As the inestimable Charles Trevor deals with the aftermath of Lufra’s Green Park adventure, Frederica is suppressing laughter at the way Alverstoke dealt so masterfully with the situation, and also, somewhat ruefully, at herself for invoking his name like the Marquis of Carabas in Puss in Boots.* Alverstoke is amused too but gets serious faster than she does and scolds her for walking alone.
“Whatever may be the accepted mode in Herefordshire, in London it won’t do. Girls of your age and breeding don’t go about town unaccompanied.”Frederica tries to say she is not a girl and that she is not accountable to him but Alverstoke reasonably points out that she asked him to launch her into society so she must follow the rules. As someone mentioned, the Merrivilles have at least two housemaids, a cook, and Buddle, the loyal family butler; however, Frederica economized by not bringing a footman to town. Alverstoke says he will have Mr. Trevor find her one and, when she tries to take her leave, suggests that Frederica allow him to drive her to Lady Buxted’s to pay a visit of ceremony. Frederica wonders if it would be rude to do so without Charis, not realizing this is Alverstoke’s very objective. Then she is worried that she is not adequately dressed for a social call. His very astute comments on her outfit surprise Frederica but she says even if he is a rake she knows he is not a threat to her or Charis. Lufra is given to a footman to bring back to Upper Wimpole Street while Alverstoke and Frederica drive to Grosvenor Place. He asks why they brought Lufra to town and Frederica explains that he is part of the family and could not be left behind. She goes on to explain that Lufra saved Jessamy’s life and vice-versa, and that Jessamy wants to be a clergyman and has been going through a very somber phase. Alverstoke is relieved that she stops discussing her brothers:
He had missed neither Frederica’s hesitation nor the note of constraint in her voice, and he had thought it would not be long before she demanded his advice and even his active help, in the task of guiding her young brothers. She was quite capable of it; and while he was just as capable of withering any such attempt with one of his ruthless set-downs, he did not much wish to do this. He liked her. She was unusual and therefore diverting; she was not a beauty, but she had a good deal of countenance, and an air of breeding which pleased him; and her sister was a ravishing diamond whom he was perfectly willing to sponsor into the ton. There would be flutters in more dovecots that the one he was about to enter, and that would provide him with some entertainment.Lady Buxted is at home with two of her daughters and is condescending towards Frederica, offering her “a hard stare, two-fingers, and a cold how-do-you-do.” Frederica explains that Charis is ill and could not come but they appreciate Lady Buxted’s kindness in sponsoring them. Lady Buxted thaws slightly when she realizes Frederica is not a raving beauty who has bewitched her brother, yet offers no refreshment although the visit lasts half an hour (which seems rude to Alverstoke even if she is conveying a message to her new “cousin”). After they leave, Frederica who is no dummy, asks if Alverstoke is forcing Lady Buxted to sponsor the Merrivilles. She knows that Lady Buxted would not want her daughter Jane to be compared unfavorably to Charis. Alverstoke admits nothing and Frederica speculates that his indifference to what people think causes his boredom. He escorts her to Upper Wimpole Street, then goes home, planning to take his new grays for a ride but is confronted by Lufra, tethered to the bannister in his front hallway, uttering yelps, barks, and whines.
(I have been puppy sitting the last few days and my brother’s Labradoodle puppy (see below) also yelps, barks, and whines when she thinks she is being abandoned – even if it is just for three minutes!)
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| Grosvenor Place where Lady Buxted lives |
Alverstoke is somewhat annoyed that his directions to take the dog back to Upper Wimpole Street were not carried out, but his butler explains that Lufra refused to go with either footman so they had to restrain him. Charles says he tried dragging Lufra down the street and even pushed him into a hack without success.
Meeting Alverstoke’s eyes with the utmost blandness, he added, “I believe these Baluchistan hounds are famous for their fidelity, sir.”Alverstoke does not find that amusing but I do. He is just telling one of the footmen to fetch Jessamy when the two young Merrivilles arrive – Jessamy who knew Lufra would refuse to go anywhere with a stranger and Felix to coax Alverstoke to bring him to see the pneumatic lift. Wicken, Alverstoke’s starchy butler, succumbs to the boys’ manners and offers them lemonade and cakes. Alverstoke introduces the boys to Mr. Trevor and tries to make him take over the pneumatic lift visit. Jessamy is embarrassed by Felix’s pleas and tries to find out how much Mr. Trevor had to spend on Lufra’s critics. Alverstoke offers Felix a ride with his grays instead of a dull foundry. Felix won’t budge. In the meantime, Jessamy has checked out the grays and is droning on about horses as tediously as Felix is about machinery. It was more fun listening to the Marquis analyze Frederica’s outfit.
Alverstoke offers to take Jessamy out driving when he returns from the races at Newmarket but Jessamy insists on knowing how much was expended on Lufra first.
This declaration confronted Alverstoke at once with a novel situation, and a dilemma. No other member of his family had ever felt it incumbent upon him (or her) to repay the sums he had from time to time disbursed: all too many of them demanded unlimited largess as a right; and not two hours previously he had registered a silent vow to decline to assume the smallest responsibility for Fred Merriville’s sons. That was one thing. He now discovered that it was quite another to allow a stripling to hand over to him, out of what he guessed to be a small allowance, whatever sum Charles Trevor had been obliged to spend on Lufra’s behalf.
Jessamy won’t give up, even if the offer of a drive with the grays is withdrawn. Finally, in desperation, Alverstoke tells Jessamy that his father commended the siblings to Alverstoke’s care. Jessamy is wary but accepts Alverstoke’s story. He goes home with Lufra, dreaming of horses, while Alverstoke takes Felix to the foundry in Soho (on foot – you would have expected it to be farther away from upscale residences). On the way, they run into acquaintances of Alverstoke’s who are surprised to see him with a child. They even encounter Endymion Dauntry, Alverstoke’s heir, a handsome young military officer of only moderate understanding. Endymion thanks Alverstoke for including his sister in the forthcoming ball and promises to be there.
When Alverstoke and Felix reach the foundry, they are welcomed with open arms. The manager recognizes a kindred spirit in Felix and Alverstoke zones out of the conversation but realizes Felix really knows his stuff. Alverstoke finds himself unexpectedly proud of Felix’s knowledge. Felix is overjoyed by the tour and is incoherent with appreciation:
“J-Jessamy said you didn’t w-want to come but you did, sir, didn’t you?These chapters are interesting for several reasons: Frederica actually jokes with the Marquis about his status and the toad eating that comes with it. To make him into the kind of hero we like, we want him to be a little less detached and show more humor (and to appreciate, as he begins to, Frederica’s sense of humor, as this is how some of Heyer’s protagonists connect). Here, also, he begins a relationship with Jessamy and Felix that is independent of Frederica.
To be sure I did!” replied the Marquis, perjuring his soul without hesitation.
“And even if you didn’t, you m-must have been interested,” said Felix, with a brilliant smile.
Are children in Heyer depicted convincingly? Edmund in Sylvester never seems very convincing to me and Arabella’s siblings are mostly off-stage but I do enjoy Jessamy and Felix. Any others? (I enjoy Patricia Veryan’s Georgian novels but despise her baby-talking children)
I am guessing some of us would rather go for a ride with the grays than tour a foundry but all the more reason to give Alverstoke props for taking Felix there and observing his acumen. If you did not immediately warm to Alverstoke, does this chapter make you appreciate him more?
Endymion may be a block but he is very good-natured. Informed that Felix was Fred Merriville’s youngest child, he said: “No, is he? Well, by Jove! Fred Merriville!” After that he somewhat naively added: “Got a devilish bad memory! - Who is Fred Merriville?”
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| Chloe and I encountered this car last night |
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