The Regency (87 page)

‘
Now then,' Hobsbawn went on, 'I was saying about Jasper — blood's thicker than water, and he's worked long and hard
for me. He knows the mills inside out, better than anyone —
aye, even better than me, though I don't like having to say that. He can run them as they should be run, and he knows
the market, and he's got a good notion of investment and
expansion.

‘
So what I propose is this — that I leave the mills to Fanny,
but that she marries Cousin Jasper. That way, she gets a
manager who knows what's what, and who'll not cheat her, or
put the profit in his own pocket. And he'll get the benefit of
all the work and study he's put in. There now, what do you
think?’

James exerted self-control again, for the first words that
jumped into his mouth were hardly complimentary. He
remembered Edward's injunction, breathed deeply, and said
in a voice that barely trembled, 'I would never arrange a
marriage for Fanny on the grounds of pecuniary advantage.’

Hobsbawn frowned. 'Pecuniary — talk sense, man! What
the devil's that?'

‘
Money,' James said tersely. 'I won't marry Fanny to any
one for financial reasons.'

‘Then what the devil would you marry her for?' Hobsbawn
exploded. 'What kind of talk is that? What sort of a father are you? If you don't arrange a marriage for her to her advantage
who are you going to give her to? A passing gypsy?’

James reddened. 'I don't mean that.'

‘Well what the devil do you mean?' Hobsbawn said angrily.

‘
The man Fanny marries — of course he must be able to
support her, but that isn't all. I should want him to have birth
and fortune — rank perhaps, though that isn't essential —'

‘
Jasper is a gentleman born; and what greater fortune do
you want than Hobsbawn Mills?'

‘
But above all,' James continued firmly, 'he must be
Fanny's choice. I want her to be happy —’

Hobsbawn looked disgusted. 'I thought you were a fool,
and now you've proved me right. Why, Fanny has more sense
in her little finger than you've got in your whole head!'

‘It's foolish to want my daughter to be happy, is it?’

No, but that's not what you're talking about,' Hobsbawn
said shrewdly. 'You're talking about falling in love, and all
that romantic nonsense, aren't you? Oh, aye, I know what's in
your mind. I saw how you treated my daughter. You're all
alike, you people! You'd sooner Fanny was dragged off to a
hovel by a pauper and lived on boiled turnips, as long as she
was
in love
with him, wouldn't you? A good, solid marriage, to
a hard-working man, a house, a carriage, servants — a good settlement, and a handsome widow's portion for her old age
— you'd scorn all those, wouldn't you, because they're not
romantic
enough for you.’

He poured scorn into the word, and James bristled. 'You
seem to forget,' he said furiously, 'that Fanny has a fortune of
her own! Whoever she marries, she won't be living in a hovel.
Morland Place — the whole estate — is hers. She doesn't need
to marry at all if she doesn't want to, and if she does marry,
she can follow her inclination, and marry a man whom she
loves. And she doesn't need your money, or your mills, Mr
Hobsbawn. They are of small importance to her, or to any of
us.

‘
I sometimes wonder if you know your daughter at all,'
Hobsbawn said. ‘Do you think that's what Fanny thinks .
about it? Have you spoken to her? Small importance my eye!
Fanny knows what the mills are worth. Since the first day of
her visit, she was wheedling and working to get me to leave
'em to her!' He chuckled, pleased with himself again. 'Aye,
that surprises you, don't it? I told you she was a Hobsbawn!
There's not much of the soft Morland in my little
girl!
And
before you make any more grand gestures, Morland, and throw away my proposal, you might ask Fanny what she
thinks about it. She won't marry for love, not my Fanny!
She'll marry where her best advantage lies. Give her her
head, and she'll follow the scent all right, and it'll lead her to
Hobsbawn Mills, and a greater fortune to come than anything
Morland Place can offer. You despise me, I know — you think
I'm a coarse, ignorant man with dirty hands. But I tell you,
the future's mine! Your day is done. You may posture and
preen, and ride your fine horses, and talk all you like, but it's
me and my sort who'll shape this country from now on.’

In his eloquence he was almost impressive. James stared at
him, and for an instant was inclined to think that perhaps he knew more than James did, and had a window of his own on
the future. And then he remembered the festering slums Edward had described, and the recent bankruptcies, and
the fact that Manchester didn't even have a Member of
Parliament, and his common sense returned.

‘
Say what you like,' he said, 'I would never marry Fanny
against her will.'

‘
Do you think I would?' Hobsbawn said promptly. 'You
just help me set things in train, and she'll see where her
advantage lies. Jasper's a comely enough fellow, and I dare
say he knows how to make love as well as the next man. Only
let them be together enough, and she'll fall enough in love
with him to make it all right in
your
eyes.’

James shrugged. 'If she chooses, of her own free will, to
marry your cousin Jasper, I wouldn't stand in her way,' he
began, and Hobsbawn cut him off.

‘
Good enough! That's all I want from you. Let Fanny visit
me again, and we'll see what we see. And in the meantime, to shew you that I've confidence in my own judgement, I'll have a new will made out, leaving everything to Fanny. How about
that?'

‘
That's very fair, sir,' James said. 'But there's to be no
coercion, however subtle, on Fanny?'

‘
On no account. Here's my hand on it, sir!' said Hobsbawn
grandly, and looked about him with a vast, satisfied smile.
‘And now, where's that dinner? By God, I've an appetite on
me! Sealing bargains always does that to me, especially when
it's a good one for me. And this is, Morland. I shall have my
way in the end, you know — without coercion.'

‘
The best man, I dare say, will win, sir,' James said
smoothly.

‘
What?' Hobsbawn stared, and then smiled. ‘Oh, aye, I
follow you! Do you know, Morland, there are times when I
almost like you.'

‘
Infrequent ones I hope, sir, for your peace of mind's sake,'
said James.

 
The day of Flaminia's wedding dawned fine, with a slight,
milky mist over the gardens which disappeared as the sun rose
above the rooftops and lit the upper windows of the west side
of Grosvenor Square.

Docwra came to see how Moss and Hill, the new, smart
lady's maid who had been engaged to attend Minnie in her
married state, were getting on, and found that no progress
had been made, the bride being in a deplorable state of
nerves.

‘
You really must stop bein' sick, Miss Minnie,' Docwra
advised her at last. 'It's only makin' your stomach sore, for
you've nothing in there to be sick with.’

Minnie turned a shade greener, and Hill said severely, 'I
can manage Lady Flaminia, thank you, Mrs Docwra. We
shan't need to trouble your kindness. Hadn't you better be
seeing to your lady? We don't want any unfortunate last-
moment rushes, do we?’

Docwra had been eating uppish maids for breakfast for the
last fifteen years, and gave Hill a withering look. ‘Ah, sure
God, don't be puttin' on your airs with me, Miss Hill,' she
said, abandoning the last of her London accent in the interests of effect. "Twas me that brought Miss Minnie into the
world, and I know the class of her stomach better than me
own. And as for her ladyship, she's been dressed and gone this
hour, and I can't change her until she comes back, can I?'

‘Dressed and gone?' Hill deigned to query.

‘
You don't think a little thing like a weddin' would keep
her from exercising her horses, do you?' Docwra said
triumphantly.

Hill sniffed, and declined to give an opinion on the subject.
‘To my view, it's all the noise and excitement that's making
Lady Flaminia queasy. There are
too many people
in this
room.’

Now there I'm agreein' with you,' Docwra said cheerfully.
‘Judy,' she said to Moss, 'why don't you go and see to Miss
Polly and Miss Fanny? Hill an' me can manage now. And
now, Miss Minnie,' she added as Moss scuttled away, 'just you
take a little nip o' this, and it'll make you feel like a bird.’

Minnie, who was feeling like a bird already, but like one
plucked and drawn and spitted rather than the singing
variety, held out her hand obediently for the little silver flask
which Docwra conjured out of her pocket, but snatched it
back as though she had been stung when Hill screamed.

‘
Mrs Docwra! Are you suggesting that Lady Flaminia
should go to her wedding with ardent spirits on her breath?' Docwra looked indignant. 'I am not! Sure, d'you think I'd give a bride-to-be brandy at a moment like this? No, I came prepared all right: 'tis nothing more than a little drop o' port
wine; and as for the smell, sure no-one's goin' to kiss her until
after the ceremony, and then the Communion wine'll hide it.'
Hill shrieked again at the near-blasphemy, but Docwra
winked at Minnie with the eye furthest from the scandalised
lady's maid, and Minnie couldn't help giggling. 'That's
better,' Docwra went on. 'Here now, have a little nip, and it'll
settle your stomach and your nerves.' Flaminia obeyed, and
as Docwra took back the flask, she gave the girl a quick hug and kiss, and said, 'You'll look a picture in your gown, don't
you worry. And himself is as nice and pleasant a fellow as
you'll meet in a long walk, so there's nothing to worry about,
is there?'

‘
No,' Flaminia said, looking better. 'I'm sure there isn't.
I'm all right now, Hill,' she said, assuming her dignity, which
was hardly ever seen by anybody. 'You may begin.'

‘
That's my girl,' said Docwra, further annoying Hill, who
swore privately to knock her ladyship into shape once she had
her to herself. 'I'll send Miss Polly to you as soon as she's
dressed. She'll do you more good even than my little flask.’