Seraphina waved a hand airily. ‘Oh, there is no need to cause any fuss. Lucy is small and slim and can make do with a child’s cot or a roomy cupboard if there is no cot.’
I had almost laughed out loud at that! Poor Lucinda, being forced to sleep on a cot or shoved into a cupboard!
When I’d told Max about Seraphina’s interference, I was confident he’d side with me. But he’d said it was a good idea as I would have company on the journey down and added that Lucy was a good girl and wouldn’t be any bother. She’d probably have her nose in a book for most of the time.
Fortunately, Jane’s reply about the business had been reassuring. She had told me not to worry and thatfriends often turned up unexpectedly when these sorts of trips were arranged, so Edward tended to book accommodation with more rooms than were strictly necessary. She’d also informed me that Elizabeth was known for saying ‘the more the merrier!’ whenever someone was to join their party. So they would not mind if Lucinda came with me. She’d ended her note with ‘We will make the best of it!’, which I had been saying to myself as a sort of mantra. Somehow, thanks to Seraphina, my carefree escape had morphed into chaperoning my niece and finding her a husband.
And I’d severely underestimated quite how much I would miss my own. My heart had begun to ache quite palpably at the thought of not seeing Max tonight or the next night or the night after that, and I’d only kissed him goodbye this morning!
We had several days of travel before we reached Steventon, where we would spend a few days at Papa’s to break up the journey. Lucinda and I would then continue on to Bath via stagecoach, which would take another day, depending on the weather. It had been dry as a bone up until now, so I had high hopes of reaching Bath speedily.
Jane had already left home with her relations and was no doubt settling into the apartment in Queen Square plus scoping out the social scene. I wondered what juicy gossip she would have to impart when we arrived.
***
We reached Steventon late in the afternoon on the fourth day. Our footman had deposited us in Oxford, and we had caught a stagecoach from there. When we arrived at my house after a short walk from town with our carpet bags, the sun was dipping in the sky, and the shadows were lengthening in the lanes.
As soon as I unlatched the front gate, Papa immediately flung open the door (he had been watching for me) and strode outside. He was dressed smartly in a fawn suit with a matching waistcoat and white linen shirt.
‘Welcome home, my dear.’ Papa’s smiling countenance was familiar, but also not, and I stared in shock—he had grown a dapper moustache! But it looked well on him, and so overcome was I at seeing him after all this time that I couldn’t help bursting into tears.
Papa enveloped me into a firm hug as he teased, ‘What’s all these tears for ... hmm? Is it that terrible to see me?’ Then he kindly lent me his handkerchief, and I mopped my cheeks.
‘Who’s this you’ve brought with you?’ he asked, and I turned to see Lucinda by the gate, quietly waiting to be introduced. I had forgotten all about her!
‘Papa, this is Lucinda Fitzroy, my niece who is accompanying me to Bath. Lucinda, my father, Mr Blackburn.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Mr Blackburn,’ said Lucinda, giving him a little curtsy.
‘Pleased to meet you too, Lucinda,’ he said, nodding and smiling at her.
‘Oh, do call me Lucy. Everyone at home does,’ she replied, a faint blush colouring her porcelain cheeks.
She really is a lovely young woman, I thought. And patient too, having had to listen to me complaining nonstop about my aching bones yesterday.
‘Very well. And you must call me Uncle Charles or Uncle, if you prefer. Mr Blackburn is much too formal since we are all family now.’
Lucinda smiled and bobbed again.
‘Come in, come in. Both of you must be tired and hungry,’ said Papa, taking up our bags.
‘Exhausted!’ I replied. ‘We stayed in a sketchy coaching inn last night with awful damp sheets. I was sure I felt bugs crawling over my legs during the night. I didn’t sleep a wink.’
Papa laughed. ‘Well, you’ll find no bugs here. Mary has spring-cleaned your room ready for you.’
‘Dear Mary! And Sue, is shestill here?’
‘Yes, she is preparing a special welcome-home supper for you.’
My mouth started watering at the thought of our cook’s tasty treats, and my stomach gurgled loudly, making Lucinda giggle.
Yes, it was definitely time for supper!
***
It was strange seeing my old room sparsely furnished with only the bed, dresser, and a rug. My clothes, books, and other personal effects had been sent to Derbyshire after the wedding. Being in here brought back a flood of nostalgia, memories of when Harriet and I were single and dreaming about finding handsome husbands of good fortune—little did we know our dreams would come true! I had a sudden pang of nostalgia remembering our night-time chats.Wonderful, now I was missing my sister as well as Max!I would endeavour to find time to write them both when I was in Bath.
Supper was served as soon as we had changed into fresh dresses, washed our hands and faces, and tidied our hair. Our travelling trunks were stored at the stagecoach office in town, so we had only what we needed in the way of clothing and accessories for a two-day stay.
