Last Nocturne Read Online Free PDF Page B

day. And deliciously pretty, too. You’ll have to keep an eye on her where Guy is concerned, dear Edwina. Every mama of my acquaintance has him in her sights,’ rejoined Cynthia, smiling, watching Edwina carefully. She too, had a marriageable daughter. And, lurking somewhere in the background, a husband, whom she seemed constantly to be misplacing, like a lost pair of spectacles – until he was called upon to repay her persistent bridge and dressmaking debts, which he did with great reluctance, and only after a tremendous show-down. The result was that Mrs Cadell was chronically short of money, and it was her mission in life, to which she was dedicated with absolute and utter ruthlessness, to see that her Virginia should not make the same mistake as she had.
    ‘What? Guy?’ demanded Edwina sharply. ‘In that case, they may be disappointed. Amongst other things, he’s come home with some strange idea that he will never marry, if you please. Quite maddening.’
    Maddening to distraction, if the truth were told, though she wouldn’t have let her dearest Cynthia see this, not for the world, especially since she knew what Cynthia was angling after, something she was determined to prevent at all costs. Edwina could do better than silly, penniless little Virginia Cadell for Guy. He was, after all, her only son – their only
child
, in fact, for thirteen years – until Dulcie was born. But that led to matters best not dwelt upon, she thought, a little lurch of the heart taking her back two hours, and noticing a little belatedly how Mrs Cadell’s smiling little triangular cat face had become avid with curiosity. She ought to have remembered: Cynthia missed nothing – and by the way – ‘You are looking particularly smart today, Cynthia dear. It must be your new dressmaker – what is her name, again?’
    ‘Lucile, Edwina. Surely you must remember. Everyone’s mad about her.’
    ‘No, I forgot. You know how bad my memory sometimes is – which is only to be expected when I have so much on my mind.’ But of course Edwina remembered Lucile now – the newest fad, a provocative dressmaker who was taking rich society women by storm with her daring – and perhaps not
quite
nice – creations. Original, however. Cynthia’s dress was in shades of green and amber that reflected the colour of her eyes. Clever Cynthia.
    ‘The young can be too provoking,’ murmured the lady in question, bringing Edwina back to the point with a gentle prod.
    ‘Yes, too vexatious of the boy, but what can one do?’ Edwina gave an amused lift of her shoulders to indicate the subject closed.
    Cynthia, however, was on the scent, and not to be put off. ‘Darling, one assumes he meant it as a joke? Though one hasn’t seen him around much since he came home…’
    ‘Oh, you know Guy. He doesn’t make those sort of jokes. I’m sure he means what he says. At the moment he’s more interested in winding up his father’s affairs – which is only right and proper, of course – than in looking for a wife. If he thinks of anything else, it’s of righting the world’s wrongs. A phase which will, of course, pass,’ replied his mother, untroubled, as ever, by uncertainties. But then, she couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her. ‘No girl’s going to want him, however, if he does nothing but glower – and the annoying part is that he can be so charming when he wants to be.’
    ‘Of course he can. We all know what Guy was like as a boy. But my dear, I hardly think you need worry. Those dark, moody looks are madly attractive. And I do believe girls see a little disdainfulness as a challenge.’
    ‘Do they?’
    Edwina was very well aware of the romantic attraction her son had for marriageable young girls, which made his indifference to them all the more infuriating. ‘Talking trivialities to silly young women bores me,’ he told his mother, unanswerably. His manners could be casual, not to say off-hand – unless he drilled himself into being