An Infamous Army (Alastair-Audley Tetralogy 4)

‘Worth, what do you mean to do? Do you stay?’

‘Oh, I think so!’ replied the Earl.

Sir Peregrine’s brow lightened. ‘Oh! Well, if you judge it to be safe—I don’t suppose you would keep Judith and the child here if you did not?’

‘I don’t suppose I should,’ agreed the Earl.

‘What does Harriet wish to do?’ enquired Lady Worth.

‘Oh, if it can be considered safe for the children, she don’t wish to go!’ Sir Peregrine caught sight of his reflection in the mirror over the fireplace, and gave the starched folds of his cravat a dissatisfied twitch. Before his marriage he had aspired to dizzy heights of dandyism, and although he now lived for the greater part of the year on his estates in Yorkshire, he was still inclined to spend much thought and time on his dress. ‘This new man of mine is no good at all!’ he said, with some annoyance. ‘Just look at my cravat!’

‘Is that really necessary!’ said the Earl. ‘For the past hour I have been at considerable pains not to look at it.’

A grin dispersed Sir Peregrine’s worried frown. ‘Oh, be damned to you, Worth! I’ll tell you what it is, you did a great deal for me when I was your ward, but if you had taught me the way you have of tying your cravats I should have been more grateful than ever I was for any of the rest of the curst interfering things you did.’

‘Very handsomely put, Perry. But the art is inborn, and can’t be taught.’

Sir Peregrine made a derisive sound, and, abandoning the attempt to improve the set of his cravat, turned from the mirror. He glanced down at his sister, tranquilly sewing, and said in a burst of confidence: ‘You know, I can’t help being worried. I don’t want to run home, but the thing is that Harriet is in a delicate situation again.’

‘Good God, already?’ exclaimed Judith.

‘Yes, and you see what an anxious position it puts me in. I would not have her upset for the world. However, it seems certain Boney can’t move against us yet. I shall wait until the Duke comes before I decide. That will be best.’

The Earl agreed to it with a solemnity only belied by the quivering of a muscle at the corner of his mouth. Sir Peregrine adjured him to let him have any reliable news he might chance to hear and took himself off, his mind apparently relieved of its care.

His sister was left to enjoy a laugh at his expense. ‘Julian, I think you must have taken leave of your senses when you permitted Perry to marry Harriet! Two children, and another expected! It is quite absurd! He is only a child himself.’

‘Very true, but you should consider that if he were not married we should have him enlisting as a volunteer.’

The thought sobered her. She put down her embroidery. ‘I suppose we should.’ She hesitated, her fine blue eyes raised to Worth’s face. ‘Well, Julian, our morning visitors have all talked a great deal, but you have said nothing.’

‘I was under the impression that I said everything that was civil.’

‘Just so, and nothing to the point. I wish you will tell me what you think. Do we stay?’

‘Not if you wish to go home, my dear.’

She shook her head. ‘You are to be the judge. I don’t care for myself, but there is little Julian to be recollected, you know.’

‘I don’t forget him. Antwerp is, after all, comfortably close. But if you choose I will convey you both to England.’

She cast him a shrewd look. ‘You are extremely obliging, sir! Thank you, I know you a little too well to accept that offer. You would no sooner have set me down in England than you would return here, odious wretch!’

He laughed. ‘To tell you the truth, Judith, I think it will be interesting to be in Brussels this spring.’

‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘But what will happen?’

‘I know no more than the next man.’

‘I suppose war is certain? Will the Duke be a match for Bonaparte, do you think?’

‘That is what we are going to see, my dear.’

‘Everyone speaks as though his arrival will make all quite safe—indeed, I do myself—but though he was so successful in Spain he has never fought against Bonaparte himself, has he?’

‘A circumstance which makes the situation of even more interest,’ said Worth.

‘Well!’ She resumed her stitching. ‘You are very cool. We shall stay then. Indeed, I should be very sorry to go just when Charles is to join us.’