But as to inviting them, I do not know. I shall ask Mrs. Chitterdean her opinion; or perhaps Mrs. Phibbs would know if Mary and Delbert included them in gatherings here." Lady Elsbeth sighed. "That is the problem with being new to a neighborhood. One doesn’t know the social situation, and it is easy to misstep and cause affront."
"Is it so important to observe all the rules all the time?" Jane asked as they climbed the stairs to the ground floor.
Lady Elsbeth looked askance at her niece. She opened her mouth to answer, then shut it firmly. What should she say to that? What could she say? Before she met the Earl of Royce she would have been quick to say it was important. But meeting him opened doors in her mind that she’d thought were closed and sealed forever. Fifteen years ago she followed the rules, to her lasting regret. Could she now, in clear conscience, encourage her niece to do likewise in all circumstances? It appeared she had much to learn as well.
"I don’t know," she said slowly, shaking her head in wonder. "But I suggest we follow the established practices of Mary and Delbert; after all, they have to live in the neighborhood long after we’ve left!"
Jane sighed. "Yes, I suppose that would be best. Let me go return my notes to the library and fetch my hat. I shall meet you at the side entrance. I could use some fresh air. My head is reeling. Perhaps we can join Twink and the boys at the Folly. Cook said they cajoled her into packing a picnic for them. Maybe they have some left. I think I would be better right now for a little childish nonsense!"
Lady Elsbeth laughed. "I couldn’t agree more. But with those two rapscallions do not count on there being leftovers!"
Jane’s answering laughter tinkled merrily as with a light step she ran off down the long hall to the library.
Jane and her aunt made their way leisurely across the smoothly scythed grass. Lady Elsbeth stopped occasionally to comment on a planting. Jane allowed her attention to be drawn to a pair of birds that appeared to be playing tag as they swooped and dove together, alternately beating their wings furiously and gliding on the breeze. She followed their progress past the rushes and over the ornamental lake to disappear in the spreading branches of the old oak on the other side. She was surprised to see a bundle of cloth laying on the ground at the base of the tree. She touched Lady Elsbeth lightly on the arm. "Look, isn’t that Twink lying under the oak?"
Lady Elsbeth raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun’s glare. "Yes, and sound asleep by the looks of it. The boys no doubt exhausted her. Isn’t that brown shape next to her Edward?"
"I believe so. But where’s Bertram?"
"Most likely asleep on the other side of the tree."
"Or he’s taken the opportunity of Twink’s relaxed vigilance to sneak off on his own," suggested Jane over her shoulder as she hurried around the lake to the oak tree.
"Surely he wouldn’t. Not after yesterday!" Lady Elsbeth exclaimed, following behind her.
But so it proved to be. Miss Twinkleham was stretched out on a blanket, gently snoring. Edward was next to her, his little arms and legs flung out in what appeared to his aunts a most uncomfortable position. The picnic basket at their side was open, and a steady army of ants marched in and out, wending their way across the blanket and grass to their nest among the roots of the old tree. There was no sign of Bertram.
Jane stared at the bucolic scene for a moment in bemused appreciation then gently nudged Nurse Twinkleham.
"Twink—Twink, wake up!" she urged the woman.
Edward stirred at the sound of her voice and raised a grubby fist to knuckle his eyes. "Aunt Jane?"
"Yes, love. Did you have a nice nap?" Jane asked, amusement coloring her tone.
He sat up. "I wasn’t sleeping," he contradicted indignantly. "I was keeping Nurse Twink company."
"Of course, dear," soothed Lady Elsbeth. She exchanged amused glances with Jane.
"What? What’s
"Is it so important to observe all the rules all the time?" Jane asked as they climbed the stairs to the ground floor.
Lady Elsbeth looked askance at her niece. She opened her mouth to answer, then shut it firmly. What should she say to that? What could she say? Before she met the Earl of Royce she would have been quick to say it was important. But meeting him opened doors in her mind that she’d thought were closed and sealed forever. Fifteen years ago she followed the rules, to her lasting regret. Could she now, in clear conscience, encourage her niece to do likewise in all circumstances? It appeared she had much to learn as well.
"I don’t know," she said slowly, shaking her head in wonder. "But I suggest we follow the established practices of Mary and Delbert; after all, they have to live in the neighborhood long after we’ve left!"
Jane sighed. "Yes, I suppose that would be best. Let me go return my notes to the library and fetch my hat. I shall meet you at the side entrance. I could use some fresh air. My head is reeling. Perhaps we can join Twink and the boys at the Folly. Cook said they cajoled her into packing a picnic for them. Maybe they have some left. I think I would be better right now for a little childish nonsense!"
Lady Elsbeth laughed. "I couldn’t agree more. But with those two rapscallions do not count on there being leftovers!"
Jane’s answering laughter tinkled merrily as with a light step she ran off down the long hall to the library.
Jane and her aunt made their way leisurely across the smoothly scythed grass. Lady Elsbeth stopped occasionally to comment on a planting. Jane allowed her attention to be drawn to a pair of birds that appeared to be playing tag as they swooped and dove together, alternately beating their wings furiously and gliding on the breeze. She followed their progress past the rushes and over the ornamental lake to disappear in the spreading branches of the old oak on the other side. She was surprised to see a bundle of cloth laying on the ground at the base of the tree. She touched Lady Elsbeth lightly on the arm. "Look, isn’t that Twink lying under the oak?"
Lady Elsbeth raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun’s glare. "Yes, and sound asleep by the looks of it. The boys no doubt exhausted her. Isn’t that brown shape next to her Edward?"
"I believe so. But where’s Bertram?"
"Most likely asleep on the other side of the tree."
"Or he’s taken the opportunity of Twink’s relaxed vigilance to sneak off on his own," suggested Jane over her shoulder as she hurried around the lake to the oak tree.
"Surely he wouldn’t. Not after yesterday!" Lady Elsbeth exclaimed, following behind her.
But so it proved to be. Miss Twinkleham was stretched out on a blanket, gently snoring. Edward was next to her, his little arms and legs flung out in what appeared to his aunts a most uncomfortable position. The picnic basket at their side was open, and a steady army of ants marched in and out, wending their way across the blanket and grass to their nest among the roots of the old tree. There was no sign of Bertram.
Jane stared at the bucolic scene for a moment in bemused appreciation then gently nudged Nurse Twinkleham.
"Twink—Twink, wake up!" she urged the woman.
Edward stirred at the sound of her voice and raised a grubby fist to knuckle his eyes. "Aunt Jane?"
"Yes, love. Did you have a nice nap?" Jane asked, amusement coloring her tone.
He sat up. "I wasn’t sleeping," he contradicted indignantly. "I was keeping Nurse Twink company."
"Of course, dear," soothed Lady Elsbeth. She exchanged amused glances with Jane.
"What? What’s
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