Part 25 (1/2)
There was a martial light in Polly's eye.
”Your attentions are bestowed somewhat indiscriminately, my lord!”
”I protest! There is no truth in those rum ours!”
Polly looked sceptical.
”How can you deny it, sir? I suppose that at the least I should commend your taste in admiring my sister-in-law!”
Lord Henry raised a lazy eyebrow.
”I collect that you refer to Lady Sea grave?”
”How many other sisters-in-law do I have, sir?” Polly snapped, wis.h.i.+ng she had not started on this line of conversation.
”Can you deny that you hold her in great esteem?”
”Certainly not!” Henry said promptly.
”She is a woman of great good sense and I admire her extremely! But that is all there is to it!”
Polly noted how relieved she felt and perversely wished to punish him.
”That at least could be understood I suppose! But as for Lady Bolt! Do you forget that I saw you with my own eyes at Richmond?”
”Ah.” Lord Henry stretched his long legs and admired the polish on his boots.
”I wondered whether you would ever have the courage to challenge me with that particular incident!”
”Courage!” Polly was really annoyed now.
”It does not require courage, sir, only a little less regard for convention than you would usually find in me! I certainly have the fort.i.tude to accuse you of trifling with my feelings and of falling prey to Lady Bolt's blowsy charms!”
Henry was laughing now, which only added to Polly's anger. Normally she would never have spoken thus. To challenge a gentleman about his behaviour was simply not done, particularly if that behaviour involved a member of the demimonde.
”How unladylike in you to disparage a rival! I would never have thought it of you. Lady Polly!”
Polly was incensed.
”Lady Bolt is no rival of mine! She is welcome to you, sir!”
She tried to rise, but Henry caught her wrist and held her still.
”You think, then, that I had arranged to meet Lady Bolt at Richmond?”
Polly tried to sound scornful.
”I had a.s.sumed that to be the case! Or perhaps I misjudge you! Perhaps you simply seized an opportunity that presented itself to you?”
Henry was still looking amused but there was now a grim edge to his smile.
”Oh, no, you are quite correct! I did arrange to meet Lady Bolt, but perhaps not for the reason that you suspect!”