“It seems damned unfair,” he said with a distinctly warm look from his clear blue eyes, “that I only meet perfect women when they’re already married.”
Eleanor was not immune to this, and when he took her hand she didn’t object.
“Luce,” said Nicholas lazily.“Hands to yourself.Your definition of a perfect woman is one who’s already married.”
The marquess obeyed the instruction, but only after placing a soft, lingering kiss on Eleanor’s knuckles.“He doesn’t appreciate you,” he said with a naughty twinkle.“Elope with me.”
Eleanor flicked a glance at her husband, who appeared merely amused.“To elope twice in one month,” she said dryly, “would be a trifle excessive, my lord.”
The marquess laughed and conversation became general.No pretense at this party of talking only to your neighbors.Eleanor, taking a lead from her husband, played a passive role, entering the conversation only when necessary and constantly alert for any way in which their guests’ comfort could be assured.
Lord Middlethorpe watched her and his friend in fascination.This woman was not the one described by his mother.She was handsome, with natural grace and charm.In the occasional glances shared by the couple he saw warm feeling and understanding.There was a harmony there.He found he wanted to learn more about Eleanor.
For her part, Eleanor was drawn to the dark young man with the gentle eyes and was soon talking easily with him.He was not as exciting as the marquess, but neither was he as challenging.She also felt a little protective of him, for among this group of strong, healthy bucks he appeared fine-drawn, almost delicate.
“Have you known my husband long, Lord Middlethorpe?”
“Since we were at school.We all formed a defensive pact at Harrow.”
“Defense from what, if you please?”
He smiled as he remembered.“Remember Psalm 91?‘From the terror by night, the pestilence that walketh in darkness and the destruction that waiteth at noonday.’In other words, bullies and cruel masters.You can have no idea of the potential for horror in a boy’s school.”
“No indeed,” she said, thinking the young Lord Middlethorpe must have been especially vulnerable to such horrors.“Was it very bad?”
To her surprise he shook his head.“No.I’m painting too bleak a picture.There were good times, some of the best.But both boys and masters can be cruel.While we were at Harrow there was a riot, lead by the famous Lord Byron, as it happens, to protest injustices.Nicholas had already taken less flamboyant action to defend himself and others.He gathered together a group and we resolved to avenge tyranny against any of the members.We called ourselves the Company of Rogues.”
“How many were you?”
“Twelve.Three are away in the armed forces.Two have died for their country.”He sobered.“We cannot defend each other from every peril, you see.”
He felt it dearly, and she placed her hand over his instinctively, then hastily withdrew from such intimacy.
“But you succeeded in school?”she asked quickly.
“Very well.We didn’t object to just punishments, you see, only to bullies.They soon learned to seek out easier prey.”
“It sounds unbelievable.Like a jungle.”
He smiled and considered her words.“I suppose it was, in a way.Perhaps that’s why our schools produce excellent soldiers and diplomats.They can practice on a miniature world before they set to work on the real one.You should have heard Stephen lecturing on the state of the food.”
Sir Stephen threatened to rise then and there and orate, but was physically restrained by his neighbors.
Mr.Cavanagh broke in.“Were you ever at school, Mrs.Delaney?How does a girls’ school compare with a boys’?”
Eleanor laughed.“I was at school, yes.But I doubt whether Miss Fitcham’s Academy for the Daughters of Gentlemen ever had much in common with the place Lord Middlethorpe just described.”
“Do you say so?”said the Irishman thoughtfully.“And I had always suspected that little girls were just as nasty as little boys.”
Eleanor admitted the truth of this but added, “Older girls are not generally cruel to the younger except in thoughtlessness, and the mistresses at Miss Fitcham’s were a sorry lot.Hardly to be feared at all.”
“Well then,” said Lord Middlethorpe, “there must be some profound significance there as to why little girls grow up into sweet gentle wives and mothers whereas little boys grow up into the likes of us.”
There was general laughter, but Nicholas joined in the conversation at that point to say, “Francis, if you still believe such rubbish as that, I had better introduce you to the majority of my female acquaintances—who are certainly not sweet and gentle.And though some of them are wives and mothers, it is generally a fate they do their damnedest to avoid!”He turned hilarious eyes on Eleanor.“My dear, I think you should throw me out for a speech like that!”
“On any number of counts,” she agreed cordially, “but I will forgive you if you will admit that none of these ladies was likely to have passed through the hands of Miss Fitcham.”
At this there was a roar of laughter, and Nicholas raised his glass to her in acknowledgement.
