She thought a few minutes more, and decided to take the bird in the hand, which I was happy for. It made things simpler, since I had added my own £200, which I did not want her to know about, and I did not want things getting out of hand.
We discussed the particulars, and I learnt she had somehow already transported the paintings to London and had them stored in a rented room. She gave me the direction, and since she was trustworthy, I just gave her the money directly. She would not cheat me, and if she did, it would break my heart more than my bank account.
Business concluded, she glanced back at her companion, as if hoping for more sensible conversation—and I was happy to oblige.
“How is your sister, sir. She is what… eleven?”
“She lost her mother very young, so she is taking the loss of our father… stoically, I suppose.”
“I see. Have you an aunt who will take charge of her.”
“My father appointed me and a cousin as guardians.”
“A female cousin, I hope?”
I sheepishly admitted my cousin was an army officer, which did not seem to impress her. I could see her biting her tongue, but refusing to criticise the arrangement, though she clearly wanted to.
I sheepishly admitted, “Our family is not large, and let us just say… the female relatives my father had to choose from would not be… ah… ideal.”
She flinched slightly, and I wondered if she was thinking of her own relatives, or just in sympathy for my sister. If she was meeting clandestinely with a gentleman just to secure her future, it said very little for her parents.
“I have received several suggestions I send her to school. What think you?”
“Me?” she squeaked alarmingly, which I found amusing.
“Yes, you. I cannot find anyone else I trust who has ever been an eleven-year-old girl.
She thought a minute, not willing to give a flippant answer.
“Nobody I know has ever been to school… aside from the men, of course.”
“Are girl’s schools anything like boy’s?”
“I have no idea,” she said.
“What do you recommend?” I asked, pressing the point.
“Have you any faith that you can teach herallshe needs to know to succeed in your level of society? Are you intimate with families in your neighbourhood? Have you some way to find her friends of her own age and station, and confidants for her future?”
I just shook my head morosely, having no clue how to do any of those things.
“I do notrecommenda school, mind you, but I think I would have gone if offered, and itmightbe suitable for your sister.”
“With such a recommendation I shall proceed straightaway,” I laughed, which made her join in.
She had a nice laugh, not like what I had been exposed to during the past few months of the season, which I endured due to the ceaseless nagging of my relatives. I mostly got little titters that made me wonder if the lady was ready to sneeze.
She said, “Be certain you keep your brotherly relationship. It is especially important that she not feel she is being sent away. Schools are lonely, so bring her home often, and write weekly or more. Start as you mean to go on. If you write weekly, writeeveryweek, on the same day, without fail. She willnoticeany change in schedule or frequency, and may wonder if she did something wrong, or is becoming a burden. She has lost muchand should be able to rely on your steadiness. It shows her importance.”
I appreciated the recommendation and supposed I would send my sister to school. The other part sounded like it should be common sense, but I doubted I knew anyone else who would have made the same suggestion (including myself).Clever girl—our Miss Smith!
We spoke a bit more about her ideas for continuing to build her fortune, which by then I suspected may or may not go to her parents. I honestly hoped she would keep it for herself, or at least keep it somewhere dedicated to her sisters’ welfare, but that was not my business.
As we stood to go, I surprised myself.
“Next year, Miss Smith?”
She looked at me and gave a bright smile.
