Page 106 of A Foolish Flirtation

“Oh, now she will make you a most suitable acquaintance, Lady Faris,” she exclaimed, sounding pleased. “Angela Needham is a truly lovely woman. Always so gracious and such refined manners, despite the hard life she has had, and the cross she has to bear,” she concluded cryptically before taking a sip of tea. “She rarely ventures out from Benham Hall these days due to her ill health,” she sighed. “Such a shame. She has always had a delicate constitution from what I understand.”

“What a pity,” Emmie replied dutifully. “Hopefully today is one of her good days.”

At this point, the vicar drifted back in through the open doors and walked over to inspect the framed cameos on the wall.

“Now, you must not be offended if she does not stay long with you,” Mrs. Ryland rattled on. “It will be purely due to her health. If her son, Edgar Needham, was at home, he would certainly have fulfilled the social obligation, but he is in London on business, which leaves only the daughter.” Mrs. Ryland pursed her lips, her nostrils pinching. “It cannot be expected that Miss Halperston will put herself out on anyone’s behalf,” she said bitterly. “The daughter is from Mrs. Needham’s first marriage, you know,” she said with stress. “And quite different to her half brother, who is always so tender and solicitous to his mother.”

“Mariah,” her husband said reproachfully, turning about to face them. “That is not kind. Miss Halperston has many duties at home, looking after her sick mother and running the household. It can hardly be expected that she should have time for social calls.”

“Now, Charles, you know how unfeeling and hard that girl is! Why, many is the time when we have discussed the matter in perfect accord!”

Reverend Ryland sucked in his cheeks. “Mariah,” he said warningly, “you will give Lady Faris the impression we are sad gossips.”

“No, no,” Emmie protested. “You are among friends here.”

The vicar relaxed and Mrs. Ryland looked appeased. She turned impulsively back to Emmie. “Oh, I almost forgot!” she exclaimed. “I wrote to Lady Sharpe, as I said I would, proposing your name as a nominee for our little committee and what do you think?”

“She agreed to look me over?” Emmie suggested, thinking of what Jeremy had said about Lady Sharpe. The vicar gave a small cough.

“She, well, she proposed that you invite the ladies to hold their next gathering here at Vance Park,” Mrs. Ryland said, a little color creeping into her cheeks. “Then, as one of the points of business, we could hold a vote on your proposed membership.”

The vicar looked a little embarrassed. “Please understand, Lady Faris, my wife is aware this is an unconventional request, but Lady Sharpe is”—he hesitated—“a somewhat forceful character.”

“I am not offended,” Emmie responded not entirely truthfully. In truth, Lady Sharpe’s “request” sounded to her rather rude. It seemed more like a demand to use Vance Park as a venue. Still, Jeremy wanted her to join the ladies’ committee, so she would have to swallow down her feelings on the matter. “Please let Lady Sharpe know that I would be delighted to host the next committee meeting here at Vance.”

There were smiles all around. Still, Emmie did not feel altogether sorry to see the backs of the Rylands. She wondered, rather wistfully, how Teddy and Pinky were getting on that morning at their sketching lesson. Would they be roaming around the grounds or romping down on the beach by now? She doubted somehow that Teddy would be wholly focused on his lesson.

She knew where Jeremy would be, of course. He would be down at his racing stables until lunchtime. If it was not for the imminent arrival of Mrs. Needham and her daughter, Emmie would have considered walking down there to join him there.

In truth, as his wife, she ought to show more of an interest in his horse racing, she decided. From what Mrs. Ryland imparted, at least one of the squire’s daughters spent all her time in the stables. She found herself wondering, if Teddy had not demanded to meet Miss Ballentine, would Jeremy have naturally gravitated toward Miss Blanche Pebmarsh in time?

The thought disturbed her so much, she got up out of her chair and wandered out onto the terrace. Standing there in the sunshine, she decided to take a turn around the garden to while away the time before her next visitors arrived.

It was already very warm, and she could hear the gentle buzz of bees as she walked along next to the flowerbeds. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she contemplated the blue sky. There was not a cloud in sight. She wished devoutly that the same could be said of her marriage.

25

Jeremy waved a final farewell to Miss Pinson, who was stood at her parlor window madly waving her handkerchief, and helped Emmeline into the carriage. Teddy, who had decided midway through pudding that he wanted to stay the night at Plumtree Cottage, was still scowling.

“But why can I not stay the night, Papa?” he pouted as he settled back onto the seat, his arms folded across his chest. “The smallest bedroom would be perfect for me. No one else could fit in there.”

“In events such as these, my son, it is customary to wait until you are invited,” Jeremy said, climbing in behind them.

“Miss Pinson would have let me!”

“Nevertheless, you cannot simply decide these things yourself,” Jeremy retorted firmly, before glancing over his shoulder to tell Juggins to drive on. “It is the height of bad manners to invite yourself into someone’s home.”

They now took tea with Miss Pinson every Wednesday, and she came to dinner at Vance Park every Friday evening. They had quite settled into a routine. They were in the landau this evening, so the roof was down. With a huff, the boy turned his face away to stare out at the country lane as they bowled along it.

“Pinky likes to have plenty of notice before an event, Teddy,” Emmeline said placatingly. “You haven’t got your nightshirt with you, or any of your wash things. She would have worried about that. She likes to have everything planned out to the smallest detail.”

“So, I will be allowed to stay the night at Plumtree Cottage sometime soon?” Teddy asked eagerly, whipping around.

“If Miss Pinson invites you,” Jeremy said sternly. “And not before.”

His frown relaxed. “Oh,” he said, looking thoughtful. “I expect she will very soon.”

Jeremy eyed him narrowly. “You are not to start hinting outrageously,” he said with foreboding, but Teddy affected not to hear him, leaning his arms on the side of the carriage, and resting his head on his forearm.