Black Sheep Read Free

you please, only last year! Fortunately, the plot was discovered, and the whole affair hushed up.”
    “I don’t believe it!” declared Selina, trembling with indignation. “No, and I wonder that George should repeat such—such steward’s room gossip! Not the thing ,indeed! I consider him most truly the gentleman, and of the first respectability, and so does everyone else in Bath!”
    “Oh, Selina, what a bouncer! You know very well that Lady Trevisian didn’t hold him in high esteem. Indeed, she told Mary that she had warned you, just before she left Bath, that you would be wise to hint Calverleigh away. That was how George came to know about the business.”
    Much flushed, Selina said: “I wonder that she could think of nothing better to do than to go tattlemongering all over London! Making a mountain out of a molehill, too, as I very soon discovered—not that I mean to say that it was not very wrong of Fanny, and I assure you I told her so—and all because she saw Fanny walking with him in the Sydney Gardens, quite by accident—meeting him, I mean, and Betty with her, of course—at least, she was then —so I gave Fanny a severe scold, and told her how shocking it would be if people thought she was fast .Yes, and I said that I was surprised at Mr Calverleigh, which I collect she must have told him, because he paid me a morning visit the very next day, to beg pardon, and to explain to me that this was the first time he had ever been to Bath, which accounted for his not knowing that it was quite improper for a young female of breeding to wander round the gardens—to say nothing of the labyrinth!—without the vestige of a chaperon, not even her maid, because Fanny had sent Betty home, which was very naughty of her—most thoughtless, only she is such a child still that I’m persuaded she had no notion—and he ,I promise you, felt it just as he ought!”
    “Did he?” said the younger Miss Wendover rather dryly. “Well, you can’t suppose that I mean to make a mountain out of a molehill! But the thing is, Selina, that however engaging Calverleigh may be he will not do for Fanny. If George, who is far too good-natured to abuse people merely because he doesn’t like them, calls him a loose fish ,which I fancy means a libertine—”
    “Abby! Oh, No! ”exclaimed Selina, outraged.
    “Well, there must be something very undesirable about him to bring James posting up to London in the greatest fuss imaginable!”
    “Yes, because he wants poor Fanny to make a brilliant match! I hope I know how to value my brother as I ought, but I must say that I think he has a maggot in his head on that subject!”
    “It was more than that,” Abby said slowly, a frown creasing her brow. “He seemed to me to be almost overpowered! Indeed, he couldn’t utter the name without shuddering! I could have laughed, if he hadn’t put me so much out of temper. For what must he do, when I asked him why he held Calverleigh in such violent dislike, but prim up his mouth, and say that it was not a matter fit for my ears! I must be content to abide by his judgment, and if I did not nip the affair in the bud there would be nothing for it but to remove Fanny from our care.”
    “What?” Selina gasped.
    “Don’t fall into despair, my love!” said Abby, smiling at her. “He may talk of removing Fanny to his—or, rather, her —own home, but I fancy he would meet with some sturdy opposition from Cornelia! If he overbore it I’m sure it would be for the first time in his life!”
    “It would be the cruellest thing! She would be miserable!” uttered Selina, in palpitating accents.
    “Oh, she would run away!” replied Abby cheerfully. “I told him so, which gave him the chance to deplore her upbringing. However, before we got to actual dagger-drawing—”
    “You should not! Oh, dear, oh, dear, how often has dear Mama begged you not to be so—so impetuous? ”
    “No, of course I should not, but there was no harm done, because