The Ruby Pendant Read Online Free PDF Page B

consent to accompany
us.'
    'I have not
been in the best of health and am much fatigued, Mr Martindale,' her ladyship
said. 'And I have promised myself a comfortable coze at home with an old
friend, but if Juliette wishes to go, then her maid may accompany her.'
    Juliette
suppressed a little gasp. This was the first she had heard of her mother
meeting a friend and she had never heard her tell an untruth before. Was she
trying to throw them together? In view of the story of the family quarrel, she
was not at all sure she should accept the invitation without first asking her
father. It would put her mother out of countenance if she should point that out
in front of the young man, so she hesitated, wondering if she ought to make
some excuse to decline. She had almost made up her mind to do so, when Mr
Devonshire was announced.
    Wearing a
military-style frockcoat and kerseymere pantaloons, he came into the room,
smiling easily, and strode over to the ladies to make his bow before them and
ask how they did. On being assured that both were well, he added, 'I had hoped
to speak to his lordship...'
    `I am afraid he
is not at home,' Lady Martindale said. `But please sit down.'
    Philip turned
to James, apparently noticing him for the first time. 'Good day to you,
Martindale.'
    `Good day to
you.' James grinned at him, though his eyes flickered, as if he could not quite
meet the other's steady gaze. 'You see, I beat you to it. I am to escort Miss
Martindale in the park this afternoon.'
    `I congratulate
you on your good fortune,' Philip said.
    Then, to the
ladies, he added, 'Please excuse me, I will withdraw and return another time,
if her ladyship and Miss Martindale will do me the honour of receiving me.'
    Her ladyship
smiled a little stiffly. 'Of course.'
    The grin on
James Martindale's face as he watched him go, was one of unalloyed triumph and
Juliette found herself feeling sorry for Mr Devonshire. Was she supposed to be
pleased that two men were so obviously at daggers drawn over her? Or was there
more to it than that?
    And now it had
been taken out of her hands; James had assumed she had consented and there was
no opportunity to contradict him because her other partners from the ball
arrived in quick succession, bringing flowers and sweetmeats, and after a few
desultory remarks about the success of the occasion, James took his leave,
saying he would call for her at three o'clock.
     
    Lord Martindale
returned to the house from the House of Lords a little after two. He went
straight into the library, ordering food and wine to be taken in to him.
Juliette waylaid the servant with the tray and took it in herself.
    `My,' he said,
smiling up at her from his armchair on one side of the hearth, 'what have I
done to deserve such attention from the belle of the ball?'
    `Who said I was
the belle of the ball? Surely not Mama?'
    `Why not Mama?
She is as proud of you as I am and it is due to her that you looked so well.
She said you had been a great success.'
    Juliette smiled
with pleasure; her mother rarely praised. `Oh, but I have to own that I was
tempted to accept a third dance with the same partner.'
    `Oh,' he
teased. 'And who had the temerity to ask you three times?'
    `Mr James
Martindale. He called earlier and asked me to take a carriage ride with him in
the park.'
    `Did he, by
Jove!'
    `Papa, should
we be receiving him? He told me you and his father had quarrelled.'
    `So we did, but
it was a long time ago and all forgotten now.' He sounded unnaturally jolly.
    `Then you have
no objection to my going?'
    `None at all,
my dear. But do not let him monopolise you. I want you to meet every eligible
in town and make your own choice. You must have met and danced with others.'
    `Indeed, I did.
There was Mr Arthur Boreton and Mr Macgregor, but he is so fat he had no idea
where he was putting his feet. And Lord Hart took me on the floor for the
Lancers, which must have been very unwise at his age. He hardly had breath left
at the end to speak. I began