“I don’t meanGeorge. I mean… I mean… That lot you were just with. Captain Sedgewick. Mr Pennington, Lord Leighton. That Mr Parling. Mr Warde!”
As these were all by far the more respectable of his wide acquaintance, he just grinned. But the grin, unsurprisingly, only seemed to aggravate his sister further. She now hit him with the ultimate assault.
“And a wife, Jack. It’s high time you thought of taking a wife.”
He only laughed again, though he thought wistfully of the boxing gym. At Jackson’s, a man expected the attack. “I don’t call twenty-sixhigh timeat all. Rather premature, given the common way of things.”
“It would settle you down.”
He lifted his brows, his astonishment only half pretend. “And I’ve given the impression of wanting to be settled, have I?”
“No. Quite the opposite!”
“Well, there you go then. The riddle is solved. I’m glad I could be of assistance, Nellie.” He made to stand, knowing full well the real reason for his summons hadn’t yet been touched upon. Laughing at his sister’s aghast expression, he sat back down. “Go on. And please do get to the point this time.”
She stood, hurrying to her writing table and flinging the letter she retrieved onto his lap with a martyred cry. “There!Thatis the point!”
He picked it up, recognising his mother’s familiar hand, but pulled a face when he unfolded it. “She must be feeling better to have filled two whole sheets. Frontandback. I’m not reading all that.” He tossed the letter down besides the fruit bowl. “Cut the cackle, I beg you. Give me the summary.”
“She isnotfeeling better,” said Nell as she flounced back to her seat. “That is the whole problem.”
“Why?” He leant forward, all his levity gone. “What has happened?”
“Something terrible.”
“For God’s sake,what?”
“She writes to say…to say…”
“Yes?”
“That she is too poorly to accompany Nora to Town! And thatImust launch her into society, and chaperone her, and all that tedious business.”
He sat back, his chest loosening, and took a fortifying breath. Sisters would be the death of him. But at Nell’s sulking expression, his amusement returned.
“Well, youareher elder sister,” he said. “And respectably married. What more suitable person is there?”
“But Ican’t, Jack! It’ll be dreadful. Not only is she one of the silliest girls in the world but think how horribly boring it’ll be. I’ll have to stand with all the staid matrons, and not be allowed to dance, and have to keep my eye on her at all times, and only ever go to all the sort of tame little parties and routs suitable for unmarried girls—”
“Thewayyou carry on,” he murmured, quoting her. “It is hardly respectable.”
She coloured. “You can’t criticise me for going to…to Vauxhall and such places, that would be the pot calling the kettle, Jack. And it’s not…not like I go to anything scandalous. Mother once told me she went to the ridottos at Ranelagh!”
The fact she named this lost palace of pleasure with a wistful air somewhat weakened her defence. Jack smiled to himself.
“No,” he agreed, eyes twinkling as he added, “It’s not like you go to…masquerades.”
Her colour deepened. “I do not!”
“I beg pardon,” he said, raising his hand to his mouth and giving a cough that sounded suspiciously like “Lady Belvoir’s.”
She gave a startled gasp. “How did you…?”
“Oh, don’t fret. I don’t blame you. Worthy as he is, Ashburton is, let’s face it, a dead bore. But, dearest sister,” he said, adopting a sorrowful expression. “I hadsohoped that marriage would see yousettle down.”
She glared. Then laughed sharply. “It was only for fun. And to see what it was like.”
“Words I live by.”
