Lord Denbigh halted in his purposeful stride and turned to see who had hailed him. Although a few years separated them, he and Martin Rotherbridge had many interests in common and had been acquainted even before the advent of the Twinnings. His lordship’s usual sleepy grin surfaced. “Hello, Martin. On your way home?”
Martin nodded and fell into step beside him. At sight of Hugo, his curiosity over Maria Pavlovska had returned. He experimented in his head with a number of suitable openings before settling for, “Dashed nuisances, the Twinning girls!”
“Very!” The curt tone in Hugo’s deep voice was not very encouraging.
Nothing loath, Martin plunged on. “Waltz around, tying us all in knots. What exactly happened when Arabella masqueraded as that Polish countess?”
To his amazement, Hugo coloured. “Never you mind,” he said, then, at the hopeful look in Martin’s eyes, relented. “If you must know, she behaved in a manner which…well, in short, it was difficult to tell who was seducing whom.”
Martin gave a burst of laughter, which he quickly controlled at Hugo’s scowl. By way of returning the confidence, he said, “Well, I suppose I may as well tell you, as it’s bound to be all over town all too soon. I’m on my way to beg Max’s permission to pay my addresses to Lizzie Twinning.”
Hugo’s mild eyes went to Martin’s face in surprise. He murmured all the usual condolences, adding, “Didn’t really think you’d be wanting to get leg-shackled just yet”
Martin shrugged. “Nothing else for it. Aside from making all else blessedly easy, it’s only as her husband I’d have the authority to make certain she didn’t get herself involved in any more hare-brained schemes.”
“There is that,” agreed Hugo ruminatively. They continued for a space in silence before Martin realized they were nearing Delmere House.
“Where are you headed?” he enquired of the giant by his side.
For the second time, Hugo coloured. Looking distinctly annoyed by this fact, he stopped. Martin, puzzled, stopped by his side, but before he could frame any question, Hugo spoke. “I may as well confess, I suppose. I’m on my way to see Max, too.”
Martin howled with laughter and this time made no effort to subdue it. When he could speak again, he clapped Hugo on the back. “Welcome to the family!” As they turned and fell into step once more, Martin’s eyes lifted. “And lord, what a family it’s going to be! Unless I miss my guess, that’s Darcy Hamilton’s curricle.”
Hugo looked up and saw, ahead of them, Lord Darcy’s curricle drawn up outside Delmere House. Hamilton himself, elegantly attired, descended and turned to give instructions to his groom, before strolling towards the steps leading up to the door. He was joined by Martin and Hugo.
Martin grinned. “Do you want to see Max, too?”
Darcy Hamilton’s face remained inscrutable. “As it happens, I do,” he answered equably. As his glance flickered over the unusually precise picture both Martin and Hugo presented, he added, “Am I to take it there’s a queue?”
“Afraid so,” confirmed Hugo, grinning in spite of himself. “Maybe we should draw lots?”
“Just a moment,” said Martin, studying the carriage waiting by the pavement in front of Darcy’s curricle. “That’s Max’s travelling chaise. Is he going somewhere?”
This question was addressed to Darcy Hamilton, who shook his head. “He’s said nothing to me.”
“Maybe the Twinnings have proved too much for him and he’s going on a repairing lease?” suggested Hugo.
“Entirely understandable, but I don’t somehow think that’s it,” mused Darcy. Uncertain, they stood onthe pavement, and gazed at the carriage. Behind them the door of Delmere House opened. Masterton hurried down the steps and climbed into the chaise. As soon as the door had shut, the coachman flicked his whip and the carriage pulled away. Almost immediately, the vacated position was filled with Max’s curricle, the bays stamping and tossing their heads.
Martin’s brows had risen. “Masterton and baggage,” he said. “Now why?”
“Whatever the reason,” said Darcy succinctly, “I suspect we’d better catch your brother now or he’ll merrily leave us to our frustrations for a week or more.”
The looks of horror which passed over the two faces before him brought a gleam of amusement to his eyes.
“Lord, yes!” said Hugo.
Without further discussion, they turned en masse and started up the steps. At that moment, the door at the top opened and their prey emerged. They stopped.
Max, eyeing them as he paused to draw on his driving gloves, grinned. The breeze lifted the capes of his greatcoat as he descended the steps.
“Max, we need to talk to you.”
“Where are you going?”
“You can’t leave yet.”
With a laugh, Max held up his hand to stem the tide. When silence had fallen, he said, “I’m so glad to see you all.” His hand once more quelled the surge of explanation his drawling comment drew forth. “No! I find I have neither the time nor the inclination to discuss the matters. My answers to your questions are yes, yes and yes. All right?”