Revenants (19)

Cupid’s messengers

Scilla Fendersham woke up and stretched and sighed and rolled over and saw that it was well on into the morn. Well, her grandmother had looked at her last night and said, looked considerable weary, and should not rise betimes the morn, so she had not been awakened for family prayers, and doubtless Father was now about his business.

And sure she had been somewhat weary, because Father had determined that rather than come straight to Fendersham Hall from Town – tiresome enough, with the Season not quite ended yet! – they would make a rambling journey of it paying certain courtesy calls upon various family connexions. The most tedious thing! One could not, somehow, make a game of it with Drew as one could with her little set – count up how many times the exact same thing was said in conversation &C – even were she and her brother upon amiable terms.

Well, now she might at last convoke with darling Polly-Granny, that was not really her grandmother, but quite the dearest member of her family, and tell her all that had befell during her first Season, and reveal to her the secret so that she might be a confederate.

Oh: someone – presumably Polly-Granny – was playing the piano! How delightful. And here was Mossiman at the foot of the stairs smiling and saying, Her Ladyship would be obliged would Miss Fendersham go into her parlour, and would have a little breakfast brought for her there.

Charming! She went into the agreeable parlour that was her step-grandmother’s own territory, with a piano, and her books, and oh, what flowers!

Polly-Granny jumped up from the piano-stool and came over to embrace Scilla. Darling! such an air of Town-polish! – what a becoming fashion of dressing your hair – now, they are bringing breakfast at once, and I am sure you are quite starved, I will not interrogate until after you have eat your fill.

Please go on playing, said Scilla, if you are not going to chat.

So she went back to the piano and flourished her hands over the keys and recommenced playing –

New music? enquired Scilla, between mouthfuls.

Indeed, Lord Sallington very kindly sent me some.

Is he not entirely charming? remarked Scilla. Not in the least haughty as one might expect.

An excellent young man. Well, have you come about to have restored your forces, let us go be cozy upon the sopha and you can tell me about your triumphs in Society.

O, I do not think I had any great triumphs, but I think I avoided any disasters and did not create any scandals or embarrassment, but –

But? Polly-Granny took her hand. I know your father had some match in mind for you –

Scilla groaned. Artie – that is, Lord Demington, he is the heir of Lord Pockinford – is a very estimable young man and I consider him a friend, but we are neither of us inclined to take one another to have and to hold, for richer for poorer &C. He is quite desperate in love with my dear friend Lady Rachel Merrett, and she with him –

Surely that would be exceeding suitable? 'Tis not as though he goes run after a milkmaid or a disreputable widow – have lately met two ladies that, I calculate, are her aunts – Lady Emily Merrett, and Lady Louisa Ferraby – Lady Emily is perchance a little eccentrique but entirely charming and well-bred – Lady Louisa has married an industrialist, but the Ferrabys are quite entirely the thing, I apprehend –

O, entirely, as far as rank goes. But the Countess of Nuttenford was Rebecca Gold afore she married, and there are people go be beastly to Rachel over her Hebraic ancestry.

Exceeding vulgar!

But aside from that, there was his sister – Lady Agatha – causing an uproar in the family over wishing to marry their cousin Hughie, that intends taking orders, 'tis quite the worst of times to agitate feelings further.

Why, a clergyman, I should have supposed the Earl would be delighted –

Scilla groaned and said, there was some matter of theology that she entire failed to comprehend to which His Lordship took exception, though had now come round to concede that they might become affianced, and wed once he had been ordained and obtained a curacy – fancied would be able to live comfortable, Aggie having some comfortable portion left by her godfather, and Hughie’s mama having been a wealthy heiress, so though his father was a rector they were by no means church-mice.

But, Lord Pockinford was in such a taking – and there is some other family trouble comes about, that I did not hear the all of afore I was obliged to pack up my traps and quit Town – but anyway, the Earl has been in an almost constant megrim the past couple of months, so the time has not been suitable to discourse of Artie’s match. Yet.

Why, said Polly-Granny, smiling, and folding her hands in her lap, a little procrastination is entirely to the good – this marches entirely with what your father was saying. Had intended inviting the Pockinfords but fears that this would now mean also inviting the Trembournes, that he is not in least wishful to do –

O! cried Scilla, do you know what the great scandal about 'em is? Grissie – that is, Lady Griselda Upweston, that is their daughter, resides with her uncle and aunt Pockinford this age – is very put about that they have returned from wherever 'twas they were on the Continent, but one does not like to interrogate –

Very proper behaved in you, said Polly-Granny, patting her arm. I am not entire sure myself, living so out of Society, but many years since I encountered Lady Rosamund Saxorby, as was afore her marriage, and she was – a word I will not use before a young lady! – even then.

However, let us turn to more agreeable matters, at least, I hope they are more agreeable? I hear from Sallington and Julius Roberts that their friend Mr Robert Wallace has been quite raving about you and is most exceeding smitten.

O! Scilla found her cheeks quite burning hot. Does he so? Indeed he has been very attentive – extremely charming – has been a confederate in this scheme to conceal Artie and Rachel’s courtship – I like him very much indeed –

Polly-Granny leaned over and kissed her. A little older than you by some few years, I think? – Scilla nodded – what does he do?

Scilla gulped and said, will confess he has been somewhat of an idle young man about Town, but has more recently taken serious thought to following his father into politics, and goes about to educate himself – once he is somewhat more informed has a notion to perchance becoming a secretary to an MP or some such.

Indeed, his friends say that here is Bobbie goes sober down remarkable, they hear 'twas entire the like with his father once he had met the lady that is now Lady Wallace –

O! Scilla was quite speechless.

And in the light of that they feel quite entire happy to act Cupid’s messengers – with a flourish she produced a letter – he sent this under cover to Mr Roberts at the cottage, in hopes that he might contrive to convey it to you.

O! Scilla clasped the missive to her bosom. That is so kind!

I daresay, said Polly-Granny with a comic grimace, I should not be abetting a clandestine correspondence. So do be very careful about concealing your letters.

O, Polly-Granny, I will – and now, might I go and read it over in private?

She smiled. Of course, my dear.