“…who is a delight to serve.”
Her aunt and mother exchanged a look.
Lindy nodded earnestly. “It is agoodidea.”
“It is not abadone.” Rose chewed her lip, then shot Barbara a look. “And it would get her out of Trippingham, as there isso littlefor her here.”
Yes! Think of Mr Turner’s toothy grin!Belinda urged them silently.
“Alright then,” Mrs Everson said finally, though with a shake of her head.
Excusing herself to go upstairs to collect her things, Belinda wondered why she felt so little joy in doing so.
I won them over, proving my reasoning is sound.
Isn’t it?
Within half an hour, she was outside in the sunshine, bidding her mother farewell and trying to focus on what a fine day it was to travel to Whitehall. She and Rose would remain there for a few days before continuing on to London with Uncle George. She climbed up into the carriage behind her aunt, and they were soon on their way.
“Oh, I see the iron ran a little hot,” Rose said, having caught sight of a scorch mark on Belinda’s dress.
Blushing, her niece hid the mark within the folds of her skirt. “I’m sorry I was so careless with a gown that you had made for me.”
“‘Careless’ is not a word I’d ever think to call you! And no garment lasts forever. Even before I saw that, I was set on ordering several gowns for you once we are in town.”
“No! Please, I’ve brought with me a perfectly suitable wardrobe.”
Rose laughed. “I only let you pack that up as I knew there’d be no getting you to London if you thought a farthing would be spent on you there. Honestly niece, you must accept that those who love you, will always want to give you the finest things they can!” Growing somber quite suddenly, she asked, “Now tell me, do you truly have no desire to marry and have children?”
Belinda shifted on the squab before answering.
“I am not swearing off all possibility of it, but I think it unlikely that I will ever meet a man whom I admire wholeheartedly, and —”
Mr Alwyn’s visage drifted through her memory.
“— and who would desire to have me as his wife.”
“Oh Belinda, mark my words — London is full of men who, meeting you, will be instantly besotted!”
“Well, if they are as rash and irrational as that, then stop the carriage here, I beg you,” Lindy said archly.
Bursting into laughter, Rose reached out to clasp her niece’s hand.
“I want what is best for you, and we shall work together to discover whatever that might be.”
Warmed by such affection, Belinda knew,Yes, my dear aunt will help me navigate whatever I am to face.
With Thoughts Like Treason
IF I DON’T leave town soon, I may not make it home before dark falls,Alwyn knew, eyeing his saddlebag which was packed and ready by the door.
However, as he wanted to make sure of something, he was straining his ears for a very specific sound that he heard nearly every morning. Today it seemed late in coming as he sat, restlessly flipping through Quain’sElements of Anatomy. When finally there was the scrape of a door, followed by the creak of a floorboard out in the hallway, Alwyn held his breath and a few cheerfully whistled notes reached his ears.
Ah, Sliger at last!Shutting the book softly, he smiled.And that is not the tune of someone who’s headed home in disgrace.
Alwyn knew that charitable acts were wont to incite curiosity, so he had stayed out of sight since telling the innkeeper that he would pay for Sliger’s room and board. He hoped the boy would not somehow intuit his involvement in the new arrangement.
During his fourth winter in London, while walking the halls of the indigents’ hospital, Alwyn had determined that the patients needed to be more comfortable in their beds. Purchasing a large order of woolen blankets, and having it delivered anonymously, had not been an easy task, though he was pleased to see the good that came of it. Wanting to make it an annual occurrence, he had asked his father to send Shroveto town in the future to see to it, that he himself would not be discovered as the benefactor.
