a person of distinct literary talent. It’s really a pity your children haven’t inherited it. Still they do other things. Amelia is clever with her needle, and in spite of his illness, George still rides superlatively. And by the way, Edgar, the boy badly wants a new hunter.’
Their eyes met, Edgar’s still and watchful, Lady Arabella’s milkily dim. At last Edgar said, ‘George has a tongue in his head. If he wants something, he must ask for it himself.’
Lady Arabella shook her head slowly. Her frizzy grey hair ringed from her lace cap in a frosty halo. She looked vague and gentle and only half-concerned with the conversation.
‘He won’t, Edgar. Since his illness he almost seems a little afraid of you. Isn’t that odd?’ Lady Arabella picked up her stick and poked playfully at Edgar’s gently rounded stomach. ‘Such a fine figure of a man are you. I used to say to Louisa before she married you that you were an unprepossessing creature, but perhaps you would improve in middle age. And indeed you have, dear boy. That watch chain now. It must have cost a pretty penny.’
‘Mamma, keep to the subject. You were saying that George needs a new horse, but that he hasn’t the courage to ask me for it himself.’
‘Poor boy. He used not to be like that. It’s a great tragedy. We must make his life pleasant for him until he recovers his health.’
‘That doesn’t involve pampering him. Do you know what a well-bred hunter costs? At least a hundred guineas.’ Edgar began to walk up and down, thoroughly put out. What was he, an inexhaustible purse into which all his family dipped? A pool to be fished? A muddy pool, Lady Arabella had insinuated. The devil take her. What was the devious old creature up to? He didn’t underestimate his mother-in-law. But he had never remotely considered her a match for himself. The very idea was ridiculous.
All the same, it would be as well to get possession of those letters. If they existed…She was quite able to make the imaginary more dangerous than the reality. What did emerge from all this was that her great love for her grandson was going to ruin the boy.
Edgar’s irritation burst out.
‘Amelia requires ball dresses, my wife seems to think she will freeze to death without new furs, I have two penniless children arriving to be supported, children I neither begot nor approve of, and now you—you on behalf of my voiceless son, see fit to demand another horse which will probably break his neck! What am I, Mamma? Simply a bank account?’
‘How comical!’ Lady Arabella clapped her hands appreciatively. ‘What an apt description. Only you would have thought of it, dear boy. But that’s what a lot of people are, isn’t it? Mostly men, of course, but sometimes women, if they have the cleverness to keep their husbands’ hands off their money. Such predatory creatures, men. You must admit, Edgar, a new ball dress or a piece of jewellery is negligible compared with what a man will desire.’
‘And what’s that, Mamma?’ came Louisa’s voice from the door.
Lady Arabella blinked myopically at her daughter.
‘Good gracious, Louisa, you look very grand. I must say Edgar dresses you grandly.’
‘What do you mean, Mamma,’ Louisa said irritably. ‘I’ve worn this gown a dozen times. I’ve just been telling Edgar that Amelia and I have a great deal of shopping to do. But why are you sitting here in the dark?’ Louisa tugged at the bell rope. ‘Why is this house always so dark and cold? Even on a summer evening.’
Edgar recognised the familiar tactics. They would go on until the new furs were bought. His family were leeches, he thought, with cold clarity. Only Fanny demanded nothing. Sometimes he wished she would so that he could be angry with her, too.
‘Shall we tell George about his new horse tonight?’ said Lady Arabella dreamily. ‘The dear boy. He deserves it. He nearly died for his country.’
6
T RUMBLE WAS WAITING ON the tiny station platform.
Their eyes met, Edgar’s still and watchful, Lady Arabella’s milkily dim. At last Edgar said, ‘George has a tongue in his head. If he wants something, he must ask for it himself.’
Lady Arabella shook her head slowly. Her frizzy grey hair ringed from her lace cap in a frosty halo. She looked vague and gentle and only half-concerned with the conversation.
‘He won’t, Edgar. Since his illness he almost seems a little afraid of you. Isn’t that odd?’ Lady Arabella picked up her stick and poked playfully at Edgar’s gently rounded stomach. ‘Such a fine figure of a man are you. I used to say to Louisa before she married you that you were an unprepossessing creature, but perhaps you would improve in middle age. And indeed you have, dear boy. That watch chain now. It must have cost a pretty penny.’
‘Mamma, keep to the subject. You were saying that George needs a new horse, but that he hasn’t the courage to ask me for it himself.’
‘Poor boy. He used not to be like that. It’s a great tragedy. We must make his life pleasant for him until he recovers his health.’
‘That doesn’t involve pampering him. Do you know what a well-bred hunter costs? At least a hundred guineas.’ Edgar began to walk up and down, thoroughly put out. What was he, an inexhaustible purse into which all his family dipped? A pool to be fished? A muddy pool, Lady Arabella had insinuated. The devil take her. What was the devious old creature up to? He didn’t underestimate his mother-in-law. But he had never remotely considered her a match for himself. The very idea was ridiculous.
All the same, it would be as well to get possession of those letters. If they existed…She was quite able to make the imaginary more dangerous than the reality. What did emerge from all this was that her great love for her grandson was going to ruin the boy.
Edgar’s irritation burst out.
‘Amelia requires ball dresses, my wife seems to think she will freeze to death without new furs, I have two penniless children arriving to be supported, children I neither begot nor approve of, and now you—you on behalf of my voiceless son, see fit to demand another horse which will probably break his neck! What am I, Mamma? Simply a bank account?’
‘How comical!’ Lady Arabella clapped her hands appreciatively. ‘What an apt description. Only you would have thought of it, dear boy. But that’s what a lot of people are, isn’t it? Mostly men, of course, but sometimes women, if they have the cleverness to keep their husbands’ hands off their money. Such predatory creatures, men. You must admit, Edgar, a new ball dress or a piece of jewellery is negligible compared with what a man will desire.’
‘And what’s that, Mamma?’ came Louisa’s voice from the door.
Lady Arabella blinked myopically at her daughter.
‘Good gracious, Louisa, you look very grand. I must say Edgar dresses you grandly.’
‘What do you mean, Mamma,’ Louisa said irritably. ‘I’ve worn this gown a dozen times. I’ve just been telling Edgar that Amelia and I have a great deal of shopping to do. But why are you sitting here in the dark?’ Louisa tugged at the bell rope. ‘Why is this house always so dark and cold? Even on a summer evening.’
Edgar recognised the familiar tactics. They would go on until the new furs were bought. His family were leeches, he thought, with cold clarity. Only Fanny demanded nothing. Sometimes he wished she would so that he could be angry with her, too.
‘Shall we tell George about his new horse tonight?’ said Lady Arabella dreamily. ‘The dear boy. He deserves it. He nearly died for his country.’
6
T RUMBLE WAS WAITING ON the tiny station platform.
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