Sally James by A Clandestine Affair Read Free Book Online

of her lovers has risen, but her constancy has if anything fallen. I would demand proof of a longer-standing attachment than the three weeks or so she has known your brother before consenting to a match.”
    “Then you do not forbid them to meet?” Mary said swiftly, recognising that Teresa could not refuse to do as he wished, and hoping to gain some comfort for the pair.
    “Unless I kept her a prisoner, how could I prevent it?” he asked calmly. “I am no dragon, however she regards me. I put far greater dependence on her own volatility than on repressive measures. Besides, if I forbade them to meet their elopement would become known, and I cannot wish for that to happen. Will you aid me in my deception?” he asked, leaning closer towards her and laughing down at her.
    “I must, and I am grateful for Matthew’s sake that you do not forbid them to meet.”
    “They must not meet alone, though, but in Cheltenham Teresa will be strictly chaperoned. I shall give it out that she is exhausted from all her racketing about, and has gone to the country. Thank you for your hospitality, but I will now remove her to the inn, and wait for a message to be taken to Cheltenham, and also send for her mama to join us.”
    “Allow her to stay here, if you please. Since papa seems to have known your father, it will be reasonable that she stays with me for a few days.”
    He looked at her with raised eyebrows. “It would be very kind of you. Can you offer her the chaperonage I insist upon when I am not able to undertake that duty?”
    Mary grimaced at the idea of being regarded as a chaperone, but nodded.
    “Naturally, or I would not have offered.”
    Sir Ingram laughed. “Then it is agreed, and I am most grateful to you. All that remains is to inform them.”
    He rose and extended his hand to help Mary to her feet, and she had just taken it when Caroline, her children with her, appeared.
    “Mary, forgive me for interrupting. Susan said that you were out here, but not that you had a visitor!”
    “Oh, I don’t think she knew,” Mary said, withdrawing her hand from Sir Ingram’s in some confusion. “This is Sir Ingram Leigh, and his cousin is staying with us for a few days. Matthew has also come down from London. Sir Ingram’s father knew papa at Oxford. Sir Ingram, my dear friend Caroline Grafton.”
    They uttered polite greetings, and Caroline, noting Mary’s heightened colour, and making a swift but approving survey of Sir Ingram, smiled to herself.
    “If you are staying here for a while, you must all come to the party my husband and I are giving tomorrow. We are not entirely dull in the country, you know.”
    “I would be delighted,” Sir Ingram replied, “and I will accept on my cousin’s behalf too. Teresa will no doubt have recovered from her headache by then,” he said, with a laughing glance at Mary.
    “Does she suffer from headaches? I do commiserate,” Caroline replied feelingly, for she had often had severe ones herself recently. “But you will all come, which is delightful. Mary, I really came to deliver a message. I was walking with the children through the village, and Geoffrey Knowle asked me to inform you that he had been called out to a sick parishioner and so would be unable to call this morning.”
    Mary could not forbear glancing at Sir Ingram, but he was occupied in shaking out the folds of his coat and putting it on. As she turned back to reply to Caroline, however, his voice, so low that only she could hear it, came from behind her.
    “Morning is not the most romantic time for a declaration, I agree.”
    When Caroline left to continue her walk, Sir Ingram departed to write his letters, saying that if it was convenient he would call later in the afternoon to speak with Teresa. Going back into the house Mary found that Matthew had descended to the dining room and was gloomily partaking of a hearty meal. He looked up at her with a shamefaced grin, and invited her to scold him for a silly