, my dear. I have merely come to give you cognizance of my approaching nuptials."

Eleanor stared. "You are to marry?"

He beamed. "My dear sister, when I saw the bliss to which marriage has transported you—from afar, alas—I was tempted to assay... In fact, I have proposed and been accepted."

"Whom have you raped," she asked viciously.

"Tut tut. No wonder your husband is much away from home if that is the tone of your conversation."

Eleanor had regained her temper and did not allow this to rile her. She smiled sweetly at him. "But what of our inspiring marital bliss?"

His smile was equally sugared, and equally false. "Precisely, my dear. My idea of marital bliss is that the husband be free to do as he wills while the wife sits quietly at home."

Eleanor caught her breath at this too-accurate description of her life. Trust Lionel to hit a painful target. "And does your future wife know this?"

"Of course not."

"Who, in heaven's name, have you found to have you?"

His amiability was undisturbed. "You would not know her. Your taste in companions has, I must admit, always been excellent. Deborah is, I regret to say, of the merchant class. But rich. Very, very rich," he fairly cooed.

She shook her head. "I might have known. Are you rolled up then?"

He took no offense. "By no means. A prudent man takes steps in advance. Even Mr. Derry might take exception to a potential son-in-law with the duns at the door. As it is, I have invested your money in a few improvements to the house and a few handsome trifles for Deborah, and all is settled. Most handsomely."

Eleanor felt her first stirrings of unease. "How old is your future bride, Lionel?"

"Oh, very young. Seventeen. A tender bud, young enough to shape into a lady, I believe."

"God, it's indecent! Surely even a tradesman must have heard something of your reputation. You probably owe him money."

"I do," he agreed complacently. "Dear Papa Derry believes a true gentleman always owes money. As for other things, he knows the stories are much exaggerated and that I am truly repentant of those follies I may have committed in the rashness of youth."

"In short, you have fooled him as you have fooled so many." Eleanor regarded her brother thoughtfully. "I might put a spoke in your wheel."

The smile did not fade, but the eyes became cruel. "Unwise, dear sister. I am inclined to be kind to you, but if you interfere in my affairs I could change my mind."

"What do you mean? I need nothing from you."

"Of course, I will not tell you. My threats, as you know, are always veiled, and always genuine. Let it suffice to say I believe I might do myself some good by harming you."

"If you could, it would be done by now," Eleanor retorted. "Stop these games. You have no power to hurt me anymore, brother."

He shrugged, seemingly completely restored to good humor, which worried her. "Just keep your fingers out of my pie, Nell. No chance of meeting my delightful brother-in-law, I suppose?"

"I doubt you would want to."

"But I found him charming," he protested. "And eminently sensible. In fact, I invited him to a little party I was holding, but he was forced to decline."

"From nausea, I should think."

"I really do not know from where you get your quarrelsome temperament, Nell. To be honest, it would seem from his current career my party would have been exactly to his taste. Perhaps you would have done better to have settled for Deveril after all. At least he would not have neglected you."

He smiled at her involuntary shudder. "I fear I must take my leave, Nell. I find your megrims too wearing upon my good humor. And I do so hate to have anything assail my good humor." She recognized it as a parting threat. "Goodbye, dear sister."

"Goodbye, brother." Though she was shaken by the encounter, she summoned up a smile every bit as wide and insincere as his.

As he reached the door it opened for him and Nicholas walked in.

"Ah, the prodigal's return," gushed Sir Lionel, not apparently disconcerted. "My dear sir, I regret I am just leaving. A very good day to you, Mr. Delaney."

Nicholas watched him leave and then shut the door with a snap. "What was he doing here?"

Eleanor was still in a combative mood from the encounter with her brother and she took exception to his tone. "Do not snarl at me, please. He came to tell me he is to be married. And I don't like the fact you gave orders to the servants to deny me, without consulting with me first. I am quite capable of denying myself if I so wish."

"It doesn't appear so." Eleanor became aware he was very, very angry, even though he was completely in control of himself. "He has put you out of temper," he said more moderately, "which is reason enough to forbid him the house. Why were my orders disregarded?"

"I really do not know," Eleanor snapped. "Perhaps he bribed someone."

"Who let him in?"

Eleanor was suddenly aghast. "For heaven's sake, Nicholas! What a fuss about nothing. I can surely speak to my brother without a major crisis. If I am up to the strain, I don't see why it should bother you."

He hardly listened to this and strode over to ring the bell. Hollygirt appeared.

"Sir?"

"Who admitted Sir Lionel Chivenham?"

Hollygirt turned pale. "The new footman, sir."

"Dismiss him."

"Nicholas!"

He ignored Eleanor's protest. "You heard me, Hollygirt."

"Yes, sir. But if I may speak—Thomas is inexperienced and did not feel able to shut the door in the face of a baronet who is also the mistress's brother. He obeyed normal procedure by showing Sir Lionel into the saloon, and by summoning me."

Nicholas was disconcerted. "Then why did you not show him out?"

Hollygirt trembled but he spoke resolutely enough. "When Sir Lionel explained he had come on urgent family business, I felt Mrs. Delaney should decide."

Nicholas closed his eyes for a moment in exasperation. "For once I will overlook this matter, Hollygirt, though you at least should know my instructions are to be obeyed precisely. Inform Thomas he is fortunate to have his place, and remind all the staff they will shut the door in Sir Lionel's face. The next person to let him over the threshold on any pretext whatsoever will leave this establishment immediately. With regret, that includes yourself, Hollygirt. You may go."

As soon as the shaken butler had left Eleanor spoke from a cold rage that equaled his. "Does that include me?"

"Don't be absurd." It was the first time he had spoken so curtly to her and she was shocked.

She surged to her feet. "This is all ridiculous and horrible! You have embarrassed me before the staff. I will choose whom I receive and do not receive in my own home. I will not be dictated to!" She discovered her knees were shaking with the intensity of her feelings. She sat down suddenly. Weeks of ill-usage burst forward as she spat, "You are detestable!"

"That is as may be." His voice was calm but his eyes were hard. "My instructions stand, Eleanor. If you succeed in circumventing them you will lose a servant his or her place and character."

With that he left the room, and Eleanor slumped, all her good resolutions in tatters about her. It was the first time they had really quarreled. It marked a new low in her marriage. And for what? In an attempt to assert her right to see her brother whenever she wished, when she had no desire to set eyes on him ever again. Truly, she must be going mad.

It might have been a gesture of revolt against all oppressors, or just a sense of justice, but Eleanor felt compelled the next day to take action about her brother's betrothal. She visited Mrs. Derry and her only child, Deborah.

She told herself it was the proper thing to do, but her motives were not propriety. She hoped to convince herself that the girl was a hard-bitten social climber who would do well out of the match, a brassy, ill-bred creature willing to pay any price for a title. Alas, it was not so.

Mrs. Derry was a kind, simple soul, very gratified to be paid a visit by the fine lady who was Sir Lionel's sister, a visit that seemed to her to set Society's approval upon the match. Deborah was a pretty, gentle girl without a great deal of intelligence, but innocent and unspoiled. Lionel would destroy her.

"We never looked to see our chick do so well," said Mrs. Derry fondly as her daughter blushed and played lovingly with a fine diamond ring. "Not that it is worldly considerations alone which move us, Mrs. Delaney. Sir Lionel is so very kind to our treasure that I think she lost her heart to him from the first."

Deborah endorsed this with a blushing smile. Eleanor's heart sank. What was she to do?

She tried a very mild cavil. "My brother can be kind, but I am forced to say he can be put out of temper when crossed."

The Derry ladies both laughed. "Oh, all men are so," said the mother. "I have told Debbie she must not be such a fool as to expect party manners all the time. Doubtless she'll stamp her foot and toss her curls sometimes too."

"Why, Mama," protested her smiling daughter, "you know I can never lose my temper. No matter how I try." She turned to Eleanor and dimpled. "It's true. I feel angry, but just as I'm about to explode it all goes away, just like that."

Eleanor was forced to laugh with the charming girl. "You are fortunate," she said, thinking of her earlier encounter. "I am sure you save yourself much unpleasantness. Many quarrels are quite needless, and grow into mountains out of nothing. My brother too abhors rages. I do not think I have ever heard him raise his voice in anger."

"There," said Mrs. Derry complacently. "They suit so well. I knew it must be so. I must say, for I can be straight with you, Mrs. Delaney, that Mr. Derry hummed and hawed at the first. I suppose men never think anyone good enough for their daughters. He feared your brother might be a little wild, but aren't all young men so? A little inclined to drink and gaming, but is not that the way of the gentlemen? I said to him, 'With a wife at home he'll soon lose the taste for bachelor pastimes.' Mind, I'm not so foolish as to think he and Debbie will be sitting by the fireside every night talking prices and neighbors, as we do. No, our little girl will behave as the quality should, and go about to parties. She'll enjoy it, too, until the little ones come. Anyway, when Mr. Derry saw how keen our treasure was on becoming Lady Chivenham, he did not long refuse."

Eleanor sighed. Her impulsive visit had not quieted her mind but had added another burden to her shoulders. She could not but be aware that it was her duty to go to Mr. Derry and try to make him aware of his prospective son-in-law's true nature. Only thus she could save Deborah from a very miserable marriage.