‘You, madam, are only “on the shelf” if you choose to be so. You could have had half the shire at your door if you wanted, but you have not wanted. Be honest, Mary, you found “youthful admiration” foolish, and kept saying you had no desire to wed and become a man’s possession, like his gun dog or his collection of porcelain. Now, I quite see how that would be so, but if you treat fellows with disdain, or even contempt, you will not find them on one knee, begging you to accept their suit.’
‘I do not treat you with contempt, or disdain.’ She sounded defensive.
‘No, by Jove you do not, because we have grown up together and you pushed me into the horse pond and I sat you in a cow pat when you were six. I love you dearly, as I would a sister, and it is me being fraternal who tells you truths you would rather not hear.’
‘He is right, my dear.’ Lady Damerham, who had said nothing during the interchange, and was a little daunted by her daughter upon occasion, patted Mary’s arm. ‘I am sure you could find a husband if you tried, even now, though it would be a little difficult with the gentlemen who live closest. If we went to Bath in the spring, perhaps, in modest lodgings, you might …’ She halted as Mary glowered at her. ‘It is that or writing a book.’
‘Writing a book?’ Harry blinked and looked at one and then the other.
Mary’s frown disappeared, and she laughed, which relieved Lady Damerham a great deal.30
‘Mama is convinced that if I want to earn some money to keep us afloat, I have to write a book, one of those awful romances.’
‘Good grief! You are the last person I could imagine doing that. Mind you, I daresay you could write a nice little book on fishing.’
‘I cannot better Mr Best, alas, nor Mr Ustonson.’
‘But neither are lady anglers.’
‘And I do not want to differentiate between the genders when it comes to fly fishing. It is one thing where a man’s “superior” height and strength are of no importance, and remember what happened when Edmund sneered at my catch and said “Quite good … for a girl”?’
‘You hit him across the face with a two-pound trout. James and I nearly fell in the lake laughing.’ Harry’s grin returned.
‘There should never be the qualification “for a woman” in fishing.’ Mary gave him a tight smile.
‘And well I know it. However, if it sold copies …’
‘I could not do it.’
‘A fish romance, then – two trouts with but one single thought, besotted bream, courting carp, dallying dace?’
‘Now you are being too silly for words,’ Mary giggled, which was not something she did very often.
‘How about “dashing former army officer falls for local beauty”?’ he suggested, not entirely joking.
‘No.’ She looked more serious again. ‘I cannot claim to be close friends with Madeleine Banham, but she is31not yet officially out, and may not know the “rules”. Just be careful, Harry, that you do not see encouragement in what she thinks is mere friendliness. We females can be heartless pieces, you know.’
‘Thank you for the warning. We shall see what happens, but I am definitely going to make a reconnaissance and visit Lord Roxton in the next few days. I may have been bowled over by her looks, Mary, but I am not such a sapskull as you think.’
‘You could not be,’ she retorted, swiftly.
‘Wretch.’ He shook his head but was smiling.
‘Come over and see us also, dear boy,’ requested Lady Damerham.
‘Yes, do that, Harry, despite my insults.’
‘I will.’ He bowed and went upon his way.
‘There is always Harry, I suppose,’ suggested Lady Damerham, thoughtfully, ‘but I am not at all sure he could see you in the light of a wife.’
‘I am absolutely certain that he could not, Mama. Now, you wanted lilac gloves.’
It was a whole week before Harry Penwood fulfilled his promise and came to take tea with them, and he brought his mother, since he felt she ought not to remain entirely without social contact, even in only the second month of her mourning. She sat with Lady Damerham, who was both sympathetic and disjointedly pragmatic.
‘I think sitting at home, with everything about her reminding her of my father, is inclined to keep her in low32spirits, though she pretends to being “much improved”. Since we have all known each other for decades it is perfectly acceptable,’ said Harry, quietly, to Mary, his eyes on his mother.
‘And Mama understands her situation, even if she and Papa were not close, as Sir John and your mama were. I think widowhood can be very isolating.’
