These Old Shades Read online

  Davenant looked his disgust.

  ‘My God, do you think you are amusing? I mean this: That I will have her away from you if it costs me my life.’

  ‘This becomes interesting,’ said Avon. ‘How will you have her away from me, and why?’

  ‘You can ask that? I never thought you were a hypocrite, Justin.’

  Avon unfurled his fan.

  ‘If you were to ask me, Hugh, why I permit myself to bear with you I could not tell you.’

  ‘My manners are atrocious. I know it. But I’ve an affection for Léon, and if I allowed you to take her, innocent as he is –’

  ‘Careful, Hugh, careful!’

  ‘Oh, she, then! If I allowed that – I –’

  ‘Calm yourself, my dear. If I did not fear that you would mutilate it I would lend you my fan. May I make known mine intentions?’

  ‘It’s what I want!’

  ‘I should not have guessed that, somehow. Strange how one may be mistaken. Or even how two may be mistaken. It will surprise you to hear that I am fond of Léon.’

  ‘No. She will make a beautiful girl.’

  ‘Remind me one day to teach you how to achieve a sneer, Hugh. Yours is too pronounced, and thus is but a grimace. It should be but a faint curl of the lips. So. But to resume. You will at least be surprised to hear that I had not thought of Léonie in the light of a beautiful girl.’

  ‘It amazes me.’

  ‘That is much better, my dear. You are an apt pupil.’

  ‘Justin, you are impossible. This is no laughing matter!’

  ‘Certainly not. You see in me – a strict guardian.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘I am taking Léonie to England, where I shall place her ’neath my sister’s wing until I have found some discreet lady who will act the part of duenna to my ward, Mademoiselle Léonie de Bonnard. Again the fan expresses my emotions.’ He performed a sweep in the air with it, but Hugh was staring in open-mouthed wonderment.

  ‘You – your ward! But – why?’

  ‘Oh, my reputation!’ mourned his Grace. ‘A whim, Hugh, a whim!’

  ‘You’ll adopt her as your daughter?’

  ‘As my daughter.’

  ‘For how long? If it be a whim only –’

  ‘It is not. I have a reason. Léonie will not leave me until – let us say until she finds a more fitting home.’

  ‘Until she marries, you mean?’

  The thin black brows twitched suddenly together.

  ‘I did not mean that, but let it stand. All that signifies is that Léonie is as safe in my care as she would be in – I will say yours, for want of a better simile.’

  Hugh rose.

  ‘I – you – Good God, Justin, are you jesting?’

  ‘I believe not.’

  ‘You seriously mean what you say?’

  ‘You seem dazed, my dear.’

  ‘More like a sheep, than ever, then,’ retorted Hugh, with a quick smile, and held out his hand. ‘If you are honest now – and I think you are –’

  ‘You overwhelm me,’ murmured his Grace.

  ‘– you are doing something that is –’

  ‘– quite unlike anything I have ever done before.’

  ‘Something that is damned good!’

  ‘But then you do not know my motives.’

  ‘I wonder if you yourself know your motives?’ Hugh said quietly.

  ‘Very obscure, Hugh. I flatter myself that I do know – full well.’

  ‘I am not so certain.’ Hugh sat down again. ‘Ay, you’ve amazed me. What now? Does Léon know that you have discovered his – her – fiend seize it, I am becoming involved again! – sex?’

  ‘She does not.’

  Hugh was silent for a few moments.

  ‘Perhaps she will not wish to remain with you when you tell her,’ he said at last.

  ‘It is possible, but she is mine, and she must do as I bid her.’

  Suddenly Hugh rose again, and went to the window.

  ‘Justin, I don’t like it.’

  ‘May I ask why you do not like it?’

  ‘She – she is too fond of you.’

  ‘Well?’

  ‘Would it not be kinder to make some arrangement – send her away?’

  ‘Whither, my conscientious one?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘How helpful! As I do not know either, I think we may safely banish that notion.’

  Hugh turned, and came back to the table.

  ‘Very well. I trust no harm will come of this, Justin. When shall you – put an end to her boyhood?’

  ‘When we arrive in England. You see, I am deferring that moment as long as may be.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘One reason, my dear, is that she might feel shy of me in her boy’s raiment when once I knew the secret. The other – the other –’ He paused, and studied his fan, frowning. ‘Well, let us be honest. I have grown fond of Léon, and I do not want to exchange him for Léonie.’

  ‘I thought so,’ Hugh nodded. ‘Be kind to Léonie, Justin.’

  ‘It is my intention,’ bowed the Duke.

  Nine

  Léon and Léonie

  Early in the next week Davenant left Paris for Lyons. On the same day Avon summoned his maître d’hôtel, Walker, to his presence, and informed him that he was leaving France on the morrow. Well accustomed to his master’s sudden decisions, Walker felt no surprise. He was a discreet personage with an unyielding countenance. For many years he had been in the Avon employ, and as he had proved himself to be scrupulously honest and trustworthy, the Duke had placed him in charge of his Paris establishment. As his Grace owned another establishment in St James’s Square, London, and kept both open and staffed with servants, this post was one of considerable importance. It was Walker’s duty to keep the Hôtel Avon in such strictness and order that it should always be ready for the Duke or for his brother.

  When Walker left the library he went below-stairs to inform Gaston, the valet, Meekin, the groom, and Léon, the page, that they must hold themselves in readiness to depart from Paris to-morrow morning. He found Léon seated on the table in the housekeeper’s room, swinging his legs and munching a slice of cake. Madame Dubois was sitting in a large chair before the fire, dolefully regarding him. She welcomed Walker with a coy smile, for she was a comely woman, but Léon, having cast one glance towards the prim figure in the doorway, tilted his head a little, and went on eating.

  ‘Eh bien, m’sieur! ’ Madame smoothed her gown, smiling upon the maître d’hôtel.

  ‘I crave pardon thus to have disturbed you, madame.’ Walker bowed. ‘I came but to find Léon.’

  Léon wriggled round to face him.

  ‘You perceive me, Walker,’ he said.

  A slight spasm contracted Walker’s features. Alone amongst the staff Léon never gave him a prefix to his name.

  ‘His Grace sent for me a few moments back to tell me that he is leaving for London to-morrow. I come to warn you, Léon, that you must be ready to accompany him.’

  ‘Bah! He had told me that this morning,’ said Léon scornfully.

  Madame nodded.

  ‘Yes, and he comes to eat a last cake with me, le petit.’ She sighed gustily. ‘Indeed, my heart is heavy to think I must lose thee, Léon. But thou – thou art glad, little ingrate!’

  ‘I have never been to England, you see,’ apologised Léon. ‘I am so excited, ma mère.’

  ‘Ah, c’est cela! So excited that you will forget fat old Madame Dubois.’

  ‘No, I swear I will not! Walker, will you have some of Madame’s cake?’

  Walker drew himself up.

  ‘No, I thank you.’

  ‘Voyons, he insults your skill, ma mère !’ chuckled Léon.

  ‘I assure you, madame, it’s no such thing.’ Walker bowed to her and withdrew.

  ‘He is like a camel,’ remarked the page placidly.

  He repeated this observation to the Duke next day, as they sat