Callander Square - Anne Perry [73]
George squinted at her round the paper.
“You surprise me. I didn’t think Charlotte gave a fig for any part of society. I would say don’t push her into anything she does not wish, just because you enjoy it; only I doubt you would be able to. As I remember Charlotte, she is very unlikely to do anything unless she wishes to herself.” He put the paper down. “But in the event she does wish to look at society, why don’t you ask her here? We’ll give a party and introduce her properly. She’s a handsome enough creature, not traditional perhaps, but very handsome.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Emily said quickly. “It has nothing to do with her looks, it is her tongue. You can’t take Charlotte anywhere, she says whatever comes to her mind. Ask her her opinion of anything, and instead of judging what is appropriate to say, she will tell you what she really thinks. She would not mean to, but she would ruin herself in a month, not to mention us. And of course Pitt is not a gentleman. He is far too intelligent, for a start.”
“There is no reason why a gentleman should not be intelligent, Emily,” he said somewhat tartly.
“Oh, of course not, my dear,” she replied with a smile. “But he should have the good taste not to show it. You know that. It makes other people feel uncomfortable, and it implies effort. One should never appear to make an effort. It is like enthusiasm; have you noticed how ladies are never enthusiastic in public? It makes one look so naive. Still, I suppose there is nothing public to be enthusiastic about. Shall you be in for dinner?”
“We are engaged to dine with Hetty Appleby,” he said, fixing her with a penetrating eye. “I presume you had forgotten that?”
“Completely,” she admitted. “I must go now, I have a lot to say to Charlotte.”
“You could always ask her to dinner here anyway,” he called after her. “I rather like Charlotte. She may not be good for society, but I think she might be rather good for me!”
Emily quite naturally found Charlotte at home at that hour of the day and pleased at the excuse to leave her housework, although her home, she would be the first to admit, had fallen into a rather haphazard state since her assistance to General Balantyne began.
“We can discount Christina,” Emily said immediately, walking in and pulling off her gloves. “I have looked at her carefully, and I don’t believe she would have the nerve.”
Charlotte made an effort to conceal a smile, and failed.
“I’m so glad.”
“Why? You cannot possibly tell me you like her?”
“Oh no, I don’t! But I like the general; and I think I like Brandy too.”
“Indeed?” Emily was surprised. “Why do you like Brandy? I told you about Euphemia Carlton!”
“I know you did. Where do you wish to look next? I think Reggie Southeron. He definitely pays considerable attention to his parlormaids. I don’t imagine it is a newly acquired habit—”
“Certainly not. But as well as that, we should consider the mystery of Helena Doran.”
“Why, for goodness’ sake? She’s been gone for two years.”
“I know that,” Emily said impatiently. “But what about her lover? Who was he? Was she the only one? Why not court her openly, if he were a man of honor? Why does no one know who he was?”
Charlotte understood immediately.
“You mean he may have courted others, and the babies could have been theirs? Thomas said the times of death were only very approximate.” She wrinkled her nose a little. “It depends on the nature of the soil, the wetness, and so forth. It seems horrible to think of human beings like that: but I suppose we must all be buried some time. We are only clay anyway, after the soul has gone. It’s foolish how much we love our bodies. I can ask Jemima a little about it.”
Emily knew her sister well enough to realize without effort that this last sentence referred back again to Helena Doran’s disappearance.
“What is she like, this Jemima?” she inquired.
“Very reliable.” Charlotte viewed her as a witness, rightly