A London Season Read Online Free PDF

life! Of course you hold the good ladies in affection, and I ’ m glad of that, but — ”
    “Oh them !” Persephone dismissed the Miss Maddens. “They were old cats too! At least — ” as her conscience momentarily smote her — “at least, Miss Madden was. Miss Mary was more of a nice, soft old pussy-cat ! But I didn ’ t mean them. I have friends in Bath!”
    Sir Edmund hoped she would expand upon this theme, even if it meant he had to listen to a string of confidences about her girlish friendships at school, but she appeared to recollect herself suddenly, and in answer to his look of inquiry merely tightened her lips, adding, bitterly, “ True friends!”
    And she would say no more until, nearly half an hour later, as the chaise at last approached the spa town of Cheltenham, she roused herself to take up the conversation apparently just where she had left it off, remarking in the same discontented tones, “And now you are bent on dragging me with you to call on some other frowsty old cat! It ’ s too bad of you, it is indeed, and I think you are the greatest beast in Nature!”

 
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    D isposed as he still was to regard Jack ’ s daughter as a child rather than a young woman, Sir Edmund found this decidedly infantile burst of temper comical and even touching, but their arrival in Royal Crescent spared him the task of composing a reply of sufficient gravity. The chaise was soon drawing up outside the elegant, narrow facade of the house that had been occupied by Sophronia, Lady Emberley, until her recent demise full of years and — if the truth were told — full of ill will towards the greater part of her fellow men. This event had occurred over three months before, and there were no obvious signs of mourning left about the house. Sir Edmund, who intended to have the place put up for sale, gave it only a cursory glance before directing John Digby and the postilion to find their way to the Plough, and then, with Persephone, mounting the short flight of steps to the front door.
    A quick look at his ward ’ s face confirmed his impression that discontent and a sense of grievance were still seething within her. He thought, ruefully, that while he might be an old hand at dealing with the wilier politicians of Europe around the conference table, he had not the same happy knack with a wilful girl of eighteen. However, he knew better than to utter anything so sure to achieve the opposite of its intended effect as a sharp reproof, and said only, in a low voice, “I know you ’ ll make yourself agreeable to Miss Radley, Persephone. Old ladies are so easily flustered and distressed, are they not?”
    Persephone cast him a suspicious glance, but had not time to reply, for the door was being opened by an elderly butler. His wrinkled face was wreathed in smiles, but to judge by his failure to respond to Sir Edmund ’ s civil greeting, he must have been stone deaf: he said not a word, but continued to smile with the utmost amiability.
    A moment later, however, a neat, capable-looking woman in late middle age appeared in the hallway behind him. Straightening her apron and bobbing a curtsey, she launched into a speech of welcome, proving as voluble as the butler was silent. “And you must please to forgive us, sir, being all at sixes and sevens as we are!” she concluded, as Sir Edmund handed his hat and gloves to the old man. “For Miss Radley ’ s been that busy, sorting out my lady ’ s things — you see, sir, my lady never could abide to throw anything away, and if you ’ ll pardon me for saying so, oh, but she could be such a twitty old lady when crossed! Well, so it has all fallen on Miss Radley ’ s shoulders, and when she told us we might expect to see you today, why, Joshua here, who is my husband, sir, and Howell is our name, Joshua says to me it ’ s his place to open the door. But I says to him — for you must know, sir, hard of hearing as he is, I can make him understand me — how will you ever