Jane extracted Lucinda from Elizabeth, saying that she needed to show us to our rooms and that ‘there was time enough for talking about dull matrimonial things later’.
Elizabeth laughed gaily, and I saw she was used to Jane’s remarks and did not mind them. In fact, she found them amusing (luckily for Jane!).
Our rooms were at the top of the house, up a double flight of stairs.
‘Elizabeth and Edward have the apartment off the drawing room,’ Jane said as we ascended. ‘She said I could have it, but I preferred to be upstairs. There are two rooms, one a good size and the other smaller. But both have a nice aspect across the park.’
‘Oh, only two?’ I asked, confused about the sleeping arrangements.
We stopped on the landing for Jane to explain further.
‘I thought you could share with me, Flissy, as it has a double bed. The other only has a single. I hope you will not mind?’
I shrugged. ‘It suits me well.’ I had hoped for a room of my own, but needs must, and it made sense for us to share as we were friends.
‘Are you sure, Aunty Fliss?’ asked Lucinda worriedly. ‘I can bed down on the floor on some cushions or—’
‘Don’t be silly, Lucy. You will do no such thing,’ I said sharply before she could mention going into a cupboard. ‘I’m sure Jane and I will be perfectly content—as long as she does not kick.’
‘I don’t kick, but Cassie told me I once recited a poem in my sleep,’ said Jane, leaning against the stair banister with a grin.
‘Which poem?’ I asked curiously.
‘John Donne’s “The Flea”. That morning, we hadchanged the bedding for washday and discovered several dead flies on the mattress. Insects were obviously on my mind.’
I gave a snigger that came out through my nose.
‘See, Lucy? You are lucky to be in by yourself. Otherwise, Flissy may disturb you with her snorting,’ joked Jane.
‘Very amusing,’ I said, pretending to be haughty. ‘Now are we going to stand about here all day, or shall we see these rooms?’
We left Lucinda to sort herself out in the smaller room, which had an interesting, and not altogether pleasing, beige tint to the walls but was quite comfortable and contained a window seat overlooking the park—something Lucinda seemed delighted with.
‘I can watch people walking by rather than having to converse with them,’ she said earnestly. I was again reminded of Max as they both had the same shyness of nature, and another yearning pang shot through me. Lord, hopefully, his letters would ease my heart’s suffering. Otherwise, this was going to be six weeks of emotional endurance!
In the larger room next door, there was a sizeable bed, a chest of drawers, and a closet full of shelves. Jane declared that this was more of acupboardthan a closet as it wasuseless for hanging anything up. Indeed, due to the lack of storage in the room, I resigned myself to living out of my trunk for the duration of the stay.
I noticed she had set up her writing slope on the table by the window. There were no papers to be seen lying around, but I knew there was at least one manuscript lurking inside it.
‘Have you been doing any writing?’ I enquired.
‘No, not really. I am still working onElinor and Marianneand refiningyourstory. To be honest, my brain has been rather befuddled since arriving as we have been so busy. That is why I mistook the date of your arrival. I should have checked your letter,’ she scolded herself.
‘There is no harm done,’ I reiterated, not wanting her to feel bad about her mistake. ‘I can understand that being in Bath would cause one to be at sixes and sevens. Tell me again what we shall do.’
Jane counted off on her fingers. ‘Well, there is the pump room, which we shall see tomorrow. Then there is the theatre, concerts, balls, teas, walks in the park, and, my personal favourite, the circulating library in Milsom Street, which has an excellent supply of the latest novels.’
I wrinkled my nose slightly, and Jane noticed. ‘Do not worry. We will be spending infinitely more time dancing and socialising, and I can always go on my own if you aredisinclined to.’
‘Thank goodness!’ I said. ‘I did not come to Bath to be stuck browsing books in a dusty library, though I am sure Lucinda will go with you—she loves reading.’
‘A girl after my own heart,’ said Jane with a smile. ‘Though if her mother wants her to marry, we should introduce her to society as soon as possible. Who knows, if she meets someone thrilling, she may give me an idea for a new novel.’
Hmm, I was not so sure aboutthatsince my romance with Max was the subject of Jane’s latest manuscript. In that case, it would be better for Lucinda to spend time at the library improving her mind rather than giving Jane fodder for her stories!
Chapter 4
Directly after breakfast the next morning, a flurry of letter writing ensued in the drawing room. For myself, I penned a hasty (but heartfelt) note to Max and a somewhat longer one to Harriet, asking her if she had deduced anything untoward happening with Papa and Aunt, and if so, why had she not said anything to me?
