She sighed resignedly.
“I suppose I was not clear enough with her. I delayed my come out until seventeen and foolishly believed if I kept bringing in funds it would delay my younger sisters similarly.”
That startled me. I had not given the younger sisters much thought, so I started trying to remember what I knew about them.
“Do not distress yourself with sums, sir. My next younger sister is now seventeen.”
“The religious one?”
“The very same. Two years ago, she told my mother in the plainest possible terms that coming out before seventeen went against the word of God, and she would not be moved. They had a huge row when I was in town arranging my business, and nobody mentioned it, so I never knew. She did not come out until seventeen, and I assumed that was the new standard.”
I ground my teeth in something like rage and replied with a grumble that might frighten most men, but not our Miss Smith.
“I suppose your second youngest, the drawing one, is fifteen and about to come out.”
“Oh, it gets worse.”
I wondered how it could but assumed she would enlighten me in due course.
She sighed resignedly. “My youngest sister is… well… she is… not mature.”
“She is fourteen?” I asked after doing the sums.
“Yes, and she is the biggest flirt in the neighbourhood… possibly the county. She is also the most selfish creature in the world. She has not a thought in her head save bonnets, ribbons,and men—and to her, the rules of propriety are not even suggestions, nor are her sisters’ possessions sacrosanct.”
“Your mother plans to throw her to the wolves, and your father does not object?” I snapped, aghast. It would never have occurred to me to criticise anyone else’s parents in such stark terms, but our level of candour was special.
“Correct. She turns fifteen in just four months. My second youngest follows her like a shadow and copies everything she does.”
I could see where she was going and spoke with a frown. “One of my best friends has an elder sister who follows the younger in the same way. She is far older and even married, yetkeeps the habit. I imagine it is hard to break if the younger has a strong personality.”
“Yes,” she said resignedly. “They will come out together in a few months, and nothing I say has the slightest effect on my parents. They believe they will grow out of it and nobody in the neighbourhood is scared off by a bit of silliness. My father even suggested that her being out may teach her her own insignificance.”
I sighed resignedly, “That assumes your town never has any visitors, houseguests, roaming farm workers, militia encampments, travelling shows, vagrants—”
“Exactly!” she replied morosely.
I was distressed to see her so down. Melancholy did not suit our Miss Smith.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, though I perfectly well knew the answer in advance.
She shook her head morosely.
“Not a thing but thank you for asking.” Then she perked up. “How is your sister? At least she is not out at fifteen.”
“She is ambivalent about school. She has a few friends, but they are closer to acquaintances. I previously mentioned her reticence, so need not be chastised for lying again.”
She laughed gaily, as I knew she must.
“She is learning some things. She is very advanced on the pianoforte, is reasonably good with the harp, and has a modestly good voice—but she is terrified of performing in public.”
“She is between my youngest sisters in age if I remember correctly. That makes her fourteen?”
“That is correct.”
She thought about it a minute and finally sighed. “I suspect she is not the first shy girl the school encountered, so perhaps they will teach it out of her. If not, you may need to take more aggressive measures.”
“My aunt suggested I take a wife to help her.”
