Callander Square - Anne Perry [91]
But instead of taking offense Pitt merely considered the matter thoughtfully.
“Did she have a liking for tradesmen, then?” he inquired.
“Good God!” Reggie scrambled wildly—what to say? If he said yes, others would give him the lie. Pitt was bound to speak to everyone in the square. Helena had never looked at a tradesman in her life! She was a little over-refined, if anything. Only man, apart from Ross, that Reggie had ever seen her show any admiration for was old Balantyne next door. Liked his bit of pomp and military glamour, no doubt.
“No,” he said as calmly as he could, “no, not at all.” Yes, that was the answer. “In fact never saw her show any interest in anyone that I can recall,” he weighed his words carefully, “except old Balantyne next door. Fine-looking chap, the general. Natural a young girl should be impressed.” Let him take it from there. No need to point out that the general was married. Pitt himself had made the observation about not being free, safe to leave him to infer the rest.
“I see.” Pitt looked down at his feet, then up again, quizzically. “No admiration for you, sir?”
“Me?” Reggie looked shocked. “Good gracious, no. Merchant banker, you know. Not nearly as exciting as the army. No glamour in it, what?” He forced a rather sickly smile. “Nothing to appeal to a romantic young girl.”
“You think Balantyne might have been the unknown lover?”
“Oh, now I didn’t say that!”
“Of course not; you wouldn’t: loyalty and so forth,” Pitt shook his head. “Very admirable.”
Why was the damn fellow smiling inside himself?
“And I take it she was not a type of beauty that especially appealed to you.”
“What?”
“I mean you would not have been jealous, or anything of that nature.”
“God, no! I mean, pardon; certainly not. Too pale, too bloodless-looking for me. Prefer something a little—I’m a married—” No, that sounded too pompous. He let it die.
“Uncommonly handsome parlormaid you have,” Pitt said conversationally. “Couldn’t help noticing. Best-looking girl I’ve seen for a long time.”
Reggie felt his face color. Damn the fellow’s impertinence. Wasn’t driving at something, was he? He looked at the man closely, but there seemed to be nothing beyond innocent appreciation in his eyes.
“Yes,” he agreed after a moment. “Pick them for their appearance, you know. Whole point of a parlormaid.”
“Is it?” Pitt affected interest. “Somebody else said you had a good eye for a parlormaid.”
Reggie froze. Surely Freddie could not have—? He avoided Pitt’s eye.
“Freddie Bolsover, was it?”
“Dr. Bolsover?” Pitt seemed not to understand what he meant.
“Yes. Was it Dr. Bolsover who made the remark about me—and—er, parlormaids?” Reggie cleared his throat. “You don’t want to take too much notice of anything he says, you know. Young. Got rather an unreliable sense of humor.”
Pitt frowned.
“Don’t think I quite understand you, sir.”
“Makes odd jokes,” Reggie explained. “Says things he thinks are funny, doesn’t realize people who don’t know him could take them seriously.”
“What sort of thing? I mean, what would he really mean, and what would be just a joke?”
“Oh,” Reggie thought rapidly, mustn’t panic. Keep cool. “Anything medical, of course, perfectly serious. But might make a joke about me and parlormaids, just for an example.”
“You mean he might say perhaps you had an affair with a parlormaid, or something like that?” Pitt inquired.
Reggie could feel the blood burn in his face, and he turned away.
“That sort of thing,” he tried to sound casual, and nearly choked.
“Sure you won’t have a sherry? Think I’ll have another.” He suited the action to the word.
“Dangerous sense of humor,” Pitt remarked. “No, thank you,” he glanced at the sherry. “I would talk to him about that, if I were you. Could be embarrassing for you, just at the moment.”
“Oh, I will,” Reggie said immediately. “Yes, must do that. Good advice.”
“Surprised