A Civil Contract Read Free Page B

economy?’
    ‘No: her mind was of an elevated order. Besides, everyone knows what that means! It’s having only one course for dinner, and not enough footmen, and making up one’s own dresses, which is perfectly useless, because if you have no money to pay for anything it’s the most idiotish waste of time to be learning how to save it! Mama won’t – but I wasn’t thinking of her: I was thinking of you, and Fontley.’ She bent a serious gaze upon him. ‘Mama says Fontley will be lost to us. Is it true? Please tell me, Adam!’ She read the answer in his face, and lowered her gaze. After carefully pleating her muslin gown across her knees, she said: ‘I find that a truly detestable thought.’
    ‘So do I,’ he agreed sadly. ‘Too detestable to be talked of, until I’ve grown more accustomed to it.’
    She looked up. ‘I know it is much worse for you, and I don’t mean to talk of it in a repining way. The thing is that I’m persuaded we ought to make a push to save it. I have been thinking about it a great deal, and I perceive that it is now my duty to contract a Brilliant Alliance. Do you think I could, if I set my mind to it?’
    ‘No, certainly not! My dear Lydia –’
    ‘Well, I do,’ she said decidedly. ‘I can see, of course, that there may be one or two little rubs in the way, particularly the circumstance of my not yet being out. Mama had meant to present me this season, you know, but she can’t do so while we are in black gloves, and I see that if I don’t go into society –’
    ‘Who put this nonsense into your head?’ interrupted Adam.
    She looked surprised. ‘It isn’t nonsense! Why, don’t you know how hopeful Mama was that Charlotte would contract a Brilliant Alliance? She very nearly did, too, but she wouldn’t accept the offer, on account of Lambert Ryde. And I must say that that put me quite out of charity with her! Anyone but a wet-goose would have known what would come of it, and it did ! For weeks Mama talked of nothing but Maria, and how she would never have been so unmindful of her duty as poor Charlotte!’
    ‘Ryde?’ said Adam, ignoring the latter, and very improper, part of this speech.
    ‘Yes, don’t you remember him?’
    ‘Of course I do, but I haven’t seen him since I came home, and –’
    ‘Oh, no! he’s away. He had to go off to Edinburgh, because one of his Scotch aunts died, and he was a trustee, or some such thing. Adam, you won’t forbid Charlotte to marry him, will you?’
    ‘Good God, I’ve nothing to say in the matter! Do they still wish it?’
    ‘Yes, and you have got something to say! Charlotte isn’t of age yet, and I know you are our guardian.’
    ‘Yes, but –’
    ‘If you are thinking it wouldn’t be proper to permit anything Papa disliked I can tell you that it wasn’t he, but Mama,’ disclosed Lydia helpfully. ‘He said that she must settle as she liked, but for his part he didn’t care a rush.’ She added, after a thoughtful moment: ‘I shouldn’t wonder at it if you are able to bring Mama round to the notion, now that we are ruined. She won’t like it above half, of course – and I must own that it does seem shockingly wasteful of Charlotte to be squandering herself on Lambert Ryde! However, there’s no need to despair! I’m not acquainted with many young gentlemen, but I do know that I take very well with the old ones, because whenever Papa entertained any of his friends here I went along with them famously! And, from all I can discover, it is the old gentlemen who have the largest fortunes. And I do not see what I have said to make you laugh!’
    ‘No, of course you don’t – pray forgive me!’ begged Adam. ‘I think you must have been talking to Wimmering?’
    ‘No! Why?’ she asked, surprised.
    ‘It is precisely the advice he gave me: to contract a Brilliant Alliance!’
    ‘Oh!’ she said, subjecting this to profound thought. She shook her head. ‘No, not you. Charlotte says that when one has formed a