The Ironmaster's Tale (34)

[the_comfortable_courtesan]

He was most agreeably surprised to see how exceeding well-turned-out she was on the evening when they first went to the play – mayhap not in the entire crack of town fashion, but by no means a provincial dowd. Most like she had sought counsel of Lady Wallace, or Lady Wallace’s lady’s maid, for one observed that Sir Barton’s clever wife was no dowdy bluestocking but ever very stylish dressed.

He was also most exceeding relieved to observe that Madame Clorinda was not at the play the e’en: though he did perceive Miss Daniels with Mr Nixon and had no doubt that the intelligence of this visit to the theatre would be reported.

Is that, whispered Eliza during the performance, the one you called a little rabbit?

Why, she has come on quite remarkable of late –

Most exceeding dashing in those breeches!

Linking her arm into his as they re-entered the house, she remarked that the play had certainly been excellent fine, but sure the audience was almost as entertaining. Might we, my dear, go again while we are in Town? And I daresay, do we have the use of such a fine box, we might invite Mr Evenden, does he care for the play.

A very happy thought, my love. I fancy he takes some interest in theatrical matters, though I have a notion that 'tis somewhat to do with effects to create a spectacle and that he has devised one or two chemical devices that he would like to advance to the managers. But it would be some return for his hospitality.

So they went several times to the play, for indeed it was very agreeable to sit in Lord Raxdell’s box, and to invite acquaintance, and it so perchanced that upon none of the occasions that they went was Madame Clorinda to be seen in the audience, that Josiah was exceeding glad of.

He was pleased to see how much Eliza enjoyed herself, and that she made friends in Town, and even went so far as to hold a tea-party herself in their parlour one day. And he was able to come about a deal of excellent business and see matters getting on most satisfactory. But in due course they were bound once more for home, with a great number of parcels about them.

The children were still at the farm when Josiah and Eliza arrived home – 'twas somewhat of a relief to have this little time to compose themselves, he thought.

After they had dined, and sat together at table while Eliza drank the glass of port deemed so sanitive by Dr Jessop, and Josiah took a little brandy – sure, he should convoke with Hacker as to whether he might obtain some of that excellent stuff the surgeon obtained from his friends in Sussex – Eliza dipped her head, and looked into her glass, and said, Jos’, my love, I have a confession to make –

What, my dear, a confession? I confide that have you gone be somewhat extravagant in the fine shops of Oxford Street we may easily bear the cost –

O, nothing of the kind! Eliza put down the glass so firmly a little port splashed over onto to the cloth. I was not going visit some old school-friend that was married to a sea-captain on voyage – I went call upon Madame Cathcart.

Josiah stared, his eyebrows hoisting, lost for words.

I know 'tis supposed not a proper thing to do, went on Eliza in defiant tones, but she has been so good to us – and indeed I greatly wished to set eyes upon her – and there had been things in the letters Seraphine wrote me concerning kitchen matters –

Josiah blinked.

 - for her household are very put about that you no longer go stay there, and consider that she misses you considerable whatever matter of Hindoo princes there may have been – and indeed I have noticed little things in you, when you will seem somewhat distracted and wistful –

'Liza, you cannot suppose –

Oh, Jos’, do I not have the finest testimony to your affections to me! But I confide that you also have some fondness for her.

He sighed. Cannot deny it, he said.

Why, I cannot wonder at it. Is she not the loveliest creature? – sure you never told me how exceeding beautiful she was! – and has she not the most amiable of natures? Is she not charm incarnate? I was most entirely prepossessed by her letters, but her presence quite entire surpasses 'em.

Josiah groaned. You hit her off quite exact, he agreed. She is quite the most enchanting of women. And sure I was lately very fain to write to her condoling upon the death of General Yeomans, for she was very attached to the good old fellow, and it must have been a blow. But seemed to me an incautious proceeding to engage in correspondence once more –

Indeed 'twas a blow to her, said Eliza, and – she paused. She was silent for a long moment.

Does she, asked Josiah somewhat anxious, find herself in want?

Why, said Eliza with a sigh, twisting her hands together, not precisely in want, but I fancy she finds herself a little straitened in circumstance, for 'tis not just the loss of the General’s patronage that troubles her at present –

There is some other trouble?

Sure I hesitate to mention it, for 'twas a confidence to me, and yet –

Is she perchance with child?

Eliza snorted. Naught of the kind. No, I daresay I should reveal: mayhap 'twas just a question of thoughtlessness on his part –

Josiah felt himself curiously agitated. I beg you, say on, my love.

Well, you may know, Mr Evenden was desirous that Seraphine should demonstrate to him some of the mysteries of the kitchen –

Sure, I recall the conversation –

 - but has put 'em to considerable expense in the doing so – indeed, I fancy he is a fellow does not think upon the detail of household expenses, I was like to suppose that there is a deal of waste goes on in his own kitchen –

Dearest Eliza, I see that you go about to present the matter to me as fair to him as might be, but cannot be concealed that has taken great advantage of Madame Clorinda’s kindness in letting him lesson himself with Seraphine, and I daresay that 'twas entirely because I had introduced him into her company that she conceded the matter.

'Tis very like. Eliza wrinkled her nose. He may be a very clever fellow, but –

Josiah sighed. 'Twas partly so that I might have her opinions upon him that I asked her to send him a card for her soirée.

Eliza snorted again. Fie, I fancy she supposed him greatly in favour with you, would soften any words she spoke of him did you ask.

You did not like him?

Eliza wriggled her shoulders. Why, he was not incivil to me, but then, I daresay he took the thought that I am your lawful wedded wife, and thus a virtuous woman, deserving of respect if not of any considered conversation.

Indeed I noted that in him! But, my dearest, I am very minded to write to her and desire that is she in any straits, she should not hesitate to apply to me – that is, do you have no objection?

Eliza looked at him very fondly. Dearest Jos’, I had a thousand times rather you stayed with her when you go to Town than with that fellow. When we met 'twas not like meeting a stranger but indeed entirely like meeting an old friend or even a relative from whom I had long been separated. You may apprehend that I had some several visits to Islington Green, for we found such entire pleasure in one another’s company – is that not, she said with a puzzled look, strange? but seemed so natural at the time.

But – my darling –

Why, you are obliged to spend a deal of time in Town, and why should you not enjoy her company while you are there? For sure, I do not think there will be nothing left for me when you come home. She gave a bawdy chuckle quite in the old wild girl style.

That is supposing she would receive me back into favour!

O, I fancy you need be in no doubts of that! Confessed to me her exceeding attachment to you, and, mayhap 'tis foolish in me, she said with a smile, but I must be charmed at one that is so admiring of my own dear Jos’s qualities. For I fancy she must have considerable experience of your sex and have some grounds for comparison –

Dear 'Liza, you put me entirely to the blush. Sure I did think she had some liking for me, we ever dealt very well together: but then I take a consideration that she is admired of those in the highest ranks of Society, there is this young Duke that was, one hears, quite wild for her in past days and now succeeds in his father’s place –

Oh, Jos’, I fancy she knows a man’s a man for a’ that and that you may not have the guinea stamp of rank but you are the true gold nonetheless. I daresay she was fond of this young fellow in times gone by, but has he not been in Turkey? May return with a hareem of odalisques and scandalize Society.

Well, my dear, you plead for her like Portia, and at the very least I should write to her and apologize for Evenden’s low behaviour and offer to assist is she in straits.

There’s my good Jos’! She reached across the table to take his hands in her own.

Comments

[rymenhild]

Eliza is wonderful. I'm so very glad to see this side of their story.

[kore]

Most exceeding dashing in those breeches!

Eliza is even more awesome than I thought she was.

[redbird]

Aaaaaw.

[aedifica]

Oh yay. :-)

[kore]

YESSS HOUSTON WE HAVE OT3

[genarti]

Yesssssss. I love Eliza so!

[azurelunatic]

Hooray!

[violsva]

EEEEEEEE!

[derien]

It's getting so I really want to see the two stories integrated into one book. I can't recall context for why some things are happening, like why Eliza had to say "Islington Green."

[the_comfortable_courtesan]

'Her old school-friend, now a sea-captain's wife, that lives at Islington Green'. (A respectable suburban location.)