Frederica

egged, between alarm and amusement. ‘It is precisely the sort of thing he might do! But at the moment he is upstairs, in one of the attics, which we gave him for his experiments!’

‘Good God!’ Alverstoke ejaculated. ‘We had as well sit on a keg of gunpowder! I’ll take my leave of you before he blows the house up!’

‘No, no, he won’t do that!’ she replied, gurgling with merriment. ‘He promised me he would remember this is not our own house!’

He regarded her with appreciation. ‘You’d have no objection to his blowing it up if it were your own house? Accept my compliments on the fortitude of your mind!’

‘How can you be so absurd? Of course I should object to it! I meant only that at home he has a workshop, and may do as he pleases in it.’

‘I see! Does he often blow it up?’

She smiled. ‘He never blows it up! He did set fire to it once, but that was when he was trying to make a new kind of match, which would light without a tinder-box, and there was very little damage done, except that he singed his eyebrows off.’

‘You are a very good sister, Frederica!’ he commented.

‘Well, I do try to be,’ she said, colouring faintly. ‘My aunt, and our old nurse, were too anxious – or so it seemed to me – and for ever flying into high fidgets over the things the boys did, which didn’t answer at all, because it made them fall into the sullens, and pay not the least heed to anything they said.’

‘It is a pity that your aunt did not save her anxiety for her nieces! I shall take leave to tell you, Frederica, that I think her a very poor chaperon!’

‘Yes, but one must be just to her! She never wished to come to London, and only consented to do so on the understanding that she shouldn’t be dragged to fashionable parties. Recollect that I am quite old enough to chaperon Charis! Indeed, I’ve done so ever since she came out!’

‘That,’ said his lordship roundly, ‘is a greater absurdity than any I have uttered!’

‘It isn’t – but I won’t argue with you on that head! In any event, she is not to be blamed for having more important things to think about at this present. My Uncle Scrabster is very unwell and poor Aunt Amelia is quite distracted with worry, and depends wholly on my Aunt Seraphina.’

He said nothing, compressing his lips, as though only by doing so could he keep back a retort. Two deep clefts appeared between his brows, but they vanished as the door burst open, and Felix came eagerly into the room, exclaiming: ‘You are here, sir! I thought it was your phaeton I saw, when I looked out of the window! You might have told me, Frederica, when you knew I particularly wanted to see him! The shabbiest thing!’

‘God help me!’ said his lordship. ‘Not another foundry, Felix!’

‘No, no! At least, not precisely! It’s the New Mint! It has gas-lighting, and steam-engines of vast power, but when I went there with Jessamy they said no one was allowed to visit it without a – a special recommendation. So would you very kindly give me one, Cousin Alverstoke? If you please!’

‘But how can I?’ said the Marquis. ‘I’m not acquainted with the Master, or even with the Controller.’

‘Yes, but you weren’t acquainted with the manager of the foundry either, sir!’ argued Felix.

‘Ah, that was a different matter! They are very particular at the Mint, you know, and wouldn’t think a recommendation from me at all “special”.’

Felix’s countenance had dropped ludicrously, but at these words it brightened, and he gave a crow of mirth. ‘Yes, they would! You’re trying to roast me! Of course they would!’

‘Oh, dear, what a dreadful boy you are!’ said Frederica. ‘Stop teasing Cousin Alverstoke, I do beg of you!’

‘I’m not teasing him!’ replied Felix indignantly. ‘I only asked him to recommend me! I haven’t asked him to go with me himself, and I won’t, because if he don’t care for it I daresay Mr Trevor would like it!’

‘So he would!’ said his lordship, much struck. ‘It’s time he had a treat, too, poor fellow!’

‘Of course, it would be best if you came!’ said Felix tentatively.

‘No, no, you mustn’t spoil me!’ responded his lordship, with considerable aplomb. ‘I’ve had one treat already, remember!’

‘Oh, well!’ said Felix, accepting this. ‘He isn’t a Go, like you, but at least he has some sense!’

‘Quite a lot of sense,’ agreed his lordship gravely. ‘He carried Honours! I daresay we shall live to see him First Lord of the Treasury, so take care to keep in his good books!’

It was plain that Felix thought poorly of this ambition, but he said innocently: ‘Oh, yes! But he ain’t a prosy one, you know! I did think he might be, at first, but I’m pretty well-acquainted with him now, and I like him.’

He then took leave of the Marquis, who cocked an eyebrow at Frederica, and said: ‘And how, may I ask, did your engaging brother become pretty well-acquainted with Charles?’

She answered with a little reserve: ‘Oh, he has visited us now and then on our Sundays when we invite a few friends to supper – nothing formal, you understand: just a family party, for people who don’t care a straw for fashionable squeezes, but like to spend a cosy evening playing Jackstraws, or Bilbo-catch, or Speculation –’