Powder and Patch

Chapter XV. Lady Malmerstoke on Husbands

“And he brought it himself, yesterday morning, tied with snowdrops. I don’t know how he got them, for they are over, are they not, Clo? But there they were, with the prettiest verse you can imagine. It said my eyes were twin pools of grey! Isn’t that beautiful?” Cleone jerked one shoulder.

“It is not very original,” she said.

“Don’t you like it?” asked Jennifer reproachfully, Cleone was ashamed of her flash of ill-humour.

“Yes, dear, of course I do. So Mr Jettan brought it to you himself, did he?” “Indeed, yes! And stayed a full hour, talking to papa and to me. What do you think? He has begged me to be sure and dance with him on Wednesday? Is it not kind of him?” “Very,” said Cleone dully.

“I cannot imagine why he should want to,” Jennifer prattled on. “Jamie says he is at Mistress Nutley’s feet. Is she very lovely, Clo?”

“I don’t know. Yes, I suppose she is.”

“Philip is teaching me to speak French. It is so droll, and he laughs at my accent. Can you speak French, Clo?”

“A little. No doubt he would laugh at my accent if he ever heard it.”

“Oh, I do not think so! He could not, could he? Clo, I asked if he did not think you were very beautiful, and he said-”

“Jenny, you must not ask things like that!”

“He did not mind! Truly, he did not! He just laughed-he is always laughing, Clo!-and said that there was no one who did not think so. Was not that neat?”

“Very,” said Cleone.

Jennifer drew nearer.

“Cleone, may I tell you a secret?” A fierce pain shot through Cleone. “A secret? What is it?” she asked quickly.

“Why, Clo, how strange you look! Tis only that I know James to be in love with-you!” Cleone sank back. She started to laugh from sheer relief.

“I do not see that it is funny,” said Jennifer, hurt.

“No, no, dear: it-it is not that-I mean, of course, of course. I knew that James was-was-fond of me!”

“Did you? Oh-oh, are you going to marry him?” Jennifer’s voice squeaked with

excitement.

“Jenny, you ask such dreadful questions! No, I am not.” “But-but he loves you, Clo! Don’t you love him?”

“Not like that. James only thinks he loves me. He’s too young. I-Tell me about your dress, dear!”

“For the ball?” Jennifer sat up, nothing loth. “’Tis of white silk-” “Sir Deryk Brenderby!”

Jennifer started,

“Oh, dear!” she said regretfully. A tall, loose-limbed man came in.

“Fair Mistress Cleone! I am happy, indeed, to have found you in! I kiss your hands, dear lady!”

Cleone drew them away, smiling. “Mistress Jennifer Winton, Sir Deryk.”

Brenderby seemed to become suddenly aware of Jenny’s presence. He bowed. Jennifer curtsied demurely, and took refuge behind her friend.

Sir Deryk lowered himself into a chair.

“Mistress Cleone, can you guess why I have come?” “To see me!” said Cleone archly.

“That is the obvious, fair tormentor! Another reason had I.” “The first should be enough, sir,” answered Cleone, with downcast eyes. “And is, Most Beautiful. But the other reason concerns you also.” “La! You intrigue me, sir! Pray, what is it?”

“To beg, on my knees, that you will dance with me on Wednesday!” “Oh, I don’t know!” Cleone shook her head. “I doubt all the dances are gone.” “Ah, no, dearest lady! Not all!”

“Indeed, I think so! I cannot promise anything.” “But you give me hope?”

“I will not take it from you,” said Cleone. “Perhaps Jennifer will give you a dance.” Sir Deryk did not look much elated. But he bowed to Jennifer. “May that happiness be mine, madam?”

“Th-thank you,” stammered Jennifer. “If you please!” Sir Deryk bowed again and straightway forgot her existence.

“You wear my primroses, fairest!” he said to Cleone. “I scarce dared hope so modest a posy would be so honoured.”

Cleone glanced down at the pale yellow blossoms. “Oh, are they yours? I had forgot,” she said cruelly. “Ah, Cleone!”

Cleone raised her brows. “My name, sir?”

“Mistress Cleone,” corrected Brenderby, bowing.

Lady Malmerstoke chose that moment at which to billow into the room. She leaned on the arm of one Mr Jettan.

“Philip, you are a sad fellow! You do not mean one word of what you say! Oh, lud! I have chanced on a reception. Give ye good den, Jenny, my dear. Sir Deryk? Thus early in the morning? I think you know Mr Jettan?”

The two men bowed.

“I have the pleasure, Lady Malmerstoke,” said Brenderby. “I did not see you last night, Jettan? You were not at Gregory’s card party?”

“Last night-last night? No, I was at White’s with my father. Mademoiselle, your very obedient! Et la petite!”

“Bonjour, monsieur!” ventured Jennifer shyly. Philip swept her a leg.

“Mademoiselle a fait des grands progrès,” he said.

She wrinkled her brow.

“Great-progress?” she hazarded. “Of course! And how is mademoiselle?” “Very well, I thank you, sir.”

Lady Malmerstoke sank into a large armchair.

“Well, I trust I don’t intrude?” she remarked. “Clo, where is my embroidery?” She turned to her guests. “I never set a stitch, of course. It would fatigue me too much. But it looks industrious to have it by me, doesn’t it?”

Cleone and Brenderby had walked to the table in search of the missing embroidery. Cleone looked over her shoulder.

“You must not believe what she says,” she told them. “Aunt Sarah embroiders beautifully. She is not nearly as lazy as she would have you think.”

“Not lazy, my love-indolent. A much nicer word. Thank you, my dear.” She received her stitchery and laid it down. “I will tell you all a secret. Oh, Philip knows! Philip, you need not listen.”

Philip was perched on a chair-arm. “A million thanks, Aunt!”

“That is very unkind of you!” she reproached him. “You tell my secret before ever I have time to say a word!”

“Eh bien! You should not have suggested that I did not want to listen to your voice.” “When I am, indeed, your aunt, I shall talk to you very seriously about flattering old women,” she said severely.

Cleone clapped her hands.

“Oh, Aunt Sally! You are going to wed Mr Jettan?”

“One of them,” nodded her aunt. “I gather that this one”-she smiled up at Philip-“is going to wed Someone Else. And I do not think I would have him in any case.” “And now who is unkind?” cried Philip. “I’ve a mind to run away with you as you enter the church!”

Cold fear was stealing through Cleone. Mechanically she congratulated her aunt. Through a haze she heard Brenderby’s voice and Jennifer’s. So Philip was going to marry Someone Else? No doubt it was Ann Nutley, the designing minx!

When Philip came presently to her side she was gayer than ever, sparkling with merriment, and seemingly without a care in the world. She drew Sir Deryk into the conversation, flirting outrageously. She parried all Philip’s sallies and laughed at Sir Deryk’s witticisms. Then Philip went to talk to Jennifer. A pair of hungry, angry, jealous, and would-be careless blue eyes followed him and grew almost hard.

When the guests had gone Cleone felt as though her head were full of fire. Her cheeks burnt, her eyes were glittering. Lady Malmerstoke looked at her.

“You are hot, my love. Open the window.”

Cleone obeyed, cooling her cheeks against the glass panes. “How very shy that child is!” remarked my lady. “Jenny? Yes. Very, is she not?”

“I thought Sir Deryk might have noticed her a little more than he did.” “He had no chance, had he? She was quite monopolised.”

Her ladyship cast a shrewd glance towards the back of Cleone’s head. She smiled unseen. “Well, my love, to turn to other matters, which is it to be-Philip or Sir Deryk?” Cleone started.

“What do you mean, Aunt? Which is it to be?”

“Which are you going to smile upon? You have given both a deal of encouragement I don’t count young James, of course. He’s a babe.”

“Please, please-”

“I don’t like Sir Deryk. No, I don’t like him at all. He has no true politeness, or he would have

talked a little more to me, or to Jenny. Which do you intend to wed, my dear?” “Neither.”

“My dear Cleone!” Her ladyship was shocked. “Then why do you encourage them to make love to you? Now be advised by me! Have Sir Deryk.”

Cleone gave a trembling laugh.

“I thought you did not like him?”

“No more I do. But that’s not to say he’d make a bad husband. On the contrary. He’d let you do as you please, and he’d not be for ever pestering you with his presence.” “For these very reasons I’ll have none of him!”

“Then that leaves Philip?”

Cleone whirled about.

“Whom I would not marry were he the last man in the world!” “Luckily he is not. Don’t be so violent, my dear.”

Cleone stood for a moment, irresolute. Then she burst into tears and ran out of the room. Lady Malmerstoke leaned back against the cushions and closed her eyes. “There’s hope for you yet, Philip,” she remarked, and prepared to go to sleep. It was not to be. Barely five minutes later Sir Maurice was ushered into the room. Her ladyship sat up, a hand to her wig.

“Really, Maurice, you should know better than to take a woman unawares!” she said severely. “Your family has been in and out of the house all the morning. What’s the matter now?”

Sir Maurice kissed her hand.

“First, my heartiest congratulations, Sarah! I have just seen Tom.” If a lady could grin, Sarah Malmerstoke grinned then. “Thank you, Maurice. And how did you find Tom?”

“Quite incoherent,” said Sir Maurice. “He has talked a deal of nonsense about love passions belonging only to the young, but I never saw a man so madly elated in my life.” “How nice!” sighed my lady blissfully. “And what’s your second point?” Sir Maurice walked to the fire and stared into it.

“Sally, it’s Cleone.”

“Dear me. What’s to do?”

“If anyone can help me, it’s you,” he began. Her ladyship held up her hands.

“No, Maurice, no! You’re too old!”

“You ridiculous woman!” He smiled a little. “Does she care for Philip, or does she not?” “Well”-my lady bit her finger-“I’ve been asking her that question, or one like it, myself.” “What did she say?”

“That she wouldn’t marry him were he the last man in the world.” Sir Maurice looked at her wretchedly.

“What’s come over her? I thought-She said nothing more?” “Not a word. She burst into tears and fled.”

His face brightened.

“Surely that augurs well for him?” “Very well,” nodded my lady. “But-” “But what? Tell me, Sally!”

“You’re very anxious,” she observed.

“Of course I am anxious! I tell you Philip is head over ears in love with the child. And she-” “And she,” finished her ladyship deliberately, “will need a deal of convincing that it is so. We are told that Philip is in love with Ann Nutley. We know that Philip trifled elegantly with various French ladies. We see him being kind to little Jennifer. And so on.” “But he means nothing! You know that!”

“I? Does it matter what I know? It is what Cleone knows, but there’s naught under the sun so unreasonable as a maid in love.”

“But if Philip assures her-”

“Pho!” said her ladyship, and snapped her fingers. “Pho!” “She wouldn’t believe it?”

“She might. But she might not choose to show it.” “But it’s ridiculous! It’s-”

“Of course. All girls are ridiculous.”

“Sally, don’t be tiresome. What’s to be done?”

“Leave ’em alone,” counselled her ladyship. “There’s no good to be got out of interfering. Philip must play his own game.”

“He intends to. But he does not know whether she loves him or not!”

“You can tell him from me that there is hope, but that he must go carefully. And now I’m going to sleep. Goodbye, Maurice.”