"You should have more care, slandering a man like that! Lucky for you March night's too idle to call you out!"

Polly did not wait for matters to get worse. She practically dragged Lady Laura along the edge of the ballroom towards the door. In the background the music continued to tinkle and a few couples were attempting the cotillion in desultory fashion.

Polly found that she was very upset and chided herself for her foolishness.

She could hardly blame others for dismissing Henry March night as lightweight when he himself encouraged precisely that impression. It puzzled her, for the man she knew was in no way superficial, and yet in general company he appeared to change character and become as shallow as any other pleasure-seeker in the ton. For a moment she remembered that lightning change in Henry's expression from acute intelligence to amiable blandness, then a stifled sob from Lady Laura recalled her to the person who had been most injured by Mr Dit ton's malicious remarks and the d.u.c.h.ess's clumsy attempts to smooth matters over.

"It isn't fair," Lady Laura said pa.s.sionately, biting her lip to stop herself from crying.

"Everyone is so unkind about Henry when he is the sweetest person imaginable!

Oh, I could hardly bear to hear them! I nearly said something I regretted.

d.u.c.h.ess or no!"

She looked at Polly, half-mutinous and half- ashamed. Polly smiled at her encouragingly.

"Mr Dit ton is unpardonable," she said quietly, 'and her Grace of Broxboume scarcely less so! " She put out a hand on the other girl's arm.

"Please do not regard it. Lady Laura! I am sure you are right--you must know your brother better than any of us!"

"He is not at all as everyone imagines," Lady Laura said earnestly, gratefully taking the gla.s.s of lemonade that Polly pa.s.sed her.

"People think him stupid, or frivolous, but they do not at all appreciate his qualities! Why, I know that he is currently involved in work which--' " Laura? " It was difficult to tell whether it was Polly or Laura who jumped more.

Laura had been engrossed in her attempts to exonerate her brother and Polly was fascinated by whatever it was she had been about to reveal.

When Lord Henry himself paused beside them they both looked up, flushed and disconcerted. He raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever can the two of you be plotting? Why, you look the picture of guilt!"

It was too much for Laura. Her eyes filled with tears again and with a murmured word of apology to Polly, she positively ran out of the refreshment room.

Henry watched her go with a heavy frown on his brow. He touched Polly's hand briefly.

"I had no idea that Laura was so upset. Lady Polly. I apologise for interrupting your conversation when she evidently wished to confide in you."

His searching gaze rested on Polly's face for a moment.

"I had better make sure that she is all right. Our mother has not accompanied Laura tonight and I promised to keep an eye on her. Excuse me..."

Polly had no inclination to return to the ballroom. She watched Lord Henry's tall figure skirt the floor and cross urgently to Lady Laura's chaperon, saw the lady point and Lord Henry set off in that direction.

Polly sighed. It was unforgivable of Mr Dit ton to make such ill-bred remarks about Lord Henry March- night in front of his sister and hardly surprising that Laura had been deeply distressed. Nor did she doubt Laura's whole-hearted defence of her brother. For a moment Polly wondered what Laura had been about to say to her, and she remembered the incisive look in Lord Henry's eyes as he had listened to Mr Dit ton. There was no doubt that Lord Henry was an enigma, a.s.suming a superficial and indolent air when he chose, but using it to disguise something deeper. Surely she could not be the only one to have noticed? And yet, it seemed she was.

Mr Dit ton, his sister and Mr Bunion came into the refreshment room, laughing and chatting, and Polly went out into the ballroom to avoid them.

It was al most the last dance of the evening; the orchestra was tuning up again and Polly felt oddly flat. The Season was trailing away in rather insipid fashion now that the excitement of her false flirtation with Lord Henry had ended. She wished. "Lady Polly, may I speak with you?"

She had not seen Lord Henry approaching her, for he had come along the edge of the dancing floor, where a line of pillars cast a dark shadow.

What Polly could see, however, was Lady Sea grave advancing purposefully once more from the other side of the room. Lord Henry saw it too and his lips tightened.

"Come and dance with me," he said a little abruptly. "Your mother will scarcely pursue us on to the floor!"

It was the waltz which was playing, all too reminiscent of their previous encounter at Lady Phillips's rout. Now, however, there was a definite constraint between them. There was a heavy frown on Lord Henry's brow and for a moment Polly wondered whether he was going to broach the subject of the scene at Richmond. Her heart beat a little faster.

"I must thank you. Lady Polly, for your kindness to my sister just now.

Clearly you removed her from a distressing situation before matters could get worse. I am most grateful. " Polly felt obscurely disappointed. So they were to continue as though nothing had happened, and yet the barriers between them were now reinforced.

She had little choice but to follow his lead. Normally so open and amiable, his expression now was preoccupied and almost severe. There was still a frown between those dark brows and an angry set to Lord Henry's mouth.

"Lady Laura told you what was said, then." Polly spoke a little hesitantly.

"I am sorry that she should have been so distressed. Even if Mr Dit ton spoke in jest it was in bad taste and ill conceived--' " Would that I could call him to account for it," Lord Henry said furiously, 'but just at the moment I can ill afford--' He broke off suddenly, refocusing on Polly, and some of the latent anger went out of him.

"Oh, well," the nonchalance had eased back into his voice and was well-feigned, almost convincing '--Dit ton is an unpleasant fellow, when all is said and done, but not worth disturbing oneself over. Such matters never are worth the trouble. " Had Polly not been so aware of Lord Henry she might well have been taken in by his a.s.sumption of good humour, but with her own feelings in turmoil she found she could contain herself no longer. The words popped out of her mouth before she even had time to consider them.

"Why do you pretend to be of no account, interested in nothing but foolish, frippery things, my lord? I am not taken in by your pretence that you do not care about Dit ton's words! It does not cozen me, though I confess I find other aspects of your behaviour rather more puzzling!"

For a moment, she saw the surprised speculation in Lord Henry's eyes, before the bland amiability that so frustrated her returned.

"I collect that you refer to my other exploits. Lady Polly? You do not consider high play and the pursuit of the fair s.e.x to be serious occupations for a gentleman, ma'am?"

Polly almost stamped her foot.

"I am well aware that you might find them so! But I know you are seeking to distract me, my lord, running me about something when I know you consider it a serious matter... I saw you when Mr Dit ton made his remarks about Chapman's protector--' She broke off as his hand tightened warningly on hers.

Her voice had risen as her feelings spilled over, and other couples had turned curiously to see what was going on. Lord Henry bent close to her ear.

"Yes, you can read me better than most, Lady Polly, because I have chosen to show my true self to you. And it is also true that I do not choose to behave in company as I do with my closest friends. But just for now, I must beg you to forget what you know of me and accept that I am nothing more than a foolish, frippery fellow who cares only for the set of his neck- cloth..."

His mouth twisted into a smile at her look of amazement.

They were very close. This time there was no attempt to distract her from the topic. There was a compelling force in his eyes that silenced her, demanded her compliance.

Polly's thoughts tumbled over themselves. Why the pretence at boredom and dandyism? What was he hiding? Perhaps Tristan Dit ton had been right: a man playing a part; a n.o.bleman, bored with his easy lifestyle, craving excitement. But it was not possible! Lord Henry had integrity, honour.

Surely, he would never become embroiled in criminal activities simply to amuse himself. Polly's troubled gaze searched Lord Henry's face.

"But why are you playing a part? What--' " Forgive me. " Lord Henry's tone had softened as he saw her look.

"I cannot tell you that now. And forgive my abruptness. I should not have spoken so, but it is of the greatest importance that you should keep your suspicions to yourself. Lady Polly. One day I will tell you why..."

Polly shook her head slightly, retreating into pride. "It is of no consequence if you do not wish to explain yourself--' " Yes, it is of consequence! I do not give a rush for what others think of me, but I do care for your good opinion. " He was still frowning.

"When I can, I shall explain all to you, including those aspects of my behaviour which have appeared most questionable!" A smile lit his eyes briefly.

"For now, I can only ask you to trust me..."