Page 47 of Impetuous

The second carriage pulled in behind them and stopped, and Sir Philip turned to introducing Mrs. Moulton and Joanna. At that moment a blur shot out the front door and vaulted down the steps.

“Philip!” The girl leaped from the last step into his arms, trusting Philip to catch her, which he did with the ease of long practice.

“Georgette!” He hugged his sister and gave her a buss on the cheek, chiding playfully, “Are you never going to start behaving like a lady? My guests will think you are a hoyden.”

Georgette turned toward the others, grinning infectiously. She was beautiful, Cassandra thought, and much resembled her brother, with thick dark locks and the same golden-brown eyes, now sparkling with interest as she surveyed the new arrivals.

“I’m so happy to see you! It has been ages since Philip brought anyone home to visit, and it is deadly dull here.” She stopped, looking a bit embarrassed. “No. I said that wrong, didn’t I? I mean, I would have been happy to see you even if it were not dull here. But since it is,” she added irrepressibly, grinning, “I can tell you that I am twice as happy to see you.”

Before Philip could introduce her around, an older woman emerged from the house and advanced on them, smiling, her hands outstretched. “Philip! My love!”

“Mother.” He smiled and greeted the woman with a kiss on the cheek. “You are looking lovely, as always.”

She patted his cheek. “Darling boy. Now introduce me to everyone.”

“Yes, Philip, please do.” Joanna said, coming up beside him and linking her arm with his in a possessive way. “I am so looking forward to meeting your family.”

Philip glanced down at her in some surprise. At that moment, another woman appeared on the front steps. She looked to be in her twenties, not unattractive, but dressed in the plainest of ways, her hair pulled back tightly into a bun. She carried an equally plain straw bonnet and was pulling on her gloves.

“Sarah!” Lady Neville turned to the young woman with a smile. “Do come here and see Philip. He has just returned with his guests.”

“Yes. I see. That is why I—I do not wish to intrude….”

“Nonsense,” Lady Neville said calmly. “You are not intruding. Why, you are practically one of the family. Isn’t she, Philip?”

The woman colored a little with pleasure at Lady Neville’s words and came forward.

“Miss Yorke was paying us a social call when you arrived,” Lady Neville explained. “She is in charge at Silverwood, and a very dear friend of the family.”

Silverwood? Cassandra wondered what Silverwood might be and what she was in charge of there.

Her question was all too quickly answered, for Georgette went on bouncily, “Yes, she takes care of Philip’s children—and a daunting task it is, too.”

Philip smiled, disengaging his arm from Joanna and taking Miss Yorke’s hand in greeting, saying, “Good day, Miss Yorke. How are the children?”

“Doing well, Sir Philip. Of course, they have been asking about you frequently.”

“I shall be sure to visit them first thing tomorrow. But pardon me, I am forgetting my manners. I was about to introduce everyone.”

Through this exchange, Cassandra stood, stunned. Her heart seemed to have dropped clear down to her toes, and her stomach was twisting into knots. She could not think, hearing over and over again Georgette’s words: Philip’s children.

It was true! Sir Philip was so promiscuous that he had a whole houseful of illegitimate children, and he had set them up in a house that was obviously near here. Cassandra had not believed that what her aunt told her was true; it had seemed too preposterous. Her gaze turned involuntarily toward Aunt Ardis. The woman nodded at her with grim significance, and Cassandra’s stomach felt even sicker.

Philip was going through the long introductions now, and Cassandra tried to smile and greet everyone. His mother greeted her placidly. How could she speak of this Silverwood place so calmly? Planting a whole household of one’s illegitimate children practically on one’s mother’s doorstep seemed to Cassandra a slap in her face. Cassandra could not imagine treating it with such equanimity.

Lady Neville suggested that they go back inside, but Miss Yorke demurred. “I am sure that you wish to visit with your guests. I will come again another time.” She smiled in the general direction of the visitors. “I hope you will come to visit Silverwood while you are here.”

Aunt Ardis’s jaw dropped, but Cassandra managed to reply with a faint, “Yes, of course. Thank you.”

Miss Yorke started off, and Lady Neville repeated, “Do let’s go inside, where we can be comfortable. I am sure that you must be exhausted after your journey.”

“Not I,” Joanna said gaily, flashing the woman a dimpling grin. “Sir Philip is so considerate that it made the trip quite easy.” She turned toward Philip’s sister. “I myself am looking forward to a long coze with Georgette. May I call you Georgette? Philip has spoken of you so often that I feel as if I know you already.” She gave her the same dazzling smile, slipped her arm through the girl’s and steered her toward the front door. “I am quite sure that we are going to be the closest of friends.”

Georgette looked a trifle taken aback but went along with Joanna, and the others followed. Aunt Ardis grabbed Cassandra’s arm and held her back behind the others.

“You see?” she hissed into Cassandra’s ears. “Did I not tell you?”

“Yes, Aunt. You did.”