Georgette Heyer - Regency Romance Classics - Georgette Heyer Collection

"Philip in his milieu. Paris." Sir Maurice smiled down at her. "When I think of what Philip was not quite a year ago...."

"It seems impossible, doesn't it? But oh, I am glad now that I sent him away. He is quite, quite perfect!"

"H'm!" said Sir Maurice.

Cleone laughed at him.

"You pretend! I know how proud you are!"

"Minx! I confess I am curious to see Philip in his Parisian Society. No one knows that he is here?"

"Not a soul. He insisted on guarding the secret until he could make a really dramatic appearance at the Duchesse de Sauverin's ball to-night. He is mad, you know, quite mad! Oh, here he is!"

Philip came into the room with a rustle of stiff silks. Sir Maurice started at him.

"Good God, Philip, what audacity!"

From head to foot his son was clad in white. The only splash of colour was the red heels of his shoes; his only jewels were pearls and diamonds; on the lapel of his coat he wore a single white rose.

"Isn't it ridiculous?" said Cleone. "But doesn't he look beautiful?"

"Stand up, child, and let me see you side by side.... Yes. What audacity! Had I known, I would have attired myself in black—the old man at the ball."

"'Twould have made an excellent foil," agreed Philip. "But no matter. Cleone, you have re-arranged your roses!"

Cleone backed, warding him off.

"I cry your pardon, sir! Oh no, let me be!"

Philip came to her, and with deft fingers pulled the flowers into position.

"One of them must kiss your skin, so! To show that it is no whiter than the skin. Voilà, c'est bien! "

"Who is likely to be at the ball to-night, Philip?" asked his father.

" Tout le monde. One always goes to Madame de Sauverin's balls. It is de rigueur."

"We shall be late!" warned Cleone. "Oh, we are late now!"

"That is also de rigueur," said Philip.

"Sir Maurice, M'sieu', et Madame Jettan !" announced the lackey.

There was a sudden hush. All eyes turned to the late-comers. In the doorway stood a tall gentleman, at his side two dazzling visions in white.

Madame de Sauverin stared for a moment in wonderment. Then she hurried forward, hands outstretched.

"Philippe!"

"Philippe! Le petit Philippe!" A score of voices took up the cry. Nearly everyone there surged forward.

Philip kissed Madame's hand.

" Chère madame! I may present my wife? My father you know."

Cleone curtseyed low.

"Your—wife!" Madame took Cleone's hands. " Voyons, voyons, notre petit Philippe s'est éspousé! Et Maurice! "

Philip and Cleone were at the centre of a welcoming throng. Cleone's hand was kissed a dozen times. Delighted questions were shot at Philip.

Saint-Dantin grasped his hand.

" Mon cher petit! You have returned at last? Et madame! " He bowed to the blushing Cleone. "There is no need to ask who is, madame ." He smiled at her. "It is evident that her name is Cleone!"

De Vangrisse pressed forward.

"The mysterious Cleone! Madame, votre serviteur! We have all longed to see the lady who so consistently held Philip's heart!"

"Philippe, how long have you been in Paris?" demanded De Chatelin. "You are going to remain? Ah bon! "

"Philippe, have you an ode for the occasion?" asked another laughing voice.

Clothilde de Chaucheron pushed through the ring.

" Le petit Philippe au cœur perdu! " she cried.

Philip disengaged himself from the clutches of Saint-Dantin and took his wife's hand.

" Mademoiselle de Chaucheron, chérie ," he said, and bowed.

Clothilde gazed at Cleone for a moment. Then she swept a deep curtsey.

" Je me trompe ," she said, smiling. " Le petit Philippe au cœur trouvé. "

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER I AT THE CHEQUERS INN, FALLOWFIELD

CHAPTER II MY LORD AT THE WHITE HART

CHAPTER III INTRODUCING THE HON. RICHARD CARSTARES

CHAPTER IV INTRODUCING THE LADY LAVINIA CARSTARES

CHAPTER V HIS GRACE OF ANDOVER

CHAPTER VI BATH: 29 QUEEN SQUARE

CHAPTER VII INTRODUCING SUNDRY NEW CHARACTERS

CHAPTER VIII THE BITER BIT

CHAPTER IX LADY O'HARA INTERVENES

CHAPTER X LADY O'HARA RETIRES

CHAPTER XI MY LORD TURNS RESCUER AND COMES NIGH ENDING HIS LIFE

CHAPTER XII MY LORD DICTATES A LETTER AND RECEIVES A VISITOR

CHAPTER XIII MY LORD MAKES HIS BOW

CHAPTER XIV MISTRESS DIANA IS UNMAIDENLY

CHAPTER XV O'HARA'S MIND IS MADE UP

CHAPTER XVI MR. BETTISON PROPOSES

CHAPTER XVII LADY O'HARA WINS HER POINT

CHAPTER XVIII ENTER CAPTAIN HAROLD LOVELACE

CHAPTER XIX THE REAPPEARANCE OF HIS GRACE OF ANDOVER

CHAPTER XX HIS GRACE OF ANDOVER TAKES A HAND IN THE GAME

CHAPTER XXI MRS. FANSHAWE LIGHTS A FIRE AND O'HARA FANS THE FLAME

CHAPTER XXII DEVELOPMENTS

CHAPTER XXIII LADY LAVINIA GOES TO THE PLAY

CHAPTER XXIV RICHARD PLAYS THE MAN

CHAPTER XXV HIS GRACE OF ANDOVER CAPTURES THE QUEEN

CHAPTER XXVI MY LORD RIDES TO FRUSTRATE HIS GRACE

CHAPTER XXVII MY LORD ENTERS BY THE WINDOW

CHAPTER XXVIII IN WHICH WHAT THREATENED TO BE TRAGEDY TURNS TO COMEDY

CHAPTER XXIX LADY O'HARA IS TRIUMPHANT

EPILOGUE

Table of Contents

Clad in his customary black and silver, with raven hair unpowdered and elaborately dressed, diamonds on his fingers and in his cravat, Hugh Tracy Clare Belmanoir, Duke of Andover, sat at the escritoire in the library of his town house, writing.

He wore no rouge on his face, the almost unnatural pallor of which seemed designedly enhanced by a patch set beneath his right eye. Brows and lashes were black, the former slanting slightly up at the corners, but his narrow, heavy-lidded eyes were green and strangely piercing. The thin lips curled a little, sneering, as one dead-white hand travelled to and fro across the paper.

… but it seems that the Fair Lady has a Brother, who, finding Me Enamoured, threw down the Gauntlet. I soundly whipt the presumptuous Child, and so the Affair ends. Now, as you, My dear Frank, also took some Interest in the Lady, I write for the Express Purpose of informing You that at my Hands she has received no Hurt, nor is not like to. This I in part tell You that You shall not imagine Yr self in Honor bound again to call Me out, which Purpose, an I mistake not, I yesterday read in Yr Eyes. I should be Exceeding loth to meet You in a Second Time, when I should consider it my Duty to teach You an even severer Lesson than Before. This I am not Wishful of doing for the Liking I bear You.

"So in all Friendship believe me, Frank,

"Your most Obedient, Humble

"DEVIL."

His Grace of Andover paused, pen held in mid-air. A mocking smile dawned in his eyes, and he wrote again.

"In the event of any Desire on Yr Part to hazard Yr Luck with my late Paramour, Permit Me to warn You 'gainst the Bantam Brother, who is in Very Truth a Fire-Eater, and would wish to make of You, as of Me, one Mouthfull. I shall hope to see You at the Queensberry Rout on Thursday, when You may Once More strive to direct mine Erring Footsteps on to the Thorny Path of Virtue."

His Grace read the postscript through with another satisfied, sardonic smile. Then he folded the letter, and affixing a wafer, peremptorily struck the hand-bell at his side.

And the Honourable Frank Fortescue, reading the postscript half-an-hour later, smiled too, but differently. Also he sighed and put the letter into the fire.

"And so ends another affaire . … I wonder if you'll go insolently to the very end?" he said softly, watching the paper shrivel and flare up. "I would to God you might fall honestly in love—and that the lady might save you from yourself—my poor Devil!"