CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Eleanor opened her eyes. She felt chilled and then confused. Someone was pounding on her bedroom door. Someone was shouting. 

    ‘Eleanor, open this door at once!’

    She sat up and swung her limbs off the bed.

    ‘Eleanor, if you do not open this door immediately I will break it down!’

    Eleanor blinked. The voice sounded like that of Major Warburton, but what on earth could he be about?

    ‘Eleanor, I warn you...’

    Eleanor reached the door and drew it open wide.

    ‘It is not locked, sir,’ she exclaimed in surprise. ‘What is the to-do? Is there a fire?’

    His tall bulky form filled the doorway. His face was red and his expression showed intense anger. Eleanor wondered at the source of it.

    ‘I am not surprised you hide yourself away here,’ he snarled. ‘You have much to answer for.’

    ‘What?’ Eleanor blinked, startled at his vehemence. ‘Major Warburton, why are you shouting at me in this unseemly manner?’ she asked. ‘Have you been drinking?

    He pushed passed her and strode into the room without answering, and then turned to face her, his expression dark.

    ‘Eleanor, I demand a full explanation of your underhanded conduct now!’

    Eleanor was both bewildered and astonished.

    ‘How dare you burst into my bedroom in this outrageous way,’ she cried out, irritated at his boorishness. ‘It is insufferable!’

     She could hardly believe it of him. It was not the actions of a gentleman.

    ‘Do not bandy words with me, woman,’ he bellowed. ‘You have betrayed my kindness and the kindness of my family.’

    Eleanor stared at him, totally confused. He must be drunk to behave in this way.

    ‘Sir, I am at a loss to understand your meaning. You are either drunk or mad.’

    ‘Do not pretend with me,’ he sneered. ‘You know full well what you have done. Have you no shame; no pinch of guilt? You...you...Jezebel!’

    Eleanor took a step back in open-mouth shock at the unwarranted epithet. For a moment she was stunned and then anger rose.

    ‘What did you call me?’ she burst out at him, waves of hot blood rushing to her head. ‘How dare you!’

    ‘Jezebel!’ he shouted again.

    ‘Ooh!’ Anger was pounding in her temples and in her head as she stared wide eyed at him.

    ‘I will not tolerate this drunken behaviour,’ she burst out, her eyes flashing. ‘Get out of my room.’

    ‘I am not drunk,’ he yelled. ‘I am outraged at your betrayal.’

    ‘Leave my room at once I tell you,’ Eleanor cried out. ‘Else I must call a footman to come to my aid.’

    ‘Oh, yes, of course,’ he shouted. ‘You have the footmen wrapped around your little finger, too. I should not be surprised.’

    ‘You have gone mad, I think,’ Eleanor exclaimed in anger. ‘Your words are insulting in the utmost degree.’

    ‘So, you will not admit your transgressions.’ He nodded judgementally. ‘So be it then. I must lay them out.’

    Eleanor’s fury reached boiling point.

    ‘If I were a man I would lay you out, sir,’ she exclaimed loudly. ‘I thought you a gentleman but you are nothing more than a dyed-in-the-wool oaf.’

    He nodded. ‘So, now I see your true colours,’ he snarled. ‘I was deceived by your lady-like ways. Fool that I am I take pity on you...’

    ‘Pity!’ Eleanor was so furious she could find no further words.

    ‘I take pity on you,’ he continued. ‘I provide a fortune for you to live like a lady...’

    ‘I did not ask for your money,’ Eleanor shouted. ‘You may take it back as soon as you like.’

    ‘But all that is not enough for you,’ Ambrose persisted as though she had not spoken. ‘Instead you have the effrontery to dangle after my brother Hugo, for his title, of course.’

    ‘Dangle after Sir Hugo?’ Eleanor was beside herself with anger. ‘Who has spread this atrocious slander?’

    ‘Hugo himself,’ Ambrose said triumphantly. ‘Hugo told my sister that he would court you and spoke of marriage. Hugo could not have thought of that himself. You have steered him in that direction with your wiles.’

    Eleanor glared at him for a moment. She took a deep breath, lifted her chin proudly and threw back her shoulders.

    ‘A moment ago I called you an oaf,’ she said with studied calm. ‘That was too good a term for you, sir. You are an addle-brained ill-mannered witless lout.’

    ‘Now, look here, Eleanor...’

    ‘Enough!’ She lifted a hand and pointed to the still open door. ‘You have overreached yourself, sir, beyond repair. I will suffer your presence no longer. I will not speak another word to you, not now, not ever.’

    ‘But, Eleanor...’

    ‘Go!’

    With a muffled oath of fury he strode through the doorway. Eleanor slammed the door closed in his wake.

    She stood for a moment looking at the door and then burst into tears.

An hour or two later Eleanor washed her face, redressed her hair and went downstairs to Lord Birkett’s study.

    With a brief knock she walked in. His lordship was at his desk with the household account books spread on the desk before him.

    He looked up casually as she came in.

    ‘Ah! Eleanor, I am glad you are here. These dozen bolts of silk.’ He pointed to a page in the book. ‘Do my daughters really require so many? Are they really in need of more gowns?’

    ‘Bother the gowns!’ Eleanor exclaimed impatiently. ‘Lord Birkett I request that you find me a house to rent today, immediately.’

    ‘What?’

    ‘I will not spend another night under this roof.’

    ‘What on earth is wrong?’

    ‘Major Warburton has grossly insulted me,’ she said. ‘I can abide him no longer.’

    Lord Birkett stood. ‘But Ambrose does not sleep under this roof,’ he pointed out.

    ‘He is back and forth at all times,’ Eleanor said. ‘He behaves as though he owns the house. He...he was in my bedroom earlier and that was when he insulted me.’

    ‘Good Lord!’ his lordship said, blinking. ‘Did he...did he lay hands on you?’

    ‘Certainly not!’ Eleanor burst out. ‘He insulted me with his words. He was beastly and abominable.’

    ‘Eleanor, don’t you think it better to wait until morning?’

    ‘No,’ Eleanor said firmly. ‘I want a house today.’

    ‘But it is not so easy...’

    ‘I know you have influence, my lord,’ Eleanor pleaded. ‘I beg of you, please, secure a house for me today.’

    Lord Birkett scratched his head. ‘Well, there is a property in Beaumont Gardens, just round the corner from Grosvenor square. However, I am not sure it is suitable.’

    ‘I’ll take it!’ Eleanor burst out promptly. ‘I will move in later today.’

    ‘Very well, I will send the vendor a note immediately to secure it. But there are no servants engaged,’ Lord Birkett observed. ‘You cannot be there alone.’

    ‘Lady Susan will surely lend me a maid,’ Eleanor suggested. ‘Just for a day or two until I can make other arrangements.’

    ‘It is all rather hurried, Eleanor,’ Lord Birkett said doubtfully. ‘I wonder if you are making a serious error.’

    ‘I have vowed to myself that I will not encounter or speak with Major Warburton again,’ Eleanor said firmly. ‘And I always keep my vows.’