arrival …’
When Bessie had left, Harriet lay back against her pillows, thinking of the letter she would write that morning to Brook. She must not let him know how upset she was, but write of her plan to go to Ireland. She would also go up to the nursery with Bessie and pack a basket of toys for Una’s many little ones – toys she had bought when she thought that she herself would be having a baby, and which she had hidden away after that first miscarriage.
There had been that moment about a month before Brook’s departure when she’d thought she might have been pregnant again. She noticed she had put on a little bit of weight, but Brook always insisted on having all his English dishes and following them with cream trifles and cook’s chocolate truffles with macaroons and whipped cream from the farm, as well as insisting upon spoiling her with her favourite violet creams, so it was small wonder her waistband was tight. However, she had no signs of the morning sickness which had beset her throughout those past pregnancies, and although she had been momentarily sad to realize this was not now the case, she thought it was perhaps as well, since Brook would not be there to share her hopes for the survival of the next baby. At least now, she reflected, she could undertake the journey to Ireland without risk, something she would not otherwise have done.
Four weeks later, Harriet and Bessie departed in the comfort of the well-sprung coach, leaving Hunters Hall behind them. The household staff had been instructed to make an early start on the spring cleaning whilst she was away so that everything would be pristine and orderly by the time Brook returned. The clothes the two travellers needed on their visit were packed and strapped securely to the back and on the roof of the coach. Harriet’s dressing case was placed on the seat by Bessie for safekeeping.
It was a cold, blustery morning as they set out early on to the road to Derby. It was their intention not to stop there but press on to Ashbourne for the night. Jenkins had every confidence in the horses, and knew of the various stops they would have to make to exchange them for fresh ones. After a night in the Green Man, a well-respected coaching inn, they would have another long day travelling to Knutsford, where they would spend the night in the Rose and Crown, and then the final leg to Liverpool.
Reaching Ashbourne by nightfall, they stopped at the Green Man and were glad of a hot meal brought to them in a private parlour and afterwards a comfortable bed. Both Harriet and Bessie were a little stiff after sitting for so long on the otherwise trouble-free first day of their journey. Bessie shared Harriet’s bedroom, sleeping in a truckle bed at the foot of the large four-poster.
They breakfasted on slices of ham – cured by the landlady herself, they were told proudly – devilled kidneys, and hot bread freshly baked that morning, and were joined by a woman on her own also travelling to Liverpool. Harriet invited her to ride in their coach but she said she preferred to go more quickly by train, even though it was less comfortable.
They were obliged to make another stop when one of the horses went lame, but arrived safely in Liverpool the following evening without further mishap. Having missed the evening ferry, Harriet said they would sail for Dublin the following morning.
The St George
coaching inn was bustling with travellers, a mail coach and three private coaches having not long since arrived. However, the landlord said he had one remaining bedroom he could let Harriet and Bessie occupy, not the most comfortable as it was over the tap room, but warm from the fire below. He assured Harriet there would be a hot meal available and that there would be no difficulty next day obtaining a hackney cab to take them and their luggage to the docks. This being the case, Harriet told Jenkins and the groom that they could return home as soon as they pleased.
Despite the
When Bessie had left, Harriet lay back against her pillows, thinking of the letter she would write that morning to Brook. She must not let him know how upset she was, but write of her plan to go to Ireland. She would also go up to the nursery with Bessie and pack a basket of toys for Una’s many little ones – toys she had bought when she thought that she herself would be having a baby, and which she had hidden away after that first miscarriage.
There had been that moment about a month before Brook’s departure when she’d thought she might have been pregnant again. She noticed she had put on a little bit of weight, but Brook always insisted on having all his English dishes and following them with cream trifles and cook’s chocolate truffles with macaroons and whipped cream from the farm, as well as insisting upon spoiling her with her favourite violet creams, so it was small wonder her waistband was tight. However, she had no signs of the morning sickness which had beset her throughout those past pregnancies, and although she had been momentarily sad to realize this was not now the case, she thought it was perhaps as well, since Brook would not be there to share her hopes for the survival of the next baby. At least now, she reflected, she could undertake the journey to Ireland without risk, something she would not otherwise have done.
Four weeks later, Harriet and Bessie departed in the comfort of the well-sprung coach, leaving Hunters Hall behind them. The household staff had been instructed to make an early start on the spring cleaning whilst she was away so that everything would be pristine and orderly by the time Brook returned. The clothes the two travellers needed on their visit were packed and strapped securely to the back and on the roof of the coach. Harriet’s dressing case was placed on the seat by Bessie for safekeeping.
It was a cold, blustery morning as they set out early on to the road to Derby. It was their intention not to stop there but press on to Ashbourne for the night. Jenkins had every confidence in the horses, and knew of the various stops they would have to make to exchange them for fresh ones. After a night in the Green Man, a well-respected coaching inn, they would have another long day travelling to Knutsford, where they would spend the night in the Rose and Crown, and then the final leg to Liverpool.
Reaching Ashbourne by nightfall, they stopped at the Green Man and were glad of a hot meal brought to them in a private parlour and afterwards a comfortable bed. Both Harriet and Bessie were a little stiff after sitting for so long on the otherwise trouble-free first day of their journey. Bessie shared Harriet’s bedroom, sleeping in a truckle bed at the foot of the large four-poster.
They breakfasted on slices of ham – cured by the landlady herself, they were told proudly – devilled kidneys, and hot bread freshly baked that morning, and were joined by a woman on her own also travelling to Liverpool. Harriet invited her to ride in their coach but she said she preferred to go more quickly by train, even though it was less comfortable.
They were obliged to make another stop when one of the horses went lame, but arrived safely in Liverpool the following evening without further mishap. Having missed the evening ferry, Harriet said they would sail for Dublin the following morning.
The St George
coaching inn was bustling with travellers, a mail coach and three private coaches having not long since arrived. However, the landlord said he had one remaining bedroom he could let Harriet and Bessie occupy, not the most comfortable as it was over the tap room, but warm from the fire below. He assured Harriet there would be a hot meal available and that there would be no difficulty next day obtaining a hackney cab to take them and their luggage to the docks. This being the case, Harriet told Jenkins and the groom that they could return home as soon as they pleased.
Despite the
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