Hollygirt turned pale.“The new footman, sir.”
“Dismiss him.”
“Nicholas!”
He ignored Eleanor’s protest.“You heard me, Hollygirt.”
“Yes, sir.But if I may speak—Thomas is inexperienced and did not feel able to shut the door in the face of a baronet who is also the mistress’s brother.He obeyed normal procedure by showing Sir Lionel into the saloon, and by summoning me.”
Nicholas was disconcerted.“Then why did you not show him out?”
Hollygirt trembled but he spoke resolutely enough.“When Sir Lionel explained he had come on urgent family business, I felt Mrs.Delaney should decide.”
Nicholas closed his eyes for a moment in exasperation.“For once I will overlook this matter, Hollygirt, though you at least should know my instructions are to be obeyed precisely.Inform Thomas he is fortunate to have his place, and remind all the staff they will shut the door in Sir Lionel’s face.The next person to let him over the threshold on any pretext whatsoever will leave this establishment immediately.With regret, that includes yourself, Hollygirt.You may go.”
As soon as the shaken butler had left Eleanor spoke from a cold rage that equaled his.“Does that include me?”
“Don’t be absurd.”It was the first time he had spoken so curtly to her and she was shocked.
She surged to her feet.“This is all ridiculous and horrible!You have embarrassed me before the staff.I will choose whom I receive and do not receive in my own home.I will not be dictated to!”She discovered her knees were shaking with the intensity of her feelings.She sat down suddenly.Weeks of ill-usage burst forward as she spat, “You are detestable!”
“That is as may be.”His voice was calm but his eyes were hard.“My instructions stand, Eleanor.If you succeed in circumventing them you will lose a servant his or her place and character.”
With that he left the room, and Eleanor slumped, all her good resolutions in tatters about her.It was the first time they had really quarreled.It marked a new low in her marriage.And for what?In an attempt to assert her right to see her brother whenever she wished, when she had no desire to set eyes on him ever again.Truly, she must be going mad.
It might have been a gesture of revolt against all oppressors, or just a sense of justice, but Eleanor felt compelled the next day to take action about her brother’s betrothal.She visited Mrs.Derry and her only child, Deborah.
She told herself it was the proper thing to do, but her motives were not propriety.She hoped to convince herself that the girl was a hard-bitten social climber who would do well out of the match, a brassy, ill-bred creature willing to pay any price for a title.Alas, it was not so.
Mrs.Derry was a kind, simple soul, very gratified to be paid a visit by the fine lady who was Sir Lionel’s sister, a visit that seemed to her to set Society’s approval upon the match.Deborah was a pretty, gentle girl without a great deal of intelligence, but innocent and unspoiled.Lionel would destroy her.
“We never looked to see our chick do so well,” said Mrs.Derry fondly as her daughter blushed and played lovingly with a fine diamond ring.“Not that it is worldly considerations alone which move us, Mrs.Delaney.Sir Lionel is so very kind to our treasure that I think she lost her heart to him from the first.”
Deborah endorsed this with a blushing smile.Eleanor’s heart sank.What was she to do?
She tried a very mild cavil.“My brother can be kind, but I am forced to say he can be put out of temper when crossed.”
The Derry ladies both laughed.“Oh, all men are so,” said the mother.“I have told Debbie she must not be such a fool as to expect party manners all the time.Doubtless she’ll stamp her foot and toss her curls sometimes too.”
“Why, Mama,” protested her smiling daughter, “you know I can never lose my temper.No matter how I try.”She turned to Eleanor and dimpled.“It’s true.I feel angry, but just as I’m about to explode it all goes away, just like that.”
Eleanor was forced to laugh with the charming girl.“You are fortunate,” she said, thinking of her earlier encounter.“I am sure you save yourself much unpleasantness.Many quarrels are quite needless, and grow into mountains out of nothing.My brother too abhors rages.I do not think I have ever heard him raise his voice in anger.”
“There,” said Mrs.Derry complacently.“They suit so well.I knew it must be so.I must say, for I can be straight with you, Mrs.Delaney, that Mr.Derry hummed and hawed at the first.I suppose men never think anyone good enough for their daughters.He feared your brother might be a little wild, but aren’t all young men so?A little inclined to drink and gaming, but is not that the way of the gentlemen?I said to him, ‘With a wife at home he’ll soon lose the taste for bachelor pastimes.’Mind, I’m not so foolish as to think he and Debbie will be sitting by the fireside every night talking prices and neighbors, as we do.No, our little girl will behave as the quality should, and go about to parties.She’ll enjoy it, too, until the little ones come.Anyway, when Mr.Derry saw how keen our treasure was on becoming Lady Chivenham, he did not long refuse.”
Eleanor sighed.Her impulsive visit had not quieted her mind but had added another burden to her shoulders.She could not but be aware that it was her duty to go to Mr.Derry and try to make him aware of his prospective son-in-law’s true nature.Only thus she could save Deborah from a very miserable marriage.
She had no illusion that her brother intended to reform in any way.Once let the knot be sealed and the dowry his then Deborah could toss her curls all she wanted.She would know little kindness and none at all if she chose to oppose him.The best she could hope for would be to be ignored, and such a sweet child deserved better than that.
On the way home Eleanor tried to decide a course of action, but her brother’s warning came into her mind.She could think of no way in which he could hurt her, and yet she knew he did not make baseless threats.Her life was sufficiently complicated, without her brother turning his malice against her.Unless, she thought with bitter humor, his terrible action was to be the revelation of her husband’s infidelity.
In the end she settled on a course that she despised.She wrote an anonymous letter to Mr.Derry at his place of business.
Dear Sir,
You are shortly to give your daughter in marriage to Sir Lionel Chivenham.This “gentleman” is the cruelest hypocrite in London and so deeply entrenched in debauchery that no benign influence will reform him.
If possible, prevent your daughter from marrying him.If you choose not to do this, then tie up her money in such a way that she and you will have some future control over his conduct.
