Lady of Quality Read Free Page B

but it would be too shabby of me to leave Ninian behind, and I won't do it!"
    "Yes, you will!" said Ninian. "I have been wondering how to get you to Bath before you are quite frozen, and if this lady will take you there I shall be very much obliged to her."
    "I will certainly take her there," said Annis, smiling at him. "My name, by the way, is Wychwood—Miss Annis Wychwood."
    "And mine, ma'am, is Elmore—Ninian Elmore, entirely at your service!" he responded, with great gallantry, "And this is—"
    "Ninian, no!" cried Lucilla, much flustered. "If she were to tell my aunt where I am—"
    "Oh, don't be afraid of that!" said Annis cheerfully. "Never shall it be said of me that I'm an addle-plot, I promise you! I collect that you are going to visit a friend, or perhaps a relation?"
    "Well,—well not precisely! In fact, I haven't met her yet!" disclosed Lucilla, in a rush of confidence. "The thing is, ma'am, I am going to apply for the post of companion to her. She says—I have brought the notice I saw in the Morning Post with me, but most foolishly packed it in my portmanteau, so that I can't immediately show it to you—but she says she requires an active and genteel young lady of willing disposition, and that applicants must call at her residence in North Parade between the hours of—"
    "North Parade!" exclaimed Annis. "My poor child, can it be that you are going to visit Mrs Nibley?"
    "Yes," faltered Lucilla, dismayed by Miss Wychwood's very obvious pity. "The Honourable Mrs Nibley, which made me think she must be a perfectly respectable person. Isn't she, ma'am?"
    "Oh, yes! A pattern-card of respectability!" answered Annis. "Renowned in Bath as the town's worst archwife! She has had I don't know how many active and genteel ladies to wait on her hand and foot during the three years I've been acquainted with her. Either they leave her house in strong hysterics, or she turns them off because they have not been sufficiently active or willing! My dear, do believe me when I tell you that the post she offers would not do for you!"
    "I guessed as much!" interpolated Mr Elmore, not without satisfaction.
    Lucilla bore all the appearance of having sustained a stunning blow, but at this her spirit flickered up in a brief revival, and she said: "No, you didn't! Pray, how could you have guessed anything of the sort?"
    "Well, at all events, I guessed no good would come of such a bird-witted start, and I said so at the time! You can't deny that! Now what do you mean to do?"
    "I don't know," said Lucilla, her lips trembling. "I shall have to think of something."
    "There's only one thing you can do, and that is to return to Mrs Amber," he said.
    "Oh, no, no, no!" she cried passionately. "I would rather hire myself out as a cook-maid than go back to be scolded, and reproached, and told I had made my aunt ill, and forced to many you, which is what would happen, on account of my having run away with you! And it wouldn't be the least use to tell my aunt, or your papa, that I didn't run away with you, but away from you, because even if they believed me they would think it worse, and say we must be married!"
    He blenched visibly, and ejaculated: "Oh, my God, that's just what they would do! What a hobble we're in! It almost makes me wish I hadn't caught you creeping out of the house, and thought it my duty to see you came to no harm!"
    "Forgive me!" interposed Miss Wychwood. "May I offer a suggestion?" She smiled at Lucilla, and held out her hand. "If you are set on being a companion, come and be a companion to me!" She heard Miss Farlow within the carriage utter a faint, outraged clucking, and made haste to add: "It won't do, you know, to be putting up at an hotel, all by yourself; and it's not to be expected that Mrs Nibley—even if she engaged you, which I think extremely unlikely—would be prepared to do so immediately. She will require you to furnish her with the name and direction of some respectable person willing to vouch for