Challenges (25)

Cannot contrive everything

Clorinda rose from her bed, and slid into her peignoir and slippers, and went out humming into the dressing-room, where dearest Sophy naturally had all in readiness for her morning toilette. Dear Sophy –

That was looking upon her with a somewhat startled expression.

For what she was humming, Clorinda realized, was Over the Hills and Far Away, that Sophy had been with her long enough to know had a most particular meaning – Clorinda was no singer, but this was what she ever found herself singing when she found herself in love or meeting once more with a particularly dear lover.

And while Sandy had indeed been over the hills and far away, though sure Edinburgh was not that far distant in these days of the railway! – but one understood it was very hilly? – however deep their affection for one another, had never, beyond an occasional passing flicker, been a matter of the carnal passions.

Yet, they had both, during those terrible sad months after Milord’s death, devastated by that, on top of the loss of Josiah and Eliza Ferraby – and others among the circle – come to declare, I do love nothing in the world so well as you. That she fancied was, now they had each found new, adored, lovers, still true.

She could not deny that she had felt his absence considerable! Even with all the bustle of the Season upon her – the deal of philanthropic business there was upon hand – friends old and new – the various contrivances in play – Lady Anonyma’s new novel gradually coming along – she had by no means grown used to the lack of Sandy. There were matters upon hand upon which she greatly missed his counsel.

Well, she should endeavour not to inundate him with 'em afore he had found his feet once more in Town! And she did not think any were matters of pressing urgency. Yet.

So she went down to her parlour to find him already ensconced and drinking Euphemia’s unparalleled good coffee with the greatest relish. He stood up and came to embrace her. Dearest sibyl – sure I have missed you – would have relished your thoughts upon the company I met in Edinburgh –

Oh, poo! I fancy they would have considered me a sad frivolous Englishwoman –

Sandy grimaced and remarked that he had forgot – or had not had opportunity lately to observe – how great the stranglehold of the kirk still was in those parts.

And, he added with a smile, I am afraid I have been sadly spoilt by luxurious living – find it most agreeable to sleep in my own bed – have this excellent fine coffee –

Came in at this moment Euphemia along with Hector, bearing platters of kedgeree, devilled kidneys, bacon and eggs, to supplement the muffins already upon the table. They both smiled upon Sandy and said, 'twas good to see him returned in health.

Sandy looked at the food as it was laid out and enquired whether they were expecting guests?

Euphemia gave a little snort and said, was there any left over, young Billy would most certain eat it all up! For the youngest of Timothy and Nell Smith’s brood, that was now 'prenticed to Nick Jupp in Clorinda’s stable and also giving a hand with general odd tasks about the household, was come to those years when was getting his growth.

They departed, exhorting 'em to ring was there anything else they might require –

Clorinda murmured, what, no larks’ tongues?

Having relished the good food while it was savoury and hot, Clorinda and Sandy had come to the stage of sipping coffee and nibbling upon muffins and exchanging intelligence.

She was anxious to reassure him that there was no immediate need to be about the business of young Binnie – Marie Allard took a little fret that her mother would attempt to kidnap her, that I think is to do with her own nervous condition, but to soothe her worries, Binnie goes stay a while with Mrs Dalrymple. Answers quite exceedingly – she doats on the pugs and Mrs Dalrymple, and the feeling is entirely mutual, and furthermore, here is Clary Richardson, sent home from school somewhat beforehand because there have been some cases of scarlet fever among the pupils, and goes stay with her grandmother because Clara Richardson is very took up with rehearsals, so also has young company.

Sandy nodded, and expressed the hope that perchance, it might prove possible to persuade Binnie’s mother to come to some arrangement – a portion of her wages paid regular –

That would, said Clorinda, be a sensible thing, did one not think that it might come about to be more of, what was the thing, I mind Mr Nixon discoursing of it once, oh yes, Danegeld.

They sighed.

But what, enquired Sandy, are those boxes of papers piled up on the table in the library? I just glanced in –

Clorinda groaned. Though indeed, she went on, 'tis probably a good thing we have 'em – they are the documents that were about Mr Miles O’Neill’s lodging, and Matt took the thought that they might contain interesting matter – the lodging-house-keeper was about selling his possessions to pay off some of what he owed, and was minded to take them to a waste-paper dealer –

Sandy grinned. Letters from a half-dozen other suppositious wives in various parts, perchance!

That was in my mind. But there are also papers of Lady Wauderkell’s – I have not looked very close, but was there not some matter of a lawsuit over property in Cork? O – but I have not told you what comes to that lady – she giggled, and recounted the tale of Lady W going make a retreat at the convent where the quondam Mrs O’Callaghan was a nun.

And she is still there, I hope it may be doing her good.

Sandy murmured that doubtless it was a work of charity that was doing the sisters good – he would enquire of Father O’Donoghue of the theological benefits they were storing up. Clorinda hazarded that 'twas possibly a mortification that was benefitting their souls.

The freethinker and Aphrodite’s acolyte smirked at one another across the table.

But, said Sandy, growing serious, this business of Blatchett –

Why, my dear, the worst scandal, that might afflict Bella, has been evaded so far – she goes recruit at Attervale but what is spoke of is the chill from being out on a sleety night and the shock of being bolted with – but here are Biffle and Viola go very strategic, to investigate the possibility of bringing an action against Mortimer Chellow. There is very credible evidence that he caused some shock that put the mare into a panic, and one very much doubts that he owes silence to the death! or even the courtroom, to Blatchett, and is like to reveal all might it save himself.

Sandy gave an approving nod.

But there is also gratifying report – and was already showing thus even before this event – that Blatchett begins to be shunned in Society. Has been noticed that he and Iffling are no longer on terms of friendship, that Rondegate entirely eschews that set these days, and that since Trelfer has become a serious suitor to Lady Leah –

What?

– O, indeed it is very marked! – is no longer his boon companion in all pursuits. And 'tis not just among the younger circles – while I have set Hattie Nixon to go about gathering gossip and gently direct tales she discovers, she comes back with intelligence that the dowagers and chaperones and mamas are wrinkling their noses and saying that there are rumours that Blatchett is an entire detrimental, so that his stock on the Marriage Market is sinking considerable. Not, perchance, as low as Talshaw’s, but he is by no means the prize he was. I hear there have been invocations of The Vicious Viscount Raxdell and the scandals he caused, and that those were deemed egregious even in the Regent’s days, would certainly not suit the manners of the present day of our gracious Queen.

Sandy put on his dour Calvinistical glare and said he could not imagine that Madame Nemesis had not said a word in season here and there to point a moral and adorn a tale.

O, mayhap and perchance! now, let me see is there any other matter – la, here is that prig Simon Saxorby becomes quite fluent in Spanish and will bore any he can find on the geography and customs of Peru, and will shortly be departing with Cyrus Enderby and Polly Fendersham for those parts. But there is Dumpling Dora finds Artie’s house most convenient for being about her philanthropies, and looks forward to when dearest Rachel returns to Town and they may convoke together there, and I really doubt that Artie and Rachel will find that answerable. Mayhap one might persuade Lord Pockinford come to Town and open up Pockinford House rather than glooming in Shropshire –

And on the matter of unwelcome guests! Here is Lord Fendersham that makes himself exceeding comfortable at the Wallaces, quite to their despair, while waiting upon the various cases to do with Miles O’Neill.

They looked at one another and could not help a guilty laugh.

Might one, Sandy suggested, get Julius to find some matter up there – surely there must be some wild freak of Drew Fendersham’s conduct? – that would take His Lordship back there posthaste? Indeed, is that excellent chatelaine Polly Fendersham going away, would it not be prudent of him to return to his ancestral acres –

La, my dear, even we, talented as we are, cannot contrive everything!

He turned a sceptical glance upon her, then looked at the clock on the mantelpiece and said, would go address himself to the correspondence that had been left for him in the library and catch up with his affairs.

After he had gone, came in Hector with her post on the silver tray.

Clorinda went over to her desk. The first epistle she opened was the one that she could tell had come, by a covert route, from Rosamund, Dowager Countess Trembourne, in Delft. The news it bore, to her relief, was good: mother and babe both well, a lovely little girl, that she had had christened Penelope. And would delay her return to England for some few months yet.

Nothing to be about there – unless, she wondered – but no, there were secrets that were not her own to penetrate.