Intolerable Civility

Chapter Thirty: Silver Linings

"Confusion," Baxter suggested helpfully.

"Confusion!" Paul agreed.

It was a very polite euphemism for a catastrophe of an evening. Cate looked at Sarah, sitting in an armchair a little way from the others. She was not smiling, but there was something furtively pleased about her expression. How much had Paul known about what she was going to say? Something, judging by his apology, but not everything, judging by his pallor.

"You're very kind, Paul," Cate said without meaning it, because it was polite and politeness seemed to be the only refuge she had left. "Mr Baxter, would you like more coffee?"

"Thank you."

Even as she was pouring his coffee, a maid appeared at the door to announce that the vicar's coach was ready. He was driving Baxter home, so Baxter left his filled coffee cup on the table. Cate followed them to the front hall to see them off. It gave her a moment's reprieve from both Sarah and her parents. She did not know how much longer she could look at Sarah's smug face without slapping it.

"Thank you both for coming tonight," she said. "I'm sorry it ended so abruptly. I'm sorry for any embarrassment occasioned. I didn't mean to expose you to a family quarrel. It just happened. It does, somehow."

"No apology is needed," Baxter said. "I thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Demery."

His graciousness made Cate feel worse about herself. She shook his hand, then the vicar's, and watched them duck out into the snapping wind to their coach. As it went down the drive, Mr Maddox's came up behind it.

"I'll tell the Maddoxes and Paul that the coach is ready," Cate said to the maid. "You can wait here."

It gave her another excuse not to linger in the same room as Sarah and her parents. She went slowly back to the drawing room and announced the coach, then followed Mr and Miss Maddox and Paul and Annabelle to the door.

"It was not the night I planned," she said, "and I'm sorry that I exposed you to the vulgarity of a family quarrel."

"We are family now," Paul said generously.

"I wouldn't say close family though," Mr Maddox said.

"Close enough to forget and forgive a little quarrel," Paul said. He seemed to be trying to make up for something. Cate thought it would take her a little longer to forgive his involvement in tonight — if she ever truly got to the bottom of it. Perhaps forgetting would be the best she could hope for.

"Good night, all of you," she said, not stepping for a kiss or to shake anyone's hand. "Safe journey."

When she got back to the drawing room, she found Mrs Demery and her parents and Sarah all sitting in opposite corners of the room regarding each other suspiciously. Only Laurie moved around the room, carrying a bottle of wine and her glass. She must have returned to the dining room for the wine bottle, but if she was inebriated she was holding it well.

"Your parents are not what I thought, Cate," she said when Cate entered. "It sort of makes everything make sense. I feel as though I understand you now."

"Did you not before?"

"I probably don't now. One never does know a person as well as they think. And if they do, there's no guarantee that person won't change for the worse." Laurie looked at Sarah. "There is always lower to sink, with some."

"You have drunk too much," Mrs Demery said. "You will embarrass yourself."

"I am the only one in this room who is not embarrassed."

"The only one who has shamed herself tonight is Catherine," Lady Balley said.

"No, no, no." Laurie shook her head. "You are shortsighted, Lady Balley. You abused your own daughter in public. Heaven forbid! Don't you know that sort of behaviour must be done behind closed doors?"