Part 44 (1/2)

”Oh it's you, my lord! Please accept my apologies for stopping the coaches--a precaution only--but there has been some trouble down on the mud flats...” He grinned suddenly, dropping all formality.

”You'll be glad to know, sir, that the operation has been a success and both parties taken as we planned--' ” Nicholas? What is happening? ”

The Dowager Countess's voice reached them imperiously from the door of the carriage she was sharing with the others. ” Why have we stopped in this G.o.dforsaken place? ” The young Lieutenant turned hastily to apologise. ”In just a moment we should be able to allow your journey to proceed, ma'am...”

”Did you take the s.h.i.+p as well?” Nicholas asked.

”We did, sir! The Laribee was hanging about outside port for the best part of the day, but she showed the revenue cutter a clean pair of heels when they went after her! When darkness fell she came in close again and put a boat out at the mouth of the creek, but we were waiting for them before they got to the rendezvous! The crew swore blind that they were innocent, but we found a tidy stock of brandy in the hold. It was to be an exchange, a man out and the cargo in, only the men on the beach started to quarrel and under cover of the noise and darkness--'

He broke off at the sound of marching footsteps on the road. Polly, leaning forward to peer into the darkness, drew back with an exclamation as a posse of soldiers, mud stained and filthy, marched past the carriages with two prisoners under escort in chains. One was utterly unknown to her, but the other-- ” Tristan Dit ton! ” The Dowager Countess's astounded tones cut the air.

”You have Tristan Dit ton there under arrest! What on earth is going on--' ” Do close the carriage door. Mama,” Nicholas said hastily.

”We may progress now. Questions must wait until we are back in the warm, I think.”

And he drew back into the coach. They started to move again, but not until Polly's astonished gaze had taken in every detail of Mr Dit ton's extraordinary appearance. Gone was the dandified, exquisite simpering over his s.h.i.+rt- points, and in his place was a snarling monster, straining helplessly against the chains that held him. For a moment his furious gaze picked her out and pinned her with his anger before he was dragged past.

Polly s.h.i.+vered violently and, as the carriage picked up speed, she burrowed as far under the rugs as she could in a vain effort to get warm.

”Tristan Dit ton!” The Dowager Countess was still expostulating loudly as they all entered the hall at Dilling ham Court.

”If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I doubt I should have believed it!

And you---' she swung around accusingly on her elder son '--you appear to know all about it!”

Nicholas Sea grave was grinning broadly.

”Oh no, this is Harry March night's show, not mine! I merely offered my help when he asked! You will have to ask Harry for the explanation!”

”Harry March night!” The Dowager Countess was beginning to resemble a parrot in her repeti ton.

”What in the name of all that's holy can Harry March night have to do with this? Why, I like Harry above all people, he is the most charming of men and he did us a great good turn in London, but--' She stopped suddenly.

”And you, Polly! What do you know of all this? The betrothal to Tristan Dit- ton--' Polly had not been listening to her mother's exclamations. She had suddenly realised with a feeling of sick horror and indignation that her brother had known of Dit ton's criminality and yet had said nothing, had done nothing to rescue her from the travesty of her engagement to him. Worse, only a night ago, Henry March night had sworn to tell her the truth and had done so, but had neglected the most important part--that Tristan Dit ton was the real villain.

”How dare you?” Her words cut across whatever Lucille had been saying to the Dowager Countess. She glared at Nicholas.

”How dare you and Henry March night play your games and think it entertaining? You could have saved me--one word from you and I would have known--' Her voice broke and she started to sob.

”You must see that I could not, Polly.” Nicholas had come across to her and tried to put an arm around her, but Polly pushed him away furiously.

”The situation was so fraught with danger that, if Dit ton had had any hint that all was not well, he might have run before we could trap him--' Polly did not want to hear him. She turned away and stumbled up the stairs to her room where, for a second time, she locked herself in and cried as though her heart were breaking.

Chapter Sixteen.

QsrQ.

Dy the time that a pale dawn was breaking over Dilling ham Court, an exhausted Polly had thought about her situation twenty times over and had been forced to admit that Nicholas had been right. Had she known of Tristan Dit ton's connections with Chap- man, had she been told he was a criminal, she would never have been able to treat him with the cool courtesy she had usually meted out to him. It would have been impossible to behave normally in his presence.

Nevertheless, Henry's behaviour rankled.

She had been chastising herself for lack of trust in him; it was difficult not to feel that he had shown a similar lack of faith in her.