voice, “Then why was he here at Arthur’s funeral, my dear?”
“We could hardly turn him out.” Beatrice gave a disdainful sniff. “He is the guest of Lord Rennie. Some business about building a canal.”
“Is that so?” James’ eyes brightened. “’Pon my word, canals are a great investment these days. For years Rennie has talked about building one that would run from the River Hulm to the River Clearsy. Not an easy task, what with having to dig tunnels and build the locks and all.” He frowned in puzzlement. “I wonder how a rake like Cartland got involved with canal building.”
“I’m sure I don’t know.” Beatrice addressed Jane. “Speaking of the River Hulm, did you know your dower house sits on its banks? There’s the most gorgeous view ... but I’m sure you have seen it by now.”
“No I have not.” Jane’s mind drifted to the painful memory of her first days at Chatfield Court. She had so looked forward to riding Beauty all over the vast estate—a consolation of sorts for having entered a loveless marriage with a man she didn’t even like. Before she could take even one ride, Arthur sold her horse, nearly breaking her heart. After that, he had kept her virtually a prisoner, hardly allowing her out of the house.
So no, dear Beatrice, I have not seen my dower house.
“You must see it soon. The old dowager countess lived there for many years. In the end, she was quite mad, you know. I understand she collected all kinds of art work which is still there. You are going to love it, just love it!
Looking across the table, Jane caught the look of apprehension that clouded her mother’s face. No wonder. If that queen of hypocrites, Beatrice Elton, said they were going to love it, then the opposite must be true.
Later that night, after Bruta helped Jane into her night clothes and put her clothing away, she inquired in her usual sullen fashion, “You want anything else?”
“Thank you, that will be all.” Just as she felt every night, Jane was more than happy when her lady’s maid departed. Back when she was single, before Papa ran away and left the family destitute, she had Celeste, who was French and a perfect lady’s maid in every respect. Jane wanted to rehire Celeste after she married. Instead, Arthur gave her Bruta. Heavyset, with a lantern jaw and small, close-set eyes, Bruta didn’t walk so much as she plodded, didn’t talk so much as she muttered in some kind of a foreign accent that Jane could not place. “She never smiles, and she looks as if she disapproves of everything we do,” Millicent had once said of her.
“She’s awfully good at fixing hair,” Jane had countered.
“Even so, how can you stand her?”
“I don’t have a choice.” Even worse, Bruta once worked for Beatrice. Jane suspected Bruta served as a spy as well as a lady’s maid and reported to Beatrice everything she did.
All that is over. Jane’s spirits lifted. She could soon get rid of the sullen woman. What a delightful thought.
Shortly after Bruta left, Mama came by. The tightness around her mouth told Jane she was still upset. “Beatrice is taking over the house. Can’t you do something?”
Poor Mama . She had yet to face the facts. “Chatfield Court truly will be hers. Soon. Much as we don’t like the idea, we must get accustomed to it.”
Mama threw a hand up in despair. “There’s no chance you might be—?”
“None. Well ... almost none.”
“When will you know?”
“I know now.”
Mama frowned in exasperation. “You know what I mean.”
“A week and a half or thereabouts.”
“You will let me know when it happens? If it happens.”
“It will happen all right. I suppose the whole world is dying to know. Perhaps I should raise a red flag on the rooftop when the big event occurs.”
Mama looked askance, just as Jane knew she would. “You need not be flip. A red flag will not be necessary. Just tell me, and in the meantime, while we’re waiting, I can only hope
“We could hardly turn him out.” Beatrice gave a disdainful sniff. “He is the guest of Lord Rennie. Some business about building a canal.”
“Is that so?” James’ eyes brightened. “’Pon my word, canals are a great investment these days. For years Rennie has talked about building one that would run from the River Hulm to the River Clearsy. Not an easy task, what with having to dig tunnels and build the locks and all.” He frowned in puzzlement. “I wonder how a rake like Cartland got involved with canal building.”
“I’m sure I don’t know.” Beatrice addressed Jane. “Speaking of the River Hulm, did you know your dower house sits on its banks? There’s the most gorgeous view ... but I’m sure you have seen it by now.”
“No I have not.” Jane’s mind drifted to the painful memory of her first days at Chatfield Court. She had so looked forward to riding Beauty all over the vast estate—a consolation of sorts for having entered a loveless marriage with a man she didn’t even like. Before she could take even one ride, Arthur sold her horse, nearly breaking her heart. After that, he had kept her virtually a prisoner, hardly allowing her out of the house.
So no, dear Beatrice, I have not seen my dower house.
“You must see it soon. The old dowager countess lived there for many years. In the end, she was quite mad, you know. I understand she collected all kinds of art work which is still there. You are going to love it, just love it!
Looking across the table, Jane caught the look of apprehension that clouded her mother’s face. No wonder. If that queen of hypocrites, Beatrice Elton, said they were going to love it, then the opposite must be true.
Later that night, after Bruta helped Jane into her night clothes and put her clothing away, she inquired in her usual sullen fashion, “You want anything else?”
“Thank you, that will be all.” Just as she felt every night, Jane was more than happy when her lady’s maid departed. Back when she was single, before Papa ran away and left the family destitute, she had Celeste, who was French and a perfect lady’s maid in every respect. Jane wanted to rehire Celeste after she married. Instead, Arthur gave her Bruta. Heavyset, with a lantern jaw and small, close-set eyes, Bruta didn’t walk so much as she plodded, didn’t talk so much as she muttered in some kind of a foreign accent that Jane could not place. “She never smiles, and she looks as if she disapproves of everything we do,” Millicent had once said of her.
“She’s awfully good at fixing hair,” Jane had countered.
“Even so, how can you stand her?”
“I don’t have a choice.” Even worse, Bruta once worked for Beatrice. Jane suspected Bruta served as a spy as well as a lady’s maid and reported to Beatrice everything she did.
All that is over. Jane’s spirits lifted. She could soon get rid of the sullen woman. What a delightful thought.
Shortly after Bruta left, Mama came by. The tightness around her mouth told Jane she was still upset. “Beatrice is taking over the house. Can’t you do something?”
Poor Mama . She had yet to face the facts. “Chatfield Court truly will be hers. Soon. Much as we don’t like the idea, we must get accustomed to it.”
Mama threw a hand up in despair. “There’s no chance you might be—?”
“None. Well ... almost none.”
“When will you know?”
“I know now.”
Mama frowned in exasperation. “You know what I mean.”
“A week and a half or thereabouts.”
“You will let me know when it happens? If it happens.”
“It will happen all right. I suppose the whole world is dying to know. Perhaps I should raise a red flag on the rooftop when the big event occurs.”
Mama looked askance, just as Jane knew she would. “You need not be flip. A red flag will not be necessary. Just tell me, and in the meantime, while we’re waiting, I can only hope
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