Chapter 1:
Chapter 28:
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Hauntings of Claverton Castle, Chapter 29
Late the following afternoon, Samantha, Reginald, and Harriet stepped into the parlor and greeted their callers, two young gentlemen by the names of Mr. Chauncey Vidall and Mr. Anthony Osmard. Samantha recognized them from the ball, although neither fop was especially memorable in appearance. Their purple and orange frockcoats and the multitude of oversized fobs on their watch chains compensated for what nature failed to supply. A maidservant brought them tea and biscuits, and the fobs helped themselves enthusiastically.
Mr. Vidall grabbed a biscuit from Mr. Osmard, smirked, and leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner. “Did you see the Montmorencys attending the ball?”
Samantha felt disgusted; Vidall clearly didn’t regard her dear friends with the respect they deserved. “Yes, I enjoyed their company that evening.”
Harriet picked up her teacup. “You certainly enjoyed dancing with Mr. Montmorency.” Samantha stared at her and observed her friend suppressing a giggle.
Reginald twirled his quizzing glass and smiled at Samantha. “La, how unfortunate for you that my father did not overhear—he’d shove Mr. Montmorency at you.”
“I say, don’t tell me you are among the Montmorencys’ admirers!” Mr. Vidall said.
Samantha pressed her lips tightly together. Reginald glanced at her as though he was considering informing these fops that she was a friend of the Montmorencys. She raised her eyebrows at him, but he kept quiet.
Mr. Osmard waved his handkerchief in an affected manner. “You wouldn’t believe what I heard about the Montmorencys.”
Harriet widened her eyes. “What’s this?”
Mr. Vidall said, “I heard Lady Leland insisted on paying them for their services when they banished a demon from Maidstone Manor. Why, they may as well be in trade! Members of the ton earning a living?”
Samantha blinked and wondered how many demons Margot and Roland had banished. “When did this happen?”
Mr. Vidall swiveled his gaze at Samantha. “Six, perhaps seven months past.”
“Oh, yes!” Mr. Osmard gleefully added. “They refused the payment three times, but she insisted. So with the money they bought an empty old mansion, and they are having it remodeled.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan,” Reginald said.
“But they are not remodeling it for themselves,” Mr. Osmard said. “They are opening a communal home for the poor! Who ever heard of such a thing?”
Reginald and Harriet raised their eyebrows and stared in astonishment.
Samantha set down her teacup, which clinked against the saucer. “I am quite impressed. Reginald is correct: that is an excellent plan.”
“What?” Mr. Osmard stared at her. “Charity? Letting filthy and uncouth ragamuffins take over the run of such a beautiful house, and after the Montmorencys have troubled to restore it to its former glory? It is monstrous peculiar, I say! It simply is not done!”
Mr. Vidall grabbed another biscuit. “What a strange girl you are, Miss Ponsonby! If I didn’t know better, I would say you are almost as strange as the Montmorencys.”
Mr. Osmard sipped too loudly. “It is most impractical!”
Harriet rummaged in the mending basket. “Unusual. But is it impractical, really?” She pulled out a handkerchief to keep her hands busy.
“Unique,” Reginald said. “The Montmorencys are unique. I do believe I revere them all the more now.”
Samantha dipped her head. “Indeed. You are very sensible for saying that.”
Mr. Vidall said, “You cannot be serious.”
Tired of these two dandies, Samantha glanced at the mantel clock. “Yes, I can indeed.”
Reginald frowned. “Hold on a minute. On the topic of the Montmorencys—”
Samantha frowned. “Please don’t take to gossip, too.”
Reginald dropped his quizzing glass. “Gadzooks, no, it isn’t that. Aren’t the Earl and Countess of Danbury the parents of Lord Percy Cavendish? That is to say, Mr. Roland Montmorency’s close friend?”
Samantha knit her brow. “Yes, they are.”
“La! There you have it, then,” Reginald said. “They are your future patrons, oh great composer and musician!”
Mr. Vidall’s eyes threatened to pop out of his skull. “You cannot mean, Miss Ponsonby, that you wish to make a living as a musician? That is hardly a choice for a lady of quality!”
Samantha closed her eyes. Without opening them, she began to speak. “An idle and useless life—oh!” She suddenly opened her eyes and glanced around the room. “I mean a life of leisure is not for everyone. Do excuse me.” Samantha felt her cheeks burning and glanced over at Harriet, who stabbed herself with an embroidery needle and jumped slightly. Samantha turned back to Mr. Vidall. “I would be doing nothing improper by earning such a living.”
Reginald said, “This is positively brilliant. I read in the paper last sennight that the Earl and Countess of Danbury funded the opening of a new opera house for that dashedly odd composer, oh, I forget the name. And with your connection to the Montmorencys, surely they will favor you.”
Mr. Osmard smirked. “What connection does she have to the Montmorencys, other than dancing with one of them at the ball?”
Harriet didn’t look up from her embroidery. “Miss Ponsonby is the Montmorencys’ childhood friend.” Samantha tried to catch Harriet’s eye; she feared her impulsive jab about a useless life offended her friend.
Mr. Osmard and Mr. Vidall glanced at each other. They looked everywhere in the parlor except at Samantha, who clasped her hands together and stared into the distance. “I shall write to Margot straight away.”
Harriet looked up from her embroidery. “How close are you to Lord Percy, might I ask?”
Samantha stared at the fire. “We were acquainted when we were children, and he has not forgotten me. We have met a few times since.”
Harriet asked, “Can you not wait until Miss Montmorency returns, when we entertain her again at Claverton Castle?”
Samantha glanced toward the corners of the room in search of a writing table. “No, I shall set my worries at ease by writing her immediately. The letter can be posted today and reach her before she retires to bed tomorrow night. Danbury House is not far from Goblin Hall, and it is likely that Margot and Roland will stop at home before returning to Somerset.”
Harriet resumed embroidering. “If nothing else, they will go home to pack fresh clothing, and Margot will see your letter then. I felt uncertain of your unconventional notion of making a living as a musician, but it would be splendid if Percy’s parents become your patrons.”
Samantha sat back and exhaled.
Mr. Osmard cleared his throat. “Miss… Miss Ponsonby.” Samantha looked at him and blinked. She had practically forgotten the presence of the two callers and suspected she and Harriet breached etiquette by conversing only between themselves. “Might I have a word with you alone?”
Samantha knit her brow. “Sir, you can speak quite freely in front of everyone in the room.”
Mr. Vidall abruptly rose. “Yes, well, it is time we depart.” He bowed to Samantha and Harriet. “We shall call upon you again tomorrow, Miss Ponsonby.” Mr. Osmard clutched his hat and kept casting glances toward his friend, but he managed to hesitantly bow.
“Ah… I would be honored.” Samantha rose and, with Reginald, followed the two dandies to the door.
Reginald twirled the chain of his quizzing glass. “If you call on Miss Ponsonby, you call on my sister and me.”
Mr. Vidall frowned at Reginald before turning his back on him. “Yes, of course.” He exchanged farewells before heading out the door and into the hall.
Mr. Osmard turned to Samantha with wide eyes and trembling lips. “I—I—Miss Ponsonby, I truly must ask you something very important.”
Samantha felt a flutter of panic. “What is it?”
Reginald dropped the chain of his quizzing glass and crossed his arms with a smirk. Mr. Osmard glanced at him before leaning toward Samantha and whispering. “It is… it is… I wish to propose marriage to you.”
“Oh.” Samantha felt her cheeks grow heated. She somehow managed to bid him farewell without directly answering the proposal.
As soon as the door closed behind Mr. Osmard, Reginald grinned and jigged in place. “That silly fop wishes to wed you! Flattered?” He chuckled. Samantha glared.
Harriet jumped out of her seat and dropped her embroidery. “Was that your first marriage proposal?”
“Yes, and likely my last, considering the impression I must have made.” Still with burning cheeks, Samantha bit her lip.
Harriet fluttered her hands. “It is not as though he will tell people that he proposed.”
Reginald smirked. “You should be honored by such a proposal! And that other counter-coxcomb Mr. Vidall will propose when he calls on you tomorrow!”
Samantha shifted her feet. “Oh, what impertinent jobbernoles they are! To speak in such a manner about Margot’s and Roland’s kindness and generosity!”
Reginald punched his palm. “What ho, knaves!”
Samantha began pacing. “Do you know, the way the Montmorencys intend to treat the indigent reminds me of the hospitality your family has demonstrated toward me. I may not be a ‘filthy ragamuffin off the streets,’ but I was not far from it.”
Harriet widened her eyes. “Oh, I hadn’t considered that.”
Reginald smirked and twirled the chain of his quizzing glass. “Upon my soul, I must admire Margot and Roland. Queer nabs of the first order. True originals.”
“Yes.” Samantha stopped pacing and smiled. She turned to Harriet and bit her lip. “Dear Harriet, I hope I did not offend you with my foolish remark. I did not mean you.”
“Remark? Oh!” Harriet stepped toward Samantha and grasped her hands. “No matter. I know how you blurt out comments.”
Samantha squeezed her friend’s hands. “Too true!”
Harriet smiled. “I do the same and worse.”
Reginald stepped toward Samantha. “No need to be vexed, not even about blathering gudgeons. Instead, think of what delightful and generous people your friends are.”
“You are quite right,” Samantha said. “And now I desire a nap. Such taxing company! I shall need rest before encountering ghosts this evening.”
As Samantha headed toward her bedroom, she reflected on the generosity she was enjoying. Perhaps she was taking too much advantage of the Prendregast family. It was the custom for owners of country houses to allow guests to occupy their homes for sometimes weeks at a time, without paying for their rooms or food, but she was a charity case, unlike most houseguests. She anticipated inviting the Prendregast family to Thyme Cottage, after she settled into it.