Shadow in the North

Chapter Nine - An Invitation

'Oh! I should think whether they know of it, of little consequence,' laughed Fanny, in her irritating way. 'I should think it more likely that they are aware of what an advantage it would be to them - to Mr Hale, in want of pupils - to be in the company of Milton's first families.' Mr Thornton glowered angrily at his sister.

'I should not think that would influence them. That would not be their motivation. No, I understand how it is,' announced he, musing once again upon the small form of Miss Darrow. She allays their fears. She pushes Mr Hale into company to lift his spirits, for he is troubled by his wife.

'John!' scoffed Fanny, her mouth hanging open with incredulity; her voice weak and flustered. 'How very well you claim to understand these Hales! And I don't see why you cannot allow that we can know a thing about them! You seem to think them so very different to all other people one could meet.' She spoke lightly; she had not meant to vex him, but thought only of her brother's curious regard for the Hales. She thought him very unfair in his resolution that she could not comprehend their motives, where he should understand so clearly, but her words irked him and he bristled silently. That she could know them - after one afternoon engagement! They are so very different; how can she not see? A simpleton could, scolded Mr Thornton, to himself. Oblivious to her son's chagrin, Mrs Thornton took up her daughter's topic of conversation; her eyes still focused on her piece of worsted.

'They do not appear to be very different. Mr Hale seems a worthy kind of man, but rather simple. He would not do for trade; better that he was a clergyman and now a tutor. Mrs Hale's quite the fine lady with her ailments and nerves. I should think she was taught to be such, and finds a certain triumph in her invalidism. The daughter - I am not yet sure of her - I think her proud and quite disagreeable, thinking herself so above us northerners. She does not strike me as a fool, but I suppose she must be, to think herself so very high above her company, for they are not rich and I doubt they ever have been! No, she doesn't please me and I find little of interest in her. The goddaughter; I allow, she is quite different, but I suppose anyone who has lived in such exotic lands must have a certain peculiarity about them. Yet she seems quite quick in her thinking, and quite ready to please. She is not of our society, but I should not be sorry to know her better.' Jealous of what she knew to be a great compliment from her mother, Fanny set down her embroidery and gaped and gasped in disagreement.

'Miss Darrow! She is not accomplished. She cannot play at all and is not even fond of music. She does not paint and her skin; why, I have never seen someone so caught by the sun. She is not at all fashionable and then she displays such insufferable independence. You know, I think she was even proud that she could not play; she certainly felt no shame in it!'

'Go on, Fanny! What other faults do you find with her? What else does she lack to bring her up to your standards?' cried Mr Thornton, sharply. He chafed indignantly to hear such a creature spoken of in such a way. Such a creature! he asked of himself. When did I came to think of her thus? He was struck dumb at the realisation, and could only frown in frustration; his expression dark and pensive.

'Nay! John,' replied his mother, in what was - for her - a consoling tone (for she could see that Fanny had offended him). She would have added to Fanny's suit by claiming the girl to be too forward and improper, in her open admiration of her son's visage; she would have attested to the additional fault, for that simple fact that she was jealous of any mortified feeling her son should feel on behalf of the young lady, but she was struck by the absurdity of Fanny's declaration, for her daughter was spoilt and flighty; she wore fine gowns and acted the lady, but beneath the frills and fine lace there was little substance and - she was loath to admit - perhaps less to admire. It was only the innate knowledge of the unfavourable comparison between both young ladies, which provoked Mrs Thornton to soothe her son instead of compound Fanny's list of short fallings. 'Fanny means no harm in it. Miss Darrow did say - without one ounce of shame or blush - that she could not play; she was not sorry for it. And you cannot deny her skin is not so pale as we are used to in the north. I will own that she holds a certain independence of manner and spirit which I cannot admire, for I do not think it becoming in one so young, but I am not offended by it; I think it more a product of her strange upbringing. Perhaps, if we were let alone with her and the Hales, we could instil in her some restraint and then we may come to like her.'