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Authors: Meg Brooke
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terrible blow, I think, to all his children but especially her. Of the five of us I think she loved him best.”
“Five?” Cynthia asked. She had thought there were only four Bainbridge children.
Lady Imogen looked away. “I was including mother, of course,” she said. “How silly of me. Now, what do you think? There is this one by Shelley I haven’t read yet, but I do think, now that Charles is to take his seat, I ought to read some more history so that he and I can have brilliant conversations.”
Cynthia smiled. “I think you have some time before he is quite ready for brilliance, Lady Imogen,” she said, and then she felt herself coloring at the rudeness of her remark. She seemed to be losing control of her tongue. What had come over her?
But Lady Imogen didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she giggled a little. “Well, then I’m glad we have you to assist him,” she said.
Lady Gillian had made a selection as well, and they were making ready to leave when the bell over the door tinkled again. Cynthia looked up, seeing Miss Eleanor Chesney, the sister of Viscount Sidney coming inside, and behind her...
Cynthia felt her blood run cold.
Behind Miss Chesney was Lady Clarissa Rennick, Countess of Stowe. She looked lovely, Cynthia thought. Marriage to the Earl of Stowe seemed to agree with her, even having just brought twins into the world a few months earlier. Cynthia had not seen her since the evening of the ball to celebrate her wedding.
That occasion had been quite disastrous. Cynthia had known that she and Clarissa would cross paths again, of course. But she had hoped that it might be intentional, or at least expected. She had not had time to prepare herself for the sight of her former best friend, the girl who had smuggled fairy tales and romance novels to her in exchange for dancing lessons on the banks behind Oxford.
Clarissa had not noticed her yet; she was still speaking to Miss Chesney. Cynthia cast about, wondering if it might be possible to hide. How foolish she was being! Before he had begun teaching her to lie convincingly, her father had tried to teach her that honesty was one way to show one’s humanity. Cynthia had done nothing more than tell Clarissa the truth, though she knew it had been painful and devastating. Surely she couldn’t be angry with her still?
“Imogen!” Miss Chesney. She flitted across the small space. “How are you, dear? And Gillian. It is lovely to see you both in town...” Cynthia did not hear the rest of her speech. Her eyes had met Clarissa’s. Neither of them said anything as Miss Chesney prattled on.
“Miss Endersby?” Lady Imogen was asking. “Do you know the Countess of Stowe?”
Cynthia prepared to be cut. Now Clarissa would turn her back and walk out of the library. And Cynthia deserved it. But instead, Clarissa smiled and said, “Of course I know Cynthia. She and I were girls together. It is so wonderful to see you again. How have you been all these months?” Then her hand was reaching out and capturing Cynthia’s. She tried to return the smile. Her heart was beating in her throat.
“I am well, thank you. My congratulations on the arrival of your twins.”
Clarissa smiled blissfully. “They are perfect, Cynthia. You must come and meet them one day soon. I am at home Friday afternoons. You too, Lady Imogen, Lady Gillian.”
“Of course we shall come!” Lady Gillian cried. “How lovely! May we, Imogen?”
“Since you have already accepted, I don’t see how it can be avoided,” Lady Imogen joked. “It would be our pleasure. We must be getting Miss Endersby home now, Gillian.”
The two women moved towards the door, but as Cynthia followed them, she felt Clarissa’s hold on her hand tighten. “ Please come, Cynthia,” Clarissa said. “It would mean the world to me.”
Cynthia fought back tears. “I will try,” she said. Then she rushed after Lady Imogen, who was waiting for her at the door.
“I didn’t know you knew the Countess
“Five?” Cynthia asked. She had thought there were only four Bainbridge children.
Lady Imogen looked away. “I was including mother, of course,” she said. “How silly of me. Now, what do you think? There is this one by Shelley I haven’t read yet, but I do think, now that Charles is to take his seat, I ought to read some more history so that he and I can have brilliant conversations.”
Cynthia smiled. “I think you have some time before he is quite ready for brilliance, Lady Imogen,” she said, and then she felt herself coloring at the rudeness of her remark. She seemed to be losing control of her tongue. What had come over her?
But Lady Imogen didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she giggled a little. “Well, then I’m glad we have you to assist him,” she said.
Lady Gillian had made a selection as well, and they were making ready to leave when the bell over the door tinkled again. Cynthia looked up, seeing Miss Eleanor Chesney, the sister of Viscount Sidney coming inside, and behind her...
Cynthia felt her blood run cold.
Behind Miss Chesney was Lady Clarissa Rennick, Countess of Stowe. She looked lovely, Cynthia thought. Marriage to the Earl of Stowe seemed to agree with her, even having just brought twins into the world a few months earlier. Cynthia had not seen her since the evening of the ball to celebrate her wedding.
That occasion had been quite disastrous. Cynthia had known that she and Clarissa would cross paths again, of course. But she had hoped that it might be intentional, or at least expected. She had not had time to prepare herself for the sight of her former best friend, the girl who had smuggled fairy tales and romance novels to her in exchange for dancing lessons on the banks behind Oxford.
Clarissa had not noticed her yet; she was still speaking to Miss Chesney. Cynthia cast about, wondering if it might be possible to hide. How foolish she was being! Before he had begun teaching her to lie convincingly, her father had tried to teach her that honesty was one way to show one’s humanity. Cynthia had done nothing more than tell Clarissa the truth, though she knew it had been painful and devastating. Surely she couldn’t be angry with her still?
“Imogen!” Miss Chesney. She flitted across the small space. “How are you, dear? And Gillian. It is lovely to see you both in town...” Cynthia did not hear the rest of her speech. Her eyes had met Clarissa’s. Neither of them said anything as Miss Chesney prattled on.
“Miss Endersby?” Lady Imogen was asking. “Do you know the Countess of Stowe?”
Cynthia prepared to be cut. Now Clarissa would turn her back and walk out of the library. And Cynthia deserved it. But instead, Clarissa smiled and said, “Of course I know Cynthia. She and I were girls together. It is so wonderful to see you again. How have you been all these months?” Then her hand was reaching out and capturing Cynthia’s. She tried to return the smile. Her heart was beating in her throat.
“I am well, thank you. My congratulations on the arrival of your twins.”
Clarissa smiled blissfully. “They are perfect, Cynthia. You must come and meet them one day soon. I am at home Friday afternoons. You too, Lady Imogen, Lady Gillian.”
“Of course we shall come!” Lady Gillian cried. “How lovely! May we, Imogen?”
“Since you have already accepted, I don’t see how it can be avoided,” Lady Imogen joked. “It would be our pleasure. We must be getting Miss Endersby home now, Gillian.”
The two women moved towards the door, but as Cynthia followed them, she felt Clarissa’s hold on her hand tighten. “ Please come, Cynthia,” Clarissa said. “It would mean the world to me.”
Cynthia fought back tears. “I will try,” she said. Then she rushed after Lady Imogen, who was waiting for her at the door.
“I didn’t know you knew the Countess
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