Page 10 of Lady Audacious
‘Let Arthur get married and beget heirs in that case.’ Reuben rubbed Chase’s belly with the toe of his boot, then picked up his discarded newssheet and made a point of shaking it out before disappearing behind it.
‘Me?’ Arthur laughed and shook his head. ‘You’re the earl, big brother. Don’t expect me to carry out all of your duties for you.’
‘Some hope,’ Reuben muttered, hiding his smile behind the paper.
‘I really don’t know what to do about Miss Aspen.’ Reuben lowered his paper again at the distress in his mother’s voice. ‘I ought to call upon her, since she is new to the district and is now our closest neighbour, but what if through no fault of her own she is not quite the thing? Oh dear, it is so very worrying. The demarcation lines between the classes have become so much more blurred recently. All this new money seems to be springing up overnight like mushrooms.’
‘What difference does it make if a person makes their money fromtrade?’ Emily asked, waving her fingers dramatically as she uttered the dreaded word. ‘There is nothing to be ashamed of in honest work that provides rewards.’
‘Standards have to be maintained,’ Sarah said. ‘Otherwise anyone could claim to be a gentleman, do you not agree, Reuben?’
‘Quite right, my dear.’ The countess beamed, saving Reuben from the trouble of responding himself. ‘I mean, we have absolutely no idea what stratagems some of thesenouveau richehave resorted to in order to make their fortunes. We could be inviting murderers into our ranks, and then where would we be?’
‘In a more equal society,’ Emily suggested, pouting when Reuben gave his head a warning shake. He knew, and Emily ought also to be aware, that it was an argument she would never win.
‘Now there’s a thought,’ Reuben said.
‘Do you suppose that she is some rich gentleman’s mistress and he has sent her down here to keep her away from his jealous wife?’ Emily’s pretty eyes gleamed with mischief. ‘I do hope so. I have never met a mistress before. I am perfectly sure that we will be the very best of friends. I will take up her cause and defend her from all criticism. In return she will teach me a great deal more about the realities of life than old Bagsie ever did.’
‘Don’t talk about your governess in that way, dear,’ the countess said in a reproving tone.
Reuben shook his head at his sister, something he appeared to do a great deal of, smiling at her lively imagination as well as at his mother’s priorities. ‘Don’t worry, Mother,’ he said. ‘I will call at Fox’s Reach and introduce myself. It seems likely that Miss Aspen has inherited the property, since we have never heard her name before. I’m sure we would have known if a lady had been down to look over the property.’ He glanced at Arthur. ‘Leastwise, the denizens of the taproom would be aware, and news would have reached us through Arthur, our early warning system. Anyway, she will be appalled when she sees the state of her inheritance and will likely agree to sell it to me. There, will that put your mind at rest?’
‘Oh, yes indeed, Reuben. You are so thoughtful. I shall leave things to you and not call until you have decided what’s best to be done.’
‘Glad to oblige.’
‘Goodness, is that the time?’ Beth glanced at the clock and stood up. ‘We should change for dinner.’
Reuben’s three sisters left the room, chatting amicably with Sarah. They would take an hour at least to change their attire. It would take Reuben all of ten minutes, so he lingered in the drawing room, keen to read his newspaper or while away the time in idle gossip with his brother. But it wasn’t to be since his mother lingered, looking uncharacteristically sombre.
‘What troubles you?’ he asked, putting his newssheet aside and suppressing a sigh.
‘You offended Sarah, my dear. Quite unintentionally, I am sure, but she is a sensitive soul and I could see that she was overset.’
Reuben sat a little straighter. ‘I beg your pardon.’
‘I know you didn’t mean to, but sometimes you say things without thinking of the consequences.’
Which was, Reuben thought, a case of the pot calling the kettle black if ever he’d come across one. But there was never any malice behind his mother’s remarks. She simply said whatever popped into her head, especially now that Reuben’s respected father was no longer there to temper her excesses.
‘Good heavens!’ Arthur looked amused. ‘Whatever did he say to her?’
‘He told her that he thought of her as a sister,’ the countess replied, her eyes round with censure. ‘I never did hear such an unfeeling remark.’
Reuben and Arthur shared a bemused look. ‘Why would that give offence? I am inordinately fond of all my sisters, Sarah included. It was a sign of my affection for her.’
‘But that’s just the point,’ the countess replied. ‘Sisterly fondness is all very well in its place, but Sarah is not your sister. She is not even distantly related to you.’
Reuben let his sigh escape this time, aware that he would not be left to enjoy his newspaper until his mother had expressed herself. He also knew from experience that it might well take her a while to get to the point, and that there would be no hurrying her.
‘No,’ Reuben said patiently. ‘Sarah and I are not related. I do realise that, Mother.’
‘Oh, you silly boy!’ The countess threw up her hands. ‘Sometimes I despair.’ So did Reuben, but he knew better than to show his impatience. His mother would pretend not to notice and merely prolong her explanation. ‘You must realise that I mean for you to marry Sarah. You are so very well suited and you talk and laugh with her so comfortably that I assumed your own thoughts must be veering in that direction.’
Reuben blinked. ‘I have never thought of Sarah in that regard,’ he said mildly, ‘and I am frankly astonished that you assumed otherwise. If I have given that impression then my manners must have been at fault.’
Arthur sat in a chair across from Reuben, attempting to hide his amusement and making a poor job of it. Reuben scowled a warning that Arthur chose to ignore. ‘It would be a splendid match,’ he said provocatively, chuckling at Reuben’s affronted expression.
