herself for the moment. She shivered slightly as he remembered the soft kisses on her throat, the hands so-so reverently cupping her breasts—
Pooh! I’m naught but a clunch to sit here moonin’ over a handsome phizz—when he’s no more nor a scarce breeched calfling with not enough gumption to stand up and take his medicine as I had to do, she thought self-righteously. I’ll think no more of him.
During all these ponderings, the passengers had returned and the coach was under way again. She began to think that the journey might never end. She rested her head wearily against the side of the coach, and in spite of her resolve to miss nothing of this journey, dozed.
She came awake with a start as the door was suddenly flung open, to realize they had arrived at yet another inn, and all the passengers were stirring about, ready to step down.
“Where are we now?” she asked, looking about in a daze.
“Were at Maidstone, Miss Coombes,” replied the stout young man.
“Good heavens, so soon?”
“It only seems so because you slept so soundly.”
“If you don’t mind having this conversation elsewhere, young man, the rest of us would be glad to be able to get down now,” snapped the elderly lady waspishly.
Muttering a confused apology, he hastily climbed down and turned to offer Jane his hand in assistance. She took it gratefully, for she still felt half-asleep.
“Are you being met, Miss Coombes?”
“In the mornin’. A room has been bespoke for me here,” she said proudly, “so I’ll bid you good-bye now, and thank you for all your kindness on the journey.”
He lifted his hat and bowed politely, and she turned and made her way into the inn, much gratified by having everyone see him behaving to her in so courteous a way, as though she were Quality.
She was taken up to her room, and though it was very small, she was enchanted with it. It was the first time in her life she’d ever had a room—a whole room!—entirely to herself. She bolted the door to make it more definitely hers . The landlady had told her that her supper would be sent up to her on a tray as had been ordered, and Jane marvelled that so much care was being taken of her by strangers. Lady Stanier’s sister was surely the same good soul as Lady Stanier. There needed no further proof that Jane would be happy at Larkwoods with Lady Payton and her little son and the three kindly old family retainers.
The old family retainer who called for her in the morning, however, could hardly have been described as kindly. He had not descended from his perch to help her into the carriage, nor acknowledged her cheerful greeting with more than a grunt.
Jane subsided onto the seat and placed her box beside her. Well, she thought, I’m sure it makes no difference to me if he wants to be grumpy. Maybe he disliked being sent all this way to fetch a maid. But then Lady Stanier said she’d sent down several girls to her sister, so I should think he’d be used to it by now. Still, I won’t pay any attention. Nothin’ will be bad now, on such a day as this! She looked about with satisfaction at the rolling Kentish countryside. I shall certainly live happily ever after in such a place as this, she thought, her heart swelling with gratitude.
6
The house, when it finally burst upon her view, caused her to gasp. The curving road after they’d entered the imposing gates, was tree-lined, but did not totally obscure the view of low rolling countryside, with artfully composed copses scattered about. There were several deer grazing quietly at one point, and later a herd of sheep. The road swept around a curve and there was the house! A palace, she thought at first, so large it seemed.
The huge three-storied main body of the house was further enlarged by two wings going back at each side. The stones of the facade were a warm honey colour in the sunshine, and the twinkling panes of glass in the windows seemed to smile a welcome.
No such welcome met her,
Pooh! I’m naught but a clunch to sit here moonin’ over a handsome phizz—when he’s no more nor a scarce breeched calfling with not enough gumption to stand up and take his medicine as I had to do, she thought self-righteously. I’ll think no more of him.
During all these ponderings, the passengers had returned and the coach was under way again. She began to think that the journey might never end. She rested her head wearily against the side of the coach, and in spite of her resolve to miss nothing of this journey, dozed.
She came awake with a start as the door was suddenly flung open, to realize they had arrived at yet another inn, and all the passengers were stirring about, ready to step down.
“Where are we now?” she asked, looking about in a daze.
“Were at Maidstone, Miss Coombes,” replied the stout young man.
“Good heavens, so soon?”
“It only seems so because you slept so soundly.”
“If you don’t mind having this conversation elsewhere, young man, the rest of us would be glad to be able to get down now,” snapped the elderly lady waspishly.
Muttering a confused apology, he hastily climbed down and turned to offer Jane his hand in assistance. She took it gratefully, for she still felt half-asleep.
“Are you being met, Miss Coombes?”
“In the mornin’. A room has been bespoke for me here,” she said proudly, “so I’ll bid you good-bye now, and thank you for all your kindness on the journey.”
He lifted his hat and bowed politely, and she turned and made her way into the inn, much gratified by having everyone see him behaving to her in so courteous a way, as though she were Quality.
She was taken up to her room, and though it was very small, she was enchanted with it. It was the first time in her life she’d ever had a room—a whole room!—entirely to herself. She bolted the door to make it more definitely hers . The landlady had told her that her supper would be sent up to her on a tray as had been ordered, and Jane marvelled that so much care was being taken of her by strangers. Lady Stanier’s sister was surely the same good soul as Lady Stanier. There needed no further proof that Jane would be happy at Larkwoods with Lady Payton and her little son and the three kindly old family retainers.
The old family retainer who called for her in the morning, however, could hardly have been described as kindly. He had not descended from his perch to help her into the carriage, nor acknowledged her cheerful greeting with more than a grunt.
Jane subsided onto the seat and placed her box beside her. Well, she thought, I’m sure it makes no difference to me if he wants to be grumpy. Maybe he disliked being sent all this way to fetch a maid. But then Lady Stanier said she’d sent down several girls to her sister, so I should think he’d be used to it by now. Still, I won’t pay any attention. Nothin’ will be bad now, on such a day as this! She looked about with satisfaction at the rolling Kentish countryside. I shall certainly live happily ever after in such a place as this, she thought, her heart swelling with gratitude.
6
The house, when it finally burst upon her view, caused her to gasp. The curving road after they’d entered the imposing gates, was tree-lined, but did not totally obscure the view of low rolling countryside, with artfully composed copses scattered about. There were several deer grazing quietly at one point, and later a herd of sheep. The road swept around a curve and there was the house! A palace, she thought at first, so large it seemed.
The huge three-storied main body of the house was further enlarged by two wings going back at each side. The stones of the facade were a warm honey colour in the sunshine, and the twinkling panes of glass in the windows seemed to smile a welcome.
No such welcome met her,
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