Parker’s
invitation. “I have been berating myself for my clumsiness that caused such an
unfortunate accident.”
“You should not, Your Grace, as it was I who should have
been watching where I stepped,” Lady Parker protested.
“I hope your injuries have healed,” Norland said, looking at
Lady Parker’s still-bandaged hands with concern.
“They are much better, Your Grace. The bandages are only to
keep the salve on,” Lady Parker assured him. “Thank you for your kindness in
sending the basket of fruit. We enjoyed it excessively, especially the mango. I
had not eaten one since I have returned to London.”
“Ah yes, you have been returned from India only these last
six months, have you not? It must be difficult to accustom oneself to our chill
country after so many years in a warmer clime,” the duke said with a glance at
the blazing fire in the drawing room grate.
“You see I try my best to reproduce the warmth,” Lady Parker
said, following his glance.
“And I see your cat likes it as well,” the duke commented,
nodding toward Revati, who lay stretched before the fire. “That is a beautiful
cat. A French cat, is it not?”
“Yes, Revati is a French cat of the breed they say
originated in Ankara,” Lady Parker agreed. “Although she actually came to me in
India, where she journeyed with her former owners. She is nearly as
well-traveled as I.”
“I imagine you find your return to England difficult in
other ways in addition to the weather,” the duke commented.
“A bit,” Lady Parker said with a smile. “This morning I had
difficulty trying to decide which invitations to accept and which to decline,
for I often found I could not remember whether they were someone I had known or
not, as many of the young girls I knew are now women grown and married. And
since many of the families have been at their country estates since I returned
from India, I have not yet paid many calls and brought myself up to date. But
we shall make a start with Lady Earlywine’s come-out ball for her daughter, and
perhaps I shall be able to remember more after I see people again there.”
“I also have received an invitation from Lady Earlywine to
Miss Earlywine’s come-out ball,” the duke commented. “May I hope you will save
me a dance, Lady Parker?”
“I shall be among the chaperones that night,” Lady Parker
replied, “so I fear I will not be able to join those on the dance floor.”
“Then I shall be pleased to sit out a dance with you.”
Precisely when fifteen minutes had passed the duke departed,
leaving Lady Parker looking rather bemused.
“Truly, Lady Parker, I do believe I am correct and that you
have made a conquest,” Elisabeth reiterated.
“Nonsense,” Lady Parker replied, but her face had a rather
wistful expression as she gazed at the doorway through which the duke had
departed.
In mid-March the weather suddenly warmed, the remainder of
the gowns Lady Parker and Elisabeth had ordered were delivered and Elisabeth
surprised herself by beginning to feel a certain anticipation for the Season.
She had to admit she wished to wear her new gowns in Lord Sherbourne’s presence
and see admiration in his eyes. It was a bit disconcerting to find she cared as
much as she did for his opinion since they had overcome their initial
awkwardness. No longer did Elisabeth view her future as bleak or feel the
arranged marriage was the end of her happiness. The promise of a new kind of
happiness had entered her life and she was even anxious for it to arrive. The
only flaw marring Elisabeth’s contentment was that she had heard no more of the
Shelleys, for she had enjoyed Mary Shelley’s conversation and light spirit and
found it odd she had heard nothing after Mary Shelley’s insistence that
Elisabeth visit them. Elisabeth was reflecting on this fact while working on
some embroidery late one morning the week before Easter day when Sherbourne
arrived.
“Good morning, Charlotte, Miss Ashwood,”
invitation. “I have been berating myself for my clumsiness that caused such an
unfortunate accident.”
“You should not, Your Grace, as it was I who should have
been watching where I stepped,” Lady Parker protested.
“I hope your injuries have healed,” Norland said, looking at
Lady Parker’s still-bandaged hands with concern.
“They are much better, Your Grace. The bandages are only to
keep the salve on,” Lady Parker assured him. “Thank you for your kindness in
sending the basket of fruit. We enjoyed it excessively, especially the mango. I
had not eaten one since I have returned to London.”
“Ah yes, you have been returned from India only these last
six months, have you not? It must be difficult to accustom oneself to our chill
country after so many years in a warmer clime,” the duke said with a glance at
the blazing fire in the drawing room grate.
“You see I try my best to reproduce the warmth,” Lady Parker
said, following his glance.
“And I see your cat likes it as well,” the duke commented,
nodding toward Revati, who lay stretched before the fire. “That is a beautiful
cat. A French cat, is it not?”
“Yes, Revati is a French cat of the breed they say
originated in Ankara,” Lady Parker agreed. “Although she actually came to me in
India, where she journeyed with her former owners. She is nearly as
well-traveled as I.”
“I imagine you find your return to England difficult in
other ways in addition to the weather,” the duke commented.
“A bit,” Lady Parker said with a smile. “This morning I had
difficulty trying to decide which invitations to accept and which to decline,
for I often found I could not remember whether they were someone I had known or
not, as many of the young girls I knew are now women grown and married. And
since many of the families have been at their country estates since I returned
from India, I have not yet paid many calls and brought myself up to date. But
we shall make a start with Lady Earlywine’s come-out ball for her daughter, and
perhaps I shall be able to remember more after I see people again there.”
“I also have received an invitation from Lady Earlywine to
Miss Earlywine’s come-out ball,” the duke commented. “May I hope you will save
me a dance, Lady Parker?”
“I shall be among the chaperones that night,” Lady Parker
replied, “so I fear I will not be able to join those on the dance floor.”
“Then I shall be pleased to sit out a dance with you.”
Precisely when fifteen minutes had passed the duke departed,
leaving Lady Parker looking rather bemused.
“Truly, Lady Parker, I do believe I am correct and that you
have made a conquest,” Elisabeth reiterated.
“Nonsense,” Lady Parker replied, but her face had a rather
wistful expression as she gazed at the doorway through which the duke had
departed.
In mid-March the weather suddenly warmed, the remainder of
the gowns Lady Parker and Elisabeth had ordered were delivered and Elisabeth
surprised herself by beginning to feel a certain anticipation for the Season.
She had to admit she wished to wear her new gowns in Lord Sherbourne’s presence
and see admiration in his eyes. It was a bit disconcerting to find she cared as
much as she did for his opinion since they had overcome their initial
awkwardness. No longer did Elisabeth view her future as bleak or feel the
arranged marriage was the end of her happiness. The promise of a new kind of
happiness had entered her life and she was even anxious for it to arrive. The
only flaw marring Elisabeth’s contentment was that she had heard no more of the
Shelleys, for she had enjoyed Mary Shelley’s conversation and light spirit and
found it odd she had heard nothing after Mary Shelley’s insistence that
Elisabeth visit them. Elisabeth was reflecting on this fact while working on
some embroidery late one morning the week before Easter day when Sherbourne
arrived.
“Good morning, Charlotte, Miss Ashwood,”
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