Читать книгу Cardboard Castle - Percival Christopher Wren - Страница 9

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“I didn’t know there was such a word as ‘unimpeccable,’” murmured Lady Calderton, as she put down the letter and took up her cup.

“Didn’t you, my dear?” answered the General, lowering the newspaper which at the moment obscured his handsome clear-cut face.

“No. Did you, Arthur?”

“No,” replied the General. “I didn’t.”

“Well, I don’t think we shall do better,” observed Lady Calderton, consulting Lady Jane’s letter again before looking across the breakfast-table and thoughtfully regarding the newspaper, which once more concealed her husband and hid the loving mocking smile that, as she well knew, played about the corners of his firm mouth.

“Better than ‘unimpeccable’?” came from behind the paper.

Always mocking; always smiling at her. Might the day never come when even her most innocent and earnest remark failed to amuse him. Not that her remarks were amusing, of course; nor that she was clever, thank God; but he could always make them amusing—to himself, at any rate.

“No, this Miss Stuart.”

“Which Miss Stuart?”

The General dropped the paper and left it unheeded on the glowing scarlet, blue and green of the thick Turkey carpet.

“This one, dear,” explained Lady Calderton, raising the letter. “Apparently she is absolutely everything that we want for Anthony. Everything. And is of ‘unimpeccable’ character.”

“Get her at once, my dear,” urged the General. “The sort of governess one so seldom has the pleasure of meeting. I distinctly remember that all the governesses I encountered in my mis-spent youth, were definitely impeccable ... Never an ‘un’ ... We must snap her up.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” mused Lady Calderton. “Good governesses are plentiful nowadays.”

“Yes, good ones,” sighed the General. “Le bon Dieu knows that. But how often does a prospective employer get a firm offer of a guaranteed unimpeccable one? Does Lady Jane mention whether she is also impeachable and maculate?”

“Well, I didn’t ask about her Religion,” was the reply.

The General’s smile again came out from hiding beneath his grizzled clipped moustache.

“She simply said we should be very lucky if we got this Miss Mary Stuart. She was ten years with the Alymer de Warennes, so her religion must be all right. You know how particular Yvonne is. And she is a lady.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that of Yvonne.”

“I’m talking of Miss Mary Stuart. Lady Jane says she’s a lady.”

“She has always behaved like one to me,” admitted the General.

“What, Mary Stuart?”

“No, Lady Jane.”

Yes, this was proceeding nicely. A conversation according to plan, or at any rate, according to custom. Obviously the General was interested and amused, and all was for the best in the best of all possible ménages.

“Yes, dear. Well, she says that this Miss Mary Stuart is a gentlewoman, one of the nouveaux pauvres, you know. She says here, ‘Her family never thought that ...’”

“She would sink so low. I know,” interrupted the General.

“Sink? ...”

“Well, if as you say, she is young, beautiful, pure—or was it poor?—guaranteed unimpeccable, she may as well sink in here.”

“When things sink they settle down,” added the General, helping himself to marmalade, “and what we particularly want is someone to settle down with Anthony before we go away.”

“Yes, I’ll write and ask her to come and see me,” said Lady Calderton.

“Would you care to interview her too, Arthur?” she added.

“Rather,” replied the General. “In view of Lady Jane’s unusual recommendation, yes. I wonder if she’s beautiful as well as impeachable.”

“Lady Jane didn’t say that, dear. Her writing is good and it is perfectly distinct. ‘Unimpeccable.’”

“Good enough,” smiled the General, passing his coffee cup. “Especially if she’s at all good-looking too.”