“You make it sound like a war.”
“And so it is, in a way, and although we may lose a battle here and there, nevertheless, we always win the war, if we set our minds to it. In your case, putting yourself in Bertram’s way will not do, nor will resolution. He does not strike me as a man who will simply surrender. But he is an honourable man, and so we will arrange for him to behave in an honourable way.”
“Mama, what are you planning?”
“No need for you to worry about that. So long as you do what I say —preciselyas I say, mark you — all will be well, and we shall have Mr Bertram Atherton in your pocket in no time.”
And nothing more could she be induced to say about it, leaving Bea uneasy in the extreme.
***
‘Mr Bertram Atherton, Westwick Heights, Birchall, North Riding. My friend, I am the bearer of bad news, I fear. Wedhampton has taken it into his head to host our little gathering this year, or rather Her Grace has. Having suffered the restrictions of a confinement and a multitude of bereavements which have kept her at home these past two or three years, she is determined to enjoy herself a little at last, and inflict the same enjoyment on the rest of us, whether we wish it or not. What is worse, she is bringing her two cod-faced cousins with her, with the object of finding husbands for them, and we are all bidden to bring spinsters of our own to Landerby so that Her Grace may exercise her match-making skills to greatest effect. It sounds appalling, but I know you have sisters, so you may wish to bring one or two of them along. Wedhampton is a good fellow, however, so the talks are to go ahead as planned, and we are all looking forward to your paper. Optationes optimas ad te, Thomas Medhurst.’
***
“What, send the girls off to mix with your Cambridge friends?” Bertram’s mother shook her head decisively, as she paused in pouring the tea that evening. “No, no, a thousand times no. Julia is already betrothed, Penelope is too young for such raffish company, and Emily would not enjoy it, even if I could spare the time to take her. Can you not take Lucas? He would enjoy it, I am sure.”
Lucas looked up hopefully, but Bertram shook his head. “The Duchess has particularly requested unmarried young ladies,” he said, slightly bemused by the description of his scholarly friends as‘raffish’. “The place will be awash with male company as it is.”
“One does not like to disoblige a duchess…” his father began, but his mother waved a hand imperiously.
“It is impossible. There is no question of it, Bertram, you must see that.”
“Of course, Mother. It was only an idea, a way of introducing Emily into a wider society without all the fuss of a season.”
“Emily will do very well at Harrogate, and perhaps York. Nothing too demanding… an assembly here, a musical evening there. Nothing so dissipated as to risk her health. There is no need to go to London, none at all. Look at Julia — betrothed without ever leaving Yorkshire. When do you leave for Landerby, dear?”
“Late next week, Mother. Thursday, most probably. Father, may I take Whyte with me this year to look after my riding horse? He is more than capable now of managing on his own, and that will leave you Morton for the coach, for Mother’s comfort.”
“Thank you, dear, that is most thoughtful. I much prefer Morton,” Mother said. “Such a careful driver! One always dreads an overturning, and the dire consequences that inevitably follow. Remember Milly Dewar who was thrown from the gig, and seemed perfectly unharmed? Dead within a week! Will you call Emily from the instrument now? She plays very well, but her fingers will be worn to the bone and she must be at her best for tomorrow night.” She heaved a sigh. “This has been such a pleasant evening — a quiet, family evening, just as I most enjoy.”
“You need not go to Highwood tomorrow if you dislike it, my dear,” her husband said. “Bertram, Lucas and I can look after the girls perfectly well. It will be a very starchy affair, I am sure, and I know how such entertainments wear you down. I can make your excuses for you.”
“I do not like these evening engagements,” Mother said plaintively. “The night air is so injurious to one’s health, ifone is not very careful. However, if the girls wrap up well in the carriage and stay away from any windows that have been recklessly thrown open, they may escape without taking a chill. Besides, one must make the effort for a neighbour, although I always end the evening with my head aching abominably, and my face numb from too much smiling. Lady Esther always makes me feel… inadequate, in some way.”
“She just likes to show off her grand new house and her army of footmen,” Father said. “Such ostentatious display is quite unnecessary. We all know she is a duke’s daughter, so there is no need for her to rub our noses in it. To my mind it would be more becoming in her to keep her entertainments simple when she is in the North Riding, and save all the display for town, when she has a credulous audience more willing to be impressed by it.”
“For the son of an earl, and perhaps a future earl, you are very hard on a fellow scion of the nobility,” Bertram said. “I imagine it is only what she is used to.”
“Very likely. All the dukes are very grand, as you must be aware, considering who your friends are. One must maintain appearances, and ensure the world knows one’s exalted rank. I have always been very thankful to be a second son, and spared the necessity to live my life as anything other than a country gentleman.”
“But that will change now, will it not?” Bertram said. “There will come a time when you will have to assume an exalted rank yourself.”
“Maybe not,” his father said complacently. “My brother is to take a new wife.”
This announcement naturally caused a sensation, and for a few minutes he was so bombarded with questions that he could not speak at all, but eventually he hushed them enough to say, “It is all your mother’s doing, persuading Lady Rennington to stand aside.”
“I did no such thing!” Mother said indignantly. “I merely asked if she had considered the idea, and she took it up at once. She needed no persuading, I assure you. She has been greatly distressed by the rendering of her own children illegitimate, and she is past the age when she might hope for more children herself. As soon as I mentioned it, she said at once that it was the very thing for Charles and would I draw up a list of suitable candidates, so that he need not suffer the indignity of the London season.”
“How will he meet these candidates?” Bertram said.
Mother went slightly pink. “Well… I shall invite them to stay with me here, so that Charles may meet them discreetly.”
“So that is why Lady Rennington has gone away,” Bertram said.
“Poor lady,” Emily said softly. “It must be very hard to be cast aside after so many years.”
“Thirty years,” Julia said, her eyes wide with shock. “Walter is twenty-nine so it must be thirty, at least.”
