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disposal, but to no avail.
He could hardly believe that anyone, especially someone as young and
inexperienced as Vanessa, could evade detection in a manner which left him puzzled
and completely at a loss to know what to do next.
When he had returned to Ruckford Park, having dealt most effectively with the fire
on the farm, it was later than he had intended.
It had required all his experience of organisation and leadership to calm down the
farmer and his family; to get the animals to safety; and to prevent the fire from spreading
any farther.
It was in fact entirely due to the manner in which the Marquis had taken control of
the situation that the fire caused less damage than might otherwise have been expected.
But by the time the fire was out, scattered cattle rounded up, and accommodation
allotted to the homeless family, the Marquis realised that he was nearly an hour late for
luncheon.
He had, however, ridden back to Ruckford Park in a good humour.
It was pleasant to know that he had been instrumental in preventing the incident
from developing into a disaster, and he was well aware that his employees had looked at
him with admiration as well as gratitude when he had taken his farewell of them.
As he arrived at the front door a groom was waiting to take his horse and he walked
quickly up the broad stone steps. Handing his hat to the Butler, he said:
"I am late, Jenkins! I hope Miss Lens did not wait luncheon for me."
"Miss Lens has left, M'Lord."
For a moment the meaning of the Butler's reply did not seem to penetrate the
Marquis's mind. He had in fact started to walk towards the Dining-Room.
Then he stopped and asked:
"Left? What do you mean, left?"
"Miss Lens and her maid, M'Lord, departed for London at about eleven o'clock this
morning."
"Departed for London?" the Marquis repeated almost stupidly.
"Miss Lens asked, M'Lord, if a carriage could convey her to where she intended to
board the Stagecoach. But as she was in a hurry, I prevailed upon her to take the
travelling carriage for the whole journey. I thought that would be Your Lordship's wish."
"Of course," the Marquis said quickly, "but why was Miss Lens in a hurry to return to
London? Was there a message for her of any kind?"
"No, M'Lord, as far as I know Miss Lens received neither a message nor a letter."
"I do not understand," the Marquis said as if to himself.
"It did appear, M'Lord," the Butler continued, "that Miss Lens made up her mind to
leave after she had spoken to Her Grace."
"Her Grace?" the Marquis questioned, and his voice was sharp.
"The Duchess of Tealby, M'Lord. Her Grace called and enquired for Your Lordship,
and when she heard that you were not at home she asked to speak with Miss Lens."
The Marquis said nothing and after a moment the Butler continued:
"Miss Lens was in the Rose Drawing-Room, M'Lord. I understand she was doing
some restoration work to one of Your Lordship's miniatures. Her Grace was with her for
a short time and soon after she departed Miss Lens asked for a carriage to convey her to
Beaconsfield."
The Marquis had drawn out his watch to look at it.
If Vanessa had left Ruckford Park at eleven o'clock she would by now, he reckoned,
have reached London.
He decided to join her as soon as was possible, but he intended to visit the Duchess of
Tealby first to discover what she had said to Vanessa.
He had a very good idea what that was. As usual, it infuriated him that anyone
should interfere in his private affairs; moreover, the Duchess of Tealby was noted as a
busy-body.
Having eaten quickly, he therefore changed his clothes and drove his phaeton to
Tealby Castle.
There the Duchess at first received him effusively, only to freeze into an affronted
coldness as the Marquis extracted from her more or less word for word what she had
said to Vanessa.
"I cannot imagine, Ma'am," he said in a manner no less icy than the Duchess's, "why
you should take it upon yourself to censure a young lady who was staying with me as
my guest."
"I felt I had the right, Danien," the Duchess replied, "seeing that I have known you
since you were in the cradle, and it was your father's earnest wish that our families
should be united."
"It may have been my father's wish," the Marquis said, "but I am perfectly capable,
Ma'am, of making up my own mind on matters that concern me personally."
"I am aware of that," the Duchess replied. "But there has never been a scandal at
Ruckford Park, in my lifetime, and I cannot allow you to forfeit the respect in which the
whole County holds you or damage the honoured name of your family."
"My family name has survived," the Marquis said with a sarcastic note in his voice,
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