boorish as to wear such atrocious dress is reason enough that you should not be seen in her company." She raised her nose as if a disagreeable odor hovered beneath her nostrils. "At best, she is the daughter of a commonplace merchant, a man of no background or position, while you were born into a noble family which proudly traces its ancestry back to royalty--"
"To the Cromwells , Mother. Any connection to the Stuarts is baseless. And might I remind you that Oliver Cromwell was a commoner. It's only through marriage that he gained title. I also suspect there are numerous skeletons in our aristocratic closet, some of questionable parentage, I daresay, who never made it into the family Bible."
Dorothy's bottom lip quivered with outrage. "That allegation is preposterous! You arrived in Victoria with impeccable credentials and are considered a man of excellent character, as was your father and is your brother."
"My brother?" Jon laughed heartily. "Dear Charles's moral standards fluctuate widely with the occasion, Mother. You're just not in London to witness it."
"That is simply not so," Dorothy insisted. "However, be that as it may, this appalling incident will undoubtedly demean your good standing in this community."
"If it were not for Harriet Galbraith's malicious mind and wagging tongue, this incident would go no further than her carriage."
"The only thing malicious is the effect Miss Ashley seems to be having on you and on your reputation," Dorothy said. "Need I remind you that your position as governor is most unstable right now? Even you have pointed out that if it comes to confederation, Frederick Seymour is clearly the choice of Her Majesty's government."
"If it comes to confederation, which will probably not happen," Jon said. But he knew union with British Columbia was imminent, especially with De Cosmos urging the assembly to agree to unification under any terms, proselytizing that Victoria would be doomed should it continue to struggle as an isolated British colony. "But if it should come to that, Victoria has a greater chance of becoming the capital city than New Westminster."
"Of course it does," Dorothy agreed, "but with Frederick Seymour as governor instead of you, unless you present yourself as a gentleman of faultless character."
Jon laughed heartily. "If Her Majesty's government uses character as ground for selection, Frederick Seymour, with his voracious appetite for drink, should not stand a chance." Though he knew that was not the case. Even with Seymour's penchant for drink, he'd presented on paper to Her Majesty's government what appeared to be a thriving capital city, though one far from prosperous to the eye. Whereas Victoria's public accounts might look somewhat bleak, the city boasted a wealth of new and improved civil services, the Common School Act had been passed, real estate taxes were being collected, and Victoria remained a free trade port. But it had been hard uphill work, especially having to battle De Cosmos's attacks every step of the way.
Dorothy looped the thread and snipped it. "Nevertheless," she said, reaching for another sock, "Miss Ashley must find other lodging at once. I cannot impress upon you strongly enough the extent of the vicious gossip in which the town will be indulging if you do not stop this folly."
"Thanks to your bosom friend."
"Harriet Galbraith has nothing to do with this," Dorothy said, ruffled. "She is the wife of a preacher, a woman of the highest moral principles, who would not spread undue gossip."
"Oh, that's riotously funny," Jon said. "The old shrew has a tongue like a whipsaw. Not only would she spread undue gossip, but she'd salt and pepper it with all manner of indecent implications as well."
Dorothy shot Jon a censorious look. "I am appalled to hear you degrade a woman of Mrs. Galbraith's standing in our community."
"Harriet Galbraith maintains her lofty standing only because she's the one who grubs up the dirt you women seem to need to keep
"To the Cromwells , Mother. Any connection to the Stuarts is baseless. And might I remind you that Oliver Cromwell was a commoner. It's only through marriage that he gained title. I also suspect there are numerous skeletons in our aristocratic closet, some of questionable parentage, I daresay, who never made it into the family Bible."
Dorothy's bottom lip quivered with outrage. "That allegation is preposterous! You arrived in Victoria with impeccable credentials and are considered a man of excellent character, as was your father and is your brother."
"My brother?" Jon laughed heartily. "Dear Charles's moral standards fluctuate widely with the occasion, Mother. You're just not in London to witness it."
"That is simply not so," Dorothy insisted. "However, be that as it may, this appalling incident will undoubtedly demean your good standing in this community."
"If it were not for Harriet Galbraith's malicious mind and wagging tongue, this incident would go no further than her carriage."
"The only thing malicious is the effect Miss Ashley seems to be having on you and on your reputation," Dorothy said. "Need I remind you that your position as governor is most unstable right now? Even you have pointed out that if it comes to confederation, Frederick Seymour is clearly the choice of Her Majesty's government."
"If it comes to confederation, which will probably not happen," Jon said. But he knew union with British Columbia was imminent, especially with De Cosmos urging the assembly to agree to unification under any terms, proselytizing that Victoria would be doomed should it continue to struggle as an isolated British colony. "But if it should come to that, Victoria has a greater chance of becoming the capital city than New Westminster."
"Of course it does," Dorothy agreed, "but with Frederick Seymour as governor instead of you, unless you present yourself as a gentleman of faultless character."
Jon laughed heartily. "If Her Majesty's government uses character as ground for selection, Frederick Seymour, with his voracious appetite for drink, should not stand a chance." Though he knew that was not the case. Even with Seymour's penchant for drink, he'd presented on paper to Her Majesty's government what appeared to be a thriving capital city, though one far from prosperous to the eye. Whereas Victoria's public accounts might look somewhat bleak, the city boasted a wealth of new and improved civil services, the Common School Act had been passed, real estate taxes were being collected, and Victoria remained a free trade port. But it had been hard uphill work, especially having to battle De Cosmos's attacks every step of the way.
Dorothy looped the thread and snipped it. "Nevertheless," she said, reaching for another sock, "Miss Ashley must find other lodging at once. I cannot impress upon you strongly enough the extent of the vicious gossip in which the town will be indulging if you do not stop this folly."
"Thanks to your bosom friend."
"Harriet Galbraith has nothing to do with this," Dorothy said, ruffled. "She is the wife of a preacher, a woman of the highest moral principles, who would not spread undue gossip."
"Oh, that's riotously funny," Jon said. "The old shrew has a tongue like a whipsaw. Not only would she spread undue gossip, but she'd salt and pepper it with all manner of indecent implications as well."
Dorothy shot Jon a censorious look. "I am appalled to hear you degrade a woman of Mrs. Galbraith's standing in our community."
"Harriet Galbraith maintains her lofty standing only because she's the one who grubs up the dirt you women seem to need to keep
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