Page 13 of The Trick of the Treasure
“What it shows to me—and probably to your father—is that Mr. Devine is a more frequent visitor to the house than your father might like.”
Jemimah blanched. “Oh, please hush! I have done nothing wrong!”
“My dear, I am hardly here to judge you,” Constance said. “My only concern is with who was in the house on the evening of your father’s return.”
“Oh, no, he wasn’t in the house,” Jemimah assured her with relief.
“You met him in the garden?”
“Well, yes, just for five minutes.”
“I suppose he calls on you often,” Constance said neutrally.
“Well, he has been quite attentive in the last few months, but we have known him forever. He and Sydney went to school together, and he frequently stayed with us.”
“What does he do now?”
Jemimah shrugged. “His father wants him to join the family firm—they are involved with cotton mills in the north—but Ben wants to be a great writer.”
“A worthy ambition.”
Jemimah beamed at her. “I think so.”
*
Barnabas Lloyd wasglad to see the back of all his guests. Admittedly, Grey and Mrs. Silver had only gone as far as the kitchen to interview his servants, but at least Ben Devine was out of the house. Jumped-up puppy.
He waited until the children and Audrey had gone off about their own business and the tea things had been taken away. His wife sat by the fire, opposite him, busying herself with embroidery work. He folded his newspaper.
“How long, Christine, have you permitted young Devine to run tame about this house?”
“Run tame?” she said a little nervously. “I would not call it that, my dear!”
“Would you not? He appeared to wander in here off the street.”
“Not without Garrick’s knowledge. There’s no need for such a fuss, Barnabas. He has stayed here in the past, and his parents are friends of ours.”
“Acquaintances,” he corrected her. “I hope you have not encouraged him to sniff around Jemimah.”
“They are children, Barnabas.”
“You were barely a year older when I married you. I expected you to have more sense than to allow this.”
“Allow what?” she asked with irritating defiance, her needle poised.
“Utter impropriety. She will be ruined at the age of sixteen! She’s a child, and yet you let her put up her hair and let down her hems. What were you thinking of?”
“That she is a young lady and must learn to behave as one,” Christine said tartly.
Barnabas rose and walked the few paces toward her, watching the courage fade from her eyes and the nervousness turn to alarm. He halted and bent over her deliberately.
“You are at fault, my love. Grievously so. Were she three years older, I would not give my daughter to Ben Devine. You are responsible for chaperoning her at all times.”
“He is not her only admirer,” Christine said defensively. Her breathing had quickened, as it always did when she was frightened. “As you will see when you escort us to the opera tomorrow evening.”
“I’m not sure either of you are fit to be allowed out.”
Her eyes fell. “If I have made a mistake, then I am sorry for it. I only did what I thought was best for a restive girl. I took her to tea with me a few times when I knew other young ladies and gentlemen would be present. That is all.”
