Cousin Prudence (37 page)

              Arthur was spending the evening avoiding the attentions of Miss Rawlinson; who was quite recovered from her turned foot, that had not turned out to be a sprain, which, as she remarked laughing a little too loudly, was good news or she would not have been able to dance here tonight!  She appealed to Mr Perry to confirm that though it had been a nasty wrench and in need of her being carried to have it tied up, her ankle was
quite
back to normal!  Here she extended the offending member to show off more of a trim ankle and calf than was strictly seemly.  Mr Perry remarked dryly that the injury had fortunately been quite trivial.

“But so
kind
of Mr Alver to carry me!” declared Miss Rawlinson casting sheep’s eyes on Arthur.  She was quite back to her normal self; which was to say what she would have described as corky and what Arthur considered vulgarly hoydenish. Her dowdy friend Miss Potts clearly admired Miss Rawlinson’s daring manner.  Arthur waited for Miss Rawlinson to turn to invite the opinion of Emma upon how kind Mr Alver was, and asked Miss Potts if she would favour him with the next dance.

Miss Potts flushed violently and lost herself in a series of half sentences which Arthur decided to take as assent and whirled her into the next country dance measure.

“I say, Miss Potts!  Do you mind be being frank with you?” he asked.

“Oh please, Mr Alver!  You must say whatever you wish!” said Miss Potts.

“Well I will then; because you seem a nice ladylike girl,” said Arthur, “and I cannot think that your parents

would much like your friendship with Miss Rawlinson; she’s not quite the thing you know!”

Miss Potts flushed.

“Oh, but she is so brave; she dares to speak out what she thinks!” she said.

“And that’s not very becoming in a young girl not yet out,” said Arthur, “within the family that is one thing; to have straightforward manners is pleasing; but Miss Rawlinson seems to set out to attract attention and to be….. well, rather vulgar.  I do not think, if I were your brother, I should be at all happy about you knowing her too well.”

“Oh!” said Miss Potts with another flush; since she had no desire to have Mr Alver as a brother and would prefer to know him in a different fashion.  “You do not wish to court her then?”

“Such is definitely not my desire,” said Arthur, “ah; I conjecture that she has boasted that she can land the Honourable Arthur Alver?” he added with enough worldly wise cynicism to almost look Byronesque.

“Oh Mr Alver!  How did you guess?  She used almost those exact same words!” said Miss Potts.

“I guessed, Miss Potts, because I have seen girls of her kind before,” said Arthur, “and my Uncle Gervase warned me what a young man of tolerable fortune should be ready to avoid.  And when I carried her to Mr Perry, by the time I set her down the pain was fading in her eyes and a calculating and marrying look was replacing it.  I am not such a cynic as my uncle but I am no flat, and I did not cut my eye teeth yesterday!”

“I have wanted to be more like her
,” said Miss Potts wistfully, “she always seems to have such fun.”

“If you should wish to be vulgar and coming that is how I see her I fear
,” said Arthur, “it is uncivil of me to disparage your friend I know; but I should hate her to drag you into any exploits which get you hurt, or discredited.  I would consider it proper if you let the friendship drop; Miss Rawlinson is the type to easily attract followers of

her own kind and I suspect she envies you your air of gentility without really understanding what makes you a lady where she is not.”

“You think
she
envies
me
?” Miss Potts was disbelieving.

“Deep down, yes I do
,” said Arthur, “because…… well you are everything she cannot be.  I suggest you cultivate instead a friendship with my cousin, Kitty Fairlees.”

“Oh thank you, Mr Alver; I shall endeavour to take your advice!” cried Miss Potts.  Why Mr Alver was wonderful; and how kind of him to give her a discreet hint instead of looking on her in the same way as he looked on Em!

Chapter 44

The company went into supper later than most of the Highbury notables were accustomed to dine, Mr Cole murmuring that he hoped so late an hour would not disagree with him.

Gervase overheard and leaned over.

“I have been careful to instruct my cook to produce dishes that are readily digestible by a man with dietary difficulties, Mr Cole; and a footman has been assigned to you specially to find you the most digestible dishes.”

“Your Lordship
,” said Mr Cole, “is one of the most considerate men – nay
the
most considerate man – that  I have ever met!”

“Oh I like to be able to see my friends happy; that is all
,” said Gervase.

Mr Cole was delighted to find that the dishes singled out for him were not only digestible but also tasty and pleasant; and thanked the footman for his kindness too, a solecism but one the footman had been warned to expect so he merely smiled and nodded acceptance.  The vail for his kindness more than covered being treated too familiarly by one of the guests.

There were richer dishes too; one did not bring a cook from London and then spurn his genius.  It may be said that the Hartfield party tended to partake largely of the same dishes as Mr Cole, not being used to rich food; and Miss Bates recklessly ate lobster because she would be unlikely, as she said to Mrs Weston, ever to have the chance to do so again and if she suffered for it, it would be worth it.  There was no ‘r’ in the month; but Gervase in consultation with the chef had decided that the inclement weather made risking the shellfish eligible.

The meal was a leisurely affair not to cause any problems to the digestion of the guests; who then resumed the dance floor, though some preferred to sit and listen to the music and watch more hardy folks whilst
their own digestion proceeded.             

Mrs Goddard ushered her girls out to return to the school at
midnight; giving them a chance to meet others at a formal social occasion was excellent training for them; but she had no intention of permitting them to become overtired.  She thanked Gervase kindly for the invitation to her oldest brood.

“Why, Mrs Goddard, I am happy to give them the chance to learn how to go on in social situations
,” said Gervase, “hopefully it will help them avoid committing social solecisms when they come out.  But I should like to drop a word in your ear concerning one of your charges…..”

Mrs Goddard was too much of a lady to grimace.

“I take it that you are referring to Miss Rawlinson’s rather high spirited manner,” she said guardedly.

“It cannot ever please; for I should say that it goes beyond high spirits
,” said Gervase.  Mrs Goddard coloured slightly.

“It is to be hoped that if I tell her that a word of censure was passed b
y the Marquess of Alverston
your
disapprobation might sound louder in that young lady’s ears than mine,” she said.  “The child has been reared in slightly unfortunate circumstances with an aunt; her mother, finding herself in a better situation now to see to her daughter’s future wishes her educated.”

“And not in the same household as might annoy a new husband?” asked Gervase.

“You understand the situation perfectly,” said Mrs Goddard.  “But it is hard for Miss Rawlinson to adapt from the rather vulgar behaviour she has been accustomed to indulge in with her cousins.”

Gervase nodded.

“Then my severe censure might in the long run be a kindness to her,” he said, “and to continue in that vein, should she suggest making amends in writing an apology say, I will greet her if I meet her in the street; otherwise I shall continue her education by cutting her.”

Mrs Goddard suppressed a wince.  It might, after all, answer very well indeed in bringing Emily to heel.

“Thank you again, Your Lordship,” she said sincerely.

Most of the Highbury notables started considering leaving once Mrs Goddard left; though the ensemble was still playing merrily and Lord Alverston still seemed quite ready to continue dancing.  Miss Bates whispered to Emma,

“
Dear
Mrs Knightley, at what hour do these assemblies generally break up?  One would not like to outstay one’s welcome!”

“Oh in
London such balls can go on until quite five in the morning,” said Emma, “but as we are in the country I fancy that Lord Alverston will encourage most to leave at about two.”

“Oh Mrs Knightley!  Did it not exhaust you in your delicate condition?” asked Miss Bates.

“Oh we seldom saw a ball to its end,” said Emma, “Prudence is no more keen on late hours than am I; it was a pleasant diversion but I believe the hours they are said to keep in Bath, finishing at midnight, would do well enough for me.  Alverston is adequately supported; so when you desire to leave, Miss Bates, let us know and Mr Knightley and I will see you home.”

“Oh Mrs
Knightley!  Would it be
forward
of me to watch it all?  It is so
very
exciting!” said Miss Bates.

“Then see it to the end by all means!” said Emma.

She reflected that this was probably just about the most exciting thing that had ever happened in Miss Bates’ humdrum little life; and it would be unkind to spoil the poor woman’s pleasure.   Frank Churchill certainly looked set to continue to the end; however ill it might make poor Jane.  Emma sighed.  What was the good of being so accomplished at so many things if one but wasted it being married to a man who did not even seem to pay her any attention?  Emma had watched throughout the evening to see whether the lack of attention Frank bestowed upon

Jane was more of a piece with their seeming distance when hiding their betrothal; but in truth he seemed bored by her, and wont, if addressing her, to do so roughly and without care for her feelings, almost as though she were a servant in his eyes.  And yet George would not speak thus to a servant; nor Cousin Gervase.  Frank Churchill was, Emma noted, courteous to social equals and superiors and those whose good opinion he required; but he was now quite offhand with poor little Miss Bates and peremptory with the servants.

It was an interesting insight on his character; and one that Emma suspected that George had recognised all along.

Emma spoke to Prudence about Jane.

“She does look tired and ill
,” said Emma, “she has always had a weak constitution.”

“I’ll ask Georgie to put her to bed in one of the guest rooms; and see Mrs Hodges to prepare her one with a hot brick
,” said Prudence, “Mr Frank Churchill, who to my mind is a coxcomb, can just leave without her and either he can come to escort her home on the morrow or Gervase will drive her back to Randalls and the world shall wonder why her husband cannot stir himself to collect her.”

Emma giggled.

“You were born to be a Marchioness, dear Pru; you are so very good at ordering people about and organising things.”

“Well that is because I have watched you and learned, dear
Emma,” said Prudence.

Mrs Hodges was more than willing to see Jane Churchill accommodated; and hustled Kate out of bed to sleep in the truckle on the same room as Jane’s dresser and to be a witness to Mrs Churchill’s good character, for though Georgiana was staying at Donwell such as would loan Jane countenance, the world is wicked enough, said Mrs Hodges, for their to be whispers about Lord Alverston’s military friends if Mr Churchill chose to take any such seriously.

Prudence asked Emma, once Jane was ensconced protesting faintly but still gratefully into bed,

“Why did he marry her?  It seems that he does not treat her well; and if she had been possessed of fortune one might suspect his motives in that light.  But she has no portion at all.”

“I do not know; but we shall ask George,” said Emma.

The question posed, George frowned in thought.

“I suspect that the answer is twofold,” he said, “firstly, since the late Mrs Churchill was so domineering in her ways it may be that Frank wished for a slightly downtrodden girl who would be grateful for his attentions and on whom he might take out his feelings towards his aunt by putting her down instead of being himself put down; and second because to rise in his profession – nominal as it may be –  a married man is generally taken as a more steady character than an unmarried man.  Her connection too to Colonel and Mrs Campbell give good connections; and Frank needs good connections I suspect.  He is deceitful and manipulative; the way he treated Jane during their secret betrothal is to my mind disgraceful.  Though one sympathises with her desire to avoid being a governess I fancy even so she might not have been so hardly used.”