Clementine

Chapter 34: Participating in Life

Clementine had wanted to do like Mrs. Newman and avoid the village, and she succeeded during her first day as a duchess. The next day, however, she had to accompany her husband to church and anybody who did not know about their marriage yet, would know it then. She was nervous, although again she would have to do nothing but smile.

Afterwards she had to admit it had not been as bad as she had expected. All the people who had dared to express their congratulations or surprise were people with whom she had already been acquainted. They would not dare to be too rude, not to a duke, although it remained to be seen what they would say to each other once they had returned to the privacy of their own homes.

When that ordeal was over, she could devote her attention to turning the sitting room into a dressing room. Julian had said she could use any furniture she found in the house if she did not want to go out shopping for some and she had quite liked to go shopping inside the house. The room was quickly arranged to her liking -- although she would not at all have minded to share a dressing room -- and the nursery was stacked with Julia's toys.

Julian wrote back to his brother when he received word that a commission had been purchased. In fact, there was only that, a mere mention of the regiment and no particulars. It all spoke of great enthusiasm, Julian thought sarcastically. He wrote back and requested more information, adding at the end that he had married. Why should he be generous with details if his brother was not? To anyone else he might have enumerated the advantages of being married, since there were some that had a considerable impact on his life, but his brother would only understand one.

His aunt would agree. She had said something to that effect to him. He had become less serious, she had said, and less stupid. Ironically he needed less wisdom and circumspection now.

In the course of the following week they were invited to the Pritchards' for dinner and Julian accepted. They had met Clementine before and could now not suddenly dislike her. Clementine agreed. She did not mind starting off her socialising with the Pritchards. The mother and the daughter were friendly ladies.

There was nothing but surprised interest in their manner, quickly supplanted by a return to open friendliness after they had been told. Lady Pritchard asked no questions, but Evelina confessed to being highly intrigued by the process of falling in love with somebody. Clementine gave her a more sketchy outline of it than she had given Mrs. Newman, leaving all references to His Grace's clothing out of the account entirely.

She was curious about any gossip that might have reached the Pritchards, but Evelina shrugged at that. She said it had been the usual, highly illogical and contradictory kind that no sensible person could believe.

Julian was pleased to hear that Mr Pritchard had not received more news from George than he had himself.

Mrs. Black, Aunt Lavinia, left them to visit her children. One of them had fallen ill and required some assistance with her family. She was sorry to miss the admiral, or perhaps a whole fleet of admirals, but it could not be helped. Her children and grandchildren came first.

Aunt Julia had been rather vexed with her nephew, since she had believed him to be joking and now there was a real admiral coming.

If she had had any reservations about the Newmans coming to dinner, she had not voiced them beforehand. Afterwards there was no reason to assume she ever would.

The admiral arrived a week later. He was a pleasant man, judging from the way he greeted everybody. Clementine did not know what Julian had written to him, but he did not act surprised to see her here, only offered her his sincerest congratulations on her marriage. Since Julian had walked out to meet him, she did not know what they had said there.

"You could only be a wise young lady, having found yourself such a fine exponent of the Navy," he said good-naturedly to her.

She could only give him a genuine smile at such a compliment. Her husband was very fine indeed.

"You are an old charmer, Admiral," said Julian. "I never knew."

"Because we never held a ball, you mean? But there were other reasons for that."

"Yes, there were," said Julian without specifying what those reasons were. "And may I introduce you to my aunt Julia, the Dowager Duchess of Muncester?"

"Your aunt?" the admiral exclaimed as he bowed. "I would have guessed you to be his elder sister, Your Grace."

Aunt Julia stared back at him with a considerable deal of surprise. She managed a curtsey and an exchange of astonished glances with Julian. Personally she had always considered herself to be middle-aged. With a son who had lived to be twenty-six, she could hardly pass for the sister of his cousin who was still on the good side of thirty.

"And who is this pretty young lady here?" the admiral asked Julia, who was half hidden behind the ladies' skirts. "What is your name?"

"I am Julia." She giggled and hid herself again.

Clementine soon discovered that the gentlemen, although they tried to include the ladies very politely, were predominantly interested in talking about Navy matters and gossip. "Shall we leave them?" she whispered to Aunt Julia. "Let them talk."

"But this is a surprising change in your circumstances, Lenton," said the admiral when all naval topics were exhausted. He had seen the ladies leave them, but the fact had not registered consciously. He could certainly not remember how long they had been alone. "Married!"

"Indeed."

"The ladies must no longer think you a bad man." Admiral Henson had been talking to the new duke when the little girl had come out of the house with her mother and enthusiastically told the duke he was a bad man. It had been one of the highlights of the admiral's day, notably the look on Lenton's face.

"They do not. I am not as good at flattery as you are, Admiral, so it took some time." It still surprised him how the admiral had flattered and complimented all three females so easily. Clementine had smiled, Julia had giggled and his aunt had stared.

The admiral chuckled. "I refuse to believe that. Surely you are capable of describing what you see?" He believed he did no more than that and if they smiled when he described what he saw, so much the better for him. There were no losers.

"I suppose, if one has time to look..." There had been too many other things on his mind. He had come into the title and all the possessions and responsibilities that came with it. It had cost some time.

"Indeed. One must have time, but if one has the time, one must employ it wisely."

"Wisdom is only a matter of opinion." Julian did not think it a wise waste of time to flatter ugly ladies -- not that any lady in his house had been unrightfully flattered.

"That is true. By the way, you have a fine estate here. The parts I saw impressed me."

"You would have seen..." Julian thought of what the admiral might have seen on his approach. The drive was an ordinary drive, he would say, no more or less even-surfaced than other drives and the lawns were fairly natural. "Ah, the small lake?"

"We would call it a mere puddle, but if that is all to be had, we must make do with it!"

"It is but three strokes across."

Admiral Henson raised his eyebrows. "Champion rower?"

"All right, perhaps a bit more," the duke conceded with a smile. "I prefer the river for exercise. Although as far as landscaping is concerned, the puddle has received more attention."

"Indeed. I could make out a walk around it. Three strides, hmm?"

He laughed. "A bit more."

"Is this why you had no time for flattery?"

"None of it was my doing. I cannot imagine it was my late cousin's either. According to my steward he was not often here." He did not think Daniel would have busied himself with such boring concerns as creating a walk around a lake.

"The attractions in town were strong," the admiral said with a nod. "Understandable."

Julian winced as he was reminded of what those attractions had been. He pulled himself together when he realised it was unnecessary. His cousin was dead and whatever was left of Clementine's feelings for him could only grow weaker. There was no need to fear. She was now entirely his.

Admiral Henson had been watching him silently. Perhaps he had spoken tactlessly. It did not seem to have done too much damage, however. "But who did the landscaping then?"

"Er ... my aunt? She walks there."

"We should let them talk about sea things," Clementine said as soon as the door closed behind them. "I do not know anything about them."

"Do you not want to learn?" asked Aunt Julia. She thought that perhaps other young ladies would have been more possessive and selfish, insisting that the topic be changed to something that was of interest to them. They would behave more like Julia, although Julia could not yet be blamed.

"I do not want them to mind me as they speak. I can learn later. There is no hurry."

It was a very considerate and perceptive girl. Perhaps she could ask something. "Is he not a little..."

"The admiral?" Clementine asked with a smile, having some idea of what she meant. "Yes, perhaps."

"I was wondering if he needed spectacles."

"His manners are certainly different from Julian's. Perhaps he meant to be reassuring, since he knows where I come from." She was certain his compliments had all sprung from genuine and sincere feelings, however. These sailors spoke as they found, be it a young looking aunt or a presumed woman of easy virtue. She smiled at the comparison.

"I cannot say I feel reassured," Aunt Julia answered. "Pray do not guess my age. I can see you are trying."

"Indeed I was not. I have no need. I looked it up once."

Chapter 35: Commander Julia

"Shall I row you all around the estate?" Julian offered when the ladies had returned to them. "We have time for some fun before dinner."

"Is your boat large enough?" his aunt wondered. "For all of us?"

"Of course."

"Four adults and a child? I doubt it. I shall walk. I know the estate anyway." It could never be comfortable in that boat -- and he called this fun.

"As you wish, Aunt."

"Besides, I remember how wet you always are when you come off the water. Your boat leaks, I am sure."

"Do not frighten the other ladies, Aunt," he responded with a smile. There was no leak in the boat. Nobody would get wet if they sat still.

"Perhaps I shall pass up if the boat leaks," Clementine said with a doubting look. "Take Julia. She enjoys getting wet."

"Madam," said the admiral, taking her aside in a half-whisper. "Telling a sailor you do not want to share his boat is much worse than telling him -- worse! Really."

"But he is no longer a sailor," she said weakly, unsure how to react to this well-meant encouragement. He knew of what he spoke, she assumed, yet she did not think Julian placed such a great value on being accompanied in his boat.

"Pooh. I know what -- you and I shall exchange places halfway, after you have established that I did not get wet. How is that?" he smiled. "A compromise."

"That sounds excellent."

"So, Lenton," exclaimed the admiral. "The little miss and I shall go with you for the first part and then you will take your lady back."

"Excellent." Julian gave them an odd look, curious about the conversation he had not been able to hear. Evidently Admiral Henson had said something convincing.

Aunt Julia and Clementine followed the small rowing boat on foot, making their way through the shrubbery so they were as close to the water as they could without being on it. "Is he trying to impress the admiral?" Aunt Julia panted as the ladies had to break into a run to keep up. "What can be the meaning of this reckless pace? Julian!" she cried. "Have some compassion for us."

He only gave a wicked smile and kept rowing. Clementine was so distracted by it that she fell over a fallen branch. "Ow!" she cried.

"This is madness," Aunt Julia decided, helping her up. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I am fine." She brushed the dirt off her hands.

"By the time we get to the pond, I shall be exhausted -- or I shall have broken something. Does he want me to chase the boat back as well? He did not even see you fall. He goes on and on. He is out of sight already. Shall we take the easy route to the pond and let them go?"

Clementine did indeed think that would be best. "Please. Would Julia be all right?" She would be happy to let these reckless men go, but it worried her a little that they had Julia with them.

"In a speeding boat with two men? What do you think?" Aunt Julia thought she would be having the time of her life. Such an adventure was exceedingly well suited to the tastes of the little minx. "I am thinking this is exactly to Miss Julia's tastes."

That was correct. As undesirable as it might become in later years, they could now still allow Julia to take full advantage of it. They left the shrubbery and made for the path.

The ladies arrived at the pond before the gentlemen did and they sat waiting on one of the benches. Just when the duchess began to entertain serious notions of their having capsized, the boat came into view.

"What happened to you?" Julian called. "I lost sight of you."

Julia stood on the admiral's knees, one hand on his collar for support. With her other arm she was waving about wildly, crying all kinds of seemingly naval commands.

Clementine was horrified. "What is she doing to him?" She had to be choking the poor man.

Aunt Julia's impression differed slightly, although both had risen from the bench. "What is he doing to her? Is he not the source of that abominable naval cant?"

Julian had rowed the boat to close to the bank in the meantime. Admiral Henson passed Julia to him and then stepped out of the boat. His feet got wet, but apparently he did not mind. "Shall I hand you in, Your Grace? It will keep your feet dry. Lenton, will you tell the little devil to keep still so I can hand you the wife? She listens to you."

"The little devil!" Clementine pressed her hand to her mouth. How had Julia misbehaved?

"Keep still, little devil," Julian told Julia.

"Madam," said the admiral, holding out his hand.

She stepped forward gingerly and felt herself swung into the boat in a sure movement, whereupon equally steady hands took her over and set her on her feet. "Ow," she said, feeling the surface sway under her feet. She would lose her balance for certain. "I want to sit."

Julian sat her down and grabbed the oars again. "Hold on to Julia," he advised. "See you at the boathouse!" he called to his aunt and the admiral.

"I am not going through the shrubbery again to keep his pace," Aunt Julia said in determination. "We shall take a proper path. What was he trying to do?"

"It was all for the lady. She would make a fine pirate, that little thing. Imagine her boarding your ship!" he chuckled as he visualised that -- an older Julia, of course.

"I do not know what wicked terms you taught her," she said in resignation, "but we shall hear them back at the most inappropriate moments."

"Madam," he said in a tone of mock offence. "I will have you know that respectable seamen communicate with those wicked terms. Was I to tell him to pull harder on his left oar?"

"I know nothing about rowing, but it all sounded very odd language to me. And do you approve of pirates?" She set out on the path that led around the pond. There would be a crossroads with another path leading away from there, towards the river. They would be in civilised surroundings only, nothing wild or savage.

"Well," he said reflectively. "No, but she would make a fine commander and the Navy would not take her. Pirate ships are not as picky."

"I am not sure you could discern anything of the sort," she said, although he had seen correctly that the girl liked to issue orders. "She is but two." There was ample time to improve her character.

"I had fathomed she was not yet of age." He wondered whether Julia took very much after her namesake, or simply a great deal. "I must say, your generosity is commendable."

"In which way?" Aunt Julia did not think she had betrayed any generosity so far, least of all to him.

"Your generosity in advocating a match between your nephew and the shadow duchess."

"Shadow duchess?" She had not heard that term before, but she supposed he meant Clementine.

"I was a near neighbour of the young lady in town, although we were not acquainted," he said gravely. It would never have been possible for a widower.

"You know the story then," she deduced and gave him a searching look. He did not seem shocked or disapproving.

"Indeed, Your Grace. Your nephew was so good as to tell me when I ran into him outside her house. He did not know what to do -- and then the little pirate came out and called him a bad man!" His eyes twinkled merrily.

"He forced her to move to the country."

"Best to keep pretty ladies away from dishonourable competition," the admiral said with another merry twinkle. "It seems to have worked."

She refrained from commenting on his insight. Something more important had come up. "Shall we take this path? I am not keen on trekking through the wilderness again."

"I understand the landscaping was your work, Your Grace." Perhaps she had not yet tackled the riverbanks.

"I never counted on having to chase a reckless rower when I designed it." There were other reasons for keeping the river from view as well.

"The path it is then, Madam. They will not go fast. His wife will not steer him as well as I did."

They walked along a beautiful path, although the admiral had never been one for lengthy reflections on plants. "This is a pretty path, even if there is no water," he remarked nevertheless.

"Right behind these trees. If any of them fell in I daresay we would hear it."

"He is more gallant than that," thought the admiral. "Although it would give him the chance to rescue them in a heroic manner. We had best not walk too far from the bank."

Suddenly there was a rapid succession of startled cries, splashes, screams, more splashes and more screams.

"You should not have mentioned them falling in!" said the admiral. He turned towards the direction of the river and listened. There was nothing to be seen due to the vegetation and no more splashes were heard.

Aunt Julia prodded him with her parasol when he seemed to be wasting precious time. "Go to it!"

"Do not prod me with objects, Duchess. I am not cattle." But he began to traipse through the undergrowth.

She followed him, hoisting her skirts up as far as she dared. "Make haste, Admiral! Or they will all have drowned!"

"Lenton would not dare to drown in this -- in this -- in this -- it is not much of a river." Finally he reached the bank and he looked left and right. "There!" he pointed at the rowing boat. Only Clementine was still in it. She was trying to row without much success.

"Where are Julian and Julia?" asked the duchess in distress. She poked the admiral with the parasol again. "Go in."

"What happened?" the admiral called to Clementine. She did not look distressed enough for him to take immediate action. It looked as if the lady would be able to row the boat before long.

"Julia jumped in, of course," she called back. "Julian jumped after her and I drifted off."

"Why are you not concerned?" Aunt Julia cried in despair. Her grandchild was drowning.

"The river is not very deep, Your Grace! A person could wade across!"

"Well, Admiral!" Aunt Julia gave him another prod. "Wade in and pull that boat out." Clementine seemed to have little success reaching the side.

He felt himself being caught between the wills of the two ladies. He did not think the younger one wanted to be rescued already. There was no despair on her face, merely a keen interest in rowing. Yet the elder would push him in if he did not act. "Do you want to be rescued, Your Grace?" he called at her. "I am coming. I must!"

She had been correct, for the river was not deep and he could easily wade towards her. He had to walk a little fast, because she drifted away from him. Finally he could grab the boat. "Your Grace, perhaps the still water of the pond is better suited to rowing lessons. Your aunt would have a fit if you continued here."

Clementine smiled at him and kept the oars still. "I confess the current is in my way. You gentlemen of the sea really do not mind getting wet, do you?"

"We do not mind rescuing ladies," he responded. "Where is the Captain? And your daughter?"

"Around the bend, performing a rather lengthy rescue, if you ask me. My daughter liked falling in and anything she likes must be repeated."

He was still holding onto the boat and Aunt Julia was beginning to fret. "Admiral! Where is my grandchild?" she called.

"She cares nothing for you, my dear," he winked at Clementine. "I wonder what she would say if I let go of this boat." He tried it.

"Admiral!" Aunt Julia all but exploded.

"I am sorry," he said to Clementine after he had lunged towards the boat again. "I shall get you out as soon as possible."

"Do you fear Aunt Julia, Admiral?" she inquired in amusement.

"Her little parasol, really."

Chapter 36: Conclusion

In spite of the cold water -- which Julia did not seem to feel -- Julian had to play with her at length, even when her teeth began to clatter slightly. When he heard the sound, he decided it was enough. He remembered Clementine had drifted off in the boat and perhaps he should see whether she had made it to the bank. She had not screamed or cried for him, although in the back of his mind he had heard some conversation going on around the bend. It had not struck him as requiring his immediate presence, however.

Now, with Julia on his arm, he wound his way downstream through the bushes. Soon he came upon his aunt, who was trying to climb over a fallen tree that was blocking her path.

"Julian!" she raged at him, stopping just short of hitting him with her parasol. "Where have you been? And Julia is all wet!"

"Where are Clementine and Admiral Henson?" he asked.

"You left her to drift out to sea!" she cried. "I made the Admiral walk in to rescue her."

He laughed at the image. "And where are they now?"

"I think he is towing her to the pond. Should you not get Julia inside as soon as possible? She is cold." She studied the little girl with a look of concern.

"If you do not mind, I should like to see if Clementine is all right as well." He stepped over the tree.

"Julian! Assist me." She was not dressed to climb over fallen trees.

He turned. "Why do you not take the path?" He could not carry both Julias.

"Assist me! This way is quicker."

He helped his aunt over the tree. "If you insist."

Soon they came to a clearing. The rowing boat lay ashore and Clementine was helping the admiral wring out his coat.

"The rescue party!" said the admiral. "See the little one is not drowned, Madam?"

"You should all go inside!" Aunt Julia exclaimed. "You will all catch a cold! And what is this obsession gentlemen have with taking off --" She shook her head and ventured back into the shrubbery. "I shall order hot water to be prepared!" she called over her shoulder.

"A most enjoyable trip," Admiral Henson decided. "For all of us save your aunt. She feared her grandchild had drowned, but how could Julia ever become a pirate if she drowned right now?"

"Mama, I swimmed!" Julia announced.

"You swam," Clementine corrected. She did not believe it for one second. There had only been jumping and catching, dropping and grabbing. Julian might have called it swimming, though.

"I swimmed with Papa. Now I swim in the bath."

"Yes, you must bathe for certain. You are cold." Clementine felt her little hand. "Take her inside quickly, Julian."

Julia's teeth clattered. "I am not cold. I want to swim."

"Pray what was this obsession to which your aunt referred?" asked the admiral. The remark had puzzled him and he had deduced it referred to clothing, but he did not know why.

"My aunt does not appear to approve of a gentleman's clothing being in disarray," Julian responded, leading the way towards the house. He was eager for a warm bath himself. "But I do not know why she thinks we have an obsession or even a particular intention to discomfort her. It is merely imperative sometimes to take something off, would you not say, Admiral?"

"Absolutely imperative in some cases," the admiral agreed. "And I confess I do not give a...very much to a lady's thoughts on the occasions that it is indeed imperative." Especially not, he would say, if he was completely unaware of giving offence in any manner.

Clementine giggled at his candour.

"Women rarely think matters through," the admiral continued, one eye on her.

"Admiral!" Clementine protested, although she knew he was provoking her on purpose.

"You saw her push me in with her little parasol. Was I supposed to come out all dry? Or was I supposed to drip all over your floors?" He smiled smugly, knowing he was in the right.

"You must ask her that personally," Julian suggested. "But perhaps you are not such a good flatterer as I believed at first. And what do you mean, she pushed you in?"

"She did, she did. I should have resisted. Perhaps she would have gone in herself if I had tarried," he mused. "By the way, do we leave the boat there, Lenton?"

"Yes, no harm done."

"And are your baths hot or is the water all cooled when it arrives upstairs? The house is a bit large." Admiral Henson did not know how much time it took for people to move about.

"You will not have to worry on that account. The only time a bath cools off is when you are distracted midway by people coming to the door." Julian glanced at Clementine.

"Singular of you to quit your bath at a knock, Lenton," the admiral commented. "I should have let them wait or enter."

"Even if they are persistent?"

"Yes, even then, but was it whom you hoped it to be?"

"It was."

"Cold water is a trifle in such cases, I am sure."

The admiral could bathe in hot water without being disturbed. Julian could not. In the middle of his bath he found Julia deposited into his bath water.

"We cannot handle her," Clementine said in a terse voice. "Why do you not reap what you sowed with regard to swimming?" She did not stay.

"Were you a bad girl, Julia?" he asked, having seen that Clementine was a little wet.

"No." She splashed around wildly.

If she had been doing the same in her own room Julian could see why she had been brought here. He slapped her on the hand. "No!" Julia began to wail pitifully. "No splashing," he said, but it had no effect. She was not listening and continued to treat him to her best crying.

He was not impressed and held her over the edge. "See that water on the floor? Bad girl if there is water on the floor." Perhaps she did not even know she had been the cause of it, although she understood plenty of other things. Perhaps it was time to learn.

He gave her a kiss and she stopped crying instantly. "Why, you little..." He cut himself short when he realised she would repeat any word for certain, so he had best say none. "Now listen to me."

Julia looked at him.

"This," he said, splashing, "is splashing and you may not do it."

She splashed, looking supremely innocent. There was absolutely no doubt that she understood him perfectly and that she was provoking him on purpose.

"No." He looked stern. "No. No. No."

"Yes."

"Julia? I am not happy with you," he tried. He should say he was angry, but he could not.

"Yes," she said, after a searching look at him. "Julian is happy!"

Teaching Julia proper manners kept Julian and Clementine too occupied to pay much attention to what the admiral was doing if they were busy. He stayed but two days, but he did not appear to have felt any neglect when he left.

Clementine thought he was a very nice man, her judgement being slightly influenced by the fact that he had accepted her as the Duchess of Muncester without any reservations. That, for a beginning duchess, was always an encouragement.

Julian, who had already known him before, did not feel he had to share his opinion and Aunt Julia called it bad manners to speak about someone. Clementine took her word for it, although privately she chose to think that it would be quite interesting if Aunt Julia did have an opinion on the admiral.

Epilogue

Some in the house were not surprised to see the Admiral return after visiting his daughter, although one was Julian and the other Julia, who was never surprised at anything. "Admiral has come to play with Gramma," she announced, observing the world from the window seat.

Even duchesses could choke on their tea. Both did so simultaneously.

Julian lifted Julia from her seat, not daring to look at his aunt. "I think he came to play with you, little devil. Shall we go and ask if he wants to go rowing in the boat?"

Julia gasped and clapped. She had not been in the boat since then, because nobody had wanted to come to hold her still. Mama and Gramma were afraid of getting wet.

"Here is one lady who is exceptionally happy to see you return, Admiral," said Julian.

"Well, if the other two are happy, but not exceptionally so, I have done well," Admiral Henson replied.

"We go in the boat!" Julia ordered him. "Follow me!"

"Julia, will you give the gentleman time to dress for the excursion? And perhaps you should first ask whether he feels any enthusiasm for the venture. He may prefer to have some tea with the other ladies instead." Here he gave the admiral a quizzical look.

"I daresay there is plenty of time to have tea with the other ladies later," the admiral said in a pleasant manner. "Unless they insist on seeing me instantly?"

"Admiral wants to play with Gramma," Julia said wisely. "I want to play with Admiral."

"I daresay there is plenty of time to play with Gramma later as well," he responded without showing any signs of embarrassment or surprise. "But Pirate Julia must have her way right now, must she not?"

There was indeed plenty of time to play with Gramma, he discovered.

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