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'In fact, ma'am,' he said, in biting accents, 'you have made her dissatisfied – which proves how very unfit you are to have even temporary charge of any girl of her age!' He saw that his words had brought a flush into her face, and fancied that he detected a hurt expression in her eyes. It was a fleeting look only, but he said, in a milder tone: 'I daresay you may have meant it for the best, but the result of your action has been to land us in a rare mess!'
'Pray don't hide your teeth, sir! You do not think I meant it for the best! You've as good as accused me of trying to make mischief, and I very much resent it!'
'I haven't done any such thing! And if I had it wouldn't have been as insulting as your accusation, that I would bullock Mrs Amber!' She sniffed, which had the effect of bringing the smile back into his eyes. 'What an unexpected creature you are!' he said. 'At one moment a woman of the first consequence, at the next a hornet! No, don't scowl at me! Really I've no wish to break squares!'
'Then don't provoke me!' she said crossly. 'Why don't you ask your cousin to bring Lucilla out this year?'
'Because I've no fancy for finding myself at Point Non Plus! She wouldn't do it: her eldest daughter is to be married in May, and she has her hands full already with all the ridic– with all the preparations for the wedding! I could no more persuade her to present Lucilla at such a moment than I could bullock her into doing it!'
'Oh, for goodness' sake!' she exclaimed, looking daggers at him, 'must you be so – so naggy?'
'Alas!' he returned mournfully. 'The temptation to rouse you to fury is too great to be resisted! You can have no notion how much your beauty is enhanced by a blush of rage, and the fire in your eyes!' He watched her close her lips tightly, and his shoulders shook. 'What, lurched, Miss Wychwood?' he mocked her.
'Oh, no, there is much I could say, but having been reared – unlike yourself ! – to respect the common decencies of established etiquette I am unfortunately debarred from uttering even one of the things which spring to my mind!'
'Don't give them a thought!' he begged. 'Consider under what a disadvantage you must be if you respect the common decencies which I don't!'
'If you had an ounce of – of proper feeling you would respect them!' she told him roundly. 'You are a positive rakeshame – as my brother would say!' she added, rather hastily.
His face was alive with laughter, but he said reprovingly: 'You shock me, ma'am! What an indelicate expression for a lady of quality to use!'
'Very likely! But as for it's shocking you I shouldn't think anything could!'
'How well you understand me!' he said, much gratified.
'Oh, how can you be so abominable?' she demanded, laughing in spite of herself. 'Do, pray, stop trying to goad me into being as uncivil and as disagreeable as you are yourself, and let us consider what is to be done about Lucilla! I perfectly understand how awkward it would be for your cousin to be saddled with her at this moment, but have you no other relation who would be willing to bring her out?'
'No, none,' he replied. 'Nor can I think her come-out of such urgency. She can only just have reached her seventeenth birthday, and the last time I went to Almack's I found the place choke-full of callow schoolroom misses, and determined that my ward shouldn't swell their ranks!'
'I know exactly what you mean!' she said. 'Girls pitchforked into the ton without a notion of how to go on, and betrayed by their anxiety not to seem as innocent as they are into quite unbecoming simpering, titters, and – oh, you know as well as I do the sort of detestable archness which so many very young girls display! That is why I have made it my business to introduce Lucilla into Bath society! I think it of the first importance that a girl should learn how to conduct herself in company before being introduced into the ton. But you need have no fears that Lucilla would disgrace you! She is neither shy nor coming: indeed, her manners are very pretty, and do Mrs Amber the greatest credit! If you doubt me, come and see for yourself ! I am holding a small rout-party here on Thursday, particularly in her honour, and shall be happy to welcome you to it. That is, if you are still in Bath then? But perhaps you don't mean to make any very long stay here?'
'I must obviously remain in Bath until I've settled what's to be done with Lucilla, and shall certainly come to your party. Accept my best thanks, ma'am!'
She said mischievously: 'I warn you, sir, it will be the most boring party imaginable! I have invited all the young persons of my acquaintance, and as many of their parents who don't care to allow their daughters to go unchaperoned to parties! I daresay you can never have attended any party even half as insipid!'
'I would hazard a guess, Miss Wychwood, that you have never before given such an insipid party!' he said shrewdly.
'No, very true!' she confessed. 'To own the truth, I laughed myself into stitches when I read over the list of my invited guests! However, I'm not giving it to please myself, but to introduce Lucilla into Bath society. I am confident that she will make a hit. She did so when I took her to an informal party the other day.'
'So I suppose the next confounded nuisance I shall have to face will be sending either love-lorn cubs, or gazetted fortunehunters to the rightabout!'
'Oh, no!' she said sweetly. 'I don't number any fortunehunters amongst my acquaintances! I collect, from certain things she has said, and from her extremely costly wardrobe, that she is possessed of a considerable independence?'
'Lord,
yes! She's rich enough to buy an Abbey!'
'Well, in that case I need not scruple to provide her with a good abigail.'
'I thought she had one. Indeed, I'm sure of it, for I've been paying her wages for the past three years. What has become of her?'
'She quarrelled with Mrs Amber, when Lucilla's flight was discovered, and left the house in a rage,' she responded.
'Women!' he uttered, with loathing. 'It's of no use to expect me to engage an abigail for her: what the devil does she imagine I know about such things? Since you have usurped Mrs Amber's place, I suggest that it is for you to engage a maid!'
'Certainly!' she replied, quite unruffled.
'Where is Lucilla?' he demanded abruptly.
