settled, Lord Fenwick. My aunt was legally married. She is Pargeter ’ s heir. Or does Lady Sykes plan to take the matter to court? ”
“ I believe I ’ ve talked her out of that folly. You can thank me later. But if you think the matter is settled, ma ’ am, I take leave to tell you, you are hopelessly naive. It has only begun. There is an exceedingly wealthy widow and her charming niece to be married off, preferably to obliging relatives of Lady Sykes. ”
She stared in confusion. “ I expect Aunt Fay will receive offers, but I am not wealthy. I ’ m a working lady, and in my experience, poverty has always proved a sovereign prevention against marriage. ”
“ But you are speaking of arranged marriages, ” he pointed out. “ Your modern lad and lass have been known to flout common sense and marry where their hearts dictate, with the somewhat dimwitted notion of living on love. ”
“ With the cold pudding of poverty for dessert. ”
“ No, no! You were supposed to disagree with that cynical ‘ dimwitted, ’ Miss Lonsdale. How can we enjoy a good argument if you go agreeing with my antique notions? It is your duty as a penniless orphan to push for marriages of love. A cat may look at a king, and a dowerless lady may hope for an offer from a prince. ”
“ The only offer I look forward to is one of employment, if Fay does marry, that is. Certainly she would not do so in the near future. She ’ s still in mourning. ”
Fenwick cocked his head to one side and directed a knowing look at her. “ Well, if you insist on talking common sense, mourning did not prove a deterrent against marriage for your aunt — nor did poverty, come to that. I believe it is Lady Pargeter I should be having this conversation with. ”
“ There were special circumstances, ” Jane pointed out.
Having lulled her suspicions by his nonsense, Fenwick began to work the conversation around to Miss Prism ’ s Academy, hoping to learn Miss Lonsdale ’ s secret, for he felt there was some secret lurking there. Whether it was her illegitimacy or a matter relating to misdoing on her own part, he was curious to discover.
“ Do you miss your students, Miss Lonsdale? ” he asked.
“ One always has a few pets, but in general, I own I am happier here than at the academy. ”
“ I expect it would actually be the other schoolmistresses you were closer to. ”
“ Yes, I had one particular friend, Harriet Stowe. Our backgrounds were rather similar. Both clergymen ’ s daughters. Harriet was in worse case than I. She had no relatives when her papa died. ”
“ She was fortunate to have been hired by Miss Prism. I believe one requires some connections to be taken on there? ”
She noticed the keen eye with which he regarded her, and was suddenly suspicious. “ I had no special connections. I believe that, like myself, her papa knew some influential clergyman in Bath. ”
“And is that all that’s required? One would think the line of hopeful applicants would be a mile long. I thought perhaps Lord Pargeter put in a word for you. ”
“ No, how should he? I didn ’ t know him at the time. ”
“ You didn ’ t visit your aunt at Wildercliffe before this visit? ”
“ Yes, once when the first Lady Pargeter was still alive. ”
“ You got on well with Pargeter? ”
“I scarcely met him. And that was after I was working at the academy, Lord Fenwick. I assure you he had nothing to do with my being hired. ” She could find no reason for his questions. He had been listening when Lady Sykes covered the same ground earlier. This conversation seemed pointless, unless he felt she was unqualified as a schoolmistress. “ I was hired for my talents, ” she said stiffly.
“ I ’ m sure they are formidable, Miss Lonsdale. ”
She stared at him a moment before speaking, trying to gauge his intention. He met her gaze, but she read some guile in his expression. He smiled, but it was an insincere smile.
“ No, they are only
“ I believe I ’ ve talked her out of that folly. You can thank me later. But if you think the matter is settled, ma ’ am, I take leave to tell you, you are hopelessly naive. It has only begun. There is an exceedingly wealthy widow and her charming niece to be married off, preferably to obliging relatives of Lady Sykes. ”
She stared in confusion. “ I expect Aunt Fay will receive offers, but I am not wealthy. I ’ m a working lady, and in my experience, poverty has always proved a sovereign prevention against marriage. ”
“ But you are speaking of arranged marriages, ” he pointed out. “ Your modern lad and lass have been known to flout common sense and marry where their hearts dictate, with the somewhat dimwitted notion of living on love. ”
“ With the cold pudding of poverty for dessert. ”
“ No, no! You were supposed to disagree with that cynical ‘ dimwitted, ’ Miss Lonsdale. How can we enjoy a good argument if you go agreeing with my antique notions? It is your duty as a penniless orphan to push for marriages of love. A cat may look at a king, and a dowerless lady may hope for an offer from a prince. ”
“ The only offer I look forward to is one of employment, if Fay does marry, that is. Certainly she would not do so in the near future. She ’ s still in mourning. ”
Fenwick cocked his head to one side and directed a knowing look at her. “ Well, if you insist on talking common sense, mourning did not prove a deterrent against marriage for your aunt — nor did poverty, come to that. I believe it is Lady Pargeter I should be having this conversation with. ”
“ There were special circumstances, ” Jane pointed out.
Having lulled her suspicions by his nonsense, Fenwick began to work the conversation around to Miss Prism ’ s Academy, hoping to learn Miss Lonsdale ’ s secret, for he felt there was some secret lurking there. Whether it was her illegitimacy or a matter relating to misdoing on her own part, he was curious to discover.
“ Do you miss your students, Miss Lonsdale? ” he asked.
“ One always has a few pets, but in general, I own I am happier here than at the academy. ”
“ I expect it would actually be the other schoolmistresses you were closer to. ”
“ Yes, I had one particular friend, Harriet Stowe. Our backgrounds were rather similar. Both clergymen ’ s daughters. Harriet was in worse case than I. She had no relatives when her papa died. ”
“ She was fortunate to have been hired by Miss Prism. I believe one requires some connections to be taken on there? ”
She noticed the keen eye with which he regarded her, and was suddenly suspicious. “ I had no special connections. I believe that, like myself, her papa knew some influential clergyman in Bath. ”
“And is that all that’s required? One would think the line of hopeful applicants would be a mile long. I thought perhaps Lord Pargeter put in a word for you. ”
“ No, how should he? I didn ’ t know him at the time. ”
“ You didn ’ t visit your aunt at Wildercliffe before this visit? ”
“ Yes, once when the first Lady Pargeter was still alive. ”
“ You got on well with Pargeter? ”
“I scarcely met him. And that was after I was working at the academy, Lord Fenwick. I assure you he had nothing to do with my being hired. ” She could find no reason for his questions. He had been listening when Lady Sykes covered the same ground earlier. This conversation seemed pointless, unless he felt she was unqualified as a schoolmistress. “ I was hired for my talents, ” she said stiffly.
“ I ’ m sure they are formidable, Miss Lonsdale. ”
She stared at him a moment before speaking, trying to gauge his intention. He met her gaze, but she read some guile in his expression. He smiled, but it was an insincere smile.
“ No, they are only
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