“What did you intend to do?” she asked. “Insult me and your cousin in every possible way?” Vaughan cringed. “Mr Brampton would be ashamed to do anything so—” She stopped, knowing that Vaughan was guilty of committing the acts implied. Eleanor pressed ahead anyway. “Mr Brampton would never act so insultingly toward a married woman. He would never impinge upon another man’s rights. He would never act so dishonourably toward a woman he claimed to respect.”
Eleanor saw how her words hurt him, but Vaughan seemed to accept it. She did her best to appear poised and dignified even though she wanted to throw her book at Vaughan’s head.
“I do notassumeyou would forsake your wedding vows. I speak from knowing what can happen when passion triumphs over reason. Brampton would wish to be of any service or pleasure to you, but his honour is concerned—as well as yours. The general has no patience for anything less than perfection, and Sir Charles wants a career as a public figure. And Brampton has no fortune, and but a few connexions to rank. His reputation as a gentleman is important to him, and a public scandal would violate that.”
“Said the pot to the kettle! What ofyourreputation?” she countered.
“The Viscount Lord Vaughan can carry on with Lady Metcalfe,” he said, “especially because Lord Metcalfe has his own—” Vaughan cleared his throat. “But Brampton’s reputation could not so well weather the scandal of being the lover to Lady Sudbury, the wife of a member of Parliament. And I shudder to think of what the general would do if such a thing came to light. These things never stay secret, Miss Tilney.”
Eleanor knew Philip could never be happy doing what Vaughan was doing; his sense of honour ran too deep. “Well, I swear to not be unfaithful to my future husband, my lord, whomever he may be. And you need not exact such a promise from Mr Brampton. He is a good man.”
“Bramptonisa good man. I hope one of these days to be a good man myself.” Vaughan sighed and turned over the ring he wore on his right hand. Lady Metcalfe, she heard, wore a matching one. “Being in love does not make it right,” he said so softly that she had to lean closer to hear, “but I hope that, in my case, it explains it, even if it can never excuse it.”
“So, you want to spare Mr Brampton your trials?” She took her book and rose. “It is a pity you had to insult me in your attempts to ensure that.”
“I am sorry, Miss Tilney.” He rose and put a staying hand on her arm. “I truly am. If it helps, think of it as Bobbie Brampton still looking out for his shy young cousin, and asking the only other person left in the world who loves Philip to help me take care of him.”
Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut. How could Vaughan say something so incredibly offensive and then say something like that? She blew out a breath and looked at him.
“Please do not hate me,” he said in earnest.
“I do not hate you, although if you have any respect for me, never mention this again.”
Vaughan bowed. “I do, Miss Tilney, respect you a great deal. And I comprehend your motives for pursuing Sir Charles,” he added.
Eleanor lowered her eyes. There was no way, and no reason, to acknowledge that. “Lord Vaughan, I am on my way to see Lady Alice...”
“I shall walk with you,” he said readily, already moving to the door. “I ought to get my writing box and write a few letters before dinner.”
“Letters of business?” she asked as they walked through the corridor to the stairs.
“Always, but I also have had nothing from Mr Henry Tilney for a few weeks,” he said expressively. “Although, Brampton has told me of the latest rumour from Woodston regarding a young lady from Wiltshire. Shall I wait to hear from him myself, or do you think I could lead the way on the subject?”
They exchanged a knowing look. “I think a few careful hints would encourage Henry to speak, if only in private to you. I know that he would not speak openly about it, since her parents have not officially sanctioned the match.”
“Well, you must tell me about her, even if it might be some time before she is actually your sister.”
Eleanor stopped by the bottom of the stairs and grinned at Vaughan. “Oh, she will be so good for Henry, my lord! Her affections are strong, forming no pretensions, and knowing no disguise. I realised within moments of meeting Miss Morland that she admired Henry,” she said, remembering their conversation in the Pump Room. “I do not know how it shall be brought about, but I hope to have so kind-hearted, so affectionate a sister as Miss Mor—”
“Eleanor!” a voice cried from the lobby above.
She and Vaughan looked up to see General Tilney stomping down the stairs, his expression incredibly forbidding. She mustered the courage, as she always did, not to become timid before his furious anger.
“Yes, sir?”
“You cannot imagine my surprise to come down these stairs and hear my daughter whispering scandalous reports. How can you say such things about your brother? Gossiping about what scheming, unprincipled girl attempted to ensnare Henry? To suggest that little upstart could ever be your sister does a disservice to a respectable young man. Why, any who hear you would think you do not hold your brother dear at all to talk about him that way.”
Henry had always counselled her to bear everything her father said, and to do it with calmness. ‘That is the only way to endure life at Northanger, Eleanor.’“I do not consider it as gossip. I was speaking to Lord Vaughan, who kindly asked about our recent guest.”
“But such a girl will not be your sister,” the general said, “and I would have thought better of your discernment, Eleanor. Besides, who is Miss Tilney to be friends with a poor, unconnected girl with pretensions?” He lowered his voice and gave her a hard look. “I told you never to speak of that Morland girl.” He turned to Vaughan with an expression of civility. “But we cannot always trust a woman to be above matters of rumour and spreading news, can we, my lord?”
“Yes, sir,” Lord Vaughan earnestly agreed. “They cannot help but talk of matching their friends, even when it is inadvisable. I dislike hearing of it myself.”
Eleanor looked at Vaughan sharply, her mouth falling open. While she did not expect an outright confrontation, he might have disabused her father of the idea that she was spreading gossip. Vaughan might at least have confirmed that he had inquired after her friend, if not that he had asked about the woman Henry wanted to marry.
Not even a wealthy viscount dares to challenge General Tilney’s conduct.
“This is the last we shall hear of that girl,” her father said resolutely. “I cannot help but resent such a creature, and hold her family in contempt for producing her. Vaughan, shall we find Longtown? We have one and three-quarter hours before dinner.”
