“Wise. The other officers might not be as kind as you.”
I could not tell if her tone held irony. Donata could be cutting without the object of her wit aware of it.
“Quite,” I said. “She had the chance to start a new life away from Isherwood, and I recommended she make use of it. I arranged for her journey to Lisbon and passage from there to Portsmouth.”
“And that was that?” Donata unfolded herself but remained on the chair. “Or did you correspond with her?”
“Not at all. Marguerite wrote a friend, the wife of another officer, that she’d arrived safely in Portsmouth, and that she’d decided to settle near there. The officer’s wife passed this information to me, but I have not heard of Marguerite since. My regiment moved on to Madrid; Isherwood’s went elsewhere.”
“Did the divorce go through? As you know, such a thing is no easy feat.”
“I have no idea—I would assume so. With all the things that happened after Salamanca, I must say I forgot about the Isherwoods.”
“Yes, you had plenty to occupy your thoughts, such as warring with Colonel Brandon, not to mention fighting the French army.” Again the barest hint of irony. “Well, Gabriel, you have certainly given yourself motive for a duel with Isherwood. I imagine he was incensed by your presence last night. Even if he’d thrown away his wife, and the divorce did succeed, and he never saw the blasted woman again, you were a nice splinter to remind him of his humiliation.”
“Perhaps.”
“Noperhapsabout it. I wondered why he was so very cold to you, more than the coolness a man of higher rank might give to a captain. I ought to have guessed the reason why.”
I looked at her in surprise. “How could you have?”
“Because I know you, Gabriel. If another man in enraged at you, it is most likely because of a woman.”
I was not certain whether to be amused or indignant. “There are other reasons men fall out among themselves.”
“Other gentlemen, yes.You, on the other hand, are courteous to the point of painfulness, you pay your debts, and you try to make it up to anyone you unintentionally anger. You are even polite to Mr. Denis, a known criminal. The only thing you do that engenders rage in other gentlemen is to be more attentive to their ladies than they are. Especially when the gentleman in question is a boor.”
“In which case, he deserves it,” I said feelingly. “I remember happily punchingyourhusband in the nose.”
At last, she favored me with a smile, though it was fleeting. “Precisely what I mean. Though I recall that when I first tried to share your rooms, as it were, you wanted nothing to do with me. I must say it rankles a bit that you chose Isherwood’s wife long ago when you would not choose me.”
So that was how she thought of it. I’d taken readily to Marguerite, when I had been decidedly rude to Donata.
“I mistook your character,” I said, as gently as I could. “As I have told you before.” I remembered the day when I’d met her in a room full of sunshine, where she’d given me her cutting look and dared me to a game of billiards. “But I noticed you were quite beautiful.”
Her brows came together. “You disliked me and wouldn’t touch me. Hence, I had to pursue you like a silly chit.”
“I am very glad you pursued me,” I said. “You mademelook the fool, have no fear of that.” I rose and went to her, taking her hand. “Of this, I have no regrets.”
I lifted her fingers to my lips and kissed them. Donata looked a bit less angry when I lowered her hand, though I knew she would not soften to me for a time.
I’d been Marguerite Isherwood’s lover years before I’d met Donata, but Donata felt no warmth toward ladies to whom I’d given my affection, no matter how long ago it might have been. For my part, I wished every gentlemanshe’dbestowed affection on at the bottom of the sea.
More and more reason I could have killed Isherwood. Donata was correct. When trouble from my past came to call, there was usually a woman in the thick of it.
* * *
I wentdown to breakfast after that, leaving Donata to summon Jacinthe back to finish her toilette. I wasn’t certain we’d resolved things between us, but Donata joined me an hour or so later in the dining room, after I’d finished my morning repast. As usual she’d taken a light meal in her chamber as she’d dressed, and now asked a footman for coffee.
“Dreadfully early,” she said as she sipped. It was noon. “But when one is in the provinces …”
“Gabriella was up and out promenading with Lady Aline at nine,” I reminded her.
Donata shrugged. “She is young. When she is married, she will be more weary.”
“I am sorry to hear marriage is so tiring,” I said lightly.
She gave me a look. “I came down at this appalling hour to tell you the thoughts I had while I breakfasted. I would like to send for Mr. Quimby. He is the cleverest of the Runners, as you have told me. He can find out what happened.”
