Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

It sounded to Maisie as if Robert Charlesworth had enough money to live well without doing any real work. "He sounds madly romantic," she said.

"Oh, he is, he's so soulful, you'd love him."

"I'm sure I would," Maisie said, although in fact she could not stand soulful poets with private incomes. However, she was happy for Emily, who had had more bad luck than she deserved. "Have you become his mistress?"

Emily blushed. "Oh, Maisie, you always ask the most embarrassing questions! Of course not!"

After what had happened on Mask Night, Maisie found it astonishing that Emily could be embarrassed about anything. However, experience had taught her that it was she, Maisie, who was peculiar in this respect. Most women were able to close their eyes to just about anything if they really wanted to. But Maisie had no patience with polite euphemisms and tactful phrases. If she wanted to know something she asked. "Well," she said brusquely, "you can't be his wife, can you?"

The answer took her by surprise. "That's why I came to see you," Emily said. "Do you know anything about getting a marriage annulled?"

"Goodness!" Maisie thought for a moment. "On the grounds that the marriage has never been consummated, I presume?"

"Yes."

Maisie nodded. "I do know about it, yes." It was no surprise that Emily had come to her for legal advice. There were no women lawyers, and a man would probably have gone straight to Edward and spilled the beans. Maisie was a campaigner for women's rights and had studied the existing law on marriage and divorce. "You would have to go to the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court," she said. "And you would have to prove that Edward is impotent under all circumstances, not just with you."

Emily's face fell. "Oh, dear," she said. "We know that's not so."

"Also, the fact that you're not a virgin would be a major problem."

"Then it's hopeless," Emily said miserably.

"The only way to do it would be to persuade Edward to cooperate. Do you think he would?"

Emily brightened. "He might."

"If he would sign an affidavit saying that he was impotent, and agree not to contest the annulment, your evidence won't be challenged."

"Then I'll find a way to make him sign." Emily's face took on a stubborn set and Maisie remembered how unexpectedly strong-willed the girl could be.

"Be discreet. It's against the law for a husband and wife to conspire in this way, and there's a man called the Queen's Proctor who acts as a kind of divorce policeman."