"Well_Cousin!", Lady Suzan purred as she acknowledged the curtsy of her visitor, "This is_indeed and unexpected_honor!"
"Your Ladyship is too kind", Said Mrs. Henry Dashwood as she completed her curtsey, though inwardly she mused: "I doubt it."
"Well_Cousin", her Ladyship purred all innocence, "Have you come to apologize to me for stealing away the man I loved?"
"No Suzan", said Mrs. Dashwood smiling, "Nor have I come to hear you complain of it." Lady Suzan's big gray eyes flashed and Mrs. Dashwood would have been no relation indeed had she missed the lightning bolts that accompanied the gesture.
For indeed the then Miss Suzan Middleton had at one time flirted outrageously with the late Mr. Henry Dashwood on her coming out into Society; but it had been her Cousin, the blooming Miss Elinor Middleton as was who had captivated Mr. Dashwood's heart and that in spite of her Cousin's claims of being in a 'delicate condition' at the time and which claims proved to be an absolute falsehood.
Both had been stunning beauties; but it had been the artless charm and attaching manners of Miss Elinor which had with very little effort attached Mr. Henry for life, very much to the outrage of her Cousin, Miss Suzan and which Miss had promptly sworn every species of revenge upon both her Minx of a Cousin and her deserting, jilting lover.
The two Cousins had been the eldest daughters of two brothers; however, the modest Estates of the two Messieurs Middleton had been Entailed in default of Heirs male to an Uncle_a Mr. William Pellew. One had gone out as a Governess the other had eventually married a Mr. Frederick Vernon.
"Well", Lady Suzan purred sweetly after they'd settled into the Drawing Room and the tea had been served, "Then may I ask why you are here Cousin?"
"I understand", Mrs. Dashwood said, "That you have been kind enough the offer hospitality to my Daughter in Law, Fanny these last weeks." Her Ladyship stiffened ever so slightly.
"Well_er-well yes, of course", she purred in spite of the sinking feeling that was causing her stomach a dip or two,"Why_er_yes, I'd quite forgot that the two of you are related. Yes_well_I have indeed had the pleasure of my little Fan's companionship these last weeks. Indeed I'm monstrous fond of the dear Creature and I find that I really could not do without her." Now the look of intelligence that her Cousin bestowed upon her at this saying communicated tolerably well that the woman had guessed what had been truly passing through her thoughts. However, Mrs. Dashwood, who'd patiently borne in their earlier days all her Cousins tricks and shenanigan merely said:
"Your Housekeeper, Mrs. Patmore, I believe_is sister to my Mrs. Hughes."
"Oh, yes indeed", Lady Suzan purred, trying to keep the acid out of her tone and privately promising that traitorous Patmore every revenge that was within her power to inflict.
"Well", Mrs. Dashwood continued, guessing what lay in store for poor Mrs. Patmore and feeling a pang for it, "It seems that Mrs. Hughes had a letter from Mrs. Patmore about a fortnight ago informing her that Fanny had been staying with you."
"Yes.", said Lady Suzan her voice more of a dangerous purr than she intended, "I shall have to remember all my Mrs. Patmore's good offices."
"And naturally", Mrs. Dashwood continued, "Mrs. Hughes_understanding the connection between Fanny and myself_ knew that I would quite naturally be interested in my Daughter in Law's well being, which I've been given to understand has not been good."
"Oh yes my dear", Her Ladyship crooned with a look of the sweetest solicitude, "I've really been expiring from horror over my angel's cruel situation." Mrs. Dashwood could have said: 'Expiring indeed_Mistress of deceit_!'
For she had no doubt that the woman had not only been enjoying the downfall of Mrs. John Dashwood with a good deal of sardonic glee but had not doubt been doing all in her power to help it along.
"Yes", Mrs. Dashwood said swallowing her ire, "I'm_sure you have Cousin. Which is why I'm certain that you'll be glad of the business which brings me here to London."
"Well my dear Cousin", Lady Suzan crooned clapping her hands with a species of delight that had her Cousin stopping just short of rolling her eyes, "You've come to provide some relief to my angel have you? How_lovely! How dear of you! Such goodness; how wonderful!" Mrs. Dashwood sipped some of her tea the better to wash away the sour taste that one brought on.
"Not exactly Cousin", Mrs. Dashwood said, her Azure eyes twinkling with just the tiniest drop of mischief, "I come with an invitation for Fanny to come and stay with me at Barton Cottage for_.", she paused for she'd been about to say 'for as long as she wished', but being well acquainted with the scheming turns her Cousin's mind tended to take said instead: "For_a few weeks." Her Ladyship stared_blinked and nearly choked on her tea.
"Well_ahem_well, well Cousin! That is_uncommon generous of you. A_er_few weeks you say?", her Ladyship clarified.
"Indeed", Mrs. Dashwood said rather guardedly, catching at the mischief and cunning that few but herself had ever been able to read within the lines of her Cousin's pretty face, "Only a few weeks. I_trust that you would have no objection Cousin?"
"Oh dear me no!", Lady Suzan said smiling
Very prettily, "However, I must say Cousin", she said leaning forward with a confiding air, "I_well_find it rather wonderful that_well_considering how she virtually dispossessed you and your daughters ten years ago, I would have thought_well_!"
"That I would have been dancing a jig about the Courts of Chancery?", Mrs. Dashwood said meditatively, "I'll admit Cousin that there had been a time when I would have cheerfully encamped on Norland's grounds just to have the pleasure of witnessing her pack. Nor do I pretend", she continued, "To be overflowing in fondness for my Daughter in Law. We certainly have had our difference.
"Well", sniffed her Ladyship, "I should think so Cousin."
"But my girls and I have been happy", Mrs. Dashwood continued, "In spite of our misfortunes and thanks to the kindness of our Friends we have wanted for nothing."
"Yes, our Cousin Sir John certainly did rise to the occasion", her Ladyship said with more candor that her Cousin had ever witnessed in her_.
Which served to put her even more on her guard.
"He was most attentive to you and your daughters_the dear Creatures", her Ladyship rhapsodized, "The most beautiful Creatures I've ever beheld_!" Now if there was one thing Mrs. Elinor Dashwood understood about her Cousin tolerably well was that any excess in compliments that bubbled forth from her pretty mouth were certain to be followed by a stream of honeyed invectives that would issue forth with all the gentleness of Thor's Hammer.
"Of course", her Ladyship continued sweetly, "They might have been my beautiful Creatures_had I not been supplanted_and of my only true love_!", And here she pretended to cry.
Mrs. Dashwood rolled her eyes.
"And much as I'd care to share with you in the commiseration my Lady", she said, "I'd like to spend some time with my Daughter in Law." By dent of enforcing the statement she rose and placed her hands before her primly and waited.
"Well_Cousin", Lady Suzan purred also rising, "Why that Parisian Silk is the most beautiful I've ever beheld! Why that Grecian bend reminds me of several gowns that I bought new from Paris exactly that shade of silvery filigree upon my word. That is_when it was in fashion_many years ago_."
"You were about to ring the bell for Fanny Milady_I believe.", said Mrs. Dashwood sighing.
"Oh, yes_yes of course. Jenkins!"
