Charity Girl Read online

  'Alas, it is no Banbury story! Charlie has run off with that wretched girl Desford persuaded me to house for him! I shall never forgive him, never! Heaven knows it was much against my will that I consented to take her, for I didn't like her. There was always something about her that seemed to me to show a want of conduct. Those inching manners, you know, were beyond the line of being pleasing. You must recall my saying so to you, several times!'

  'No, I don't recall that,' said Henrietta dryly. 'It doesn't signify, however. What does signify is this nonsensical notion that Charlie has run off with Cherry Steane. It is too absurd, Mama! Cherry doesn't like him any better than she likes any young man!'

  'That was just her artfulness! Exactly what one might have expected of Wilfred Steane's daughter! I see now that she was all the time determined to get a husband. There can be no doubt that she first set her cap at Desford, only he, being up to snuff (more shame to him!), no sooner saw what her game was than he got rid of her – at my expense! Hetta, when you refused to marry Desford you had a fortunate escape! I own, I was disappointed at the time, however little you may have guessed it, but I have lived to be thankful that you are not today the wife of such an unprincipled rake! You would have been miserable, dearest! And if ever I reproached you for refusing his offer I tell you now that nothing would prevail upon me to consent to your union with him!'

  'As the question doesn't arise,' said Henrietta calmly, 'must we waste time in discussing Desford's morals?'

  'Certainly not!' said Lady Silverdale. 'I have no wish to discuss them! I don't wish ever to see him again, or even to waste a thought on him! In fact, if he has the effrontery to show his face here, Grimshaw will have instructions to refuse him admittance! Foisting that wretched girl on to me – throwing her in poor Charlie's way – coaxing you into believing his glib tale – !'

  Knowing that no purpose would be served by entering into argument with her fuming parent, Henrietta sat in unresponsive silence until Lady Silverdale had talked herself out of breath She then said: 'What makes you suppose, ma'am, that Charlie has eloped with Cherry?'

  'He did it in a tantrum, of course!'

  Henrietta looked amused. 'I shouldn't have thought that even such a skip-brain as Charlie would elope because he was in a tantrum – and with a girl for whom he has never shown a sign of partiality, too!'

  'He's not a skip-brain!' said Lady Silverdale, firing up. 'And as for not showing partiality, with my own eyes I saw him, not an hour after you had left the house, Hetta, hugging and kissing her !'

  'Hugging her? Pray, how did he contrive to do that, with one arm in a sling, and two broken ribs?' asked Henrietta sceptically.

  'He had his left arm round her, of course, and he did kiss her, for I came into the room just as he was doing it! And, what is more, Hetta, she made no effort to push him away from her!'

  'You should be grateful to her for that, ma'am! Considering it was only yesterday that Dr Foston was shaking his head, and warning us that Charlie must take the greatest care, because though one of the broken ribs is mending the other is causing him to feel anxious, I think Cherry showed remarkable restraint not to struggle with him! I don't doubt that she was terrified of what might be the result of pushing him away.'

  'How can you be so blind, Henrietta, as to let yourself be taken-in in this foolish way?' demanded Lady Silverdale. 'I noticed many days ago that she was a flirt – indeed, I felt obliged to warn her not to encourage gentlemen to make up to her! – and Cardle tells me – '

  'I wish to hear nothing of what Cardle tells you, ma'am!' Henrietta said, rather hotly. 'It is of no consequence whatsoever! She resented Cherry from the start, and hasn't ceased to try to set you against the poor child!'

  'Cardle is devoted to me,' said Lady Silverdale. 'She at least has my interests at heart!'

  Henrietta started to speak, checked herself, and, after a momentary pause, said: 'What happened when you surprised Charlie kissing Cherry?'

  'He released her immediately, and if ever guilt was plain to be seen in anyone's face it was in Cherry's! She was in too much confusion to be able to speak. She stammered something, turning as red as fire, and ran out of the room. And you are not to suppose, Hetta, that I didn't give Charlie a scold! I scolded him extremely severely, for whatever you may say, I do not ignore his faults. Not that I think it was his fault, but he should not have allowed himself to be led into impropriety.'

  'So then he flew into one of his stupid rages, and was probably very rude to you,' nodded Henrietta.

  'Yes, he was!' said Lady Silverdale, with feeling. 'He actually told me – shouted at me! – to "stubble it!" And when I asked him if he wanted to break my heart, he walked out of the room, and slammed the door in a way he must know is exces sively bad for my nerves!'

  'Well, I think that was more improper than to have kissed Cherry,' said Henrietta, her mouth suitably grave, but an irre pressible twinkle in her eyes. 'I expect he will be sorry now, and be ready to beg your pardon, so don't be distressed about it, Mama!'

  'He has gone !' said Lady Silverdale tragically.

  'Nonsense! I daresay he flung himself out of the house in a miff, but he will be back as soon as he has recovered his temper, depend upon it!'

  'Alas, you do not know all! Cherry has gone too!' disclosed Lady Silverdale, recruiting her forces with the vinaigrette. 'And if you imagine, Hetta, that I said anything to drive her out of the house in that highty-tighty fashion, you are much mistaken! Naturally I was obliged to read her a lecture, exactly as I should to you, if you ever conducted yourself with such a want of delicacy, which, thank God, you never would do!'

  'And what did she say, ma'am, in answer to this gentle scold?'

  'Oh, she said it hadn't been her fault, and that Charlie had taken her by surprise, and a great deal more to that wheedling tune! So I told her – perfectly kindly – that no gentleman kisses a girl unless he has received encouragement to do so; and I warned her of what might well befall her if she didn't learn to behave with more propriety. Then I said (because she began to cry) that I wasn't angry with her, and should do my best to forget the incident, and I told her to go up to her bedchamber until she was more composed.'

  'Unfortunate girl!' ejaculated Henrietta. 'How could you, Mama? When she has been so grateful to you, and so good to you! Telling her such a – such a plumper, too! And she's such a goose that I expect she believed no gentleman kisses a girl unless she encourages him, and has run off to cry her eyes out! Now I shall have to go in search of her!'

  Lady Silverdale was so much incensed that she bounced up from her moribund position, and sat bolt upright. 'You are as unnatural as your brother!' she declared, in a trembling voice. 'Is it nothing to you that your mother should have spent the day in an agony of anxiety? Oh, no! All you care for is that miserable little wretch you've made into a bosom-piece! As for going in search of her, she has already been searched for, and neither she nor Charlie is on the premises! And, what is more, Cardle saw her running down the backstairs not twenty minutes after I sent her to her room, and she was wearing her bonnet and shawl, and the nankeen boots I procured for her! And you call that gratitude!'

  Henrietta was frowning slightly. 'She must have gone for a walk beyond our grounds, then. Foolish of her, but if she was as upset as I collect she was, she was probably bent on finding a retreat where she wouldn't be looked for. Or perhaps of seeking relief from her feelings in exercise: it's what I should do in like circumstances!'

  'Wait!' commanded Lady Silverdale. 'A little later, a closed vehicle was seen to be drawn up a few yards beyond the farm gate, and one of the undergardeners saw Charlie come out into the lane, with his hat pulled down over his eyes, so that he shouldn't be recognized, of course, but James did recognize him, because he was wearing that olive-green coat, which I cannot like, and it is perfectly true, Hetta: he was wearing it today! And he looked round to be sure no one was following him, and then climbed up into the carriage. So James was in a puzzle to know what to do, be