A Dangerous Fortune(55)

While he was distracted she racked her brains. Suddenly she was inspired. “Send him abroad,” she said.

“Eh?”

The more she thought of the idea, the better she liked it. He would be out of reach of David Middleton, but still within her sphere of influence. “The Far East, or South America,” she went on, warming to her theme. “Someplace where his bad behavior will not reflect directly on my house.”

Joseph forgot his irritation with her. “It’s not a bad idea,” he said reflectively. “There’s an opening in the United States. The old boy who runs our Boston office needs an assistant.”

America would be perfect, Augusta thought. She was pleased with her own brilliance.

But at the moment Joseph was only toying with the idea. She wanted him to commit himself to it. “Let Hugh go as soon as possible,” she said. “I don’t want him in the house another day.”

“He can book his passage in the morning,” Joseph said. “After that there is no reason for him to stay in London. He can go down to Folkestone to say good-bye to his mother, and stay there until his ship sails.”

And he won’t see David Middleton for years, Augusta thought with satisfaction. “Splendid. It’s settled, then.” Were there any other snags? She remembered Maisie. Did Hugh care for her? It seemed unlikely, but anything was possible. He might refuse to be parted from her. It was a loose end, and it worried Augusta. Hugh could not possibly take a trollop to Boston with him, but on the other hand he might refuse to leave London without her. Augusta wondered if she could nip the romance in the bud, just as a precaution.

She stood up and moved to the door that communicated with her bedroom. Joseph looked disappointed. “I must get rid of that girl,” she said.

“Anything I can do?”

The question surprised her. It was not liked him to make generalized offers of help. He wanted another look at the whore, she thought sourly. She shook her head. “I’ll come back. Get into bed.”

“Very well,” he said reluctantly.

She went into her own room and closed the door firmly behind her.

Maisie was clothed again and pinning her hat to her hair. Mrs. Merton was folding up a rather flashy blue-green gown and cramming it into a cheap bag. “I’ve loaned her a dress of mine, as hers is soaked, mum,” said the housekeeper.

That answered a little question that had been nagging Augusta. She had thought it was unlike Hugh to do something as blatantly stupid as to bring home a whore. Now she saw how it had come about. They had been caught in the sudden storm, and Hugh had brought the woman inside to get dry, then one thing had led to another.

“What is your name?” she said to the girl.

“Maisie Robinson. I know yours.”

Augusta found that she loathed Maisie Robinson. She was not sure why: the girl was hardly worthy of such strong feelings. It had something to do with the way she had looked when naked: so proud, so voluptuous, so independent. “I suppose you want money,” Augusta said disdainfully.

“You hypocritical cow,” Maisie said. “You didn’t marry that rich, ugly husband of yours for love.”

It was the truth, and the words took Augusta’s breath away. She had underestimated this young woman. She had made a bad beginning, and now she had to dig herself out of the hole. From now on she must handle Maisie carefully. This was a providential opportunity, and she must not waste it.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to sound neutral. “Will you sit down for a moment?” She indicated a chair.

Maisie looked surprised, but after a moment’s hesitation she took a seat.

Augusta sat opposite her.

The girl had to be made to give Hugh up. She had been scornful when Augusta had hinted at a bribe, and Augusta was reluctant to repeat the offer: she sensed that money would not work with this girl. But she was clearly not the type to be bullied either.

Augusta would have to make her believe that separation would be the best thing for both Maisie and Hugh. It would work best if Maisie thought that giving Hugh up was her own idea. And that might be best achieved by Augusta arguing the opposite. Now, there was a good notion….

Augusta said: “If you want to marry him, I can’t stop you.” The girl looked surprised, and Augusta congratulated herself on having caught her off guard.

“What makes you think I want to marry him?” Maisie said.

Augusta almost laughed. She wanted to say The fact that you’re a scheming little gold digger, but instead she said: “What girl wouldn’t want to marry him? He’s personable and good-looking and he comes from a great family. He has no money, but his prospects are excellent.”

Maisie narrowed her eyes and said: “It almost sounds as if you want me to marry him.”

Augusta intended to give exactly that impression, but she had to tread delicately. Maisie was suspicious and seemed too bright to be easily hoodwinked. “Let’s not be fanciful, Maisie,” she said. “Forgive me for saying so, but no woman of my class would wish a man of her family to marry quite so far below him.”

Maisie showed no resentment. “She might if she hated him enough.”

Feeling encouraged, Augusta continued to lead her on. “But I don’t hate Hugh,” she said. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“He did. He told me you treat him as a poor relation and make sure everyone else does the same.”