Page 35 of The Best-Laid Plans

Ellie pasted a smile on her face and turned around. There stood her father, mother, and Lillian. All seemed surprised to discover Ellie was among the group Mother had just spoken ill of. Surely, they knew she was one of Artemis’s guests.

“Ellie,” Mother said. “I did not realize you were there.”

“I recognized your voice,” Ellie said.

Mother would know now that her disparaging remark had been overheard. A moment passed in which she didn’t offer any apology or cover for her unkind words now that she knew who had been their recipient.

A publicly offered insult. Ellie knew her three options.

“Mr. Hughes is well known to Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster,” Ellie said. “He is a regularly invited and welcomed guest in their home. As they have never deemed to cast aspersions on his character, I can only imagine what more approval would be required for him to meet with the approval of anyone else.”

Her family’s surprise only grew. Newton had turned toward them as she’d spoken, likely having heard his name. Charlie and Artemis looked on as well.

“I would never speak ill of Mr. Hughes’s character.” Lillian cast him a look of pleading. She often employed an expression and posture of demure distress when hoping to gain the notice of a gentleman. Did she think that was what Newton hoped for, a lady incapable of doing anything?

Newton showed tremendous forbearance, but Ellie suspected he was reaching the end of his patience with her family. She truly hoped he didn’t number her among them any longer. No matter that their connection began as a pretended one; she did not wish him to think poorly of her.

“And, Mr. Jonquil,” Mother said, turning to Charlie, “we, of course, did not wish to imply that you were an objectionable partner for any young lady. Our Elfrida too often neglects the manners we taught her to have. I assure you, we did teach her.”

In typical fashion, her mother had assuaged her own embarrassment by blaming and belittling Ellie. Ever the scapegoat. Ever the failure.

“Perhaps it would be best if you spent the remainder of the evening near us,” Father said to Ellie. He did not look angry but embarrassed.

Why was it her family was always ashamed of her even when she toed the line with exactness? She was never made to feel that way at the Lancaster home. Newton treated her as though her company were a gift and an honor.

Between his support and Artemis’s boldness lessons, Ellie felt equal to the task of defending herself properly to her parents. “While I appreciate the offer, I will remain in the company of the family who brought me here this evening. The Lancasters have been everything that is gracious and kind, and I will not repay their goodness with the insult of thoughtless abandonment.”

It was the sort of articulately expressed, thinly veiled criticism Artemis excelled at. “Returning fire” with subtle precision.

“I’m certain the Lancasters realize we meant no disrespect.” Mother watched Artemis with a look of worry.

Lillian was just as ill at ease. She had shown more signs of uncertainty in the brief time Ellie and Artemis had been friends than she had all her life before that. It was an odd thing to see. Not satisfying or pleasant. Ellie loved her sister despite their difficulties, but Lillian needed to understand that she could not treat people as poorly as she often did, and neither could she use them as pawns in her intricate game of living chess.

“Do not allow me to keep you,” Ellie said. She hoped it wasn’t too obvious she was doing her best impression of Artemis.

They had rehearsed dismissals so many times. It fell under the category of “retreat.” Artemis had made quite clear that retreat was not to be confused with failure. When utilized strategically, stepping back was its own kind of victory.

Her family nodded and offered unexceptional words of farewell, then went on their way. Ellie could hardly believe it had gone so well. She couldn’t remember the last time a public scolding from her family had not led to much more vicious reprimands. She began to feel she had found her escape.

Charlie offered his arm. Ellie accepted.

“That was rather brilliantly done,” he said. “It seems all of our rehearsal is proving efficacious.”

Ellie both sighed and smiled. The relief she felt grew and grew. She had been nervous at the thought of being firm and unbending with her parents. But doing the thing right, as Artemis often said, made all the difference.

“Perhaps I ought to take a few lessons from Artemis,” Newton said, walking on the opposite side of Charlie. “If I could end my parents’ complaints against me as well as you just did, it would change everything for me.”

“I have not ever seen you interact with your parents,” she said to him. “Do they treat you the way mine treat me?”

Newton shook his head. “They are not truly scolding or berating. They simply disapprove.”

Charlie offered a bit of wisdom in his remarkable imitation of his eccentric brother. “Should we cross paths with them tonight, remember: retreat, wield your shield, or return fire. That is the trick of it.” He slipped his arm from Ellie’s and turned, offering her a deferential bow. “Now, if you will excuse me, I mean to retreat before our Boldness Boss comes over to critique my performance this evening.”

With a jaunty step in a path the exact opposite direction of Artemis, Charlie slipped away.

“It is a shame they don’t value each other’s company,” Ellie said. “They are both such genuinely good people.”

“Good, yes, but both quite stubborn,” Newton said.

---