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Authors: Victoria Holt
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children and he desperately wanted them. Amy Jane was a good-looking, very capable young lady. Why should they not marry? He needed a mistress for his house and children for his nurseries. Amy Jane seemed well equipped to provide them both.
Amy Jane believed she was a suitable wife for him and, what was more important, that he would be the right husband for her. Riches, standing, securityhey were three very desirable goals in Amy Jane eyes. And after the disastrous marriage of her sister there must be someone to reinstate the family fortunes.
So Amy Jane married and in her forceful way set about performing the tasks she had undertaken. In a short while Sir Timothy household was managed with the utmost skill, to his delight and to slightly less of that of the domestics, for those whom Amy Jane considered not worth their salt were dismissed, and the rest, realizing their fate lay in their ability to please Amy Jane, proceeded to do just that.
It was not long before a living was found for the curate and his reckless bride; and they were to live right under the shadow of Seton Manor.
Amy Jane then set about the next project, which was to fill the nurseries at Seton Manor.
In this she was less successful. She had one miscarriage, which she believed to be an oversight on the part of the Almighty as she had prayed, and set the whole village praying, for a son. But she was almost immediately pregnant and this time that pregnancy was brought to a conclusion and, although it might not be entirely satisfactory, it was at least a start.
Sir Timothy was delighted with the puling infant who, Nurse Abbott declared, had needed an extra smart slap on the posterior to start its breathing. he next will be a boy,stated Amy Jane, in a voice before which Heaven itself would have quailed. Opposition came from the doctor; Amy Jane would risk her life by trying again. Let her rest content with her girl. The child was responding to treatment and was going to survive. on risk it again,said the doctor. could not answer for the consequences.And as neither Amy Jane nor Sir Timothy wished to face such a disaster, there were no more children; and Jessamy, after clinging to life somewhat precariously for a few weeks, suddenly began to clamor for food and to kick and cry the same as other children.
A few months after the birth of Jessamy, life and death came to the vicarage hand in hand. Amy Jane was shocked. My mother had always been a great disappointment to her. Not only had she made a disastrous marriage, but just when her capable sister was putting her on her feet in a very pleasant living which Sir Timothy had secured with some effort, for there were others who were in fact more deserving than my father, she had given birth to a child and died doing it. A small baby in a vicarage with a man who was more than usually helpless was inconvenient to say the least, but a woman of Amy Jane caliber was not to be deterred. She found Janet and installed her. Henceforth I was cared for, and Amy Jane, as my mother closest relative, would of course keep an eye on me.
This she undoubtedly did and her own precious Jessamy was a part of my childhood and girlhood. It was Jessamy clothes which came to the vicarage and were made over for me. I was slightly taller, which would have made them short, but she was broader-shouldered and took them up more. Janet said it was child play to take them in a bit and there was better stuff in them than any that would find their way into this house from the shops.
ou look a sight better in them than Miss Jessamy,she would say and, coming from can-tell-a-lie Janet, that was gratifying.
So I was accustomed to wearing castoff clothes. I can remember very few that did not come via Jessamy. Spending such a lot of time with her, wearing her old garments, did make me become a part of her life.
There was one time when Aunt Amy Jane thought it was fashionable to send girls to school, and there was talk of our going. I was excited at
Amy Jane believed she was a suitable wife for him and, what was more important, that he would be the right husband for her. Riches, standing, securityhey were three very desirable goals in Amy Jane eyes. And after the disastrous marriage of her sister there must be someone to reinstate the family fortunes.
So Amy Jane married and in her forceful way set about performing the tasks she had undertaken. In a short while Sir Timothy household was managed with the utmost skill, to his delight and to slightly less of that of the domestics, for those whom Amy Jane considered not worth their salt were dismissed, and the rest, realizing their fate lay in their ability to please Amy Jane, proceeded to do just that.
It was not long before a living was found for the curate and his reckless bride; and they were to live right under the shadow of Seton Manor.
Amy Jane then set about the next project, which was to fill the nurseries at Seton Manor.
In this she was less successful. She had one miscarriage, which she believed to be an oversight on the part of the Almighty as she had prayed, and set the whole village praying, for a son. But she was almost immediately pregnant and this time that pregnancy was brought to a conclusion and, although it might not be entirely satisfactory, it was at least a start.
Sir Timothy was delighted with the puling infant who, Nurse Abbott declared, had needed an extra smart slap on the posterior to start its breathing. he next will be a boy,stated Amy Jane, in a voice before which Heaven itself would have quailed. Opposition came from the doctor; Amy Jane would risk her life by trying again. Let her rest content with her girl. The child was responding to treatment and was going to survive. on risk it again,said the doctor. could not answer for the consequences.And as neither Amy Jane nor Sir Timothy wished to face such a disaster, there were no more children; and Jessamy, after clinging to life somewhat precariously for a few weeks, suddenly began to clamor for food and to kick and cry the same as other children.
A few months after the birth of Jessamy, life and death came to the vicarage hand in hand. Amy Jane was shocked. My mother had always been a great disappointment to her. Not only had she made a disastrous marriage, but just when her capable sister was putting her on her feet in a very pleasant living which Sir Timothy had secured with some effort, for there were others who were in fact more deserving than my father, she had given birth to a child and died doing it. A small baby in a vicarage with a man who was more than usually helpless was inconvenient to say the least, but a woman of Amy Jane caliber was not to be deterred. She found Janet and installed her. Henceforth I was cared for, and Amy Jane, as my mother closest relative, would of course keep an eye on me.
This she undoubtedly did and her own precious Jessamy was a part of my childhood and girlhood. It was Jessamy clothes which came to the vicarage and were made over for me. I was slightly taller, which would have made them short, but she was broader-shouldered and took them up more. Janet said it was child play to take them in a bit and there was better stuff in them than any that would find their way into this house from the shops.
ou look a sight better in them than Miss Jessamy,she would say and, coming from can-tell-a-lie Janet, that was gratifying.
So I was accustomed to wearing castoff clothes. I can remember very few that did not come via Jessamy. Spending such a lot of time with her, wearing her old garments, did make me become a part of her life.
There was one time when Aunt Amy Jane thought it was fashionable to send girls to school, and there was talk of our going. I was excited at
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