To Read Online Heyer Lady of Quality

  Copyright © 1972 by Georgette Heyer

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Information

Heyer, Georgette. Lady of quality / Georgette Heyer.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1077-8

ISBN-x: 1-4022-1077-9

I. Title.

PR6015.E795L34 2008 823'.912--dc22

2007050203

Table of Contents

Copyright

1

Two

Iii

Iv

Five

Six

Seven

Viii

9

X

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

14

Fifteen

About the Author

Back Embrace

Ane

The elegant travelling railroad vehicle which bore Miss Wychwood from her birthplace, on the border of Somerset and Wiltshire, to her dwelling house in Bath, proceeded on its way at a decorous pace. This was dictated by her coachman, an elderly despot, who, having known her from the solar day of her birth, well-nigh 30 years before, collection her at the footstep he considered proper, and turned a deaf ear to her requests to him to 'put 'em along!' If she didn't know what was due to her effect, as Miss Wychwood of Twynham Park, he did; and fifty-fifty if she was an erstwhile maid – in fact, almost an ape-leader, though he would never phone call her one, and had turned off the impudent stable-boy who had dared to practice then, after giving him a rare box on the ear – he knew very well how his late master would have wished his only girl to be driven about the state. He had a pretty practiced idea, too, of what Sir Thomas would have felt had he known that Miss Wychwood had set up her own establishment in Bath, a few months after his death, with only a squinny former Tough to lend her countenance. A mean scrap, Miss Farlow, if e'er he saw ane: more like a skinned rabbit than a woman, and a regular gabble-grinder into the bargain. It was a curiosity to him that Miss Wychwood was able to endure her bibble-babble, for she wasn't short of a sheet, not by any means she wasn't!

The lady thus stigmatized was seated beside Miss Wychwood in the carriage, beguiling the tedium of the journey with a stream of small talk. She was of uncertain age, merely information technology was unkind to depict her as an erstwhile Tough; and although she was certainly very sparse information technology was unjust to liken her to a skinned rabbit. She was a distant relation of Miss Wychwood, left by an improvident parent in indigent circumstances; and when she had received a visit from Sir Geoffrey Wychwood, and had grasped that she owed this unprecedented honour to his urgent wish to procure her services as chaperon to his sister she had seen in his unromantically stout person a Paladin sent by Providence to rescue her from a drab lodging, mean fare, and the abiding dread of finding herself in debt. She was non to know that her prospective accuse had fought strenuously against having her, or any other female, foisted on to her; merely when she had presented herself at Twynham Park, nervously clutching her oldfashioned reticule, desperately anxious to please, and staring up into Miss Wychwood's face with frightened, pleading optics, Miss Wychwood's centre had overcome her judgement, and she had had no other thought than to make the poor little creature welcome. Lady Wychwood, quite unable to picture meek little Miss Farlow every bit a companion, and far less as a chaperon, to the lively Miss Wychwood, took the earliest opportunity that offered to beg her sis-in-law not to take Miss Farlow's services without conscientious consideration. 'I am persuaded, dearest, that you will find her a dreadful bore!' she said earnestly.

'Yes, very likely, but I should notice whatsoever chaperon a dreadful bore,' said Annis. 'So, if I must have a chaperon – not that I come across the least need of one, at my age! – I'd every bit lief accept her as any other. At least she won't effort to rule my business firm, or to dictate to me! Besides, I'm sorry for her!' She laughed suddenly, perceiving the hundred-to-one look in Lady Wychwood's balmy bluish eyes. 'Ah, you are afraid she won't do any control over me! Y'all are perfectly right: she won't! But nor would anyone else, you know.'

'But, Annis, Geoffrey says –'

'I know exactly what Geoffrey says,' interrupted Annis. 'I've known what he would say whatsoever time these 20 years, and I notice him far more of a bore than poor Maria Farlow. No, no, don't try to look shocked! I daresay no ane knows better than you that he and I cannot deal together. The just fourth dimension when we have been in perfect understanding was when he assured me that I should love his married woman!'

'Oh, Annis!' protested Lady Wychwood, blushing, and turning away her caput. 'You shouldn't say such things! Besides, I can't believe y'all mean information technology, when y'all won't continue living with me!'

'What a rapper!' commented Annis, the laughter still dancing in her optics. 'I could live happily with you for the rest of my days, equally well y'all know! Information technology'due south my very worthy, starched-up, and consequential blood brother with whom I can't and won't alive. Yep, isn't it unnatural of me?'

'So sorry !' mourned her ladyship.

'Oh, no, why? You would have cause to say so if I did remain hither. You must surely ain that life would exist very much more peaceful without me provoking Geoffrey a dozen times a twenty-four hour period!'

Lady Wychwood did non deny this, simply she sighed and said: 'Simply yous are far also young to be setting up your own establishment, dearest! I quite agree with dear Geoffrey virtually that!'

'You always do agree with him, Amabel: indeed, you are the perfect married woman for him!' interjected Annis irrepressibly.

'I am sure I'k no such thing, though I exercise endeavour to be. And every bit for agreeing with him, gentlemen are and so much wiser than we are, and so much ameliorate able to approximate of – of worldly matters – don't yous call up?'

'Emphatically, No!'

'Only indeed Geoffrey is right when he says it will present a very odd appearance if y'all go to live in Bath all past yourself!'

'Well, I shan't exist all by myself, for I shall have Maria Farlow with me.'

'Annis, I cannot persuade myself that she is the right person for you lot!'

'No, but the dazzler of it is that having chosen her, and foisted her on to me, Geoffrey volition never acknowledge that he was in mistake. Depend upon it, he will presently exist discovering all manner of virtues in her, and telling you lot that her meek disposition will have an excellent influence over me.'

Since Sir Geoffrey had already said something very similar this to her, Lady Wychwood was obliged to express mirth; just she shook her caput every bit well, and said: 'It'due south all very well for y'all to turn everything to a joke, simply information technology won't be funny for Geoffrey – or for me either! – when we have people thinking that you left dwelling house because we were unkind to yous!'

'My dear, they won't think any such matter when they meet that we are on terms of perfect amity. I hope you don't hateful to cutting my acquaintance? I expect to entertain y'all ofttimes in Camden Place, and give y'all off-white alert that I shall ever look on Twynham every bit my 2nd home, and am likely to descend upon you without ceremony for long visits. You lot will be wishing me at Jericho, I daresay!' She saw that Lady Wychwood was looki

ng melancholy still, and went to sit beside her, taking her hand, and saying: 'Try to understand, Amabel! It isn't but because Geoffrey and I rub against 1 another that I am going to fix a dwelling for myself. I want – I desire a life of my own!'

'Oh, I exercise understand that!' said Lady Wychwood, in quick sympathy. 'From the moment I set eyes on y'all I have felt that it was positively wicked that such a lovely girl as you lot should exist wasting her life! If only y'all would accept Lord Beckenham'south offering, or Mr Kilbride's – well, no, perhaps not his! Geoffrey says he's a here-and-thereian, and a gamester, and I suppose that would hardly do for you, though I must confess that I idea he was excessively charming! Well, if y'all couldn't like Beckenham, what did you discover to dislike in immature Gaydon? Or –'

'Terminate, stop!' begged Annis laughingly. 'I found nothing to dis-like in whatever of them, only I couldn't detect in myself the smallest wish to marry whatsoever of them either. Indeed, I haven't any wish to marry anyone at all.'

'Simply, Annis, every adult female must wish to exist married!' cried Lady Wychwood, quite shocked.

'Now that provides the answer to what people volition retrieve when they meet me living in my own house instead of at Twynham!' exclaimed Annis. 'They will think me an Eccentric! Ten to 1, I shall become one of the Sights of Bathroom, like old General Preston or that weird creature who goes about in a hoop, and feathers! I shall be pointed out as –'

'If you don't stop talking such nonsense I shall be strongly tempted to slap yous!' interrupted Lady Wychwood. 'I don't doubt you'll be pointed out, but it won't be as an Eccentric!'

In the result, both were proved to be right. Annis had acquaintances amid the Bath residents, and several close friends living in the vicinity of Bath, with whom she had ofttimes stayed, so that she did not come to Bathroom as a stranger. Information technology was thought to be a trifle eccentric of her to get out the shelter of her brother's house, just she was well-known to be a very independent young woman, and as she was, at that date, half dozen and 20 years of age, long past her girlhood, only the stiffest and nearly censorious persons saw anything to condemn in her deport. She was possessed of a considerable independence, and it was not to be wondered at that she should avail herself of its advantages. The only wonder was that she hadn't been snapped upwardly in her first London Season by some gentleman on the wait out for a bride in whom birth and dazzler were accompanied by a handsome fortune.

No i knew the size of her fortune, but information technology was plainly large: her family had endemic Twynham Park for generations; and her beauty was remarkable. If at that place were those who considered her besides tall, and others who could only see beauty in brunettes, these critics were few in number. Her admirers – and she had a host of them – declared her to be a piece of perfection, and from the top of her guinea-gold curls to the soles of her slender feet they could notice no flaw in her. Her eyes were particularly fine, being of a deep bluish, and then full of lite that i infatuated gentleman, of a poetic turn of mind, said that their brilliance put the stars to shame. They were grin eyes, ready under delicate, arched brows; and her generous rima oris seemed to be made for laughter. For the rest, she had an elegant figure, moved gracefully, dressed herself with exquisite taste, and had charming manners, which endeared her to such elderly sticklers equally old Mrs Mandeville, who pronounced her to be 'a very squeamish gal: none of your simpering misses! I can't think why she ain't married!'

Those who had been acquainted with her father knew that he had been dotingly fond of her, and supposed that that might have been why she had accepted none of the offers made her. No doubt, said the wiseacres, that was also why she had come to alive in Bath now that he was dead: she meant to ally at terminal, and what risk of meeting an eligible admirer could there be in the wilds of the country? Just one lady saw whatsoever impropriety in information technology, and every bit she was notoriously spiteful, and had two rather obviously daughters of marriageable age on her easily, no one paid any heed to her. Also, Miss Wychwood had an elderly cousin living with her, and what could be more proper than that?

So Sir Geoffrey was right as well, and was able to plume himself on his wisdom. He very soon became reconciled to the state of affairs, and found himself more in charity with his sis than he had ever been before. As for Miss Farlow, she had never been and so happy in all her life, or enjoyed so much condolement, and she felt that she could never be sufficiently grateful to dear Annis, who not only paid her a very generous wage, but who showered every sort of luxury on her, from a burn in her bedroom to the right to club the carriage whenever she wished to go beyond walking-distance. Not that she ever did avail herself of this permission, for that, in her stance, would be a sadly encroaching affair to do. Unfortunately, her inundation gratitude caused her to irritate Miss Wychwood almost beyond bearing by fussing over her endlessly, running quite unnecessary errands for her (much to the jealous wrath of Miss Jurby, Annis's devoted dresser), and entertaining her (she hoped) with an inexhaustible catamenia of what Annis called cypher-sayings.

She was doing that on the journeying back to Bathroom from Twynham Park. The fact that she received only mechanical responses from Miss Wychwood did non offend her, or cause her to allay her cheerful chatter. Rather she increased it, for she could see that her dear Miss Wychwood was a trifle in the dumps, and considered information technology to be her duty to divert her mind. No incertitude she was pitiful to be leaving Twynham: Miss Farlow could well understand that, for she was feeling rather sad herself: it had been such an agreeable week!

'And so very kind every bit Lady Wychwood is!' she said brightly. 'I declare information technology makes one sorry to be going abroad, non but what home is best, isn't it? Nosotros must wait forwards now to Easter, when nosotros shall have them all to stay in Camden Place. We shan't know how to brand plenty of those sweet children, shall nosotros, Annis?'

'I don't think I shall find it difficult,' said Annis, with a faint smiling. 'And I fancy Jurby won't either!' she added, twinkling across at her dresser, who was sitting on the frontward seat, holding her mistress's jewel-box on her angular knees. 'Little Tom's last encounter with Jurby was a very most-run matter, I promise you, Maria! Indeed, I am persuaded that had I non chanced to come into the room at that moment she'd have spanked him – as well he deserved! Wouldn't you lot, Jurby?'

Her dresser replied austerely: 'Tempted I may have been, Miss Annis, but the Lord gave me strength to resist the promptings of the Evil Ane.'

'Oh, no, was it the Lord who gave you that force?' said Annis, quizzing her. 'I had idea it was my intervention that saved him!'

'Poor little fellow!' said Miss Farlow charitably. 'So highspirited! Such quaint things as he says! I'thousand certain I never saw such a forward kid. Your sweet little goddaughter, too, Annis!'

'I fear information technology's useless to ask me to go into raptures over infants in arms,' said Annis apologetically. 'I daresay I shall like both children well enough when they are older. In the meantime I must leave it to their mama, and to y'all, to dote on them.'

Miss Farlow realized that dear Annis had the headache, which was the merely possible explanation for her want of enthusiasm over her nephew and niece. She said: 'Now, why do y'all let me rattle on when I am persuaded y'all have the headache? That is not treating me as you should, or as I wish y'all to! In that location is naught and so irritating to the nerves every bit being obliged to attend to fireside churr – not that this is the fireside, of grade, though the hot brick I accept nether my feet keeps me as warm as toast – when one is non feeling in good point. And it wouldn't surprise me, my love, if information technology is the weather which has made your head ache, for a cold air current ofttimes gives me a sort of tic, and the wind is very sharp today – not that we are conscious of it in the carriage, which I am sure is the most comfy i imaginable, but at that place is spring to exist a draught, and we mustn't forget that you stood talking to Sir Geoffrey for several minutes before you got into it. That was what started the mischief depend upon information technology! I wait information technology will go off when you are safely dwelling house once more, and in the meantime I shan't tease you past talking to you. Are you sure yous are warm enough? Let me give you my shawl, to put round your caput! Jurby will hold your lid, or I will. Now, where did I put my smelling-salts? They should be in my reticule, for I always p

ut them at that place when I go along a journey, because one never knows when one may need them, does one? Just they don't seem to be – Oh, yes, here they are! They had slipped downward to the bottom, and were under my handkerchief, though goodness knows how they can have got under it, for I distinctly recall putting them on top of everything else, and so that they would be handy. I often recall how boggling it is that things move past themselves, which no one tin deny they do!'

She connected in this way for several minutes, and when Annis declined the shawl and the smelling-salts, wished that they had thought to bring a pillow to put backside Annis'due south caput, or that it were possible to make her a tisane. In desperation, Annis shut her eyes, and after drawing Miss Jurby's attending to this, and telling her that they must be as quiet every bit mice, considering Miss Annis was just dropping off to sleep, she at last subsided.

Annis had no headache, nor was she depressed at leaving Twynham Park. She was bored. Possibly the bleak weather, though it hadn't fabricated her head anguish, had affected her spirits, making her experience, most unusually, that the hereafter was as grayness and as unpromising equally the sky. Lady Wychwood had tried to go on her at Twynham for a few more days, prophesying that it was going to snow, but Annis could not be persuaded to extend her visit, even if it was going to snow, which she thought extremely unlikely. Appealed to, Sir Geoffrey said: 'Snow? Pooh! Nonsense, my beloved! Far also much wind for that, and nothing like common cold enough! Naturally nosotros should be happy to keep Annis with us, but if she has engagements in Bath we should neither of the states wish to deter her from keeping them. What's more than, if information technology did snow she will be perfectly safe with Twitcham on the box.'

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