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‘No, how should I?’ replied Worth in his cool way

‘I thought you ht have heard from your brother’

‘Your sister had a letter froo, but he did not knohen he wrote when the Duke would be free to leave Vienna’

‘He ought to be here However, I’m told that since Lord Hill ca France I suppose it’s true he was sent to keep the Prince quiet?’

‘I expect your inforrine’

Sir Peregrine Taverner had attained the e of twenty-three, had been three years uardianship, and was, besides, the father of a pair of hopeful children, but he still stood a little in awe of his brother-in-law He accepted the snub with a sigh, andanxious, you know After all, Worth, I’m a family man now’

The Earl smiled ‘Very true’

‘I don’t think, if I had known Boney would get away from Elba, I should have taken a house in Brussels at all You must admit it is not a comfortable situation for a civilian to be in’ He ended on a slightly disconsolate note, his gaze wandering to the scarlet splendour of Lord Hay

‘In fact,’ said the Earl, ‘you would like very much to buy yourself a pair of colours’

Sir Peregrine grinned sheepishly ‘Well, yes, I would One feels confoundedly out of it At least, I daresay you don’t, because you are a military man yourself’

‘My dear Perry, I sold out years ago!’ The Earl turned away froot up to take her leave

Beside Judith Worth’s golden iana see her pelisse buttoned close to her throat by her tall friend, for even on this 4th day of April the weather still remained chilly; stood on tiptoe to kiss Judith’s cheek; pro her at Lady Charlotte Greville’s that evening; and went off under Hay’s escort to join her mother, the Duchess of Richmond, at the Marquis d’Assche’s house at the corner of the Park

Since Mr Creevey showed no iain, and hters One of the Misses Ord, he confided, had becoed to be married Lady Worth exclai all over his kindly face, disclosed the name of the fortunate man It was Hamilton; yes, Major Andrew Hamilton, of the Adjutant-General’s Staff: an excellent fellow! Between theoing on He got all the news froe of strict secrecy Lady Worth would understand that his lips were sealed ‘And you too,’ he added, fixing his penetrating gaze upon her, ‘I daresay you have information for your private ear, eh?’

‘I?’ said Lady Worth ‘My dear Mr Creevey, none in the world! What can you be thinking of?’

He looked arch ‘Come, come, isn’t Colonel Audley with the Great Man?’

‘My brother-in-law! Yes, certainly he is in Vienna, but I assure you he doesn’t tell me any secrets We don’t even knoe may expect to see him here’

He was disappointed, for news, titbits of scandal, interesting confidences whispered behind sheltering hands, were the breath of life to hi to be learned fro down to what he called a comfortable prose with her He had already told her, upon his first coular occurrence, but he could not resist adverting to it again: it was so very rerine had not been present when he had first related the circumstance, so he nodded to him and said: ‘You will have heard of the new arrivals, I daresay I was telling your good sister about them’

‘The King?’ said Peregrine ‘The French King, Ito Brussels? I did hear a ru’

‘Oh, the King!’ Mr Creevey waved his Sacred Majesty aside with one pluh I have reason to believe he will remain in Ghent for the present Paltry fellow, ain’t he? No, no soular—or so it seeood fortune to see theo There was Marleterre; Berthier, to the Duc d’Are’s; and Victor—nohere do you suppose? Why, to the Hôtel Wellington, of all places in the world!’

‘How ironic!’ re his other guests off ‘Is it true, or just one of your stories, Creevey?’

‘No, no, I promise you it’s quite true! I knew you would enjoy the joke’

Lady Worth, who had accorded the tale at this second hearing no more than a polite smile, said in a reflective tone: ‘It is certainly very odd to think of Marlish camp’

‘The Allied camp, my love,’ corrected the Earl, with a sardonic smile

‘Well, yes,’ she ad ian troops count for much, while as for the Prussians, the only one I have laid eyes on is General Röder, and—well—!’ She esture ‘He is always so stiff, and takes such stupid offence at trifles, that it puts me out of all patience with him’

‘Yes, he will never do for the Duke,’ agreed Mr Creevey ‘Ha with him at all He thinks himself insulted if any of our officers remain seated in his presence Such stuff! A man who sets so much store by all that ceremonious nonsense won’t do for the Duke’s Headquarters They couldn’t have made a worse choice of Commissioner There’s another man, too, who they say will never do for the Duke’ He nodded, and pronounced: ‘Our respected Quartermaster-General!’

‘Oh, poor Sir Hudson Lowe! He is very

stiff also,’ said Lady Worth ‘People say he is an efficient officer, however’