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‘Do you know, Frederica, the odd thing is that I am not in the least bored,’ he told her.
She laughed. ‘To be sure, you have no time to be bored, have you? If you are not taking me for a walk or a drive, or entertaining Felix, you are being coaxed – if not bludgeoned! – into helping Jessamy with his classical studies!’
‘That, I admit, is a severe trial, but I console myself with the reflection that it is doing me a great deal of good. I have become shockingly rusty! Nor, I fear, did I ever apply myself, as Jessamy does.’
‘Well, I can believe that, at all events!’ she said, twinkling. ‘You would naturally be enchanted to be granted the opportunity to rub up your scholarship! But don’t attempt to gammon me into thinking that you are equally enchanted to be obliged to emerge from your bedchamber long, long before noon!’
‘Oh, I never keep town-hours in the country!’ he returned.
‘How detestable it is that you always have an answer!’ she observed. ‘Now, do, pray, let us be serious for a moment! I can never hope to express to you my deep obligation for –’
‘You have now had your moment!’ he said. ‘And as it is apparent to me that you have nothing of the smallest importance to say, I don’t scruple to interrupt you. What I have to say is very much more to the point! I have had some conversation with Elcot, and I learn from him – not, to my chagrin, from you – that you have the intention of carrying Felix off to some seaside resort. It won’t do, Frederica! At this season you would have the greatest difficulty to obtain a suitable lodging at even the most unfashionable place; and if you did obtain it you would find yourself jostled by shabby-genteels, mushrooms, and April-squires!’
‘But surely there must be quiet resorts!’
‘No doubt, but I don’t know of them, and nor do you! By the time we had discovered one, the summer would be half-over. If you are thinking of Worthing, put it out of your mind! It is expensive, and all the dowdies and dowagers of the ton engage accommodation there from year to year. I have a far more eligible scheme to propose to you, which is that you should remove, with your family, to Alver, and remain there for as long as you choose.’
‘To Alver?’ she repeated, startled. ‘But – but do you mean Alver Park – which the
guide books describe as your principal seat?’
‘Yes, of course I do. I have had it in mind to send Felix there ever since I realised that it would be necessary to take him out of London. It is situated within twelve miles of Bath, so that he could, at need, go there to drink the waters, or to take the hot bath, or whatever is recommended. It is very much quieter than any watering-place, but will offer both him and Jessamy much more entertainment. I’ll tell my people to look after that. They will find several hacks which they may ride, and if they like to fish the trout stream they have my permission to do so.’
‘Oh, how much Jessamy would love it!’ she exclaimed. ‘Thank you, thank you! how good you are! But of course I must not accept such an offer! Don’t tempt me!’
‘Why must you not accept it? Is it your custom to refuse all invitations?’
‘No, no, but – but this is different! We are already too much beholden to you, and to –’
‘Don’t be commonplace, Frederica! it doesn’t become you! Do you feel that there should be a hostess at Alver? Nothing could be easier than to provide one for you! If Miss Winsham doesn’t mean to leave her sister, I have one widowed aunt, two elderly spinster ones, and a collection of cousins, any one of whom would be delighted to take up residence at Alver! Most of them have been trying to do so for years.’
She was obliged to laugh. ‘And then you would never be rid of them!’
‘You underrate me! Failing Miss Winsham, I’m inclined to think I will instal one of my aunts – or, perhaps, invite her to stay, if I should wish to visit Alver myself. Not that I think it at all necessary: my housekeeper there, who knew the place before I was born, will take excellent care of you and Charis, and cosset the boys to death. You may remain for as long or as short a time as you please – and pray don’t imagine that I am conferring a favour on you! the boot is on the other leg: I shall be glad to have the house occupied. So let us consider that settled!’
‘But –’
He sighed wearily: ‘If you are wondering what people may say, let me assure you the likeliest comment will be that it is just like me to rid myself of my troublesome wards by packing them all off to Alver at the earliest opportunity.’
‘You always contrive to leave me without a word to say. I don’t feel I ought to yield, but I shall, because it would be just the thing for Felix, and for Jessamy, too. It is high time I made them my chief concern. I’ve neglected them for Charis, and it was very wrong of me. Quite – quite useless, as well. I hoped so much that she would have contracted an eligible alliance!’
‘Don’t despair! She may yet do so.’
She agreed, but she knew that she would be unable to give Charis another London season, and her voice lacked conviction.
‘There is one other matter which I wish you will consider,’ Alverstoke said. ‘I don’t know what your thoughts may be on the subject, but I am of the opinion that it is time the boys were provided with another tutor – particularly Jessamy. That he should be grateful for such help as so indifferent a scholar as I am can give him tells its own tale. As for Felix, if Harry means to send him to school in the autumn, he should be prepared – and, in any event, he has run wild for long enough. Oh, don’t look so harassed, my dear! It is for you to decide: I am merely offering you my advice – thereby rendering myself even more abominable!’
She shook her head. ‘No, that you are not! You are very right, and it is a further proof of my neglect that I shouldn’t have attended to the matter weeks ago. Tell me what will be best for me to do! If we were to be fixed in London, I imagine it would be an easy matter, but –’
‘The best thing for you to do is nothing, but to leave it to me to find a tutor scholarly enough to satisfy Jessamy, yet not so steeped in scholarship that he cannot enter into Jessamy’s other interests; too old to fall in love with Charis, but not so old as to be a dead bore to the boys –’
‘Stop, stop!’ she cried, throwing up her hands in mock dismay. ‘An impossible task! And even if it were not I shouldn’t ask it of you, cousin!’
‘But how is this?’ he enquired, raising his brows. ‘You did ask it of me!’
‘I? Asked you to undertake to engage a tutor for my brothers? That would be the outside of enough! I never did so!’
‘When I first made your acquaintance, Frederica, you told me that if I became the boys’ guardian it would be proper for me to do so. You added that there was no reason why I shouldn’t be useful. Remember?’
