Read Online The Constant Heart by Dilly Court - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dilly Court
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I was hateful to you earlier. Am I forgiven?'
Sukey's mouth curved into a smile. 'Of course you are. It was a silly old argument anyway and nothing to do with us.'
'Just because our fathers choose to squabble like two schoolboys, there's no need for us to fall out, is there?'
'Certainly not. It's time they put all that behind them.' Sukey reached up to the mantelshelf and picked up a small package. 'And now I can give you your birthday present. I'm sorry it's a day late.'
Rosie held out her hand. 'It's never too late to receive a present. I wonder what it is?'
'Open it, silly. There's only one way to find out.'
The tissue paper wrapping came away with a couple of tweaks of Rosina's eager fingers to reveal a small box. Inside was a silver bracelet and she gasped with pleasure as she took it from its case. 'It's beautiful. Thank you so much, Sukey.'
'I thought you'd like it, and you have hardly any jewellery.' Sukey did a twirl, holding out her skirts. 'Our dada is always buying us presents. Do you like my new gown?'
Rosina dropped the bracelet back in the box, her delight in the gift dulled by Sukey's careless comment. She knew that no malice was intended, but it still hurt just a little to know that she was pitied for not owning as many trinkets as the Barnum girls. She managed a smile as she fingered the material of Sukey's new gown. 'It's really lovely. And it's silk.'
'Of course it is. Dada wouldn't have me wear anything else.' Sukey executed a half- turn. 'And it's got the latest bustle. What do you think of that?'
It was hard not to be a little envious. Rosina gazed down at her skirts, that were plain by comparison to the lavish amount of trimming on Sukey's elegant gown. She smiled and nodded, she hoped enthusiastically. 'It's splendid.' It was splendid; in fact it was gorgeous, and she would have given her right arm to possess such a magnificent dress. It was the most delightful shade of violet blue, but, if she were being honest, it swamped Sukey's pale complexion and made her look quite sallow. Such a rich colour would have suited her much better – after all, it was almost the same colour as her eyes and everyone knew that brunettes could get away with vibrant shades much better than insipid blondes.
Sukey was looking at her with a worried frown. 'You do like it, don't you?'
Rosina instantly hated herself for being so mean and she clasped Sukey's hands. 'It is the most beautiful gown that I have ever seen, and you look lovely in it.'
A rosy blush coloured Sukey's pale cheeks. 'Thank you, dearest Rosie. I knew you would tell me the truth. Mary said it made me look peaky, the spiteful little cat. Anyway, she's only sixteen so what does she know about fashion?'
'What indeed?' Rosina said, with heartfelt sympathy. Sukey's younger sisters – staid, bookish Mary and precocious, spoilt Lillian – made her glad that she was an only child.
'I must go upstairs and change back into my morning dress before Mama catches me. I'm not supposed to be wearing this until we go out to tea with the Jones-Hardings on Thursday afternoon.'
'I didn't know that your mama knew the Jones-Hardings.' Rosina tried once again to stifle feelings of envy. The Jones-Hardings were almost as wealthy as the Gostellows, even if they had made their money in the rag and bone trade.
'My mama makes it her business to befriend the wives of rich merchants, particularly if they have eligible sons.' Sukey nudged Rosina in the ribs with a saucy wink. 'She has her sights set on taking tea with the Gostellows next. I think she sees me and Harry as a pair. What do you think, Rosie?'
Rosina shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't sure that she liked the idea, and she was quite certain that he'd never looked twice at Sukey – at least, not in a lover-like way. 'He's a good catch, if you're interested in finding a rich husband.'
'And you're not, I suppose?'
'One day I'll marry for love, not
Sukey's mouth curved into a smile. 'Of course you are. It was a silly old argument anyway and nothing to do with us.'
'Just because our fathers choose to squabble like two schoolboys, there's no need for us to fall out, is there?'
'Certainly not. It's time they put all that behind them.' Sukey reached up to the mantelshelf and picked up a small package. 'And now I can give you your birthday present. I'm sorry it's a day late.'
Rosie held out her hand. 'It's never too late to receive a present. I wonder what it is?'
'Open it, silly. There's only one way to find out.'
The tissue paper wrapping came away with a couple of tweaks of Rosina's eager fingers to reveal a small box. Inside was a silver bracelet and she gasped with pleasure as she took it from its case. 'It's beautiful. Thank you so much, Sukey.'
'I thought you'd like it, and you have hardly any jewellery.' Sukey did a twirl, holding out her skirts. 'Our dada is always buying us presents. Do you like my new gown?'
Rosina dropped the bracelet back in the box, her delight in the gift dulled by Sukey's careless comment. She knew that no malice was intended, but it still hurt just a little to know that she was pitied for not owning as many trinkets as the Barnum girls. She managed a smile as she fingered the material of Sukey's new gown. 'It's really lovely. And it's silk.'
'Of course it is. Dada wouldn't have me wear anything else.' Sukey executed a half- turn. 'And it's got the latest bustle. What do you think of that?'
It was hard not to be a little envious. Rosina gazed down at her skirts, that were plain by comparison to the lavish amount of trimming on Sukey's elegant gown. She smiled and nodded, she hoped enthusiastically. 'It's splendid.' It was splendid; in fact it was gorgeous, and she would have given her right arm to possess such a magnificent dress. It was the most delightful shade of violet blue, but, if she were being honest, it swamped Sukey's pale complexion and made her look quite sallow. Such a rich colour would have suited her much better – after all, it was almost the same colour as her eyes and everyone knew that brunettes could get away with vibrant shades much better than insipid blondes.
Sukey was looking at her with a worried frown. 'You do like it, don't you?'
Rosina instantly hated herself for being so mean and she clasped Sukey's hands. 'It is the most beautiful gown that I have ever seen, and you look lovely in it.'
A rosy blush coloured Sukey's pale cheeks. 'Thank you, dearest Rosie. I knew you would tell me the truth. Mary said it made me look peaky, the spiteful little cat. Anyway, she's only sixteen so what does she know about fashion?'
'What indeed?' Rosina said, with heartfelt sympathy. Sukey's younger sisters – staid, bookish Mary and precocious, spoilt Lillian – made her glad that she was an only child.
'I must go upstairs and change back into my morning dress before Mama catches me. I'm not supposed to be wearing this until we go out to tea with the Jones-Hardings on Thursday afternoon.'
'I didn't know that your mama knew the Jones-Hardings.' Rosina tried once again to stifle feelings of envy. The Jones-Hardings were almost as wealthy as the Gostellows, even if they had made their money in the rag and bone trade.
'My mama makes it her business to befriend the wives of rich merchants, particularly if they have eligible sons.' Sukey nudged Rosina in the ribs with a saucy wink. 'She has her sights set on taking tea with the Gostellows next. I think she sees me and Harry as a pair. What do you think, Rosie?'
Rosina shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't sure that she liked the idea, and she was quite certain that he'd never looked twice at Sukey – at least, not in a lover-like way. 'He's a good catch, if you're interested in finding a rich husband.'
'And you're not, I suppose?'
'One day I'll marry for love, not
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