Callander Square - Anne Perry [53]
She smiled quickly and looked away.
“I’m glad. I assure you I find it very interesting,” and immediately she opened the book in her hand and bent her head to read. As soon as it was five o’clock she closed it and bade him good night, and had Max call her a hansom cab. She gave the driver Emily’s address, and went clattering through the darkness, news bursting on her lips.
SIX
IT WAS BY NOW rapidly approaching Christmas, there were but two weeks to go, and Augusta decided that the matter of Christina and Max must be resolved. She could not expect the child to spend the holiday season in bed; but before she got up, Max must be out of the house. She had been in touch with her relations in Stirlingshire and a position was arranged for him. Nothing now remained but for him to accept the inevitable, and take his leave with a good grace. Augusta had already made the most discreet inquiries regarding his replacement. It would be difficult to find a man as competent, or even as good-looking, as satisfactory a pair for Percy, the other footman, and footmen came in pairs; but that was of secondary consideration.
With a view to informing him of the imminence of his departure, she sent for Max to wait on her in the morning room. She had not yet told the general anything about it, but there would be time enough for that when it was all over. And since he had been agitating her to get rid of Max for months now, he would no doubt be perfectly satisfied.
Max came in and closed the door silently behind him.
“Yes, my lady?”
“Good morning, Max.”
“Good morning, my lady.”
“I have concluded my arrangements for your new position in Stirlingshire. You are to go to Lord and Lady Forteslain. She is a cousin of mine, and you will find the situation adequate, although it may not extend your abilities as London does. However, that is a misfortune you will have to make the best of.”
“I have been giving the matter some consideration, my lady.” There was a small, complacent smile on his mouth. Augusta wondered how Christina could ever have found him attractive, how she could have wanted to be kissed, to be touched by him. The thought was repellent.
“Indeed?” she said coldly.
“Yes, my lady. I don’t think I should care for Stirlingshire; or indeed for any other part of Scotland.”
She raised her eyebrows slightly.
“That is unfortunate, but I am not concerned with your likes and dislikes. You will have to learn to make the best of it.”
“I think not, my lady. I should prefer to remain in London. In fact Callander Square suits me very well.”
“I dare say, but that is not possible. I thought I had already made that clear to you.”
“You did state your position, ma’am. But as I said, I have been giving the matter some thought, and an alternative has occurred to me which I greatly prefer.”
“It will not be acceptable to me!” She tried to stare him out, but his insolence was insurmountable.
“I regret to be so discourteous, my lady, but that is of no concern to me. As you pointed out so plainly, last time you spoke, there are some things which one is obliged to accept, whether one wishes to, or not.”
“There is nothing I am obliged to accept from you, Max. I have told you what I shall do if you do not go to Scotland, and do it graciously. That is an end to the matter.”
“If you charge me with theft, my lady, you will regret it,” his eyes did not waver.
She stiffened, she could feel the skin tighten across the bones of her face.
“Are you threatening me, Max?”
“If you wish to see it that way, yes, my lady, I am.”
“It is an idle threat. There is nothing you can do. I should be believed, and you should not.”
He faced her unflinchingly.
“That depends upon what you value, Lady Augusta. Certainly, if I were to say that I had lain with your daughter, the courts would no doubt believe you, and not me, if you were to swear that I was speaking only out of revenge. It would be a lie,” he smiled very slightly, a light of wry, superior humor in his heavy face. “But I have no delusions that you would