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To Maidie’s intense discomfiture, the Worm was now regarding her with an equal degree of astonishment. “My love, this is not like you. What is the matter?”
Maidie turned quickly away, ashamed to have allowed the horrid suspicions she entertained to have affected her demeanour. If only Great-uncle had taught her a little of the art of dissimulation! But all forms of fakery were anathema to him, and so ingrained with his beliefs was she, it had been stupid of her to suppose she might attempt prevarication.
Nevertheless, when she found the two elder ladies had risen and followed her into the centre of the room, the disagreeable sensations engendered in her by the thought that Lady Hester’s amiability might be feigned led her to ward off the urge to blurt out the truth.
“My dear child, what in the world is amiss?” Lady Hester was asking in a tone of deep concern.
“Dearest Maidie, what is it? What can I do?” chorused the Worm at the same time.
“Nothing, nothing. It is only that I—I have the headache!”
“Oh dear, oh dear,” clucked Miss Wormley, thrusting her into a chair and feeling her brow. “I do trust you are not sickening for something.”
Maidie protested, trying to push her away. But she was less happy when Lady Hester gently removed the duenna and bent over her, lifting her chin with one hand and scanning her face. Maidie could scarcely meet her eyes.
“She does not look to be in prime pin, certainly. Why don’t you go and lie down, Maidie?”
Maidie nodded, and was relieved when Lady Hester moved away. “Yes, perhaps I will.”
“Come, my love,” twittered the Worm. “I will come up with you and—”
“No, no, Worm. Thank you, but I shall be better alone.”
“That’s right,” agreed Lady Hester, sitting on a green-striped nearby sofa. “You go and rest, child. We have no engagement this morning. Ida and I—” smiling kindly at the Worm “—will continue our comfortable cose.”
Maidie rose hastily, a rush of distress choking at her throat. “Oh, yes,” she said huskily, on a most unaccustomed note of petulance, “no doubt it will be comfortable—since I will be absent!”
She regretted her outburst instantly, for Lady Hester stared at her, surprise in her face.
“Maidie, my dear,” protested the Worm, throwing a distressed look at their hostess.
But the deep sense of humiliation which underlay all Maidie’s fears would permit of no damping down. Her emotions welled up, and found expression.
“You need not look like that, Lady Hester! Well do I know no one could wilfully seek my company.”
“My love!”
“My dear child, how can you think that?”
“What else am I to think, when everyone makes it plain enough?” She saw hurt enter Lady Hester’s expression, and remorse bit at her.
“Am I to understand you include me in thiseveryone, Maidie?”
Maidie dissolved into tears. Groping her way back to the chair, she sank into it and hid her face in her hands, valiantly gulping down the rising sobs. She heard the Worm clucking about her, shrunk into herself the more, and was relieved when Lady Hester intervened.
“Dear Ida, give the girl a little space, do!”
The Worm’s lamentations ceased, and Maidie, venturing to peep through her fingers, saw a handkerchief held out to her and clutched it gratefully. Presently she was able to wipe away the tearstains and, sniffing dismally, looked up to find two pairs of concerned eyes trained upon her from the sofa.
“Now, my dear,” began Lady Hester, one firm hand on the Worm’s wrist discouraging the duenna from making any move towards her charge, “what is this all about?”
The kindness of her tone struck at Maidie’s pain, and thrust her into blurting out her trouble. “Why have you befriended me, ma’am? Was it only for the sake of my fortune?” Then she looked quickly away, catching her breath on a sob. “I do not know why I ask you. You are bound to deny it.”
“No, Maidie, I will not deny it.”
Maidie’s eyes flew to Lady Hester’s, and her chest went hollow. She had been afraid of that answer, but truly she had not expected it.
“Don’t look so stricken, child. There is no need. I did, it is true, urge Laurie to sponsor you for just that reason. When I established you were Brice Burloyne’s granddaughter, I immediately suspected that what you called your independence must be substantial. I knew Brice had been what we used to call a nabob and had made a fortune in India.”
