These Old Shades (Alastair-Audley Tetralogy 1)

‘A veritable passion for it, my dear. Nothing pleases her more.’

‘You are not to encourage her, Justin!’ said my lady. ‘I vow it’s scandalous!’

Léonie twinkled merrily.

‘There is one thing I made Monseigneur teach me that is very bloodthirsty,’ she said. ‘You do not know!’

‘What is it, puss?’

‘Aha, I will not tell!’ She shook her head wisely. ‘You would say it is unladylike.’

‘Oh, Justin, what have you been at? Some hoydenish trick it is, I dare swear!’

‘Tell us!’ said Marling. ‘You’ve whetted our curiosity, child, and soon we shall begin to guess.’

‘Ecod, do you mean –’ began Rupert.

Léonie waved agitated hands.

‘No, no, imbécile ! Tais toi! ’ She pursed her mouth primly. ‘M. Marling would be shocked, and madame would say it is not at all respectable. Monseigneur, he is not to tell!’

‘One would infer that it was some disgraceful secret,’ said his Grace. ‘I believe I have several times requested you not to call Rupert “imbécile”, infant.’

‘But Monseigneur, he is an imbécile !’ she protested. ‘You know he is!’

‘Undoubtedly, ma fille, but I do not tell the whole world so.’

‘Then I do not know what I am to call him,’ said Léonie. ‘He calls me spitfire, Monseigneur, and wild-cat.’

‘And so she is, by Gad!’ exclaimed his lordship.

‘I am not, Rupert. I am a lady. Monseigneur says so.’

‘A manifestly false assertion,’ said his Grace. ‘But I cannot remember ever having said anything of the kind, infant.

She peeped naughtily up at him, through her lashes. It was one of her most captivating little tricks.

‘But, Monseigneur, you said only a minute ago that your memory is not at all good.’

There was a shout of laughter; Avon’s own eyes were alight with it. He picked up his fan and dealt Léonie a rap across the knuckles. She chuckled, and turned jubilantly to the others.

‘Voyons, I have made you all laugh!’ she said. ‘And I meant to make you laugh! I am a wit, enfin!’

Davenant was looking at Avon, dawning wonder on his face, for Avon’s eyes rested on his ward with such tender amusement in them that Davenant could hardly believe it was the Duke that he looked on.

‘Oh, lud, what a child it is!’ said my lady, dabbing at her eyes. ‘I vow I would never have dared speak so to Justin at your age!’

‘Nor I!’ said Rupert. ‘But there’s nothing she won’t dare, damme, there’s not!’ He turned to Davenant. ‘Never was there such a girl, Hugh! Do you know she’s even been abducted?’

‘Abducted?’ Davenant looked round, half-incredulous. ‘What’s this?’

‘Oh, that pig-person!’ said Léonie scornfully.

‘My love!’ Lady Fanny jumped. ‘What did I hear you say?’

‘Well, but, madame, Monseigneur allows me to say pig-person. You do not mind, do you, Monseigneur?’

‘My infant, it is not a beautiful expression, nor am I in any way enamoured of it, but I believe that I did say I could support it as long as you refrained from talking of pig – er – wash.’