monstrous scandal if Philip takes it into his head to elope with Miss Marchment! That could not be borne, for although the girl is from an entirely respectable family, they have no estate or connections or fortune, and it could not be deemed suitable! So Philip-and Miss Verey-must be brought to the point as soon as may be!’
‘Indeed!’ Alex turned away. ‘I believe that you are correct in thinking that the more intimate atmosphere of the house party might promote our cause. Besides, if the signs are not auspicious, we can always contrive to compromise Miss Verey sufficiently for a betrothal to follow!’
Lady Eleanor looked appalled. ‘Alex! You would not! Your deceit-’
‘Is matched only by that of Miss Verey, I assure you! If she can outwit me then I shall concede defeat gracefully. If not-well, we shall see who is the winner!’
Lady Eleanor said no more, but as she took her leave she found herself scanning once more her nephew’s impervious features and wondering whether she had imagined the moment earlier when Alex had betrayed his own interest in Jane Verey. The way his voice had softened as he spoke of Jane’s beauty and charm, and the indulgent note she had detected…Lady Eleanor suddenly remembered Alex’s sharpened interest when she had mentioned Lord Blakeney paying court to Jane. She smiled a little as she stepped out in the direction of her home in Lower Brook Street. Perhaps she had dreamed it, but she did not think so. And if Alex was already aware of his own feelings, just what did he have in mind for Jane Verey? Certainly not marriage to his brother! The more she thought about it, the more equivocal some of Alex’s remarks seemed, to the point where Lady Eleanor suddenly wondered just which of the Delahaye brothers Miss Jane Verey would be compromised into marrying.
Unaware of the unexpected invitation that was about to come their way, Jane, Sophia and Lady Verey spent the morning in Bond Street attending to some essential shopping. Most improbably, Simon had expressed a wish to accompany them. He had murmured some excuse about needing a new hat and Jane, unusually distracted by the purchase of a white evening gown with an overdress of pale gold, did not at first notice the piercing looks he was giving to all the staff in the modiste’s shop. It was only when her brother had peered behind a curtain and startled a shop assistant who was preparing to model a dress for them that Jane had dragged him to one side.
‘Simon! What on earth are you doing?’ she whispered fiercely. ‘You will have us all expelled from the shop if you keep spying on models in their undergarments!’
Her brother gave her a harassed look. ‘This is Celestine’s, isn’t it, Jane?’
‘Yes of course! That is Celestine herself over there glaring at you! But what is that to the purpose?’
Simon glanced at his mother and Sophia, who were chattering over a dress of pale green. ‘Come outside for a moment and I will tell you.’
The whole story of Simon’s encounter at the masquerade came tumbling out, including how he had danced with a girl then lost her for a while, only to find her again out on the terrace in need of his help.
‘She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, Jane,’ he said unselfconsciously. ‘At first I thought she was a Cyprian come to the masquerade to-’ Simon broke off, grinning at his sister’s rapt expression. ‘Anyway, she ain’t. I could tell. So then I thought she might be a maid, tricked out in her mistress’ dress for the ball, but…’ he wrinkled up his nose ‘…she was no servant. I could tell that too.’
Jane stepped to one side to allow a couple to squeeze past them on the pavement.
‘Yet she would not give you her name?’
‘No, only that she had come alone to the ball. She ran away from me,’ Simon finished. ‘After I’d saved her from Hewetson she simply walked off. Her domino was torn in the struggle and the old Duchess of Merrion spotted her, and thought she recognised the dress underneath. It was extraordinary, Jane! The Duchess was ranting and raving, swearing that the girl had stolen the dress because Celestine had promised her that there had been only one, then the girl just turned on her heel and left, and everyone was speculating about her identity…Can’t think how you missed it!’ He frowned. ‘Where were you, anyway?’
Jane, realising that she had been closeted in the study with the Duke of Delahaye whilst this drama had been unfolding, chose to ignore this question. It would involve too many difficult explanations and also involve an examination of her own feelings. She shrugged, trying to look vague.
‘Goodness knows…But what size was she, Simon?’
Simon looked confused. ‘Size? Who? The Duchess of Merrion?’
‘No, of course not! Your wits have gone a-begging along with your heart!’ Jane said severely. ‘I refer to your young lady! If she was small and slender then a dress made for the Duchess might well have fitted her. The Duchess of Merrion is a short woman, after all! But if she was taller then it is unlikely that it was the same dress, in which case the Duchess might well have made a mistake!’
Simon looked totally baffled. ‘Don’t know what the deuce you’re talking about, Jane! All I know is that I must find her again! Last night-’
‘Yes!’ Jane said wrathfully, remembering that she had not yet had the chance to take him to task for deserting her at Vauxhall. ‘What did you mean by leaving me all alone like that? Why, anything might have happened!’
Simon looked self-conscious. ‘Yes, I do apologise, Janey! I thought I saw her again, you see, so I had no thought but to rush after her! Anyway, it was no good, for she had disappeared. But you must see that I have to find her!’
‘Why?’ Jane asked bluntly. ‘Have you truly thought about this, Simon? You say she was no servant, but how do you know? She might be a governess or a confectioner’s assistant or-’
Simon blushed bright red. ‘Never put you down as a snob, Jane!’
‘Oh, don’t be so foolish! That was not what I meant!’ Jane frowned at him. ‘Think about this, Simon-what would such a girl believe, if a peer of the realm came to find her and tell her that he wished to pursue an acquaintance with her?’
‘Why, that-’ Simon stopped dead.
‘Exactly,’ his sister said drily.
‘Then I should persuade her of my good intentions-’
‘Intentions? Then you wish to marry her?’
Simon thrust a hand through his fair hair. ‘Devil take it, Jane, I don’t know! All I know is that I need to find her! I-’ He broke off, realising that he was about to say that he loved her. It seemed so extraordinary. He had seen the girl twice, for such a brief time. He did not even know her name, and yet…
‘I suppose you think me run quite mad,’ he finished glumly.
Jane looked a little rueful. Privately she thought that her own feelings for Alex made her ill-equipped to judge anyone else. ‘Not really, Simon. I can only respect your feelings. So I shall go and ask Celestine if she can help us. Wait here for me!’
Presently Jane, Sophia and Lady Verey all came out of the modiste’s talking nineteen to the dozen. As they strolled slowly up the pavement in the sunshine, Jane caught her brother’s eye and fell back a little. She took his arm as Lady Verey and Sophia walked on ahead.
‘Well?’ Simon could scarcely contain himself.
‘I spoke to Celestine,’ Jane said softly. ‘There is a girl-her name is Therese.’ She felt his arm jerk under her hand, as though she had shocked him. ‘Try to look as though we are talking of something inconsequential,’ she added humorously, ‘unless you wish to acquaint Mama of your plans at this early stage! I hope we are speaking of the same person,’ she added. ‘Slender and very fair?’
Simon nodded speechlessly.
‘Celestine says that she did piece work for her. Bits and pieces of sewing,’ Jane added, seeing that her brother was looking puzzled. ‘It is cheaper for the modiste to employ people only when she needs them. She says that Therese was a very good seamstress but that she had to dismiss her because of a complaint from the Duchess of Merrion. Apparently Therese borrowed the Duchess’s gown for a masquerade and the Duchess threatened to take all her custom elsewhere…’
They walked on a little in silence.
‘Therese…’ Simon said slowly, ‘…is she French?’
‘Yes, an
‘But did she have an address for her? Surely she must…’
Jane gave him an old-fashioned look. ‘You think that she would be anxious to part with such information? She was already deeply suspicious of me and your peering into cupboards and around doors hardly helped! For all that I told her that Therese had been recommended to me and I wished her to do some work for me, I believe she
