mind had now flowered to completion. “Come with me.” She turned abruptly and led the way toward the stairs.
The two girls followed as Lady Ross led the way, completely puzzled. It soon became apparent that her destination was Sir George’s study.
Meg immediately panicked. Her eyes wide with terror, she gasped, “Mama, no! Oh, please don’t tell Papa about Robert!”
Inexorably, Lady Ross said, “Come along.”
Jenny, sensing that her mother had some set purpose in mind, hushed Meg and, with an arm around her for support, led her into the study.
Sir George looked up as the ladies entered, his brow dark with irritation. “What’s all this? You know I hate to be disturbed. A pretty thing it is when a man can’t even find peace in his own home.”
Perfectly calm, Lady Ross informed him that she had caught Meg returning from a clandestine meeting with a young man unknown to any of the family except for Jenny. Since he was Meg’s father, it was imperative that he be put in possession of the facts.
Sir George ranted. He raved. He said a great many things that were largely unintelligible to his listeners—and a good thing, too. They would have curled their hair.
Jenny, wincing from some of the descriptive epithets of her character (for Sir George was still enraged about Lord Stoven), wondered if the servants were being well entertained. His voice was no doubt audible in the village.
Ten minutes later, he was still going strong. He worked off his rage toward Jenny in fine style, tearing her character to shreds and depressing any pretentions she may have had toward being a human being of any consequence at all.
Jenny bore the abuse stoically, her face expressionless and her eyes veiled. Automatically, she patted Meg from time to time as the younger girl, convinced that she was next, sobbed pathetically into her shoulder. In a detached manner, she wondered if his rage would bring on a fit.
Having dispensed with Jenny to his satisfaction, Sir George finally began slashing verbally at Meg. He used words and phrases that would have shocked even the most depraved of women, and a spark of anger showed in Jenny’s eyes.
Interrupting him in mid-insult, Jenny said coldly, “That is quite enough. Meg is completely innocent; it was your cruelty that drove her to meet Robert on the sly. You have no cause to say such horrible things about your own daughter.”
“You hold your tongue, miss! I’ll say what I like about her, and I say that she has the morals of a cat. I’ll have no bastards in this house.”
Jenny gasped in outrage, while Meg sobbed even harder. “How dare you.” She immediately fired up in defense of her stepsister. “Meg is completely innocent of men. She would never do anything to disgrace her good name.”
Sir George contented himself with uttering a derisive, “Ha!”
Furiously, Jenny said, “Meg must have gotten her virtues from her mother; they certainly did not come from you. You’re an insensitive brute.”
“I am the head of this house, and I’ll not stand for this disrespect.”
“You have to earn respect.”
“That’s enough!” Sir George’s roar rattled the windowpanes. “Upstairs, the both of you. You’re to be locked in your rooms until I say differently. You will learn to respect me.” He glared at them. “And you will marry whomever I say.”
“No.” It was Lady Ross, her quiet voice cutting through every other sound.
Meg abruptly stopped crying and lifted astonished eyes to her stepmother. Jenny’s eyes were no less astonished.
The room was filled with a quivering silence. All eyes turned to Lady Ross. She stood, frail shoulders squared and face determined, in a confrontation with her husband that she had avoided for six years.
Sir George appeared totally stunned by the unlooked-for interruption. “What did you say?” he sputtered.
She turned cool eyes to her husband. “I said that neither Meg nor Jenny will be locked in her room. And they will not be
The two girls followed as Lady Ross led the way, completely puzzled. It soon became apparent that her destination was Sir George’s study.
Meg immediately panicked. Her eyes wide with terror, she gasped, “Mama, no! Oh, please don’t tell Papa about Robert!”
Inexorably, Lady Ross said, “Come along.”
Jenny, sensing that her mother had some set purpose in mind, hushed Meg and, with an arm around her for support, led her into the study.
Sir George looked up as the ladies entered, his brow dark with irritation. “What’s all this? You know I hate to be disturbed. A pretty thing it is when a man can’t even find peace in his own home.”
Perfectly calm, Lady Ross informed him that she had caught Meg returning from a clandestine meeting with a young man unknown to any of the family except for Jenny. Since he was Meg’s father, it was imperative that he be put in possession of the facts.
Sir George ranted. He raved. He said a great many things that were largely unintelligible to his listeners—and a good thing, too. They would have curled their hair.
Jenny, wincing from some of the descriptive epithets of her character (for Sir George was still enraged about Lord Stoven), wondered if the servants were being well entertained. His voice was no doubt audible in the village.
Ten minutes later, he was still going strong. He worked off his rage toward Jenny in fine style, tearing her character to shreds and depressing any pretentions she may have had toward being a human being of any consequence at all.
Jenny bore the abuse stoically, her face expressionless and her eyes veiled. Automatically, she patted Meg from time to time as the younger girl, convinced that she was next, sobbed pathetically into her shoulder. In a detached manner, she wondered if his rage would bring on a fit.
Having dispensed with Jenny to his satisfaction, Sir George finally began slashing verbally at Meg. He used words and phrases that would have shocked even the most depraved of women, and a spark of anger showed in Jenny’s eyes.
Interrupting him in mid-insult, Jenny said coldly, “That is quite enough. Meg is completely innocent; it was your cruelty that drove her to meet Robert on the sly. You have no cause to say such horrible things about your own daughter.”
“You hold your tongue, miss! I’ll say what I like about her, and I say that she has the morals of a cat. I’ll have no bastards in this house.”
Jenny gasped in outrage, while Meg sobbed even harder. “How dare you.” She immediately fired up in defense of her stepsister. “Meg is completely innocent of men. She would never do anything to disgrace her good name.”
Sir George contented himself with uttering a derisive, “Ha!”
Furiously, Jenny said, “Meg must have gotten her virtues from her mother; they certainly did not come from you. You’re an insensitive brute.”
“I am the head of this house, and I’ll not stand for this disrespect.”
“You have to earn respect.”
“That’s enough!” Sir George’s roar rattled the windowpanes. “Upstairs, the both of you. You’re to be locked in your rooms until I say differently. You will learn to respect me.” He glared at them. “And you will marry whomever I say.”
“No.” It was Lady Ross, her quiet voice cutting through every other sound.
Meg abruptly stopped crying and lifted astonished eyes to her stepmother. Jenny’s eyes were no less astonished.
The room was filled with a quivering silence. All eyes turned to Lady Ross. She stood, frail shoulders squared and face determined, in a confrontation with her husband that she had avoided for six years.
Sir George appeared totally stunned by the unlooked-for interruption. “What did you say?” he sputtered.
She turned cool eyes to her husband. “I said that neither Meg nor Jenny will be locked in her room. And they will not be
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