VIscount Besieged by Elizabeth Bailey Read Free Book Online

Oh,
that must be nonsense, Dora,’ said Cousin Matty irritably. ‘He is a
most pleasant man—thank heaven!’
    ‘ And
terribly good-looking,’ added Fanny, glancing slyly at Isadora.
‘Don’t you think so, Dora?’
    Isadora declined
to answer this. She had just remembered that the viscount had
evidently not known her own name before she had mentioned it
herself, and she was looking frowningly at Thornbury.
    ‘ What
did he ask about us?’
    The other three
were too eager to hear the answer to this to interrupt the lawyer
with further questions.
    ‘ Only
what might have been expected, ’Thornbury answered.
    ‘ Well, what was that?’ demanded Isadora, adding impatiently,
‘Do sit down again, Mr Thornbury. You cannot suppose that they are
going to let you go before their curiosity is
satisfied.’
    Thornbury
smiled. ‘Their curiosity?’
    ‘ Well, I don’t care what he asked. I learned everything I ever
want to know about the viscount when we met in the
gardens.’
    ‘ Why,
what did he say to you?’ asked Fanny eagerly.
    ‘ Never you mind,’ Isadora responded darkly.
    ‘ I’ll
wager it was Dora who did the talking,’ guessed Rowland,
grinning.
    ‘ For
heaven’s sake,’ said Cousin Matty on a querulous note. ‘For my
part, I am more concerned with what Mr Thornbury can tell us.’ She
turned to the lawyer again. ‘It pains me to trouble you, sir, but I
am so anxious.’
    With obvious
reluctance, the lawyer resumed the seat he had been occupying on
the sofa until Roborough and Mrs Alvescot left the room. He sighed
at the expectant faces all about him.
    ‘ There really is very little to tell. Lord Roborough had not
assimilated the contents of my letter, beyond the fact that the
family were situated in extremely difficult circumstances. His
enquiries were in the main connected with the details, which you
all know, and the number of persons with whom he must concern
himself.’
    ‘ He
wanted to know how old we all were, I dare say,’ Isadora put in
shrewdly, recalling what the viscount had said about not having to
concern himself with Fanny as yet.
    ‘ That, yes,’ agreed the lawyer, casting her a glance of
surprise. ‘It is relevant, in the light of any future arrangements
he may choose to make.’
    ‘ Arrangements?’ echoed Isadora suspiciously. ‘What sort of
arrangements?’
    Thornbury
shrugged. ‘I have no idea, Miss Alvescot.’
    ‘ You
mean he has forbidden you to speak of them,’ guessed
Isadora.
    Thornbury
coughed. ‘Not precisely. Although naturally I would be obliged to
respect his lordship’s wishes if he had done so.’
    ‘ Great heavens, one would think the matter was no concern of
ours at all!’
    ‘ I
think his lordship is aware of how very much it is your concern,’
the lawyer said in a reproving tone. ‘But the truth is, he has not
confided in me with regard to any plans he may have.’
    ‘ But
you spoke of arrangements?’ Cousin Matty ventured.
    ‘ I
was speaking only as one who understands what question must arise
in his lordship’s mind.’
    ‘ What
question is that?’ pursued Cousin Matty.
    ‘ Yes,
we aren’t lawyers,’ stated Fanny practically.
    ‘ Fanny, you shouldn’t be so brassy,’ butted in Rowland
suddenly. ‘I dare say Mr Thornbury will refuse to tell us anything
if you talk like that.’
    Fanny looked
daggers at her brother, and then turned sweetly to the lawyer,
saying unctuously, ‘I beg your pardon, Mr Thornbury.’
    ‘ So I
should hope,’ said Cousin Matty severely. ‘Now hold your tongue,
do, Fanny. You were saying, Mr Thornbury?’
    The lawyer
raised his eyebrows. ‘Was I?’
    ‘ Arrangements,’ Isadora prompted.
    ‘ Ah
yes. What I meant was that, should Lord Roborough choose to take
responsibility for the family—and from his discourse I will say at
least that I have every expectation that he will—he can only gauge
the likely form and expense of this if he knows the ages of the
parties concerned.’
    Cousin Matty was
gazing at