Chapter 1
When Miss Mary Arbuckle received the note from Glee Blankenship imploring her to come straight away to her house on Queen Square, Miss Arbuckle began to tremble. Had something happened to Jonathan Blankenship? It was not like Glee to order people about. Especially since Glee rather had her hands full with a new infant son and an entirely too precocious daughter not quite three years of age.
Miss Arbuckle wrapped herself in her faded red cape, put on her woolen gloves, twirled a muffler about her neck, and began the walk to Queen Square. Other young ladies subjected to the discomfort of walking in this extreme cold might have wished to command a luxurious coach and four to whisk them about this hilly watering city.
Unlike other girls, Miss Arbuckle's thoughts had never been occupied with wishing for things that were unobtainable. At a very early age she had come to accept that her widowed mother would never be possessed of wealth. She had also come to terms with the fact that she would never be a beauty. Her looking glass only too plainly confirmed that the most to which Miss Arbuckle could ever aspire was to be considered tolerable looking.
Because of her pragmatism, she had long accepted her fate as a spinster of extremely modest means. Such acceptance could have been sorely tried by the company she kept. Ever since she had attended Miss Worth's School for Young Ladies, her closest circle of friends had consisted of other young ladies of Quality who were in possession of beauty, wealth, and in many cases, rank.
Ten minutes of very fast walking brought her to the Blankenships’ fine home. Inside, as she was divesting herself of her cape beneath a huge sparkling chandelier, the lovely Glee Blankenship came scurrying down the stairs to greet her.
Even though the two had been friends since they attended Miss Worth's School for Young Ladies together, Miss Arbuckle never failed to be struck over Glee's beauty. Perhaps it was because Glee was the antithesis of shy, drab, bookish Miss Arbuckle. Though Glee was considerably shorter than Miss Arbuckle, her vibrant personality was in perfect harmony with her fiery red hair, giving her a presence much larger than her stature would merit.
Only when Glee reached the gilt and marble entry corridor did Miss Arbuckle notice that she was carrying her babe. "I do thank you for coming, Miss Arbuckle! Please, let us go sit in the drawing room."
In the ivory drawing room, the butter-coloured silken draperies were open, providing the chamber with more light than other rooms, but it was still an excessively dreary day. It was, after all, December in Bath.
Glee sat opposite Miss Arbuckle, who had taken a seat upon one of a pair of silk brocade sofas that faced each other in front of the fire. Glee first addressed inarticulate noises to her little red-headed babe. Then, to Miss Arbuckle's astonishment, Glee lowered the bodice of her gown and lifted away that part of a woman's anatomy that provided sustenance. The babe began to greedily suckle.
Mary's cheeks turned scarlet. She had never before witnessed such a display! This was most shocking indeed. Miss Arbuckle was most determined to ignore what Glee was doing and concentrate on what she was saying.
It was, however, difficult not to ponder the question of why Glee Blankenship had not procured a wet nurse. It was not as if Gregory Blankenship—Glee's husband—was not sinfully wealthy.
There was not the least trace of embarrassment in Glee's voice when she spoke. "I wanted to tell you that Jonathan is coming to spend Christmas with us in Bath."
There was certainly nothing shattering in that remark. Why had Glee led Miss Arbuckle to believe the matter was so urgent? Then a thought, a truly petrifying thought, penetrated into Miss Arbuckle's brain. He's bringing a wife. Glee wanted to prepare Miss Arbuckle for the heart-breaking news.
Though the two women had never discussed Miss Arbuckle's feelings for Mr. Jonathan
When Miss Mary Arbuckle received the note from Glee Blankenship imploring her to come straight away to her house on Queen Square, Miss Arbuckle began to tremble. Had something happened to Jonathan Blankenship? It was not like Glee to order people about. Especially since Glee rather had her hands full with a new infant son and an entirely too precocious daughter not quite three years of age.
Miss Arbuckle wrapped herself in her faded red cape, put on her woolen gloves, twirled a muffler about her neck, and began the walk to Queen Square. Other young ladies subjected to the discomfort of walking in this extreme cold might have wished to command a luxurious coach and four to whisk them about this hilly watering city.
Unlike other girls, Miss Arbuckle's thoughts had never been occupied with wishing for things that were unobtainable. At a very early age she had come to accept that her widowed mother would never be possessed of wealth. She had also come to terms with the fact that she would never be a beauty. Her looking glass only too plainly confirmed that the most to which Miss Arbuckle could ever aspire was to be considered tolerable looking.
Because of her pragmatism, she had long accepted her fate as a spinster of extremely modest means. Such acceptance could have been sorely tried by the company she kept. Ever since she had attended Miss Worth's School for Young Ladies, her closest circle of friends had consisted of other young ladies of Quality who were in possession of beauty, wealth, and in many cases, rank.
Ten minutes of very fast walking brought her to the Blankenships’ fine home. Inside, as she was divesting herself of her cape beneath a huge sparkling chandelier, the lovely Glee Blankenship came scurrying down the stairs to greet her.
Even though the two had been friends since they attended Miss Worth's School for Young Ladies together, Miss Arbuckle never failed to be struck over Glee's beauty. Perhaps it was because Glee was the antithesis of shy, drab, bookish Miss Arbuckle. Though Glee was considerably shorter than Miss Arbuckle, her vibrant personality was in perfect harmony with her fiery red hair, giving her a presence much larger than her stature would merit.
Only when Glee reached the gilt and marble entry corridor did Miss Arbuckle notice that she was carrying her babe. "I do thank you for coming, Miss Arbuckle! Please, let us go sit in the drawing room."
In the ivory drawing room, the butter-coloured silken draperies were open, providing the chamber with more light than other rooms, but it was still an excessively dreary day. It was, after all, December in Bath.
Glee sat opposite Miss Arbuckle, who had taken a seat upon one of a pair of silk brocade sofas that faced each other in front of the fire. Glee first addressed inarticulate noises to her little red-headed babe. Then, to Miss Arbuckle's astonishment, Glee lowered the bodice of her gown and lifted away that part of a woman's anatomy that provided sustenance. The babe began to greedily suckle.
Mary's cheeks turned scarlet. She had never before witnessed such a display! This was most shocking indeed. Miss Arbuckle was most determined to ignore what Glee was doing and concentrate on what she was saying.
It was, however, difficult not to ponder the question of why Glee Blankenship had not procured a wet nurse. It was not as if Gregory Blankenship—Glee's husband—was not sinfully wealthy.
There was not the least trace of embarrassment in Glee's voice when she spoke. "I wanted to tell you that Jonathan is coming to spend Christmas with us in Bath."
There was certainly nothing shattering in that remark. Why had Glee led Miss Arbuckle to believe the matter was so urgent? Then a thought, a truly petrifying thought, penetrated into Miss Arbuckle's brain. He's bringing a wife. Glee wanted to prepare Miss Arbuckle for the heart-breaking news.
Though the two women had never discussed Miss Arbuckle's feelings for Mr. Jonathan
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