Hermama is waiting for her. Now, Lucy, say “good day” to Mr Westbury and thank him for the ride.’
She waited, stiffly silent, while Lucy obeyed. Then she clasped her hand and the little girl skipped beside her to her waiting mama, her torn dress completely forgotten as she told her mother of the magnificent horse and the kind gentleman who’d given her a ride.
When he’d gone a little distance from them, Hugo Westbury turned to look back and was oddly moved at the sight of the tall, dark-haired young woman walking hand in hand with the golden-haired little girl, before he rode off in the opposite direction.
To her relief, Charlotte didn’t run into Hugo Westbury again as she made her way back to Westbury Hall, but he dominated her thoughts all the same and she pondered on the recent events as she walked on slowly. What a puzzle the man was; so arrogant and domineering and yet so careful and sensitive with Lucy that he’d won the little girl’s confidence in next to no time. Finally, she sighed and had to acknowledge that he was extremely handsome and would no doubt become the heartbreaker of the neighbourhood.
Back at the Hall everything was still in a spin about the removal to Felbrook Manor. Papa’s books were now all safely packed in crates and Kitty and her mother were having a light luncheon in the breakfast parlour. Charlotte’s high colour and restless hands did not escape her mama’s notice, but she said nothing except, ‘Should you like a little luncheon, my dear? There are no hot meats as we are going out to dinner, but Mrs Palmer has prepared a splendid selection of cold cuts and a trifle, if you should wish for anything.’
Charlotte realized then that she was hungry and did justice to several slices of ham and beef with some of Mrs Palmer’s homemade bread to accompany it. She said nothing of her meeting with the obnoxious Mr Westbury, but spoke instead of little Lucy Baker and how pretty she was growing.
They were all pleased at the prospect of visiting Lavinia King and Jane declared cheerfully that apart from their clothes and personal effects, everything was now ready for Jimmy the carter lad, who could take the various boxes and trunks in stages to Felbrook Manor.
It was late afternoon when they all met at Primrose Cottage, to a warm welcome from Lavinia and Matthew.
‘Adam is expected any time now,’ Lavinia said with a blush, which added to her youthful appearance. ‘He is riding over from King’s Lynn so it is hard to say precisely how long it will take. But come, my dear Jane, and tell me all the news of Felbrook Manor and of Westbury Hall, of course. How goes the remove?’
Jane laughed and said in a very carefree tone, ‘Nothing to tell, Lavinia. We are packed and ready to go. It only remains to oversee the carter and to take ourselves to our lovely Felbrook. After all the frenzied activity, we shall not know how to sustain the next five days. There is nothing more to be done now, except to dust down the walls and windows and return the keys to Mr Hugo Westbury. Even the stables have been cleaned out. The horses have been taken to Felbrook by the stable lad and seem already to be quite at home there. Mr Westbury has even seen to the repair of the library wall and everything is neat and tidy.’
‘Why, that is famous progress indeed,’ Lavinia said. ‘What an admirable organizer you are, Jane, to have accomplished so much packing in such a short time.’
Charlotte bit her lip and said nothing as she listened to this conversation. She thought instead of the fuss she’d made to Hugo Westbury about the lease. What must he think of me, she wondered? Then she raised her chin and told herself defiantly that she didn’t care what he thought, but it was obvious to Charlotte that her mama was far from being the downtrodden widow as she’d portrayed her to Hugo Westbury and was, in fact, full of optimism and energy, completely ready for the move to Felbrook Manor.
It was
She waited, stiffly silent, while Lucy obeyed. Then she clasped her hand and the little girl skipped beside her to her waiting mama, her torn dress completely forgotten as she told her mother of the magnificent horse and the kind gentleman who’d given her a ride.
When he’d gone a little distance from them, Hugo Westbury turned to look back and was oddly moved at the sight of the tall, dark-haired young woman walking hand in hand with the golden-haired little girl, before he rode off in the opposite direction.
To her relief, Charlotte didn’t run into Hugo Westbury again as she made her way back to Westbury Hall, but he dominated her thoughts all the same and she pondered on the recent events as she walked on slowly. What a puzzle the man was; so arrogant and domineering and yet so careful and sensitive with Lucy that he’d won the little girl’s confidence in next to no time. Finally, she sighed and had to acknowledge that he was extremely handsome and would no doubt become the heartbreaker of the neighbourhood.
Back at the Hall everything was still in a spin about the removal to Felbrook Manor. Papa’s books were now all safely packed in crates and Kitty and her mother were having a light luncheon in the breakfast parlour. Charlotte’s high colour and restless hands did not escape her mama’s notice, but she said nothing except, ‘Should you like a little luncheon, my dear? There are no hot meats as we are going out to dinner, but Mrs Palmer has prepared a splendid selection of cold cuts and a trifle, if you should wish for anything.’
Charlotte realized then that she was hungry and did justice to several slices of ham and beef with some of Mrs Palmer’s homemade bread to accompany it. She said nothing of her meeting with the obnoxious Mr Westbury, but spoke instead of little Lucy Baker and how pretty she was growing.
They were all pleased at the prospect of visiting Lavinia King and Jane declared cheerfully that apart from their clothes and personal effects, everything was now ready for Jimmy the carter lad, who could take the various boxes and trunks in stages to Felbrook Manor.
It was late afternoon when they all met at Primrose Cottage, to a warm welcome from Lavinia and Matthew.
‘Adam is expected any time now,’ Lavinia said with a blush, which added to her youthful appearance. ‘He is riding over from King’s Lynn so it is hard to say precisely how long it will take. But come, my dear Jane, and tell me all the news of Felbrook Manor and of Westbury Hall, of course. How goes the remove?’
Jane laughed and said in a very carefree tone, ‘Nothing to tell, Lavinia. We are packed and ready to go. It only remains to oversee the carter and to take ourselves to our lovely Felbrook. After all the frenzied activity, we shall not know how to sustain the next five days. There is nothing more to be done now, except to dust down the walls and windows and return the keys to Mr Hugo Westbury. Even the stables have been cleaned out. The horses have been taken to Felbrook by the stable lad and seem already to be quite at home there. Mr Westbury has even seen to the repair of the library wall and everything is neat and tidy.’
‘Why, that is famous progress indeed,’ Lavinia said. ‘What an admirable organizer you are, Jane, to have accomplished so much packing in such a short time.’
Charlotte bit her lip and said nothing as she listened to this conversation. She thought instead of the fuss she’d made to Hugo Westbury about the lease. What must he think of me, she wondered? Then she raised her chin and told herself defiantly that she didn’t care what he thought, but it was obvious to Charlotte that her mama was far from being the downtrodden widow as she’d portrayed her to Hugo Westbury and was, in fact, full of optimism and energy, completely ready for the move to Felbrook Manor.
It was
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