Royal Revels by Joan Smith

queer nabs.”
    “It’s the drink,” Pronto said knowingly.
    ‘‘He does drink a good deal. I was invited one evening for a game of cards, and His Highness took a liking to me. I expect it was the novelty of my being from America.”
    Mr. Smythe was a good talker. The conversation never flagged for a minute, but when they parted half an hour later, nothing of any significance had been learned.
    “Auntie will be wondering what happened to us,” Deirdre said. She felt a twinge of guilt at how long she had been away.
    “I’ll just drop you at the door,” Pronto told her, his gallantry forgotten in the face of the formidable duchess. ‘‘Run along to the inn and read my book. Looking forward to it,’’ he mumbled as she descended from the carriage.
    “Don’t forget our little secret,’’ she reminded him. “Don’t tell Auntie we’ve been house hunting,” she said with a bantering smile. “And thank you for a perfectly wonderful afternoon, Pronto.”
    He blushed up to his ears and stammered himself back to the carriage.
     

Chapter Six
     
    “Dick, you’re back already!” Deirdre exclaimed in surprise when she entered the saloon.
    He had been enduring the duchess’s indifferent company for over an hour and had become edgy. “Already? I’ve been waiting an age for you. You were so impatient for my company that I made special effort to be home in time to drive out with you this afternoon.”
    “Ring a good peal over her, Belami. It will save me the bother of doing it,” the duchess said, also in a huff. “Did you get my book?” she demanded, turning to Deirdre.
    “Of course I did,” Deirdre said, handing it over and tossing an apologetic smile at both her accusers. Between the smile and disliking to be in league with the duchess on anything, Dick was persuaded to forgive her.
    “ The Necromancer of the Black Forest again! I have read this stupid thing a dozen times,” the duchess said with an annoyed tsk and put it on her lap, where she was soon browsing through it again.
    Belami led his fiancée to the farthest sofa, pretending to point out to her the mist rising from the ocean, but of course wanting privacy to learn what she had been up to. He mistrusted that sparkle in her eyes and the unusually bright flush on her cheeks.
    “Let’s hear it. You didn’t keep Pronto happy in a library for over two hours. Where were you?” he asked.
    With a peek across the room to confirm that her aunt was engrossed in her book, she answered in a low voice, “I have information for you. Pronto and I followed Lady Gilham’s trail.” She went on to open her budget of all its secrets in that regard.
    “I’m delighted with your findings, but in future I would prefer that you let me know first what you’re up to. And what would folks think if they heard you were house hunting with Pronto?”
    “We’re not flats! We didn’t give our own names,” she said, piqued. “I think it looks very suspicious that Lady Gilham was living in London, don’t you?”
    “You mentioned a hotel was the address. It looks as though she went there for a holiday en route from Cornwall. It’s not far out of the way and would be a major attraction. Of more interest is that the shy and wilting violet cast herself in Prinney’s path—and to such good avail!—within a week of landing here.”
    “If she claims poverty, why wouldn’t she stay with Sir John’s sister on Upper Grosvenor Square when she was visiting London?” she asked with an odious air of having outthought her mentor.
    “Because ten to one there is no Mrs. Lehman. That monthly lease looks as though she’s poised for flight—it would have been cheaper by the year. You haven’t asked what I accomplished,” he said. His manner indicated that he, too, had had some success.
     “I see you are about to tell me all the same.”
    “If you insist,” he said with a dashing smile that made her heart rush. “I had lunch with George Smythe. He claims to come