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Authors: Philippa Carr
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interesting,” said Lucas. “After all, we stay here all the time. It used to be so dull, though we never noticed it much. Only when …”
Harriet gave him a dazzling smile.
“We shouldn’t be away long, I suppose,” finished Lucas.
“Two weeks perhaps,” I said.
“What of the children?” asked Harriet.
“In her letter our mother said they would be all right with the servants. And so they should be.”
“They’ll hate your going,” said Harriet.
“For a few days and then they’ll be used to it. And think of the excitement for them when we come back.”
“I shall miss you,” said Harriet wistfully.
I said I would go to my room and write the acceptance of the invitation; and I left Lucas and Harriet together.
The messenger went off with my letter, and as soon as he had gone I began going through my wardrobe. What one wore was not important at Congrève but visiting would be different.
The door opened and Harriet came in.
She looked at the brown dress which lay on my bed. “You can’t take that,” she said. “It doesn’t suit you.”
She picked it up firmly and hung it up in the cupboard.
“You have very little to go visiting in, Arabella,” she said. “I think we should attempt some refurbishing.”
“I daresay they live much the same as we do. They’re in exile too.”
“They contemplate entertaining so they will surely make some show. Really we shall have to look into our wardrobes. I could lend you something if I wasn’t …”
She hesitated and I looked at her sharply.
“Coming with you,” she added slyly.
“Coming with us. But …”
“It will be more fun,” she said. “Just think how we will talk of it afterwards. You’ll need me there, Arabella.”
“But the invitation was for me and my brother.”
“How could it be otherwise when they didn’t know I was here?”
I looked at her steadily. Her eyes were dancing with mockery.
“How can you come, Harriet, when you have not been invited?”
“It’s simple. If I had been your sister, they would not have hesitated to ask me.”
“But you are not my sister.”
“But I am your friend.”
“You couldn’t just arrive with us. How could I explain your being there?”
“You will explain beforehand. It is so easy. ‘Dear Lady Eversleigh, I have a friend who has been staying with me for some time, and I could not really leave her at the château while we are away. I answered your invitation in a rush of pleasure because I was so delighted to have it. But now I see that I cannot really leave this friend. It would be most impolite and I know you will understand. She is charming, of excellent family, in fact one of ourselves. Now if it would make no difference to you, it might be that you will extend your invitation to her. … If so how delighted we shall all be to come. Do forgive the blunder I have made. It was such a joy to get your invitation that I suppose I answered it without thinking of my responsibilities. …’ There, what about that.”
“I can’t do it, Harriet. It would be quite wrong.”
“I think it would be quite right. But of course if you would rather I did not come …”
“I know it would not be half as much fun without you. But I don’t see …”
Harriet spent the rest of the afternoon making me see. And the next day Jacques rode over with a note such as she had suggested.
He came back in a few days with a reply.
My dear Mistress Tolworthy,
But of course we shall welcome your friend. She must come and be a member of our party. My son and daughter are very much looking forward to meeting you.
Matilda Eversleigh.
When I showed Harriet the reply she laughed with pleasure. “What did I tell you?” she demanded. And I must say I was delighted that she was coming with us.
Proposal in a Tomb
J ACQUES ACCOMPANIED US. AFTER our arrival he would go back to Congrève, but it had seemed wise to have him with us on the road. We stayed a night at the inn which the Eversleighs had
Harriet gave him a dazzling smile.
“We shouldn’t be away long, I suppose,” finished Lucas.
“Two weeks perhaps,” I said.
“What of the children?” asked Harriet.
“In her letter our mother said they would be all right with the servants. And so they should be.”
“They’ll hate your going,” said Harriet.
“For a few days and then they’ll be used to it. And think of the excitement for them when we come back.”
“I shall miss you,” said Harriet wistfully.
I said I would go to my room and write the acceptance of the invitation; and I left Lucas and Harriet together.
The messenger went off with my letter, and as soon as he had gone I began going through my wardrobe. What one wore was not important at Congrève but visiting would be different.
The door opened and Harriet came in.
She looked at the brown dress which lay on my bed. “You can’t take that,” she said. “It doesn’t suit you.”
She picked it up firmly and hung it up in the cupboard.
“You have very little to go visiting in, Arabella,” she said. “I think we should attempt some refurbishing.”
“I daresay they live much the same as we do. They’re in exile too.”
“They contemplate entertaining so they will surely make some show. Really we shall have to look into our wardrobes. I could lend you something if I wasn’t …”
She hesitated and I looked at her sharply.
“Coming with you,” she added slyly.
“Coming with us. But …”
“It will be more fun,” she said. “Just think how we will talk of it afterwards. You’ll need me there, Arabella.”
“But the invitation was for me and my brother.”
“How could it be otherwise when they didn’t know I was here?”
I looked at her steadily. Her eyes were dancing with mockery.
“How can you come, Harriet, when you have not been invited?”
“It’s simple. If I had been your sister, they would not have hesitated to ask me.”
“But you are not my sister.”
“But I am your friend.”
“You couldn’t just arrive with us. How could I explain your being there?”
“You will explain beforehand. It is so easy. ‘Dear Lady Eversleigh, I have a friend who has been staying with me for some time, and I could not really leave her at the château while we are away. I answered your invitation in a rush of pleasure because I was so delighted to have it. But now I see that I cannot really leave this friend. It would be most impolite and I know you will understand. She is charming, of excellent family, in fact one of ourselves. Now if it would make no difference to you, it might be that you will extend your invitation to her. … If so how delighted we shall all be to come. Do forgive the blunder I have made. It was such a joy to get your invitation that I suppose I answered it without thinking of my responsibilities. …’ There, what about that.”
“I can’t do it, Harriet. It would be quite wrong.”
“I think it would be quite right. But of course if you would rather I did not come …”
“I know it would not be half as much fun without you. But I don’t see …”
Harriet spent the rest of the afternoon making me see. And the next day Jacques rode over with a note such as she had suggested.
He came back in a few days with a reply.
My dear Mistress Tolworthy,
But of course we shall welcome your friend. She must come and be a member of our party. My son and daughter are very much looking forward to meeting you.
Matilda Eversleigh.
When I showed Harriet the reply she laughed with pleasure. “What did I tell you?” she demanded. And I must say I was delighted that she was coming with us.
Proposal in a Tomb
J ACQUES ACCOMPANIED US. AFTER our arrival he would go back to Congrève, but it had seemed wise to have him with us on the road. We stayed a night at the inn which the Eversleighs had
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