Page 51 of The Model Debutante
‘Hence the portrait,’ Tallie reminded her.
‘A post-obit.’ Nick regarded Tallie thoughtfully. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Mr Harland thinks so.’
‘Well, well, thatisa useful piece of information.’ Nick’s grim smile boded Jack Lynley no good whatsoever.
‘So then what happened?’ Aunt Kate demanded. ‘Do come and sit down, Nicholas, you are making me positively jumpy and you are usually so restful to have about.’
He threw himself into an armchair, crossed his legs, and regarded his aunt. ‘I set a man to follow Lynley. And when I heard that Tallie thought she was being followed, I set a man to follow her as well. You were quite right,’ he added, turning to look at her. ‘It was Lynley’s man you kept seeing.’
‘And Lynley organised the burglary at the studio,’ Tallie gasped, suddenly making the connection. ‘All he wanted was another look at the pictures to make sure it was me, and to confirm that they still needed some work doing on them. Then he had someone go and pretend they were interested in buying Classical scenes.’
‘His perfectly genuine cousin Oliver Mountfield, just returned from Greece and on his way back to Scotland.’ Nick grimaced. ‘He took some finding, Lynley was keeping him close.’
‘And in all innocence Mr Harland asks me to pose one last time to finish the paintings.’ She looked ruefully across to Lady Parry. ‘I had realised by then that you had no idea what I had been doing after all. I was going to tell you when you came back, but meanwhile I went to the studio yesterday evening to help Mr Harland.’
‘Lynley’s watcher told him you had stepped into the trap and that I was out of Town. But mine reported to me what was afoot.’
‘And you were able to rescue Tallie in time?’ Lady Parry asked anxiously. Tallie noticed with relief that she was once again using the affectionate diminutive.
‘Just,’ Nick said. ‘I got there only moments ahead of Lynley and a pack of his friends, all half-cut and primed for fun.’ He hesitated. ‘We had to leave by the window.’
There was a silence. Then Aunt Kate said carefully, ‘Wearing what, my dear?’
‘Nothing, ma’am.’ Seeing the older woman go pale Tallie added, ‘It was a narrow ledge, and it was raining and we were high above the rest of the houses. Lord Arndale was wonderful. If he had hesitated for a second they would have found me. As it was, it must have been very difficult for him to get me down safely.’
Nick made an impatient gesture with one hand. The bruises and grazes stood out starkly and Tallie saw him realise and clasp both hands together out of sight.
‘She was frozen,’ he said directly to his aunt. ‘Mrs Blackstock’s household were all out of Town. I could not bring her here with only the servants and not a stitch on. I took her home with me and made sure she was warm and unhurt.’
Into the silence that followed this confession Tallie said, ‘I returned this morning properly dressed. The staff think I was with the Blackstocks.’
Aunt Kate did not seem either as angry or as shocked as Talliehad imagined she would be. Perhaps her patroness was just stunned, which would be understandable. Tallie discovered that she had a throbbing headache which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
‘May I be excused, ma’am?’ she ventured. ‘I would like to go and take a littlesal volatile. I find I have a headache coming on. I will be back directly.’
‘Of course, dear. There is no need to hurry back. And Tallie,’ Lady Parry smiled at her, ‘Please call me Aunt Kate again. I feel a hundred when you both call me “Ma’am” so stiffly.’
Nick relaxed at the twinkle in his aunt’s eye. So, they were not in such deep disgrace as he feared and he was glad for Tallie’s sake. He got to his feet and smiled reassuringly at her as he opened the door to let her out. She blushed and dropped her gaze sharply.
Nick turned back to his aunt. She knew exactly what must follow from last night’s adventures, even if Miss Talitha Grey appeared not to have worked out the consequences. How would she react when she realised? Not that it made any difference: she was as committed as he had been from the moment they had stepped out onto that nightmare of a ledge last night.
He began to pace again, filling in more detail than he had done in front of Tallie, outlining the decisions he had reached after a morning’s hard and serious thinking.
Upstairs Tallie poured a few drops ofsal volatileinto a glass of water and tossed it back with a grimace. The thought of lying down on her bed was very attractive but she could not just run away and leave Nick downstairs, doubtless on the receiving end of a lecture from his aunt. Once Lady Parry had recovered sufficiently from the shock of their revelations to react she could not believe they were not both going to be thoroughly in disgraceand Nick did not deserve anything except her grateful thanks.
Rainbird was just closing the front door as Tallie reached the hall again and he placed an envelope on a salver before handing it to her. ‘This has just arrived for you, Miss Grey.’
Recognising Zenna’s handwriting Tallie tore open the wrapper without ceremony and scanned the contents.
…absolutely perfect, Tallie dearest! I have taken the liberty of sending the details direct to your attorney, but naturally I could not say anything to commit us without your personal approval. Do, please, come and see – I could not bear to lose such a perfect house…
Tallie glanced rapidly through the closely written pages. It was unlike Zenna to wax so enthusiastic, she must indeed have found the ideal home for her long-dreamed of school. She was walking slowly towards the writing room as she read and stopped outside the partly-open door to shuffle the pages back together before entering.
Inside Lady Parry was speaking and the words froze Tallie where she stood.
‘…not at all what you planned. A suitable debutante this season, I believe is what you said when we last discussed your marriage.’
