Page 28 of The Secrets of Ashmore Castle (Ashmore Castle #1)

The words seemed to jump out of him without his volition.

‘I will speak to him for you.’ A questioning look.

‘I can choose the right moment, put it to him in the right words. There has been an injustice – he will see that. I will – I will do all I can.’ He couldn’t promise more. ‘Give me your direction.’

She gave it, and then, to save them any more embarrassment, he saw them out himself.

The butler, roused presumably by the puzzled footman, arrived just as he closed the door on them, and stared at him with reproach.

Richard raised an eyebrow, daring him to speak.

Wisely, the man remained silent, and Richard said, ‘Send me up a light luncheon, Forbes. And the newspapers.’

‘They are already in the morning-room, sir.’

‘Then I’ll have luncheon there.’

He went away, up the stairs, thinking about the situation, suppressing an unruly impulse to laugh.

Oh, good Lord, to think of his father’s middle-aged mistress coming to Aunt Caroline’s house to confront Giles!

It was as comical as it was tragic. But, then, most good comedy had its feet in cold water.

The girl was a stunner. It would be a shocking waste if she was to dwindle in a slum and perhaps come to a bad end.

(The idea of her being a concert pianist he dismissed unpursued, not being himself of a musical bent.) As to whether Giles would relent – he could not guess.

There were pensioners of the estate – former employees who were taken care of when they could no longer work.

Aged nannies and valets, those who had been close personal attendants, were often treated quite generously.

And, though he had no personal experience in the area, he supposed men of substance took care of their discarded mistresses in some way.

Did they leave them money in their wills?

He didn’t know. That might cause a scandal, surely.

But he felt confident it did not usually fall to the son to pay for his father’s doxies.

Oh dear, oh dear! He chuckled. It had been a good fiver’s worth of entertainment, that was a fact!

‘What was Adam Grisedale talking to you about?’ Kitty asked, as she and Nina lay in bed together, analysing the evening they had just spent. It was her favourite part of the day.

‘We were talking about our pets. He was telling me about a parrot he had when he was a boy, so I told him about a monkey I had when I was little.’

‘You had a monkey?’

‘Not for very long. It got sick and died – and it did have very dirty habits. The servants were always grumbling.’

Kitty sighed. ‘I was never allowed to have a pet. Mama didn’t like animals in the house.’

‘Oh, poor Kitty! But just think, when you’re married, you can have all the pets you like. What would you choose?’

Kitty pondered. ‘A dog, perhaps. But I wouldn’t mind, really – just as long as it loved me.’ Nina didn’t reply, and she went on, in a small voice, ‘You think I’m silly to want so much to be loved.’

Nina roused herself. ‘Not at all. It’s what everybody wants.’

‘ You don’t. You’re so strong, you can face the world on your own.’

‘If I have to, I suppose. Doesn’t mean I want to. And you’re getting better. I’m sure you’re more confident. And you’re enjoying it all more than you expected, aren’t you?’

So far there had been lunches and teas, visits to theatres and exhibitions, and evening parties, but no formal dinners or balls. Lady Bayfield was acclimatising her stepdaughter by degrees.

‘Yes,’ said Kitty. ‘I like the five-o’-clock teas especially. And when we play games. I never had anyone to play games with at home.’

‘In India when I was little, we used to play carrom. Everyone plays it out there. We had a beautiful lacquered board, and carrom men made of polished ivory. I wonder what happened to it.’

‘Who did you play with?

‘Mama and Papa.’

‘It must have been lovely to have the sort of parents who play with you,’ Kitty said.

‘It was,’ said Nina. Only then it’s worse when they die , she thought. ‘But my parents weren’t grand like yours.’

‘When I have children, I shall never be too grand to play with them.’

‘Do you like any of the men we’ve met so far?’ Nina asked. She felt Kitty shrink.

‘They seem so rough and loud,’ Kitty said, after a pause. ‘And – big. When a great tall man looms over me, I feel as though I should be crushed.’

‘I saw you talking to Jock Galbraith,’ Nina said. ‘You seemed to like him.’

‘Yes, he’s nice,’ Kitty admitted.

Jock Galbraith had a stammer, and Nina knew many girls hadn’t the patience to listen to him. But Kitty would always rather listen than talk. ‘And what about Lord Hornsea? I thought he seemed interested in you. He’s very handsome.’

‘He’s …’ Kitty didn’t know how to phrase it. Vernon Hornsea was handsome, but he knew it too well. When he spoke to Kitty, there was a demand behind every word. She felt pinned by it, like a butterfly to a card. ‘There’s just too much of him,’ she said at last.

Nina laughed. ‘You can be so droll, Kitty! If you could only be like that with other people!’

‘But I never shall be.’

‘Then we’ll just have to find someone who understands that, and brings out the best in you.’

‘I’m sure men aren’t like that,’ said Kitty.

‘I’m sure some of them must be,’ said Nina.