Cat Among the Pigeons Read Online Free PDF Page A

daughter.
    â€˜Not yet, Mama.’
    â€˜What’s wrong with you, girl? At your age, I would’ve thrown off the parental shackles and hopped on board the first boat to America to see him.’
    â€˜Perhaps I’m rebelling against the parental shackles by not doing as you say, Mama,’ said Lizzie with a smile.
    â€˜True,’ chuckled the duchess. ‘Fortunately for us all, Lizzie, you inherited your father’s wit rather than mine. No one ever said the Bristol Nightingale had a fine brain. A fine voice, yes – that was what caught your father – as well as a fine –’
    â€˜ – Mama,’ interrupted Lizzie loudly, ‘I don’tthink you’ve met our friends. Remember, we told you about them? May I present Miss Royal, Mr Hawkins and Mr Fletcher?’
    The duchess now noticed us standing by the tea table. I bobbed a curtsey. Pedro and Syd bowed.
    â€˜Who?’ she said coldly, lifting a pair of spectacles on a gold chain.
    â€˜Cat, Pedro and Syd,’ Frank whispered. ‘You know – from Drury Lane.’
    â€˜Why didn’t you say so at once, you ninnies! Thank goodness you’re not wasting your time with those stuffy respectable types your father favours. Drury Lane! My, my. I was there when Mr Garrick ruled the roost.’ She chucked me under the chin – I couldn’t help staring: she had been one of us, a singer, but was now a duchess! ‘How’s that for a make-believe ending?’ I wanted to ask Pedro.
    â€˜Oh, yes, I’ve heard all about you three,’ she continued, looking Syd up and down with admiration. ‘The conqueror of the Camden Crusher, if I’m not mistaken?’ Syd bowed asecond time, impeded by his lively burden of yapping dog. ‘Come, come, don’t stand on ceremony.’ The duchess bent towards me. ‘Fill me in on all the gossip, my dear. Who’s Mr Sheridan’s latest conquest? Quite how much does he owe everyone these days?’
    I was spared the need to answer by the appearance of a tall gentleman, his white hair brushed forwards on to his forehead. Enter the Duke of Avon.
    â€˜My dear, I heard you had arrived,’ he said, kissing his wife’s hand affectionately.
    â€˜Couldn’t miss me, could you, not with all the brouhaha I made in the hall?’
    â€˜Indeed not. You were never one to make a mean entrance. How was your journey from the country?’
    â€˜Roads were frightful. Almost lost the coach in a pothole near Reading. Scared off a couple of highwaymen at Heath Row. That pistol you gave me makes a wonderful bang.’
    â€˜I’m so glad you like it, my dear. Now, haveyou met our guests?’ The duke turned to smile at Pedro, Syd and me.
    â€˜Oh yes, the boxer, the African violinist and the little girl you tried to hang?’
    â€˜That’s the ones.’ The duke gave me a rueful look.
    â€˜Yes, we’ve just been introduced. But you interrupted Miss Cat. She was about to serve me up the most delicious feast of gossip.’
    â€˜Mama,’ said Lizzie, placing a restraining hand on her mother’s arm. ‘I’m afraid we’ve got far more serious things to discuss. Pedro needs our help.’
    â€˜Oh,’ said the duchess, rather downcast. ‘In that case, I’ll take myself off to my boudoir and repair the damages of the journey. I can be of no assistance to anyone while still carrying half the roads of southern England on my gown.’ She cast me a regretful look as she passed.
    â€˜Ask me again later, your grace, and I’ll tell you all I know,’ I said in an undertone. The duchess brightened visibly.
    â€˜Wonderful. What a good girl you are! I can see we’ll get on splendidly.’
    And trailing silk scarves, she flounced from the room, the duke at her side, Bobo barking excitedly at her heels. All the colour in the room seemed to leave with her.
    â€˜That, my friends, was our