“Ollie told me what happened at the fair, m’lord.”
“You must think me a dunderhead, Mr. Hodge.”
“Nothing of the sort, m’lord. I can’t say I weren’t surprised when I first heard what you were up to, and I had a right good laugh the first time I saw Oliver dressed up like a dandy in Mr. Beaujean’s clothes, what with all the padding and frills, the striped waistcoats, and the collar up to his ears! ‘A right gentleman ye are now’, I told him, ‘even if ye look like a macaroni!’” Mr. Hodge laughed. Then he sobered. “As fer yer lady, I kin understand her anger over what happened. But, if she loves ye, like I believe she do, in time, she’ll forgive ye.”
“Will she? I am not certain. I willfully deceived her. That is not something to be easily forgiven. She takes me for a liar, and I cannot blame her, for such is what I am.”
“Have a little faith in her, m’lord. Give her time for her anger to cool. If’n she still canna forgive ye, well then, she doesn't deserve ye after all.”
Theo nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Hodge.”
“Anytime, m’lord. Now, I’d best be off. I aim to put in the new shrubbery out by the gates; got the seedlings all ready ‘n everything, but I forgot my shovel!”
“Could I join you? I am sorely in need of an occupation.”
“Certainly, m’lord! I know how much you love workin’ with your hands.”
“That, I do!”
Theo followed him around the house and to the front of the property.
They had not been working long, when Oliver came riding up the lane.
As soon as he passed through the gates, he dismounted and came over to them.
“I am so glad you are both together. I have some news to share, and I wanted you to be the first ones I told it to. I have been to call on Miss Greenbough. She has agreed to marry me!”
“Ollie, how wonderful!” Mr. Hodge exclaimed, throwing his arms around his son and patting him on the back. “I always believed you’d find yourself a lovely girl when the time was right, and now ye have!”
“Congratulations my friend!” Theo embraced Oliver next.
“We ought to have a dinner to celebrate,” Mr. Hodge suggested.
“You would be welcome to have it at Raven’s Cliff. Invite whomever you wish,” Theo offered.
“That’s mighty generous of you, m’lord,” Mr. Hodge said, “My cottage might be a wee bit small for such an occasion.”
“Excellent, then it's settled!”
Chapter 14
It was a warm day when Mrs. Gilbert Hurst departed this world to join her husband in the next one. At first, they thought Mrs. Hurst was only sleeping. She laid down to take her usual nap after teatime, having stuffed herself more than usual with cakes and goodies. The windows were opened on account of the afternoon heat, and the breeze coming in from outdoors rustling her hair and her blanket as she lay upon the sofa disguised the fact that Mrs. Hurst had slipped into a coma, then finally stopped breathing altogether.
It was one of her footmen who first discovered she was no longer with them. He had come to fetch the tea cart and return it to the kitchens, when he accidentally tripped on the rug and sent the tea cart clattering. The sound, which should have awakened even Mrs. Hurst from her deep sleep, did not rouse the woman even the slightest bit. The footman, fearing something might be wrong, called to his mistress, and when she failed to answer or stir, he examined her and learned the awful truth of it.
Reggie Hurst was beside himself. “My poor mama!”
Louisa did her best to console him. “At least she died happy after engaging in her favorite pastime.”
Mrs. Hurst’s death meant the end to any social calls for the time being. While the family was in mourning, they could not go out into society. This suited Caroline fine. She had no desire to interact with anyone, especially their neighbors at Raven’s Cliff. Mr. Hurst passed on their condolences to his wife after he saw them at the burial, and mentioned to Caroline that Lord Connally had asked after her. But she could not find it in her heart to ask how Lord Connally fared in return.
Caroline no longer went down to the beach. She did not want to chance running into Lord Connally there. Her days were spent in an endless cycle of drudgery. She would sleep until nearly noon, go downstairs and eat, and spend her remaining hours helping her sister to go through each room of the house, cataloging anything which might be valuable and noting any items which her sister desired to keep. Louisa had big plans to redecorate every room of the house, now that she was mistress of it, and she planned to auction off the extraneous household goods to raise funds to purchase new things of her own.
Tea followed, then a nap, writing letters, or a bit of needlework until dinner, then cards with her sister until the hour grew late enough that she could go to bed. Then it all began again the next day.
Louisa was not unobservant of her sister’s despondency, however.
“My dear sister,” she remarked one morning, “I have been thinking, perhaps it is not too late for you to go down to London for a bit. I know the Season is nearly at its end, but there is still a month or so before thebeau mondeall return to their estates.We,Hurst and I, naturally cannot go, butyouare not in full mourning. I have written to Charles and he has answered that he and Jane would be delighted to take a house in the city for a month and to take you with them. I am aware that a month is not long enough to secure a husband, and most of the good ones will be snatched up, but it may afford you the opportunity to make some new connections. If you meet someone you fancy, perhaps Charles may invite them to come to Netherfield to shoot birds this autumn, to further your acquaintanceship. I am sure you know, it would be unwise for you to remain with us here, trapped as we are from going to balls and house parties and the like. That is, so long as you are determined not to have Lord Connally,” she tested.
