Part 76 (1/2)
Mr Far rant has a fis.h.i.+ng-house down there--just beyond the edge of our land--and for some reason I felt compelled to go and explore it.
I don't know why. ” The memory of Lord Henry's magnificent physique came back to Polly, as it had done countless times in the past week.
”I.
wish--oh, how I wish I had not gone in there! ” Lucille's lips twitched.
”Come, now, it cannot be so tragic! Was Lord Henry in the fis.h.i.+ng-house?”
”Yes!” Polly raised stricken brown eyes to Lucille's blue ones.
”But he was not fis.h.i.+ng! That would have been quite innocuous! Oh, Lucille--' Lucille raised her eyebrows.
”I see! I have not been in the house, but Nicholas mentioned it had a plunge pool below the balcony. They used to swim in the river in the hot summers, he said, but...” Her eyes widened.
”Oh, glory, Polly, do you mean to say that Lord Henry was in the pool?”
Polly nodded.
”Yes, but--' ” But? ” ”He was getting out of the pool--' Lucille clapped her hand to her mouth, her eyes enormous.
”Oh, Polly! Was he-- Did he-- Was he undress edT ” Completely! ”
Polly admitted. She saw Lucille's appalled gaze and added miserably, ”I know! And what did I do but stare in the most shameless manner imaginable! I do not know what came over me precisely! But, Lucille, I could not tear my gaze away!”
Lucille, with her superior experience and understanding of such matters, rather thought that she could understand how Polly had become so transfixed.
Despite her years, Polly was rather an innocent, as no doubt she ought to be.
It seemed to Lucille that the Earl and Countess of Sea grave had gone to great lengths to protect their only daughter, with the result that Polly seemed like Sleeping Beauty, quite lacking the innate, age-old understanding of the games played between the s.e.xes.
Polly seldom flirted or practised her charms on any of her admirers.
She seemed quite unawakened, and yet there was something about Lord Henry March night which obviously stirred her, and it clearly both intrigued and frightened her.
Lucille's sense of humour began to get the better of her, despite Polly's tragic expression.
”I imagine Lord Henry must have been well worth looking at!” Lucille said, trying not to laugh.
”Lucille!”
”Well?” Lucille's blue gaze was amused.
”There is no harm in admitting it, Polly! Leastways, not to me, though I dare say your mama would not approve! Come, it is not a tragedy!
Lord Henry is a very attractive man, and you have a tend re for him...
It would be more worrying if the sight of him had left you unmoved! But whatever happened next?”
”I ran away,” Polly said baldly.
”Which was how I came to trip and fall, and Lord Henry came after me--'
” Fully dressed by now, I hope! ” ”Yes, indeed! But when he offered to help me I was all missish, for I was so embarra.s.sed to have stared so, and so confused... I have never felt that way before, at least not with anyone else...” Polly's voice trailed off hopelessly. There was a moment's silence, then Lucille patted her hand.