Cotillion Read online

  ‘Well, she does not!’ said Kitty. ‘Poor Dolph is so foolish that you may depend upon it that it is she who still holds his purse-strings! That is what Uncle Matthew says, at all events; and also that there is nothing amiss but what a little management and economy might well set to rights. Though I am bound to own,’ she added conscientiously, ‘that that is just what Uncle Matthew would say!’

  Meg laughed, but said: ‘It may be so, yet still I don’t see why she should think it worth while to encourage Dolph to take you driving!’

  ‘“Encourage!” Poor Dolph! She compelled him!’ exclaimed Kitty, unable to suppress a giggle.

  ‘Well, I know she did, but I was never more surprised in my life than when I heard you say you would go with him! Why, Kitty?’

  ‘Oh, Freddy assures me he won’t overturn this phaeton of his!’ said Kitty blithely. ‘I could not refuse, when I knew that odious woman would be so cross to him if I did! Besides, I mean to discover why she made him invite me! What should I wear, Meg, to go out driving in a phaeton?’

  ‘To go out driving with Dolph, anything!’

  ‘No, don’t be provoking! Do, pray, tell me!’

  ‘I will rather tell my poor brother how he is betrayed! The hair-brown pelisse, you goose, and the hat with the gold feathers!’

  Lord Dolphinton arrived punctually in Berkeley Square, but Kitty’s hopes of inducing him to explain his mother’s odd conduct seemed likely to be blighted by the presence of a wooden-faced groom, who stood perched up behind them, well able to hear every word that was spoken. Indeed, when she ventured to suggest to Dolphinton that he was out of spirits, he shot a scared look at her, and followed this up by a series of grimaces which she correctly interpreted to be intended to convey a warning. She at once began to talk of trivialities, taking a great interest in everything about her, and trying to hit upon some means of detaching him from his guardian angel. It was a bright day, and a week of such spring-like weather had caused many buds to open. A glimpse of a path leading between flower-beds provided Kitty with the excuse she needed. She cried out in delight, and said: ‘Primroses! Oh, how pretty! How much I should like to explore that path!’

  The hint failed. Lord Dolphinton shook his head. ‘Not a carriage-way,’ he said.

  ‘No, but do, pray, stop for a minute, Dolph! Would you object to it if I were to run back, just to walk a very little way down the path?’

  ‘No,’ said his lordship, drawing his pair to a standstill. ‘Can’t see why you want to look at primroses, but I don’t object. I won’t keep the bays standing more than ten minutes, though. Not disobliging, but won’t do that. Bad for them.’

  The groom, who had jumped down from the phaeton, and stood waiting to assist Miss Charing to alight, gave a discreet cough, and said, touching his cockaded hat: ‘I could walk the horses, my lord, if you should wish to accompany Miss.’

  ‘Oh, yes!’ instantly said Kitty. ‘Pray allow him to do so, Dolph! I would dearly love to walk for a little while in this beautiful park!’

  Dolphinton appeared to be much struck by this suggestion. He said, with the first sign of animation he had shown that day: ‘That’s what I’ll do! That’s a good notion. You think it’s a good notion, don’t you, Kitty? Females don’t walk alone in London. Finglass shall walk the horses, and I’ll go with you.’

  A fair-minded girl, Miss Charing realized that Lady Dolphinton was not altogether to be blamed for treating her only child with impatience. She curbed her own impatience, however, and waited until Dolphinton should have finished issuing his painstaking, and somewhat repetitive, instructions to his groom. But exasperation nearly got the better of her when his lordship said, as they walked away together: ‘I’ll tell you why I said it was a good notion. I don’t want to look at primroses. Don’t want to look at anything. Want to say something Finglass can’t hear.’

  ‘Well, of course!’ Kitty said. ‘That is why I said I should like to walk down this path!’

  ‘You want to say something he can’t hear?’ asked his lordship, surprised. ‘Well, of all things! It’s a—it’s a—well, I forget the word, but there is one. Both of us wanting the same thing.’

  ‘Yes, Dolph, but never mind that!’ said Kitty, taking his arm, and pressing it in a motherly fashion. ‘Tell me what it was you wished to say to me!’

  ‘Wanted to say mustn’t say anything with Finglass up behind. Tells my mother,’ explained his lordship.

  Once again Miss Charing was obliged to exert considerable self-control. ‘Dolph, does that creature spy on you?’ she demanded.

  ‘Tells my mother where I’ve been. Tells her what I do.’

  ‘Why don’t you turn him off?’ she said hotly.

  ‘She wouldn’t let me.’

  She gave his arm a little shake. ‘She could not stop you! You are a man, Dolph, not a schoolboy!’

  ‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘But she could.’

  ‘Oh, I wish you were not so much afraid of your Mama!’ sighed Kitty.

  He paused to look down into her face, his own greatly astonished. ‘You do? It’s that thing again. Thing I’ve forgotten. Because I do, too.’

  She perceived that it would be fruitless to pursue this subject. She said instead: ‘Why did your mother urge you to bring me for this drive?’

  A deep sigh shook him. ‘Wants you to marry me,’ he replied. ‘Says I did the thing badly.’

  ‘But this is nonsensical!’ she pointed out. ‘How can she think of such a thing when she knows I am engaged to Freddy?’

  ‘Says you aren’t. Says she suspected a bubble all along. Says she knew you wasn’t when she saw you last night. Says she ain’t to be deceived.’ He sighed again. ‘True!’ he said, in a depressed tone.

  Miss Charing’s arm had stiffened. She said carefully: ‘She is quite out this time, however. Of course I am engaged to Freddy! Why should she suppose it is a bubble?’

  Dolphinton wrinkled his brow in an effort of memory. ‘Something to do with Jack,’ he produced. ‘It don’t make sense, which is why I can’t remember it. I remember things very well in general, but not when I don’t understand them.’

  ‘Well, it is a very good thing that you don’t remember foolish things!’ said Kitty warmly. ‘You may tell your Mama that she very much mistakes the matter! No, I suppose you would not dare to do so: I shall contrive a way of telling her myself.’

  He gripped her arm in great agitation. ‘No, no! You won’t tell Mama I told you what she said!’

  He was so much alarmed that her anger died. She said soothingly: ‘No, I promise you I will not, Dolph. I would never betray you: you know I would not! I wish very much that I could help you.’

  His grip shifted from her wrist to her hand, which he pressed gratefully. ‘I like you, Kitty!’ he uttered. ‘I like you better than Freddy. Better than Hugh. Better than—’

  ‘Yes, yes!’ she interrupted hastily. ‘Better than any of them!’

  They walked slowly on, Kitty lost in thought, Dolphinton content to remain silent. Suddenly Kitty spoke. ‘Dolph, I have been thinking, and it has occurred to me all at once—You don’t wish to be married to me, do you?’ He shook his head. ‘Why don’t you?’ she demanded straitly.

  He swallowed once or twice. ‘Not—not good at explaining!’ he said.

  She paid no heed to this. ‘You like me, and you always do what your Mama bids you, and I must say it does seem to me as though you would be very glad to be married, if only to escape from your Mama. Dolph, can it be—are you—Dolph, do you wish to marry someone else?’

  He turned quite pale, and almost dragged her round. ‘Go back to the carriage!’ he said. ‘Keeping the horses standing!’

  ‘No, that horrid groom is taking care of them for you. Tell me, Dolph! I won’t tell your Mama! I won’t tell anyone—upon my honour, I will not! It is some lady whom she does not like?’

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