Read Online Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Georgette Heyer
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means to come down handsome?"
"Will you," said the Earl, controlling his spleen with a visible effort, "take yourself off to Leicestershire?"
"Make it a monkey, old fellow, and I'll be off first thing in the morning," said Mr. Theale obligingly.
With this promise the Earl had to be content, though he made a spirited effort to improve the terms of the bargain before at last agreeing to them. Nothing, it was clear, would avail to dislodge his brother until the following day, Mr. Theale pointing out very reasonably that it was rather too much to expect that he would set forth on his travels again before he had recovered from the exhaustion entailed by a journey of more than sixty miles. It had taken him two days to achieve this prodigious distance, travelling at a sedate pace in his own carriage, with his valet following behind in a hired coach with all his baggage. "And even with my own fellow to drive me I felt queasy," he said. "Mind, if I had the sort of stomach that didn't turn over on me when I'm being jolted and rocked over these devilish bad roads I'd pack up and be off this instant, because I can see we're bound to spend a damned flat evening here. Wouldn't do to hook Ludlow in for a rubber or two, for though I don't doubt you and I, Giles, if we played together, which would be arranged, would physic him roundly, it would be bad policy! Besides, we should have to hook in Widmore to make a fourth, and there's no sense in winning his money, even if he could be got to sport a little blunt, which I've never know him do yet. Of course, you're his father, but you must own he's a paltry fellow!"
So the Earl was forced to resign himself, which he would have done more easily had not Mr. Theale's family loyalty prompted him to lend his aid to the preparations in train for the entertainment of the expected guest. Since this took the form of an invasion of the kitchens, where he maddened the cook by freely editing the dinner to be set before Sir Gareth; and a voyage of exploration to the cellars, whence he brought to light several crusted bottles which the Earl had been jealously preserving, it was not long before his brother's little stock of patience was exhausted, Forcefully adjured to cease meddling, he was obliged to seek diversion in other fields, with the result that a young housemaid, unused to the ways of the Quality, was thrown into strong hysterics, and had to have her ears boxed before she could be induced to stop screeching that she was an honest maid, and desired instantly to return to her mother's protection.
"And very stupid it was of Mrs. Farnham to send that girl of all others to make up Fabian's bed!" said Lady Widmore, in her customary forthright style. "She must know what your uncle is!"
By the time Sir Gareth and his protégée were ushered into the Grand Saloon the only members of the family, gathered there, whose sensibilities had not been in some way or other ruffled were Mr. Theale and Lady Widmore. The Earl was on the one hand uncertain what his daughter's answer was going to be, and on the other he had been reduced to a state of impotent fury by his brother's activities; Lord Widmore shared his parent's misgivings, and was very much put out by the discovery that five hundred pounds, urgently needed on the estate, had been bestowed upon his uncle; and Lady Hester, exhorted and commanded to the point of distraction, was looking positively hagged. A gown of lilac silk, with a demi-train, three rows of flounces, a quantity of ivory lace, and knots of violet velvet ribbons enhanced her pallor; and her abigail, in her anxiety to present her mistress at her best, had slightly over-crimped her soft brown hair. Lately, she had adopted a cap, but although this circumstance had apparently escaped the notice of her relations for several weeks it had today come in for such unmeasured censure that she had wearily removed the wisp of lace.
"And let me tell you, Hetty, that a stupid sort of indifference is by no
"Will you," said the Earl, controlling his spleen with a visible effort, "take yourself off to Leicestershire?"
"Make it a monkey, old fellow, and I'll be off first thing in the morning," said Mr. Theale obligingly.
With this promise the Earl had to be content, though he made a spirited effort to improve the terms of the bargain before at last agreeing to them. Nothing, it was clear, would avail to dislodge his brother until the following day, Mr. Theale pointing out very reasonably that it was rather too much to expect that he would set forth on his travels again before he had recovered from the exhaustion entailed by a journey of more than sixty miles. It had taken him two days to achieve this prodigious distance, travelling at a sedate pace in his own carriage, with his valet following behind in a hired coach with all his baggage. "And even with my own fellow to drive me I felt queasy," he said. "Mind, if I had the sort of stomach that didn't turn over on me when I'm being jolted and rocked over these devilish bad roads I'd pack up and be off this instant, because I can see we're bound to spend a damned flat evening here. Wouldn't do to hook Ludlow in for a rubber or two, for though I don't doubt you and I, Giles, if we played together, which would be arranged, would physic him roundly, it would be bad policy! Besides, we should have to hook in Widmore to make a fourth, and there's no sense in winning his money, even if he could be got to sport a little blunt, which I've never know him do yet. Of course, you're his father, but you must own he's a paltry fellow!"
So the Earl was forced to resign himself, which he would have done more easily had not Mr. Theale's family loyalty prompted him to lend his aid to the preparations in train for the entertainment of the expected guest. Since this took the form of an invasion of the kitchens, where he maddened the cook by freely editing the dinner to be set before Sir Gareth; and a voyage of exploration to the cellars, whence he brought to light several crusted bottles which the Earl had been jealously preserving, it was not long before his brother's little stock of patience was exhausted, Forcefully adjured to cease meddling, he was obliged to seek diversion in other fields, with the result that a young housemaid, unused to the ways of the Quality, was thrown into strong hysterics, and had to have her ears boxed before she could be induced to stop screeching that she was an honest maid, and desired instantly to return to her mother's protection.
"And very stupid it was of Mrs. Farnham to send that girl of all others to make up Fabian's bed!" said Lady Widmore, in her customary forthright style. "She must know what your uncle is!"
By the time Sir Gareth and his protégée were ushered into the Grand Saloon the only members of the family, gathered there, whose sensibilities had not been in some way or other ruffled were Mr. Theale and Lady Widmore. The Earl was on the one hand uncertain what his daughter's answer was going to be, and on the other he had been reduced to a state of impotent fury by his brother's activities; Lord Widmore shared his parent's misgivings, and was very much put out by the discovery that five hundred pounds, urgently needed on the estate, had been bestowed upon his uncle; and Lady Hester, exhorted and commanded to the point of distraction, was looking positively hagged. A gown of lilac silk, with a demi-train, three rows of flounces, a quantity of ivory lace, and knots of violet velvet ribbons enhanced her pallor; and her abigail, in her anxiety to present her mistress at her best, had slightly over-crimped her soft brown hair. Lately, she had adopted a cap, but although this circumstance had apparently escaped the notice of her relations for several weeks it had today come in for such unmeasured censure that she had wearily removed the wisp of lace.
"And let me tell you, Hetty, that a stupid sort of indifference is by no
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