Page 31 of Rivals at Ashmore Castle

He bent his head and kissed her, and then pulled her close again. After a bit he said, ‘I think we ought to go abroad for a while.’

She pulled back again to read his expression. ‘You mean – to live there?’

‘No, to travel. You said you never had, and that you’d like to. I’d love to show you my favourite places. We could start by going to stay with Stuffy – you’ll love Venice.’

‘Stay with the Earl and Countess of Leake? Now that would be comfortable,’ she said with irony.

‘Oh, Stuffy – I know I’m supposed to call him Fergus now, but he’s always been Stuffy to me – he’s not a bit grand. Takes everyone as he finds them, and he’s always been fond of me, so he’ll welcome you and ask no questions. Giulia’s just an academic’s daughter, no pretensions. And nobody else will know us, so we can meet them with a clean slate. We could have a few weeks with them, then go on to Florence and Rome. Wonderful things to see there – I can’t wait to show you! Then Athens, perhaps – the Parthenon. Everyone should see that once in their life.’

‘Of course they should!’ she said, laughing now. ‘Where then?’

‘Wherever you like. The world is our oyster. Egypt? How would you like to see the Pyramids?’

‘It sounds like something out of a novel. Or Mr Moss’s A–Z of Universal Knowledge – he was always reading out bits about Egypt, pharaohs and sphinxes and camels. Would there be camels?’

‘Any amount of ’em!’

‘I should like to ride on a camel.’

‘Would you like to go, then?’

‘To travel? With you? How can you ask? Can we afford it?’

‘Foolish! I’m a rich man, didn’t you know?’

‘You know I married you for your money. But—’ She hesitated. ‘We will come back? I don’t like to think that we’re running away.’

‘Of course we’ll come back. We’ll travel for six months or eight or nine, until we get homesick. I can let the house – there’s always a demand in Henley. And by the time we get back, any foolishness about us will be forgotten, and we’ll live happily ever after.’

‘Just like something out of a book.’

‘If it’s a story, I’m the lucky swineherd who married a princess.’

CHAPTER SIX

Mrs Painswick’s At Homes were rather more interesting than the general run. She liked to include a little bit of Politics, a little bit of Army, a little bit of Art, and even, daringly, a little bit of Business in the usual Society mix. Richard accepted an invitation to the first one after Easter – the first of the Season proper – out of interest in meeting the new chancellor of the exchequer, H. H. Asquith, who lived in a big house in Cavendish Square. Asquith had been invited with his second wife, Margot, who was known to be unconventional, rather mannishly intelligent, in her husband’s confidence, and a great talker. Richard hoped that, if he could not get anything out of Asquith about the new government’s intentions, he might be able to winkle it out of her.

Mrs Painswick’s drawing-rooms were crowded when he arrived, and before he could work his way into the group surrounding the chancellor, he spotted, to his surprise, Miss Rowsham standing at a little distance, talking to Jervis Farocean. He waited until Farocean moved away, then joined her.

‘How do you do, Miss Rowsham?’ he said. ‘I hope I didn’t drive Mr Farocean away. You seemed to be having a fascinating conversation with him.’

‘If you were watching at all, you would know that he was the one talking, not me. My role was confined to listening,’ she said.

‘But not with displeasure? I believe he is generally thought to be charming.’ She didn’t answer. ‘I seem to see that young man everywhere, these days. London is full of him.’

‘He’s looking for a wife,’ Miss Rowsham said and, when Richard raised his eyebrows, added firmly, ‘Oh, not me. He’s after a large dowry. I have too little money to interest him.’

‘You are very frank about it!’

‘Do not feel uneasy on my behalf. I have no interest of that sort in Mr Farocean, I assure you.’

Richard remembered suddenly their last meeting, and felt awkward at how it had ended. He had never made any attempt to follow it up. ‘I was sorry that the rain prevented our walk together a few weeks ago,’ he said, as though he had been thinking of it constantly.

‘It was longer ago than a few weeks,’ she said. ‘I’m not surprised that it had slipped your mind until just now.’

Oh, she was quick! ‘Ah. I’m afraid business keeps me so occupied, I rather lose track of time,’ he said, as smoothly as possible.

‘Of course you do,’ she said. ‘Business is bound to keep the man of business busy. That’s where the word comes from.’