Read Online The House at Bell Orchard by Sylvia Thorpe - Free Book Online
Authors: Sylvia Thorpe
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love,” she told her daughter, “is a tendency you should strive to check.” She turned to Piers. “Was the accident a serious one?”
He shrugged. “Serious enough, but fortunately no one was much hurt. I fancy that Mrs. Fenshawe’s dignity, and consequently her temper, suffered more than anything.”
He gave them a brief description of what had happened, and concluded by saying to his mother: “I think it would do no harm, ma’am, for you to call upon Mrs. Fenshawe. I have had some differences with the Colonel, but I understand that he has now returned to London, and it will not do to be upon bad terms with our neighbours.” He glanced at his sister, still seated at the spinet. “Take Dorothy with you.”
Dorothy looked up, her blue eyes wide with surprise. “You said I was to have no more to do with the Fenshawes!”
“I said that you were to have no more to do with Harry Fenshawe,” he corrected her, “and I have not changed my mind on that score, I promise you. There is no reason, however, why you should not go to Bell Orchard with your Mama. I should like you to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Fenshawe’s friend, Miss Tarrant, who, so I understand, suffered a tragic bereavement a few weeks ago.”
Dorothy made a little grimace, raising her brows and pursing her lips, and ran fingers across the keys of the spinet to produce a mocking, tinkling ripple of melody. Lady Wychwood said mildly:
“If the young lady is in mourning, Piers, it is not likely that she will be receiving company.”
He had been regarding Dorothy with a faint frown, but at that turned back to his mother.
“In ordinary circumstances I would agree with you, but I have a curious impression that the circumstances are not ordinary. Moreover, Miss Tarrant appears to be alone in the world, since if she had relatives she would scarcely be staying with Mrs. Fenshawe at such a time, and if she is treated with no more consideration than was shown her this afternoon, her situation cannot be a happy one.”
Lady Wychwood looked puzzled. “Do you mean that she finds herself, as it were, in the position of a poor relation?”
“No,” Piers replied slowly, “for she was dressed as fashionably as Mrs. Fenshawe herself, and appeared to be upon terms of equality with her. But, knowing that household as I do, I cannot imagine her receiving a great deal of comfort or sympathy there.” He laid his hand on the back of her chair, looking down at her with a smile. “Will you do this for me, Mama?”
She still seemed slightly puzzled, but returned the smile and reached up to pat his arm.
“Of course, my dear, if you wish it. I will go to Bell Orchard tomorrow.”
Dorothy, still coaxing a lilting melody from the spinet, had apparently lost interest in the conversation, but her eyes were thoughtful, and presently, when Piers had gone out of the room, she jumped up and ran with a swirl of petticoats to seat herself on a low stool at her mother’s feet.
“Mama!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “Piers seems to be excessively interested in this Miss Tarrant Do you suppose—?”
“I suppose nothing, my love,” Lady Wychwood replied firmly, “and neither must you. You are too fanciful, Dorothy!”
“But how wonderful if she could divert his mind from Selina Grey,” Dorothy persisted, “for you know, Mama, that you have been as worried as I have that he might offer for Selina. I vow I have been in a quake of fear ever since he rode out this morning, in case that was the reason for his visit to General Grey.”
Lady Wychwood sighed. “Selina is an admirable young woman,” she said despondently, “but I will own that I have not the smallest desire for her to become my daughter-in-law. But it is your brother’s concern, Dorothy, and not yours or mine. We must not make any attempt to interfere.”
“Well, I would interfere very happily if I thought it would do the least good,” Dorothy reported. “Piers is the dearest brother alive, and
He shrugged. “Serious enough, but fortunately no one was much hurt. I fancy that Mrs. Fenshawe’s dignity, and consequently her temper, suffered more than anything.”
He gave them a brief description of what had happened, and concluded by saying to his mother: “I think it would do no harm, ma’am, for you to call upon Mrs. Fenshawe. I have had some differences with the Colonel, but I understand that he has now returned to London, and it will not do to be upon bad terms with our neighbours.” He glanced at his sister, still seated at the spinet. “Take Dorothy with you.”
Dorothy looked up, her blue eyes wide with surprise. “You said I was to have no more to do with the Fenshawes!”
“I said that you were to have no more to do with Harry Fenshawe,” he corrected her, “and I have not changed my mind on that score, I promise you. There is no reason, however, why you should not go to Bell Orchard with your Mama. I should like you to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Fenshawe’s friend, Miss Tarrant, who, so I understand, suffered a tragic bereavement a few weeks ago.”
Dorothy made a little grimace, raising her brows and pursing her lips, and ran fingers across the keys of the spinet to produce a mocking, tinkling ripple of melody. Lady Wychwood said mildly:
“If the young lady is in mourning, Piers, it is not likely that she will be receiving company.”
He had been regarding Dorothy with a faint frown, but at that turned back to his mother.
“In ordinary circumstances I would agree with you, but I have a curious impression that the circumstances are not ordinary. Moreover, Miss Tarrant appears to be alone in the world, since if she had relatives she would scarcely be staying with Mrs. Fenshawe at such a time, and if she is treated with no more consideration than was shown her this afternoon, her situation cannot be a happy one.”
Lady Wychwood looked puzzled. “Do you mean that she finds herself, as it were, in the position of a poor relation?”
“No,” Piers replied slowly, “for she was dressed as fashionably as Mrs. Fenshawe herself, and appeared to be upon terms of equality with her. But, knowing that household as I do, I cannot imagine her receiving a great deal of comfort or sympathy there.” He laid his hand on the back of her chair, looking down at her with a smile. “Will you do this for me, Mama?”
She still seemed slightly puzzled, but returned the smile and reached up to pat his arm.
“Of course, my dear, if you wish it. I will go to Bell Orchard tomorrow.”
Dorothy, still coaxing a lilting melody from the spinet, had apparently lost interest in the conversation, but her eyes were thoughtful, and presently, when Piers had gone out of the room, she jumped up and ran with a swirl of petticoats to seat herself on a low stool at her mother’s feet.
“Mama!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “Piers seems to be excessively interested in this Miss Tarrant Do you suppose—?”
“I suppose nothing, my love,” Lady Wychwood replied firmly, “and neither must you. You are too fanciful, Dorothy!”
“But how wonderful if she could divert his mind from Selina Grey,” Dorothy persisted, “for you know, Mama, that you have been as worried as I have that he might offer for Selina. I vow I have been in a quake of fear ever since he rode out this morning, in case that was the reason for his visit to General Grey.”
Lady Wychwood sighed. “Selina is an admirable young woman,” she said despondently, “but I will own that I have not the smallest desire for her to become my daughter-in-law. But it is your brother’s concern, Dorothy, and not yours or mine. We must not make any attempt to interfere.”
“Well, I would interfere very happily if I thought it would do the least good,” Dorothy reported. “Piers is the dearest brother alive, and
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