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“There is no need to cry, Maidie.”
“I am not crying!” She sniffed in a defiant fashion.
Delagarde suppressed a smile, and gave her his handkerchief. Maidie glared at him, sniffed again; then reluctantly took it and blew her nose.
“I am not upset, but only angry.” She tucked his handkerchief into a hidden recess in the petticoat of her apricot gown. “So would you be, if someone told you that your Aunt Hester was a lunatic.”
“I dare say I would. But there is a time and place for a display of temperament. You cannot afford to lose the approval of such females as Lady Rankmiston, Maidie. You may not realise it, but you can be socially damned by those women.”
“Well, what if I am? I have no wish to cut a figure in society.”
“Believe me, you won’t. Society is more likely to cut you.”
“I don’t care!”
“But I do!”
“Why should you? It has nothing to do with you if I am socially damned.”
“Not you, simpleton,” Delagarde said, irritated. “I am talking of myself. It happens I enjoy my social position, and I don’t wish to see it blasted by your idiotic behaviour.”
“Don’t concern yourself. I have already told Lady Rankmiston you disapprove of me. I have no doubt that—”
“You did what? Are you mad? Good God, girl, I am supposed to be your sponsor! Have you no sense of what is fitting? And Aunt Hes would have me let you loose to do as you please. I knew how it would be!”
“It is quite your own fault. You have put me so out of temper I scarce know what I am doing. If only you will let me alone!”
“Yes, do let her alone, Laurie,” came from the doorway behind him.
He turned as Lady Hester entered the antechamber. It was plain from her demeanour she was amused by the episode, and Delagarde’s annoyance revived.
“What, may I ask, is so funny, Aunt?”
“It is Selina,” Lady Hester said, bubbling over. “I have never seen her so put out.” She came to Maidie and patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t look so stricken, child. I have had a grudge against that woman for years, and it has done me no end of good to see her served out in her own coin.”
“I don’t believe this!” said Delagarde, disgusted. “If you mean to congratulate the wench on her ill manners, instead of correcting her, there is no more to be said.”
“If that means you have nothing more to say,” Maidie countered, “then I am heartily glad of it.”
“I have a great deal more to say, but not to you. It would be useless, and I am not going to waste my breath. You might remember, Aunt Hes, she has to succeed on her own merits.”
“And my title.”
“Which will avail her nothing,” Delagarde continued, refusing to address Maidie direct, “if she means to conduct herself in this discourteous fashion.”
“Have no fear, Laurie. I have smoothed over the lapse. Nothing could have been easier. I told Selina the child is still raw from her great-uncle’s death, which no one could wonder at, and she has chosen to be gracious.”
“That is all very well, but if Maidie is going to inform the world that she and I are at outs—”
“My dear Laurie, there will be no need for her to inform the world of it. No one with the least degree of intelligence could fail to notice it. What do you expect, when you hustle the child away to a private room, looking like a thundercloud the while?”
“There, you see!” exclaimed Maidie. “I said it was your fault.”
Delagarde eyed her with menace. “If I do not end by strangling you, my girl, you may certainly count it my fault!”
“Laurie, do go away! For heaven’s sake, let the child alone to find her feet. She will never do so if you are constantly growling about her like a bad-tempered watchdog.”
“Yes, that is all very well, but you seem to forget everything she says and does redounds upon me. Not that I suppose anyone cares for that.”
