gave it to me.”
“Of course he did,” Dan murmured. “I need your help, Mama.” Sitting on the edge of her bed, he told her about Juliet’s arrival, impelled by her father’s ultimatum.
“Oh, drat the man!” Jenny said with unusual irritation. “Just as we were mending fences between us. Now we will have to quarrel again. Is there nowhere but here she can go?”
“Nowhere that will not immediately summon her father to take her home again.”
“I shall summon her father to take her home again,” his mother said firmly.
“No, you won’t, Mama. Her position is intolerable.”
“Not half as intolerable as it will be when the old gentleman hears of her arrival.”
“You needn’t worry about that. I’ll deal with him.”
His mother blinked. “You will?”
Dan nodded distractedly. “Cosland is the bigger problem.”
“He will be if he finds her before he’s had time to think beyond his fury.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Cosland blamed your grandfather’s recalcitrance for the fact that I ran away with your father. He thinks if my father had only behaved sensibly, it would all have blown over, and I’d have married him.”
“Would it?”
She shook her head with a little smile. “No. But it is, generally, sound advice. Once he remembers it, he’ll realize he’s gone the wrong way to work with his daughter. He would not force her into a repugnant marriage,”
“Not even to save her from ruin?” Dan asked.
His mother sighed. “There is that added complexion to Juliet’s difficulty. But I suppose you’re right. We can’t send her back until he has at least calmed down. What if he comes looking for her, though? We can’t deny she is here. Besides, her poor mother! They will all be worried sick.” She sat up straight, her eyes widening. “Dan, she’ll have left a note! Runaways always leave notes of their grievances. I should know. The chances are, they’ll know exactly where she is. Drat and drat! Go away, and let me get up. I shall shield the girl from my sisters, but as far as her own parents go, you are on your own!”
He left her to it and went along to his grandfather’s rooms. Waits was heaving the old gentleman into a sitting position and rearranging his pillows.
“You again!” Lord Myerly snarled.
“Me, again,” Dan agreed.
Waits, who had clearly heard the news of Juliet’s arrival, looked terrified and began dementedly shaking his head in warning.
Ignoring him, Dan said cheerfully, “I thought you’d want to hear the good news as soon as you were awake.”
“What good news?” the old man demanded. “Did you bring a woman into the house? They won’t tell me.” He flung out one claw-like hand toward Waits. “But I tell you straight, even if my daughters weren’t here, I wouldn’t have your game birds in my house!”
“Game birds?” Dan repeated, startled. “What the devil do you take me for? Your visitor is a lady, in every sense of the word, and she’s someone I thought you’d be particularly pleased to receive.”
“You are quite fascinating in your own way,” Myerly observed. “Entirely and incomprehensibly wrong. But fascinating. Why on earth would I be glad to receive anyone? I don’t even want my family here!”
“Well, to have her here would really annoy Lord Cosland,” Dan said with perfect truth.
His grandfather stared at him. “What?”
“His daughter came to seek protection because her father wants to push her into a disagreeable marriage.”
Myerly’s eyes widened and then began to gleam. His wicked old mouth turned upward. “The devil he does. How…exquisite.” He let out a snort of laughter. “Give the girl breakfast, and then bring her to see me. Is she pretty?”
“Very,” Dan replied.
“I suppose Jenny made a pet of her.”
Dan smiled faintly but said nothing. He rose, bowed ironically to his grandparent, and left the room. Waits stared after him with an expression that was half-stunned, half-admiring.
It was, of course, quite unscrupulous to use his grandfather’s ill-nature for his own ends. But it still made him smile as he ran downstairs to the breakfast parlor, where he was sure all the family would assemble most punctually.
As he walked in, Juliet, in a fresh, becoming morning gown, was being assailed from all sides. Colin had got hold of her hand and was gazing at her earnestly. Hetty and Tabetha stood at her other side, looking worried. Hugh, out to one side, seemed to be examining the trim on her gown through his quizzing glass, while Jenny waited patiently to escort the poor girl to the table. Only Hugh’s father paid her