These Old Shades (Alastair-Audley Tetralogy 1)

‘N-no. They have been dead for many years, you see. Monseigneur did it all himself.’ Léonie glanced down at the babe. ‘Is this also your son, madame?’

‘Yes, child, this is Geoffrey Molyneux Merivale. Is he not beautiful?’

‘Very,’ said Léonie politely. ‘I do not know babies very well.’ She rose, and picked up her plumed hat. ‘I must go back, madame. Madame Field will have become agitated.’ She smiled mischievously. ‘She is very like a hen, you know.’

Jennifer laughed.

‘But you’ll come again? Come to the house one day, and I will present my husband.’

‘Yes, if you please, madame. I should like to come. Au revoir, Jean; au revoir, bébé! ’

The baby gurgled, and waved an aimless hand. Léonie hoisted herself into the saddle.

‘One does not know what to say to a baby,’ she remarked. ‘He is very nice, of course,’ she added. She bowed, hat in hand, and turning, made her way back along the path down which she had come, to the road.

Jennifer picked up the baby, and calling to John to follow, went through the wood and across the gardens to the house. She relinquished the children to their nurse, and went in search of her husband.

She found him in the library, turning over his accounts, a big, loose-limbed man, with humorous grey eyes, and a firm-lipped mouth. He held out his hand.

‘Faith, Jenny, you grow more lovely each time I look upon you,’ he said.

She laughed, and went to sit on the arm of his chair.

‘Fanny thinks us unfashionable, Anthony.’

‘Oh, Fanny – ! She’s fond enough of Marling at heart.’

‘Very fond of him, Anthony, but she is modish withal, and likes other men to whisper pretty things in her ear. I fear that I shall never have the taste for town ways.’

‘My love, if I find “other men” whispering in your ear –’

‘My lord!’

‘My lady?’

‘You are monstrous ungallant, sir! As if they – as if I would!’

His hold about her tightened.

‘You might be the rage of town, Jenny, an you would.’

‘Oh, is that your will, my lord?’ she teased. ‘Now I know that you are disappointed in your wife. I thank you, sir!’ She slipped from him, and swept a mock curtsy.

My lord jumped up and caught her.

‘Rogue, I am the happiest man on earth.’

‘My felicitations, sir. Anthony, you have had no word from Edward, have you?’

‘From Edward? Nay, why should I?’

‘I met a girl to-day in the woods who has stayed with the Marlings. I wondered whether he had written to tell you.’

‘A girl? Here? Who was she?’

‘You’ll be surprised, my lord. She is a very babe, and – and she says she is the Duke’s ward.’

‘Alastair?’ Merivale’s brow wrinkled. ‘What new