Читаем A Dangerous Fortune (1994) полностью

The Maisie episode six years ago had shown that he had a weakness for girls from the gutter, but Augusta had never dared to hope that he would marry one. He had done the deed quietly, in Folkestone, with just his mother and sister and the bride's father in attendance, then he had presented the family with a fait accompli.

As Augusta adjusted Joseph's Elizabethan ruff she said: "I presume you'll have to think again about Hugh's being made a partner, now that he's married a housemaid."

"She's not a housemaid, she's a corsetiere. Or was. Now she's Mrs. Pilaster."

"All the same, a partner in Pilasters can hardly have a shopgirl as a wife."

"I must say I think he can marry whom he likes."

Augusta had been afraid he would take this line. "You wouldn't say that if she were ugly, bony and sour," she said acidly. "It's only because she's pretty and flirtatious that you're so tolerant."

"I just don't see the problem."

"A partner has to meet cabinet ministers, diplomats, leaders of great businesses. She won't know how to act. She could embarrass him at any moment."

"She can learn." Joseph hesitated, then added: "I sometimes think you forget your own background, my dear."

Augusta drew herself up to her full height. "My father had three shops!" she said vehemently. "How dare you compare me to that little trollop!"

He backed down instantly. "All right, I'm sorry."

Augusta was outraged. "Furthermore, I never worked in my father's shops," she said. "I was brought up to be a lady."

"I've apologized, let's say no more about it. It's time to go."

Augusta clamped her mouth shut but inside she was seething.

Edward and Emily were waiting for them in the hall, dressed as Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Edward was having trouble with his gold braid cross-garters, and he said: "You go on, Mother, and send the carriage back for us."

But Emily quickly put in: "Oh, no, I want to go now. Fix your garters on the way."

Emily had big blue eyes and the pretty face of a little girl, and she was very fetching in the embroidered twelfth-century gown and cloak, with a long wimple on her head. However, Augusta had discovered that she was not as timid as she looked. During the preparations for the wedding it had become clear that Emily had a will of her own. She had been happy to let Augusta take over the wedding breakfast, but she had insisted, rather stubbornly, on having her own way about her wedding dress and her bridesmaids.