Victoria opened her eyes quite wide. “Why, mamma, I never dreamed that you would have the slightest objection. I have been so used to doing as I thought best, that I never once thought but what you would be as delighted as Roger’s mother. She certainly does not object, and what has Sir William to say about it?”
“He can say a great deal, my child. If you marry without his consent before you are eighteen, your landed estates go to me, to hold until my death. Then they revert to your cousin, Dora Vale. There is but very little ready money you know. Less than a thousand pounds I think.”
“But why should Sir William refuse to let me marry whom I wish?”
“For the very same reason your dear papa would have if he were alive. He would say that you were too young to know your own mind. Come, Victoria, listen to reason. Let us go back to England, to dear old Valecourt. I promise not to interfere between you and your love, but take plenty of time to make your decision, then when you are eighteen, if you are still of the same mind, I will not withhold my consent to your marriage, after a suitable time, say two or three years.”
“Two or three years!” gasped Victoria. “Why that is an eternity. How nice it is to have somebody map out your life for you. Oh no, mamma, we don’t wait two years or even two months. I don’t wish to seem disrespectful to you in what I am saying, but I think I am old enough to know my own mind, and not to be treated like a great baby. Roger would die before the two years were passed, and so would I. If Sir William chooses to withhold his consent, he may for all us, and Dora Vale is welcome to the estates. They will be a Godsend to the poor girl. She is a governess, or something, is she not? If justice were hers half of it would belong to her. Just because her father married beneath him, as grandpapa thought, he must needs be cut off with the proverbial shilling. Turn about is fair play, I’m sure. If I marry without Sir William’s consent, I only return to Dora what is rightfully her own.”
Lady Vale shook her head. “Headstrong like your father,” she said, turning to leave the room. “The least opposition to your wishes only makes you the more determined, but I warn you, Victoria, while there is yet time, to pause, and reason whether it will give you pleasure to offend your parent for the whim of a moment. I do not easily forgive.”
She went out leaving Victoria sitting on the floor of the bath-room, holding the dripping poodle in her arms. “Flotsie, mamma’s the angriest I ever have seen her, but we don’t care. She wants me to do as she likes, and I want to do as I like, and I’ll win the day, of course. She can’t remain angry with her only daughter so very long.”
Flotsie shook her long, silky ears, and barked intelligently, and so the conference ended.
Lady Vale exploded a bomb at the luncheon table by quietly saying: “A sailing vessel starts for Queenstown next Wednesday. I have written to engage passage for myself and Victoria. We have had a most enjoyable time here, and have staid much longer than we should have done. It will be early September ere we reach home, and we have many important engagements for September.”
Her announcement was received with different emotions, by the different persons assembled around the table.