Read Online 06.The Penniless Peer (The Eternal Collection) by Cartland Barbara - Free Book Online Page B

because the team he had now were still spirited, still chafing at their bits, fidgeting and anxious to move off.
    “Will you come with me?” Sir Nicolas asked Hetty.
    “But of course,” she answered.
    He helped her into the Phaeton before he walked round to the other side and climbing into the driver’s seat took the reins from his groom.
    Towering like a Queen above them Hetty made a graceful gesture with her gloved hand.
    “Goodbye, Periquine, goodbye Fenella,” she said, “I hope I shall see you both again soon.”
    Then Sir Nicolas started his horses, and with the wheels of the Phaeton scrunching on the loose gravel they drove away down the avenue of oak trees.
    “Curse him! “ Lord Corbury said furiously as Fenella stood watching them out of sight. “How can I compete with a man who can afford horses like that?”
    “One does not love anyone for their horses,” Fenella replied.
    “But Hetty cannot help being impressed with them,” Lord Corbury answered. “And she is impressed with him anyway.”
    “He is very stiff,” Fenella said, “but I think if he relaxed he might be quite interesting.”
    “Interesting! That stuck-up, stuffed pelican!” Lord Corbury ejaculated. “And what in God’s name were you saying to him when we came into the room?”
    “I was trying to keep him from coming in search of Hetty,” Fenella answered. “I did not think you would want him bursting upon you in the arbour.”
    “How did you know we were in the arb-?” Lord Conbury began. Then added, “Blast it, Fenella, you know too much! It was bad luck his turning up after all. I was beginning to think that Hetty had forgotten his very existence.”
    He walked back into the house and Fenella followed him.
    It was always the same, she thought, after Hetty had been at the Priory she left Periquine frustrated and unhappy.
    “Did you not enjoy your time together?” she asked in a small voice.
    “Of course I did,” Lord Corbury answered.
    They had reached the Salon by now and she saw him glance at the Priest’s Hole as if he wanted to reassure himself that the money was still there.
    “She is the most beautiful creature,” he went on almost as if he spoke to himself. “I cannot believe there has ever been anyone as lovely. So how can I expect her to live in this squalor?”
    “She has money of her own,” Fenella suggested.
    “I do not intend to live on my wife,” Lord Corbury said harshly, “and, what is more, Hetty spends every penny that her father allows her. I could hardly expect her to pay for the food she eats or the servants who wait on her in my house.”
    He sounded so irritable that Fenella could only murmur apologetically,
     “No, of course not.”
    “I must have some money,” Lord Corbury said, “and, Fenella, last night I had an idea.”
    “An idea?” Fenella enquired.
    “I was looking around the house,” Lord Corbury said, “trying to find anything - even a piece of china which had been forgotten and might prove valuable - then in the attics I found these.”
    He went to the drawer of the desk as he spoke and brought out two black masks.
    “What are they?” Fenella asked curiously.
    “Masks,” he said, “that were worn at a Charade my mother arranged one Christmas. It was years ago, I was only ten at the time, so I imagine you were too young to be present.”
    “I certainly was at the age of four,” Fenella smiled.
    “I remember it well,” Lord Corbury said. “I was only allowed to watch, but my father was the hero and he was a Highwayman.”
    “Highwayman!” Fenella exclaimed.
    “The play was called `Your Money Or Your Life’,” Lord Corbury explained.
    His eyes met Fenella’s as he spoke and for a moment they looked at each other.
    “It would not be safe,” Fenella said. “You know that most people have a footman on their coaches carrying a blunderbuss.”
    “Not all of them,” Lord Corbury corrected, “and not in a part of the country they know well or when they are