Miss Dower's Paragon (6 page)

“Mama, we shall not discuss that again, if you please, and especially not here. As for speaking to Lady Pomerancy, if you do not do so you will be giving her the cut direct. How do you suppose that will affect her temper?”

Mrs. Dower turned startled eyes on her daughter. “Oh my! I had not thought—! Evelyn, how terrible
that
would be! How very glad I am that you are with me, you cannot conceive. Yes, by all means let us go greet Lady Pomerancy. She cannot exactly
eat
me, after all.”

Evelyn laughed at the almost forlorn note in Mrs. Dower’s voice. She squeezed her mother’s hand. “Never mind. I shall be with you.”

“I do not know that is such a good thing, for she must be ever so much angrier at you than she is at me,” said Mrs. Dower, sighing.

Evelyn ignored this observation and inexorably led her reluctant parent over to the lady who awaited them.

Lady Pomerancy was seated in her wheelchair as though it were a throne from which she presided over a royal court. Her posture was regal, and the piercing expression of her pale eyes was discomfiting. She held out her hand to Mrs. Dower. “Well, ma’am? My grandson had told me that you have been somewhat out of curl. I trust that you are in the way of better health?”

Mrs. Dower flushed guiltily, aware that Lady Pomerancy was alluding to her previous unavailability to all of her visitors. “Oh, yes. A trifle only, I assure you.”

Lady Pomerancy smiled faintly, immensely satisfied at the ease with which she had reduced the woman. She turned her sights on the younger lady. “I have not seen you in a great age, Miss Dower. You have improved vastly, I must say. I recalled you as a thin girl, all matchstick arms and legs. I was much surprised to hear my grandson describe you as otherwise.”

Evelyn smiled, deliberately attempting to be at her most charming. She knew very well that Lady Pomerancy had seen her at chapel on any number of occasions through the years, though that lady had recently not attended as often as had been her former want. “I suppose that is why one is not allowed out of the schoolroom until one acquires a certain age. I hope that you are well, my lady?”

“Very well, thank you,” said Lady Pomerancy firmly. Her eyes traveled past the ladies, and a softened light entered her austere glance. “Ah, here is Peter at last with my first water. Thank you, my dear.” She stoically drank from the glass that her grandson had presented to her.

Mr. Hawkins nodded pleasantly to the other two ladies while he watched Lady Pomerancy drain the glass. With sympathy, he asked, “Do you truly wish a second glass?”

Lady Pomerancy grimaced. “Pray do not tempt me, sir. You are well aware that I am ordered to take the customary three glasses, even though I detest drinking it.”

“I will bring back the second glass with all due speed,” Mr. Hawkins promised.

“Detestable man! Get on with it, then,” said Lady Pomerancy irascibly.

Mr. Hawkins left on a laugh, the empty glass in hand.

Mrs. Dower, anxious to be gone from her ladyship’s proximity, decided that she had sufficiently discharged her duty. “Oh, I have just seen an acquaintance of mine, my lady. I hope that you will not think I am abandoning you, but I really should greet her before she gets away.”

“Of course you must,” said Lady Pomerancy agreeably.

Mrs. Dower looked immensely relieved and began to take her leave.

Evelyn made her excuses as well, but Lady Pomerancy caught her by the wrist. Evelyn glanced down in surprise. There was unexpected strength in the old, twisted fingers.

“Miss Dower, you may keep me company until my grandson returns,” said Lady Pomerancy.

“I—I believe that my duty to my mother must be foremost, my lady,” Evelyn said, taken off guard.

“Mrs. Dower is perfectly capable of traversing the room without your youthful support, my dear. She ain’t yet in her dotage,” said Lady Pomerancy with an arrogance quite irrefutable. She fixed her eyes on Mrs. Dower. “Leave the girl with me, ma’am. I assure you that she will be perfectly chaperoned while in my charge.”

“Quite so. I could not think otherwise,” said Mrs. Dower unhappily. With a helpless glance for her daughter’s appalled expression, Mrs. Dower made good her escape.

Once they were alone, Lady Pomerancy released the girl, disdaining to rely on that means of restraint. She fixed Evelyn with steely eyes. In an interrogating tone, she asked, “Well, girl? What have you to say for yourself?”

Evelyn felt her eyes widen with startled surprise. She stammered, “My lady?”

“Pray do not play the nodcock with me. Come girl. We haven’t much time before someone comes to interrupt us. I understand that you have rejected my grandson’s suit,” said Lady Pomerancy.

Evelyn flushed. Her eyes sparked with annoyance and angered pride. Lady Pomerancy had no right to question her at all, let alone in such a setting. However, she was no shrinking miss to grovel before the old woman’s glower, and she held her head high. “Yes, ma’am. I have.”

“Do you dislike him?”

Lady Pomerancy was treading increasingly dangerous ground.

With an attempt at politeness, Evelyn smiled. “My lady, I do not believe that this is the time or the place to discuss—”

“A straight answer if you please! Do you dislike my grandson?”

Evelyn tightened her lips, recognizing that Lady Pomerancy had no intention of being diverted. “Very well, my lady, since you insist. I do not dislike Mr. Hawkins.”

“Then why have you not accepted his offer, Miss Dower? You do not appear to be a stupid girl. Quite the contrary. Certainly you must understand the advantages of the match,” said Lady Pomerancy.

“Of course I do.” Evelyn realized that she had just given Lady Pomerancy more fodder for her cannon, and to forestall her ladyship’s next obvious question, she said quickly, “However, there are reasons which make it impractical for me to accept any offer at this time. I wish to become familiar with society and to meet several other eligible
partis.”

“Ah, yes. My grandson very carefully explained it all to me,” said Lady Pomerancy. She made an impatient dismissive gesture. “Nonsense, all of it. That might wash in London, but not in this society. We’ve a surfeit of retired admirals and meek parsons, but precious few eligible titles. No, I suspect that you are playing some game of your own with my grandson, my dear. Pray do not allow your fanciful notions to cloud your judgment for too long. My grandson is patient, but he is also a gentleman ripe for the altar. He’ll not wait on you forever.”

Evelyn was made so furious by this extraordinary speech that if she had replied as she desired, she feared she would give grave offense. She bit back the hasty retort that she would have made, struggling to find something less combustible to say. It was just as well that she held her tongue, for a moment later Mr. Hawkins returned with her ladyship’s second glass of water.

He glanced at Evelyn’s carefully expressionless face and lowered eyes. A small frown came into his eyes. He turned to his grandmother. “Here is your water, my lady. I hope that I did not keep you waiting too long.”

“Not at all. Miss Dower and I have enjoyed a comfortable gossip.” Lady Pomerancy took the glass but made no immediate move to drink the water it contained. Instead, she stared balefully at it. “Vile stuff. It is hardly worth the hope that it will do one good.”

Mr. Hawkins smiled down at her. “It is worth it to me, my lady.”

Lady Pomerancy glanced up quickly. A reluctant smile tugged at her withered lips. “You were always one with just the right word,” she said approvingly. She waved her hand in an imperious fashion. “Go away, the two of you. If I must drink it, I prefer not to have others hovering about to watch my agony. Peter, take Miss Dower on the promenade. I shall do very well by myself, you know.”

Mr. Hawkins laughed. “Your wish is my command, my lady.”

Evelyn started a little at his statement, and her eyes flew to his face in a searching glance.

He did not appear to notice, but merely offered his arm to her. “Miss Dower, will you do me the honor?”

As much as she disliked to fall into Lady Pomerancy’s machinations by even that much, Evelyn felt that she had little choice but to accept his escort. She certainly had no desire to remain in the old lady’s company and be subjected to more impatient interrogation.

She nodded at the glass in Lady Pomerancy’s gnarled hand. “Your health, my lady,” she murmured, and had the satisfaction of seeing a flash of annoyance in the elder lady’s eyes.

Mr. Hawkins led her off.

“Oh, there is my mother by the window. She will be wondering where I have gotten to,” said Evelyn brightly. She quickly realized that Mr. Hawkins was not going to take her broad hint when the gentleman steered her in the opposite direction. She looked up at him. “I should prefer to be returned to my mother’s chaperonage, sir.”

“In good time, Miss Dower.” He glanced down at her, a faint smile quirking his mouth. “I realize that it is unbearably rude of me not to accede instantly to your wishes, Miss Dower. You have my leave to bite off my head at your convenience.”

Evelyn’s sense of the ridiculous was reluctantly roused, and she chuckled. “Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I do appreciate the offer,” she said, her ill feeling toward him lessening.

They walked in companionable silence for a few minutes.

“You must not let my grandmother tease you, you know. She means well, I assure you. She is naturally quite concerned about my affairs, perhaps even overly so at times,” remarked Mr. Hawkins.

Evelyn threw a quick glance up at him. “Indeed! One would never have guessed it,” she said in a marveling tone.

Mr. Hawkins grinned, which so startled her that she lost her hold on her returned sense of ill usage. “I am glad that you can take it in that spirit, Miss Dower. It says much for your own sense of humor and compassion.”

Evelyn had had no intention of creating such an erroneous impression in the gentleman’s mind. On the contrary, she had wanted him to be acutely aware that she had been outraged and displeased by Lady Pomerancy’s delving into a matter that should never have concerned her ladyship to such a great degree at all.

Yet, however much she wanted Mr. Hawkins to understand that, she was reluctant to disabuse him of the pleasant picture that he had formed of her character. Evelyn sighed. It was all so very difficult.

She attempted to make some sense of her confused feelings. “Mr. Hawkins, I find this whole business to be rather awkward. It has caught me so at a disadvantage that I discover myself entertaining quite unworthy thoughts, as well as making statements that I later regret for their stupidity.”

“I think I understand. Believe me, it was never my intention to place you in an untenable position,” said Mr. Hawkins, frowning.

“Do you understand? Do you truly?”

Evelyn stopped and turned toward him, her hand slipping from his arm. She searched his face before she shook her head. “I do not think that you do, sir. Or otherwise you would never have made the offer in quite the manner that you did.”

Mr. Hawkins appeared startled. “My dear Miss Dower, I do not take your meaning at all. What is it that you are trying to convey to me?”

Evelyn smiled a little sadly. “If you need ask me, Mr. Hawkins, then how can I possibly explain it to you? No, I suspect that would but humiliate us both. I—I think it best that we leave off this subject. Would you be so kind as to return me to my mother, sir?”

Mr. Hawkins regarded her for a short moment, an unhappy expression in his eyes. “Miss Dower, if I have offended you in any way—”

“Not at all, Mr. Hawkins. How could you think it?”

He saw that there was nothing more to be said. With a bewildering sense of defeat, he offered his arm to her again. “Very well, Miss Dower. I shall be happy to lend you escort back to Mrs. Dower’s side.”

There was not another word exchanged between them as they retraced their steps.

Mrs. Dower greeted their appearance with pleased surprise. “Evelyn and Mr. Hawkins! Why, this is nice. But where is dear Lady Pomerancy?” She looked around as though expecting that lady and her chair to materialize behind them.

“Her ladyship tired of my company and sent me off with Mr. Hawkins,” said Evelyn with an attempt at a smile.

“Oh, I am certain she was no such thing, for you are never boring, dearest,” said Mrs. Dower with an arch glance upward at Mr. Hawkins. However, for once her dependence upon that gentleman’s exquisite manners was disappointed, for he did not catch up her broad hint.

Mr. Hawkins merely smiled and bowed. “I shall leave you now, Miss Dower. My grandmother will be waiting for me to fetch her last glass of the water.”

Evelyn inclined her head, but she did not raise her eyes. “Of course, Mr. Hawkins.”

Mrs. Dower made one last attempt. “I trust that we shall see you at tea again, sir?”

Mr. Hawkins glanced at Miss Dower’s averted face. “You may depend upon it, ma’am.”

When Evelyn’s glance flew up to meet his, his mouth quirked. He said quietly, “I do not give up so easily.” He bowed again and walked away.

When the gentleman was out of earshot, Mrs. Dower at once rounded on her daughter. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction. “Evelyn! Did you hear? Mr. Hawkins remains determined to press his suit.”

Evelyn made a small, tired gesture. “It scarcely matters, Mama, for I shall not entertain it.”

Mrs. Dower’s face fell. Without heeding their surroundings, she said clearly, “Well! You are certainly the oddest girl. Any other young lady would be in high alt at such a compliment.”

A couple of ladies who stood nearby sent curious glances in the direction of the Dower ladies. Evelyn realized that she and her mother were engaging interest, and well aware of how indiscreet her mother’s tongue could become, she said desperately, “Mama, could we not return home? I believe I feel the headache coming on.”

At once Mrs. Dower was all solicitude. “I shouldn’t wonder at it. You have had a harrowing time of it, indeed, what with your scolding from Lady Pomerancy and now from myself. And of course, there was Mr. Hawkins as well! I do understand, completely, believe me. I shall accompany you home and myself prepare a cloth for your head.”