LORD OF MANY SECRETS

THIRTY

The day after he had politely refused his consent to the third aspirant, Miss Tellaro recieved a letter by the Twopenny post. It was quite short.

"The Earl of Clements presents his compliments to Miss Tellaro and begs to inform her that he would be obliged if she would assure any gentleman aspiring to her hand that there is no possibility of his lordship consenting to her marriage within the period of his guardianship".

Justly incensed, Miss Tellaro sat herself down at her elegant little tambour-top writing table and dashed off an impetuous note, requesting the favor of a visit from his lordship in the immediate future. This she had sent off by hand. A reply in Mr Kingsley's neat fist informed her that his lordship being upon the point of setting out to spend the weekend at Garbatela he was commissioned to tell her that his lordship would do himself the honor of calling in Spear Street some time during the following week.

Miss Tellaro tore this civil letter up in a rage. To be obliged to bottle up her wrath at Clements daring to refuse all her suitors - none of whom she had the smallest desire to marry - without consulting her wishes, for as much as three days, and very likely more, was so insupportable that she could not face the weekend with any degree of composure.

However, it was not so very bad. A card party on Saturday helped to pass the time, and Sunday brought her a new and rather awe inspiring acquaintance.

She and Mrs Andromeda attended the Chapel Royal for the morning service. Mrs Andromeda frankly occupied herself with looking about her at the newest fashions, and was not above whispering to her charge when she saw a particularly striking hat, but Miss Tellaro, more strictly brought up, tried to keep her mind on what was going forward. This, when all her thoughts were taken up with the impertinence of her guardian having announced that he should not give consent to her marriage, was not very easy. Her mind wandered during the reading of the first lesson, but was recalled with a jerk.

"And Zacchaeus said: 'behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor'," read the clergyman.

A voice which came from someone seated quite near to Miss Tellaro suddenly interrupted, saying in a loud hurried way, "too much, too much! Don't mind tithes, but can't stand that!"

There were one or two stifled giggles, and many heads were turned. Mrs Andromeda, who had craned her neck to see who it was who had lifted up his voice in such an unseemly fashion, nipped Elizabeth's arm, and whispered urgently, "it's the Duke of Naples. He talks to himself, you know. And I think it is his brother Venice who is with him, but I cannot quite see. And if it is, my love, I believe it to be a fact that he is parted from Mrs Smith, and is looking about him for a rich wife! Only fancy if he should think of you!"

Miss Tellaro did not choose to fancy anything so absurd, and quelled her chaperon with a frown.

Mrs Andromeda was right in her conjecture - it was the Duke of Venice. He came out of the church after the service with Lord and Lady Roma IX, a burly, red-faced gentleman with very staring blue eyes and a pear shaped head. Mrs Andromeda, who had lingered strategically on the pretext of exchanging greetings with an acquaintance, contrived to be in the way. Lady Roma bowed and smiled, but the Duke, with his rather protuberant eyes fixed on Miss Tellaro, he very palpably twitched her sleeve.

The Duke, who had the same thick utterance that belonged to all the King's sons, said in his blunt, disconnected way, "what's that? What's that? Is it Miss Tellaro? Well, this is famous indeed! I have been wishing to meet Miss Tellaro these three weeks. How do you do? So you drive a phaeton and pair, as I hear, ma'am? Well, that is the right tack for Clement's ward!"

Miss Tellaro said simply, "yes, sure, I do drive a phaeton and pair".

"Ay, Ay, they tell me you shake the wind out of all their sails. I shall keep a weather eye lifted for in the Park, ma'am, for as long as I stay here in Rome. I am acquainted with Clements, you know. He is a particular friend of my brother Bologna. You need not fear to and haul to and take me aboard your phaeton".

"I shall be honored, sir", replied Miss Tellaro, wondering at his bluff geniality. She could not imagine why he should want to be taken aboard her phaeton, as he phrased it, but if he did, she had not the least objection. He seemed a good humored easy going Prince, not at all awe inspiring, and - though rather elderly and stout - quite likeable in his odd way.

The Duke of Naples, who, unlike his brother, was extremely tall, with a fair handsome countenance, came toward the group at this moment, and the Duke of Venice said with his boisterous laugh, "ah, you see, I am overhauled. I must be off. Did you ever know such a fellow as my brother, to be talking out loud in church? But he didn't mean it, you know. You must not be shocked, my lady. I shall look for you in the Park, Miss Tellaro, don't forget I shall be looking out for you!"

Elizabeth curtsied and moved away with Mrs Andromeda, and beyond describing the encounter with a good deal of humor to Patrick that evening, thought no more about it. But sure enough the Royal Tar did look out for her. She did not visit Lake Park the next day, but on Tuesday she was there with her groom beside her, and had not gone very far when she saw the Duke waving to her from the promenade. He was walking with another gentleman, but When miss Tellaro drew up in obedience to his signal, he left his companion abruptly and came to the phaeton, and wanted to know whether she would take him up.