All for Love by Jane Aiken Hodge

Author:Jane Aiken Hodge [Hodge, Jane Aiken]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2014-09-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

‘It will be slow.’ Judge James picked up his hat to leave. ‘Don’t delude yourself, Mrs. Purchis, that your husband will be squiring you to balls again before May at the earliest. Or able to spare you either.’ A flashing look from fierce old eyes. ‘You do seem to have a remarkable effect on him.’ It came out grudgingly.

‘Surprises you, don’t it, Doctor?’ She had seized the chance, while he was examining Hyde, to change into one of Josephine’s most frivolous gowns, an exquisite confection of lemon yellow muslin and cherry coloured ribbons, and looked, she flattered herself, every inch the town belle. ‘Poor Hyde.’ She unfolded her fan delicately. ‘Just because he has always behaved like an old sobersides, you all treat him as one. It’s gaiety he needs, don’t you see? Some pleasure in his life. No, no —’ she fluttered the fan defensively as if he was about to attack her, ‘I do not mean that I propose to take him jauntering off to Savannah. I’m not quite the fool you think me, Doctor. Even I can see that he will need many weeks of quiet before he is fit for work, still less for pleasure. Being Hyde! But because he is to be quiet, I see no reason why he should be dull. Ah,’ she smiled brilliantly over her fan at Sam Everett who had just been ushered into the room by Aaron. ‘The very person I had hoped to see.’

‘I’m flattered beyond words, Mrs. Purchis.’ She was amused to see that he also looked rather frightened. What passages between him and Josephine had driven him, neck and crop, from the house in Oglethorpe Square? He turned the subject quickly. ‘This is splendid news I hear from the servants, about Hyde.’

She flashed him a roguish smile. ‘I might have known I’d not be allowed to break my own good news. Yes, we think he is really on the mend at last, but tell me, quick, that Mrs Scarbrough’s party was a dead bore without me.’

‘Oh, deplorable.’ And then, aware for the first time of Abigail, disapproving in the window recess. ‘Your servant, Miss Abigail. I cry your pardon, I quite failed to see you in the shadows there.’

‘Didn’t expect to, you mean, young man.’ There were no compromises about Miss Abigail. ‘Well, I’m here, and intend to remain.’

‘Which is more than I can,’ said Judge James. ‘I’ll call tomorrow, Mrs. Purchis, and can only hope to find the improvement maintained. I’ve seldom been more pleasantly surprised in my life.’

‘Surprised!’ Juliet went into a great peal of laughter as the door closed behind him. ‘He’s flabbergasted, poor man. That anyone so intelligent as Hyde should find pleasure in being nursed by me. But —’ a quick look at Josephine’s jewelled watch — ‘That reminds me, I have been an immense time away from him already. So, to your commission, Mr. Everett. You are to purchase for me, if you please, some packs of cards, a bezique set, the smallest chessmen you can find, and a whole shelf full of books.

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