‘Oh, don’t wait for that! Jump now!’ he said. ‘I’ll catch you!’
‘Thank you, I had as lief not be caught!’
‘What, are you afraid I’ll let you fall? Little craven! And you a Lanyon of Undershaw!’
‘Pooh!’ said Venetia, making a face at him. She then altered her position, drew her flounced skirt tightly round her ankles, swung her legs over the edge of the loft, and slid down into Damerel’s arms.
He caught her, and held her in a strong grip, but whatever might have been his next intention was frustrated by Oswald, who at this moment revealed his presence, starting forward with a wrathful imprecation.
His purpose was to command Damerel to unhand Venetia, and, if necessary, to wrest her from his grasp, but as Damerel, without showing the smallest sign of surprise, much less of discomfiture, had already set her on her feet, and released her, there was no need to do this. He was unable, on the spur of the moment, to think of anything else to say, and stood glaring at Damerel instead.
Venetia had been startled by his sudden appearance, but she betrayed no more discomfiture than Damerel, merely saying: ‘Oh, is it you, Oswald? What a pity you should not have arrived just one minute earlier! You might have played the knight-errant to my damsel in distress. Would you believe it? – finding me engaged on an errand of mercy up there, Lord Damerel treacherously removed the ladder!’ She laughed at Damerel. ‘In fact, you remind me strongly of my brother Conway!’
‘And worse you cannot say of anyone, I collect!’ His lazy yet penetrating gaze rested on Oswald’s flushed countenance for a moment. There was a good deal of amusement in his eyes, but some not unkindly understanding as well. ‘I shall go and seek comfort of Aubrey,’ he said.
Oswald, standing in the doorway still, hesitated, but after a moment’s indecision, moved reluctantly aside to allow him to pass.
Venetia bent to pick up her basket. ‘I must take these unfortunate kittens up to the house. At least their eyes are open, so perhaps they will be able to lap.’
‘Wait!’ uttered Oswald.
She looked enquiringly at him. ‘Why?’
‘I must and will speak to you! That fellow –!’
‘If you mean Damerel, as I conclude you must, I wish you will say so, and not call himthat fellow! It is not at all becoming in you to speak in such a way of a man so much older than you are, and particularly when you’ve no cause to do so.’
‘No cause!’ he exclaimed hotly. ‘When I find him here, f-forcing his improper attentions upon you!’
‘Fiddle!’
He flushed. ‘How can you say that? When I saw – and heard –’
‘You neither saw nor heard him forcing anything upon me. And you won’t,’ she added calmly.
‘You don’t understand! You –’
‘Yes, I do.’
He stared at her, rather nonplussed. ‘You know nothing about men of his stamp! You’ve let him hoax you with his curst cajolery into thinking he means no harm, but if you knew what his reputation is –’
‘Well, I do know, better than you, I daresay.’
‘The fellow’s a rake! No female is safe with him!’
She gave an involuntary laugh. ‘How very dreadful! Oswald, do, pray, stop talking fustian! You can’t think how absurd it is!’
‘It’strue!’ he said earnestly.
‘Yes, it’s true that he’s a rake, but I assure you there is no need to worry over my safety. I expect you mean it kindly, but I shall be very much obliged to you if you will say no more!’
He stared at her fiercely, and ejaculated: ‘You’re bewitched!’
The oddest little smile flickered in her eyes. ‘Am I? Well, never mind! It is quite my own affair, after all. Now I musttake these kittens up to the kitchen, and see what can be done for them.’
He resolutely barred the way. ‘You shall hear me!’ he declared. ‘You hope to fob me off, but it will not do!’
She looked at him for a measuring instant, and then sat down on Aubrey’s bench, and folded her hands in her lap, saying, with resignation: ‘Very well: say what you wish, if nothing else will do for you!’
