Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

It was not lovely, having only just been planted, but that did not matter in the least. He led her out of the drawing room onto the terrace but there he was waylaid by Augusta, who shot him a look of reproof and said: "Lady Florence, how kind of you to come. Edward will show you the garden." She grabbed Edward, who was standing nearby, and ushered the two of them away before Hugh could say a word. He clenched his teeth in frustration and vowed he would not let her get away with this. "Hugh, dear, I know you want to talk to Rachel," she said. She took Hugh's arm and moved him back inside, and there was nothing he could do to resist her, short of snatching his arm away and making a scene. Rachel was standing with Micky Miranda and his father. "Micky, I want your father to meet my husband's cousin, Mr. Samuel Pilaster." She detached Micky and his father and took them off, leaving Hugh with Rachel again.

Rachel was laughing. "You can't argue with her."

"It would be like arguing with a dashed railway train," Hugh fumed. Through the window he could see the bustle of Florence's dress as it swayed down the garden beside Edward.

Rachel followed his eyes and said: "Go after her."

He grinned. "Thanks."

He hurried down the garden. As he caught up, a wicked idea occurred to him. Why should he not play his aunt's game and detach Edward from Florence? Augusta would be spitting mad when she found out--but it would be worth it for the sake of a few minutes alone in the garden with Florence. To hell with it, he thought. "Oh, Edward," he said. "Your mother asked me to send you to her. She's in the hall."

Edward did not question this: he was used to sudden changes of mind by his mother. He said: "Please excuse me, Lady Florence." He left them and went into the house.

Florence said: "Did she really send for him?"

"No."

"You're so bad!" she said, but she was smiling.

He looked into her eyes, basking in the sunshine of her approval. There would be hell to pay later, but he would suffer much worse for the sake of a smile like that. "Come and see the orchard," he said.

Section 3