“
Edward wants to call on Lady Louise, Miss Donaldson,
”
Samantha said.
“
He was to accompany her to the opera this evening, but it isn
’
t likely he
’
ll be back in time. I shall fill you in on all the details of Brighton while we eat.
”
“
Cousin Edward has to eat as well. There is plenty of food here. You know we were wondering what to do with that ham, Samantha, and I sent Mary out for fresh bread, as ours was gone. Do stay, Cousin. Couldn
’
t you write a note to Lady Louise and explain?
”
“
I
’
ll be happy to join you,
”
Edward said.
While Mary set the extra places at table, Salverton undertook a proper explanation of their doings over the past twenty-odd hours. Miss Donaldson assumed that Mr. Sykes was a friend of Salverton
’
s who had provided them well-chaperoned sleeping arrangements. The explanations and future plans were so long and complicated that they continued through luncheon, along, of course, with a multitude of questions as to where Darren could be, and whether he would escape without major damage to his reputation.
“
At least we needn
’
t fear he
’
ll marry her, Auntie,
”
Samantha said.
“
Darren would never be fool enough to marry a woman with a daughter nearly as old as herself.
”
“
Married as well as carrying on with Sir Geoffrey! Is there no end to the woman
’
s treachery!
”
“
Well, there seems some doubt she is married, actually,
”
Samantha said. Miss Donaldson began to fan herself with the corner of her napkin.
“
I don
’
t mean to disparage your chaperonage, Miss Donaldson,
”
Salverton said,
“
but how did you come to let Samantha and Darren caper about the city so freely with this Wanda female?
”
Samantha flared up in defense of her chaperon.
“
Darren is no longer a minor. He can do as he likes. Miss Donaldson tried a dozen times to slow him down, but he would have none of it, and neither would I. If you want to scold someone, scold me. We didn
’
t know Wanda was so
—”
She tossed up her hands in exasperation.
“
We were complete greenhorns, Edward. We mistook her fast ways and broad talk for smart London manners. How should we know the difference?
”
“
You might have called on me sooner,
”
Edward said.
“
You cannot lay that in Miss Donaldson
’
s dish, either,
”
Samantha shot back.
“
She was forever hounding us to call on you, until we were tired of hearing it. I was the one who didn
’
t want to go.
”
She gave Edward a very familiar smile and added,
“
I thought at the time, you see, that you were a dead bore, Edward.
”
Edward, whom Miss Donaldson expected to freeze them on the spot with some quelling set-down, said,
“
I haven
’
t quite the dash of Mr. Sykes, to be sure,
”
and they both laughed.
What was afoot here? Miss Donaldson sensed more than a few shared hours looking for Darren. The way they looked at each other was closer to flirtation than anything else. Cousin Edward flirting? She would as soon expect to see the Pope saying Mass in St. Paul
’
s Cathedral. Mind you, he had been a bit of a lad in his day.
When Edward caught the dame
’
s questioning look, he said,
“
Your charge has developed a tendre for that scape-gallows Sykes.
”
“
But who is he? Is he not a gentleman?
”
Samantha said,
“
Nearly,
”
at the same moment as Edward gave a snorting,
“
Hardly!
”
“
I was joking,
”
Samantha explained, and added an aside to Edward,
“
Mind your tongue, Lord Salty!
”
Miss Donaldson watched and listened in growing confusion. Just exactly what had been the sleeping arrangements at Mr. Sykes
’
s house? When had Samantha begun treating Cousin Edward in this familiar way? And where had she learned he used to be called Lord Salty? That ancient history was buried long before. It seemed this trip had revived a little something of Lord Salty.
When they had finished a cold nuncheon of bread, ham, and cheese, Samantha said,
“
You should run along and pay your call on Lady Louise, Edward. We want to be back from Tunbridge Wells before dark.
”
“
Perhaps I shall just write Louise a note, as Miss Donaldson suggested.
”
“
Afraid to show your face with that darkened daylight?
”
she asked pertly.
"I wouldn
’
t want to risk giving the lady a disgust of me,
”
he replied.
“
I
’
ll write from my own house, and make a fresh toilette while I
’
m there. I should be back within the hour. We
’
ll reach Tunbridge Wells before dinnertime.
”
Suddenly Miss Donaldson wasn
’
t so sure Samantha was safe with her cousin.
“
Perhaps I should go with you,
”
she said, looking at him with a more critical eye than before.
Salverton hesitated only a moment before replying,
“
Perhaps that would be best.
”
It was Samantha who balked at the notion. She was only half done with her job of reforming Edward, if turning him from the path of such rectitude could be called reforming. Miss Donaldson would undo all her work.
“
What if Darren comes back while we
’
re gone?
”
Samantha said.
“
Someone should be here to keep a rein on him. We shan
’
t be staying overnight, if that is what you
’
re worried about,
”
she added baldly. It was Miss Donaldson who blushed.
“
We
’
ve already stayed at Mr. Sykes
’
s place in Brighton.
”
“
What sort of a place is it? Was there a chaperon?
”
Samantha took a deep breath and said,
“
Of course there was. Mr. Sykes
’
s aunt was there, Miss Mabel Sykes. A very respectable woman. And I can assure you, Edward was a perfect gentleman.
”
“
I
’
m sure he was,
”
Miss Donaldson said, her fears diminishing.
“
I would like to be here if Darren comes. How long do you think you
’
ll be gone, Cousin?
”
“
I
’
ll take my curricle,
”
Edward said at once.
“
Twenty-five miles both ways. That
’
s four hours. And another hour at most to straighten out Darren. Five hours. The sun sets late in May. We
’
ll be back before dark.
”
“
I suppose it will be all right.
”
It occurred to her that Cousin Edward could go alone. But as she noticed the gleam in his eye when he looked at Samantha, she wondered if it was a good idea to interfere.
What an excellent parti for her! Better than they could have hoped for. He had made a point of saying he was not engaged yet. While Salverton seemed to be relaxing a little on his high morals, he would never think of harming a maiden. That, at least, Lord Salty had never done.
She said,
“
Why don
’
t you go to Cousin Edward
’
s house with him now, Samantha? It will save his coming back to Upper Grosvenor Square to collect you.
”
“
A good idea,
”
Edward said.
“
But before we leave, perhaps you would change your bonnet, Samantha.
”
“
Tyrant!
”
she said, her chin in the air. But Miss Donaldson noticed she hopped off to exchange the bonnet. When she rejoined them, she carried her blue poke bonnet in her hand, and had tamed her tousle of curls. Her bangs had been pulled back and held in place with a pair of combs. She looked more like her old self.
Edward tilted his head to one side and examined her.
“
You didn
’
t have to go that far,
”
he said.
“
What have you done to your curls?
”
Samantha put the bonnet on with the combs still in place.
“
There
’
s no pleasing you,
”
she scolded.
“
Pretty fussy for a man in a dirty shirt and a black eye.
”
She turned to her chaperon and gave her a hug.
“
Don
’
t worry, Miss Donny. We
’
ll have the culprit back safe and sound. Edward will lend Darren a thousand pounds to repay Sir Geoffrey. He thinks he can bribe Sir Geoffrey to withdraw the charges. These M.P
’
s know all the shady tricks.
”
At this left-handed compliment, Lord Salverton smiled blandly and made his adieus to Miss Donaldson, who sat on in the saloon alone for the next hour, wondering if she had done the right thing to let Samantha go with him. It was a calculated risk, but the prize was so grand that she didn
’
t see how she could in good conscience have denied Samantha her chance at such a good title and fortune.
Salverton
’
s carriage soon drew up in front of the familiar mansion on Berkeley Square. Lord Salverton
’
s butler stared with disbelief at his master
’
s discolored eye and wilting shirt points. His gimlet eye slewed to Miss Oakleigh, whom he suspected to be the cause of this wanton disarray.
“
Shall I call your valet, your lordship?
”
Luten inquired.
“
Later. For the present, you may call Plimpton for me.
”
“
Yes, sir.
”
“
Who
’
s Plimpton?
”
Samantha asked as they went to his study.
“
My secretary.
”
“
I hope he is less daunting than your butler. I don
’
t know how you can stand having that Friday-faced creature scowling at you every time you enter your own house. It would be enough to give me the megrims.
”
“
You never get the megrims. You told me so yourself. Luten is an excellent butler.
”
He held the door and Samantha went into the study, to see a handsome young fellow sitting at Lord Salverton
’
s desk, apparently rifling his drawers.
“
Miss Oakleigh, allow me to present my secretary, Mr. Plimpton,
”
Edward said.
Plimpton leapt to his feet. A pair of twinkling blue eyes opened wider upon first viewing Miss Oakleigh.
“
Oh, I say! How do you do, ma
’
am.
”
In his astonishment, he forgot to bow.
“
Anything important in the mail?
”
Salverton asked.
“
Oodles of notes from Whitehall. Er, what happened to you, Salverton? Bumped into a door?
”
“
Just so. May I know why you
’
ve usurped my office during my absence?
”
“
I was just looking for that letter from the chancellor. It was to be answered by today. I have your notes. I was going to write it up and send it off.
”
Salverton turned to Samantha.
“
My secretary is also excellent. I am hardly required here at all.
”
He turned back to Plimpton.
“
I shall need a couple of hundred pounds, Peter. I
’
ll be leaving almost immediately. Would you please write a note to Lady Louise telling her I shan
’
t be able to accompany her to the opera, but shall call later if I
’
m back in time.
”
“
You
’
ll sign it yourself?
”
“
Yes, leave it on my desk.
”
“
What excuse shall I give her?
”
“
The
reason
is an urgent family matter that requires my attention.
”
“
I
’
m sorry to delay you, Salverton, but there
’
s also that report that requires your immediate attention.
”
“
Quite. Come upstairs with me while I make a toilette. Bring your notebook. We
’
ll discuss it there.
”
Plimpton darted into the next room and returned with a stack of papers and a notebook.
“
I shan
’
t be a moment, Samantha,
”
Salverton said.
“
Help yourself to a glass of wine. If you require anything else, call Luten. He won
’
t bite you
—
if he knows what is good for him. I have no doubt you
’
d bite back.
”