Livingstone too could be called more than a hint of substance,” I pointed out dutifully.
“What arrangements I make for my private, personal life are no concern of yours or anyone else’s.”
“Why did you find it necessary to turn her off, then?”
“Mrs. Livingstone has gone to visit friends at Brighton. She will be returning shortly.”
“Not before six weeks, I wager.”
“Two can play at this game,” was his next statement. “How would you like it if I began asking around town whether it is true you and Everett slip away to London for a weekend every month? Would you find that amusing, as your smirks tell me you enjoy my dilemma? Of course there is no truth in it, so far as I know, but once the question is abroad, you know, folks begin remembering there is no smoke without fire. They will recall having seen his carriage pass through town, headed toward the city, with more than one person in it. Someone else will remember the bonnet looked very like Miss Harris’s, and before twenty-four hours are up, you have become a scarlet woman.”
“It is impossible to prove an innocent person guilty. My weekends are all accounted for. I am always in town on Saturdays, and in church on Sundays.”
“Are you telling me you don’t mean to call him off?”
“I didn’t sic Culligan on you. I told him not to follow that tack, when he suggested it. I’ll speak to him.”
“You might have known when you hired a man of that kidney what would result.”
“It happens Sir Nathan did not offer me his valuable services gratis. I do not approve of these questions Culligan has been asking, but for the rest, your personal conduct is a valid point to be raised in the case. You think so too, or you would not have gotten rid of Mrs. Livingstone.”
“A precaution merely. I will leave no stone unturned to secure guardianship of my niece and nephew. Every trip I make to this cottage confirms me in my belief they would be poorly off here. Your lack of judgment, quite as much as your oft-lamented lack of funds, would be to their detriment. I wish you will reconsider your decision.”
“Every trip you make here confirms in my mind that I too was correct. You are bribing them to like you, with wooden horses and bags of sugarplums. You consider yourself above the law. Because you have taken into your head they would be a congenial amusement for a few weeks, you think by some divine right of peers you ought to have them, automatically. That I, with perfectly equal claims so far as kinship goes, even ques tion your whim has got you outraged.
"I have reconsidered my decision, Menrod. I am more convinced than ever that you would make a perfectly wretched guardian. I used to think it a pity your interest would be so short-lived; I come to see the only hope for their living a normal life is your losing all interest as soon as possible, and turning them over to servants. But then, without the comfort of a Mrs. Livingstone nearby, no doubt you will soon be darting back to London. Good day.”
“You will be happy to hear I am to spend the entire spring at the Manor. Good day to you, Miss Harris.”
He arose and strutted from the room at a gait similar to Mr. Everett’s with his knees very stiff. His eyes glanced with satisfaction to the left, where the stairs were returned to their former gloominess.
I dashed a terse note off to Culligan, informing him that if he continued with the course I had forbidden, he could consider himself dismissed.
----
Chapter 9
The next morning, we received a call from the Dowager Lady Menrod. She brought the children with her, which was no more than a pretext. Her real motive was to hint there was a match brewing between her cousin and her stepson.
“Menrod has taken the decision to spend a few months at home,” she announced happily. “Lady Althea was to return to London, but has sent off instead for some lighter clothing and her mount. She will be riding with Menrod. They are both fond
“What arrangements I make for my private, personal life are no concern of yours or anyone else’s.”
“Why did you find it necessary to turn her off, then?”
“Mrs. Livingstone has gone to visit friends at Brighton. She will be returning shortly.”
“Not before six weeks, I wager.”
“Two can play at this game,” was his next statement. “How would you like it if I began asking around town whether it is true you and Everett slip away to London for a weekend every month? Would you find that amusing, as your smirks tell me you enjoy my dilemma? Of course there is no truth in it, so far as I know, but once the question is abroad, you know, folks begin remembering there is no smoke without fire. They will recall having seen his carriage pass through town, headed toward the city, with more than one person in it. Someone else will remember the bonnet looked very like Miss Harris’s, and before twenty-four hours are up, you have become a scarlet woman.”
“It is impossible to prove an innocent person guilty. My weekends are all accounted for. I am always in town on Saturdays, and in church on Sundays.”
“Are you telling me you don’t mean to call him off?”
“I didn’t sic Culligan on you. I told him not to follow that tack, when he suggested it. I’ll speak to him.”
“You might have known when you hired a man of that kidney what would result.”
“It happens Sir Nathan did not offer me his valuable services gratis. I do not approve of these questions Culligan has been asking, but for the rest, your personal conduct is a valid point to be raised in the case. You think so too, or you would not have gotten rid of Mrs. Livingstone.”
“A precaution merely. I will leave no stone unturned to secure guardianship of my niece and nephew. Every trip I make to this cottage confirms me in my belief they would be poorly off here. Your lack of judgment, quite as much as your oft-lamented lack of funds, would be to their detriment. I wish you will reconsider your decision.”
“Every trip you make here confirms in my mind that I too was correct. You are bribing them to like you, with wooden horses and bags of sugarplums. You consider yourself above the law. Because you have taken into your head they would be a congenial amusement for a few weeks, you think by some divine right of peers you ought to have them, automatically. That I, with perfectly equal claims so far as kinship goes, even ques tion your whim has got you outraged.
"I have reconsidered my decision, Menrod. I am more convinced than ever that you would make a perfectly wretched guardian. I used to think it a pity your interest would be so short-lived; I come to see the only hope for their living a normal life is your losing all interest as soon as possible, and turning them over to servants. But then, without the comfort of a Mrs. Livingstone nearby, no doubt you will soon be darting back to London. Good day.”
“You will be happy to hear I am to spend the entire spring at the Manor. Good day to you, Miss Harris.”
He arose and strutted from the room at a gait similar to Mr. Everett’s with his knees very stiff. His eyes glanced with satisfaction to the left, where the stairs were returned to their former gloominess.
I dashed a terse note off to Culligan, informing him that if he continued with the course I had forbidden, he could consider himself dismissed.
----
Chapter 9
The next morning, we received a call from the Dowager Lady Menrod. She brought the children with her, which was no more than a pretext. Her real motive was to hint there was a match brewing between her cousin and her stepson.
“Menrod has taken the decision to spend a few months at home,” she announced happily. “Lady Althea was to return to London, but has sent off instead for some lighter clothing and her mount. She will be riding with Menrod. They are both fond
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