Crossed Quills by Carola Dunn Page A

quite terrified of her when George’s mother made me hire her, but your mama had her eating out of her hand in no time.”
     “Mama is equal to anything.”
     “As I know very well. I meant to stay only to make her comfortable, but we started to reminisce, or I should not have left you so long. She is lying down now, in preparation for a strenuous day reconnoitring the shops tomorrow. Come down to my sitting room where we shall have peace for a private cose, a rarity in this house, I fear!”
     “Your sister is very friendly,” Pippa said diplomatically, following her hostess from the room. “She has made Kitty feel quite at home already.”
     “But one does need an occasional respite. Before we go down, let me just show you....” Bina opened the door next to Mrs Lisle’s chamber. “I have fitted the nursery up as a sitting room for you and Mrs Lisle and the girls. I thought you would like that better than a separate bed-chamber.”
     “Oh yes, I truly do not mind sharing with Kitty.”
     “If you look down, you can see our garden, though you will scarcely think so tiny a plot worthy of the name.”
     “There is a garden in here.” Pippa glanced around the room, all flowered chintzes and green dimity, with vases of daffodils here and there. She noted the writing table between the windows. It would be perfect for her work. “Thank you, Bina. I cannot judge whether or not you have grown spoiled, but I see you have grown into a first-rate hostess.”
     “My mama-in-law taught me the way of it. We entertain a good deal in the country. I only wish you had been one of our guests, long since,” Bina said seriously as they started down the stairs. “At first I was caught up in adjusting to my new life, and then when I was settled enough to invite you, you wrote about your father’s illness.”
     “I could not have left Papa. Nor Mama afterwards.”
     “I know. And then, when you were out of mourning, Wynn asked me to present Millie—our mama is not equal to anything, as you are aware. I had not thought to expose you to my dearly loved but loquacious sister....Here is my sitting room, next to our bedchamber, with George’s dressing room beyond, and the drawing room opposite, as you saw.”
     She opened a door and ushered Pippa into a cosy room, all blue and cream, which someone more pretentious might have dubbed a boudoir. It contained not only comfortable chairs, a small sofa, and a walnut roll-top bureau, but a wardrobe and dressing table. A branch of candles was already lit, for the room faced north and the March evening was drawing in.
     “As I was saying,” Bina continued when she had rung for tea and they were seated on either side of a flickering fire, “I had intended to postpone your invitation until the summer. Then Wynn told me about Prometheus and his price, and at the same time I found the threat of George’s Aunt Prendergast dangling overhead like the sword of Damascus.”
     “Damocles,” Pippa murmured. “Mr Debenham’s Aunt Prendergast was to be your dragon, I take it.”
     Bina nodded ruefully. “Someone persuaded Mama I am not old enough to chaperon Millie on my own. Aunt P is indeed a dragon.” She giggled. “Privately George calls her Aunt Prenderghastly, deplorable—”
     “But clever.”
     “And appropriate. So you can guess how delighted I was to be able to wave Mrs Lisle in her face, so to speak. Also, there will be four of us to share Millie’s chatter, though I fear Miss Kitty will likely bear the brunt,” she said guiltily.
     “Kitty is like Mama,” Pippa told her, “equal to anything.”
     “So, you see, I am shockingly selfish and prodigious grateful to Prometheus. Who is this mysterious gentleman who is so solicitous of your family, Pippa? Do tell!”
     Pippa was tempted. She trusted Albinia not to broadcast her secret to the world. However, she was certain her friend would be vastly diverted by Lord Selworth’s ignorance of who was really