adoration.
Kate was grateful, but she could not love her aunt. In spite of her kindness, and her generosity, there was something in Lady Broome which repelled her. She more than once suspected that under the facade lay a cold and calculating nature; and tried to recall just what it was that her father had said about his half-sister. Something about her ambition, and how she was ready to go to all lengths to achieve it - but he had said it jokingly, not as though he had meant to disparage her. 'She married Broome of Staplewood,' he had said, and had laughed. 'Not a peer, but pretty well for Miss Minerva Malvern!'
But Papa had not known how proud his sister had become of Staplewood, and the Broome heritage. To Kate, it seemed as if this pride had become an obsession: nothing, in her aunt's esteem, ranked above it. She had taken Kate to the Muniment Room, and had shown her its contents, and Kate had dutifully admired, and marvelled, and said all that was proper. But she could not share her aunt's enthusiasm. It did not seem to her that the unbroken line was of so much importance, but since it was made plain to her that Lady Broome considered it to be of the first importance she did not say so. Only she did wonder that her aunt should bestow so much more of her loving care upon Staplewood than upon her husband, or her son.
She was for ever talking about it, trying, as it appeared, to inspire Kate with something of her own feeling for the place. When she had discharged her errands of mercy, and had rejoined Kate in the carriage, she gave the order to drive home, and told Kate that few things afforded her more pleasure than to pass through the lodge-gates, and up the long, winding avenue to the house. 'When I compare it to other people's houses, I realize how superior it is,' she said simply.
The sublimity of this statement surprised a choke of laughter out of Kate, for which she immediately apologized, saying that she supposed everyone considered his own house to be superior.
Lady Broome put up her brows. 'But how could they? Be it understood that I am not speaking of great houses, such as Chatsworth, or Holkham - though both are too modern for my taste! I daresay there may be some who admire them, but for my part I prefer the antique. I like to think of all the Broomes who have lived at Staplewood - for it dates back beyond the baronetcy, and although succeeding generations have added to it, nothing has ever been destroyed. That is an awe-inspiring thought, is it not?'
'Most sobering!' agreed Kate, a little dryly.
Missing the inflexion, Lady Broome said: 'Yes, that is what I feel.' After a pause, she said dreamily: 'Sometimes I wonder whether my successor will share my feeling. I hope so, but I don't depend on it.'
'Your successor, ma'am?'
'Torquil's wife. She will be a very fortunate young womans won't she?'
'Why, yes, ma'am! I suppose she will.'
'Position, wealth, Staplewood, a house in the best part of London—' Lady Broome broke off, sighing. 'That was a sad blow to me, you know: being obliged to shut it up. Before Sir Timothy's health failed, we were used to spend several months in London, during the Season. I won't conceal from you, my dear, that I enjoyed those months excessively! I don't think there can have been a single ton party given for which I didn't receive a card of invitation. I was famed for my own parties, and have frequently entertained the Prince Regent, besides other members of the Royal Family. You may readily conceive what it meant to me to be obliged to give it all up! But the doctors were insistent that London life would never do for Sir Timothy. His constitution has always been delicate. Even when we were first married, he was used to become exhausted for what seemed to me to be no cause at all. He was bored by the balls, and the drums, and the race-parties, and the Opera-nights of which I could never have enough, but because he knew how much I enjoyed that way of life he concealed his
Kate was grateful, but she could not love her aunt. In spite of her kindness, and her generosity, there was something in Lady Broome which repelled her. She more than once suspected that under the facade lay a cold and calculating nature; and tried to recall just what it was that her father had said about his half-sister. Something about her ambition, and how she was ready to go to all lengths to achieve it - but he had said it jokingly, not as though he had meant to disparage her. 'She married Broome of Staplewood,' he had said, and had laughed. 'Not a peer, but pretty well for Miss Minerva Malvern!'
But Papa had not known how proud his sister had become of Staplewood, and the Broome heritage. To Kate, it seemed as if this pride had become an obsession: nothing, in her aunt's esteem, ranked above it. She had taken Kate to the Muniment Room, and had shown her its contents, and Kate had dutifully admired, and marvelled, and said all that was proper. But she could not share her aunt's enthusiasm. It did not seem to her that the unbroken line was of so much importance, but since it was made plain to her that Lady Broome considered it to be of the first importance she did not say so. Only she did wonder that her aunt should bestow so much more of her loving care upon Staplewood than upon her husband, or her son.
She was for ever talking about it, trying, as it appeared, to inspire Kate with something of her own feeling for the place. When she had discharged her errands of mercy, and had rejoined Kate in the carriage, she gave the order to drive home, and told Kate that few things afforded her more pleasure than to pass through the lodge-gates, and up the long, winding avenue to the house. 'When I compare it to other people's houses, I realize how superior it is,' she said simply.
The sublimity of this statement surprised a choke of laughter out of Kate, for which she immediately apologized, saying that she supposed everyone considered his own house to be superior.
Lady Broome put up her brows. 'But how could they? Be it understood that I am not speaking of great houses, such as Chatsworth, or Holkham - though both are too modern for my taste! I daresay there may be some who admire them, but for my part I prefer the antique. I like to think of all the Broomes who have lived at Staplewood - for it dates back beyond the baronetcy, and although succeeding generations have added to it, nothing has ever been destroyed. That is an awe-inspiring thought, is it not?'
'Most sobering!' agreed Kate, a little dryly.
Missing the inflexion, Lady Broome said: 'Yes, that is what I feel.' After a pause, she said dreamily: 'Sometimes I wonder whether my successor will share my feeling. I hope so, but I don't depend on it.'
'Your successor, ma'am?'
'Torquil's wife. She will be a very fortunate young womans won't she?'
'Why, yes, ma'am! I suppose she will.'
'Position, wealth, Staplewood, a house in the best part of London—' Lady Broome broke off, sighing. 'That was a sad blow to me, you know: being obliged to shut it up. Before Sir Timothy's health failed, we were used to spend several months in London, during the Season. I won't conceal from you, my dear, that I enjoyed those months excessively! I don't think there can have been a single ton party given for which I didn't receive a card of invitation. I was famed for my own parties, and have frequently entertained the Prince Regent, besides other members of the Royal Family. You may readily conceive what it meant to me to be obliged to give it all up! But the doctors were insistent that London life would never do for Sir Timothy. His constitution has always been delicate. Even when we were first married, he was used to become exhausted for what seemed to me to be no cause at all. He was bored by the balls, and the drums, and the race-parties, and the Opera-nights of which I could never have enough, but because he knew how much I enjoyed that way of life he concealed his
Similar Books
