feathered peacocks. Cecily was uncharacteristically
quiet as, wide-eyed, she took it all in.
For herself, Beth was simply relieved to be standing on steady ground again.
‘This is very grand,’ she whispered to Cecily as they entered Stationer’s Hall. The ornately embellished ceiling was at least
twice the height of the great hall at Merryfields. The entrance screen was heavily carved and the walls oak-panelled, while
tall windows allowed the last of the November afternoon light to penetrate.
The milling mass greeted each other with loud exclamations of delight as they postured and preened to their friends and acquaintances.
The noise level meant that everyone had to shout and the air was thick with perfume, pomades and perspiration.
On the other side of the hall Beth noticed a young woman with blonde hair waving frantically at Arabella and trying to force
her way past an exceedingly stout man in a green velvet coat. ‘I thinkthat lady is trying to attract your attention,’ she said to Lady Arabella.
‘Oh, it’s Harriet! Joshua, Samuel, fetch your sister to me, will you?’
The twins shouldered their way through the crowd and pushed the fat man aside to allow Harriet through. He blinked when he
saw the two indistinguishable young men and stared after them with his mouth open.
Joshua winked at him, then caught Samuel and Noah by the elbows and led them off.
Harriet, fine boned but with an unfortunately sharp little nose, went straight to Lady Arabella and kissed her perfunctorily
on the cheek, completely ignoring Beth and Cecily. ‘Mama, I have the most exciting piece of news for you!’ Her eyes gleamed
like a cat with a particularly tasty piece of fish. ‘Do tell me you haven’t heard yet because I am determined you shall hear
it from my lips first of all.’
‘What news is that, my dearest?’
‘Well,’ Harriet lowered her voice. ‘I was speaking with the Duchess of Norfolk just now and she has it on the highest authority
…’
‘Do tell!’
‘The Queen is expecting a happy event!’ Harriet, her face positively glowing with self-importance, wasn’t disappointed in
her mother’s reaction.
‘Never!’ Lady Arabella’s eyes widened. ‘After all this time!’
‘Incredible, isn’t it? She went to take the waters at Bath this autumn and, of course, the King made a pilgrimage to Holywell.
It seems to have done the trick.’
Lady Arabella shook her head in delighted disbelief. ‘Who would have thought it? Just wait until I tell Sir George. What marvellous
news! If the King has a son this could make a very great deal of difference to our fortunes.’
‘Mama, I must go. I can see my husband looking for me and Icannot endure one of his black moods if I am away from his side for too long.’ Harriet kissed her mother again and pushed
her way through the throng towards an elderly man of small stature who was watching her with a scowl on his face.
‘How very rude!’ whispered Cecily to Beth.
‘Not many people in this country will be as pleased as Lady Arabella,’ said Beth
‘What do you mean?’
‘Cecily! You’ve heard Mama and Father talk about how the King wants to turn us all into papists.’
‘Would it really matter?’
‘Of course it would! Look at the religious massacres in France. King Louis has no parliament and does whatever he wants. If
King James follows suit Catholics would hold all the important positions here and the Protestants would be persecuted. Imagine
if Merryfields was confiscated and given to a papist.’
Cecily’s eyes opened wide in horror but then the Master of Ceremonies called for order and the milling crowd was persuaded
to find their seats in order for the concert to begin.
Noah and the twins reappeared, together with a darkly handsome companion lavishly dressed in a velvet coat the colour of ripe
plums and decorated with gold lace.
Noah introduced them to his friend, Harry de Montford, who bowed low and kissed
quiet as, wide-eyed, she took it all in.
For herself, Beth was simply relieved to be standing on steady ground again.
‘This is very grand,’ she whispered to Cecily as they entered Stationer’s Hall. The ornately embellished ceiling was at least
twice the height of the great hall at Merryfields. The entrance screen was heavily carved and the walls oak-panelled, while
tall windows allowed the last of the November afternoon light to penetrate.
The milling mass greeted each other with loud exclamations of delight as they postured and preened to their friends and acquaintances.
The noise level meant that everyone had to shout and the air was thick with perfume, pomades and perspiration.
On the other side of the hall Beth noticed a young woman with blonde hair waving frantically at Arabella and trying to force
her way past an exceedingly stout man in a green velvet coat. ‘I thinkthat lady is trying to attract your attention,’ she said to Lady Arabella.
‘Oh, it’s Harriet! Joshua, Samuel, fetch your sister to me, will you?’
The twins shouldered their way through the crowd and pushed the fat man aside to allow Harriet through. He blinked when he
saw the two indistinguishable young men and stared after them with his mouth open.
Joshua winked at him, then caught Samuel and Noah by the elbows and led them off.
Harriet, fine boned but with an unfortunately sharp little nose, went straight to Lady Arabella and kissed her perfunctorily
on the cheek, completely ignoring Beth and Cecily. ‘Mama, I have the most exciting piece of news for you!’ Her eyes gleamed
like a cat with a particularly tasty piece of fish. ‘Do tell me you haven’t heard yet because I am determined you shall hear
it from my lips first of all.’
‘What news is that, my dearest?’
‘Well,’ Harriet lowered her voice. ‘I was speaking with the Duchess of Norfolk just now and she has it on the highest authority
…’
‘Do tell!’
‘The Queen is expecting a happy event!’ Harriet, her face positively glowing with self-importance, wasn’t disappointed in
her mother’s reaction.
‘Never!’ Lady Arabella’s eyes widened. ‘After all this time!’
‘Incredible, isn’t it? She went to take the waters at Bath this autumn and, of course, the King made a pilgrimage to Holywell.
It seems to have done the trick.’
Lady Arabella shook her head in delighted disbelief. ‘Who would have thought it? Just wait until I tell Sir George. What marvellous
news! If the King has a son this could make a very great deal of difference to our fortunes.’
‘Mama, I must go. I can see my husband looking for me and Icannot endure one of his black moods if I am away from his side for too long.’ Harriet kissed her mother again and pushed
her way through the throng towards an elderly man of small stature who was watching her with a scowl on his face.
‘How very rude!’ whispered Cecily to Beth.
‘Not many people in this country will be as pleased as Lady Arabella,’ said Beth
‘What do you mean?’
‘Cecily! You’ve heard Mama and Father talk about how the King wants to turn us all into papists.’
‘Would it really matter?’
‘Of course it would! Look at the religious massacres in France. King Louis has no parliament and does whatever he wants. If
King James follows suit Catholics would hold all the important positions here and the Protestants would be persecuted. Imagine
if Merryfields was confiscated and given to a papist.’
Cecily’s eyes opened wide in horror but then the Master of Ceremonies called for order and the milling crowd was persuaded
to find their seats in order for the concert to begin.
Noah and the twins reappeared, together with a darkly handsome companion lavishly dressed in a velvet coat the colour of ripe
plums and decorated with gold lace.
Noah introduced them to his friend, Harry de Montford, who bowed low and kissed
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