Frederica Read Free

“Yes, I know you’re about to tell me that you haven’t sixpence to scratch with, but the plain truth is that you are very well to do in the world, my dear Louisa, but the most unconscionable pinch-penny of my acquaintance! Now, don’t nauseate me by prating of affection! You’ve no more for me than I have for you.”
    Considerably disconcerted by this direct attack, she stammered: “How can you say so? When I am sure I have always been most sincerely attached to you!”
    “You deceive yourself, sister: not to me, but to my purse!”
    “Oh, how can you be so unjust? And as for my being well to do in the world, I daresay that you, with your reckless extravagance, would be astonished to learn that I am obliged to exercise the strictest economy! Why, pray, do you imagine that I removed from our beautiful house in Albemarle Street when Buxted died, and came to live in this out-of-the-way place?”
    He smiled. “Since there was not the least occasion for that removal, I can only suppose that it was from your incurable love of sconcing the reckoning.”
    “If you mean that I was obliged to reduce my expenses—”
    “No, merely that you were unable to resist the temptation to do so.”
    “With five children left on my hands—” She broke off, warned by the quizzical look in his eye that it would be unwise to develop this theme.
    “Just so!” he said sympathetically. “I think we had better part, don’t you?”
    “Sometimes,” said Lady Buxted, with suppressed passion, “I think you must be the most odious, unnatural creature that ever drew breath! No doubt if it had been Endymion who had applied to you you would have been all compliance!”
    These bitter words appeared powerfully to affect the Marquis, but after a stunned moment he pulled himself together, and recommended his sister, in faint but soothing accents, to retire to bed with a paregoric draught. “For you are sadly out of curl, Louisa, believe me! Do let me assure you that if ever Endymion should ask me to give a ball in his honour I shall take steps to have him placed under restraint!”
    “Oh, how detestable you are!” she exclaimed. “You know very well I didn’t mean—that what I meant—that—”
    “No, no, don’t explain it to me!” he interrupted. “It is quite unnecessary, I promise you! I perfectly understand you—indeed, I’ve done so for years! You—and I rather fancy, Augusta too—have persuaded yourself that I have a strong partiality for Endymion—”
    “That—that moonling !”
    “You are too severe: merely a slow-top!”
    “Yes, we a!! know that you think him a positive pattern-card of perfection!” she said angrily, kneading her handkerchief between her hands.
    He had been idly swinging his quizzing-glass on the end of its long riband, but was moved by this interjection to rise the glass to one eye, the better to survey his sister’s enflamed countenance. “What a very odd interpretation to put upon my words!” he remarked.
    “Don’t tell me !”retorted Lady Buxted, in full career. “Whatever your precious Endymion wants he may have for the asking! While your sisters —”
    “I hesitate to interrupt you, Louisa,” murmured his lordship untruthfully, “but I think that extremely doubtful. I’m not at all benevolent, you know.”
    “And you don’t make him an allowance, I collect! Oh, no, indeed!”
    “So that’s what’s wound you up, is it? What a very hubble-bubble creature you are! At one moment you revile me for behaving scaly to my family, and at the next you come to cuffs with me for honouring my obligations to my heir!”
    “That block !”she ejaculated. “If he is to become the head of the family I shan’t be able to bear it!”
    “Well, don’t put yourself into a taking on that score!” he recommended. “Very likely you won’t be obliged to bear it, for the chances are that you’ll predecease me. I can give you five years, you know.”
    Lady Buxted, unable to find words adequate