after Andrew’s visit to accompany her sister to visit some of the Gordon tenants. There had been an outbreak of measles in one family, and Lady Gordon meant to take baskets of food and assure herself that the physician from Marazion had visited the household. The young mother, looking worn and bedraggled, greeted the two women with sincere gratitude and informed her ladyship that Dr. Hallworthy had indeed been to call and had given her all the proper instructions. Since she seemed to be more concerned about her husband’s comfort in a household of sick children than about the children themselves, Lady Gordon was reassured that none of the invalids was in any particular danger and climbed back into the carriage beside Jessica with a cheerful smile.
“There, that’s done, then,” she said.
Jessica chuckled. “The role of Lady Bountiful becomes you, Georgie.”
“I enjoy it,” replied her sister frankly. “You remember how I used to beg to go with Mama whenever she visited the tenants. You hated it. Said they ought to do for each other and not depend so much upon their landlord.”
“I know better now,” Jessica said. “I used to believe that things would be better if the lower classes refused to be dependent upon their betters, if they stood on their own. But I’m no longer so certain that that is true. Now I fight to make the men in control do right by their dependents.”
“Do you really, Jess? I thought you mostly spent your time in London trying to keep Aunt Susan out of the briars.”
Grinning, Jessica admitted the truth of her sister’s statement. “I suppose I do spend most of my time that way. But I doubt anyone could be in Aunt Susan’s company for very long before learning that there is a great deal of good left to be done in this world of ours. I’ve scarcely the energy she seems to have, or the motivation, but there are times when I wish I could be as involved as she is in something I believed in.”
“Well, I know that Papa certainly thinks Aunt Susan is a deal too busy. I’ve heard him give thanks time out of number for the fact that Grandpapa had the good sense to arrange his marriage with Mama and not with her elder sister. Really, Jess, everyone agrees that you would do better to go to more parties and fewer meetings of the Africa Institute and the Society to End the Employment of Climbing Boys. Those groups rarely accomplish anything.”
“I think they will accomplish a great deal in time, Georgie.”
They rode in silence for some moments, and Jessica stared idly out the window at the passing countryside. They were on the cliff road traveling now along the southwest side of Mount’s Bay. The view of the rolling blue waters of the bay below was wonderful and one of which Jessica never grew tired. The steady rocking of the carriage and the rhythmic movement of the distant water became almost hypnotic, so when the carriage suddenly lurched to a stop, Jessica started much as though she had been sharply wakened from a nap. Lady Gordon reached for a strap to steady herself, paling as the memory of the highwayman only days before flashed through her mind. Jessica, watching her, knew exactly what she was thinking, but hearing a feminine voice among those raised outside, was able to comfort her.
“That is no highwayman, Georgie. Something is going forward, no doubt in the road itself, which is why we have come to a halt. I’ll see what it is.”
“Oh, Jess, do you think you should?”
“Don’t be a goose. If Peters has come out without his blunderbuss again, which I very much doubt after the tongue-lashing Cyril gave him, rest assured that I have not.” Smugly she hefted the chinchilla muff, which had been skillfully mended so that no sign of the tiny bullet hole remained. “Lady Bountiful, meet Lady Intrepid.”
Grinning at the sally, Georgeanne relaxed against the plush squabs. “Very well, dearest, but do nothing foolish, I beg you.”
“I won’t.” Pushing open the
“There, that’s done, then,” she said.
Jessica chuckled. “The role of Lady Bountiful becomes you, Georgie.”
“I enjoy it,” replied her sister frankly. “You remember how I used to beg to go with Mama whenever she visited the tenants. You hated it. Said they ought to do for each other and not depend so much upon their landlord.”
“I know better now,” Jessica said. “I used to believe that things would be better if the lower classes refused to be dependent upon their betters, if they stood on their own. But I’m no longer so certain that that is true. Now I fight to make the men in control do right by their dependents.”
“Do you really, Jess? I thought you mostly spent your time in London trying to keep Aunt Susan out of the briars.”
Grinning, Jessica admitted the truth of her sister’s statement. “I suppose I do spend most of my time that way. But I doubt anyone could be in Aunt Susan’s company for very long before learning that there is a great deal of good left to be done in this world of ours. I’ve scarcely the energy she seems to have, or the motivation, but there are times when I wish I could be as involved as she is in something I believed in.”
“Well, I know that Papa certainly thinks Aunt Susan is a deal too busy. I’ve heard him give thanks time out of number for the fact that Grandpapa had the good sense to arrange his marriage with Mama and not with her elder sister. Really, Jess, everyone agrees that you would do better to go to more parties and fewer meetings of the Africa Institute and the Society to End the Employment of Climbing Boys. Those groups rarely accomplish anything.”
“I think they will accomplish a great deal in time, Georgie.”
They rode in silence for some moments, and Jessica stared idly out the window at the passing countryside. They were on the cliff road traveling now along the southwest side of Mount’s Bay. The view of the rolling blue waters of the bay below was wonderful and one of which Jessica never grew tired. The steady rocking of the carriage and the rhythmic movement of the distant water became almost hypnotic, so when the carriage suddenly lurched to a stop, Jessica started much as though she had been sharply wakened from a nap. Lady Gordon reached for a strap to steady herself, paling as the memory of the highwayman only days before flashed through her mind. Jessica, watching her, knew exactly what she was thinking, but hearing a feminine voice among those raised outside, was able to comfort her.
“That is no highwayman, Georgie. Something is going forward, no doubt in the road itself, which is why we have come to a halt. I’ll see what it is.”
“Oh, Jess, do you think you should?”
“Don’t be a goose. If Peters has come out without his blunderbuss again, which I very much doubt after the tongue-lashing Cyril gave him, rest assured that I have not.” Smugly she hefted the chinchilla muff, which had been skillfully mended so that no sign of the tiny bullet hole remained. “Lady Bountiful, meet Lady Intrepid.”
Grinning at the sally, Georgeanne relaxed against the plush squabs. “Very well, dearest, but do nothing foolish, I beg you.”
“I won’t.” Pushing open the
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