Chapter Three

T he following afternoon, Denzil called casually on Dr. Lampton. Not entirely surprised to learn that the doctor was out on sick visits, he asked if Mrs. Lampton was, by chance, receiving.

It seemed she was. He was shown into a comfortable parlor, where the doctor’s wife, the princess, sat on the floor playing jackstraws with a small boy who was clearly her son—the rightful Prince of Rheinwald, according to many.

“My lord, an unexpected pleasure,” the lady greeted him. “Please, sit, and I shall join you immediately after this game.”

“May I not join in?” he asked.

“Of course!” the young prince said generously, casting him a singularly sweet smile. “Mama is bound to bring the whole pile down, but we can begin a new—”

“I shall not,” the princess insisted, carefully drawing a straw free without calamity. “Ha!” she taunted her son, who merely grinned.

Denzil sat on the floor and watched the boy choose his straw.

“I’m sorry, Nicholas is out,” the princess said. “He is unlikely to be back before tea.”

“Oh, that’s no problem,” Denzil said. “It is only a social call, since I was passing. Though in fact I was wondering… We spoke last night about the Princess of Hazburg. Do you know her well?”

“Not really. But I liked her—quite aside from agreeing with her on political matters.”

“Then you would know her if you saw her again?”

“Oh yes. Well done!” She applauded her son, flexing her fingers before reaching for another straw.

“Then I’m very glad I called upon you. The thing is, in my Foreign Office capacity, I have been asked to make sure that the princess might safely visit Blackhaven incognito. May we rely on your discretion, should you run into her?”

“Of course.” She glanced up at him in surprise. “I did not even know she was in the country.”

“It is a private visit, to do with negotiating the return of her brother to Hazburg. A meeting on neutral soil, as it were.”

“I wonder why they did not choose some closer-to-home soil?”

“Because the princess wished to visit on both unofficial state and private business. She included Blackhaven on her itinerary to take in the waters, whose fame appears to have spread far and wide. And it means she might meet with her brother’s representatives away from prying eyes in London. I tell you this in confidence, of course.”

“Of course.” She met his gaze. “Between ourselves, Lord Linfield, I am mightily glad to leave German politics behind me. I shall not appear to notice the princess.” She extracted a straw at apparent random.

“Ha!” exclaimed the young prince with an unfilial show of jubilation. “You brought it all down!”

“Only in the game,” his mother murmured. “Tea, my lord?”

*

Delilah found that her new life of independence would have to be postponed for the day at least. Not only did she have her mother to worry about—why would she and Reggie be playing such a small theatre as Blackhaven’s?—but also her brother Julius.

At breakfast that morning, while Julius was out apparently looking for wild horses who’d careered across Black Hill last night, Delilah’s private thoughts were interrupted by her youngest sister Leona saying innocently, “Who is Mrs. Macy?”

Macy… How did Delilah know that name, and why did she not like it?

“Julius danced with her,” Leona explained, looking around the siblings. “You must have noticed.”

“I saw him talking to a Mrs. Macy,” Lucy said. “She was rather beautiful, actually, if slightly…tense. But I’ve no idea who she is. I didn’t see him dancing with anyone.”

“He did,” Felicia said. “But he left early. I’m not sure we achieved anything by getting him to the ball.”

They all turned back to eating, drinking tea, and reading.

Except Delilah, who suddenly recalled that Antonia Temple, once Julius’s betrothed, had jilted him in order to marry a wealthy landowner called Macy. Oh no, it couldn’t be …

Leona said, “ One of you must have heard of her. Antonia Macy?”

The others shrugged. But Leona’s gaze found Delilah’s and remained.

Delilah drew in a breath. “I would not go near that particular lady.”

“Because she is married?” Leona said, disappointed. “I was hoping she was a widow.”

“Poor Mr. Macy,” Felicia murmured.

“Antonia is the past,” Delilah said firmly, setting down her teacup and rising to her feet. “ Not the future.”

“How do you know?” Lawrence demanded. “Perhaps there are lots of Antonias!”

“Let us hope so,” Delilah said, walking out of the room to hide her agitation.

So Julius had met her again—Antonia Temple, who, ten years ago, had broken his heart. Delilah remembered only too well the sick, empty look on her brother’s face. Never before or since had she seen him so distraught.

She and her father and her younger siblings had stopped off in Portsmouth on their way to Russia, in order to welcome Julius’s betrothed to the family, and even attend the wedding if there was time. And then, before they had even met her, Antonia had heartlessly jilted Julius for a landowning gentleman. Now the woman was apparently widowed and somehow had her claws in him again.

The twins had achieved their wish to wake him up, but what cruel fate had thrown Antonia in his path to do so? Delilah could not allow Julius to be hurt again by this poisonous female. Another reason to go to Blackhaven.

She drove herself in the gig, leaving the carriages for Julius, who apparently had business in the town that day, and Aubrey, who had promised to take his daily dose of the waters.

Studiedly casual, Lucy refused to accompany Delilah—probably because she had made a conquest the previous evening and was hoping he would call. Felicia would be there if he did. They were all agreed Lucy should not be held to her loathed childhood betrothal to a man none of them had met, and it was time she spread her wings. Without getting into mischief, of course.

Abandoning the pony and gig at the town’s livery stable for a couple of hours, Delilah took the quieter back streets toward the theatre, where she discovered the address of the visiting company’s lodgings.

Here, the door was opened by a harassed-looking maid. Hidden from a view, a vocal argument was in full flood. Since the maid ignored it, so did Delilah.

“I’m looking for Mrs. Hampshire,” Delilah said.

“Come in,” the maid said with a sniff. “If you want to with this racket going on. What name shall I say?”

“Miss Vale,” Delilah replied. It wasn’t her but her mother who insisted on keeping their relationship secret. Nell pretended it was to protect Delilah from the slights of her own class, but truly it was to prevent anyone realizing that Nell was old enough to have a thirty-year-old daughter. Delilah didn’t mind. The theatre was notoriously unkind to aging women.

In a very few moments—much to Delilah’s relief, for the argument had reached screaming point—the maid leaned over the banister and beckoned her upstairs.

“Oh, thank God!” Nell exclaimed as soon as Delilah walked through the door. “I’m so glad you’ve come, Lah-Lah. I’m at my wits’ end.”

Nell didn’t exactly fall on her neck, but she did embrace her and kiss the air over her cheek.

“What’s the matter?” Delilah asked prosaically, sitting down on the edge of the unmade bed to await the inevitable request for money, which she could not fulfill until she at least received her fee for work not yet completed.

Nell wilted onto the bed beside her and shaded her eyes with her hand. “My life is over. Reggie is unfaithful.”

Delilah sighed with genuine sympathy. In her experience, very few husbands were faithful. Look at her own father. Look at Felicia’s late husband, Nick. “I’m sorry. Do you know that, or are you just guessing?”

“I know,” Nell said tragically. “A wife always knows.”

“Who is the woman?”

“Elsie Manners—calls herself Elise , but mark my words, she was born Elsie. First, she takes my leading role, even though she will never have more talent than I have in my little finger. Now she is after my husband too. Oh, Delilah, what can I do?”

Relieved not to be Lah-Lah, Delilah tried her best. “Tell him he must stop or he has to find alternative lodgings, along with alternative care for his person, clothes, and meals.”

Nell dropped her arm. “But what if he goes?”

“Then he is not worth having in the first place. I understand men of a certain age tend to stray, in order to confirm their virility, but it is quite obvious that it is you Reggie loves.”

“Do you think so?” Nell asked wistfully.

“I do.” Delilah crossed her fingers around the fabric of her gown.

“The thing is, I am too proud to play the nagging wife, Lah-Lah. You speak to him.”

Delilah widened her eyes in horror. “I can’t possibly! Besides, he’ll know you sent me, so what’s the difference?”

“All the difference in the world, foolish child. Besides, of course he won’t know. He’s with her now.”

Delilah’s jaw dropped. “And you expect me to interrupt them?”

Nell curled her lip. “They’re supposed to be rehearsing. Which means he has to teach her how to act. But you’re bound to see some sign of affection or possessiveness between them, so use that as an excuse to tell Reggie how worried you are. Hint at your influence among the ton and the theatre-going public throughout the country.”

“I don’t have any influence whatsoever…!”

“They don’t know that. Reggie is impressed by titles. Throw your brother’s around. And that lord’s.”

“What lord’s?” Delilah asked in bewilderment.

“The one who’s courting you.”

“No one’s courting me. I’ve been on the shelf for years.”

“Nonsense,” Nell said bracingly. “You’re rather lovely, you know. You’re just so… severe that you scare off all but the bravest.”

“You don’t need to flatter me. I’ll try to see Reggie on my way out.”

“Go now,” Nell urged. “You’ll definitely find him. And insist on privacy. Don’t say anything in front of that—”

“You know so clearly what you want that you’d be better doing it yourself. You also have a much better right to speak alone to your own husband.”

“No, Delilah. It has to be you.”

“Knowing, as I do, so much about marriage,” Delilah muttered.

“You are calm and talk sense, which is so hard to do when one is married.”

Delilah gave in and rose to her feet. “Where is he?”

Nell hung out of her bedchamber door, flapping her hands to guide Delilah along the passage to the correct door. When she reached the second-last one, she glanced back at Nell, who silently clapped her hands and vanished back inside her room.

Delilah sighed and knocked on the door.

There was an immediate rustle, accompanied by a loud male voice declaiming. He paused long enough to command, “Enter!”

Delilah lifted the latch and went in. It appeared to be a sitting room, with chairs and sofas around the walls and a large, empty floor space at the center.

Reggie sat on a sofa, a play script on his lap, his arm stretched casually along the sofa back. A young woman, pretty and commanding in appearance, stood in front of the window, smoothing her hair. Like someone who wanted to be caught with someone else’s husband.

“Delilah! Miss Vale!” Reggie jumped up, hurrying toward her with his hand held out. “What an unexpected pleasure!”

Delilah gave him her hand, which he bowed over with perfect grace.

“Come,” he said, beaming, “let me take you to Nell, who will be overjoyed—”

“I’ve just come from Nell,” Delilah interrupted. “She is about to join us. Perhaps this young lady would excuse us?”

“Oh. Yes, of course, run along, Elise, there’s a good girl. We’ll get back to it in an hour.”

Elise, displaying all the irritation any adult might feel being told to “run along,” snatched up a script from the windowsill and stalked out. Delilah wondered if she listened at doors.

“Sit, my dear, sit. I imagine Nell is ordering refreshment—”

“Reggie, what are you about?” Delilah interrupted once more. “How far has this relationship gone?”

“How far? Relationship?” spluttered Reggie. “What on earth—”

“You and that girl who is young enough to be your granddaughter. Are you trying to humiliate Nell, or have you just not thought about her at all?”

“My dear Delilah—”

“The latter, I gather. I don’t know if that is in your favor or not. Look, I know you are a great actor, but bearing in mind that you are two generations that girl’s senior, have you wondered what she gets out of flirting with you? Aside from further humiliating Nell, whose role, I understand, she has already taken over.”

Reggie flushed hotly. “You must understand, my dear, that darling Nell is of an age and stage in life when playing a young girl can lack conviction!”

“So is a grandfather playing a young man,” Delilah said ruthlessly. “Do you really want to end your illustrious career as a laughingstock? Worse, tied to a shrewish and ambitious young woman who cares nothing for your comfort and everything for her own career? Think of yourself, Reggie, if you cannot think of Nell. Who would you miss more?”

He hung his head. “Nell,” he said a small voice. “Of course, Nell.”

“Then don’t hurt her.” She met his apologetic gaze and narrowed her eyes. “Don’t dare. Good afternoon, Reggie.”

Leaving the house without seeing her mother again, Delilah was very glad to step out into the damp, salty air. She inhaled with relief.

What now?

Should she call upon Antonia Macy? Or would that immediately make more of last night’s reunion than there necessarily was? Whatever else Julius was, he wasn’t a fool. Perhaps it was even no bad thing for them to have met again and cleared the air. Probably, Julius was wondering what he had ever seen in her…

No, she should not interfere. Instead, she would walk round to Dr. Lampton’s house and make an appointment to consult him about her occasionally erratic eyesight. Aubrey liked him, said he was a man of sense, which was a rare compliment from her brother about a doctor. He had seen far too many of them in his young life.

The maid who opened the door invited her inside immediately. “Dr. Lampton is out, but Mrs. Lampton will arrange an appointment for you.”

Delilah followed her across the hall of the modest but pleasant house. Laughter rang out from the open door of the room the maid entered. Delilah caught a glimpse of a lady and a small boy sitting on the floor playing jackstraws. A gentleman in smart morning dress sprawled carelessly on his stomach, clearly about to take his turn.

“You’ll bring it all down!” the boy cried gleefully. “Especially if I make you laugh.”

The maid murmured in the lady’s ear, and Delilah recognized her as having attended the ball the previous evening. The jackstraws collapsed, to the gleeful shout of the child and the laughter of the man who rose fluidly to his feet and turned to face the door.

Lord Linfield.

*

Elise Manners was irritated to be ejected in favor of the strange woman, not least because the woman was beautiful. A man who strayed from his wife once would stray again, and she needed Reggie’s favor to stay in Blackhaven. Without it, she would be dismissed. His wife, the raddled old hag, was feeble competition, but this new woman in the worn cloak and unfashionable gown had an air of class that worried Elise far more.

Pacing the floor of her own room, which was next door to the parlor they used for rehearsals, she waited for the stranger to leave. She even tried pressing her ear to the wall—with the aid of an old teacup—but the voices were too low. Still, at least the woman didn’t stay long. Elise heard her footsteps in the passage and rushed to the door. She waited to see if the visitor would stop anywhere else. She didn’t and went straight downstairs.

Elise opened the door and came face to face with Reggie leaving the rehearsal room.

“Who was that?” she demanded.

“Oh, just a friend of Nell’s,” he replied, smiling.

He was lying, which troubled her further. “What did she want?”

“Just to greet me. She lives in Blackhaven, you know.”

Elise sniffed, in a jealous kind of a way. “Then I suppose you can look forward to more of her company.”

“Not if I can help it,” Reggie said, and that at least was honest. “Excuse me, I’ll just look in on Nell. You’ll be fine for the evening performance.”

She wouldn’t, of course. Although she could act—and frequently did—she had the stage presence of a small, annoying fly. The whole troupe knew she was only there because Reggie fancied her and was prepared to coach her in the necessary stage techniques.

In fact, she was there because in a theatre company, she could hide in plain sight.