Chapter Nine
After a long hot bath, Tessa was feeling quite hopeful as she came downstairs for dinner.It would only be herself and Lady Gosforth, so she made no particular effort to dress up.Lady Gosforth would disparage whatever she wore so it made no difference.
“Well, gel?Any likely candidates?”the old lady asked her as a footman seated her at the table.
“Candidates?I’m not sure what you mean.”
There was a short silence as the servants served the first course, a gently steaming creamy cauliflower soup.Lady Gosforth then waved them out, and she and Tessa were left alone.
Lady Gosforth picked up her soup spoon.“Several of my callers today are in need of companions, or will be shortly.Lady Portland brought her second cousin—the drab creature with no conversation—but the woman is shortly to be married to some elderly vicar or curate or some such.Though it has to be said, Lady Portland bullies her unmercifully.”She sprinkled croutons into her soup with a lavish hand.“And I’m told Mrs.Bentink-Smythe’s hired companion—she was the one who sat in the corner and didn’t bleat a word—is shortly to remove to the country to help her sister-in-law with her children.Paid dogs-bodies both.Drink up, gel, your soup is getting cold.”
“I will wait for a response to my application to the lady in Yorkshire.”
Lady Gosforth snorted.“If you think my guests treat their companions poorly, cits will be even worse.”
Tessa frowned.“Cits?”
“Mushrooms,” the old lady said dismissively, and when Tessa still didn’t understand, she continued, “People with wealth, but no background: the sort of people who would never be offered a voucher to Almacks.”
Tessa had never been to Almacks so she couldn’t comment.“I don’t care if they’re the sort you call cits or not.”In fact, an obscure employer unknown to thetonand preferably in some small rural town would make her safer from her brother.
What was Edgar doing?Did he have people out searching for her?She hadn’t heard a word, but he wouldn’t give up so easily, she knew.Not because he cared about her, but because he still saw her as an asset.
Again, the old lady snorted.“That’s because you don’t have the least idea of what it would be like.There’s a very good chance you could end up with someone like the creature who employed my nephew Harry’s wife before she was married.The woman took enormous delight in loudly issuing orders, sending Nell running thither and yon, saying ‘Lady Helen, pick up my gloves.Lady Helen, fetch my shawl—no not that one you stupid creature, the other one.Lady Helen, do this, do that’—all in the rudest, loudest, most scornful tone.The creature positively adored having an earl’s daughter to boss and bully, especially in front of others.”She eyed Tessa shrewdly.“Do you want that, gel, do you?Could you even stand it, you with your stubborn pride?”
“No, of course not.But I wouldn’t use my title.”And the sooner she rid herself of that the better.She wanted to take nothing of her husband—either of them—into her future.“I am using my maiden name.”
“Yes, and Blaxland is such a common name,” Lady Gosforth said sarcastically.“Besides, women like the one who employed Nell would ferret it out.That sort always do—and you’re not exactly inconspicuous, you know.”
“Then I would leave,” Tessa said composedly.She’d been bossed and bullied enough as a wife.And a sister.She would not endure it again, no matter what.
“And find yourself looking for another position?Without a character reference?Because you wouldn’t get one, and without a character, you’ll never get another job.”
Tessa shrugged.She could write her own character reference.
“And have you considered the danger of husbands and sons?”Lady Gosforth continued, pointing her spoon at Tessa.“There are plenty of nasty specimens who consider pretty young servants—especially pretty young companions—fair game for their vile, unwanted attentions.”
Tessa lifted her head.“I have considered the possibility.Again, I would leave.”She thought for a moment and said curiously, “Would you give me a character reference, Lady Gosforth?”
The old lady snorted.“Don’t be ridiculous!Recommend you to someone as a hired companion?Preposterous!”
Tessa blinked, trying not to feel hurt by the open scorn in the old woman’s voice.She was so difficult to understand.One minute she was displaying Tessa to her friends, and later asking Tessa if any of them appealed to her as an employer, the next minute she was heaping scorn on every suggestion Tessa made.And now she was refusing something that would actually help Tessa to be employed.Which would cost her nothing, just a sheet of paper and a few minutes of her time.
“But I have not a penny in the world so I must do something to support myself.You don’t like any of my ideas, so what do you suggest I do?”
“Marry my nephew, of course!It’s as obvious as the nose on my face!”
Tessa’s mouth fell open.Marry her nephew?She couldn’t believe it.Ever since she’d arrived, the old lady had been openly hostile toward her, and now she was offering her nephew up on a plate?The nephew she was clearly very fond of.
“Marry your nephew?You mean your nephew, the Earl of Alverleigh?”
“Well, you can’t marry any of the others—they’re married and I don’t approve of bigamy,” Lady Gosforth said acidly.“Of course I mean Marcus.What else do gels of our order do but marry?It’s the way of the world.”
“Well, the world is wrong!”Tessa declared.“Women should not be dependent on marriage and the good will of men.There must be other alternatives.”
“Like scrubbing?Or reading dull treatises to bored old ladies in the wilds of Yorkshire?”She snorted.“You’ve married twice before, presumably for money and position, so why not do it a third time?My nephew is a good deal wealthier and a good fifty years younger than both your previous husbands.”
Tessa shook her head.“I don’t wish to marry again.”
