'Of course if it is inconvenient for you to receive my family – '
'It is extremely inconvenient!' she interrupted. 'You know very well that I have Lucilla Carleton staying with me, Geoffrey! I am astonished that you should expect me to entertain Amabel and your children at such a moment!'
'I must say I should have thought your own family had a greater claim on you than Miss Carleton,' he said, in an offended voice.
'You haven't any claim on me at all!' she flashed. 'Nor has Lucilla! Nor anyone! That's why I left Twynham, and came to Bath, to be my own mistress, not to be accountable to you or to anyone, for what I choose to do, and not to grow into a spinster aunt! Particularly not that! Like Miss Vernham, who is only valued for the help she gives her sister, can be depended on to look after the children whenever Mr and Mrs Vernham wish to go junketing to London! but at other times is very much in the way. She can't escape, because she hasn't a penny to fly with. But I have a great many pennies, and I did escape!'
'You are talking wildly!' he said. 'I should like to know what demands have ever been made of you when you lived with us!'
'Oh, none! But if one lives in another person's house one is bound to share in the tasks which arise, and who can tell how long it would have been before you and Amabel fell into the way of saying: "Oh, Annis will look after it! She has nothing else to do!" '
'I really believe your senses are disordered!' he exclaimed. 'All this scolding merely because I have ventured to ask you to shelter my wife and children for a few days! Upon my word, Annis –'
'You didn't ask me, Geoffrey! You made it impossible for me to refuse by arranging for Amabel to set out for Bath tomorrow morning, knowing that I should be forced to let them stay here.'
'Well, I was obliged to make all possible haste, when Tom was crying with pain,' he said sulkily. 'He was awake all last night, let me tell you, and here are you expecting me to write you a letter through the post, and wait for you to answer it!'
'Not at all! What I should have expected you to do, had I known anything about it, would have been to have taken Tom to Melling immediately he complained of the toothache – whatever Amabel's opinion of his skill may be! Good God, how much skill is required to pull out a milk-tooth? Why, I daresay Dr Tarporley would have whisked it out in a trice, and spared Tom his sleepless night!'
This left Sir Geoffrey with nothing to say. He looked discomfited, and sought refuge in wounded dignity. 'No doubt it will be best for me to hire a suitable lodging in the town!'
'Much best – except that it would set all the Bath quizzes' tongues wagging! I will give orders in the morning for rooms to be prepared, but I am afraid I shan't be able to entertain Amabel as I should wish: I have a great many engagements which I must keep, in addition to accompanying Lucilla when she goes out. That, since her uncle has entrusted her to my care, is, you will agree, an inescapable duty!'
On this Parthian shot, she left the room. She was still seething with anger, for her brother's demeanour and lame excuses for his descent on her had confirmed her suspicion that his real reason was an obstinate determination to prevent any intimacy between her and Oliver Carleton. Amabel was to be planted in her house as a duenna – though what Geoffrey imagined Amabel (poor little goose!) could do to prevent her doing precisely as she chose only he knew! She was too angry to consider whether what seemed to her to be unwarrantable interference might not be a clumsy but well-meaning attempt to protect her from one whom he believed to be a dangerous rake; and the sight of Miss Farlow, hovering on the threshold of her bedchamber did nothing to assuage her wrath. She had no doubt that Miss Farlow was responsible for Geoffrey's sudden arrival, and it would have afforded her great pleasure to have shaken the irritating titter out of that meddlesome old Tabby, and have boxed her ears into the bargain. Suppressing this most unladylike impulse, she said coldly: 'Well, Maria? What is it you want?'
'Oh!' said Miss Farlow, in a flutter. 'Nothing in the world, dear Annis! I was just wondering whether dear Sir Geoffrey has everything he needs! If only Limbury had told me of his arrival I should have slipped away from the party, and attended to his comfort, as I hope I need not assure you, for it is my business to provide for your visitors, is it not? And even such excellent servants as our good Limbury, you know –'
'Limbury is far more capable than you, cousin, to provide for Sir Geoffrey's needs,' interposed Miss Wychwood, putting considerable force on herself to hold her temper in check. 'If anything should be wanting, Sir Geoffrey will ring his bell! I advise you to go to bed, to recruit your strength for the task that lies before you tomorrow! I shall require you to provide for several more visitors! Goodnight!'
A night's repose restored much of Miss Wychwood's shaken equilibrium, and she was able to confront her brother over the breakfast cups with tolerable composure. She asked him, quite pleasantly, whether he wished her to provide accommodation for him during Amabel's stay, and accepted, without betraying the relief she felt, his prosy explanation of why circumstances prevented him from staying beyond the time of Amabel's arrival. This instantly made Miss Farlow break into a flood of protestations, in which (she said) she knew well dear Annis would join her. 'I am persuaded dear Lady Wychwood must need your support through the approaching ordeal!' she said. 'Such a time as it is, too, since you last came to stay in Bath, for I don't count the scrap of a visit you paid us the other day! And if you are thinking that there is no room for you, there can be no difficulty about that, for you and dear Lady Wychwood can be perfectly comfortable in the Green room, which can be made ready for you in a trice. You have only to say the word!'
'If he can edge one in!' said Miss Wychwood dryly.
Sir Geoffrey gave a snort of laughter, and exchanged a glance pregnant with meaning with her. As little as any man did he welcome conversation at the breakfast-table, and it was probable that he had never liked Miss Farlow less than when he came under the full fire of her inconsequent chatter.
'When am I to expect Amabel to arrive?' asked Miss Wychwood smoothly.
'Well, as to that, I can't precisely answer you,' he replied, looking harassed. 'She has the intention of starting out betimes, but with all the business of packing, and seeing to it that Nurse hasn't forgotten anything – which very likely she will, because excellent though she is in her management of the children she has no head – none at all! When we took Tom to visit his grandparents last year, we had to turn back three times! I can tell you it tried my patience sadly, and I was provoked into declaring that I would never undertake a journey in her company again! Or in Tom's!' he added, with a reluctant grin. 'The thing is, you know, that he is a bad traveller! Feels sick before one has gone a mile, and after that one has to be for ever pulling up, to lift him down from the chaise to be sick in the road – poor little fellow!'
This perfunctory rider made Miss Wychwood break into laughter, in which he somewhat sheepishly joined her. 'Now I know what the circumstances are which make your immediate return to Twynham quite imperative!' she said.
'Well, I hope I am not an unfeeling parent, but – well, you know how it is, Annis!'
'I can hazard a guess at all events! It has not yet been my fate to travel with a child afflicted with carriage-sickness, I thank God!'
'Oh, it quite wrings my heart to think of that sweet little boy being sick, for there is nothing more miserable!' broke in Miss Farlow. 'Not that I am myself a bad traveller, for I daresay I could drive from one end of the country to the other without experiencing the least discomfort, but I well remember how ill my particular friend, Miss Aston, always felt, even in hackney carriages. She is dead now, poor dear soul, though not in a hackney carriage, of course.'
Judging from her brother's expression that he was on the brink of delivering himself of a hasty snub, Miss Wychwood intervened, to suggest to her garrulous companion that if she had finished her breakfast she should go to talk to Mrs Wardlow about the arrangements to be made for Lady Wychwood, her children, her nurse, her dresser, and the nurse's m
aid. Miss Farlow expressed the utmost willingness to do so, and instantly plunged into a minute description of the plans she had already formulated. Miss Wychwood checked her by saying: 'Later, Maria, if you please! Domestic details are not interesting to Geoffrey!'
'No, indeed! Gentlemen never take any interest in them, do they? My own dear father was always used to say –'
She was interrupted by the impetuous entrance of Lucilla, so they never learned what the late Mr Farlow was always used to say. Lucilla was full of apologies for being so late. 'I can't think how I came to oversleep, except that I wasn't called! Oh, how do you do, Sir Geoffrey! My maid told me you arrived in the middle of the party: were you too tired to join it? I wish you might have done so, for it was a truly splendid party, wasn't it, ma'am?'
Miss Wychwood laughed, told her to pull the bell for a fresh pot of tea, and said that she had given orders she was not to be disturbed. 'Indeed, I meant to have your breakfast carried up to you as soon as you woke,' she said.
'Oh, yes, Brigham told me so, but I am not in the least fagged, and I can't bear having my breakfast in bed! The crumbs get into it, and the tea gets spilt over the sheet. Besides, I am to ride my mare this morning, and how dreadful it would be if I were late! Did my uncle tell you when he means to bring the horses round, ma'am?'
'No,' replied Miss Wychwood, aware that Sir Geoffrey had stiffened alarmingly. 'To own the truth, I had forgotten we were to ride out today. I have had other things to think of. My sister-in-law is bringing her children to stay with me, and I am not very sure when they will arrive.'
'Oh!' Lucilla said blankly. 'I didn't know. Does it mean that you can't go with us? Pray don't cry off, ma'am!'
His evil genius prompted Sir Geoffrey to utter unwise words. 'My dear young lady,' he said kindly, 'you must not expect my sister to jaunter off on an expedition of pleasure, leaving no one to receive Lady Wychwood!'
'No. Of course not,' Lucilla agreed politely, but in a disappointed tone.
Now, Miss Wychwood had decided, many hours before, not to ride out in Mr Carleton's company, not even to see him. She had had the intention of charging Lucilla with a formal message of regret. That, she thought, would teach him a salutary lesson. But no sooner had Sir Geoffrey spoken than her hackles rose, and she said: 'As to that, Mrs Wardlow will be only too happy to receive Amabel, and to be granted an opportunity to dote on the children, besides discussing with Amabel all the nursery details which they both find so absorbing, and in which I take no interest.' She rose as she spoke, saying: 'I must go and tell Miss Farlow what I wish her to do for me this morning.'
'You will ride with us?' Lucilla cried eagerly.
Miss Wychwood nodded smilingly, and left the room. She was almost immediately followed by Sir Geoffrey, who caught her up as she was about to mount the stairs. 'Annis!' he said commandingly.
She paused, and looked over her shoulder at him. 'Well, Geoffrey?'
'Come into the library! I can't talk to you here!'
'There is no need for you to talk to me anywhere. I know what you wish to say, and I have no time to waste in listening to it.'
'Annis, I must insist –'
'Good God, will you never learn wisdom?' she exclaimed.
'Wisdom! I have more of that than you, I promise you!' he said angrily. 'I will not stand by and watch my sister com promising herself !'
'Doing what?' she gasped, taken-aback. 'Don't be such a dummy, Geoffrey! Compromise myself indeed! By going for a morning's ride with Lucilla, her uncle, and Ninian Elmore? You must have windmills in your head!'
She began to go upstairs, but he halted her, stretching up an arm to grasp her wrist. 'Wait!' he ordered. 'I warned you to have nothing to do with Carleton, but so far from paying any heed you have positively encouraged him to pursue you! He has dined here, and you have even dined with him at his hotel – and in a private parlour! I had not thought it possible you could behave with such impropriety! Ah, you wonder, I daresay, how I should know that!'
'I know exactly how you know it,' she said, with a disdainful curl of her lip. 'I don't doubt Maria has kept you informed of everything I do! That is why you are here today, and why you have bullocked Amabel into coming to keep an eye on me! Before you accuse me of impropriety, I recommend you to consider your own conduct! I can conceive of few more improper things than to have permitted Maria to report to you on my actions, and few things more addlebrained than to have believed them when anyone but a gudgeon must have realized that they sprang from the jealousy of a very stupid woman!'
She wrenched herself free from his hold on her wrist, and went swiftly upstairs, only pausing when he said weakly that Maria had only done what she thought to be her duty, to say dangerously: 'I would remind you, brother, that it is I who am Maria's employer, not you! I will add that I keep no disloyal servants in my house!'
Five minutes later she was giving Miss Farlow precise instructions about the shopping she wished her to undertake. As these included a command to obtain from Mrs Wardlow a list of the various items of infant diet which would be needed, Miss Farlow showed signs of taking umbrage, and said, bridling, that she fancied she was quite as well qualified as the housekeeper to decide what were the best things to give children to eat.
'Please do as you are told!' said Miss Wychwood coldly. 'You need not trouble yourself to prepare the necessary bedchambers: Mrs Wardlow and my sister will settle that between them. Now, if there is anything you wish to know that I've not told you, pray tell me what it is immediately! I am going out, and shall be away all the morning.'
'Going out?' exclaimed Miss Farlow incredulously. 'You cannot mean that you are going on this riding expedition when dear Lady Wychwood may arrive at any moment!'
If anything had been needed to strengthen Miss Wychwood's resolve, that tactless speech supplied the necessary goad. She said: 'Certainly I mean it.'
'Oh, I am persuaded Sir Geoffrey won't permit it! Dear Miss Annis –' She broke off, quailing before the fiery glance cast at her.
'Let me advise you, cousin, not to meddle in what in no way concerns you!' said Miss Wychwood. 'You have worn my patience very thin already! I shall have a good deal to say to you later, but I've no time now to waste. Will you be kind enough to send Jurby up to me?'
Considerably alarmed by this unprecedented severity, Miss Farlow became flustered, and plunged into an incoherent speech, partly apologetic, partly self-exculpatory, but she did not get very far with it, for Lucilla came running up the stairs, to inform Miss Wychwood that Mr Carleton's groom had just called with a message from his master: if it was convenient to the ladies, he would bring the horses to Camden Place at eleven o'clock.
'So I said it was convenient! That was right, wasn't it?'
'Quite right but we shall have to make haste into our riding-habits.'
Miss Farlow uttered a sound between a hen-like cluck and a moan, and wrung her hands together, which had the effect of making Annis turn on her, and to say, in an exasperated voice: 'Maria, will you have the goodness to send Jurby to me at once? Pray don't make it necessary for me to ask you a third time!'
Miss Farlow scuttled away. Lucilla, wide-eyed with surprise, asked: 'Are you vexed with her, ma'am? I never heard you speak so crossly to her before!'
'Yes, I am a trifle vexed: she is the most tiresome creature! Her tongue has been running on wheels ever since we sat down to breakfast. But never mind that! Run and change your dress!'
Lucilla, having assured her that she could scramble into her habit in the twinkling of a bedpost, darted off to her own chamber, and if (thanks to Brigham) she did not actually scramble into her habit she was ready before her hostess. By the time Miss Wychwood came downstairs, Mr Carleton and Ninian had arrived, and Lucilla was cooing over a very pretty gray mare, patting and stroking her, and feeding her with sugar lumps. Ninian, who had borrowed a well ribbed-up hack from one of his new acquaintances, was pointing out all the mare's good points to her; and Mr Carleton, who had dismounted from his chestnut,
was holding his own and Miss Wychwood's bridles, and when Miss Wychwood came out of the house he handed both to his groom, making it plain that he meant to put her up into the saddle himself. She went forward, greeting him with a good deal of reserve, and without her usual delightful smile. He took her hand, and surprised her by saying quietly: 'Don't look so sternly at me! Did I offend you very much last night?'
She said, rather stiffly: 'I must suppose you meant to do so, sir.'
'Yes,' he answered. 'I did mean to. But afterwards I wished I had cut out my tongue before I said such things to you. Forgive me!'
She was not proof against this blunt apology. She had not expected it; and when she answered him her voice was a little unsteady. 'Yes – of course I forgive you! Pray say no more about it! What a – a prime 'un you have bought for Lucilla! You will be first-ears with her hereafter!'
She gathered her bridle, and allowed him to take her foot between his hands. He threw her up into the saddle where she quickly settled herself, while the mare danced on impatient hooves.