The Shadow of Sin (Bantam Series No. 19) Page 11

  “But of course! I knew your mother!”

  Celesta stiffened, expecting an insult, but the lady continued:

  “We were girls together and I shall never forget how lovely Elaine was. When we attended the same Balls all the men clustered round her and the rest of us had to be content with the partners she did not want!”

  There was a little laugh and then the lady added: “You are very like her, my dear, and I am sure your success will be as phenomenal as hers.”

  The Earl introduced her to so many people that Celesta gave up trying to remember their names or even what he told her about them.

  When she met the Earl’s men-friends they all asked her to dance.

  She had so many partners and they paid her so many compliments that the hours seemed to speed by. “Where have you been?” “Why haven’t we met before?” “How can you have hidden yourself away until now?”

  She answered the same questions over and over again but her eyes shone and her lips were smiling.

  Then in the early hours of the morning she found herself standing in the garden with Giles.

  “It is a wonderful party!” she cried. “I never knew that I could enjoy myself so much!”

  “I would be enjoying it more,” Giles replied, “if I did not keep remembering I have to go back to the country.”

  “It may not be for long,” Celesta said consolingly. “We have not had time to talk about things yet, Giles, but I am sure there is something you can do to make money.”

  “The only way of making money,” Giles replied, “is by gaming, and I would not get far on the pittance I have in my pocket at the moment.”

  “Please do not throw it away,” Celesta said quickly. “I was thinking that perhaps you could find ... work of some sort.”

  “Work?” Giles ejaculated. “What the devil do you think I could do?”

  “I feel there must be something,” Celesta said, “but do not let us talk of it now, Giles, I am so happy. It is so marvellous to be here.”

  “And I was very surprised to learn of your whereabouts.”

  Celesta turned round sharply.

  She could not mistake that voice with an undertone of evil in it.

  Standing beside them was Lord Crawthorne! Celesta did not speak and he added:

  “When someone told me at the Club that the most beautiful girl at Meltham House this evening was Miss Celesta Wroxley, I had to come and find out why you spurned my invitation to dinner last night.”

  Celesta glanced at Giles. He was looking at Lord Crawthorne with a frown on his face.

  “Giles, my dear boy,” Lord Crawthorne said with an appearance of affability, “I had made arrangements to come to the Fleet Prison this morning and bail you out Your sister told me of your unfortunate predicament.”

  “You must have had my letters,” Giles said sourly.

  “Letters?” Lord Crawthorne exclaimed. “What letters?”

  “I wrote to you three times.”

  “If you did, I never received them.”

  Celesta was quite sure that Lord Crawthorne was lying, but it was something neither she nor Giles could prove.

  She put her hand on her brother’s arm.

  “Please, Giles. I must go back into the Ball-Room. My partner will be waiting for me.”

  “One moment!” Lord Crawthorne said. “Giles, I have something of great importance to tell your sister—something which will be of benefit to you both, so I know you will understand if I say that I wish to speak to her alone.”

  “No!” Celesta said quickly. “No, Giles! Do not leave me!”

  But already her brother had turned away.

  “If you think I want to talk to you—you are mistaken!” he said to Lord Crawthorne.

  And before she could prevent him he walked away towards the house.

  Celesta would have followed but Lord Crawthorne caught hold of her wrist.

  “I really have something of import to say to you, Celesta,” he said.

  She tried to pull her hand away but it was impossible.

  Relentlessly he drew her towards an arbour which was just a little to the left of them.

  She still struggled to free herself from his hold.

  But there were people moving about the garden and she thought how embarrassing it would be if they should see her struggling with Lord Crawthorne.

  What would the Earl think if she behaved in a manner which drew attention to herself?

  Because there was nothing else she could do, she was forced to let Lord Crawthorne lead her into the arbour. On reaching it she sat down on the very edge of the seat.

  “I cannot stay long, My Lord,” she said nervously, “otherwise my partner will come in search of me.”

  He turned sideways to look at her, his arm outstretched along the seat behind her back.

  “I was very disappointed you would not dine with me last night,” he said. “Did Meltham release your brother?”

  “His Lordship was very kind,” Celesta replied defiantly.

  She saw a sudden expression on Lord Crawthorne’s face which she realised was one of hatred, but he merely said in his silky voice that made her tremble:

  “I would have been—kind too!”

  “You made it quite clear, My Lord, that you could not afford to effect Giles’s release.”

  “I did not say that I would not do so,” Lord Crawthorne answered. “It might have been an inconvenience to find so much money at a moment’s notice, but if you had asked me prettily, as I had the feeling you might do, then as I have already said, Giles would have been a free man.”

  “He is free now!” Celesta said, “and I think there is little point in our discussing the matter any further. I must return to the Ball, My Lord.”

  She would have risen but once again his hand went out to hold on to her.

  “You are very lovely,” he said and there was a note in his voice which made her tremble.

  “Let me go!”

  “That is something I do not intend to do,” Lord Crawthorne said, “either now or in the future.”

  “I do not understand what you are trying to say.”

  “I think you do,” he answered. “You are fond of your brother, and I promise you I can make Giles happy and re-instate him in the life he likes, if you will be a little more amenable and understand how much we can mean to each other.”

  “We can mean ... nothing to each ... other!” Celesta said in a voice which she hoped sounded strong and firm, but which in fact was weak and frightened.

  “There is so much I can give you.”

  Lord Crawthorne’s arm went round her waist as he spoke and he pulled her towards him.

  Celesta gave a little cry and put her hands against his chest.

  “Do not touch me!” she cried.

  Then as she realised he was about to kiss her, she turned her face away so that his lips touched only her cheek.

  The mere touch was enough!

  All her revulsion and disgust for Lord Crawthorne came flooding over her, inciting her to a panic that gave her a strength she did not know she possessed.

  She fought herself free of him and even as he clutched at her, ran from the arbour.

  Then as she was wildly running to escape there was a man standing in her way and she bumped into him.

  She knew before she touched him who it was and felt an inexplicable relief.

  “I was looking for you,” the Earl said.

  Because she was feeling so afraid, Celesta put out her hands to hold on to him.

  He could see by the sharpening of her features and the darkness of her eyes that she was upset.

  “What has happened?” he asked quickly.

  Then he saw who followed her.

  Lord Crawthorne in his haste to prevent Celesta escaping from him had also come from the arbour without looking where he was going.

  Now he found himself face to face with the Earl and there was no disguising the fact that he was disconcerted.

 
; The light from a Chinese lantern hanging from the bough of a tree directly above them revealed the expression on his face.

  “This is a surprise, Crawthorne!” the Earl said in a voice that was insulting merely because he drawled the words. “I arranged my list of guests with great care and your name was not on it!”

  “I came with Lord Walten,” Lord Crawthorne answered. “He left his wife here earlier in the evening and promised to collect her. He had no carriage and I obliged him with a seat in mine.”

  “Then I suggest you wait for him outside,” the Earl drawled, “with the other lackeys!”

  “Are you turning me from your house, Meltham?” Lord Crawthorne asked in a tone of fury.

  “If you do not leave at once, I will have you thrown out,” the Earl replied. “I promise you I am not speaking lightly.”

  For a moment it seemed that Lord Crawthorne would defy him.

  Then, as if he realised that the Earl would have no hesitation in putting his threat into action, he made an inarticulate sound of repressed fury and walked away.

  The Earl waited until he was out of ear-shot and then he looked down at Celesta.

  She was standing close against him, her hands against his chest as if she felt without support she would fall to the ground.

  “It is all right now, Celesta,” he said. “Why were you with him?”

  “I could not help it,” she answered in a low voice. “He dragged me into the arbour and I did not wish to make a scene at your party.”

  “Nor did I,” the Earl agreed, “otherwise I would have knocked him down. I told you to have nothing to do with him.”

  “He ... frightens me” Celesta said, “but now that Giles is incensed with him there is no reason why I should ever see him again.”

  She spoke in a low voice as if she would convince herself.

  “You must come back to the Ball “ the Earl said. “Everyone is talking of your attraction and exclaiming about your beauty!”

  Celesta raised her head to look at him and he felt there was a question in her eyes.

  “It is true!”

  He smiled at her.

  “Come!” he said, “I think it is time you had some supper and even after the enormous meal I ate in Westminster Hall I could still enjoy a glass of wine.”

  The Supper-Room was arranged with small tables on each of which there was a lighted candle surrounded by a circle of roses.

  Celesta, who had had nothing to eat since they’d left the Cottage, where she and Giles had enjoyed only a very light dinner prepared by Nana, found the dishes the Earl recommended for her attention both exciting and delicious.

  “I have never eaten quail before,” she exclaimed.

  The Earl sent for lobster, oysters, and stuffed chickens to tempt her appetite, but she could eat only a little.

  He also persuaded her to have a glass of champagne.

  “This too is something I have never tasted before,” she told him.

  She thought he seemed pleased that he could produce so many new delights to entertain her.

  “Have you enjoyed yourself?” he asked.

  “It has been ... wonderful ... so different from what I expected a Ball to be like” Celesta answered, “and everyone has been very kind.”

  “I told you they would be,” the Earl said.

  “You were right, although I admit I did not believe you,” Celesta answered.

  She gave a little sigh.

  “Now it is time for me to go home.”

  “There are so many more things I would like to say to you,” the Earl said.

  There was a note in his voice that made her eyes fall before his.

  “Do not be afraid,” he said quickly. “I am not going to plague you with questions or decisions tonight. I want you to be happy. I want you to appreciate how lovely you are and to find that life, when you are not hating anyone, can be very enjoyable.”

  “It has all been ... marvellous!” Celesta said and her eyes met his.

  She did not know why, but suddenly it was hard to breathe.

  She felt as if he held her spellbound.

  He was not touching her and yet she felt his arms were round her and his lips were seeking hers as they had done before.

  Again that strange feeling she had felt within her breast when he had kissed her yesterday seemed to sweep over her in a tidal wave, warm, insidious, and incomprehensible.

  She could not escape; could not break away; she did not even want to do so.

  Then abruptly a voice shattered the spell.

  “So this is where you are, Vidal!” Lady Imogen exclaimed.

  Her voice was hard and the expression on her face was one of barely suppressed anger.

  She was escorted by three young men and as the Earl rose slowly to his feet they looked uncomfortable, as if they sensed there might be a scene.

  “I was waiting for you to take me down to supper,” Lady Imogen said.

  Because she was angry her voice seemed to ring out in the Supper-Room so that a number of people at adjacent tables turned their heads to see what was happening.

  “I must apologise if you waited for me,” the Earl replied. “But as you must have realised, Imogen, it was my duty to take my most important guest down to supper, and that of course is Miss Wroxley!”

  For a moment Lady Imogen went pale with anger.

  Then before she could speak, before the words of fury which trembled on her lips could find expression, the Earl turned to Celesta.

  Putting his hand out to assist her to rise, he said conversationally:

  “We must find your brother. He will be wishing to escort you home.”

  Without even a look in Lady Imogen’s direction, the Earl manoeuvred Celesta past the three young men and they walked across the crowded Supper-Room followed by speculative and extremely interested glances from all those present.

  They reached the Salon in which the Earl had received his guests.

  It was empty because most people were either in the Ball-Room or having supper.

  “I think as you have a long drive ahead of you that it would be wise for you to go now,” the Earl said quietly.

  “I am sorry if I have caused you any ... trouble,” Celesta said.

  “You have caused me no trouble,” the Earl answered. “You have been everything I expected you to be, and more.”

  “It has been very wonderful!” she murmured.

  The Earl told a footman to find Sir Giles Wroxley, who, being found at a bar in the Dining-Room, appeared in a few seconds.

  Celesta knew at once that he had been drinking; he was walking with the deliberate care of a man who is aware that he is unsteady on his feet.

  The carriage was brought to the door and the Earl saw them into it.

  “I shall be coming to the Priory very shortly,” he said quietly and stepped back as the horses started off.

  Giles hardly spoke but settled himself in a corner of the carriage where very soon he fell asleep.

  Celesta looked out into the darkness.

  It seemed to her the music of the Band was still playing in her ears and she could feel her feet still dancing over the polished floor.

  She had no idea that a Ball could be so gay, so exciting, or that men would say such fascinating and complimentary things to her.

  She tried not to think about Lord Crawthorne and what she had felt when he had attempted to kiss her.

  Instead she remembered how she had danced with the Earl; how easy it had been to follow his steps.

  Her thoughts brought her to the moment when they had looked into each other’s eyes at the supper-table.

  It had seemed as if he was telling her something very special, something she longed to hear.

  ‘He is different ... very different from other men,’ Celesta thought.

  She wondered why it was an obscure pain that every mile she drove took her further away from him.

  Chapter Six

  Celesta was in the Sitting-Room with Giles
trying to coax him into a better temper.

  She realised he had not completely slept off the amount of drink he had consumed the night before and she looked with consternation at the dark lines under his eyes.

  He appeared much older than he should have, and there was no doubt, she thought, that his character had changed since he had lived in London.

  It was difficult to realise that he was the same gay, delightful brother whom she had loved as a child.

  Now, because through his own fault he had thrown away his possessions, Giles was prepared to snarl at and dislike everyone with whom he came in contact.

  “You must have enjoyed yourself last night,” Celesta insisted.

  As she spoke she remembered what a fascinating, enchanted evening it had been for her.

  “Enjoy myself?” Giles questioned. “Do you think I can enjoy myself when I see how much money Meltham can afford to expend on one Ball? Why should he have a house like that and everything he requires in life while I barely have two coins to rub together in my pocket?”

  “You had more than that after Papa died,” Celesta said quietly.

  “Throw it in my face that I have been a fool!” Giles exclaimed angrily.

  He paused for a moment to add in a surly manner:

  “It was Meltham’s fault! If he had not interfered I am certain I should have won that hand.”

  “Whether you were playing against the Earl or anyone else,” Celesta said, “surely the cards you held would have been the same?”

  This was irrefutable, and Giles lapsed into sulky silence.

  “I must have some money,” he said after a little while, “and what is more immediate, I want a drink!”

  “There is nothing in the house,” Celesta answered. “As you well know, we cannot afford any sort of wine.”

  “Oh, my God!” Giles ejaculated, “was ever a man bedevilled by bad fortune and forced into a worse situation than this?”

  “At least you are not in prison!” Celesta reminded him.

  “At least I could get a drink in the Fleet if I had the money,” Giles retorted.

  Celesta rose from the stool on which she had been sitting.

  There was no point in arguing, she thought, no point in trying to convince Giles that he might have been in worse circumstances than he was at the moment.