Darkwater by Dorothy Eden Page A

bed, and a husband beside her who sometimes, but not now so frequently, woke to fumble beneath her nightgown. No, that wasn’t happiness, she realised. But just as her mother hadn’t pointed out that fact to her, she had no intention of pointing it out to her daughter.
    ‘Of course I’m happy. Don’t look so worried, child. You’ll acquire all these things. But the effort will be as much mine as yours. I still have connections, even though I’ve been buried in the moors for so long. I’ll do what I can with your father. Now run along and see if Grandmamma is coming down to dinner. If she is, see that she’s wearing her cashmere shawl, and that her hair is tidy. Sometimes I believe she deliberately makes herself look like a scarecrow.’
    Amelia, her spirits recovered, giggled. ‘She does. She’s naughty. George is the only one who can make her do things.’
    Louisa frowned again, remembering the many ways in which her mother spoiled her handsome grandson. But she merely said sharply, ‘Amelia, don’t gallop out of a room like that. Learn to glide along quietly and gracefully.’
    Amelia paused. ‘Like Fanny, Mamma?’
    ‘Nothing of the kind! I have never advised you to model yourself on Fanny.’
    ‘I never have,’ said Amelia blithely. ‘Anyway, Fanny can dash about when she’s in a temper. You ought to see her then. Oh, Papa—I’m just going.’
    Edgar came into the room, scarcely noticing Amelia’s departure. He was deep in thought.
    ‘My dear, you haven’t begun to dress. You must hurry. You know what a stickler for punctuality Sir Giles is. I suppose it comes from running a prison—’
    ‘Louisa, don’t chatter! Can’t I have a little peace.’
    Louisa looked at him in surprise. He was normally a good-tempered and placid man.
    ‘What’s the matter? Has something happened?’
    ‘Only a trivial but worrying thing. My brother’s attorney from Shanghai is seeing fit to pay us a visit. I must say I regard that as a little nosey-parkering. Probably he imagines me as improvident as Oliver. But even if I were, there’s nothing he can do about that. My brother’s last instructions must be carried out.’
    ‘How old is he?’
    Edgar stared at his wife perplexedly. He had never been able to understand the way a woman’s mind worked, and had come to dismiss the whole process as unworthy of serious attention.
    ‘Whatever has his age got to do with it?’
    ‘Is he married? Or perhaps unaccompanied by his wife?’
    ‘What are you thinking of?’
    ‘What you should be thinking of, my love. Had you forgotten Amelia comes out this year? We shall require every eligible man possible if we are to have successful parties. Don’t men ever think of these things?’
    ‘Don’t women ever think of anything else!’
    ‘Now, Edgar, please don’t get irritable. Amelia is your daughter and you must do your best by her.’
    ‘Confound it, I’ve promised her a very generous marriage settlement.’
    ‘So you have, love.’ Louisa gave his hand a perfunctory caress. ‘But a marriage settlement is of little use without a husband. I really think we must open the London house—’
    ‘No! That’s out of the question.’
    ‘But, Edgar—’
    ‘Don’t argue with me. I say it’s out of the question.’
    ‘Oh dear. Amelia will be so disappointed.’
    ‘Have you been discussing it with Amelia? Without consulting me?’
    His wife’s full eyelids drooped slyly.
    ‘I’m afraid we shall need to be persuaded that there are advantages in having a ball here.’
    ‘The London house hasn’t been lived in for years. You’d find that everything needed re-decorating and refurnishing. As it is, Murchison lives there and keeps a couple of rooms available for me, and that’s all that’s necessary. Advantages! My dear Louisa, it would only be a matter of several thousand pounds more to have the ball in London.’
    ‘Then,’ said Louisa, smoothly, ‘Amelia and I will expect a much more generous allowance for our