Page 66 of The Marriage Debt
‘I know,’ she replied with feeling. ‘I keep getting lost and I suspect that our entire London home would fit easily into this room.’
He looked around at the soaring ceilings, the mirrored walls, the length of silver–laden mahogany and Heron with his army of footmen and his expression was so comical that Katherine laughed.
As she did so her eyes found Theo’s at the far end of the table. His brows rose, apparently in reaction to her animation.Good,the little voice of mischief whispered.Let him see me enjoying myself.She turned back to Mr Graham.
‘Have you lived in London all your life?’ he asked.
‘Yes. My brother is travelling abroad at present,’ she explained. ‘Which is why I find myself here. Lady Fanny has been so kind,’ she added, telescoping events ruthlessly to give the impression her chaperone had invited her to stay. ‘What did you do in London, Mr Graham? Did you find Society to your taste?’
‘I did not mix in very exalted circles,’ he admitted. ‘But I had secured some introductions and had a most pleasant time. I visited galleries and museums and attended scientific lectures. Out of professional interest I attended several trials at the Law Courts. I even went so far as to attend a public hanging atNewgate.’
‘You did?’ Katherine said faintly.
‘Yes. A barbaric spectacle,’ the young lawyer said severely. ‘I was soon regretting being there, but the crowds was so vast that I found myself effectively trapped.’
‘Horrible.’
‘Your sensitivity does you credit, Miss Cunningham. However, my ill-judged expedition did allow me to witness a most remarkable event: one felon was actually hanged and then cut down at the last moment and pronounced innocent.’ He broke off. ‘Miss Cunningham, please take a little wine. I do beg your pardon, it was most thoughtless of me to speak of such matters to a lady.’
Katherine was faintly aware of him pressing a glass into her hand and took a distracted sip. ‘Thank you. Please do not concern yourself, Mr Graham, I am quite all right.’ The dizziness passed. No-one else seemed to have noticed anything amiss. No-one, she realised, except Theo, who from half the table’s length away was watching her with a frown. He had put down his knife and fork and his palms were flat on the table as though he were about to rise. She shook her head slightly, saw him sit back.
‘It was nothing to do with the topic, Mr Graham,’ she fibbed, the eyes of the hanged felon in question seeming to bore through her. ‘I was just feeling a little faint with the heat. I think that your feelings do you credit, and no-one should shrink from discussing such barbarity. How else can we see things improved?’
She was startled by the warmth of his look as he said, low-voiced, ‘I would like to discuss other matters of public policy, Miss Cunningham, if such things are of concern to you.’
‘But certainly, Mr Graham. However, if you will excuse me, I must not neglect Mr Crace.’
She turned to the archivist with a worrying feeling that she had perhaps over-encouraged Mr Graham’s interest. The rest ofthe meal passed uneventfully, even when, with the last remove, conversation became general and she found herself speaking to him again. With relief Katherine told herself that she was imagining things, only to have her hand pressed warmly as the ladies rose to leave the table.
‘I hope you will save some dances for me, Miss Cunningham.’
‘Of course, sir, I would be delighted.’ She smiled at him and turned to find herself, once again, the focus of Theo’s attention. Or to be more accurate, it was Mr Graham’s hand, just releasing hers, that seemed to be attracting his interest. Katherine smiled serenely, deliberately not meeting Theo’s eyes as she followed her chaperone out.
The ladies at once dispersed to their rooms and the attentions of their maids to repair whatever ravages dinner in a warm room had wrought.
Jenny, dabbed Katherine’s temples with cologne and whisked a hare’s foot dipped in rice powder over her face. ‘It’s a mercy you don’t get all flushed up with the heat like some ladies,’ she said, checking hairpins and patting Katherine’s coils of hair into place. ‘I’ll be in the ladies’ retiring room all evening in case you need me.’
‘Are you sure?’ Katherine asked. ‘There will be maids on hand, and you have worked so hard all day. Have you had any dinner yet?’
‘Yes, thank you. But I am not going to miss this for all the world. And I’m certainly not going to risk you not looking your best all night either. Now then, fan, reticule, dance card.’ She tied the card by its ribbon to Katherine’s wrist and checked that the little pencil was sharp. ‘I’ll wager it is full already.’
‘Mr Graham, that handsome gentleman we saw from the window, has asked me to dance,’ Katherine admitted.
‘Now that’ll make his lordship jealous.’
Katherine was guiltily aware that those were her sentimentstoo, so she could hardly reprimand Jenny for repeating them. ‘Mr Graham was in London and attended the hangings at Newgate,’ she said, sombre now that shock was recalled.
‘No!’ Jenny sat down on the edge of the bed with a thump. ‘Did he recognise you?’
‘No, I don’t I think there would be any danger of that. All eyes were on the hanged man, I’m sure, and the Assistant Governor held me back. But it is a disturbing coincidence. Thank goodness Lord Seaton‘s beard had grown.’
‘Has his neck healed?’ Jenny asked. ‘Is there still a scar?’
‘I have no idea,’ Katherine said with dignity. Even the other day when she had burst into his dressing room, disconcerting the tailors, Theo had an immaculate neck cloth in place. He would have to take great care for quite a while, she surmised, wondering what he had told his new valet. Perhaps he had claimed a footpad had attempted to garrotte him.
Lady Fanny came to collect her. ‘I do hope I have the duties of my responsibilities correct,’ she confided as they entered the ballroom. ‘I have never been a chaperone before, you know. Should I have warned you about not dancing more than twice with any gentleman? And not drinking champagne?’
‘I expect so,’ Katherine said gravely. ‘And I think you should also warn me that you must give your approval before I waltz, that I must not romp during country dances and I must not go out onto the terrace unless you are with me.’
