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Hester laughed. ‘She is nothing if not direct, Laurie. I don’t suppose she means to insult you.’

      ‘Why should he care? Besides, he has said worse of me.’

      ‘And you don’t give a fig, I dare say?’ smiled Hester.

      Maidie lifted her chin. ‘I am not come here to gain his good opinion.’

      ‘No, you are come here to gain my services,’ said Delagarde. ‘Not that I have the slightest expectation of your adopting a conciliatory manner! What I wish to know is, what was Shurland doing while this Adela was constraining you to marry her brother?’

      ‘Yes, why did you not appeal to him?’ asked Lady Hester.

      ‘I did,’ Maidie told them flatly. ‘His answer was that, between us, my great-uncle and myself had wasted his inheritance, and I would get no assistance from him.’

      ‘Wasted his inheritance?’ echoed Delagarde. ‘On what, pray?’

      ‘It does not signify,’ Maidie said hurriedly. ‘The truth is that it would suit him very well for my money to come into his family, even at one remove. Were I to marry another, he could not hope to get any share of it.’

      ‘He is scarce likely to gain directly from his brother-in-law’s marriage,’ objected Lady Hester.

      ‘No, but I am sure that he and Eustace have reached some sort of agreement on the matter, for there would otherwise be no reason for him to lend his support to Adela’s scheme.’

      ‘But what drove you to take this drastic action, child? Not that I blame you, but Adela could hardly force you into matrimony with her brother. And she did, I think you said, offer to bring you out.’

      ‘Yes, she did.’ Contempt entered Maidie’s voice. ‘It was only for appearances’ sake. She was afraid of what people might say of her, if it was seen that I married her brother without choosing him from among a number of others. And Eustace himself did not wish to figure as a fortune-hunter.’

      ‘Then why in the world did you not allow her to bring you out, and then choose another?’ demanded Lady Hester.

      Maidie stared at her in frowning silence for a moment. Such a course had never even occurred to her. If it had, she would certainly have rejected it out of hand. She lifted a proud chin.

      ‘I may not be well versed in the etiquette obtaining in fashionable circles, but I assure you, ma’am, I am not without a sense of honour.’

      She thought Lady Hester looked amused, but her tone was apologetic. ‘I had no intention of putting up your back, child. Are you suggesting that to have accepted a Season from Lady Shurland would have put you under an obligation?’

      ‘Yet you are trying to put me under a false obligation,’ cut in Delagarde swiftly.

      ‘It is not false!’ Maidie retorted indignantly. ‘If I had not your mother’s letter, I would not have involved you at all. In any event, this has nothing to do with being put under an obligation to Adela.’

      ‘Then what?’ asked Delagarde, finding himself intrigued by the workings of the wench’s mind.

      ‘I am not a cheat!’ Maidie exclaimed. ‘I would not pretend to one thing and mean another. Such conduct may suit Adela. It would not suit me. If I was prepared to marry Eustace, what need was there for a Season? But I am not willing to marry him. It would scarcely be honourable in me to dupe Adela into thinking I might do so, and allow her to bring me out only in order that I could find someone else. No, no. I must arrange it for myself, or I had better not wed at all.’

      ‘But you are not arranging it for yourself,’ Delagarde pointed out. ‘You are expecting me to arrange it.’

      ‘And so you shall,’ broke in Lady Hester Otterburn cheerfully.

      ‘What?’

      ‘My dear Laurie, you will hardly be outdone in the matter of honour, I should hope! It is not the part of a chivalrous man to leave poor Maidie to her fate. Besides, I know it must be an object with you to accede to your mother’s wishes. I cannot think you will do otherwise than make it your business to set Lady Mary’s feet upon the social ladder.’

       Chapter Two

       T emporarily silenced by the shock of his great-aunt’s perfidy, Delagarde watched in a daze as Lady Hester Otterburn ushered the visitor out. With disbelieving ears, he heard her encouraging the wretched female to return, bringing with her the duenna and all their trunks from the Maddox Street inn where she had left them. No sooner had the front door shut behind Maidie, than his lordship came to himself with a start.

      ‘Have you taken leave of your senses, Aunt Hes?’ he demanded furiously, as that lady walked back into the parlour.

      ‘I don’t think so,’ replied his great-aunt mildly.

      ‘Well, I do! What the devil possessed you to invite her back here? If you imagine that I am to be coerced into acceding to the wench’s idiotic request, you may think again.’

      ‘Then you will be a great fool!’ she told him roundly.

      He stared at her. ‘I beg your pardon?’

      ‘My dear Laurie, if you cannot see what is right under your nose, I declare I wash my hands of you!’

      ‘I wish you would,’ he retorted, incensed. ‘Do, pray, stop talking in riddles, Aunt.’

      To his surprise, she eyed him with a good deal of speculation for a moment. Then she smiled. ‘Gracious, I believe you really don’t know!’

      ‘Don’t know what?’

      Lady Hester laughed at him. ‘How to bring a girl out, of course. No matter. You will learn fast, I dare say.’

      ‘But I have no desire to learn it,’ Delagarde stated, in some dudgeon. ‘What is more, I am not going to do so.’

      ‘Oh, yes, you are. I have quite decided that.’

      ‘You have decided it? Thank you very much indeed. Give me one good reason why I should allow myself to have this hideous charge foisted on to me.’

      ‘I might give you several,’ said his great-aunt coolly, ‘but one will suffice. You are far too hedonistic and idle.’

      Delagarde fairly gasped. ‘I am what?’

      ‘I have long thought that the life you lead is ruinous. You have no responsibility, and nothing to do beyond consulting your own pleasure. It will do you good to exert yourself and think of someone else for a change.’

      ‘Oh, will it?’ retorted her great-nephew, stung. ‘Then allow me to point out to you that if—if!—I agree to this preposterous idea—’

      ‘Don’t be silly, Laurie! Everything is settled.’

      ‘—it is not I who will be exerting myself. It may have escaped your notice, Aunt, but it is usual for debutantes to have a female to bring them out.’

      ‘Quite right,’ said Lady Hester comfortably. ‘I shall do that.’

      ‘Not in this house!’ objected Delagarde. ‘Besides, you cannot do so. For one thing, you have no longer any position in society—’

      ‘That can readily be remedied.’

      ‘—and for another, your health is unequal to the strain of a London Season.’

      ‘Nonsense, I have never been better!’

      ‘What is more,’ pursued Delagarde, ignoring these interpolations, ‘I have not invited you to remain here above the few days you intended.’

      Lady Hester suddenly clapped her hands together. ‘That reminds me! I have not brought near enough with me for a whole Season. My abigail will have to go down to Berkshire at once. Oh, and you will have

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