Read Online A Particular Circumstance by Shirley Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: Shirley Smith
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towards six o’clock when Adam arrived at Primrose Cottage and as this was the first time that Jane and her daughters had become aware of the deepening relationship between Matthew’s aunt and their lawyer, they observed them closely. Although they didn’t discuss it with each other, Jane and her daughters all had their own opinions and perspectives on the romance between Adam and Lavinia.
Jane had been extremely happy with her unworldly husband and had no wish to venture into matrimony for a second time, but she knew that Adam had been married briefly, long ago and that his young wife had died of influenza after less than a year of marriage. She thoroughly understood his wish to share his rather solitary life with someone as attractive as Lavinia King and wished them well, particularly as it seemed that Miss King’s nephew, Matthew, would not be left high and dry, but was almost affianced to her elder daughter, Charlotte. After all, what was to stop Lavinia and Adam from living happily ever after, once Matthew and Charlotte were wed? She sighed and glanced across at Kitty. Her younger daughter was so different in personality from the forceful Charlotte, so much more shy and lacking in confidence. Perhaps the diffident curate, Andrew Preston, would prove to be the perfect match for her, if he were able to engage her interest, that is.
Charlotte viewed the romantic friendship between Lavinia and Adam without much interest. She liked Matthew’s aunt and Adam seemed a suitable suitor for her.
As for Kitty, she was totally indifferent to the idea of a mature couple such as Adam and Lavinia finding love. In her eyes, they were old and long past the magic of romantic passion. They’d had their day, whereas she was still young and desperately, hopelessly, in love with someone who was totally unattainable.
Adam approached the ladies very pleasantly and both Kitty and her mother were persuaded that they would enjoy a look round Lavinia’s garden, while Lavinia herself went to the kitchen to see how the dinner was progressing.
Matthew and Charlotte were left alone and for the first time since she’d known him, Charlotte felt somewhat ill at ease with him. Their friendship had been thus far so relaxed and easy-going. They’d seemed always to enjoy each other’s company and felt carefree when they were together. Now, for some reason, Charlotte was uncomfortable and almost critical of Matthew’s open expression and somewhat ingenuous remarks. There kept popping up into her mind’s eye the incredibly handsome face of Hugo Westbury, now smiling, now angry, but always arresting and interesting. She wondered what he was doing now. Probably gloating over his victory at getting Mama to move out early from the Hall, she thought bitterly.
She was roused from her thoughts when Matthew took her hand and tucked it into his arm.
‘Come, Charlotte, what do you say to a walk round Aunt Lavinia’s garden, while the evening is still so fine?’ he said.
She acquiesced willingly to this and they joined the others in the cottage garden, created painstakingly and lovingly over the years by Matthew’s beloved aunt. Here were traditional cottage flowers, interspersed with decorative runner beans, and divided by arches covered in sweet-melling climbing roses, and having here and there little secluded arbours with quaint seats and arches overrun with fragrant honeysuckle. There was much to see and admire and gradually Charlotte’s mood calmed and she sat for a few minutes on a stone bench with Adam Brown, chatting about the journey from King’s Lynn, while Matthew took Kitty to see Lavinia’s giant sunflowers , all turning their faces to the mild, late summer sky.
As Matthew stood beside her, he ran his eyes over Kitty as she smilingly lifted her own face to the sun. She never changed at all, he decided; still the bonny, good-natured girl he’d known ever since she’d come back to live at the Hall. She was such a gentle young thing.
Jane had been extremely happy with her unworldly husband and had no wish to venture into matrimony for a second time, but she knew that Adam had been married briefly, long ago and that his young wife had died of influenza after less than a year of marriage. She thoroughly understood his wish to share his rather solitary life with someone as attractive as Lavinia King and wished them well, particularly as it seemed that Miss King’s nephew, Matthew, would not be left high and dry, but was almost affianced to her elder daughter, Charlotte. After all, what was to stop Lavinia and Adam from living happily ever after, once Matthew and Charlotte were wed? She sighed and glanced across at Kitty. Her younger daughter was so different in personality from the forceful Charlotte, so much more shy and lacking in confidence. Perhaps the diffident curate, Andrew Preston, would prove to be the perfect match for her, if he were able to engage her interest, that is.
Charlotte viewed the romantic friendship between Lavinia and Adam without much interest. She liked Matthew’s aunt and Adam seemed a suitable suitor for her.
As for Kitty, she was totally indifferent to the idea of a mature couple such as Adam and Lavinia finding love. In her eyes, they were old and long past the magic of romantic passion. They’d had their day, whereas she was still young and desperately, hopelessly, in love with someone who was totally unattainable.
Adam approached the ladies very pleasantly and both Kitty and her mother were persuaded that they would enjoy a look round Lavinia’s garden, while Lavinia herself went to the kitchen to see how the dinner was progressing.
Matthew and Charlotte were left alone and for the first time since she’d known him, Charlotte felt somewhat ill at ease with him. Their friendship had been thus far so relaxed and easy-going. They’d seemed always to enjoy each other’s company and felt carefree when they were together. Now, for some reason, Charlotte was uncomfortable and almost critical of Matthew’s open expression and somewhat ingenuous remarks. There kept popping up into her mind’s eye the incredibly handsome face of Hugo Westbury, now smiling, now angry, but always arresting and interesting. She wondered what he was doing now. Probably gloating over his victory at getting Mama to move out early from the Hall, she thought bitterly.
She was roused from her thoughts when Matthew took her hand and tucked it into his arm.
‘Come, Charlotte, what do you say to a walk round Aunt Lavinia’s garden, while the evening is still so fine?’ he said.
She acquiesced willingly to this and they joined the others in the cottage garden, created painstakingly and lovingly over the years by Matthew’s beloved aunt. Here were traditional cottage flowers, interspersed with decorative runner beans, and divided by arches covered in sweet-melling climbing roses, and having here and there little secluded arbours with quaint seats and arches overrun with fragrant honeysuckle. There was much to see and admire and gradually Charlotte’s mood calmed and she sat for a few minutes on a stone bench with Adam Brown, chatting about the journey from King’s Lynn, while Matthew took Kitty to see Lavinia’s giant sunflowers , all turning their faces to the mild, late summer sky.
As Matthew stood beside her, he ran his eyes over Kitty as she smilingly lifted her own face to the sun. She never changed at all, he decided; still the bonny, good-natured girl he’d known ever since she’d come back to live at the Hall. She was such a gentle young thing.
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