Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

"By then it will be too late. And you can pass it off as a clerical error." Micky knew this was implausible and he doubted if Edward would swallow it.

But Edward ignored it. "If you stay ..." He paused and dropped his eyes.

"Yes?"

"If you stay in London, will you spend nights at my new house sometimes?"

That was the only thing Edward was interested in, Micky realized with a surge of triumph. He gave his most winning smile. "Of course."

Edward nodded. "That's all I want. I'll speak to Simon this afternoon."

Micky picked up his wineglass. "To friendship," he said.

Edward clinked glasses and smiled shyly. "To friendship."

Section 2

WITHOUT WARNING, Edward's wife Emily moved into Whitehaven House.

Although everyone still thought of it as Augusta's house, Joseph had in fact bequeathed it to Edward. Consequently they could not throw Emily out: it would probably have been grounds for divorce, and that was just what Emily wanted.

In fact Emily was technically mistress of the house, and Augusta just a mother-in-law living there on sufferance. If Emily had openly confronted Augusta there would have been a mighty clash of wills. Augusta would have relished that, but Emily was too adroit to fight her openly. "It is your home," Emily would say sweetly. "You must do whatever you wish." The condescension was enough to make Augusta flinch.

Emily even had Augusta's title: as Edward's wife she was the countess of Whitehaven now, and Augusta was the dowager countess.

Augusta continued to give orders to the servants as if she were still mistress of the house, and whenever she got the chance she would countermand Emily's instructions. Emily never complained. However, the servants became subversive. They liked Emily better than Augusta--because she was foolishly soft on them, Augusta thought--and they found ways to make Emily's life comfortable despite Augusta's efforts.

The most powerful weapon an employer had was the threat of dismissing a servant without a character reference. No one else would give the servant a job thereafter. But Emily had taken this weapon away from Augusta with an ease that was almost frightening. One day Emily ordered sole for lunch. Augusta changed it to salmon, sole was served, and Augusta dismissed the cook. But Emily gave the cook a glowing reference and she was hired by the duke of Kingsbridge at a better wage. And for the first time ever, Augusta's servants were not terrified of her.