Charlotte: The Practical Education of a Distressed Gentlewoman (8 page)

The figures on the floor took them
apart for a while, when they came together again Freddy took up the
thread, “It's not pity. I thought -.”

“
You didn't think, that's the
problem.”

“
I thought you could use it, think
of it like the 'luck pennies' you give back when you buy a
horse.”

“
I'm not a horse and I'm not for
sale.”

“
I'm sorry then that I offended.
Believe me when I say it was kindly meant.” They said nothing until
the dance ended when they curtsied and bowed. Charlotte was
steaming. She told Mrs. Answorth, “Is there nothing that will upset
that stuck up full of himself swell!”

“
What is wrong
Charlotte?”

“
I gave him back that note, was
rude to him, and still all he did was to apologize to me. What a
lack of spirit.”

“
Or perhaps he has good manners.
Please my dear, try to avoid unpleasantness, for better or worse
the Talbot's are now our neighbors, and it is best to get on with
them.”

“
For worse, I'd say.”

Charlotte stood on the side of the
room glaring at Freddy as he gamely danced with partner after
partner. When she wasn't glaring, she was remarking to her friends
to his disadvantage.

“
Have you ever seen such an oddly
cut coat?” was one of the less insulting comments. Elizabeth,
similarly disadvantaged by the excess of females, wandered over and
happened to hear some of her discourse. She was about to go and
defend her brother when her father stopped her, “Lizzy, we can't
make everybody happy with us. Think on it, poor Miss De Vere has
lost all her expectations. We aren't to blame, but we're an easy
target for her displeasure.”

“
Yes, father. I'd so much like to
defend Freddy.”

“
Let Freddy fight his own battles,
my dear. He's well aware of how the wind blows in that direction.
If he chooses to ignore her, so should you.”

At the change in the tunes, one of
the squire's sons came over and asked Elizabeth if she would dance.
Charlotte's comment, “Money talks.” was loud enough for them both
to hear.

The squire's son bowed at the start
and said, “Miss Talbot, I hope you understand that I don't agree
with that sentiment.”

Elizabeth curtsied, replying “Of
course. How is Miss Smith?”

The man smiled, “Very well, thank
you. I asked her father if I could pay my attentions to her this
evening.”

“
I hope he said yes, I know Lucy
was keen on it. That was all she talked about on Tuesday. Imagine a
ball to go to and no talking about dresses or dancing.”

“
He did.”

“
So when is the
wedding?”

“
We'll post banns next month, it
gives my aunt and uncle from the city time to come.”

“
Where in the city are
they?”

“
Cheapside, I think, I've never
been there. He's in trade.”

“
A respectable line of
trade?”

“
I would think so. He's a decent
fellow and a great sport. I can't imagine him doing anything that
wasn't respectable.”

The tune changed and the squire's
son bowed while Elizabeth curtsied. The man went off in search of
another partner.

The dancing continued for the
customary four sets, then there was a break. The break was both for
the dancers to refresh themselves and the musicians to stretch sore
muscles and tune their instruments. The remaining sets of the
evening proceeded in much the same manner as the first, with
Charlotte waxing elegant in her disparagement of the Talbot's,
while Elizabeth kept carefully on the other side of the room when
not dancing. It wasn't until they were in the carriage on the way
to the hall that she spoke of the evening.

Elizabeth remarked, “That Miss De
Vere doesn't think highly of us, does she?”

Freddy replied, “I didn't notice. I
was too busy dancing.”

“
She was rude about you while you
danced.”

“
Was she? She was upset about my
subterfuge at trying to give her a bit more capital. I really don't
understand her objections. I suppose I offended her pride in some
way or another.”

Their father added, “I hope Lizzy
that you didn't let her remarks spoil your evening.”

“
No father, but I could have done
without them. She was making herself ridiculous in her
peevishness.”

“
Just remember, she deserves our
pity. Imagine being done out of your home and expectations by your
father and brother.”

“
Is that why my share is wrapped
so tightly in trusts?”

“
That and to protect you and your
children from a spendthrift wastrel. Should you be so daft as to
fall in love with one.”

“
You know that won't happen. I'm
too level headed.”

Charlotte looked
out the window from the first floor apartment on Cheap Street that
the Answorths hired for the month. It was raining. It seemed that
it was always raining, always gray in Bath. As she watched the
crowds walk by underneath, she realized that her discontent was
more related to not knowing anyone and sitting alone in the
apartment than to the weather.

The last two weeks were a tedious
repetition of Dr. Answorth going to the pump room to drink a glass
of steaming sulfurous water, then to the bath to soak. A short
stroll around one of the crescents, more water and then, after a
very mediocre meal, to the assembly, or concert for the evening.
The only variance was when there wasn't an evening entertainment;
then they stayed home and read. The assemblies were especially
difficult for Charlotte because she wasn't used to waiting on the
side of the room for a dance. Looking at the gowns the other young
women were wearing didn't help either, her best ones were so far
out of the current mode that she felt a little frumpy just seeing
them hanging in the closet. The way her social life was going she
would chat to the devil, smoke, fire, horns and all, just for the
company.

The devil appeared, not in his
conventional red complete with horns and pitchfork, but in the form
of an elegantly dressed succubus. There was that Elizabeth Talbot,
walking below with a few companions. They were looking for a bakery
to buy some Sally Lunns or Bath Buns, and taking their time about
finding it. The women in the party seemed to be pointing things out
to Elizabeth. Charlotte swallowed her pride, grabbed an umbrella,
and told Mrs. Answorth that she was going out. The devil you know
was good company if there was no one else to talk to.

She called “Miss Talbot!” Elizabeth
stopped and turned, “Miss De Vere?” She was surprised by the
unexpectedly friendly greeting. When they were at the dance in
Staverton, Charlotte's attitude could best be described as cold,
when it wasn't actively hostile.

“
Miss Talbot, I am so glad to see
someone, anyone, I know.”

Elizabeth decided to take that for
an apology, at least on speculation. “Miss De Vere, my friends and
I were just looking for a bakery on Lilliput Street. Would you like
to come with us?”

“
May I?”

“
Of course.” Elizabeth introduced
her companions. After a few minutes exchanging greetings, the
friends decided to wander off and let Elizabeth catch up with
Charlotte. They'd meet at the bakery and continue from
there.

“
Miss Talbot, what brings you to
Bath? I thought you were going to remain in Staverton.”

“
Boredom, mostly, there's nothing
to do at the Hall. So when the firm needed me I jumped at the
chance to get to Bath again.”

“
The firm?”

“
The family business. Our agent,
Mr. Netherfield, unexpectedly had to return home to deal with his
father's death. The junior, Mr. Jones, is doing the work, but they
need someone experienced to watch over him.”

“
And you're
experienced?”

“
Of course I'm experienced, I'm
family. So for the next few weeks I'm here.”

“
It must be boring looking at all
those figures and things.”

“
I find it rather fascinating. But
then business is in my blood, I've been listening to business and
finance at the dining table as long as I can remember. Now, Miss De
Vere, why the sudden change of heart?”

“
What do you mean?”

“
Two weeks and three days ago, at
the ball in Staverton, you made it very clear that we were not
friends. That we could not ever be friends.”

“
I did, didn't I?” Charlotte
paused, “I suppose you would be justified in cutting me now,
wouldn't you?”

“
Yes, I would. I have to admit
that it is tempting.”

“
Please don't. Would it help if I
apologized?”

“
A little.”

Charlotte paused, gathered her
breath and started, “Miss Talbot, Elizabeth, I am truly sorry for
how I spoke to you and how I behaved. Would you please accept my
apologies?”

“
Yes, I will. If you'll try to be
friends with me, Charlotte, I'll do the same with you. Is it an
agreement?” Elizabeth offered her hand to Charlotte.

“
Yes.” Charlotte shook hands on
the deal.

“
Good, now let's go and find that
bakery. My friends must be wondering if I've fallen into the
Avon.”

It didn't take too long to find the
bakery, as Charlotte, with the knowledge she'd acquired in the two
weeks she'd been in Bath knew the way and led Elizabeth directly to
it. Her friends were there and had already purchased a package of
fresh hot buns. Charlotte could not help but notice that Elizabeth
quietly chatted with, and then passed a few shillings to, one of
the older woman, Mrs. Jones, who had purchased them. For once she
decided to remain quiet about Elizabeth's social solecism. They
wandered off to consume their treats while strolling in the Parade
Garden.

One of the younger members of the
party latched on to Charlotte and quietly asked her, “Miss are you
one of Miss Talbot's friends?”

“
I think so. I hope
so.”

“
Good, can you put in a word for
my husband? He's only a junior clerk but.”

Elizabeth came to the rescue, “Mrs.
Willis, are you worried about Mr. Willis?”

“
Yes, Ma'am.”

Elizabeth rather testily replied,
“I'm not the queen.”

“
Yes Miss Talbot.”

“
Good, I don't interfere with the
way Mr. Jones runs the office. He would be rightly upset if I
did.”

“
Miss?”

“
Seriously Mrs. Willis, it must be
galling enough for him to answer to a woman, and Freddy said not to
interfere with how the office is run. Of course if there's a
problem that's different, but there isn't, is there?”

“
No. It's just I'm worried over
him. I'm hoping he can be promoted sometime.”

“
In due time, both Mr. Netherfield
and Mr. Jones are fair men. I'm sure that when he's ready, they'll
promote him.”

Mrs. Jones came over and reminded
Mrs. Willis that this was meant to be a friendly social expedition
to show Miss Talbot the sights of the city. She turned to Elizabeth
and said, “I do hope, Miss Talbot that there won't be anything
arising out of this?”

“
No, absolutely not. She'd be an
unnatural wife not to want to help her husband. I really don't
interfere with that level of management.”

“
Mr. Jones was saying he'd learned
more in the few days working for you than he'd learned in years
under Mr. Netherfield.”

“
Now don't you start either,
please.”

Charlotte awoke with a start
mid-morning the next day. It was earlier than she usually arose.
The assembly was tonight, and she realized that she didn't know if
Elizabeth was planning to attend. She threw on her dress, bolted
something that resembled breakfast, a bit of slightly stale bread
and cheese, and ran to the Talbot place part way up the hill on the
Paragon. Composing herself and catching her breath she paused in
front of the door and then knocked.

A footman opened the door and
asked, “Who may I say is calling?”

“
It's Miss De Vere for Miss
Talbot.”

He showed her into the hall then
went to see if Elizabeth was ready to receive a visitor. Charlotte
barely remembered the time before her father had to retire to the
country from his debts. They had a footman or two then. But none
were as magnificent as this one. The servant returned and said,
“Miss De Vere, if you'll follow me, Miss Talbot is almost finished
with Mr. Jones.”

Charlotte was shown into a ground
floor room, which was much less elegantly furnished than the hall
or what she could see in the glimpses of the parlors she passed. A
bare wood desk sat at one end of the room, a simple table at the
other and an ill-matched assortment of plain chairs made up the
rest of the furnishings. Elizabeth and a gentleman were seated at
the table going over papers when Charlotte entered. Elizabeth
looked up, gave a quick nod of greeting, and then returned to her
work.