“My dear Elsbeth!” gushed Serena, clasping her younger sister in an embrace that maintained at least three inches between them. She hooked her arm cozily with Elsbeth’s and drew her aside so the others in the carriage could descend. She was followed by Millicent, a striking brunette in a rich Florentine gold traveling dress trimmed with dark brown braid and cream-colored lace. She regally lifted her head and looked across the yard, her gaze clashing with Jane’s. One corner of her mouth kicked up in amusement at the domestic picture the Ice Witch made with the two little boys standing before her.
Jane saw the contemptuous smile on her cousin’s lips but did not deign to react. If anything, her expression mirrored Millicent’s, for suddenly, she saw and understood her cousin’s need to be the center of attention. It amused Jane to realize Millicent would never appreciate her desire to step aside and give her that position. So much the better. The battle was joined.
“Millicent, love, doesn’t your Aunt Elsbeth look divine? One would never credit her with being three-and-thirty. I swear she makes me feel quite hagged just to look at her!” Lady Serena Tipton cooed, finishing with a slight, carefully contrived pout that pulled her artificially reddened lips into a bow.
“Nonsense, my dear,” boomed a loud nasal voice from the carriage doorway before Millicent could answer. The voice was followed by the tall, paunchy appearance of Mr. Raymond Burry. When his feet touched the ground, he rolled back on his heels and straightened. Patting his stomach, he drew in a deep breath, his girth expanding like an aerial balloon. "If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was the eldest. No offense, Lady Elsbeth, but your sister is an angel personified,” declared Mr. Burry. Well pleased with his description, he nodded and patted his stomach. "Yes, stab me if that ain’t the right of it. An angel.” His smile pushed at his thick cheeks, making his long face diamond-shaped.
Lady Elsbeth smiled wryly. "My sister always did show to better advantage.”
“You would be better served if you did not insist on dressing in that severe manner,” Serena said breezily, her hand waving negligently before her to indicate Elsbeth’s printed blue cambric gown, devoid of knots of ribbons, ruchings, or furbelows. "And if you did not come outside without a hat. I swear you are getting positively brown, my dear! Don’t despair; I have in my bags a special cream just arrived from Paris that is guaranteed to clear one’s complexion of all ruddiness.” She patted her sister’s hand as they turned to walk toward the house.
“But where are the others of your party that you wrote me about? Are they not coming?”
“The Willoughbys and Sir Helmsdon shall be here shortly. The most tiresome circumstance occurred. One of the horses harnessed at the last stage to Lord Willoughby’s carriage came up lame. As Sir Helmsdon was mounted, he quite generously volunteered to set off to secure another horse. One of the link boys could have walked back, but Sir Helmsdon would have nothing of it. Such a kind and considerate man. I am quite amazed that, in our modem society, gallantry such as his should still exist. It tells much of the man, don’t you think?”
Lady Elsbeth murmured some noncommittal phrase, which her sister took as an agreement. Finding Elsbeth in a mellow mood, Lady Serena launched into a full recital of all the gentlemen they’d had visit them that summer.
“I swear, coming here shall be a blessed peace from the frenetic pace of society at the holiday. It is worse than at the height of the season! Of course, with my dear Millicent’s looks and the funds poor Mr. Hedgeworth secured on her, it is not to be wondered at. Poor Jane. It is really too bad that she does not possess my Millicent’s confidence and elegance. Well, never fear, that is why I am here. We shall see that Jane has suitors."
"Very clever puss is your sister,” put in Mr. Burry, as he trudged after them arm-in-arm with Millicent.
“Thank you, Raymond dear,” enthused Lady Tipton. "Ah, these must be Mary’s two boys." She reached forward to pinch their cheeks.
Bertram looked up at Jane. She squeezed his shoulder in commiseration.
“My dear Jane, you haven’t changed a bit,” said Lady Serena Tipton. There was the slightest hint of disappointment in her tone. She looked as if she would clasp Jane except for the boys’ continued presence.
“Please, won’t you come in, Aunt Serena?” Jane invited smoothly, nodding to Millicent and Mr. Burry to include them as well. "Mrs. Phibbs has your rooms ready.”
“Thank you, my dear. I admit I am quite fagged. Though the roads these days are much improved, traveling just does not agree with my constitution.”
Jane released the boys to scamper down to the stables. "Yes, I understand that is a condition I may have to contend with when I reach your years,” she said blandly, turning to lead the small party into the house.
Lady Elsbeth frowned, Lady Serena looked nonplussed. Millicent chuckled. Lady Serena sent her a scathing look, which her daughter shrugged aside.
“We have planned a small party for this evening to celebrate your visit. Just a few of the neighbors for dinner with more arriving afterward for a little informal dancing,” Jane said as they approached the main staircase. There stood Mrs. Phibbs with her retinue of maids ready to show their guests upstairs. "I do hope you will be recovered by then?”
“How quaint,” Millicent cooed. "A country party. I swear I haven’t attended one since I was sixteen, before my come-out. I don’t suppose you have any important guests on your list? Idoubt you even know the Earl of Royce, and he is the nearest neighbor, is he not?”
Jane looked back at Millicent to see her cousin smiling at her with treacle sweetness. "Royce? Oh, indeed we do. He has been over every day the past week,” she said. Not for a moment would she admit the objects of his attention have been her two nephews. "But he was uncertain as to whether he would join us. It seems he is expecting a guest today and did not wish to make commitments for his friend without consulting him first. It may be that we do not see him at all until his guest has left,” Jane offered guilelessly, smiling graciously back at her cousin.
“We keep country hours here at Penwick Park, so dinner is at six. I hope that will not discommode you in any way? And do not worry about the rest of your party. I shall send a man out after the Willoughbys to see if he may be of assistance.” She paused to give Mrs. Phibbs a few quiet instructions, then turned to smile broadly at their guests. It was that cold social smile that failed to reach and warm her eyes. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some last details to go over with Cook.”
Lady Elsbeth watched Jane walk away, realizing her niece would rather be running. She shook her head. "We shall send your servants up as soon as the carriages are unloaded. Mrs. Phibbs has directed that all irons be warmed so that your clothing can be pressed.”
“Damned thoughtful of you. Know my stocks will need a going-over. Always do after being packed away, unless I have a mind to be slovenly, which I tell you now I can’t abide. Never could, never would.” Mr. Burry released Millicent’s arm and rolled back on his heels.
“Of course you can’t, Burry dear,” soothed Lady Serena as they followed Mrs. Phibbs up the stairs.
Lady Elsbeth smiled stiffly, her head bobbing as she watched them ascend the stairs. When they’d attained the first-floor landing, she relaxed and sighed deeply before turning to search for Jane. She’d best remind her niece to keep her tongue between her teeth. It didn’t do to go borrowing trouble. Particularly any that Serena could contrive.
Lord and Lady Willoughby, accompanied by Sir Garth Helmsdon, arrived some thirty minutes later. Lord Willoughby was a surprisingly ugly brute of a man, who spoke with a dialect that reminded Jane of her Uncle Edward and his military cronies. Lady Willoughby was a small, wiry woman who scarcely spoke above a rasping whisper, due, her spouse informed them, to a nearly fatal illness she’d suffered many years before. In contrast to her ugly husband, she was a faded beauty for whom time’s touch had been gentle.
They all appeared tired, dusty, and more than a little disturbed by Serena’s cavalier manner of leaving them to their misfortune. With scarcely a greeting for their hostesses, the Willoughbys retired upstairs. Sir Helmsdon looked predisposed to talk, maneuvering Jane into a corner of the hall for just that purpose. Luckily for Jane, her nephews chose that moment to return to the house. They’d seen Sir Helmsdon’s long-tailed gray out in the yard and declared it a beautiful animal. The boys rushed over to the horse’s owner, pummeling him with questions regarding the animal. Jane smiled and murmured her excuses, then slipped out under his arm. Her position was immediately supplanted by Edward, who wanted to know what weight he rode and how long the horse could carry him. Their enthusiastic questions carried them in Sir Helmsdon’s wake as he followed Jeremy to his assigned room.
Elsbeth came to stand beside Jane as they watched the Willoughbys and Sir Helmsdon climb the stairs.
“It would appear Serena’s sterling character has already begun to tarnish,” she murmured in Jane’s ear.
