An Infamous Army Read Online Free PDF

unwillingly - but, after all, it was not likely that Bab would waste more than two minutes of her time on little Lucy Devenish - Judith made the necessary introduction. The smile and the hand were bestowed; Barbara made a movement with her fan, including in the group the officer on whose arm she had entered the salon. "Lady Worth, do you known M. le Capitaine Comte de Lavisse?"
    "I believe we have met," acknowledged Judith, devoutly hoping that Brussels' most notorious rake would not take one of his dangerous fancies to the damsel in her charge.
    However, the Captain Count's dark eyes betrayed no more than a fleeting interest in Miss Devenish, and before any introduction could be made a young gentleman with embryonic whiskers, and a sandy head at lamentable difference with his scarlet dress coat, joined them.
    "Hallo, Bab!" said Lord Harry Alastair. "Servant, Lady Worth! Miss Devenish, do you know they are dancing in the other room? May I have the honour?"
    Judith, smiling a gracious permission, could not but feel that the path of a chaperon was a hard one. The reputation of the Alastairs, from Dominic, Duke of Avon, down to his granddaughter, Barbara, was not such as to lead a conscientious duenna to observe with pleasure her charge being borne off by any one of them. She comforted herself with the reflection that Lord Harry, an eighteen-year-old Ensign could hardly be considered dangerous. Had it been Lord George, now! But Lord George, happily, was not in Belgium.
    By the time Lord Harry had escorted Miss Devenish to the ballroom, the inevitable crowd had gathered round his sister. Lady Worth escaped from it, but not before she had been asked (inevitably, she thought) for news from Vienna.
    Rumours and counter-rumours were as usual being circulated; the English in Brussels seemed to be poised for flight; and the only thing that would infallibly reassure the timorous was the certain news of the Duke's arrival.
    It was easy to see what Brussels would make of him when he did come. "The pedestal is ready for the hero," said Judith, with rather a provocative smile. "And we are all ready to kneel and worship at the base. I hope he may be worthy of our admiration."
    General Maitland, to whom she had addressed this remark, said: "Do you know him, Lady Worth?"
    "I have not that pleasure. Pray do not mention it, but I have never so much as laid eyes on him. Is it not shocking?"
    "Oh!" said the General.
    She raised her brows. "What am I to understand by that, if you please? Shall I be disappointed? I warn you, I expect a demi-god!"
    "Demi-god," repeated the General, stroking one beautiful whisker. "Well, I don't know. Shouldn't have called him so myself."
    "Ah, I am to be disappointed! I feared as much."
    "No - no," said the General. "Not disappointed. He is a very able commander."
    "That sounds a little flat, I confess. Is it only the ladies who worship him? Do not his soldiers?"
    "Oh no, nothing like that!" said the General, relieved to be able to answer a plain question. "I believe they rather like him than not: they like to see his hook nose among them at any rate; but they don't worship him. Don't think he'd care for it if they did."
    She was interested. "You present me with a new picture, General. My brother-in-law is quite devoted to him, I believe."
    "Audley? Well, he's one of his family, you see." He observed a bewildered look on her face, and added: .'On his staff, I should say. That's another matter altogether. His staff know him better than the rest of us."
    "This is more promising. He is unapproachable. A demi-god should certainly be so."
    He laughed suddenly. "No, no, you won't find him unapproachable, Lady Worth, I pledge you my word!"
    Their conversation was interrupted by Sarah and Georgiana Lennox, who came up to them with their arms entwined. The General greeted the elder sister with such a warm smile that Lady Worth was satisfied that rumour had not lied about his purpose of re-marriage. Lady Sarah went off on his