“But my brother did not live, and my mother decided she could no longer sail the ship alone. She wished to be rid of it long before my sister absconded; that act only shored up her mind. She wished it to be in safe hands, and as her heir was only two years old, and his mother vanished, she gave it to me. I am merely a caretaker.”

“And what a caretaker you are.”

“No ship can be sailed by two captains.”

“But must the lucky captain throw her sister overboard?”

“I didn’t throw her. She jumped.”

“So it’s her fault that she’s destitute and fighting for her son?”

“Yes.”

“Despite providing your family with a much-needed heir, an heir which you failed to provide yourself? Would it be fair to say that you have always wanted a son, but finding yourself disinclined to the company of men, unearthed the perfect alternative?

“How dare you!”

“If Miss Enid would agree to be seen by a medic, and that medic to declare her fit, would you be content to drop your petition?”

“She is not to be trusted.”

“That does not answer my question, madam.”

“You don’t know her. She’ll ruin him.”

“I believe a medic is the correct person to assess her, don’t you?”

“She’ll lie, she’ll pretend to be absolutely perfect and the next minute be flinging chairs across rooms.”

“Or children downstairs?”

“Precisely.” Joan banged her palm on the edge of the stand.

“However, she did not fling her child downstairs. He fell. Yet she was made to feel that his fall, blindness and crippling were her fault. Have you been jealous of your sister from the nursery?”

“Crowther,” barked Lord Merrivale.

“I do apologise.” Crowther backed away, his hand shielding his face as if Lord Merrivale were about to swoop and peck his eyes out. “Relationships between siblings can be so fraught. I imagine it is the same for Miss Finetta and Master Ian. Perhaps it is better they remain separated from each other – one in the shabby environs of Fulham, the other in the sumptuous surrounds of Bryanston Square. Let us hope the young lady is able to marry out of her poverty and that the young man shows mercy to their crippled brother. His fortune will certainly be enough for all three of them, should he learn the generosity of spirit so vital in a gentleman of power. No, I cannot see a way out of it – my Lord, give the boy to his aunt. The rest of his family must be left to rot without him.”

Lord Merrivale sighed. “Is that it, Crowther?”

Crowther bowed, and returned to his desk, while a clerk helped Joan from the stand.

Enid, 1964

34

Enid, 1964