Regency Buck Read online

  She knelt down beside his chair and clasped his hands. ‘Perry, how do you feel?’ she asked earnestly. ‘Are you sure that it is no more than a chill?’

  ‘Why, what else should it be? What’s in your mind?’

  ‘I hardly know, hardly dare to wonder. Perry, when that man picked a quarrel with you – I am speaking of Farnaby – were you not surprised? Did it seem to you reasonable?’

  ‘What has that to do with it?’ he asked, opening his eyes at her. ‘Ay, I daresay I was a trifle surprised, but if Farnaby was foxed, you know –’

  ‘But was he? You did not say so.’

  ‘Lord, how should I know? I did not think so, but he may have been.’

  She continued to clasp his hands, looking anxiously up into his face. ‘You were fired on the day you came over Finchley Common, a shot you believed might have killed you, had it not been for Hinkson. Twice you have been in danger of your life! And now you are ill, mysteriously so, for you have no chill, Perry, and you know it, but only this dry cough, which is growing worse, and the sore throat!’

  He stared, sat up with a jerk, and then burst into a laugh that brought on a fit of coughing. ‘Lord, Ju, you’ll be the death of me! Do you think I am being poisoned? Why, who in the world should want to put me away? Of all the nonsensical notions!’

  ‘Yes, yes, it is nonsensical, it must be!’ she said. ‘I tell myself so, and yet am unconvinced. Perry, have you not considered that if anything should happen to you the greater part of your fortune would be mine?’

  This set him off into another fit of laughing. ‘What! are you trying to make away with me?’ he asked.

  ‘Be serious, Perry, I beg of you!’

  ‘Lord, how can I be? I never heard such a pack of nonsense in my life. This is what comes of reading Mrs Radclyffe’s novels! It is a famous joke, I declare!’

  ‘What is a famous joke? May I share it?’

  Judith looked quickly round.The Earl had come into the room, and was standing by the table, inscrutably regarding them. How much he had heard of their conversation she could not guess, but she coloured deeply, and sprang up, turning her head away.

  ‘Oh, it is the best thing I have heard these ten years!’ said Peregrine. ‘Judith thinks I am being poisoned!’

  ‘Indeed!’ said the Earl, glancing in Judith’s direction. ‘May I know who it is Miss Taverner suspects of poisoning you?’

  She threw her brother an angry, reproachful look, and went past the Earl to the door. ‘Peregrine is jesting. I believe him to have taken something that has not agreed with him, that is all.’

  She went out, and the Earl, looking after her in silence for a moment, presently turned back to Peregrine, and, laying a silver snuff-box on the table, said: ‘This is yours, I fancy. It was found in the Blue Saloon.’

  ‘Oh, thank you! Yes, it is mine,’ said Peregrine, picking it up and idly flicking it open. ‘I did not know I had so much snuff in it, however; I thought it had been no more than half full. You know, Petersham found it to be a very good mixture. You heard him say so. I wish you would try it!’

  ‘Very well,’ said the Earl, dipping his finger and thumb in the box.

  Peregrine, much gratified, also took a pinch, and inhaled it carelessly. ‘I like it as well as most,’ he said. ‘I do not see what there is to object to in it.’

  The Earl’s eyes, which had been fixed watchfully on his face, fell. ‘Petersham’s praise should be enough to satisfy you,’ he said. ‘I know of no better judge.’

  ‘Judith says it is a sort no gentleman of taste could use,’ complained Peregrine. ‘If you think that I suppose I had better throw it all away, for I daresay Petersham was only wishing to be civil.’

  ‘Miss Taverner is prejudiced against scented snuffs,’ replied the Earl. ‘You need not be afraid of using this sort.’

  ‘Well, I am glad of that,’ said Peregrine. ‘You know, I have a whole jar of it at home, and it would be a pity to waste it.’

  ‘Certainly. But I hope you keep your jar in a warm room?’

  ‘Oh, it is in my dressing-room! I do not keep a great deal of snuff, you know. I do not have a room for it, as you do. In general, I buy it as I need it, and keep it where it may be handy.’

  The Earl returned some indifferent answer, and soon left the room in search of Judith. He found her presently in the library, choosing a volume from the shelves. She looked over her shoulder when he came in, coloured faintly, but said in a calm voice: ‘You have such an excellent library: I daresay many thousands of volumes. At Beverley we are sadly lacking in that respect. It is a great luxury to find oneself in a library as well stocked as this.’

  ‘My library is honoured, Miss Taverner,’ he answered briefly.

  She could not but be aware of the gravity in both face and voice. He was looking stern; there was something of reserve in his tone, quite different from the easy, open manner she was growing used to in him. She hesitated, and then turned more completely towards him, and said with an air of frank resolution: ‘I am afraid there may be some misconstruction. I have been indulging an absurd flight of fancy, as I believe you may have heard when you came into the saloon just now.’

  He did not answer immediately, and when he did at last speak it was with considerable dryness. ‘I think, Miss Taverner, you will be well advised not to repeat to anyone that you believe Peregrine’s indisposition to be due to the effect of poison.’

  Her colour mounted; she hung down her head. ‘I have been very foolish. Indeed, I do not know what possessed me to blurt out so stupid a suggestion! I have been worried about him. That duel, which, thank God! was stopped, took such strong possession of my mind that I have not been easy ever since. It seemed so wanton, so senseless! Then you must know that he was attacked upon his way home from St Albans, and escaped by the veriest miracle. I cannot rid myself of the fear that some danger threatens him. This indisposition seemed, in the agitation of the moment, to bear out my suspicion, and without pausing to consider I spoke the thought that darted through my head. I was wrong, extremely foolish, and I acknowledge it.’

  He came towards her. ‘Are you worried about Peregrine? You need not be.’

  ‘I cannot help myself. If I thought that my suspicions had in them the least vestige of truth I think I should be quite out of my mind with terror.’

  ‘In that case,’ said his lordship deliberately, ‘it is as well that there can be no truth in them. I have no doubt of Peregrine’s being speedily restored to health. As for his rather absurd duel, and his encounter on Finchley Common, such things may befall anyone. I counsel you to put them out of your mind.’

  ‘My cousin did not take so light a view,’ she said in a low voice.

  She saw his face harden. ‘Have you discussed this matter with Mr Bernard Taverner?’ he asked sharply.

  ‘Yes, certainly I have. Why should I not?’

  ‘I could tell you several good reasons. I shall be obliged to you, Miss Taverner, if you will remember that whatever your relationship with that gentleman may be, it is I who am your guardian, and not he.’

  ‘I do not forget it.’

  ‘Excuse me, Miss Taverner, you forget it every time you bestow on him confidences which he has done nothing to deserve.’

  She faced him with a dawning anger in her eyes. ‘Is not this a little petty, Lord Worth?’

  A sardonic smile curled his lips. ‘I see. I am jealous, I suppose? My good girl, your conquests have mounted to your head. You are not the only pretty female I have kissed!’

  Her breasts rose and fell quickly. ‘You are insufferable!’ she said. ‘I have done nothing to deserve such an insult from you!’

  ‘If we are to talk of insults,’ said the Earl grimly, ‘you will come off very much the worst from that encounter. The insult of informing you that I am not a suitor to your hand is hardly comparable to the insult of ascribing to me jealousy of such a person as Mr Bernard Taverner.’

  ‘I am very happy to think that you are not my suitor!’