Read Place of Confinement for Free Online Page B

Kent.’
    Seen close – as Dido was now obliged to see her – Mrs Bailey was less pretty than one at first supposed. She was extremely well painted, but her features were large, slightly coarse. She was a woman who was at her best when viewed from a distance. Her lips pursed now into an exaggerated rosebud, she paused, gave their linked arms a vigorous shake, and added, with the air of a superior bestowing a delightful favour, ‘ Dido. I am sure you will not mind if I call you so.’
    ‘Well—’ began Dido, who did mind a great deal.
    ‘Now, Dido, I have been quite longing to talk to you ever since yesterday when Lancelot told me that he had been frank with you on the subject of our petite difficulté. ’
    ‘I hope you do not mind Mr Fenstanton’s telling me about Miss Verney.’
    ‘Well!’ cried Mrs Bailey with an arch look. ‘I declare that at first I was just a little bit cross with him! For it was very, very naughty of him – and so I told him. For I should warn you that I always speak my mind. My friends are always rebuking me for my candour. But no.’ She put her head to one side and looked condescending. ‘No, upon reflection, I do not mind such a steady, sensible little creature as you knowing it.’ She gave a trilling laugh. ‘Why, who would you tell about it? No one of any importance. A lady’s companion does not mix much in society!’
    Dido frowned at this and walked on in resentful silence as the sun gained power, dissolving the mist from the lower lawn. Birds sang extravagantly on every side and the walk was a prisoner’s brief respite which she was determined to enjoy; her aunt would awake all too soon. But she must also begin upon her quest …
    ‘Miss Verney’s going is a very upsetting business…’ she began cautiously.
    ‘Dear me! I beg you will not concern yourself with it, Miss Kent!’ cried Mrs Bailey with energy. ‘“Cudgel thy brains no more about it” – as Shakespeare says. For I am sure you have more than enough to occupy you in attending upon your aunt. You must not, for our sake, run the risk of offending her, you know. It is very kind of you to wish to help us I am sure, but I cannot allow you to neglect your own interest. ’
    Dido was too taken aback to reply.
    ‘Oh, there is no need to look so uncomfortable, my dear,’ trilled Mrs Bailey. ‘We are all friends together here, you know! And I have heard all about your aunt from Lance.’ She lowered her voice a little. ‘He tells me that Mrs Manners now has possession of all the fortune which her husband made in the City.’ She patted Dido’s hand with a great show of compassion. ‘It must have been a heavy blow to your family when it fell out that way; and I understand entirely that your first duty must be to please your aunt.’ She stopped, smiled brightly, and under the ridiculous – but common – misapprehension that words can be rendered less offensive by quietness, she mouthed almost inaudibly, ‘For the sake of the will.’
    Dido longed to contradict, but knew herself to be too shamefully enmeshed in Margaret’s schemes. For a moment all the beauty of the morning was snatched away by this ugly representation of her own situation. But then, fortunately, she remembered that she had sought this interview for the sake of being impertinent herself, rather than suffering the impertinence of another.
    She returned to the attack. ‘The young man – the gentleman whom you believe is the cause of Miss Verney’s disappearance – do you have cause to doubt his character?’ she asked boldly. ‘Do you believe that the young lady’s fortune, rather than affection, is his motive?’
    ‘Oh!’ cried Mrs Bailey, her large cheeks reddening. ‘There can be no two opinions upon that point! Our poor girl’s situation is très dangereux. Très dangereux! All the world knows that Tom Lomax is an unprincipled and greedy young man. I am only sorry that dear Letitia—’
    Mrs Bailey was compelled to stop walking,