The Five-Minute Marriage (29 page)

Strongly suspecting that Una merely wished for a detailed account of the events of the previous evening, Delphie replied with civil regret that she was unable to come up that night; she and her mother had an engagement to dine in Russell Square, and, for Mrs. Carteret
’
s sake thought it best to fulfill it if possible: her mother
’
s spirits sadly needed the distraction of cheerful company. For this was the day of their dinner at Mr. Browty
’
s house. How long it seemed since the invitation had been issued!

Una
’
s eyes sparkled with curiosity at this information.

“
An engagement—in Russell Square?
”
she cried archly.
“
And without your husband? Fie! La, brother Gareth
’
s nose will be quite out of joint.
”

Delphie explained, rather stiffly, that the host was the parent of two of her pupils—but Una insisted on extracting every detail as to Mr. Browty
’
s age, income, and matrimonial status, and finally gave it as her opinion (in a very rallying manner) that Delphie was a sly puss, a sad flirt, playing a deep game, cunning as a cartload of apes, all of which playfulnesses and pleasantries made Delphie feel exceedingly awkward and uncomfortable.

She was glad to make her escape from Una and run down the stairs to receive Lady Bablock-Hythe, who arrived promptly at ten in a claret-colored barouche with a very powdered coachman and two outriders, which hardly seemed necessary for the short trip from Brook Street.

A couple of hours
’
cheerful chat with her old friend did much to restore the tone of Mrs. Carteret
’
s spirits. Not a word was said of yesterday
’
s sad and frightening events. Instead, the two friends had a thoroughly enjoyable time recalling events of their schooldays, and vilifying various of their preceptresses. Delphie soon formed the opinion that Lady Bablock-Hythe was remarkably silly, though abounding in good humor.

“
But tell me one thing, Ella my love,
”
said Lady Bablock
-
Hythe after a number of these reminiscences.
“
If
this
young lady is your charming daughter—then who is the
other
young lady, who has been residing with me for the past two years, whom I have brought into polite society and introduced everywhere under the impression that she was your daughter—that she was Miss Carteret? She, I apprehend, is your niece—your husband
’
s brother
’
s daughter?
”

“
Why that, ma
’
am, I am sure I can
’
t tell you!
”
declared Mrs. Carteret.
“
It has me in quite a puzzle! I met the young lady at your house yesterday, and very disagreeable I thought her! She certainly is no child of mine! I only ever had the one—my sweet Philadelphia here—for although there were two little boys before she was
born
, both of them died, poor little angels. So who
that
young lady is, I cannot imagine! For my dear husband had no brother.
”

“
If this is indeed so,
”
remarked Lady Bablock-Hythe,
“
it seems plain that she must be a rank imposter—and I shall turn her out
of my house without delay! Passing herself off as your child, indeed! Telling me that you had died in childbirth!
”

“
Indeed it is very singular,
”
said Mrs. Carteret perplexedly, as Lady Bablock-Hythe collected her reticule and parasol and rose to take her leave.
“
Good-by, my dearest, sweetest Maria! Pray let us see one another again very soon!
”

Her dearest Maria then propounded a plan which had that instant come into her head: as soon as the false Miss Carteret and her maid had been evicted, why should not the real one, with her amiable Mama, come to Brook Street for a visit of several weeks?

“
I should like it of all things, my dearest Ella! For we still have a thousand things to talk about—and I quite long to show you my collection of tropical feathers, cowrie shells, recipes for Native Foods, and a great number of sketches done by my first dear husband!
”

Encouraged by the promise of these treats, Mrs. Carteret said she, too, would like the visit of all things; and Lady Bablock
-
Hythe promised to inform them by a note as soon as she should have rid herself of the false imposters, and propose a time for the true Carterets to come.

Delphie did not look forward to this visit with any great delight, for she found Lady Bablock-Hythe something less than sensible; but she seemed a good-natured woman enough, and genuinely fond of Mrs. Carteret, and this would certainly be a solution to the problem of their continued residence in Curzon Street. From Brook Street, Delphie could at her leisure set about the task of finding a new lodging.

“
And I shall arrange no end of outings and parties for you both!
”
Lady Bablock-Hythe promised happily.
“
For outings and parties are what I like best in the world.
”

Delphie replied with all that was proper, but stipulated that she must continue giving lessons to her pupils—did Lady Bablock
-
Hythe have a pianoforte in her house, or should Delphie bring her own?

“
Lessons!
”
said Lady Bablock-Hythe with a small shriek.
“
You are not to be giving
lessons
, you poor little thing! I shall take you to
Vauxhall and procure you vouchers for Almacks, and fit you out with something rather more in the mode than that dowdyish sprig-muslin.
”

“
There!
”
said Mrs. Carteret rejoicingly when her friend had gone.
“
Did I not tell you, my love, that presently our fortunes would take a turn for the better?
Now
I do not at all despair of your forming some eligible connection!
”

And, betaking herself once more to her pencil and pieces of paper, Mrs. Carteret began happily planning menus for a rout party of five hundred guests, followed by a Masquerade.

Delphie knew she ought to be glad that her mother
’
s spirits were better. But her own were very low. She dutifully gave a lesson to Miss Smith (who this time, fortunately, had remembered to practice her aria); then, seeing her pupil off the premises, remarked a hackney carriage pull up by the front door. Out of it stepped Gareth, and, to Delphie
’
s astonishment, Mr. Palgrave. The latter appeared calm, serene, pensive, and quite unaffected by the adventures of the night. Gareth
must
have borrowed on his expectations, Delphie surmised. The two men walked upstairs without observing her, and Delphie went to assist her mother dress for the evening at the Browtys
’
.

Mr. Browty kept early hours, and his carriage arrived to pick them up at four o
’
clock. Delphie, wearing her white dress and a shawl, was just helping her mother up the carriage steps, when Gareth came out with a brow of thunder.

He said,

“
You are taking your mother
out
, at this hour of the day? How
can
you think that a sensible thing to do?
”

His manner was so harsh and abrupt that Mrs. Carteret paused and gazed at him wonderingly.

Delphie replied than an evening passed in pleasant, rational, tranquil intercourse with agreeable friends could not help but promote her mother
’
s well-being, and was just what she needed. Mrs. Carteret had been looking forward to the evening all week, she added. She went on to mention that very shortly—tomorrow perhaps—she and her mother would be removing to Lady Bablock-Hythe
’
s house in Brook Street.

Gareth
’
s brows drew together at this information.

“
What of Elaine? You can hardly be there together? When
—
and where—does she go?
”

“
I have no idea,
”
Delphie coldly replied.
“
I am not cognizant of her plans.
”

“
I shall be obliged to see you—to discuss—
”
he began, but Delphie, interrupting, said with finality,

“
Forgive me, cousin, but we keep Mr. Browty
’
s horses waiting. I think you should write—if you have anything to say—write to me at Lady Bablock-Hythe
’
s direction.
”

And she stepped into the carriage.

The evening in Russell Square seemed very long. Mr. Browty was a kindly and attentive host, but Delphie could not help finding that the hours dragged, and the entertainment was somewhat insipid. Out of consideration for Mrs. Carteret
’
s recent illness, no other company but themselves had been invited, and the rest consisted of Mr. Browty, his girls, and their governess, Miss Beak, a dried-up little woman whose conversation was limited to the exclamation
“
Well I declare!
”
uttered at every appropriate and inappropriate juncture.

The repast served was certainly splendid—three times as lavish as that contrived for Great-uncle Mark—but Delphie found that she was not hungry.

“
You are tired, Miss Philadelphia,
”
said Mr. Browty kindly.
“I
shall take the liberty of ordering the carriage for you early. You had a disturbed night of it.
”

Delphie had given him a brief account of Lord Bollington
’
s death, to which he had listened with the greatest interest.

“
So your cousin will be the new Viscount, eh?
”
He gazed at Delphie speculatively, and she, on an impulse, inquired,

“
Do you know anything of my cousin
’
s history, sir? I am very ill informed about him, since the branches of the family have always remained separate.
”

“
I know only what I heard at the club this morning, m
’
dear: that he has had a hard time of it, making ends meet; that Lady Laura Trevelyan threw him over when she discovered that he was obliged to support his sister and ten nephews and nieces on the income from his manor (sister
’
s husband dead or overseas, I understand; what happened to him did not seem to be known). And they say that your cousin was so enraged at the jilt—and at his sister
’
s ill-judged marriage that had brought him to such a pass in the first place—that he swore a solemn oath in White
’
s club, in front of all his friends, that
he
would never form such a foolish, imprudent alliance; that unless he could satisfy every requirement of sense, prudence, and rational moderation in his matrimonial arrangement—or some such rigmarole, I do not recollect the exact words—
”
said Mr. Browty,
“
he would never marry at all.
”

“
Oh, indeed?
”
said Delphie faintly.
“
I have—I have certainly observed that he is not very lenient toward romance or sentiment
—
or toward the female sex. But indeed, his sister is enough to put anybody out of patience.
”

Let alone the sister
’
s husband, she thought.

“
Well, well,
”
said Mr. Browty.
“
Young men make such vows! But then they think better of them. However, now he has come into a fortune there will be plenty of ladies setting their caps at him—he will be able to choose sensibly enough, I dare say.
”

“
Yes. No doubt.
”

“
I hope,
”
continued Mr. Browty,
“
that he will be more inclined to be liberal to you and your Mama than his uncle was.
”

“
I place no dependence on it.
”

“
You will not have heard yet as to your Mama
’
s annuity? I dare say the will has not been read yet?
”