Page 50 of The Chaperone
Sophy was thus led into talk of brothers before the difficult subject of her cousin arose once more. Lady Holt explained what had happened very calmly, and when Sophy brought Susan away, an hour later, she was conscious of a feeling that Lady Holt was a person whom she would like to know better. Her short interview with Lord Edward had been rather more embarrassing. He had been desperate that she understand he had not wanted to be with her cousin, but had felt there was no other course open to him. He had explained the exact manner in which he had been pressed into what he conceded must look a disreputable act. What was clear to Sophy was that he wanted Harriet to know that he had not acted out of choice, and that at no stage was he ‘running away with Miss Tyneham’.
‘I was in the deuce of a fix, ma’am, with her threatening to throw herself into the Thames if I did not help her, and I thought if I put her in a cab and brought her home, well, as soon as she saw the direction she would have jumped out, and haring after a young woman in Hyde Park would be as harmful to both her reputation and my regiment’s, since I was in uniform and highly conspicuous.’
‘So you brought her to Lady Holt. I have already thanked her ladyship for her aid, and apologised.’
‘Well, I cannot see how apology comes into it, Lady Sophronia, since it was not your fault she arrived upon her doorstep. It was me who had a peel rung over them,’ he blushed, ‘as is not uncommon with older sisters.’
‘She certainly seems to have the measure of my cousin, Lord Edward.’
‘Yes, I have to say Amelia always was a downy one. My mother wanted her to return home when Holt died, but Amelia said no, she wanted her children to remain in their home, their father’s house, especially with the eldest, George, off to Eton in the autumn, and having seen them, she was right. To be truthful, though, ma’am, I think this,’ he paused, unsure how to describe what had happened, ‘incident, has given her the chance to look outside her own four walls and family for the first time in months, having been in heavy mourning.’
‘Well, I hope she sees it in as useful a light.’ Sophy looked at Lord Edward, thoughtfully. ‘I think I have the right to ask, my lord, before this happened, were you hopeful of what I shall term a “reconciliation”, with my sister?’
‘You have a right, and I will be quite frank about it. I would very much like to make Lady Harriet an offer, but I fear that, having already been in a precarious position, after this she will not exchange as much as the time of day with me, let alone accept my proposal.’ He looked dejected.
‘Then listen to me. I know my sister very well. Of course I do. She has been very hurt, and that is because her feelings are engaged. I can see that Susan’s absconding was not your fault, and that you acted throughout as a man of honour. I will try and help Harriet see that. She is confused, and she is unhappy. I think, indeed I believe, that you could reverse this, but it may require you to be … assertive.’
‘Assertive, ma’am?’
‘Yes, Lord Edward. When you get the opportunity, you have to be persistent, so that Harriet will let you make your case. How you do so really must be your decision, but your future lies in your hands. She would not agree to see you when we encountered you unexpectedly in Green Park, and we must cry off from the Cleobury’s, but there will be other opportunities for you to tell her your true feelings, I am sure. You must seize the chance, Lord Edward.’
‘I would not force her, ma’am.’ Lord Edward looked slightly shocked.
‘Of course not, but you saw how she was in the Park. That was her fear of being told how much you admire her cousin. She feels second best.’
‘But she is the best, the best by far.’ Lord Edward averred, and Sophy could see he meant it. If Harriet could but see him at this moment, she would have no more fears.
‘So you have to find a way to tell her that. It is in your hands, sir.’
She had been as clear as she could, and for her sister’s benefit. It might not yet be too late to see her happy, and see Mama happy also, before the end of the Season. Given what had occurred, securing a husband for Susan was an impossibility. As for her own position, Sophy sighed.
Once bowling back towards London, Susan’s opening gambit, which described Lady Holt as disagreeable and hard, left her cousin cold. Sophy did not want an argument in the chaise. She therefore simply told her cousin that she had no intention of discussing the matter until they were back home.
Harriet did not choose to greet her cousin when they reached Hill Street a little after nine. Susan was aware of the servants’ eyes upon her, and disliked it. Only by a direct command to remain could she be forced to await her brother at ten, and when he did arrive, a few minutes before the hour, he launched into a tirade which, Sophy acknowledged, was justified but most unhelpful. Susan herself stood in the middle of the room with all the aloof hauteur of a Christian about to meet, quite willingly, a martyr’s fate. She did not speak whilst her brother went on at length about her iniquity and stupidity.
‘You have disgraced the name of my family.’
Sophy shook her head. He was as selfish as his sister, for here was he saying ‘my’ name. How much more obviously could he say he wanted her to have it no more, want her gone. At least she would not be distressed by his rejection.
‘It is not a name I cherish, I assure you. In fact you can see the lengths I would go to change it, brother mine,’ Susan spat back at him. She was, at heart, disappointed, and struggling to come to terms with her plan being so summarily foiled by a man she considered weak.
‘Such a method would not occur to a young woman with a spark of honour.’
‘Honour? Where does that get you? You thought I would sit with folded hands until someman,’ Susan enunciated the word as if she meant ‘vermin’, ‘happened to think me suitable to adorn his house? You think I want to be handed over like one of your ghastly pots?’
‘Susan, you look upon this with too cynical an eye.’ Sophy attempted to lower the heat of the exchanges.
‘Do I? Well, that is rich, coming from one who has sat and waited in vain forany man.’ Susan was in a mood to lash out at everyone.
Sophy flinched, but persisted. ‘And yet what you attempted was hardly an improvement, was it? You tried to get Lord Edward, for whom you admit you have notendre, to run away with you, presumably with the aim of becoming his wife. How did you envisage your life with a man you had tricked into marriage?’
This had not actually occurred to Susan. She simply thought that once the knot was tied, she would twist him about her finger and he would be happy as long as he did as she desired.
‘And how do you think their graces, your new parents-in-law, would react to you? Welcome you with open arms, would they? Invite you to all their house parties? I think not. It is possible he might one day be forgiven. You would never be.’
‘It matters not now, does it? Anyway, I am glad it came to nothing. He was useless. I hate him,’ declared Susan, roundly. ‘I had thought him at least bold enough to take me to the Border but no, he took me to his sister! He did not even try to make love to me. The fool.’ With which she flounced out of the room.
Sophy stared at the door.
