LITMIR.BIZ

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for fun.’ He hesitated. ‘We had to leave by the window.’

      There was a silence. Then Lady Parry said carefully, ‘Wearing what, my dear?’

      ‘Nothing, ma’am.’ Seeing the older woman go pale, Tallie added, ‘It was a narrow ledge, and it was raining and we were high above the rest of the houses. Lord Arndale was wonderful—if he had hesitated for a second they would have found me. As it was, it must have been very difficult for him to get me down safely.’

      Nick made an impatient gesture with one hand. The bruises and grazes stood out starkly and he clasped both hands together out of sight. ‘She was frozen,’ he said directly to his aunt. ‘Mrs Blackstock’s household were all out of town. I could not bring her here with only the servants and not a stitch on. I took her home with me and made sure she was warm and unhurt.’

      Into the silence that followed this confession Tallie said, ‘I returned this morning properly dressed. The staff think I was with the Blackstocks.’

      Lady Parry did not seem either as angry or as shocked as Tallie had imagined she would be. Perhaps her patroness was just stunned, which would be understandable. Tallie discovered that she had a throbbing headache, which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

      ‘May I be excused, ma’am?’ she ventured. ‘I would like to go and take a little sal volatile. I find I have a headache coming on. I will be back directly.’

      ‘Of course, dear. There is no need to hurry back. And, Tallie …’ Lady Parry smiled at her ‘… please call me Aunt Kate again. I feel a hundred when you both call me “ma’ am” so stiffly.’

      Nick relaxed at the twinkle in his aunt’s eye. So, they were not in such deep disgrace as he feared; he was glad for Tallie’s sake. He got to his feet and smiled reassuringly at her as he opened the door to let her out. She blushed and dropped her gaze sharply.

      Nick turned back to his aunt. She knew exactly what must follow from last night’s adventures, even if Miss Talitha Grey appeared not to have worked out the consequences. How would she react when she realised? Not that it made any difference—she was as committed as he had been from the moment they had stepped out onto that nightmare of a ledge last night.

      He began to pace again, filling in more detail than he had done in front of Tallie, outlining the decisions he had reached after a morning’s hard and serious thinking.

      Upstairs Tallie poured a few drops of sal volatile into a glass of water and tossed it back with a grimace. The thought of lying down on her bed was very attractive, but she could not just run away and leave Nick downstairs, doubtless on the receiving end of a lecture from his aunt. Once Lady Parry had recovered sufficiently from the shock of their revelations to react, she could not believe they were not both going to be thoroughly in disgrace and Nick did not deserve anything except her grateful thanks.

      Rainbird was just closing the front door as Tallie reached the hall again and he placed an envelope on a salver before handing it to her. ‘This has just arrived for you, Miss Grey.’

      Recognising Zenna’s handwriting, Tallie tore open the wrapper without ceremony and scanned the contents.

      … absolutely perfect, Tallie dearest! I have taken the liberty of sending the details direct to your attorney, but naturally I could not say anything to commit us without your personal approval. Do, please come and see—I could not bear to lose such a perfect house …

      Tallie glanced rapidly through the closely written pages. It was unlike Zenna to wax so enthusiastic, she must indeed have found the ideal home for her long-dreamed-of school. She was walking slowly towards the writing room as she read and stopped outside the partly open door to shuffle the pages back together before entering.

      Inside Lady Parry was speaking and the words froze Tallie where she stood. ‘… not at all what you planned. A suitable débutante this Season—I believe that is what you said when we last discussed your marriage.’

      Nick appeared to be moving around. His voice became louder, then unintelligible as Tallie strained to hear, unaware that Zenna’s letter was crushed in her hands.

      ‘Of course, about time as you keep telling me … set up my nursery … perfectly suitable … I had thought Lord Rushingly’s eldest, perhaps. Invite her to Heronsholt in the summer, make up a house party …’

      ‘Well, you have not had the opportunity yet to fix her interest,’ Lady Parry observed, sounding a little concerned. ‘Unless I have missed something?’

      ‘… too distracted by this business, which is a mercy as it turns out …’

      ‘I rather think she has not realised this all means she must marry you,’ Lady Parry observed.

      Who? Tallie shook her head, puzzled, confused and with a growing knot of dread tightening inside her. Who?

      ‘Tallie?’ Nick’s voice was so close by the door that she jumped and dropped the letter. ‘I do not think it has occurred to her for a moment just how compromised she is or what the consequences of that are.’

      Tallie was on her knees, scrabbling to pick up the scattered sheets as Lady Parry said, ‘Certainly, one could not imagine for a moment that the poor child would intend to make such a match.’

      ‘She is not so ineligible,’ Nick said coolly. ‘Her birth is perfectly respectable, her fortune, now, is more than comfortable.’

      ‘Of course not, and she is a dear child. But not what one would expect for an Arndale of Heronsholt.’

      Tallie stayed on her knees, transfixed, waiting for Nick’s reply.

      ‘Needs must, Aunt Kate. There is really no choice in the matter.’

      Tallie stood up, her knees shaking. Until that moment she had not realised that all she wanted in the world was Nicholas Stangate. Now, and for ever. Yes, she had admitted to herself that she loved him, desired him, admired him. The word ‘marriage’ had never entered her thoughts; somehow, while he was a part of her everyday life, that had not been a consideration.

      ‘You fool,’ she whispered to herself, backing away down the hall. Her mind churned. How else could you have him? Be his mistress? Why, when the world is full of skilled courtesans, should he bother with you? Hope answered her, desperate. He is attracted to you. He kisses you, takes you to his bed. He risks danger for you.

      Tallie reached the foot of the stairs. Mercifully neither Rainbird nor any of the footmen were in sight. Her clear-sighted common sense trod firmly on her optimism. Of course he kissed you, of course he took you into his bed. He is a man, is he not? You stood naked before him. What did you expect him to think, to do? And he is a gentleman. Of course he would protect you. He would have protected Zenna or Millie if he had found them in such straits.

      The writing-room door opened and Lady Parry emerged. Tallie whisked round and under the stairs just in time to avoid being seen. But she was careless as she stepped out again once her patroness’s footsteps had died away.

      ‘Tallie. May I speak with you, please?’

      It was Nick.

       Chapter Eighteen

      ‘Tallie,’ Nick repeated, ‘if your headache is not too bad, I would like to speak with you.’

      ‘Of course,’ Tallie replied composedly. It was easy to seem calm. She felt as though she had just stepped off a cliff: it was a very long way down, time would pass until she hit the ground, nothing much mattered in the meantime.

      Nick held the door for her and she stepped into the writing room again, sank gracefully into a chair and waited, her eyes unseeing on Zenna’s letter between her clasped hands.

      ‘I hope you managed to have a little rest since you got home,’ he began politely.

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