A Civil Contract Read online

  ‘Upon my word!’ uttered her ladyship, pausing on the threshold, and surveying the scene with strong displeasure. ‘Pray, what is the meaning of this?’

  ‘Good gracious, ma’am, how you startled me!’ exclaimed Lydia. ‘I didn’t know you were in London! Jenny felt very faint suddenly, but she’s better now.’

  Jenny, pulling herself up, said huskily: ‘It’s nothing – so stupid – I never did such a thing before! I’m breeding, ma’am!’

  ‘So I perceive,’ said her ladyship. ‘But as for fainting because of it, nonsense! I collect you’ve been quacking yourself: I thought you had more commonsense!’

  Lydia was inclined to be indignant, but she soon realized that in her formidable aunt she had found a powerful ally. Lady Nassington first administered a dose of hartshorn and water to Jenny, and then demanded to be told why she was racketing about town instead of living peacefully in the country. When she had been put in possession of the facts, she condemned in round terms every person who had been concerned in them, and alarmed Jenny by saying that she would speak to Mr Chawleigh herself. Even Lydia felt that this might be going too far, but after thinking it over in majestic silence for a few moments Lady Nassington decided that before she did anything else it would be proper to consult Adam; so when Adam came in, some time later, it was to be met by the intelligence that his aunt wished him to call at Nassington House on the following morning; and by an entreaty from Jenny not to allow her to give Mr Chawleigh the promised piece of her mind.

  Far from being dismayed by the graphic account of Lady Nassington’s visit, supplied by Lydia, his brow lightened, and he said: ‘I never thought I should live to be glad Aunt Nassington had come to town! To be sure I’ll go to see her!’

  ‘Well, it’s only right to warn you, my dearest brother, that she will very likely give you a piece of her mind!’

  Even that failed to strike terror into his heart; he only laughed, and said that at least she could not eat him, however much she might scold him.

  But although she told him that he had been behaving like a gaby, she did not scold, possibly because he said, as soon as he had dutifully kissed her hand: ‘You can’t think how thankful I am to see you, ma’am! I need advice, as I daresay you’ve guessed, and I’ve a notion I shall get better from you than from anyone else. You’ve seen for yourself how very far from well Jenny is. I don’t know whether she told you about the treatment she’s undergoing?’

  ‘She did,’ responded her ladyship grimly. ‘I have no patience with such nonsense! Tea and toast indeed! A fine state of affairs when a healthy young woman is brought so low that she falls into fainting-fits! Between you all, she’s begun to fancy herself an invalid. I am not acquainted with Croft, but I have no opinion of him: none at all! I do not approve of newfangled ideas. My advice to you, my dear Lynton, is to remove Jenny to Fontley immediately. Let her busy herself with bringing the Priory back into order, which I judge her to be well capable of doing. That, I assure you, will be very much better for her than to sit moping in Grosvenor Street, with nothing to do but to wonder if she’ll die in childbed, like her mother! A pretty notion to have put into her head! When I see her ridiculous father I shall have something to say to him upon that score, I promise you!’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said, smiling a little. ‘I don’t doubt it! But there will be no occasion for you to see him. If I decide to follow your advice, I’ll tell him myself. I own, I’m strongly tempted to do so. I believe Jenny would be better at Fontley. But –’ He paused, and then said worriedly: ‘I think I ought to get another doctor to her before taking such a step. Croft wishes to keep her under his eye – hints at all manner of complications. I haven’t the knowledge to judge the case myself; I can’t even say that she was well before we came back to town: she has been unwell from the outset – though I thought she seemed to be going on a degree more prosperously at Fontley. I agree that it was a thousand pities Mr Chawleigh should have alarmed her with his forebodings, but how can I brush them aside on nothing but your advice, aunt, and my own wholly unskilled judgement? If she were to be taken suddenly ill – ? If she were to endure a difficult labour – ?’

  A just woman, Lady Nassington considered this dispassionately. ‘Very true,’ she said. ‘I have frequently observed that you have a great deal of good sense, my dear Lynton. You cannot do better than to call upon Sir William Knighton for his opinion. I give you leave to say that you come to him on my recommendation. I have a high opinion of his skill. I venture to think you will be pleased with him.’ She added dryly: ‘And if you should encounter any objection from Chawleigh, you may inform him that Sir William is one of the Prince Regent’s physicians. That, unless I mistake, which is not at all likely, will reconcile him to the change!’

  So, three days later, Jenny prepared to receive yet another doctor. Adam brought him up to her room, but he did not stay, as she had made him promise he would. He merely introduced Sir William to her, smiled reassuringly, and withdrew, leaving her with only Martha to protect her from this new ogre.

  But Sir William, whom the Prince Regent declared to be the best-mannered doctor he had ever known, was not at all ogreish. Within a very few minutes, Jenny’s prickles were laid; and Miss Pinhoe, at first standing, dragon-like, beside her chair, had retired into the background, and was endorsing the doctor’s utterances with wise nods. Usually inarticulate, Jenny found herself able to talk quite freely, telling this understanding listener far more about herself than she would have thought possible. When he took his leave, he said with his pleasant smile: ‘Well, do you know, Lady Lynton, I think your good father has refined a little too much on your mother’s misfortunes. I am going to tell his lordship that in my opinion he should take you into the country, and see to it that you have plenty of fresh milk, and cream, and good country-butter. How much I envy you! a beautiful place, Fontley Priory! I recall that I was once taken to visit it, on a Public Day. Goodbye: I shall hope to hear – indeed, I feel sure I shall hear – of your happy delivery, ma’am!’

  She held out her hand to him, and when he took it, bowing, held it tightly, saying: ‘Thank you! I am so much obliged to you – I can’t tell you!’ Her feelings choked her; she could only squeeze his hand fervently, and look speakingly up into his face.

  Sir William then went downstairs, to talk to Adam, over a glass of sherry. He did not utter one word in disparagement of Dr Croft: indeed, he referred to him as his distinguished colleague. He said that he had the greatest admiration for his skill, and could testify to some of his remarkable achievements in cases thought to be quite hopeless. But it sometimes happened – as no doubt his lordship had noticed in other fields – that men of genius were inclined to run amuck on what he ventured to call pet theories. In short, treatment which was admirable in some cases might well be deleterious in others. Perhaps Dr Croft, relying too much on the information given him by her ladyship’s parent, had not sufficiently considered the constitution of his patient’s mind. Possibly her ladyship’s very deep reserve had made it difficult for her to confide in him. For his part, Sir William believed that it was of paramount importance that ladies in delicate situations should be contented. He could discover no reason for supposing that complications would render her ladyship’s confinement perilous; but if my lord felt that the Family Practitioner might need advice and assistance he would be happy to furnish him with the name of an excellent accoucheur, resident in Peterborough.

  After that, the two gentlemen enjoyed a pleasant chat about Spain, which interesting country Sir William had visited in 1809, when, as his medical adviser, he had accompanied Lord Wellesley there; and by the time they shook hands on the door-step Adam entertained quite as good an opinion of Sir William as did his Aunt Nassington.

  He went upstairs, to find Jenny radiant, and Lydia triumphant. Jenny stammered: ‘He says I am to go home! Not to lower myself any more! He says there’s nothing amiss with me but being blue-devilled! Oh, I am so much obliged to you for bringing him to see me!’