LADY SUSANNA IN LONDON.
In spite of the caution which he had received from his friend and
cousin Mrs. Houghton, Jack De Baron did go to Munster Court during the
absence of Lord George, and there did encounter Lady Susanna. And Mrs.
Houghton herself, though she had given such excellent advice,
accompanied him. She was of course anxious to see Lady Susanna, who had
always especially disliked her; and Jack himself was desirous of making
the acquaintance of a lady who had been, he was assured, sent up to
town on purpose to protect the young wife from his wiles. Both Mrs.
Houghton and Jack had become very intimate in Munster Court, and there
was nothing strange in their dropping in together even before lunch.
Jack was of course introduced to Lady Susanna. The two ladies grimaced
at each other, each knowing the other's feeling towards herself. Mary
having suspected that Lady Susanna had been sent for in reference to
this special friend, determined on being specially gracious to Jack.
She had already, since Lady Susanna's arrival, told that lady that she
was able to manage her own little affairs. Lady Susanna had said an
unfortunate word as to the unnecessary expense of four wax candles
when they two were sitting alone in the drawing-room. Lady George had
said that it was pretty. Lady Susanna had expostulated gravely, and
then Lady George had spoken out. "Dear Susanna, do let me manage my own
little affairs." Of course the words had rankled, and of course the
love which the ladies bore to each other had not been increased. Lady
George was now quite resolved to show dear Susanna that she was not
afraid of her duenna.
"We thought we'd venture to see if you'd give us lunch," said Mrs.
Houghton.
"Delightful!" exclaimed Lady George. "There's nothing to eat; but you
won't mind that."
"Not in the least," said Jack. "I always think the best lunch in the
world is a bit of the servants' dinner. It's always the best meat, and
the best cooked and the hottest served."
There was plenty of lunch from whatsoever source it came, and the three
young people were very merry. Perhaps they were a little noisy. Perhaps
there was a little innocent slang in their conversation. Ladies do
sometimes talk slang, and perhaps the slang was encouraged for the
special edification of Lady Susanna. But slang was never talked at
Manor Cross or Cross Hall, and was odious to Lady Susanna. When Lady
George declared that some offending old lady ought to be "jumped upon,"
Lady Susanna winced visibly. When Jack told Lady George that "she was
the woman to do it," Lady Susanna shivered almost audibly. "Is anything
the matter?" asked Lady George, perhaps not quite innocently.
It seemed to Lady Susanna that these visitors were never going away,
and yet this was the very man as to whom her brother had cautioned her!
And what an odious man he was--in Lady Susanna's estimation! A
puppy,--an absolute puppy! Good-looking, impudent, familiar, with a
light visage, and continually smiling! All those little gifts which
made him so pleasant to Lady George were stains and blemishes in the
eyes of Lady Susanna. To her thinking, a man,--at any rate a
gentleman,--should be tall, dark, grave, and given to silence rather
than to much talk. This Jack chattered about everything, and hardly
opened his mouth without speaking slang. About half-past three, when
they had been chattering in the drawing-room for an hour, after having
chattered over their lunch for a previous hour, Mrs. Houghton made a
most alarming proposition. "Let us all go to Berkeley Square and play
bagatelle."
"By all means," said Jack. "Lady George, you owe me two new hats
already."
Playing bagatelle for new hats! Lady Susanna felt that if ever there
could come a time in which interference would be necessary that time
had come now. She had resolved that she would be patient; that she
should not come down as an offended deity upon Lady George, unless
some sufficient crisis should justify such action. But now surely, if
ever, she must interpose. Playing at bagatelle with Jack De Baron for
new hats, and she with the prospect before her of being Marchioness of
Brotherton! "It's only one," said Lady George gaily, "and I daresay
I'll win that back to-day. Will you come, Susanna?"
"Certainly not," said Lady Susanna, very grimly. They all looked at
her, and Jack De Baron raised his eyebrows, and sat for a moment
motionless. Lady Susanna knew that Jack De Baron was intending to
ridicule her. Then she remembered that should this perverse young woman
insist upon going to Mrs. Houghton's house with so objectionable a
companion, her duty to her brother demanded that she also should go. "I
mean," said Lady Susanna, "that I had rather not go."
"Why not?" asked Mary.
"I do not think that playing bagatelle for new hats is--is--the best
employment in the world either for a lady or for a gentleman." The
words were hardly out of her mouth before she herself felt that they
were overstrained and more than even this occasion demanded.
"Then we will only play for gloves," said Mary. Mary was not a woman to
bear with impunity such an assault as had been made on her.
"Perhaps you will not mind giving it up till George comes back," said
Lord George's sister.
"I shall mind very much. I will go up and get ready. You can do as you
please." So Mary left the room, and Lady Susanna followed her.
"She means to have her own way," said Jack, when he was alone with his
cousin.
"She is not at all what I took her to be," said Mrs. Houghton. "The
fact is, one cannot know what a girl is as long as a girl is a girl. It
is only when she's married that she begins to speak out." Jack hardly
agreed with this, thinking that some girls he had known had learned to
speak out before they were married.
They all went out together to walk across the parks to Berkeley Square,
orders being left that the brougham should follow them later in the
afternoon. Lady Susanna had at last resolved that she also would go.
The very fact of her entering Mrs. Houghton's house was disagreeable to
her; but she felt that duty called her. And, after all, when they got
to Berkeley Square no bagatelle was played at all. But the bagatelle
would almost have been better than what occurred. A small parcel was
lying on the table which was found to contain a pack of pictured cards
made for the telling of fortunes, and which some acquaintance had sent
to Mrs. Houghton. With these they began telling each other's fortunes,
and it seemed to Lady Susanna that they were all as free with lovers
and sweethearts as though the two ladies had been housemaids instead
of being the wives of steady, well-born husbands. "That's a dark man,
with evil designs, a wicked tongue, and no money," said Mrs. Houghton,
as a combination of cards lay in Lady George's lap. "Jack, the lady
with light hair is only flirting with you. She doesn't care for you one
bit."
"I daresay not," said Jack.
"And yet she'll trouble you awfully. Lady Susanna, will you have your
fortune told?"
"No," said Lady Susanna, very shortly.
This went on for an hour before the brougham came, during the latter
half of which Lady Susanna sat without once opening her lips. If any
play could have been childish, it was this play; but to her it was
horrible. And then they all sat so near together, and that man was
allowed to put cards into her brother's wife's hand and to take them
out just as though they had been brother and sister, or playfellows all
their days. And then, as they were going down to the brougham, the
odious man got Lady George aside and whispered to her for two minutes.
Lady Susanna did not hear a word of their whispers, but knew that they
were devilish. And so she would have thought if she had heard them.
"You're going to catch it, Lady George," Jack had said. "There's
somebody else will catch something if she makes herself disagreeable,"
Lady George had answered. "I wish I could be invisible and hear it,"
had been Jack's last words.
"My dear Mary," said Lady Susanna, as soon as they were seated, "you
are very young."
"That's a fault that will mend of itself."
"Too quickly, as you will soon find; but in the meantime, as you are a
married woman, should you not be careful to guard against the
indiscretions of youth?"
"Well, yes; I suppose I ought," said Mary, after a moment of mock
consideration. "But then if I were unmarried I ought to do just the
same. It's a kind of thing that is a matter of course without talking
about it." She had firmly made up her mind that she would submit in no
degree to Lady Susanna, and take from her no scolding. Indeed, she had
come to a firm resolve long since that she would be scolded by no one
but her husband--and by him as little as possible. Now she was angry
with him because he had sent this woman to watch her, and was
determined that he should know that, though she would submit to him,
she would not submit to his sister. The moment for asserting herself
had now come.
"A young married woman," said the duenna, "owes it to her husband to be
peculiarly careful. She has his happiness and his honour in her hands."
"And he has hers. It seems to me that all these things are matters of
course."
"They should be, certainly," said Lady Susanna, hardly knowing how to
go on with her work; a little afraid of her companion, but still very
intent. "But it will sometimes happen that a young person does not
quite know what is right and what is wrong."
"And sometimes it happens that old people don't know. There was Major
Jones had his wife taken away from him the other day by the Court
because he was always beating her, and he was fifty. I read all about
it in the papers. I think the old people are just as bad as the young."
Lady Susanna felt that her approaches were being cut off from her, and
that she must rush at once against the citadel if she meant to take it.
"Do you think that playing bagatelle is--nice?"
"Yes, I do;--very nice."
"Do you think George would like your playing with Captain De Baron?"
"Why not with Captain de Baron?" said Mary, turning round upon her
assailant with absolute ferocity.
"I don't think he would like it. And then that fortune-telling! If you
will believe me, Mary, it was very improper."
"I will not believe anything of the kind. Improper!--a joke about a lot
of picture-cards!"
"It was all about love and lovers," said Lady Susanna, not quite
knowing how to express herself, but still sure that she was right.
"Oh, what a mind you must have, Susanna, to pick wrong out of that! All
about love and lovers! So are books and songs and plays at the theatre.
I suppose you didn't understand that it was intended as a burlesque on
fortune-telling?"
"And I am quite sure George wouldn't like the kind of slang you were
talking with Captain De Baron at lunch."
"If George does not like anything he had better tell me so, and not
depute you to do it for him. If he tells me to do anything I shall do
it. If you tell me I shall pay no attention to it whatever. You are
here as my guest, and not as my governess; and I think your
interference very impertinent." This was strong language,--so strong
that Lady Susanna found it impossible to continue the conversation at
that moment. Nothing, indeed, was said between them during the whole
afternoon, or at dinner, or in the evening,--till Lady Susanna had
taken up her candlestick.
There had been that most clearly declared of all war which is shown by
absolute silence. But Lady Susanna, as she was retiring to rest,
thought it might be wise to make a little effort after peace. She did
not at all mean to go back from what charges she had made. She had no
idea of owning herself to be wrong. But perhaps she could throw a
little oil upon the waters. "Of course," she said, "I should not have
spoken as I have done but for my great love for George and my regard
for you."
"As far as I am concerned, I think it a mistaken regard," said Mary.
"Of course I shall tell George; but even to him I shall say that I will
not endure any authority but his own."
"Will you hear me?"
"No, not on this subject. You have accused me of behaving
improperly--with that man."
"I do think," began Lady Susanna, not knowing how to pick her words in
this emergency, fearing to be too strong, and at the same time
conscious that weakness would be folly----; "I do think that anything
like--like--like flirting is so very bad!"
"Susanna," said Lady George, with a start as she heard the odious
words, "as far as I can help it, I will never speak to you again."
There certainly had been no oil thrown upon the waters as yet.
The next day was passed almost in absolute silence. It was the Friday,
and each of them knew that Lord George would be home on the morrow. The
interval was so short that nothing could be gained by writing to him.
Each had her own story to tell, and each must wait till he should be
there to hear it. Mary with a most distant civility went through her
work of hostess. Lady Susanna made one or two little efforts to subdue
her; but, failing, soon gave up the endeavour. In the afternoon Aunt Ju
called with her niece, but their conversation did not lessen the
breach. Then Lady Susanna went out alone in the brougham; but that had
been arranged beforehand. They ate their dinner in silence, in silence
read their books, and met in silence at the breakfast-table. At three
o'clock Lord George came home, and then Mary, running downstairs, took
him with her into the drawing-room. There was one embrace, and then she
began. "George," she said, "you must never have Susanna here again."
"Why?" said he.
"She has insulted me. She has said things so nasty that I cannot repeat
them, even to you. She has accused me to my face--of flirting. I won't
bear it from her. If you said it, it would kill me; but of course you
can say what you please. But she shall not scold me, and tell me that I
am this and that because I am not as solemn as she is, George. Do you
believe that I have ever--flirted?" She was so impetuous that he had
been quite unable to stop her. "Did you mean that she should behave to
me like that?"
"This is very bad," he said.
"What is very bad. Is it not bad that she should say such things to me
as that? Are you going to take her part against me?"
"Dearest Mary, you seem to be excited."
"Of course I am excited. Would you wish me to have such things as that
said to me, and not to be excited? You are not going to take part
against me?"
"I have not heard her yet."
"Will you believe her against me? Will she be able to make you believe
that I have--flirted? If so, then it is all over."
"What is all over?"
"Oh, George, why did you marry me, if you cannot trust me?"
"Who says that I do not trust you? I suppose the truth is you have been
a little--flighty."
"Been what? I suppose you mean the same thing. I have talked and
laughed, and been amused, if that means being flighty. She thinks it
wicked to laugh, and calls it slang if every word doesn't come out of
the grammar. You had better go and hear her, since you will say nothing
more to me."
Lord George thought so too; but he stayed for a few moments in the
dining-room, during which he stooped over his wife, who had thrown
herself into an arm-chair, and kissed her. As he did so, she merely
shook her head, but made no response to his caress. Then he slowly
strode away, and went up stairs into the drawing-room.
What took place there need not be recorded at length. Lady Susanna did
not try to be mischievous. She spoke much of Mary's youth, and
expressed a strong opinion that Captain De Baron was not a fit
companion for her. She was very urgent against the use of slang, and
said almost harder things of Mrs. Houghton than she did of Jack. She
never had meant to imply that Mary had allowed improper attentions from
the gentleman, but that Mary, being young, had not known what
attentions were proper and what improper. To Lady Susanna the whole
matter was so serious that she altogether dropped the personal quarrel.
"Of course, George," she said, "young people do not like to be told;
but it has to be done. And I must say that Mary likes it as little as
any person that I have ever known."
This multiplicity of troubles falling together on to the poor man's
back almost crushed him. He had returned to town full of that terrible
letter which he had pledged himself to write; but the letter was
already driven out of his head for the time. It was essentially
necessary that he should compose this domestic trouble, and of course
he returned to his wife. Equally of course after a little time she
prevailed. He had to tell her that he was sure that she never flirted.
He had to say that she did not talk slang. He had to protest that the
fortune-telling cards were absolutely innocent. Then she condescended
to say that she would for the present be civil to Susanna, but even
while saying that she protested that she would never again have her
sister-in-law as a guest in the house. "You don't know, George, even
yet, all that she said to me, or in what sort of way she behaved."