Grand Sophy Part IV

Charles has begun to like Sophy more, because she is open and frank and her interference is usually for the good of the family and he has become a little irritated with his fiancee. They had planned to marry earlier, but a bereavement in her family delayed matters. Then another crisis appears. Charles had taken his younger siblings to Astleys, to see the circus, and Amabel the youngest child became ill, soon afterwards. It seems that it is typhoid, and she is very ill within a short time. Lady Ombersley sends the younger children out of town, but she is so upset she cannot be much help. Sophy and her own maid Jane know about nursing and take over the care of the little girl and Cecilia devotes herself to looking after her mother. It is now high summer and many of the Upper classes have gone out of London, but Cecilia's suitors are still there and pay visits to the house. Lord Bromford, a stuffy young man who has been trying to court Sophy, does not as he's afraid of fever. Charles had left town to visit his estate in the country, but he comes back and is amused by Lord Bromford's fears, but when Eugenia tells him that her mother has forbidden her to go to the Ombersley house, he is less amused. Lord Bromford has been something of a figure of fun to the young Rivenhalls, but Charles is rather annoyed and upset that his fiancee does not wish to visit the house or see his mother. Lord Ombersley who is a careless husband and father is so upset that he drinks more than usual but Amabel is very ill. However her fever breaks and she is finally on the road to recovery. Charles is feeling increasingly ambivalent about his engagement, but he is tied to Eugenia. One night he visits Amabel's sickroom and finds Sophy looking after the child. He is shaken by his feelings for her, and leaves abruptly. Cecilia is also feeling unhappy. She had been in love with Augustus but while he is charming and fond of her and a decent enough young man, she can see that he is hopelessly impractical, and that Charlbury is much his superior.. but Charlbury seems to have moved on and to be fond of SOphy. As Amabel recovers, Charles is greatly relieved, and he tries to help his sister. He tells her that he can see that she's unhappy and he is willing to agree to her marriage to Augustus if the poet will take up a job and is able to support her to some extent. This rather throws out Sophy's plans, so she goes to Lord Ombersley and advises him to put his foot down... and forbid the marriage. As he is Cecilia's father and she is under age, he can refuse to let her marry, so Charles's kindly plan is stymied. She decides that since her 2 cousins are so conventional, neither will try to escape from their intended marriages, so she will have to make an intervention.