THE MISTRESS OF CASTLE CRAGGE

CHAPTER FIVE

     ‘Steven, are you listening?’ Delia’s voice rose an octave. ‘I’m beginning to believe I am neglected.’

     ‘Don’t be foolish, Delia,’ he said, trying to curb his impatience. ‘I see you as often as I can manage. I’d rather be here with you than anywhere else.’

‘It’s not enough.’

‘Why can’t you be satisfied, Delia?’ he said. ‘You have this house, servants, everything you wanted. I deny you nothing.’

He had bought the property, a gentleman’s stone built house, in Chasewater, some miles from Truro in the name of Wentworth, and had furnished it all to Delia’s rather expensive tastes. It was a refuge as well as a love nest; a place where he could relax and avoid the continuous mewling of his exasperating wife.

‘What more could you possibly want?’ He could look at her now that she was covered.

Delia was silent for a moment, then she turned away abruptly.

‘Steven, a little bird told me that you have arranged to attend the London Season this year. Is it true?’

Steven was alerted by the tone of her voice. It told him she was going to be difficult.

‘Yes, as a matter of fact it is,’ he said offhandedly. ‘My daughter Bernice is coming out this year. She is seventeen.’

‘When were you going to tell me that I would not be seeing you for three months or more during the summer?’

‘Delia, it’s awkward...’

‘Or were you not going to tell me,’ she exclaimed loudly turning to face him. ‘Perhaps you intended to go off to London and leave me here to rot!’

‘Delia!’

She flicked a hand carelessly. ‘Oh, it’s quite all right, as a matter of fact,’ she went on. ‘I shall simply take Gerry Danvers’s offer. He’s already asked me. He prepared to have me stay at the best hotel in London for the whole Season. He’s very keen.’

‘What?’ Steven exploded. ‘Damn him! Have you been seeing Sir Gerome Danvers behind my back?’

Delia stared at him doe-eyed for a moment and then smiled.

‘Of course not, Steven, my sweet,’ she said calmly. ‘Gerry has been dangling after me for some time but I wouldn’t be untrue to you, Steven, darling.’ She paused. ‘Unless, of course, you desert me.’

‘But it would be dangerous,’ he pleaded. ‘I have genuine business interests here in Chasewater so no questions are asked. But London...’

‘Perhaps you can’t afford to take me.’

‘Of course, I can afford it,’ he snapped, remembering with discomfort that it was solely with his clients’ money that he was financing it all. ‘It’s not a financial difficulty,’ he lied. ‘It’s just that we, my family, are sharing a house in Sheridan Square with my brother-in-law, Percy Swindale and his family. We’ll be in each other’s pockets, so to speak. My wife’s sister, Henrietta is a sharp-eyed harridan. She’ll expect me to keep company with that bore of a husband of hers.’

Delia smiled. ‘Perhaps he has someone special he would like to accommodate. We could share; she and I?’

Steven laughed out loud despite the trickiness of the moment. ‘Percy Swindale with a mistress? Hardly! The man rarely ever gets out from under his wife’s thumb.’

Delia sauntered to the dressing table and sat, picking up a hair brush and began caressing her long golden hair with it.

‘Very well, Steven, I shall write to Gerry and accept his offer. What choice do I have? I refuse to be deserted.’