Lady of Quality Read online

  'On the contrary!' said Miss Wychwood, laughing. 'I think him very susceptible – but not to the charms of a woman of my age! At the moment I believe him to be dangling after the daughter of one of my closest friends, but there's no saying that by tomorrow he won't be fancying himself in love with some other girl. I think it will be some few years yet before he outgrows the youthful gallantries which he is now enjoying.'

  Lady Iverley looked to be unconvinced, but the calm good sense of what had been said had had its effect, and she said far less dramatically: 'Are you telling me that he has cut himself off from his home and his family for the sake of a girl he never laid eyes on until he came to Bath? It isn't possible!'

  'No, of course it isn't! Nor do I believe that he has the slightest intention of cutting himself off ! Forgive me if I say that if you, and his father, had not set up his bristles by raking him down – really very unjustly! – when he returned to you, he would in all probability be with you today.'

  Lady Iverley paid little heed to this, but said tragically: 'I would never have believed he would have behaved so undutifully! He was always such a good, affectionate boy, so considerate, and so devoted to us both! And he hadn't any excuse for leaving us, for his papa granted him every indulgence, and never uttered a word of censure when he was obliged to settle his debts! I am persuaded he has fallen under an evil influence.'

  'My dear ma'am, it's no such thing! He is merely enjoying a spell of freedom! He is extremely attached to his father, and to you too, of course, but perhaps you have kept him in lamb's wool for rather too long.' She smiled. 'I think he and Lucilla are suffering from the same complaint! Too much anxious care, and too little liberty!'

  'Do not speak to me of that wicked girl!' begged Lady Iverley, shuddering. 'I was never so deceived in anyone! And if it is her influence which has made my deluded child turn against us I shall not be surprised. A girl who could bring her poor aunt to death's door would be capable of anything!'

  'Indeed? I had no notion that things were as serious as that!' said Miss Wychwood, with a satirical smile.

  'I fancy you do not understand what it means to have shattered nerves, Miss Wychwood.'

  'No, I am happy to say that I don't. But we must trust that the damage done to Mrs Amber's nerves won't prove to be past mending. I daresay she will feel very much better when she is assured that there is no danger of having Lucilla restored to her care.'

  'How can you be so unfeeling?' said Lady Iverley, gazing reproachfully at her. 'Have you no sympathy for the agonizing anxiety suffered by Mrs Amber, knowing that the niece to whose well-being she has devoted her life has left her to live with a stranger?'

  'I am afraid I haven't, ma'am. To own the truth, I feel that if Mrs Amber had been so excessively anxious she would have come to Bath to discover for herself whether or not I was a proper person to take care of Lucilla.'

  'I see that it is useless to say any more to you, Miss Wychwood,' replied Lady Iverley, rising to her feet. 'I shall only beg you to prove your sincerity by sending Ninian back to me.'

  'I am sorry to be disobliging,' said Miss Wychwood, 'but I shall do nothing of the sort! A most impertinent piece of meddling that would be! Ninian's concerns are no bread-andbutter of mine. May I suggest that you speak to him yourself ? And I think you would be wise not to mention this visit to him, for he would, I am certain, very much resent your having discussed his business with anyone other than his father!'

  Thirteen

  The riding-party did not return until close on six o'clock, by which time Miss Farlow was begging Miss Wychwood to prepare herself to meet the news of a disaster's having befallen the company, and saying that she had known how it would be from the start, if dear Annis permitted Lucilla to go off with a set of heedless young people. As two middle-aged and far from heedless grooms had accompanied the party, this description of it was singularly inept; but when Lady Wychwood placidly reminded her of this circumstance she only shook her head and demanded of what use two grooms could be? She was very sure that dear Annis must be excessively anxious, however bravely she tried to hide it.

  Miss Wychwood was not at all anxious; she was not even sur-prised, for she had never expected to see Lucilla as early as had been promised, and had, in fact, told her chef as soon as she had seen the party off, not to serve dinner until a later hour than was usual. 'For you may depend upon it they will find so much to interest them at Badminton that they will never notice the time!' she said.

  She was perfectly right, of course. Just after seven o'clock, Lucilla and Ninian burst into the drawing-room, both full of apologies, and disjointed attempts to describe the glories of Badminton, and the splendid time they had had, which had included – only fancy! – a delicious cold nuncheon, especially provided by his Grace's housekeeper for their delectation. Nothing had ever been like it!

  It seemed that careless Harry Beckenham had gone to considerable trouble to ensure the success of the expedition. 'I must own,' said Ninian honestly, 'I didn't expect him to have done the thing in such bang-up style! He actually sent a message to Badminton yesterday, warning the housekeeper that it was very likely he would be bringing a few friends to visit the house today! Or perhaps he wrote to the steward, for it was the steward who led us over the place, and told us all about everything. And I must say it was amazingly interesting!'

  'Oh, I never enjoyed anything as much in all my life!' said Lucilla, with an ecstatic sigh. 'Corisande and I were in raptures, and neither of us had a notion how late it was until Miss Tenbury chanced to catch sight of a clock in one of the saloons, and drew our attention to it. And so we were obliged to hurry away immediately, and I do hope, ma'am, that you aren't vexed!'

  'Not in the least!' Miss Wychwood assured her. 'I am famous for my foresight, and had set dinner back before you were all out of sight!'

  Ninian then disclosed that (if she did not think him very uncivil) he had accepted an invitation from Harry Beckenham to join him and Mr Hawkesbury at the White Hart for dinner. 'Oh, and he told me to present his compliments to you, ma'am, and to explain why he was unable to come in to beg you, in person, to forgive him for having made us all so late! The thing is, you see, that he was obliged to escort Miss Stinchcombe and Miss Tenbury to their homes. He said that he knew you would understand.'

  Miss Wychwood said that she perfectly understood, and that she would have thought Ninian quite muttonheaded if he had refused Mr Beckenham's invitation. What she did not tell him was that she was considerably relieved to learn that he would not be dining in Camden Place that evening. The foresight for which she had said she was famous had several hours earlier warned her that an awkward situation might arise, if it came to Lady Iverley's ears that Ninian, according to his usual custom, had dined with her, instead of hastening to his doting parent's side. It seemed improbable that he would return to the Pelican before going to the White Hart, since he would think it unnecessary to change his riding clothes for evening attire – indeed, quite improper for him to do so, when he knew that it was impossible for his host, or the amiable Mr Hawkesbury, to change their raiment. That meant that whatever message Lady Iverley might have left for him at the Pelican he would not receive until an advanced hour of the evening, which was, she acknowledged, regrettable, but not as regrettable as it would have been if Lady Iverley had been able to lay the blame of his failure to respond instantly to the summons at her door. So she sped Ninian on his way, adjured Lucilla to make haste to put off her riding-habit, and left whatever tomorrow's problems might be to take care of themselves.

  On the following morning, Lucilla, who was eager to discuss the previous day's entertainment with Corisande, volunteered to accompany Lady Wychwood to the Pump Room. Annis excused herself from going with them, for she felt reasonably certain that she would receive a visit from Ninian. Nor was she mistaken; but it was nearly midday before he arrived on the doorstep, hot and out of breath from having walked at breakneck speed up the steep hill from the Christopher. She received him in the