Henrietta Temple: A Love Story

  CHAPTER VI.

  _Containing a Conversation Not Quite so Amusing as the Last_.

  IN THE evening Henrietta amused her guests with music. Mrs. MontgomeryFloyd was enthusiastically fond of music, and very proud of her intimatefriendship with Pasta. 'Oh! you know her, do you?' 'Very well; you shallbring her to my house. She shall sing at all my parties; I love music atmy evenings, but I never pay for it, never. If she will not come in theevening, I will try to ask her to dinner, once at least. I do not likesingers and tumblers at dinner, but she is very fashionable, and youngmen like her; and what I want at my dinners are young men, young men ofvery great fashion. I rather want young men at my dinners. I have some;Lord Languid always comes to me, and he is very fine, you know, veryfine indeed. He goes to very few places, but he always comes to me.'Mrs. Montgomery Floyd quitted the piano, and seated herself by Mr.Temple. Mr. Temple was gallant, and Mrs. Montgomery Floyd anxious toobtain the notice of a gentleman whom Lady Bellair had assured her wasof the first _ton_. Her ladyship herself beckoned Henrietta Templeto join her on the sofa, and, taking her hand very affectionately,explained to her all the tactics by which she intended to bring-abouta match between her and Lord Fitzwarrene, very much regretting, at thesame time, that her dear grandson, Lord Bellair, was married; for he,after all, was the only person worthy of her. 'He would taste you, mydear; he would understand you. Dear Bellair! he is so very handsome, andso very witty. Why did he go and marry? And yet I love his wife. Do youknow her? Oh! she is charming: so very pretty, so very witty, and suchgood blood in her veins. I made the match. Why were you not in England?If you had only come to England a year sooner, you should have marriedBellair. How provoking!'

  'But, really, dear Lady Bellair, your grandson is very happy. What morecan you wish?'

  'Well, my dear, it shall be Lord Fitzwarrene, then. I shall give aseries of parties this year, and ask Lord Fitzwarrene to every one. Notthat it is very easy to get him, my child. There is nobody so difficultas Lord Fitzwarrene. That is quite right. Men should always bedifficult. I cannot bear men who come and dine with you when you wantthem.'

  'What a charming place is Ducie!' sighed Mrs. Montgomery Floyd to Mr.Temple. 'The country is so delightful.'

  'But you would not like to live in the country only,' said Mr. Temple.

  'Ah! you do not know me!' sighed the sentimental Mrs. Montgomery Floyd.'If you only knew how I love flowers! I wish you could but see myconservatory in Park-lane!'

  'And how did you find Bath this year, Lady Bellair?' enquired MissTemple.

  'Oh! my dear, I met a charming man there, I forget his name, but themost distinguished person I ever met; so very handsome, so very witty,and with blood in his veins, only I forget his name, and it is a verygood name, too. My dear,' addressing herself to Mrs. Montgomery Floyd,'tell me the name of my favourite.'

  Mrs. Montgomery Floyd looked a little puzzled: 'My great favourite!'exclaimed the irritated Lady Bellair, rapping her fan against the sofa.'Oh! why do you not remember names! I love people who remember names. Myfavourite, my Bath favourite. What is his name? He is to dine with mein town. What is the name of my Bath favourite who is certainly to dinewith me in town?'

  'Do you mean Captain Armine?' enquired Mrs. Montgomery Floyd. MissTemple turned pale. 'That is the man,' said Lady Bellair. 'Oh! such acharming man. You shall marry him, my dear; you shall not marry LordFitzwarrene.'

  'But you forget he is going to be married,' said Mrs. Montgomery Floyd.

  Miss Temple tried to rise, but she could not. She held down herhead. She felt the fever in her cheek. 'Is our engagement, then, sonotorious?' she thought to herself.

  'Ah! yes, I forgot he was going to be married,' said Lady Bellair.'Well, then, it must be Lord Fitzwarrene. Besides, Captain Armine is notrich, but he has got a very fine place though, and I will go and stopthere some day. And, besides, he is over head-and-ears in debt, so theysay. However, he is going to marry a very rich woman, and so all will beright. I like old families in decay to get round again.'

  Henrietta dreaded that her father should observe her confusion; she hadrecourse to every art to prevent it. 'Dear Ferdinand,' she thought toherself, 'thy very rich wife will bring thee, I fear, but a poor dower.Ah! would he were here!'

  'Whom is Captain Armine going to marry?' enquired Mr. Temple.

  'Oh! a very proper person,' said Lady Bellair. 'I forget her name. MissTwoshoes, or something. What is her name, my dear?'

  'You mean Miss Grandison, madam?' responded Mrs. Montgomery Floyd.

  'To be sure, Miss Grandison, the great heiress. The only one left of theGrandisons. I knew her grandfather. He was my son's schoolfellow.'

  'Captain Armine is a near neighbour of ours,' said Mr. Temple.

  'Oh! you know him,' said Lady Bellair. 'Is not he charming?'

  'Are you certain he is going to be married to Miss Grandison?' enquiredMr. Temple.

  'Oh! there is no doubt in the world,' said Mrs. Montgomery Floyd.'Everything is quite settled. My most particular friend, Lady JuliaHarteville, is to be one of the bridesmaids. I have seen all thepresents. Both the families are at Bath at this very moment. I saw thehappy pair together every day. They are related, you know. It is anexcellent match, for the Armines have great estates, mortgaged tothe very last acre. I have heard that Sir Ratcliffe Armine has not athousand a year he can call his own. We are all so pleased,' added Mrs.Montgomery Floyd, as if she were quite one of the family. 'Is it notdelightful?'

  'They are to be married next month,' said Lady Bellair. 'I did not quitemake the match, but I did something. I love the Grandisons, because LordGrandison was my son's friend fifty years ago.'

  'I never knew a person so pleased as Lady Armine is,' continued Mrs.Montgomery Floyd. 'The truth is, Captain Armine has been wild, very wildindeed; a little of a _roue_; but then such a fine young man, so veryhandsome, so truly distinguished, as Lady Bellair says, what could youexpect? But he has sown his wild oats now. They have been engaged thesesix months; ever since he came from abroad. He has been at Bath all thetime, except for a fortnight or so, when he went to his Place to makethe necessary preparations. We all so missed him. Captain Armine wasquite the life of Bath I am almost ashamed to repeat what was said ofhim,' added Mrs. Montgomery Floyd, blushing through her rouge; 'but theysaid every woman was in love with him.'

  'Fortunate man!' said Mr. Temple, bowing, but with a grave expression.

  'And he says, he is only going to marry because he is wearied ofconquests,' continued Mrs. Montgomery Floyd; 'how impertinent, is itnot? But Captain Armine says such things! He is quite a privilegedperson at Bath!'

  Miss Temple rose and left the room. When the hour of general retirementhad arrived, she had not returned. Her maid brought a message thather mistress was not very well, and offered her excuses for not againdescending.