‘I’m sure there will be so many people there that you won’t even have to speak to her,’ said Harriet. ‘And we’ll all be wearing masks.’
‘True,’ I replied, thinking that I must be a very mature and gracious host to accede to Rosalind coming. ‘And is shereally engaged?’
Harriet nodded.
Gosh, wonders will never cease!I thought.Who on earth would be brave, or silly, enough to marry Rosalind Whiteley?
Chapter 16
With Jane’s and Cassie’s arrival and the onslaught of Seraphina, Tobias, and their brood, the house was bursting at the seams. Our poor staff were being run ragged with demands. These were mainly from Seraphina, who hated being cold and wanted roaring fires in every room, warming pans for the beds, and hot teas brought to her constantly.
‘Why Lucy chose to get married in the depths of winter, I’ll never know,’ she grumbled to me, huddling over the parlour fire. ‘I’ve got chilblains on chilblains!’
I glanced around to make sure Tobias wasn’t listening. He was engrossed in a game of cards with a couple of his children and intent on winning, so he wasn’t paying attention.
‘You cannot blame Lucy for the date,’ I said in a low voice. ‘She chose January because Tobias stipulated she could not get married for a year.Hemade her wait.’
Seraphina sniffed. ‘And a good thing too. Why, Harrington may have wanted Lucy only for her money like you-know-who.’
There was no point arguing with her when she was in this mood, so I returned to my needlework. Anyonewith eyes could see that Harry had been devoted to Lucinda even before they became engaged, and she to him.
Their affection had only grown stronger, not weaker, as the months passed. And when Lucinda appeared at the back of the chapel, clasping her father’s arm the next day, everyone gasped. She resembled a princess from the ice realm with her dark hair contrasting the white satin-and-lace gown with a matching train. Harry looked like he might burst from love and pride to be marrying such a woman.
As they said their vows solemnly to each other and gazed at each other adoringly, no one in the audience could deny their love—least of all Seraphina, who was wrapped in so many fur stoles to ward off the chill that she looked like an oversized otter.
After the ceremony, we all piled outside and pelted rice at the happy couple as they ran laughingly to Harry’s carriage to head back to the house for the wedding luncheon. Our party did not linger either. The sky was black and heavy with snow clouds. But it held its breath until everyone was safely ensconced inside, and the first flakes started falling as we started on the soup course.
Freddie was sitting on my knee, and though in awe at being allowed to eat with the adults, he was behaving verywell—apart from when he spotted Maurice through the door and started scrambling down to see his friend, exclaiming, ‘Mo Mo!’
‘No, Freddie, Maurice is busy,’ I said, grabbing on to him before he slipped. ‘What’s this on your plate? Doesn’t it look delicious?’ Maurice had made him a baby meal, mostly meat and vegetables cut up small. But not much had been eaten of it since he was too busy looking around.
‘He is such a darling,’ said Jane on the other side of me, her curls bobbing as she leaned forward to see him. ‘And so like you-know-who, it is uncanny,’ she whispered.
I jabbed her with my elbow to stopthatline of conversation. ‘How is your latest novel coming along?’
‘Very well. It is finished at least,’ she replied.
‘I wish you would try to get them published. They are too good to languish in your writing desk.’
A fleeting look of displeasure crossed her features. ‘Father did offerFirst Impressionsto a London publisher a few years ago. He declined it outright, and I don’t even think he read it. It was most disheartening.’ Her eyes filled with tears, which made me sorry that I had brought up the subject.
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ I murmured. ‘But please don’t give up hope. I know there will come a day when the whole of England will be clamouring for Jane Austen’snovels.’
She gave me a watery smile. ‘There is more bad news, Flissy. I did not want to say anything because this is a happy occasion. But you should know what’s happening.’
I lowered my forkful of pork pie at the seriousness of her tone and stared at her. ‘Gracious. I insist you tell me right now, or I will be imagining all sorts of dire things.’
‘Father has decided to retire, and we are leaving Steventon and moving to Bath. He told us at the beginning of December. I hoped he would change his mind, but it seems he is determined, and my mother supports his decision.’
‘Oh no! When are you leaving?’
‘In May, when we have downsized our belongings,’ she said mournfully.
‘It will be a wrench. But you like Bath, so it is not the end of the world,’ I reasoned. ‘And it could be worse. After witnessing the housing conditions in certain parts of London when I was there, you are sure to be more comfortable in Bath.’
‘Perhaps,’ she replied. ‘But when you have been living in a house for twenty-five years, it is difficult to leave it. And I do love the countryside so. Cassie agrees with me, and we have been sorely distressed. We cannot imagine living anywhere else.’
Poor Jane and Cassie, this was sad newsindeed. What was Mr Austen thinking, moving them all to Bath? It was an exciting place to take a holiday, but I could imagine that living there permanently would be rather taxing.
