Louise Gouge - A Proper Companion

Grooms and servants appeared, and soon the small party found themselves in the manor house’s large drawing room. There the major leaned on his cane and gazed about the room, a soft smile gracing his lean, handsome face. How good it must be for him to return to his childhood home, which now belonged to his brother, the viscount.

Anna experienced a pang of sorrow, for she would never see her own home again. Indeed, she had no home. She quickly cast aside the thought, relishing instead the scent of roses wafting from an arrangement on a nearby side table and admiring the lovely furnishings that filled the room: plush velvet chairs and settees, portraits of noble ancestors, bisque figurines and heavy draperies. She had never beheld such elegance. Mrs. Brown’s wide-eyed perusal of their surroundings revealed that she was likewise awestruck.

A middle-aged butler strode into the room and announced, “Lady Greystone.”

Anna’s heart jolted. The moment had come. She straightened and squeezed Mrs. Brown’s hand. Her friend returned the gesture and whispered good wishes.

A slender woman of medium height entered the room. Her dark grey hair was arranged in curls around her thin face, softening what some might consider hawk-like features. Anna noted her resemblance to Major Grenville and wondered whether the woman possessed his generous disposition as well.

“Edmond.” The woman marched toward her son, her gloved right hand extended. “Welcome home.” Despite her words of greeting, her tone rang with formality.

“Mother.” Major Grenville bowed and kissed her offered hand. “You look well.”

“Humph. What else would you say to me?” She stepped back and viewed him up and down. “You, on the other hand, do not look well at all.” She reached up and gripped his chin, turning his head one way, then the other, and emitted another disagreeable harrumph. “Still, you will live to serve another day.”

Anna’s heart sank. When Peter returned to her, she would embrace him and shower him with sisterly kisses and loving affirmation. How could this woman be so cold to her wounded son who had sailed across the ocean to fight for England?

Major Grenville gave her a warm smile. “Just so, Mother, if they want a cavalry officer who may not be able to ride as he once did.”

Yet another harrumph from the lady. “Nonsense. They would not dare to turn down Greystone’s brother. I shall see to it.”

Anna’s mind spun as she observed the woman’s attitude. Even Mrs. Brown must be shocked, for she gasped softly.

Lady Greystone’s head whipped around in their direction, and her dark, elegant eyebrows rose. “Who on earth are these creatures? How dare you bring them into my drawing room?” She eyed the major briefly before stepping over to Anna and glaring at her up and down through the single lens of her quizzing glass. “And just what is this one to you?”

The major limped forward, worry creasing his forehead. “Mother, forgive me, but when I read your letter about Miss Peel’s demise, I knew you would be searching for a new companion. This young lady is a vicar’s daughter and—”

“How dare you?” The viscountess turned her quizzing glass toward him with a fierce glare. “Do you think you can just snatch up some dowdy creature from the roadside and bring her through my front door into my drawing room to be my companion?” Her angry stare returned to Anna.

“You.” She sneered as if Anna smelled bad, and stepped back as one would from a victim of the plague. “Take your servant and get out.”

Chapter Four

“Wait.” Edmond leaned on Matthews’s arm and limped after Mother. “Madam, I beg your indulgence. This is no stranger from the side of the road.” He swallowed hard, wondering how much longer he could remain on his feet. “Miss Newfield’s brother saved my life and died in the process.” He glanced at the young woman, who winced at his words. He despised dashing her hopes that her brother might yet live. But Mother would respond better to a brave soldier’s death than to one who simply remained missing. In the corner of his eye, he noticed the outrage on Mrs. Brown’s plump face. If the woman spoke up to her betters, all would be lost.

He hastened to fill in the silence as Mother’s stare continued to rake the young woman up and down through her quizzing glass. “As I said, she is a vicar’s daughter of flawless reputation.”

Mother’s head snapped toward Edmond and then back toward Miss Newfield. “Indeed.”

“Yes, madam.” He sent Miss Newfield and her companion a warning frown indicating that he would speak for them. “And Mrs. Brown is a renowned and much-in-demand seamstress in her town, yet she took time from her work to accompany her friend for propriety’s sake.” At the compliment, Mrs. Brown’s angry flush softened to a pleased blush.

“Hmm.” Mother’s slender eyebrows, always an indicator of her mood, lowered from their aristocratic arch. She tapped her quizzing glass against her chin, then circled Miss Newfield as a man might circle a horse he was appraising. “Hmm,” she repeated. “Do you read, gel?”

Miss Newfield executed a perfect curtsey. “Yes, Lady Greystone. English, French and Latin.” For the first time in their brief acquaintance, Edmond noticed her flawless diction. Where had she learned to speak so well?

Mother’s eyebrows arched again, this time in surprise. “Indeed?” She harrumphed. “Educated by your father, I suppose.”

Ah, yes. Edmond recalled the incident with the vicar’s Bible brought from Oxford, where all Greystone sons had attended school. Another connection with the Newfield family formed in his mind, but he would wait to mention that to Mother.

“Yes, my lady.” Miss Newfield’s demeanor was everything proper in tone and posture, at once both confident and deferential.

Edmond felt a surge of pride, as if she were one of his soldiers who had met the approval of a superior. Pride, and perhaps a hint of affection such as he felt for Matthews.

“Are you a bluestocking?” Mother’s contempt for those women was evident in her haughty tone.

“I—I…” Miss Newfield glanced at Edmond, her head tilted in a pretty, questioning pose.

“Mother, I doubt the Bluestocking Literary Society meets in such a small village as Blandon.”

Understanding filled Miss Newfield’s eyes, and she gave Edmond a grateful smile. A strange feeling filled his chest. Once again he had found a way to help the young lady, and it gave him every bit as much satisfaction as winning a battle.

“Humph.” Mother came close to sneering. “Who are your people?”

Miss Newfield’s poise remained intact. “My lady, my father was the second son of a gentleman whose grandfather was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Anne.”

“And your father chose to bury himself in a remote village? Could he not obtain a better living through influential friends?”

“I do not know, my lady. But his people loved him.”

Mrs. Brown mumbled her agreement, but Mother appeared not to hear her and continued to stare at Miss Newfield.

“Well.” She shot a glance at Edmond. “We shall see if she suits.” She turned toward him. “I will forgive you for bringing servants into my drawing room because of these unusual circumstances. This one may help you.” She waved a hand at Matthews. “But only as long as you require his assistance. That one—” a sniff toward Mrs. Brown “—renowned seamstress or not, will remain in the servants’ quarters.” She strode to the bell pull beside the marble hearth and gave it a yank. “You will be in your old chambers. Mrs. Dobbins will assign a room to Miss Newman…Newmarket—”

“Newfield.” Edmond recognized his mother’s method of putting people in their places. That was her way, as if she alone guarded the social order of England. Clearly, she thought the great-granddaughter of a knight, whose descendants received no title or lands, did not warrant any amount of attention or respect.