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“Well, let me modify my words. I decided that I would get to know her better, with a view to discovering whether I should like to marry her. I decided I should, and yesterday I chose to make my intentions known to her.”
“Ah, so this is not just a spur of the moment decision, or a matter of setting right an improper situation. That is to your credit, I suppose, but I must say, James, you seem to have managed the business very ineptly.”
“I know it, but courting one’s future wife is not something one does often enough to become practised in the art.”
His father gave a rumble that might have been laughter. “One must hope so, indeed. You are serious about this, then?”
“Perfectly. Father, you do not object, I take it?”
Sir Owen sighed. “If you like the girl, then I shall not stand in your way. She is not so prettily behaved as her sisters, but I detect no harm in her, and her dowry will see you very comfortable. I warn you now, however, your mother willnotlike it. She would be relieved to see Michael turn his back on the eldest sister, for all her fifty thousand pounds, and she is as inoffensive a creature as ever breathed. Lady Plummer cordially dislikes the rest of the family, and will not be at all pleased to have a permanent alliance with them. However, you are of age and the young lady too, and if it is what you want, then so be it. And if the two of you can provide me with a grandson, then I shall be more than content, since Michael has not done so. Have you told him of your plans?”
“I have. He asked my advice regarding Rosie Fletcher, and I told him not to worry about it if he dislikes the idea. But what had Fletcher to say? Did he play the heavy-handed father, come to insist I do the honourable thing?”
“He was very reasonable about the whole business. All he wanted to know was whether you are sincere. He does not want you making a May game of the girl.”
“I must go and see him, I suppose. Do the thing properly. I had not planned to make my formal offer quite so soon, but today is as good a day as any other.” James laughed. “May I borrow the carriage? I shall have to change into decent clothes, and I should not like to arrive mud-bespattered for such an important occasion.”
“By all means. Ring for Jefford, will you? And James — be sure to let us know the outcome.”
“There can be only one outcome, surely?”
His father gave a wintry smile. “In my experience, where ladies are concerned one can never be sure of anything.”
~~~~~
Rosie was hiding in the gallery again. She went there whenever there was a letter from Belinda, or after Mr Michael Plummer called, or just when she felt low, which happened with increasing frequency. Julia knew now where to find her, sitting on the floor half hidden by a statue, usually crying, the latest missive from Belinda clutched in her hand.
“I am learning to be a proper maiden aunt, you see,” Julia said, passing Rosie a clean handkerchief. “I am prepared for all crises. Almost all crises, anyway. Smelling salts! I don’t have smelling salts. I shall ask Aunt Madge to supply me with some.”
Rosie smiled wanly. “But you are not going to be a maiden aunt, Jules. You are going to marry Mr James Plummer.”
“I wish you will not listen to Angie’s nonsense. Of course I’m not going to marry him. What’s upset you this time, Rosie dear? Has Belinda written again?”
“Not yet. You will say I am being silly, Jules.”
“I never say that. I’m the silly one of the family, remember? Tell Auntie Jules all about it.”
“Oh, it is so trivial but… my music keeps disappearing. It has happened three times now, and Aunt Madge’s scissors and Pa’s newspaper, and the funny little porcelain bird on the table in the music room, which just vanished, and Camilla found it in her bedroom, of all places. It is so unsettling.”
“It’s just the servants playing games, I expect. They don’t like us very much, but they have to do what we say, so this is their way of having a little fun at our expense. Who is that calling?”
It was Will’s voice, from the landing. “Julia! Where are you hiding, sis? Come on out, for you are wanted.”
Julia jumped to her feet and peered round the curtain at the end of the gallery. “What is it, Will?”
“Pa wants to see you in the library.”
“In the library? What is he doing in the library?”
“I have no idea, but he wants you, and the servants have been all over the house looking for you, so I should get down there sharpish if I were you.”
Pa was gazing solemnly at the empty bookcases, row upon row of bare shelves. An empty library was a dispiriting place, and even though Julia rarely opened a book, she felt there ought to be at least a few of them in a room dedicated to books.
“Ah, there you are, puss. Well now, I have Mr James Plummer in my office, all dressed up and came in the carriage, too, so he’d not present himself to you muddy, so you can guess what he’s about. Doing things very correctly, asking my permission first and now he wants to speak to you.”
Julia pulled a face. “But I don’t want to marry him. Can’t you deal with it, Pa? You’ve done that for me before.”
“Aye, when they were ineligible or were out and out fortune hunters, but he’s neither of those. A baronet’s son and an independent income, and he’s a pleasant young man. I can’t dismiss him out of hand. It’s a very good match, to be truthful. I’d be happy for any of your sisters to do so well.”
