An Infamous Army Read online

  But even though she scoffed at Augusta she did listen to her, with an unconscious ear.

  ‘Make the most of your freedom, my dear,’ said Augusta. ‘You won’t have the chance when you’ve married your staff officer. Will you miss your court, do you think? Shall you mind not being crowded round at every ball you go to? And oh, Bab, do you mean to wear a matronly cap, and bear your Charles a quiverful of stout children? How I shall laugh to see you!’

  No, one did not set any store by what Gussie said, but nevertheless those barbs found their mark. Gallant young gentlemen, too, would cry imploringly: ‘Oh, don’t turn into a sober matron, Bab! Only conceive of a world without Bad Bab to set everyone by the ears!’

  They all drew the same picture of her, grown grave, and thinking not of her conquests but of her household; perhaps being obliged to languish in some dull garrison town, with nothing to do but visit other officers’ wives, and be civil to Charles.

  She would see herself like that, and would thrust the picture behind her, and hurry away to be gay while she could. When Charles was with her, the picture faded, for Charles swore he wanted no such wife. Yet some sobriety Charles did want. There had been an incident in May which he had not laughed at. Some of the officers of Lord Edward Somerset’s brigade had given one of the moonlight picnics of which the old-fashioned people so much disapproved. Lord George had been at the root of it; he had engaged Miss Devenish to go to it with his sister, laying his careless command upon Barbara to bring the chit with her. The wonder was that Miss Devenish had liked to go, but she did go, and had managed to get lost with Lord George in a coppice for over an hour. It was no concern of Barbara’s. ‘Good God, Charles, if a chaperon had been wanted I was not the one to choose for the part! Everyone contrived to lose themselves. Why, I had the most absurd half hour myself, with an engaging child from George’s regiment on one side of me and Captain Clayton of the Blues on the other.’

  ‘It sounds safe and rather stupid,’ he said. ‘But Miss Devenish’s prolonged absence with George has caused a little talk. I can’t but blame you, Bab. You should not have allowed it.’

  ‘My dear Charles, I suppose her to know her own business. The truth is that you are like your sister, and disapprove of moonlight picnics.’

  He was silent. She thought he looked displeased, and said with a light laugh: ‘Do you wish me to give up such frivolous amusements?’

  ‘I shan’t ask you to give them up, Bab.’

  ‘Do you think I would not?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘I only know that if you did so at my request it would be against your will. If you did not care to go without me, well that would be different.’

  Her eyes danced; she looked half roguish, half rueful, and murmured coaxingly: ‘Oh, confound you, Charles, you make me seem the veriest wretch! Don’t look so gravely at me! I swear I would rather stay at home with you than go to the most romantic of picnics. But when you can’t be with me, what the devil am I to do?’

  She peeped at him under her lashes; he was obliged to laugh, even though there was very little laughter in his heart.

  Judith, when she heard of the famous picnic, was aghast. She could not understand how Mrs Fisher could have permitted her niece to take part in such an expedition. The reason was not far to seek: Mrs Fisher was dreaming of bridals. Young people, she said, often behaved foolishly, and indeed she had scolded Lucy for her thoughtlessness, but she dared say there was no harm done, after all.

  Judith blamed Barbara for the whole, and wondered how long Charles would bear with her capriciousness.

  ‘I have always felt a little sorry for Bab Alastair,’ said the Duchess of Richmond once, in her quiet way. ‘Her mama died when Harry was born, and that is a very sad thing for a girl, you know. I am afraid the late Lord Vidal was rather dissolute, and Bab grew up without that refining influence which her mama must have exercised. She has never been in the way of being checked, and was unfortunate in being made a pet of by her papa.’

  ‘Oh!’ exclaimed Judith. ‘Could that have done harm to a daughter’s character?’

  ‘The melancholy truth was, my dear, that Lord Vidal’s principles were not high, and he did not scruple to instil into Bab his own cynical notions. You will not repeat it, but Lord Vidal’s household was apt to include females of whose very existence young girls should be unaware.’

  ‘But her grandparents!’

  ‘Oh yes, but, you see, Lord Vidal was not always upon terms with his father,’ said her Grace. ‘And the Duchess was not of an age to dance attendance upon a flighty granddaughter. She was most distressed at that wretched marriage, I know. There can never have been a more shocking business! Childe was a man whose reputation, whose whole manner of life—but I am talking of the dead, and indeed have said too much already.’

  ‘I am glad you have told me as much; it may help me to be patient. I own, I cannot like Barbara.’

  ‘I am sorry for it. Yet she is not heartless, as so many people say. I could tell you of a hundred generous actions. She is accounted perfectly selfish, but I have been a good deal touched by her kindness to my boy during his long, painful convalescence. I believe no one is aware how often she has forgone some pleasure party merely to sit with poor William for a little while, quite taking him out of himself.’

  ‘Ah, that was kind indeed! You are right: it warms one’s heart towards her to hear of such conduct. How does poor William go on? He has not left his room?’

  ‘Oh no! It must be weeks yet before he will be able to stand upon his feet. It was a dreadful accident—he was thrown in such a way! But I don’t care to think of it, and can only thank God he has been spared to me.’

  Nothing more was said of Barbara, but the conversation remained in Judith’s memory. She was able to meet Barbara with more cordiality, and even to pardon some of her wildness; and for a little while could almost hope that she might make Charles happy.

  The incident of the moonlight picnic, however, brought back all the old disgust; she could hardly forgive Barbara for having lent herself to what she believed to have been nothing less than a trap laid for Lucy Devenish.

  Lucy’s own distress was evident. She looked so pale and wretched that Judith began to fear that her affections had been seriously engaged. Lord George was as brazen as might have been expected. He had made Lucy the subject of the latest scandal, but when taxed with it by his elder brother, would do nothing but laugh.

  ‘I wish you will consider me!’ complained Vidal.

  ‘Consider you? Why the devil should I?’ demanded George.

  ‘It is no very pleasant thing for me, I can tell you, to have my brother pointed out as a rake and a libertine on the one hand, and my sister on the other as—’

  ‘Keep your damned tongue off Bab, unless you want your teeth knocked down your throat, Vidal!’ said George, looking ugly.

  ‘Pray do not bring your ringside manners into my drawing-room, George,’ said Augusta sharply. ‘I find your championing of Bab more than a little absurd, let me tell you!’

  He turned, looking down at her from his great height with an expression of mocking indifference. ‘You do, do you? And what the devil do you think I care for your opinion?’

  ‘Thank you, I am well aware of your habit of disregarding everyone’s opinion but your own. However, Bab’s conduct has nothing to do with your folly in entangling yourself with that Devenish chit. Depend upon it, her uncle is merely awaiting his opportunity to force you into marrying her. I know what men of his stamp are like, if you do not.’

  ‘Oho, do you really, Gussie? Where did you come by your knowledge, I should like to know?’

  She replied coldly: ‘Laugh, if you choose, but do not look to me for help when you find yourself trapped. I suppose you have thought how you will break the news to your grandfather. I don’t envy you that task!’

  He flushed, seemed about to retort, and then turned on his heel and walked away.

  Whatever Mr Fisher’s plans might be, Mi