An Unusual Courtship by Katherine Marlowe Page B

done—and the four of us frequently attended the same events. It was at that point that Miss Martin’s behaviour began to… alter.”
    Percival felt uncomfortable at this apparent defamation of Miss Martin’s character, but he acknowledged that since Miss Martin had indeed defamed Mr. Everett’s character, it was only appropriate that he should hear a fair rebuttal.
    “I found her to be very selfish and demanding, and betimes even cruel. I do not know if Mr. Everett would agree with this estimate. Even now, I have never heard him say a word against her.”
    Miss Bolton looked down at her own hands, hesitating in her story. “She behaved… as though Mr. Everett was hers to command, once the engagement was set. I have certainly seen men treat women so, once an engagement is formed, which I find to be very boorish and ungentle. It was no more pleasant from Miss Martin. Around most company, she behaved as charmingly as ever. Around us, since we were their chaperons more often than not, she was only barely restrained, and often I would see her whisper something in Mr. Everett’s ear only to see him colour as if with deeply injured pride. She treated him as though he were her lap-dog, and of course he could not honourably end their engagement. For weeks I found him at his wit’s end, entirely miserable that the sweet, charming young lady he had sought to marry had transformed into a cruel shrew.
    “Miss Martin frequently arranged that she would impose her will upon him by asking or commanding in a charming manner in public, but so as to contrive that he could not refuse her without seeming brutish. He began to avoid social functions, she began to complain publicly of his character, and at last the matter came to a head in the manner which I imagine you have heard: she commanded him to dance with her, he declined, she demanded more strongly, and Mr. Everett, at last, lost his temper and ejaculated loudly that he would not .
    “The scandal of his behaviour—to so publicly cut his fiancée and over such an insignificant manner—lost him his good standing in London society, but I believe that Mr. Everett might think it worth the cost to be free of Miss Martin. We sought promptly to leave London and the scandal behind. Lord Barham was our ally in this and offered that we should reside here.”
    Percival sat in silence once her recounting was complete. His only doubt on the matter could be regarding Miss Bolton’s word against Miss Martin’s. He did not know much of Miss Martin’s character, and certainly had no skill at identifying falsity in anyone’s nature.
    “Miss Martin said—” Percival cleared his throat uncertainly, wishing to address the one question in his mind that Miss Bolton had not answered. “That Mr. Everett was in the habit of becoming… violent. And wrathful. When he was in his cups.”
    “You have not seen Mr. Everett in his cups,” Miss Bolton said. “But perhaps you might be willing to judge that particular matter for yourself. I shall hold a card-party tomorrow evening, if you will consent to it, and my brother and I shall contrive to get Mr. Everett completely foxed. You may see for yourself how he behaves, and decide accordingly whose version of events you shall believe.”
    Percival was very certain of whose version of events he wished to believe, and there seemed little enough risk in Miss Bolton’s proposal. If Mr. Everett became belligerent when in contact with alcohol, the situation could be easily and discreetly handled between Mr. Bolton, Percival, and the servants. And then Percival could be sure of Miss Martin and Miss Bolton’s claims.
    “I agree to your proposal,” Percival said. “It would be my pleasure, and I confess that you were right. I suppose I did allow myself to listen to malicious gossip. If I am assured by Mr. Everett’s behaviour while intoxicated, I intend to apologise most fervently to the three of you.”
    “I’m certain that won’t be necessary,”