Page 43 of Scandal at Greystone Manor

‘I did not intend to flatter, my lord. I wish to speak to you about the rumour being spread about my father being bankrupt.’

‘Rumours? Dear, dear, that is unkind.’

‘I believe you perpetrated them to discredit me and prevent me raising money for my orphans.’

‘Now, why would I do that, Miss Cavendish? I am as sympathetic as the next man to the orphans’ plight, but I doubt you will be able to do anything about it.’

‘Why not? Someone has to if the children are not to grow up thieves and beggars. All I want is to give them a chance.’

‘The reason is obvious, Miss Cavenhurst—you are a woman trying to get along in a man’s world and you will meet resistance at every turn. Women are not built to fight with reason. They fight with their emotions.’

‘And what is wrong with that?’

‘It inclines then to make wrong decisions. You will find out the truth of that in due course.’

‘My lord, that sounds like a threat. I wonder why you have taken such an aversion to me. We have only recently met and until a few weeks ago I had never heard of you.’

‘Had you not? That is surprising.’

‘If my brother had not been so foolish as to play cards with you, I should still be in ignorance of the kind of man you are.’

‘I venture to suggest you are still in ignorance. There are two sides to every argument and you have heard only one.’

‘Perhaps, but if you value truth and justice you will let it be known that you were mistaken, my father is not bankrupt and you have no reason to believe I will not conduct the affairs of the Hadlea Children’s Home honestly.’

‘You are assuming that it was I who started the rumour. You have no proof of it.’ He smiled suddenly. ‘But if the rumour is true, then I would be a fool to deny it.’

‘Of course it is not true.’

‘I should ask your father when you get home, Miss Cavendish, or you could go back inside that building and ask Mr Halliday senior, who is the Cavenhurst lawyer, I believe.’

‘I will do no such thing!’

‘You know,’ he said, still smiling, ‘you are quite beautiful when you are angry and your eyes flash defiance. I find myself strangely in sympathy with you and that is a weakness I cannot allow myself to indulge in.’ He bowed to her, replaced his hat and strolled away.

She watched his departing back in fury and was fighting back angry tears when Mark rejoined her. ‘I hope I have not been too long,’ he said, climbing in beside her. ‘Shall we have an ice cream at Gunter’s? It is a warm day and... Jane, are you crying?’

‘I am angry.’

‘Why, because I left you? I am sorry for that, but I was gone only a few minutes.’

‘No, it is not that. I have had an argument with Lord Bolsover. He is an odious man and refuses to admit it was he who spread the rumours about my father and he said my project can never succeed because I am a woman ruled by emotion.’ She gave a cracked laugh. ‘And here I am, proving it.’

‘Oh, Jane, why did speak to him at all? You should have cut him.’

‘I wanted to plead with him to stop the rumours.’

‘You do not plead with men like Bolsover, Jane. They would see it as weakness. Now let us go and have that ice cream and forget about him.’

But she found it difficult to do that. The man’s words ate into her brain and would not go away. She longed to go home, to the peace of Greystone Manor and the comforting presence of her parents. More than anything she wanted reassurance.

* * *

The ice cream was refreshing on a very warm day, but they did not linger long at Gunter’s. ‘My sister and Aunt Emmeline will be wondering what has happened to us,’ she said.

Far from wondering what had happened, the ladies had gone for a carriage ride, they were told by a servant. ‘Mr Ashton came and they went with him.’

‘Then I will not stay,’ Mark said. He drew the pearls from his pocket and put them into her hand. ‘These are yours, I believe.’

She stared at them. ‘How did you come by them? I left them with everything else to be auctioned.’

‘I know you did, but I think it would hurt your father to know you had given them away. Keep them safe, Jane.’

‘Other people were giving their jewels.’

‘Perhaps, but not those they treasured. Your self-sacrifice does you credit, Jane, but the trust can do without them.’

‘Thank you,’ she said simply and reached up to kiss his cheek. It was an impulsive gesture of gratitude, no more.

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