Page 12 of The Widow Wore Plaid

“I did not, however, take them this morning. So in a month or two we shall see if I’ve become a member of the Increasing Club.”

All her friends burst into laughter and began to leave the breakfast room, chatting enthusiastically as they filed out.

Jane stood smiling as they went. Yes, that was one club she was eager to join now that she was to be a wife once more. What better way for her to show her love for Gareth than to produce his long-awaited heir within nine months of their marriage. Or maybe a very little less.

Chapter Six

Tapping her half-booted foot as she sat before her dressing table, Arabella Granger tried once more to cease fidgeting as her maid, Jacobs, attended to her coiffure. After a whole Season in London, Arabella should be used to such fussing over her appearance, but it never got any easier. She supposed that was why she hadn’t managed to catch a husband so far. That or the fact that she never knew what to say to a gentleman if he did try to talk to her.

“Almost done curling, Miss Granger.” The maid had taken the curling iron to Bella’s straight chestnut hair this morning with more success than usual, which was not saying much.

Bella glanced at the clock on the nightstand and groaned. Twenty-five minutes after twelve. Maria, her sister-in-law, and the reason she and Hugh were up in the wilds of Scotland instead of back at home at The Grange, had insisted she be downstairs no later than half past twelve to ride out to luncheon. Bella’s lack of punctuality was a constant trial to her brother’s wife. “You must hurry, Jacobs. Lady Kersey says I must not be late again.”

“Begging your pardon, miss, but I told you the white gown with the blue flowered print would be the best choice for the luncheon. If you hadn’t changed clothes twice, there would be plenty of time to finish your hair. Ow!” Jacobs jumped back, putting her fingers in her mouth.

Poor Jacobs. She and the curling tongs never had gotten along. “I suppose I should have listened to you, but I thought the pink might give me a livelier look.”

“You look fine, miss. A real treat if we can just get your hair to stay up.” The maid stuck a hairpin seemingly straight into Bella’s scalp.

She hissed and shied away from the maid’s ministrations. Bella wasn’t used to the attentions of a lady’s maid, something new in her life now that Hugh had married an heiress. She liked Maria well enough, and she and Hugh were extremely happy, but Bella would have been more than content to have stayed at The Grange, her and Hugh’s home in Suffolk. After the stressful and supremely disappointing months in London, she wanted nothing more than to return to her familiar home, familiar room, familiar life.

“Only a few more, miss, then you’re done.” With conviction, Jacobs stuck another pin in, which must have drawn blood, her force was so great.

“Ouch! That hurt.” Bella jumped up from the chair, unable to stand any more fuss. “That will have to do.” She peered into the mirror and grimaced. Her hair had been piled on her head, fastened more or less securely in the front, but the back, where Jacobs had just been pinning, was straggling all over her shoulders and most unbecoming.

“Do sit down, miss. It’ll only take me five more minutes.”

“You said that ten minutes ago, Jacobs. Oh, drat. Look at the time.”

The clock’s hands stood at twelve thirty-five.

Bella’s heart sank. How had this happened yet again? Well, she simply would not be scolded another time. Grabbing up her reticule and straw bonnet, she shoved the straggling locks up on top of her head and jammed the bonnet overtop of all. She snatched her gloves up off the bed and ran for the door. Struggling to pull on the gloves, she knocked against a servant hurrying by her and her bonnet tumbled off her head. Drat! Better an unfinished ensemble than a late arrival. Bella scooped up her hat and raced out the door, running pall-mall down the corridor, worse than any hoyden.

She reached the front staircase and paused to catch her breath. Must at least give the appearance of poise. Drawing in a deep breath to settle her, Bella placed her hand on the bannister and began a somewhat sedate descent.

Voices drifted up from below and Bella slowed her steps, curious as to who was there.

“I love Bella dearly, but unfortunately she is forever late. It was one of the problems we faced during the Season this year.” She recognized Maria’s voice.

“How so?” Her companion was unknown to Bella.

“You know there is such a thing as being fashionably late?” Maria spoke up again and Bella pricked up her ears. “Well, Bella has perfected the art of being unfashionably late. We consistently arrived so tardily to the entertainments that the few gentlemen we were acquainted with had already engaged all their dances with the other young ladies. And no matter how many times I put my foot down and insisted we leave early for a ball, Bella always found a way to be unspeakably tardy. One would think the girl didn’t want a Season.”

Grasping the bannister, Bella eased back up the stairs to the landing where she could not be seen. She clutched the bonnet in her hands, not caring if she broke the brim. Who cared what she wore or did or said? Maria was right, she hadn’t wanted a Season. Hadn’t wanted to meet all those strangers, be made to dance with unfamiliar gentlemen and make conversation with them. She’d wanted the quiet and solitude of The Grange.

So she’d made herself late for parties and dances and making calls, just a little bit at first. And it had worked. She got fewer and fewer invitations to dance or to events, so she increased her tardiness further. In fact, she dawdled so long before appearing for Lady Braeton’s dinner party that Maria had simply thrown up her hands and declared if they were going to be an hour and a half late, they would not attend at all.

Now she would be late again, even though this time she hadn’t wished to be, and Maria would be disappointed in her once again. Blinking back tears, Bella tightened her grip on her bonnet. She truly hadn’t wanted to upset her sister-in-law and neither did she want to appear ungrateful. Now the only thing she could do was try to make amends here at Castle Kinellan, try her very hardest to be on time for everything they were expected to attend, like the luncheon, the banquet, and the bonfire tonight.

Wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve and taking a firm grip on her bonnet, Bella hurried back down the stairs, her boots rattling on the steps as she descended to announce her presence. If Maria and her friend were still discussing her, at least they’d have warning of her presence this time.

“I am hoping we will be able to enjoy the Little Season this fall,” Maria was saying as she came into view at the bottom of the stairs. “At least”—she rubbed her rounding belly—“if this little one will put off his appearance until the end of October, that is.” Her companion, Lady St. Just, nodded then glanced up the stairs at Bella and smiled at her.

“Good afternoon, Miss Granger.”

Maria looked up at Bella and frowned immediately, her lips drawing into a firm line. “Bella! Why have you come down looking like”—she waved her hand toward Bella’s head—“that? It’s not as though you don’t have a maid to turn you out properly. Why did Jacobs let you out of the room without completing your toilette?”

“I’m very sorry, Maria.” Bella cast her eyes down. She truly didn’t want to be a burden to her sister-in-law. “I changed gowns twice and then Jacobs insisted on curling my hair. That took a long time as well, and when I looked at the clock I was already late.” She risked a glance at Maria, whose stern visage had not changed. “I didn’t want to be even later, so I grabbed my bonnet and came down. I wanted you to see that I am trying to be more punctual.”