Miss Dower's Paragon by Gayle Buck Read Free Book Online Page B

their dose of health.
    Mrs. Dower looked wildly about. “Do I see Aurelia by the window? Why, I do believe that must be her. I shall just go over and—”
    Evelyn caught her mother’s elbow. “No, Mama. We must speak first to Lady Pomerancy. You know that we must. She has waved at us, and Mr. Hawkins knows that we have seen her.”
    “But I do not wish to speak to her ladyship. Oh, Evelyn, why ever did you turn down Mr. Hawkins’s suit? Lady Pomerancy must be so very angry with me,” said Mrs. Dower.
    “Mama, we shall not discuss that again, if you please, and especially not here. As for speaking to Lady Pomerancy, if you do not do so you will be giving her the cut direct. How do you suppose that will affect her temper?”
    Mrs. Dower turned startled eyes on her daughter. “Oh my! I had not thought—! Evelyn, how terrible that would be! How very glad I am that you are with me, you cannot conceive. Yes, by all means let us go greet Lady Pomerancy. She cannot exactly eat me, after all.”
    Evelyn laughed at the almost forlorn note in Mrs. Dower’s voice. She squeezed her mother’s hand. “Never mind. I shall be with you.”
    “I do not know that is such a good thing, for she must be ever so much angrier at you than she is at me,” said Mrs. Dower, sighing.
    Evelyn ignored this observation and inexorably led her reluctant parent over to the lady who awaited them.
    Lady Pomerancy was seated in her wheelchair as though it were a throne from which she presided over a royal court. Her posture was regal, and the piercing expression of her pale eyes was discomfiting. She held out her hand to Mrs. Dower. “Well, ma’am? My grandson had told me that you have been somewhat out of curl. I trust that you are in the way of better health?”
    Mrs. Dower flushed guiltily, aware that Lady Pomerancy was alluding to her previous unavailability to all of her visitors. “Oh, yes. A trifle only, I assure you.”
    Lady Pomerancy smiled faintly, immensely satisfied at the ease with which she had reduced the woman. She turned her sights on the younger lady. “I have not seen you in a great age, Miss Dower. You have improved vastly, I must say. I recalled you as a thin girl, all matchstick arms and legs. I was much surprised to hear my grandson describe you as otherwise.”
    Evelyn smiled, deliberately attempting to be at her most charming. She knew very well that Lady Pomerancy had seen her at chapel on any number of occasions through the years, though that lady had recently not attended as often as had been her former want. “I suppose that is why one is not allowed out of the schoolroom until one acquires a certain age. I hope that you are well, my lady?”
    “Very well, thank you,” said Lady Pomerancy firmly. Her eyes traveled past the ladies, and a softened light entered her austere glance. “Ah, here is Peter at last with my first water. Thank you, my dear.” She stoically drank from the glass that her grandson had presented to her.
    Mr. Hawkins nodded pleasantly to the other two ladies while he watched Lady Pomerancy drain the glass. With sympathy, he asked, “Do you truly wish a second glass?”
    Lady Pomerancy grimaced. “Pray do not tempt me, sir. You are well aware that I am ordered to take the customary three glasses, even though I detest drinking it.”
    “I will bring back the second glass with all due speed,” Mr. Hawkins promised.
    “Detestable man! Get on with it, then,” said Lady Pomerancy irascibly.
    Mr. Hawkins left on a laugh, the empty glass in hand.
    Mrs. Dower, anxious to be gone from her ladyship’s proximity, decided that she had sufficiently discharged her duty. “Oh, I have just seen an acquaintance of mine, my lady. I hope that you will not think I am abandoning you, but I really should greet her before she gets away.”
    “Of course you must,” said Lady Pomerancy agreeably.
    Mrs. Dower looked immensely relieved and began to take her leave.
    Evelyn made her excuses as well, but Lady