Paragon Walk - Anne Perry [26]
“Perhaps you could reassure her that the man is probably miles away from her now?” Charlotte suggested. “After all, with the police investigating and everyone looking for him, this is the last place he would be likely to remain.”
“Oh, one must not lie, Mrs. Pitt, even to servants,” Miss Lucinda said sharply.
“I don’t see why not?” Miss Laetitia put in with mildness. “If it is for their good.”
“I always said you had no sense of morals!” Miss Lucinda glared at her sister. “Who can say where the creature is now? I am sure Mrs. Pitt cannot! He is obviously possessed by uncontrollable passions, abnormal hungers too dreadful for a decent woman to contemplate.”
Charlotte was tempted to point out that Miss Lucinda had done little else but contemplate them since she had arrived, and it was only sensibility for Emily that prevented her.
Selena shivered.
“Perhaps he is some depraved creature from the under-world, excited by women of quality, satins and laces, cleanliness?” she said to no one in particular.
“Or perhaps he lives here in the Walk, and naturally chooses his own to prey upon—who else?” It was a gentle, light voice, but distinctly masculine.
They all whirled round as one, to see Fulbert Nash only two yards from them on the grass, a dish of sherbet in his hand.
“Good afternoon, Selena, Lady Ashworth, Miss Lucinda, Miss Laetitia.” He looked at Charlotte with raised eyebrows.
“My sister, Mrs. Pitt,” Emily said tightly. “And that is an appalling thing to say, Mr. Nash!”
“It is an appalling crime, ma’am. And life can be appalling, have you not observed?”
“Not, mine, Mr. Nash!”
“How charming of you,” he sat down opposite them.
Emily blinked. “Charming?”
“That is one of the most restful qualities of women,” he replied. “The ability to see only what is pleasant. It makes them so comfortable to be with. Don’t you think so, Mrs. Pitt?”
“I should think it would make for extreme insecurity,” Charlotte replied with candor. “One would never know whether one was dealing with the truth or not. Personally I should be forever wondering what it was I did not know.”
“And so, like Pandora, you would open the box and let disaster loose upon the world.” He looked over the sherbet at her. He had very fine hands. “How unwise of you. There are so many things it is safer not to know. We all have our secrets.” His eyes flickered round the small group. “Even in Paragon Walk. ‘If any man says he is without sin, he deceives himself.’ You didn’t expect to hear me quote from the Good Book, did you, Lady Ashworth? If you stroll along the Walk, Mrs. Pitt, your naked eye will see perfect houses, stone upon stone, but your spiritual eye, if you have one, will see a row of whited sepulchers. Is that not so, Selena?”
Before Selena could reply, there was a slight clatter as a maid jiggled yet more sherbet on her tray, and they turned to see a most beautiful woman coming across the grass, seeming almost to gloat as the faint, warm air moved the white and water-green silk of her dress. Selena’s face hardened.
“Jessamyn, how charming to see you. I had not expected you to have such fortitude to be about. How I admire you, my dear. Do join us and meet Mrs. Pitt, Emily’s sister from—?” She lifted her eyebrows, but no one answered her. There were brief acknowledgements. “What an attractive gown,” Selena went on, looking at Jessamyn again. “Only you could get away with wearing such a—an anaemic color. On me I swear it would look quite disastrous, so, so washed out!”
Charlotte turned to Jessamyn and observed from her expression that she understood Selena’s meaning perfectly. Her composure was exquisite.
“Don’t be depressed, my dear Selena. We cannot all wear the same things, but I’m sure there must be some colors which will suit you excellently.” She looked at the gorgeous gown Selena was wearing, lavender appliqued with plum-pink lace. “Not that, maybe,” she said slowly. “Had you thought of something a little