Page 27 of The Society Catch
What was she going to do? It did not help that she had no idea what she wanted. She must give up all hope of Giles, that she understood very clearly. His flat refusal to bow to his father’s disapproval of the match with Lady Suzanne was clear enough indication of that.
Surely Mama would not be too angry now she knew she was safe? Surely she would understand that only real unhappiness would have driven her daughter to such extremes? Joanna,hating the thought of being estranged from her parents, felt utterly miserable that they would feel she had let them down and behaved badly.
Show some backbone,she lectured herself silently.Mama will write soon and be forgiving. And then we can all go to Brighton and no-one will know I am in disgrace and I will be able to think about what to do with the rest of my life once I have got rid of Lord Clifton.Having some sort of plan made her feel better by the time the maid brought in the morning post.
‘A letter for you, Joanna,’ Mrs Gedding passed it across with a sympathetic smile. ‘Your mama, I expect. One for you, Colonel…two, no three for Mr Gedding. Thank you, Anna. From Mrs Thwaite by hand? I hope this is the reply I was expecting. Do, please, both of you read your letters, if you will excuse me perusing this.’ She bent her head over the note and Joanna nervously slit the seal on her letter.
She ran her eyes rapidly over the page, unable to focus at first, then phrases and words jumped out at her with the force of blows.Your poor father…Dr Grace…William quite distraught…wicked, wicked girl.
Papa?Joanna took a shuddering breath, willed her hand to stop shaking and made herself read the letter from the beginning. After the first few sentences she realised with relief that it was her father’s gout that was so severe that the doctor had been called and not that her disappearance had brought on a seizure of some kind. William, apparently, was distressed at the absence of his sister and the fact that no-one knew why she had gone and as for her mother…
Words, Mama declared, quite failed her. This fact did not prevent her from writing at length to say that Joanna was the gravest disappointment to her parents, that she had behaved in a way which was incomprehensibly wicked and wilful and that her poor mama had been at a loss to know what to do with her. Itwas only the intervention of Providence in the shape of Colonel Gregory which had prevented the most appalling consequences and it was to be hoped that she was fully repentant and thankful.
Naturally she could not be inflicted upon her elderly relative in Bath after such behaviour. Dear Hebe had begged that Joanna be allowed to go to her at Tasborough and the earl had assured Mrs Fulgrave that she would be under the strictest watch and that she would be able to make herselfuseful. The last word was underlined several times with some force.
Joanna looked up and met Giles’s eye. He raised one eyebrow. ‘Mad as a wet hen?’ he enquired.
‘Really, Colonel,’ Mrs Gedding chided, failing to hide the fact that she was amused.
‘Mama is displeased,’ Joanna agreed with dignity. She was in no mood to be teased. ‘She says I must go to Tasborough and that she has told our acquaintance, including Lord Clifton, that she cannot refuse her dear niece’s request for my company.’
‘She expects that Alex will keep a strict eye on you, I imagine?’
‘Yes,’ Joanna agreed drearily. ‘She also says that she is taking Papa and William to Bath to take the waters. Papa, I mean. William will not be taking the waters. Mama points out that William will be very much bored in Bath and it is all my fault that they are not going to Brighton.’
‘How can that be your fault?’ Giles asked. ‘Surely you cannot be blamed for your father’s gout? She tells me in her letter that that is what ails him.’
‘The doctor informs her that anxiety and strain all aggravate a naturally gouty tendency,’ Joanna said, scanning the letter again for the lengthy description of poor Papa’s sufferings, all of which were made infinitely worse by thoughts of his undutiful daughter. ‘She quotes Shakespeare, something about a thankless child.’
‘King Lear,’ Mrs Gedding supplied helpfully. ‘How sharperthan a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child. She is very upset I fear. But never fret, once she has you home safe all will be forgiven, you will see.’
‘I do not know when that might be. If I am to go to Tasborough for the summer it could be weeks before I see her.’
‘Good thing,’ Giles said briskly. ‘By the time she does see you again this will all be ancient history. And you will enjoy being with Hebe.’
‘And Alex, and little Hugh, and the new baby,’ Joanna said bitterly. The last thing she wanted just now was to be in the heart of a happy young family, especially with a new baby about to arrive. She wanted her own babies, Giles’s children, not to be a doting nurse for little relatives.
‘You really are going to have to get over this antipathy towards Alex, you know,’ Giles said casually, spreading preserves on his toast. ‘You’ll enjoy yourself once you are there.’
For the first time since she had known him Joanna found herself staring at Giles with real anger in her heart. She had confided in him, she had believed he understood how she felt. Surely he would know, instinctively, why she was so upset at this banishment? No, apparently he did not. This man she loved was proving to be very much a human being, she realised. He kissed young women he was not in love with, he quarrelled with his father, he did not understand how she felt after all she had told him.
‘Don’t glare at me,’ he said with a grin which only added fuel to her anger. ‘I have to escort you all the way back to Hertfordshire, always assuming we can find you a chaperone.’
‘Now there I think I have the perfect solution,’ Mrs Gedding announced, flourishing the note she had received. ‘Mrs Thwaite, our Vicar’s wife, has dispensed with the services of her governess now that her youngest daughter has left the schoolroom. Miss Shaw is returning to London to stay with her sister while sheseeks a new post. She would be quite happy to accompany Joanna and is ready to leave at your convenience. Mrs Thwaite says,’ Mrs Gedding peered closely at the foot of the note where the vicar’s wife had almost run out of paper, ‘she says Miss Shaw will call today at eleven to discuss the arrangements.’
‘What have you told Mrs Thwaite about me?’ Joanna asked apprehensively.
‘Only that owing to family circumstances you find yourself stranded here without the female company you were expecting. I referred to your papa’s poor health and the fact that you had a sister in Lincoln, and I flatter myself that without uttering one untrue word I have managed to give the impression that various plans have simply gone adrift.’
Mrs Gedding might have thought she had pulled the wool over her neighbour’s eyes but as soon as Joanna was introduced to Miss Shaw she was convinced that the governess was not deceived for a moment.
Miss Shaw was an acid-faced woman in her mid-thirties and, if Joanna had wished to find a spinster unhappy with her lot and soured by her experiences, she could not have hoped for a more depressing example. The governess appeared to find some satisfaction in appearing as downtrodden as possible in her severe grey wool gown, her hair dragged back from her thin face and not so much as a piece of jet jewellery to ornament her bodice.
She kept her hands clasped together throughout the interview, casting sidelong glances at Giles and answering Mrs Gedding in a respectful undertone. But the looks she sent in Joanna’s direction were sharp and judgemental and it was quite apparent that she guessed she was in disgrace.
Miss Shaw agreed that she could be ready to set out the next day and that she had not the slightest objection to goinginto Hertfordshire, provided that she returned to her sister in Holborn eventually. ‘It must be an object with me,’ she announced primly, ‘to assist Mrs Gedding in any way within my power.’
I am sure it is,Joanna thought rebelliously,especially if that involves a comfortable journey in a private chaise with a handsome gentleman to look after all the arrangements instead of a bumpy journey on the public stage.
