Read Online Charlotte: The Practical Education of a Distressed Gentlewoman by Amelia Grace Treader - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amelia Grace Treader
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I'm here.”
“ It must be boring looking at all
those figures and things.”
“ I find it rather fascinating. But
then business is in my blood, I've been listening to business and
finance at the dining table as long as I can remember. Now, Miss De
Vere, why the sudden change of heart?”
“ What do you mean?”
“ Two weeks and three days ago, at
the ball in Staverton, you made it very clear that we were not
friends. That we could not ever be friends.”
“ I did, didn't I?” Charlotte
paused, “I suppose you would be justified in cutting me now,
wouldn't you?”
“ Yes, I would. I have to admit
that it is tempting.”
“ Please don't. Would it help if I
apologized?”
“ A little.”
Charlotte paused, gathered her
breath and started, “Miss Talbot, Elizabeth, I am truly sorry for
how I spoke to you and how I behaved. Would you please accept my
apologies?”
“ Yes, I will. If you'll try to be
friends with me, Charlotte, I'll do the same with you. Is it an
agreement?” Elizabeth offered her hand to Charlotte.
“ Yes.” Charlotte shook hands on
the deal.
“ Good, now let's go and find that
bakery. My friends must be wondering if I've fallen into the
Avon.”
It didn't take too long to find the
bakery, as Charlotte, with the knowledge she'd acquired in the two
weeks she'd been in Bath knew the way and led Elizabeth directly to
it. Her friends were there and had already purchased a package of
fresh hot buns. Charlotte could not help but notice that Elizabeth
quietly chatted with, and then passed a few shillings to, one of
the older woman, Mrs. Jones, who had purchased them. For once she
decided to remain quiet about Elizabeth's social solecism. They
wandered off to consume their treats while strolling in the Parade
Garden.
One of the younger members of the
party latched on to Charlotte and quietly asked her, “Miss are you
one of Miss Talbot's friends?”
“ I think so. I hope
so.”
“ Good, can you put in a word for
my husband? He's only a junior clerk but.”
Elizabeth came to the rescue, “Mrs.
Willis, are you worried about Mr. Willis?”
“ Yes, Ma'am.”
Elizabeth rather testily replied,
“I'm not the queen.”
“ Yes Miss Talbot.”
“ Good, I don't interfere with the
way Mr. Jones runs the office. He would be rightly upset if I
did.”
“ Miss?”
“ Seriously Mrs. Willis, it must be
galling enough for him to answer to a woman, and Freddy said not to
interfere with how the office is run. Of course if there's a
problem that's different, but there isn't, is there?”
“ No. It's just I'm worried over
him. I'm hoping he can be promoted sometime.”
“ In due time, both Mr. Netherfield
and Mr. Jones are fair men. I'm sure that when he's ready, they'll
promote him.”
Mrs. Jones came over and reminded
Mrs. Willis that this was meant to be a friendly social expedition
to show Miss Talbot the sights of the city. She turned to Elizabeth
and said, “I do hope, Miss Talbot that there won't be anything
arising out of this?”
“ No, absolutely not. She'd be an
unnatural wife not to want to help her husband. I really don't
interfere with that level of management.”
“ Mr. Jones was saying he'd learned
more in the few days working for you than he'd learned in years
under Mr. Netherfield.”
“ Now don't you start either,
please.”
Charlotte awoke with a start
mid-morning the next day. It was earlier than she usually arose.
The assembly was tonight, and she realized that she didn't know if
Elizabeth was planning to attend. She threw on her dress, bolted
something that resembled breakfast, a bit of slightly stale bread
and cheese, and ran to the Talbot place part way up the hill on the
Paragon. Composing herself and catching her breath she paused in
front of the door and then knocked.
A footman opened the door and
asked, “Who may I say is calling?”
“ It's Miss De Vere for Miss
Talbot.”
He showed her into the hall then
went to see if Elizabeth was ready to
“ It must be boring looking at all
those figures and things.”
“ I find it rather fascinating. But
then business is in my blood, I've been listening to business and
finance at the dining table as long as I can remember. Now, Miss De
Vere, why the sudden change of heart?”
“ What do you mean?”
“ Two weeks and three days ago, at
the ball in Staverton, you made it very clear that we were not
friends. That we could not ever be friends.”
“ I did, didn't I?” Charlotte
paused, “I suppose you would be justified in cutting me now,
wouldn't you?”
“ Yes, I would. I have to admit
that it is tempting.”
“ Please don't. Would it help if I
apologized?”
“ A little.”
Charlotte paused, gathered her
breath and started, “Miss Talbot, Elizabeth, I am truly sorry for
how I spoke to you and how I behaved. Would you please accept my
apologies?”
“ Yes, I will. If you'll try to be
friends with me, Charlotte, I'll do the same with you. Is it an
agreement?” Elizabeth offered her hand to Charlotte.
“ Yes.” Charlotte shook hands on
the deal.
“ Good, now let's go and find that
bakery. My friends must be wondering if I've fallen into the
Avon.”
It didn't take too long to find the
bakery, as Charlotte, with the knowledge she'd acquired in the two
weeks she'd been in Bath knew the way and led Elizabeth directly to
it. Her friends were there and had already purchased a package of
fresh hot buns. Charlotte could not help but notice that Elizabeth
quietly chatted with, and then passed a few shillings to, one of
the older woman, Mrs. Jones, who had purchased them. For once she
decided to remain quiet about Elizabeth's social solecism. They
wandered off to consume their treats while strolling in the Parade
Garden.
One of the younger members of the
party latched on to Charlotte and quietly asked her, “Miss are you
one of Miss Talbot's friends?”
“ I think so. I hope
so.”
“ Good, can you put in a word for
my husband? He's only a junior clerk but.”
Elizabeth came to the rescue, “Mrs.
Willis, are you worried about Mr. Willis?”
“ Yes, Ma'am.”
Elizabeth rather testily replied,
“I'm not the queen.”
“ Yes Miss Talbot.”
“ Good, I don't interfere with the
way Mr. Jones runs the office. He would be rightly upset if I
did.”
“ Miss?”
“ Seriously Mrs. Willis, it must be
galling enough for him to answer to a woman, and Freddy said not to
interfere with how the office is run. Of course if there's a
problem that's different, but there isn't, is there?”
“ No. It's just I'm worried over
him. I'm hoping he can be promoted sometime.”
“ In due time, both Mr. Netherfield
and Mr. Jones are fair men. I'm sure that when he's ready, they'll
promote him.”
Mrs. Jones came over and reminded
Mrs. Willis that this was meant to be a friendly social expedition
to show Miss Talbot the sights of the city. She turned to Elizabeth
and said, “I do hope, Miss Talbot that there won't be anything
arising out of this?”
“ No, absolutely not. She'd be an
unnatural wife not to want to help her husband. I really don't
interfere with that level of management.”
“ Mr. Jones was saying he'd learned
more in the few days working for you than he'd learned in years
under Mr. Netherfield.”
“ Now don't you start either,
please.”
Charlotte awoke with a start
mid-morning the next day. It was earlier than she usually arose.
The assembly was tonight, and she realized that she didn't know if
Elizabeth was planning to attend. She threw on her dress, bolted
something that resembled breakfast, a bit of slightly stale bread
and cheese, and ran to the Talbot place part way up the hill on the
Paragon. Composing herself and catching her breath she paused in
front of the door and then knocked.
A footman opened the door and
asked, “Who may I say is calling?”
“ It's Miss De Vere for Miss
Talbot.”
He showed her into the hall then
went to see if Elizabeth was ready to
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