The Saint and the Sinner by Barbara Cartland Page B

went on,
    “Mama was very upset because she could not remember your address. She had written a lot of letters that day, and although she tried and tried she could not recall it exactly.”
    The Earl did not speak and Pandora continued,
    “Even so, as she was sure it was somewhere in Islington, Papa spent a whole day in the neighbourhood, but no-one had heard of a householder by the name of Chart!”
    “That was not surprising, as we were staying in a cheap boarding-house,” the Earl said bitterly.
    He rose from his chair and walked across the room to stand at one of the windows looking out onto the garden.
    “I have hated your grandfather so violently that it has poisoned my whole outlook on life,” he said, “but I did not realise until after my father was dead that he had been in fact the heir for three months.”
    “Then you – knew it had – come to – you?”
    “I borrowed money on the strength of it,” the Earl said with a defiant note in his voice, “not much, because money-lenders are not over generous to heir presumptives, but enough to give me a taste of the life that was to be mine once I became the fifth Earl and inherited not only a coronet but a fortune!”
    Pandora did not speak.
    She suddenly felt that her anger had gone from her and she felt instead deflated and at the same time a little weak.
    “I am – sorry I was so – rude,” she said after a moment. “I lost my temper, and I know it was wrong of Grandpapa to behave as he did, but it was in fact very unlike him.”
    “I suppose we can both understand that he hated me just as I hated him!” the Earl said.
    “He adored his sons,” Pandora went on as if the Earl had not spoken. “I suppose every man wants a son to carry on his name. I know Papa, although he loved me, would have liked a boy, and he always hoped he would have a son. But the doctors said it would be a miracle if Mama ever had another child.”
    She spoke a little sadly, then she said,
    “But you must have lots of children. I used to think when I came here as a little girl what fun it would be if there were other children to slide down the Long Gallery and play hide-and-seek in the Orangery.”
    “I have decided not to perpetuate the name of Chartwood,” the Earl answered abruptly.
    “How can you be so ridiculous?” Pandora asked, the softness swept away from her voice. “As I said last night, you have been so lucky, but instead of being grateful you are letting what happened in the past destroy your judgement and ruin your own life.”
    “Do you really think it is ruined?” the Earl asked.
    “Well, you cannot go on forever being amused by...”
    Pandora stopped because she thought she was being rude.
    “Go on,” the Earl said. “Let me hear what you think of my friends – the only friends I have.”
    “I just wonder how long they would stay your friends if you had no money,” Pandora snapped.
    For a moment the Earl glared at her, then he laughed.
    “You are certainly frank, my saintly little cousin. Leave me to my sins – I prefer it that way.”
    “You can sin as much as you like,” Pandora said, and I would make no attempt to stop you, but you cannot force a young girl like Mary to be corrupted by that – horrible – beastly man who came to – my bed-room last – night!”
    She gave a little shiver.
    “I was thinking when he had gone how fortunate it was that you were there to save me – and how – kind you – were.”
    She paused and her voice softened as she said,
    “I went to sleep thinking you were not – as bad as you – pretend to be – but now I am not – sure.”
    “That is deliberately inviting me to say that I will show you that I am not only as bad as you think I am, but very much worse!”
    “And will that give you any great satisfaction?” Pandora asked. “When you have left everyone here weeping, miserable, and starving, what will you have proved? That you can be cruel, hard, and wicked? Well, I dare say the family has