She found that she could not do it on the journey home from Dovercourt, nor yet on that evening.Mrs Dick Roby, who had come back from sojourn at Boulogne, was with them in the Square, and brought her dear friend Mrs Leslie with her, and also Lady Eustace.The reader may remember that Mr Wharton had met these ladies at Mrs Dick's house some months before his daughter's marriage, but he certainly had never asked them into his own.On this occasion Emily had given them no invitation, but had been told by her husband that her aunt would probably bring them with her.'Mrs Leslie and Lady Eustace!' she exclaimed with a little shudder.'I suppose your aunt may bring a couple of friends with her to see you, though it is your father's house?' he had replied.She had said no more, not daring to have a fight on that subject at present, while the other matter was pressing on her mind.The evening passed away pleasantly enough, she thought, to all except herself.Mrs Leslie and Lady Eustace had talked a great deal, and her husband had borne himself quite as though he had been a wealthy man and the owner of the house in Manchester Square.In the course of the evening Dick Roby came in and Major Pountney, who since the late affairs at Silverbridge had become intimate with Lopez.So that there was quite a party;and Emily was astonished to hear her husband declare that he was only watching the opportunity of another vacancy in order that he might get into the House, and expose the miserable duplicity of the Duke of Omnium.And yet this man, within the last month, had taken away her subscription at Mudie's, and told her that she shouldn't wear things that wanted washing! But he was able to say so ever many pretty little things to Lady Eustace, and had given a new fan to Mrs Dick, and talked of taking a box for Mrs Leslie at The Gaiety.
But on the next morning before breakfast she began.'Ferdinand,'
she said, 'while I was at Dovercourt I saw a good deal of Mrs Parker.'
'I could not help that.Or rather you might have helped it if you pleased.It was necessary that you should meet, but I didn't tell you that you were to see a great deal of her.'
'I liked her very much.'
'Then I must say you've got a very odd taste.Did you like him?'
'No.I did not see very much of him, and I think that the manners of women are less objectionable than those of men.But Iwant to tell you what passed between her and me.'
'If it is about her husband's business she ought to have held her tongue, and you had better hold yours now.'
This was not a happy beginning, but still she was determined to go on.'It was I think more about your business than his.'
'Then it was infernal impudence on her part, and you should not have listened to her for a moment.'
'You do not want to ruin her and her children?'
'What have I to do with her and her children? I did not marry her, and I am not their father.He has got to look to that.'
'She thinks you are enticing him into risks which he cannot afford.'
'Am I doing anything for him that I ain't doing for myself! If there is money made, will not he share it? If money has to be lost, of course he must do the same.' Lopez stating his case omitted to say that whatever capital was now being used belonged to his partner.'But women when they get together talk all manner of nonsense.Is it likely that I shall alter my course of action because you tell me that she tells you that he tells her that he is losing money? He is a half-hearted fellow who quails at every turn against him.And when he is crying drunk I dare say he makes a poor mouth to her.'
'I think, Ferdinand, it is more than that.She says that--'
'To tell the truth, Emily, I don't give a d--what she says.Now give me some tea.'
The roughness of this absolutely quelled her.It was not now that she was afraid of him, but that she was knocked down as though by a blow.She had been altogether so unused to such language that she could not get on with her matter in hand, letting the bad word pass by her as an unmeaning expletive.She wearily poured out the cup of tea and sat herself down silent.
The man was too strong for her, and would be so always.She told herself at this moment that language such as that must always absolutely silence her.Then, within a few minutes, he desired her, quite cheerfully, to ask her uncle and aunt to dinner the day but one following, and also to ask Lady Eustace and Mrs Leslie.'I will pick up a couple of men which will make us all right,' he said.
This was in every way horrible to her.Her father had been back in town, had not been very well, and had been recommended to return to the country.He had consequently removed himself,--not to Hertfordshire,--but to Brighton, and was now living at an hotel, almost within an hour of London.Had he been at home he certainly would not have invited Mrs Leslie and Lady Eustace to his house.He had often expressed a feeling of dislike to the former lady in the hearing of his son-in-law, and had ridiculed his sister-in-law for allowing herself to be acquainted with Lady Eustace, whose name had at one time been very common in the mouths of people.Emily also felt that she was hardly entitled to give a dinner party in his house in his absence.And, after all that she had lately heard about her husband's poverty, she could not understand how he should wish to incur the expense.
'You would not ask Mrs Leslie here!' she said.
'Why should we not ask Mrs Leslie?'
'Papa dislikes her.'
'But "papa", as you call him, isn't going to meet her.'
'He has said that he doesn't know what day he may be home.And he does more than dislike her.He disapproves of her.'
'Nonsense! She is your aunt's friend.Because your father once heard some cock-and-bull story about her, and because he has always taken it upon himself to criticize your aunt's friends, Iam not to be civil to a person I like.'
'But, Ferdinand, I do not like her myself.She never was in this house till that other night.'
'Look here, my dear.Lady Eustace can be useful to me, and Icannot ask Lady Eustace without asking her friend.You do as Ibid you,--or else I shall do it myself.'