“I mean properly, fool girl. Married, with children perhaps.”
Eleanor pressed her lips together.
After his initial fainting fit, Charles had come round quickly, just as the doctor was ushered in. It was the old complaint – aweak heart, along with the discomforts and inconveniences of advancing age. The doctor had sternly eyed Charles and told him to steer clear of business worries.
They were now home, with Charles tucked up in bed. He seemed to have recovered and had walked up the stairs all by himself. Eleanor hovering behind him, ready to catch him if he fell, only seemed to annoy him.
“I’ll write a note to Louisa, and tell them not to come,” Eleanor said, rising from her perch on the side of her father’s bed.
“No!” Charles grabbed for her hand. “I mean, that is, I would like them all to come as usual, my dear.”
Eleanor nibbled her lower lip. “I know, but Papa, you should rest. Louisa won’t mind, I’m sure.”
“I would like them to come. Surely family can’t be too taxing. If anything, I ought to feel more soothed after they all leave. Please, Eleanor. I would like dinner to go ahead as usual.”
She sighed. “Very well, but only because it will do no good to have an argument with me, and I am worried about your health. However, if I see you looking pale again, I’ll send them home at once. And the children aren’t to come!”
Eleanor thought about her father’s determination to have their family dinner later that evening, as she went through last-minute preparations for their supper. Why was tonight so important? Why had her father been so worried, so determined to look over the ledgers? Eleanor had a feeling that she was missing something, and she could not for the life of her work out what it was.
And then the door opened, and her sister and brother-in-law were ushered in, and Eleanor stopped worrying quite so hard. The ache of worry at the back of her mind remained, however.
“There you are, you see, Eleanor! I look better than ever, do I not?” Charles said, chuckling. “I haven’t touched the port, only a little watered wine for me tonight, and I feel stronger than ever.”
“Papa’s colour is coming back,” Louisa acknowledged. “You are too strict, Eleanor.”
Jonathan met Eleanor’s eye across the table and gave her a wry, sympathetic smile.
“I don’t think Eleanor should be chastised for following the doctor’s instructions, my dear. Charles’ health is paramount, after all.”
“Paramount,” Charles echoed, chuckling. “Nonsense. I slept poorly and did not eat enough for breakfast, that’s all.”
“Well, let’s hear the news, then,” Louisa said, leaning forward and glancing expectantly from face to face.
The atmosphere went still over the table.
“News?” Charles said carefully, almost warily.
Louisa chuckled. “The ball last night, of course! Was it marvellous? Was it thrilling? I bought every scandal sheet I could and read everything they said about the party.Yougot a mention, Eleanor! Dancing with all sorts of lords and whatnot.”
Eleanor pulled a face. “I would rather have talked with Marcia all night.”
“Oh, don’t be dull. It sounds as if you were a success.”
She shrugged. Success. What an odd word, to use in conjunction with a party.Success. The only success she seemed to have gained last night was looking pretty and dancing with important men.
Not very successful at all. Anyone with a pretty face could manage that.
Louisa sighed. “I bet you didn’t even pay much attention to anyone’s dresses, did you, Eleanor?”
“No, but I did almost show a gentleman one of my sketches.”
Jonathan laughed, coughing weakly to cover it up, and Charles choked on his wine.
“Yoursketches?” Louisa echoed, horrified. “Whatever for? Showing off a watercolour is one thing, but a sketch to go on a piece of pottery…”
“What’s the difference? It was only Lord Henry, and he’d already said…”
“Lord Henry Willenshire?” Charles interrupted. “Oh, Eleanor, I wish you’d be more careful with that man. Don’t act the fool in front of him. I wish you could be a little moreladylikeat times.”
