His amiability was undisturbed.“You would not know her.Your taste in companions has, I must admit, always been excellent.Deborah is, I regret to say, of the merchant class.But rich.Very, very rich,” he fairly cooed.
She shook her head.“I might have known.Are you rolled up then?”
He took no offense.“By no means.A prudent man takes steps in advance.Even Mr.Derry might take exception to a potential son-in-law with the duns at the door.As it is, I have invested your money in a few improvements to the house and a few handsome trifles for Deborah, and all is settled.Most handsomely.”
Eleanor felt her first stirrings of unease.“How old is your future bride, Lionel?”
“Oh, very young.Seventeen.A tender bud, young enough to shape into a lady, I believe.”
“God, it’s indecent!Surely even a tradesman must have heard something of your reputation.You probably owe him money.”
“I do,” he agreed complacently.“Dear Papa Derry believes a true gentleman always owes money.As for other things, he knows the stories are much exaggerated and that I am truly repentant of those follies I may have committed in the rashness of youth.”
“In short, you have fooled him as you have fooled so many.”Eleanor regarded her brother thoughtfully.“I might put a spoke in your wheel.”
The smile did not fade, but the eyes became cruel.“Unwise, dear sister.I am inclined to be kind to you, but if you interfere in my affairs I could change my mind.”
“What do you mean?I need nothing from you.”
“Of course, I will not tell you.My threats, as you know, are always veiled, and always genuine.Let it suffice to say I believe I might do myself some good by harming you.”
“If you could, it would be done by now,” Eleanor retorted.“Stop these games.You have no power to hurt me anymore, brother.”
He shrugged, seemingly completely restored to good humor, which worried her.“Just keep your fingers out of my pie, Nell.No chance of meeting my delightful brother-in-law, I suppose?”
“I doubt you would want to.”
“But I found him charming,” he protested.“And eminently sensible.In fact, I invited him to a little party I was holding, but he was forced to decline.”
“From nausea, I should think.”
“I really do not know from where you get your quarrelsome temperament, Nell.To be honest, it would seem from his current career my party would have been exactly to his taste.Perhaps you would have done better to have settled for Deveril after all.At least he would not have neglected you.”
He smiled at her involuntary shudder.“I fear I must take my leave, Nell.I find your megrims too wearing upon my good humor.And I do so hate to have anything assail my good humor.”She recognized it as a parting threat.“Goodbye, dear sister.”
“Goodbye, brother.”Though she was shaken by the encounter, she summoned up a smile every bit as wide and insincere as his.
As he reached the door it opened for him and Nicholas walked in.
“Ah, the prodigal’s return,” gushed Sir Lionel, not apparently disconcerted.“My dear sir, I regret I am just leaving.A very good day to you, Mr.Delaney.”
Nicholas watched him leave and then shut the door with a snap.“What was he doing here?”
Eleanor was still in a combative mood from the encounter with her brother and she took exception to his tone.“Do not snarl at me, please.He came to tell me he is to be married.And I don’t like the fact you gave orders to the servants to deny me, without consulting with me first.I am quite capable of denying myself if I so wish.”
“It doesn’t appear so.”Eleanor became aware he was very, very angry, even though he was completely in control of himself.“He has put you out of temper,” he said more moderately, “which is reason enough to forbid him the house.Why were my orders disregarded?”
“I really do not know,” Eleanor snapped.“Perhaps he bribed someone.”
“Who let him in?”
Eleanor was suddenly aghast.“For heaven’s sake, Nicholas!What a fuss about nothing.I can surely speak to my brother without a major crisis.If I am up to the strain, I don’t see why it should bother you.”
He hardly listened to this and strode over to ring the bell.Hollygirt appeared.
“Sir?”
“Who admitted Sir Lionel Chivenham?”
