“What speculation can there be?”
“Every tragedy gives rise to conjecture,” replied she. “There is too little diversion in a common accident—some feature of it will inevitably be attributed to villainy or vice. As Charles was my husband’s successor, it would not take many rounds of gossip to attribute his inaction to gaining immediately what would be his eventually.”
She wisely said no more and allowed his imagination to go to work.
They walked back to the house in silence.
chapter thirty-two
Catherine Vernon felt herself very much imposed upon by the necessity of receiving Lady Vernon’s daughter. Lady Vernon attempted to soften her sister’s humor and to engage her sympathy for Frederica by the most effective method of persuading Catherine to do anything, which was to urge her in the opposite direction.
“I am very sorry that you should be imposed upon,” she said to Catherine when they had all sat down to tea. “Though Mr. Vernon has taken it upon himself to bring Frederica to Churchill, I will not ask you to put yourself out any more than you like. Whatever the motive for her conduct, she has caused a disturbance in your household, which cannot be treated with leniency. I assure you that I mean to impress this upon my daughter, and if I am too indulgent, I know that I may count on your sensible reproof, and if you are severe upon her, you will hear no word of blame from me.”
Catherine was surprised at this address and immediately began to ponder whether the addition of one more to the household would be a very great burden—whether she ought to think a bit more kindly of Miss Vernon—and, too, she recollected that Charles had once said something of Miss Vernon’s usefulness in household duties and tending to the children.
They had just sat down to tea when the carriage was observed coming down the avenue, and after a few moments’ delay, the door was thrown open and Miss Vernon entered and threw herself into her mother’s embrace.
Reginald did not have any opportunity to form an opinion of Miss Vernon other than concluding that her mother’s apprehensions had been rightly felt, for he had never in his life beheld a more timid creature. She attempted to meet Mrs. Vernon and her brother with courtesy—she made a very pretty effort to give a kiss to one and a curtsy to them both—but after sitting only a few minutes in their presence, she abruptly burst into tears and was hastily escorted from the room by her mother. Reginald had only sufficient time to observe that, though not at all like her mother, Miss Vernon was a pretty enough girl, with large dark eyes and a complexion that promised very fair, had not her distress drained it of all color.
“How very timid she is!” Catherine Vernon remarked. “She did not say above three words—and her dress was very plain. What is your opinion of her, Reginald? She is very different from Lady Vernon.”
“I must attribute her plain dress to the fact that she is in mourning, Catherine. But, yes, they are not at all alike. Miss Vernon is not nearly so handsome as her mother. Her complexion is not as vivid and her eyes have no brilliancy at all.”
Catherine, determined to contradict any commendation of Lady Vernon, replied, “She had been crying, Reginald. Her complexion is not as radiant as her mother’s, yet there is a delicacy about it that I rather like, and though she said so little, her manner was perfectly genteel. How did you find her, Charles, for you had the advantage of her company for thirty miles and can give us a better understanding of her mind and her conversation.”
“I did not have much opportunity to address her openly—we were obliged to have Miss Manwaring with us for much of the journey. When I did attempt to speak to her, her responses were so simple as to be almost childish. I confess that I saw no indication that she is the equal of any young ladies of quality. Yet we cannot entirely condemn her—indeed, your family must be indebted to her, my dear.” Charles then gave his wife a full account of Lucy Hamilton’s elopement, which had ended with Miss Vernon’s dismissal from school.
Catherine was shocked into silence.
“Even her benevolence is done poorly,” Charles concluded. “If Sir James Martin is a man of any sense, he will not be in a hurry to marry her, unless he is as imprudent as Charles Smith. I daresay the Hamiltons must regret that he was ever introduced into the family.”
Reginald was properly stung, as it had been he who had presented Mr. Smith to his relations. Catherine, however, was not so sharp, and she replied, “I quite agree with you, Mr. Vernon. We cannot be too quick to be introduced to new people, for we never can know what they are about.”
chapter thirty-three
When they were alone, Frederica’s spirits, agitated by the recent events and her hasty removal from town, soon settled into equanimity.
Lady Vernon inquired of her journey. “What did your uncle say of Lucy Hamilton? Was he very angry?”
“I think he was, although I cannot say whether it was that his family must share in Lucy’s folly or that he cannot share in Mr. Smith’s good fortune. But I was not obliged to suffer his company all the way from town. Maria called upon me at the Johnsons’ just after my uncle arrived, and Mr. Johnson inquired, ‘Do you not go to visit the Parkers at Billingshurst, Miss Manwaring? I believe Mr. Lewis deCourcy told me that you do, for he is to go there himself in another week or so. Well, then, if Miss Vernon must leave us for Sussex, perhaps you would have the goodness to travel with her as far as your destination.’ My uncle did not like this plan, and I was ashamed of his coldness toward Maria on the way to Billingshurst. When we arrived, the Parkers came out to meet us—they were all very civil and invited us to drink tea—but my uncle refused, and not with very good grace.”
“And how do you like Mrs. Vernon?”
“Her greeting was more cordial than I expected.”
“She believes that I do not want her to show you any affection, and so she is determined to like you in order to spite me. I advise you to accept what kindness you can get from her and not be too nice about the motive. And Reginald? What did you think of him?”
“He is very handsome. I daresay he thinks me quite foolish for running from the room as I did.”
“That will not make him think less of you—the company of Hamiltons and deCourcys has accustomed him to foolishness. But what of his manner? Do you find him to be artificial and vain?”
Frederica blushed. “I regret that I had pronounced him so before I had any chance to meet him; science teaches us that insufficient observation will often lead us into error.”
“And that the outward appearance may be a deceit or a camouflage,” added Lady Vernon. “I give you leave to observe him as scientifically as you like. I think you will find him an interesting study. But there is another matter that concerns the natural order of things that I must make known to you.” She then told Frederica of her own expectations and addressed the reversal of their own circumstances should her child be a son.
Frederica’s reaction was one of astonishment, followed rapidly by concern for her mother’s well-being.
“I have always been blessed with extraordinary good health,” said Lady Vernon. “You need have no fear for me.”