‘I am quite sure we have,’ Leicester insisted, eyes fixed on Miss Talbot’s face. ‘You look so very familiar to me. Is your family from London – perhaps I have met a relative?’
Kitty looked over to Aunt Dorothy, hoping she might chip in, only to find her aunt’s face almost totally obscured by her fan now. A horrible thought occurred to Kitty. She had a feeling she might know which of her relatives this man had met, and under what circumstances.
‘I am often told I have one of those faces,’ Kitty said, inwardly cursing that her father’s blood was not strong enough to prevent her striking resemblance to her mother. She cast about for a new topic, but to her horror, the duke’s words had inspired more than a little curiosity in the assembled group. Even Lady Radcliffe was eyeing her with interest now.
‘Perhaps she reminds you of the youngest Clavering girl?’ Lady Radcliffe suggested.
‘No dash it, I am quite sure that is not it,’ Leicester persisted. Oh goodness. ‘Remind me of your name, miss?’
Kitty’s mind was an anxious whirl. She could not, of course, deny this man her name – it would look too unusual. But were she to reveal it, did she risk this gentleman making a leap of logic? Might he, had he known her mother once upon a time, also remember why their acquaintance had drawn to a close?
‘Miss Talbot, your grace,’ she said, unable to deny him.
‘Talbot …’ he pondered for a few moments. ‘And – forgive me – you are Mrs Talbot, ma’am?’
His head began to turn towards Mrs Kendall’s fan-covered face. Aunt Dorothy would have to respond, to lower the fan – it would look too odd, it would be unforgivably rude, to do anything else. Would he recognise her, as she so clearly feared he might? Kitty’s mind was quite blank of ideas. She could not think of a single thing to do to save them. There was no scheme that presented itself to her, no way out of this mess. She could only watch with morbid fascination as their whole world was about to come crashing down on them, right in front of the Pembertons. Kitty opened her mouth to say something – anything that could possibly help – but she didn’t have to.
‘You will no doubt have met the Harrogate Talbots during your time in Yorkshire, my lord,’ came the voice of Radcliffe as he materialised quite out of thin air. ‘The resemblance is uncanny, I noticed it myself.’
‘The Harrogate Talbots?’ Leicester’s face cleared of suspicion. He snapped his fingers together. ‘That’ll be it, no doubt. Dashed but I can’t help but be bothered by that sort of thing. My thanks, Radcliffe – and welcome back, sir! I was just telling your mother that I hope we can count upon your presence in the Lords one of these days!’
Radcliffe took a pinch of snuff. ‘I’m happy to oblige, your grace, but I do not think you will like how I vote.’
Leicester let out a roar of laughter. In the ensuing melee, Kitty and Aunt Dorothy excused themselves quietly. Kitty sent a look of thanks in Radcliffe’s direction, which he returned with a barely perceptible wink.
‘That was far too close,’ Aunt Dorothy moaned as they scurried away to a safe corner.
‘I take it the Duke of Leicester knew Mama – and yourself – in your younger years?’ Kitty asked.
‘Yes, most intimately,’ Aunt Dorothy sighed gustily. ‘Thank goodness for your Radcliffe – Leicester is one of those worst sorts of devils who is terribly immoral in his private life, but an absolute stickler in public. If he had recognised me, we should have been in deepest trouble.’
Kitty felt a pang of guilt for ever having disbelieved her aunt in the first place when she spoke of such a risk. She pressed a hand to her heart, willing its pace to ease.
‘Of all the people,’ she said faintly. ‘Of all the moments. Though I suppose we are lucky this is the only time you have been recognised.’
Aunt Dorothy did not reply, appearing quite distracted.
‘It is, isn’t it?’ Kitty asked, frowning.
‘I need a drink to settle my nerves,’ Aunt Dorothy said fervently. ‘I shall be hiding my face for the rest of the evening. Come find me when we can leave.’
She disappeared. Kitty was sorely tempted to do the same, but knew she must return to the Pembertons as soon as it was safe to do so. She kept an eye on them, waiting for them to leave Leicester’s side, though it seemed to be taking a long time. She supposed Pemberton would be quite too excited to tell the man his political views to leave any time soon. She sighed.