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“Thank you,” said Maidie. “I cannot think why he would not believe me.”
Delagarde almost snorted. “Because your conduct hardly tallies with the title.”
“Laurie, do be quiet! Let the child tell her tale in her own way.”
“Her tale is imbecilic. She does not wish to marry some fellow or other, and has thus fled her natural protector to come here and demand I bring her out, on the pretext of that letter. A more stupid—”
“Hush! Let her speak.”
Maidie threw her a grateful look, and launched once more into an explanation of her difficulties and the ingenious solution she had worked out. Unlike her great-nephew, Lady Hester listened without comment, and even managed, with a lifted finger, to keep Delagarde from bursting out until Maidie had finished. Only then did she speak.
“I think I understand. There are one or two matters I should like to clarify, however. The exact relationship between us is readily discovered.”
“Readily discovered? If you hunted it down through half the family tree, I dare say. Besides, I am sure there must be a dozen other males closer related to her than I am myself.”
“But none of them, my dear Laurie, is a Viscount.”
Maidie found herself the sudden recipient of a suspicious look from his lordship, and a questioning one from Lady Hester. What were they at now?
“Why should that weigh with me? I am an Earl’s daughter.”
“Who may look as high as she pleases for a husband? I wonder just how high you are looking to go.”
“His rank is immaterial. It is not that which will determine my choice. I only meant my title is bound to make it easier for me to find someone willing to marry me.”
“Undoubtedly.” Lady Hester was still affable. “Tell me, Lady Mary, why do you wish to be settled in life?”
A sigh escaped Maidie, as the picture of her self-imposed future formed itself in her mind. “To tell you the truth, I had as lief not be—married, I mean. But when Eustace began plaguing me with his attentions, and then Adela must needs try to hint me into accepting him, I began to see what awaited me if I chose to remain single.”
An odd look crossed Lady Hester’s face. “Well, I do not ask why you wished to remain single, for that I can readily understand. I am single myself. But what was it you feared?”
Maidie shifted her shoulders in a gesture of discomfort. “To be the object of incessant suits for my hand. Once word of the legacy got out, I could see there would be no peace for me. So I thought the best solution would be to find myself a complaisant husband, who would not object to my continuing interest in other matters, and so end the nonsense at once.”
Lady Hester was regarding her keenly. “What legacy?”
“Oh, I discovered when I came of age that my mother’s fortune had been settled upon me.”
“Indeed?”
“Yes, which is why Adela suddenly changed her behaviour towards me.”
“I imagine she might,” came the dry comment.
“Of course I was glad to have such an independence, for it made it possible for me to make my own choice of occupation, rather than become a companion.”
“A companion! Good gracious, why should you wish to become one?”
“I didn’t wish to. Only I previously thought it would have been my one path to escape from working as an unpaid drudge to Adela. But I was forced to recognise the very independence which offered me freedom also made me a target for gentlemen seeking to marry well.”
Lady Hester was now looking very thoughtful indeed. Was she beginning to understand the motives that drove Maidie? Delagarde, on the other hand, was still frowning heavily. He caught her eye, and got up.
“Interesting though this history may be, Lady Mary, it makes no difference to—”
“Laurie!”
“What is it, Aunt Hes?”
“Pray sit down again. It happens that I find this history extremely interesting.” She turned to Maidie as Delagarde reluctantly reseated himself. “Let us re-examine this question of our relationship.”
