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Authors: Georgette Heyer
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engaging your servants can be left to my secretary. I have instructed him to attend to this.”
“I prefer to engage my own servants,” said Miss Taverner, goaded.
“Certainly,” replied Worth suavely. “I will instruct Blackader to direct those he considers the most suitable to call on you at your hotel. Where are you putting up?”
“At Grillon’s,” said Miss Taverner in a hollow voice. A vision of butlers, footmen, housekeepers, serving-maids, grooms, all streaming into Grillon’s hotel to be interviewed, most forcibly struck her mind’s eye. She began to perceive that the Earl of Worth was a foe well worthy of her steel.
The Earl lowered his sword—or so it seemed to her. “Unless you would prefer to see Blackader himself, and give him your commands?”
Miss Taverner, with a chilly haughtiness that concealed her inward gratitude, accepted this offer.
Peregrine looked over his shoulder, and said belligerently: “I shall be sending to Yorkshire, for certain of my horses, but we shall be needing others, and a carriage for my sister.”
“Surely you can buy a carriage without my assistance?” said Worth in a weary voice. “You will probably be cheated in buying your horses, but the experience won’t harm you.”
Peregrine choked. “I did not mean that! For sure, I don’t need your assistance! All I meant was—what I wished to make plain—”
“I see,” said Worth. “You want to know whether you may set up your stable. Certainly. I have not the least objection.” He came away from the secretaire, and walked slowly across the room to the fireplace. “There remains, Miss Taverner, the problem of finding a lady to live with you.”
“I have a cousin living in Kensington, sir,” said Miss Taverner. “I shall ask her if she will come to me.”
He glanced down at her meditatively. “Will you tell me, Miss Taverner, what precisely is your object in having come to London?”
“What is that to the point, sir?”
“When you are better acquainted with me,” said the Earl, “you will know that I never ask pointless questions. Is it your intention to live upon the fringe of society, or do you mean to take your place in the world of Fashion? Will the Pantheon do for you, or must it be Almack’s?”
She replied instantly: “It must be the best, sir.”
“Then we need not consider the cousin living in Kensington,” said Worth. “Fortunately, I know a lady who (though I fear you may find her in some ways extremely foolish) is not only willing to undertake the task of chaperoning you, but has the undoubted entr6e to the world you wish to figure in. Her name is Scattergood. She is a widow, and some sort of a cousin of mine. I will bring her to call on you.”
Miss Taverner got up in one swift graceful movement. “I had rather anyone than a cousin of yours, Lord Worth!” she declared.
He drew out his snuff-box again, and took a pinch between finger and thumb. Over it his eyes met hers. “Shall we agree, Miss Taverner, to consider that remark unsaid?” he suggested gently.
She blushed to the roots of her hair. She could have cried from vexation at having allowed her unruly tongue to betray her into a piece of school-girlish rudeness. “I beg your pardon!” she said stiffly.
He bowed, and laid his snuff-box down open on the table. He had apparently no more to say to her, for he turned to Peregrine, and called him away from the window. “When you have visited a tailor,” he said, “come to me again, and we will discuss what clubs you want me to put your name up for.”
Peregrine came to the table, half sulky, half eager. “Can you have me made a member of White’s?” he asked rather shyly.
“Yes, I can have you made a member of White’s.” said the Earl.
“And—and—Watier’s, is it not?”
“That will be for my friend Mr. Brummell to decide. His decision will not be in your favour if you let him see you in that coat. Go to Weston, in Conduit Street, or to Schweitzer
“I prefer to engage my own servants,” said Miss Taverner, goaded.
“Certainly,” replied Worth suavely. “I will instruct Blackader to direct those he considers the most suitable to call on you at your hotel. Where are you putting up?”
“At Grillon’s,” said Miss Taverner in a hollow voice. A vision of butlers, footmen, housekeepers, serving-maids, grooms, all streaming into Grillon’s hotel to be interviewed, most forcibly struck her mind’s eye. She began to perceive that the Earl of Worth was a foe well worthy of her steel.
The Earl lowered his sword—or so it seemed to her. “Unless you would prefer to see Blackader himself, and give him your commands?”
Miss Taverner, with a chilly haughtiness that concealed her inward gratitude, accepted this offer.
Peregrine looked over his shoulder, and said belligerently: “I shall be sending to Yorkshire, for certain of my horses, but we shall be needing others, and a carriage for my sister.”
“Surely you can buy a carriage without my assistance?” said Worth in a weary voice. “You will probably be cheated in buying your horses, but the experience won’t harm you.”
Peregrine choked. “I did not mean that! For sure, I don’t need your assistance! All I meant was—what I wished to make plain—”
“I see,” said Worth. “You want to know whether you may set up your stable. Certainly. I have not the least objection.” He came away from the secretaire, and walked slowly across the room to the fireplace. “There remains, Miss Taverner, the problem of finding a lady to live with you.”
“I have a cousin living in Kensington, sir,” said Miss Taverner. “I shall ask her if she will come to me.”
He glanced down at her meditatively. “Will you tell me, Miss Taverner, what precisely is your object in having come to London?”
“What is that to the point, sir?”
“When you are better acquainted with me,” said the Earl, “you will know that I never ask pointless questions. Is it your intention to live upon the fringe of society, or do you mean to take your place in the world of Fashion? Will the Pantheon do for you, or must it be Almack’s?”
She replied instantly: “It must be the best, sir.”
“Then we need not consider the cousin living in Kensington,” said Worth. “Fortunately, I know a lady who (though I fear you may find her in some ways extremely foolish) is not only willing to undertake the task of chaperoning you, but has the undoubted entr6e to the world you wish to figure in. Her name is Scattergood. She is a widow, and some sort of a cousin of mine. I will bring her to call on you.”
Miss Taverner got up in one swift graceful movement. “I had rather anyone than a cousin of yours, Lord Worth!” she declared.
He drew out his snuff-box again, and took a pinch between finger and thumb. Over it his eyes met hers. “Shall we agree, Miss Taverner, to consider that remark unsaid?” he suggested gently.
She blushed to the roots of her hair. She could have cried from vexation at having allowed her unruly tongue to betray her into a piece of school-girlish rudeness. “I beg your pardon!” she said stiffly.
He bowed, and laid his snuff-box down open on the table. He had apparently no more to say to her, for he turned to Peregrine, and called him away from the window. “When you have visited a tailor,” he said, “come to me again, and we will discuss what clubs you want me to put your name up for.”
Peregrine came to the table, half sulky, half eager. “Can you have me made a member of White’s?” he asked rather shyly.
“Yes, I can have you made a member of White’s.” said the Earl.
“And—and—Watier’s, is it not?”
“That will be for my friend Mr. Brummell to decide. His decision will not be in your favour if you let him see you in that coat. Go to Weston, in Conduit Street, or to Schweitzer
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