‘I quite understand,’ she said to Archie. ‘It is of course natural that she should want to protect you. It is clear to me that she sees you still as a boy.’
‘But I am not a boy any longer,’ he said, his jaw setting stubbornly.
‘No,’ she agreed. ‘Of course you are not.’
They began to walk.
‘I hope – I hope it was not Cecily’s words about our financial situation that gave your mother pause,’ she said quietly.
Archie stammered meaninglessly in response.
‘My papa always taught us,’ Kitty said, staring off into the distance as if deep in a memory, ‘that it was our characters, who we are on the inside, that matters … But I know not all people feel the same way. If it will upset your mother, perhaps it is better that we are not friends.’
This was utter fiction of course, but the bluff played out well.
‘Oh, do not say that, Miss Talbot,’ Mr de Lacy implored, aghast. ‘We mustn’t let Mama ruin our friendship – she’s terribly old-fashioned, you know, but I myself quite agree with your father. In fact,’ he drew himself up to his full height to prepare for a romantic declaration, ‘in fact, I-I should not care if you were a pauper or a prince!’
Misgendering aside, Kitty was quite pleased with this statement. It suited very well for Mr de Lacy to consider himself a romantic hero, and Lady Radcliffe the dragon guarding the castle.
‘Mr de Lacy, it is such a reassurance to hear you say so,’ she praised.
Kitty stopped on the path, forcing him to halt with her.
‘I hope you do not consider me too forward,’ she said, pushing as much warmth into her voice as she could. ‘But I am beginning to think you a most treasured friend.’
‘Miss Talbot, as do I,’ Archie breathed. ‘I am quite determined that we should still see each other. I shall speak to my mother today; I am sure I can make her see sense.’
Very well played, indeed, Kitty congratulated herself. Just so. When they parted an hour later, Kitty felt rather pleased with how the day had gone. But no sooner had they returned to Wimpole Street than Cecily spoke up, apropos of nothing.
‘Do you care for Mr de Lacy?’ she asked, as Kitty tugged the ribbons of her bonnet loose.
‘Why do you ask?’ Kitty said, frowning. The knot at the base of her chin was quite troublesome.
‘I heard what he said – that it would not matter if you were a prince or a pauper. But that isn’t true for you, is it?’
Kitty shrugged her shoulders, forgetting for a moment Dorothy’s strict instructions that she was not to do anything so unladylike any more.
‘I admire him, certainly,’ Kitty said defensively. ‘He has many admirable qualities. But if you are asking me if I am pursuing him for his fortune, then of course the answer is yes, Cecily. What else did you think we were here for?’
Cecily looked a little lost. ‘I suppose,’ she said haltingly, ‘I suppose I thought you would try to find someone rich who you also cared for.’
‘That would be very nice,’ Kitty said tartly, ‘if we had all the time in the world to do it – but we now have only eight weeks, before the moneylenders will be at Netley. And this time they will not leave empty-handed.’
6
The next day dawned bright and sunny. Excellent weather, in Kitty’s opinion, for a spot of fortune-hunting. This auspicious start, however, proved to be short-lived, for when they met the de Lacys, Mr de Lacy looked as bashful as a lamb.
‘I am afraid Mama was not to be persuaded,’ he admitted, as soon as they began their turn. ‘I tried speaking to her – I promise I did – but she quite nearly went into hysterics when I tried to explain what your papa said about one’s insides.’
Kitty had the sinking realisation that the imagery of this speech might have become rather garbled in translation.
‘She’s written to our brother about you,’ Lady Amelia chipped in, gleeful again – she was quite thrilled by the theatrics that the Talbots had introduced into an otherwise very dull month.
‘Whatever for?’ Kitty asked, alarmed. The last thing she wanted was another protective de Lacy descending upon her.
‘Suppose she’ll want him to weigh in – forbid me from seeing you or somesuch,’ Archie said without concern. ‘Nothing to worry over – James always sees through her guff.’
Be that as it may, Kitty was keen that Archie be distanced from his mother’s influence before she became any more motivated to separate them. But how to do it?