Chapter Seventeen
And what had become of Theo, in the midst of so many concurrent disasters? Was his life also endangered? Was he suffering intolerably from the predations and machinations of so heartless a villain as Marianne Daughtry?
Why, no. He was enjoying the cosiest of tête-à-têtes with this beguiling lady, and feeling really rather pleased with the progress of his day.
At first, he had been conscious of a little awkwardness. It has been mentioned before that (despite his wealth and elevated rank) Theo was not much in the habit of entertaining attractive ladies in private. Upon entering his own rooms with Mrs. Daughtry (wilting appealingly) on his arm, and the door then closing upon them, he had at first suffered an acute sense of being very much at sea. What did one do with an a
