False Colours by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online

very thing!’
    Startled, he said: ‘I was only funning, Mama!’
    She paid no heed to this, but embraced him warmly, saying: ‘I might have known you would come to the rescue! How could I be such a ninnyhammer as not to have thought of it myself? Dear Kit!’
    Mr Fancot, realizing too late that he had committed an error of judgement, made haste to retrieve his position. ‘You didn’t think of it because it’s an absurdity. I said it only to make you laugh! Of course I couldn’t take Evelyn’s place!’
    ‘But you could ,Kit! Why, you have frequently done so!’
    ‘When we were hey-go-mad boys, kicking up larks! Mama, you must surely perceive that this is a very different matter! Setting aside all other considerations, how could I hope to fob myself off as Evelyn at such a gathering?’
    ‘But nothing could be easier!’ she responded.
    ‘Mama, do, pray, consider! I apprehend this party is to be composed of the various members of the family. Well, I know Stavely, admittedly, but not another soul should I recognize—least of all the girl to whom I should be supposed to be betrothed!’
    She disposed unhesitatingly of this objection. ‘You will recognize Cressy, because she will receive you, with Stavely and his new wife. As for the rest, Evelyn doesn’t know them either.’
    ‘And Miss Stavely herself?’ he demanded. ‘Can you believe that she wouldn’t detect the imposture?’
    ‘Oh, I am persuaded she won’t!’ responded her ladyship blithely. ‘Recollect that she is not closely acquainted with Evelyn! The only occasion on which they have been alone together was when he proposed to her. Then, too, she doesn’t expect to see you instead of Evelyn. That is very important!’
    ‘Of course she doesn’t expect it! But—’
    ‘No, no, you don’t understand what I mean, dearest! It won’t occur to anyone that you are not Evelyn, because no one knows that you’ve come home. It would be a very different matter if you resided here, when people would be accustomed to find themselves talking to the wrong twin. You can’t have forgotten how it was before you went abroad! Why, persons who had known you from your cradles were used to say, when either of you came into the room: ‘Now, which of them is this?’ Then there was always the possibility that the one who was thought to be Evelyn would presently be found to be you, so that people naturally stared very hard at you, trying to decide which of you it was. But you have been abroad now for three years, and no one wonders any more if Evelyn is really Evelyn. He couldn’t be you, because you are in Vienna. My dear, providence must have caused you to arrive at this ridiculous hour, and without a word of warning! Not a soul has the smallest suspicion that you are not still in Vienna!’
    Mr Fancot was much inclined to think that not providence but his evil genius had been at work, but he kept this reflection to himself, applying his energies instead to the task of pointing out to his parent the various reasons which made her scheme impossible. He was singularly unsuccessful. The more Lady Denville dwelled on it the more enamoured of it did she become; and when Kit told her that it was fantastic, she said enthusiastically: ‘Yes, isn’t it? That’s what makes it so excellent! Nobody would ever dream we should dare do anything so out of the way!’
    ‘Not out of the way! Outrageous! ’
    She looked at him with misgiving, and said: ‘You know, Kit, I never did quite like it when you joined the diplomatic service. I had the greatest dread that you might grow to be like Henry, and I was right! Dearest, I hate pinching at you, but I couldn’t bear it if you became prim and prosy!’
    ‘Oh, dear!’ said Kit, dismayed. ‘Am I prim and prosy? I’d no suspicion of it!’
    ‘No, love,’ she replied, patting his hand. ‘Naturally you had not, which is why I feel it to be my duty to drop a word of warning in your ear, so that you may overcome the tendency.