Cousin Cecilia Read Free Page A

musical. Even after the horrors of travel, Miss Cummings appeared completely relaxed, with a blush of pink on her cheeks and a sparkle in her eyes.
    She wore a very dashing bonnet and a deep cherry traveling suit that was surely the work of a French seamstress. It clung to high bosoms and a tiny waist. With such an Incomparable as this in their midst, Mrs. Meacham could not think the local beaux would be inclined to offer for their former flirts. She feared she had made a dreadful error, till she recalled the relatives who had received help through the marital machinations of Miss Cummings.
    They were seated, a glass of wine offered, and, taking a deep breath, Mrs. Meacham unfolded her tale. “I have purposely sent the girls out visiting that I might have a private chat with you first, Miss Cummings.”
    “Do call me Cousin Cecilia, ma’am,” the dasher invited. She liked to establish a footing of intimacy as soon as possible, as the truth was more likely to be forthcoming then.
    “I have formed the decision that the girls must know nothing of the reason for your coming. That is, you are just here to visit, of course, but...”
    “No, no. I am come to make a match for Martha and Alice,” she said quite frankly. “It will be a great pleasure for me. You have not told the girls why I am here then?”
    “To be sure, I have not. They are such rattlepates they would tell the whole world, and what a paper-skull I should look.”
    A furrow creased Miss Cumming’s broad white brow. “It will be difficult to get them to cooperate if they do not know why I am here.”
    “As to that, they will do anything you tell them.”
    “Biddable, are they?”
    “Greenheads, both of them.”
    “That is a mixed blessing,” Miss Cummings remarked, idly drawing off a pair of black kid gloves to reveal shapely white fingers, with a fine diamond ring on her right hand. “If they will be bidden by us, they will also be led by their beaux. I comprehend from your letter you already have two gentlemen in mind?”
    “The girls have, and their papa approved before he passed away.”
    “How are the gentlemen situated as to fortune?”
    The affair was outlined in an open manner. Cousin Cecilia accepted her reason for being here so nonchalantly and spoke so calmly of it all that before Mrs. Meacham quite knew what she was about, she had taken Cecilia into her complete confidence. Cecilia nodded, satisfied that the matches were suitable in all external details. Over dinner, every folly was gone into, and it was soon clear to Cecilia that Lord Wickham was the maker of mischief in the case. The beaux had behaved properly in the past, therefore their natures were good. Wickham was leading them astray. She must learn more of this troublemaker.
    “I recall the name, though I cannot say I have ever met Wickham,” she said pensively. “I believe he married the year before I made my curtsy at St. James’s. There was some scandal in the family, was there not?” This, too, was told in colorful detail.
    “I have not had a case of just this sort before,” Miss Cummings admitted. “When an older gentleman of such high rank is ape-leading youngsters, they will look to him for guidance. My first move must be to meet Lord Wickham and take his measure.”
    “Well now, that you won’t, my dear, for no one visits him, and he never goes anywhere that you might bump into him in the regular way.”
    Miss Cummings looked surprised. “The young gentlemen met him; he cannot be such a hermit as that.”
    “Hermit! Ha, if he is a hermit, I am a duchess. What I meant is I cannot introduce you, nor can anyone else. He only visits the Lowreys, and they hold themselves very high. Lord Wickham just rackets around the countryside with all the young bachelors at his heels like hounds after a fox, and how a young lady might make his acquaintance, I am sure I don’t know. Are we dished before we begin?” she asked, with a helpless look.
    Miss Cummings smiled calmly.