“Mama
suggested?” he asked, smiling quizzically.
“Yes, is it not a good location?”
“It strikes me as an excellent location,” he answered. “Mama too becomes thoughtful in her dotage.”
“That is not a nice way to speak of your mother.”
“It must be the company I am keeping. I was shocked to hear you state so baldly that Sir Egbert is not at all nice. A discussion on the care and feeding of swine should provide a diversion on the trip. I am always open to new ideas.”
“I don’t think you will get any to your liking from my uncle. His pigstyes are not at all fancy, Dewar. No tiles, no fountains....”
“No curtains, no Persian carpets, no china and silver-plate.... Poor devils. Tell me, Miss McCormack, do you take me for an utter fool?”
She looked at him a moment, considering the matter with deliberation. “No, not an
utter
fool,” she allowed, with a little choke of laughter. “Sir Swithin is an utter fool; you are only half a fool.”
“Good day, ma’am,” he answered, after inhaling a long, slow breath. “I shall take my leave, before you inform me what the other half is.” She began to speak, but he held up a peremptory hand. “No! Pray, do not. Say no more. It would be unfitting for me to beat a lady. The other half, in my own view, is a gentleman.”
"There is just one more
tiny
favour,” she said, with a doubtful look.
“There are some who don’t know where to stop. Go ahead then. What is it?”
“My uncle would be so very flattered if you asked him yourself, rather than having me do it.”
Dewar frowned, more displeased at this request than the rest. “Yes, but I am not at all sure I wish to flatter him to
that
extent,” he said, with a reluctant voice. “Oh, very well, I’ll do it.”
A broad smile spread across Holly’s face. “Do you know, I come to think Mr. Johnson is right about you. You really are very obliging, when you are handled properly.”
He stood watching her, a bemused look in his eyes. “Dare I ask what you have found to be the proper way to handle me?”
“Carefully, Lord Dewar. Very carefully.”
“One trembles to think
this
is careful treatment!” He turned abruptly on his heel and walked away, smiling. The throaty sound of her laughter followed him. A wonderful voice the woman had, but what words she used it for!
“Gudgeon!” Lady Dewar shouted when her son revealed he was to drive Sir Egbert to London with him. “How am I expected to keep that woman in her place when you spend your days running after the chit telling her how pretty she is, your nights in her saloon, and now take her papa to the city in your carriage? You might as well offer them the use of our house for the Season and have done with it.”
“Strangely enough, the lady did not suggest it,” he said.
“It was
her
suggestion you take Sir Egbert with you, was it?”
“Certainly it was. It would not have occurred to me in a decade of Sundays.”
“Encroaching creature! I shall hint you are on the verge of making someone an offer if she says a word to me. She thinks, since she is become Lady Proctor, she may choose who she likes for her gel. I begin to regret I ever hinted to Holly that Rex would do for her, for he would have served to keep Jane away from you.”
Dewar said not a word about which lady had dunned him for the drive. “Holly has no interest in Rex. There is a Prendergast gentleman she speaks of....”
“I never heard anything of a romance in that quarter. Not that Elsa Proctor would allow it. She is bone-selfish, and means to use Holly as her housekeeper while she sports it around London. Quite a shame the way she has kept that girl from making a match all these years.” Lady Dewar had never before given the matter two minutes’ consideration, but was only looking for some ill to say of the woman, to vent her spleen. “They dress poor Holly like a servant.”
“Swithin mentioned only the other day her resemblance to yourself in that respect, Mama,” he quizzed her.
“Did he indeed, the two-faced rogue! He always compliments me on your father’s waistcoats. It shows in your manner when you have been associating with Idle. You become even more than usually satirical. As to my wardrobe, you may be sure I did not dress for comfort before I was married. I powdered my hair, wore corsets and gowns cut so low I was forever freezing to death, like everyone else. Now that your father is gone, however, there is no point in dressing up only to please the likes of you and Swithin Idle. You two are fine enough to uphold the family’s reputation for elegance.”
“Shall I order you any new waistcoats while I am in London, love?” he asked, undismayed by her attack. “Hessian boots, beaver hats, pantaloons? Very warm on a cold winter’s evening, the pantaloons.”
“One could wear them under a skirt, I daresay,” she said, creasing her brow in interest.
“They would do wonders for that figure of yours too. It wants a little expanding,” he said, with a teasing smile at her wide girth.
“I have two pleasures in life, Chubbie. Eating and sleeping. Don’t think to deprive me of either of them.”
“You cut me to the quick, to think I add nothing to your simple pleasures. What did I do to inherit a sensuous mother?”
“Watch your language! If you want to bring me something from London, bring me home a daughter-in-law. A
lady,
one who is out of short dresses, if you please, and not into long words like that Hazelton woman you had home last time you were here. Spouting French and Italian and I don’t know what else.”
“English was the other language, Mama. About this daughter-in-law, have you any preference for a blonde or a brunette? Any other requirement at all but that she be old and ignorant? Ugly, perhaps....”
“Yes, you want to make sure she has a good thick hide, or she will not be able to stick it long with you. Go away now. Send Digby to me. I want to play cards.”
“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is, to have a thankless mother,” he replied, and sauntered out the door.
* * *
At Stonecroft, the matter of Dewar’s unprecedented offer to Sir Egbert was also under discussion. It was seen as not only a sign but a wonder. “Very condescending of him,” Lady Proctor decreed. “An outstanding display of preference for Jane. Quite out of the blue too, the offer. I wonder he did not mention it to me or to Jane, but just popped down here by himself and asked you. I daresay he will take the opportunity of privacy the trip affords to speak of
other matters”
she said coyly, with a hopeful glance to Jane.
“Aye, he mentioned he would like to hear more about my new breed of swine,” Sir Egbert answered.
Holly, who was in some confusion as to the misinterpretation being placed on Dewar’s offer, smiled to herself at this speech. This was why he had been reluctant to speak to Sir Egbert himself!
“Don’t you
dare
to prose his ear off with those Berkshire sows you have bought, Egbert. Remember your position in society.”
“It is news to me if a knight can’t raise hogs, demmed good ones too.”
“If you dare to utter one word about those sows....”
“Heh heh, only teasing you, my pet.”
Lady Proctor pushed her daughter and Holly upstairs to allow privacy for a discussion of dowry, just in case the matter should arise en route to London. Holly had not the heart to tell them Rex and Foxworth would also be in the carriage.
In fact, when the gentlemen called the next morning for Sir Egbert, the plan had been changed somewhat. Rex had his own carriage and was giving a lift to Foxworth. These two gallant wooers did not trust Dewar alone in the house. They went into Stonecroft with him to ask Jane six times each if they could get her anything while they were in London, and to remind her they would be back in two days. They strongly recommended the corner of Conduit and Bruton Streets, and Glasshouse and Bond Streets, respectively, as being the best abode for her, these locations putting her on their own doorsteps.
While this was going forth, Dewar turned aside to Holly. “Your thrifty heart will dislike the use of two carriages, but there is a reason for it. Dr. John goes with us to speak to Sir Henry and, of course, Billie will have to be brought back as well. A full load for the return trip at least.”
“What an excellent idea to take Dr. John!”
“Rather vain of you to say so. It is your own. I never hesitate to steal a good idea from any source. As I have been so very obliging in this matter, I hope my asking a favour of you during my absence will not go amiss.”
“I will be happy to help you, if I can.”
“I know of no one who could do it better. Will you keep an eye on the production while I am away? Swithin is admirable but, like all creative geniuses, he needs a firm guiding hand. You won’t let him set the play to music while I am gone, or bring in some
deus ex machina
ending to turn it into a comedy? He has the feeling, which I own I share, that, up till the end of the first act or so, William Shakespeare set out to write a comedy in
Romeo and Juliet
but wandered astray.”
“I shall do my poor best, but Swithin is not totally biddable by anyone.”
“Very true, but only last night he said he was scared to death of Kate McCormack. Now, when he has gone to all the pains of learning your last name, it confers a greater distinction than you realize. He doesn’t know mine, and if he did not dislike it so much I daresay he wouldn’t know his own. Even Shakespeare, you must have noticed, is always referred to as William. A lady who can frighten Idle is capable of anything.”
“Very well then, I shall frown and scold him into obedience, and be called Shrew for my trouble.”
“We
artistes
require a shrew, to keep at least one of our toes on the ground. Delinquent owners of estates could use one as well. Could I presume on your charity to oversee my steward as well, in my absence?” he asked, with a lazy smile.
“My ill temper cuts no ice with Roots, Dewar. If he decides to turn your stables into a pleasure dome while you are away, you must not hold me responsible. But then I place the blame—er, credit?—in the wrong dish, to accuse Roots of the renovations in the dairy.”
“I believe I shall take my leave before we come to cuffs, ma’am. I had hoped to leave with your blessings this time.”
“Vaya con dios,”
she answered. “Swithin taught me the phrase. He has promised to teach me a few curses in German as well. All German sounds like the grossest profanity to me, but he assures me
gemutlichkeit
means something pleasant. I forget what.”
“Good lord! When did you have time to set up a flirtation with him? Idle only encumbers ladies with a smattering of foreign tongues when he is planning to fall in love with them. I might have known when he learned your last name!”
“If he ever learns my first one, I shall run for cover.”
“Tell Mr. Prendergast on him,” he suggested, with a questioning look, as though waiting for some reaction.
She flushed in confusion, for it was clear Dewar thought Prendergast was her beau, yet to explicitly deny it would seem an overreaction. Lady Proctor disliked the whole tenor of the conversation very much, and had soon interrupted to turn Dewar’s attention to herself. The gentlemen were finally heading to the door, with all the ladies of the house going after them to the roadway to wave them off.
“Well, my dear, we shall just stay home today and have a little rest,” Lady Proctor decided, when they were alone. “There is no point, dashing off to the Abbey when Dewar is not to be there.”
“We planned to help Swithin paint the transparent curtain, Mama,” Jane pointed out.
“I most particularly told Dewar I would help,” Holly added.
“I noticed you were at pains to attract his attention, Holly,” Lady Proctor answered in a strained voice. “Rather forward behaviour. Sir Egbert hardly knew what to make of it. I daresay he is trying to explain it to Dewar this very moment. There are plenty to help with the painting. Jane needs the time to learn her part and, if you have nothing better to do, Holly, you might help me get the mud stains off the bottom of my wool skirt. You were always good at that.”
There was never any point arguing with Aunt Elsa. She had decided the family were to remain home, and that was that. Holly was not in the least sorry when the door knocker sounded and Mr. Johnson was shown in, looking for his ride to the Abbey—but with a piece of news, and a suggestion to occupy Holly’s day in a more exciting fashion than cleaning her aunt’s clothing.
“Poor old Parsons is ill. In his bed with the gout,” Johnson said, as he was shown in. “I shall have to dismiss the school today. Miss McCormack will not be able to fill in for him, with the play to see to. I have left the oldest student, Humphries, in charge till I see whether I can find anyone in the village to take over. I thought Prendergast might be able to, but Raymond is away and he is pretty well occupied.”
“We are not going to the Abbey today, Mr. Johnson,” Lady Proctor told him, “so you can take the school yourself.”
“I?” he asked, astonished. “You forget we are working on my transparency. I must be there. If you are not going, I’ll hasten along to Abercrombie’s, and see if I can ride with Abbie,” he said, and turned to leave without even taking a seat. At the doorway, he stopped and turned back. “If you are not going, then Miss McCormack can take over the school, as she has done in the past. Just for the day, till I can make some other arrangement. I fear Parsons is out for a couple of weeks. Will you go, Miss McCormack?”
Holly enjoyed her occasional day at the schoolhouse. She liked the slim recompense as well as anything. “If my aunt can spare me?” she asked, looking for guidance to her aunt.
“Run along. You won’t want the carriage. Jane and I may need it to go to the village this afternoon.”
The school was not an unwalkable distance. Holly skipped upstairs for her pelisse, with only a little wince of regret that she must miss the goings-on at the Abbey. Even with Dewar and some of the others away, it would have been a busy, agreeable day. In fact, she experienced a stab of guilt as she hastened her steps toward the school. She had been neglecting all her charity duties of late. Outside of finishing the orphans’ shirts, she had done nothing in that line. She had visited no sick persons, mended no prayer books, prepared no treats or diversions for the poor.