consequences. When I lost my temper, however, I never expected such a violent reaction.”
“Dear Emily,” said Sabrina, following her into the hall, “pray tell me you will apologize to him tomorrow. I cannot bear it if the pair of you remain at outs with each other.”
“No, Mama, that is too bad of you.” Oliver was clearly aroused. “Aunt Emily is the injured party. You cannot say that a glass of wine is worse than a lakeful of water.”
“But then she said she couldn’t swim,” Dolly pointed out, “and he jumped in and got all wet. I do not think he was pleased to discover that she could swim after all, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” retorted her brother, “and I cannot think how you could have been such a blockhead as to spoil a splendid joke by telling him.”
“But I didn’t think about that,” Dolly protested, her eyes welling with tears. “I just heard him say he was surprised to learn she couldn’t swim and I remembered that she can. The words came out just as I thought them. You aren’t angry with me, Aunt Emily, are you?”
“No, Dolly,” Emily replied quietly. “Indeed, if I had chanced to recall telling you, I would never have tried to trick your cousin, for if you had kept silent and he had later learned of your knowledge, he would have been angry with you too. I do try very hard never to involve others in my bumblebroths. Now, if you will all excuse me, I do need to take off these wet clothes. Sabrina, don’t trouble your head over any of this. At the moment, the last thing I wish to do is to apologize to that odious wretch, but I daresay that by tomorrow I shall feel differently. I cannot and will not allow him to replace my dress, however. It would be most improper. Hello, Miss Lavinia,” she added, encountering that lady at the top of the stairs. “I am sorry to have spoilt your dinner.”
“Didn’t spoil it,” declared Miss Lavinia, looking her over from top to toe. “Stayed and ate my meal like a Christian. Food’s cold now, though. Did you enjoy your swim?”
“Not in the least,” said Emily wryly, “but the honors did not all go to the opposition, ma’am.”
“Glad to hear it. Best you get dry, my dear.”
“I’ll go along and help,” Dolly said, paying no heed to her mama’s suggestion that she ought to finish her dinner, but any gratitude Emily might have felt for her niece’s concern vanished when she realized that Dolly wanted only to enlist her help in convincing the earl that his attitude with regard to her own wishes was gothic. Since Emily was wholly in accord with Meriden’s opinions regarding the proper activities for young ladies in mourning, she was unable to acquit herself well in the conversation that followed. Indeed, she rather feared, once Dolly had gone, that she had let her niece see that she found her complaints tedious.
While Martha helped her finish changing, Emily considered the events of the evening. That Meriden had been entirely accurate in his assessment of both Oliver and Dolly she could no longer doubt. The evidence of her own eyes and ears were plain. Still, the realization, though it gave her pause, did not change her opinion of his methods of dealing with the two young people. Meriden, she decided, needed to learn to be more patient with both of them, more tolerant of their faults. Emily herself had learned a great deal already. She had certainly learned that she would gain little in head-on conflict with the earl. Meriden was clearly more assertive than she, more bellicose, and even less afraid to behave outrageously.
The last thought brought a flush to her cheeks, for she remembered having once thrown a book at her brother Ned after just such extreme provocation as that offered by Meriden tonight. That time, however, though Ned might have been tempted to retaliate, her father had sent them both to their respective bedchambers with orders to contemplate their lack of conduct. Certainly no one had tossed her into the
“Dear Emily,” said Sabrina, following her into the hall, “pray tell me you will apologize to him tomorrow. I cannot bear it if the pair of you remain at outs with each other.”
“No, Mama, that is too bad of you.” Oliver was clearly aroused. “Aunt Emily is the injured party. You cannot say that a glass of wine is worse than a lakeful of water.”
“But then she said she couldn’t swim,” Dolly pointed out, “and he jumped in and got all wet. I do not think he was pleased to discover that she could swim after all, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” retorted her brother, “and I cannot think how you could have been such a blockhead as to spoil a splendid joke by telling him.”
“But I didn’t think about that,” Dolly protested, her eyes welling with tears. “I just heard him say he was surprised to learn she couldn’t swim and I remembered that she can. The words came out just as I thought them. You aren’t angry with me, Aunt Emily, are you?”
“No, Dolly,” Emily replied quietly. “Indeed, if I had chanced to recall telling you, I would never have tried to trick your cousin, for if you had kept silent and he had later learned of your knowledge, he would have been angry with you too. I do try very hard never to involve others in my bumblebroths. Now, if you will all excuse me, I do need to take off these wet clothes. Sabrina, don’t trouble your head over any of this. At the moment, the last thing I wish to do is to apologize to that odious wretch, but I daresay that by tomorrow I shall feel differently. I cannot and will not allow him to replace my dress, however. It would be most improper. Hello, Miss Lavinia,” she added, encountering that lady at the top of the stairs. “I am sorry to have spoilt your dinner.”
“Didn’t spoil it,” declared Miss Lavinia, looking her over from top to toe. “Stayed and ate my meal like a Christian. Food’s cold now, though. Did you enjoy your swim?”
“Not in the least,” said Emily wryly, “but the honors did not all go to the opposition, ma’am.”
“Glad to hear it. Best you get dry, my dear.”
“I’ll go along and help,” Dolly said, paying no heed to her mama’s suggestion that she ought to finish her dinner, but any gratitude Emily might have felt for her niece’s concern vanished when she realized that Dolly wanted only to enlist her help in convincing the earl that his attitude with regard to her own wishes was gothic. Since Emily was wholly in accord with Meriden’s opinions regarding the proper activities for young ladies in mourning, she was unable to acquit herself well in the conversation that followed. Indeed, she rather feared, once Dolly had gone, that she had let her niece see that she found her complaints tedious.
While Martha helped her finish changing, Emily considered the events of the evening. That Meriden had been entirely accurate in his assessment of both Oliver and Dolly she could no longer doubt. The evidence of her own eyes and ears were plain. Still, the realization, though it gave her pause, did not change her opinion of his methods of dealing with the two young people. Meriden, she decided, needed to learn to be more patient with both of them, more tolerant of their faults. Emily herself had learned a great deal already. She had certainly learned that she would gain little in head-on conflict with the earl. Meriden was clearly more assertive than she, more bellicose, and even less afraid to behave outrageously.
The last thought brought a flush to her cheeks, for she remembered having once thrown a book at her brother Ned after just such extreme provocation as that offered by Meriden tonight. That time, however, though Ned might have been tempted to retaliate, her father had sent them both to their respective bedchambers with orders to contemplate their lack of conduct. Certainly no one had tossed her into the
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