know.’
I said nothing, fearful of an angry outburst that I would regret later.
‘He asked my sister to help because she can be relied on,’ said George, ‘which is more than can be said for most women.’
‘Extraordinary!’ boomed Lady Denby. ‘The whole sex is condemned out of hand. Really, Cousin George, I must say that either you exaggerate or your personal experience has been unfortunate.’
‘You could say that,’ murmured George, reddening slightly.
‘This conversation is galloping towards a precipice,’ said Frank cheerfully. ‘Let’s try a different horse. Where’s Elinor?’
‘In her room,’ said Sir Ralph. ‘The poor girl’s nerves are quite shattered. It was she who discovered the body after all.’
‘Yes,’ said his wife with a puzzled expression, ‘we still don’t know how that came about. What was she doing entering my hermit’s cell?’
‘She saw he hadn’t touched his bread and milk and thought he might be ill,’ said Sir Ralph.
‘Then it was a most improper course of action,’ declared Lady Denby. ‘Heaven knows what she might have found.’
‘I should think finding someone shot through the head is bad enough,’ I said.
Lady Denby ignored me. ‘Why didn’t she go back to the house and send one of the menservants to investigate?’
‘She acted on impulse,’ I said. ‘Girls of her age do. She was concerned.’
‘I don’t see why she should be,’ her ladyship remained unconvinced. ‘What was the hermit to her?’
That proved a little too close for comfort but Sir Ralph defended his daughter. ‘She’s a kind-hearted girl,’ he said. ‘You don’t always give her credit for her good qualities.’
In the drawing-room the atmosphere was no better. When the gentlemen joined us I saw Louisa Thorpe pointedly draw aside her skirts to indicate to George that he was to sit beside her on the sofa. Instead he sat down by me.
‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. ‘I thought you enjoyed Mrs Thorpe’s company.’
‘Not any more,’ he muttered. ‘I was never so deceived about anyone in my life.’
‘I tried to warn you,’ I said softly, ‘but you wouldn’t listen.’
‘I wish I had. You always had plenty of good sense, Charlotte.’
‘But what has happened to make you change your mind?’
‘I can’t tell you – at least not yet. But that woman is utterly depraved. She disgusts me. I can hardly bear to be in the same room with her. We must go home as soon as possible.’
Although I was glad to hear it, I knew I would not leave Lovegrove without a pang of regret.
‘George,’ I said, ‘would you mind greatly if Elinor came home with us? Sophie is quite happy to have her company for a few weeks.’
‘Elinor?’ He sounded as though he was trying to remember who she was. ‘A quiet, plain girl. No, she’d be no bother. Whatever you please. Better ask her father. Don’t suppose her stepmother cares what happens to her.’
‘That was the impression I got. Elinor had a dreadfulshock this morning and needs a change of scene. These are not the best surroundings for a sensitive girl.’
‘Indeed they are not. I’ll be glad to get Sophie away. I’m never going to bring her here again – at least, not while that woman is visiting.’
I was about to get up in order to ask Sir Ralph’s permission to invite Elinor to Fairfield when George caught me by the arm and pulled me back down again.
‘Don’t leave me,’ he hissed. ‘If you move from here that woman will take your place – she keeps trying to catch my eye, confound her.’
‘So she obviously doesn’t know why you have changed your mind about her. Did you see or hear something?’
‘Yes – I’ll tell you later. You ought to know, though it’s scarcely fit for a lady’s ears.’
I was extremely intrigued and began to make wild conjectures but George had obviously witnessed some incident that he could tell me about only in absolute privacy.
Towards nine o’clock Rowland arrived,
I said nothing, fearful of an angry outburst that I would regret later.
‘He asked my sister to help because she can be relied on,’ said George, ‘which is more than can be said for most women.’
‘Extraordinary!’ boomed Lady Denby. ‘The whole sex is condemned out of hand. Really, Cousin George, I must say that either you exaggerate or your personal experience has been unfortunate.’
‘You could say that,’ murmured George, reddening slightly.
‘This conversation is galloping towards a precipice,’ said Frank cheerfully. ‘Let’s try a different horse. Where’s Elinor?’
‘In her room,’ said Sir Ralph. ‘The poor girl’s nerves are quite shattered. It was she who discovered the body after all.’
‘Yes,’ said his wife with a puzzled expression, ‘we still don’t know how that came about. What was she doing entering my hermit’s cell?’
‘She saw he hadn’t touched his bread and milk and thought he might be ill,’ said Sir Ralph.
‘Then it was a most improper course of action,’ declared Lady Denby. ‘Heaven knows what she might have found.’
‘I should think finding someone shot through the head is bad enough,’ I said.
Lady Denby ignored me. ‘Why didn’t she go back to the house and send one of the menservants to investigate?’
‘She acted on impulse,’ I said. ‘Girls of her age do. She was concerned.’
‘I don’t see why she should be,’ her ladyship remained unconvinced. ‘What was the hermit to her?’
That proved a little too close for comfort but Sir Ralph defended his daughter. ‘She’s a kind-hearted girl,’ he said. ‘You don’t always give her credit for her good qualities.’
In the drawing-room the atmosphere was no better. When the gentlemen joined us I saw Louisa Thorpe pointedly draw aside her skirts to indicate to George that he was to sit beside her on the sofa. Instead he sat down by me.
‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. ‘I thought you enjoyed Mrs Thorpe’s company.’
‘Not any more,’ he muttered. ‘I was never so deceived about anyone in my life.’
‘I tried to warn you,’ I said softly, ‘but you wouldn’t listen.’
‘I wish I had. You always had plenty of good sense, Charlotte.’
‘But what has happened to make you change your mind?’
‘I can’t tell you – at least not yet. But that woman is utterly depraved. She disgusts me. I can hardly bear to be in the same room with her. We must go home as soon as possible.’
Although I was glad to hear it, I knew I would not leave Lovegrove without a pang of regret.
‘George,’ I said, ‘would you mind greatly if Elinor came home with us? Sophie is quite happy to have her company for a few weeks.’
‘Elinor?’ He sounded as though he was trying to remember who she was. ‘A quiet, plain girl. No, she’d be no bother. Whatever you please. Better ask her father. Don’t suppose her stepmother cares what happens to her.’
‘That was the impression I got. Elinor had a dreadfulshock this morning and needs a change of scene. These are not the best surroundings for a sensitive girl.’
‘Indeed they are not. I’ll be glad to get Sophie away. I’m never going to bring her here again – at least, not while that woman is visiting.’
I was about to get up in order to ask Sir Ralph’s permission to invite Elinor to Fairfield when George caught me by the arm and pulled me back down again.
‘Don’t leave me,’ he hissed. ‘If you move from here that woman will take your place – she keeps trying to catch my eye, confound her.’
‘So she obviously doesn’t know why you have changed your mind about her. Did you see or hear something?’
‘Yes – I’ll tell you later. You ought to know, though it’s scarcely fit for a lady’s ears.’
I was extremely intrigued and began to make wild conjectures but George had obviously witnessed some incident that he could tell me about only in absolute privacy.
Towards nine o’clock Rowland arrived,
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