by Jane Rubino
I will take no one into my confidence save for Frederica and Wilson, and I beg you, say nothing to James. I will leave Churchill before it can become evident to Charles, who cannot rejoice in the possibility that he might be deposed and thrown back upon the deCourcys’ charity once more. Yet a daughter would be no sacrifice to me. If Freddie is any example, she will be a superior creature in every respect, and, if that should be the case, may I be so bold as to bestow upon her the name of Elinor?
Your affectionate niece,
Susan Vernon
chapter thirty-one
When the first communication from Charles arrived, Lady Vernon was certain that it must bring word of Lucy Hamilton’s elopement. Catherine read through the letter with composure, however, and announced only that Charles had arrived safely in town. Lady Vernon decided that Charles meant to delay, perhaps hoping that someone else would write to his wife and spare him the unpleasant task of communicating the news. She said nothing, therefore, although it was difficult to remain silent while her sister-in-law made pointed allusions to parental neglect and youthful misconduct.
On the second morning after Charles Vernon’s departure, Catherine was handed a letter, which Lady Vernon believed must contain news of Miss Hamilton.
“Is it from my brother?” inquired Reginald.
Catherine’s expression had settled into a puzzled frown. “He writes that Miss Summers will not take Miss Vernon back and that he is bringing her here to Churchill.”
Lady Vernon protested that Charles could not have proposed a scheme that was contrary to her wishes and instructions.
“Perhaps Miss Vernon does not like to remain in London if Sir James Martin is there,” suggested Reginald.
Lady Vernon did not trust herself to reply and rose from the table. From the breakfast-room window, Catherine and Reginald saw her walking away from the house in considerable agitation.
“Such a false show of distress!” cried Catherine in disgust. “What can one say of such a mother! How inexcusable are those women who forget what is due to family and to the opinion of the world!”
“I can only suppose that it distresses Lady Vernon to burden you and my brother with her daughter,” Reginald replied.
“She did not hesitate to burden us with herself when we would rather have gone to Parklands for Christmas. She is only sorry to have Miss Vernon come to us because she would rather have her daughter where she might be thrown together with Sir James. But that is Charles’s way—he is far too generous and compassionate to compel his niece to remain where she must often meet with a suitor toward whom she is evidently opposed.”
“It must always be considered an unpleasant thing to be pushed into a marriage against one’s inclination” was all that Reginald would reply before he excused himself and went outside to find Lady Vernon.
She had walked almost to the boundary of Churchill Pond and was pacing to and fro.
“You must come back to the house. You are very distraught.”
“I am distraught only on my daughter’s behalf.”
“Yet would you have Miss Vernon be tranquil? If she has acted imprudently, it is right that she should feel something like distress.”
“Indeed, she has no cause to feel anything like it,” Lady Vernon replied with some warmth. “She can be blamed for no more than having so little understanding of the world as to be ignorant of how even the most generous impulse can go wrong.”
“What generosity?” Reginald inquired. “She has shown no generosity toward her mother by causing you such anxiety by running away from school.”
“I am very sorry, Mr. deCourcy. There are people who delight in being the bearers of bad news, but I am not one of them—yet my daughter’s conduct must be defended. I have it on very sound authority that Frederica’s motive in running away was to apprehend your cousin, Miss Lucy Hamilton, before Miss Hamilton could elope with Mr. Charles Smith. Frederica was not able to intercept them, and only succeeded in being comprehended in her friend’s folly.”
“What?” he demanded. “Lucy and Charles Smith? It cannot be true! Smith would not impose upon his friendship with our family in such a manner!”
Lady Vernon endeavored to speak more calmly. “Mr. Smith has imposed upon the connection, to be sure, but I cannot think that he would abuse it by inducing Miss Lucy Hamilton to elope with any intention other than marriage.”
“My poor Aunt Hamilton! She will be shocked beyond words!”
Lady Vernon refrained from observing that she did not believe Lady Hamilton had ever experienced any emotion that had put her beyond words. “Lady Hamilton will be very distressed, to be sure, but upon reflection I cannot think that she will be surprised. Even when we were all at Langford, your cousin and Mr. Smith seemed very much attached to one another.”
“Her family wished a much more advantageous union for her,” he said.
“We all wish our daughters to marry advantageously, but at least there is fortune on one side and affection on both. However impulsive her conduct, with so large a fortune, your cousin can afford to marry where she likes.”
“If my cousin and Charles Smith were so resolved upon their course, how can Miss Vernon have hoped to intervene?”
“It is likely that Frederica ran after them with no other thought than how wrong it would be of her to do nothing. My daughter has a very tender heart and would have been very hard upon herself if some harm had come to Miss Hamilton that her intervention might have prevented—from the day of her father’s injury, Frederica had been very conscious of the advantage of immediate action and the consequence of delay. When she came upon her father, to find him lying senseless upon the ground, with Charles rooted in shock and incapable of any exertion, the incident left her very mindful of the necessity for immediate action in any emergency. I can only hope that Charles will not take the opportunity of their journey to resurrect that subject, as it is a very painful one for Frederica and can only stir up unpleasant memories and speculation.”
“What speculation can there be?”
“Every tragedy gives rise to conjecture,” replied she. “There is too little diversion in a common accident—some feature of it will inevitably be attributed to villainy or vice. As Charles was my husband’s successor, it would not take many rounds of gossip to attribute his inaction to gaining immediately what would be his eventually.”
She wisely said no more and allowed his imagination to go to work.
They walked back to the house in silence.
chapter thirty-two
Catherine Vernon felt herself very much imposed upon by the necessity of receiving Lady Vernon’s daughter. Lady Vernon attempted to soften her sister’s humor and to engage her sympathy for Frederica by the most effective method of persuading Catherine to do anything, which was to urge her in the opposite direction.
“I am very sorry that you should be imposed upon,” she said to Catherine when they had all sat down to tea. “Though Mr. Vernon has taken it upon himself to bring Frederica to Churchill, I will not ask you to put yourself out any more than you like. Whatever the motive for her conduct, she has caused a disturbance in your household, which cannot be treated with leniency. I assure you that I mean to impress this upon my daughter, and if I am too indulgent, I know that I may count on your sensible reproof, and if you are severe upon her, you will hear no word of blame from me.”
Catherine was surprised at this address and immediately began to ponder whether the addition of one more to the household would be a very great burden—whether she ought to think a bit more kindly of Miss Vernon—and, too, she recollected that Charles had once said something of Miss Vernon’s usefulness in household duties and tending to the children.
They had just sat down to tea when the carriage was observed coming down the avenue, and after a few moments’ delay, the door was thrown open and Miss Vernon entered and threw herself into her mother’s embrace.
Reginald did not have any opportunity to form an opinion of Miss Ve
rnon other than concluding that her mother’s apprehensions had been rightly felt, for he had never in his life beheld a more timid creature. She attempted to meet Mrs. Vernon and her brother with courtesy—she made a very pretty effort to give a kiss to one and a curtsy to them both—but after sitting only a few minutes in their presence, she abruptly burst into tears and was hastily escorted from the room by her mother. Reginald had only sufficient time to observe that, though not at all like her mother, Miss Vernon was a pretty enough girl, with large dark eyes and a complexion that promised very fair, had not her distress drained it of all color.
“How very timid she is!” Catherine Vernon remarked. “She did not say above three words—and her dress was very plain. What is your opinion of her, Reginald? She is very different from Lady Vernon.”
“I must attribute her plain dress to the fact that she is in mourning, Catherine. But, yes, they are not at all alike. Miss Vernon is not nearly so handsome as her mother. Her complexion is not as vivid and her eyes have no brilliancy at all.”
Catherine, determined to contradict any commendation of Lady Vernon, replied, “She had been crying, Reginald. Her complexion is not as radiant as her mother’s, yet there is a delicacy about it that I rather like, and though she said so little, her manner was perfectly genteel. How did you find her, Charles, for you had the advantage of her company for thirty miles and can give us a better understanding of her mind and her conversation.”
“I did not have much opportunity to address her openly—we were obliged to have Miss Manwaring with us for much of the journey. When I did attempt to speak to her, her responses were so simple as to be almost childish. I confess that I saw no indication that she is the equal of any young ladies of quality. Yet we cannot entirely condemn her—indeed, your family must be indebted to her, my dear.” Charles then gave his wife a full account of Lucy Hamilton’s elopement, which had ended with Miss Vernon’s dismissal from school.
Catherine was shocked into silence.
“Even her benevolence is done poorly,” Charles concluded. “If Sir James Martin is a man of any sense, he will not be in a hurry to marry her, unless he is as imprudent as Charles Smith. I daresay the Hamiltons must regret that he was ever introduced into the family.”
Reginald was properly stung, as it had been he who had presented Mr. Smith to his relations. Catherine, however, was not so sharp, and she replied, “I quite agree with you, Mr. Vernon. We cannot be too quick to be introduced to new people, for we never can know what they are about.”
chapter thirty-three
When they were alone, Frederica’s spirits, agitated by the recent events and her hasty removal from town, soon settled into equanimity.
Lady Vernon inquired of her journey. “What did your uncle say of Lucy Hamilton? Was he very angry?”
“I think he was, although I cannot say whether it was that his family must share in Lucy’s folly or that he cannot share in Mr. Smith’s good fortune. But I was not obliged to suffer his company all the way from town. Maria called upon me at the Johnsons’ just after my uncle arrived, and Mr. Johnson inquired, ‘Do you not go to visit the Parkers at Billingshurst, Miss Manwaring? I believe Mr. Lewis deCourcy told me that you do, for he is to go there himself in another week or so. Well, then, if Miss Vernon must leave us for Sussex, perhaps you would have the goodness to travel with her as far as your destination.’ My uncle did not like this plan, and I was ashamed of his coldness toward Maria on the way to Billingshurst. When we arrived, the Parkers came out to meet us—they were all very civil and invited us to drink tea—but my uncle refused, and not with very good grace.”
“And how do you like Mrs. Vernon?”
“Her greeting was more cordial than I expected.”
“She believes that I do not want her to show you any affection, and so she is determined to like you in order to spite me. I advise you to accept what kindness you can get from her and not be too nice about the motive. And Reginald? What did you think of him?”
“He is very handsome. I daresay he thinks me quite foolish for running from the room as I did.”
“That will not make him think less of you—the company of Hamiltons and deCourcys has accustomed him to foolishness. But what of his manner? Do you find him to be artificial and vain?”
Frederica blushed. “I regret that I had pronounced him so before I had any chance to meet him; science teaches us that insufficient observation will often lead us into error.”
“And that the outward appearance may be a deceit or a camouflage,” added Lady Vernon. “I give you leave to observe him as scientifically as you like. I think you will find him an interesting study. But there is another matter that concerns the natural order of things that I must make known to you.” She then told Frederica of her own expectations and addressed the reversal of their own circumstances should her child be a son.
Frederica’s reaction was one of astonishment, followed rapidly by concern for her mother’s well-being.
“I have always been blessed with extraordinary good health,” said Lady Vernon. “You need have no fear for me.”
“But if you should have a son! My uncle will be very angry at the prospect that he might be deposed.”
“Yes, but we will be in London before he can become aware of my situation. I have taken our Aunt Martin into my confidence. I think it will be sufficient to have her overcome her dislike of town and agree to stay with us at Portland Place. If your uncle should attempt to impose upon us, he will find us in the care of a very formidable guardian.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Miss Vernon’s little cousins. They had always been kept to so close a family circle that anybody new was a great curiosity, and upon their cousin’s arrival, they were possessed of such excitement that they ran away from their nursery maids and tumbled into Lady Vernon’s apartments.
Frederica greeted them with a sweet and playful smile, which immediately secured their interest, and she shepherded them back to the nursery, entertained them with games and stories until their dinner was brought up, and sat with them while they dined.
chapter thirty-four
Lady Martin to Lady Vernon
Ealing Park, Derbyshire
My dear niece,
I am both delighted and shocked at your news—it is what we have always wished for! But to come at such a time! I have given orders for my trunk to be packed in no more than a day—write at once to Mrs. Forrester, for I intend to be settled at Portland Place before you come to town. An “Elinor” would suit me very nicely, yet I cannot but wish for a “Frederick.”
As far as the business at Miss Summers’s, I commend my grandniece for acting as she did. To run away from all protection in order to save a friend from an imprudent elopement! To contrive to get away from school and travel as far as two streets before she was overtaken! It is just the mixture of adventure and folly that I possessed before I married my husband and was obliged to be sensible. I am excessively pleased.
James, however, does not think it such a great joke as he once did to have everybody regard him as Frederica’s suitor, now that all of London believes that she ran away from school to escape him! To my way of thinking, that could only raise her in anybody’s esteem. I begin to fear that nobody would marry James unless dragged to the altar. Even Lady Hamilton’s youngest daughter chose Mr. Charles Smith to my wastrel of a son. James does not like it at all when his character or his tailoring are called into question. He does not mind that people think him wanting in sense, but it grieves him to be thought wanting in appearance or kindness. It is all his own fault. If he does not wish to be the object of this sort of levity, he must marry somebody. He has dallied long enough.
I am anxious to know more of your opinion of Reginald deCourcy. There is a great deal of property and a large fortune, and though it would burden Frederica with Catherine Vernon for a sister and Lady deCourcy for a mother-in-law, perhaps they may settle somewhere distant until he comes into Parklands, and
then he may send Lady deCourcy off to live with the Vernons. I confess that I like it very much. How long does young deCourcy continue at Churchill? You must throw them together as often as you can.
Your loving aunt,
Elinor Martin
Lady Vernon knew that Catherine’s interest would be more difficult to secure than Reginald’s—his must be won over by Frederica’s beauty, her understanding, and her prepossessing manners, but Catherine’s sympathy could only be roused by urging it in the opposite direction. In Catherine’s presence, therefore, Lady Vernon adopted an attitude of sternness and detachment toward her daughter, which secured the forbearance of her sister-in-law more effectively than if she had made a show of maternal affection.
To be sure, even if Catherine were inclined to be strict, she could find no motive. Though Miss Vernon was the daughter of Sir Frederick Vernon and the cousin of Sir James Martin, she laid no claim to privilege and repaid her aunt’s indifferent hospitality by arranging work boxes, mending purses, assisting the nursery maids, and keeping out of everyone’s way, and Catherine could not but be pleased with one who did so much and required so little in return. As for the children, they were delighted with a cousin who was always good-humored when they slipped a frog into her pocket or tied her apron strings into a knot.
Mrs. Vernon to Lady deCourcy
Churchill Manor, Sussex
My dear Madam,