House at Grosvenor Street.
"I have always known it as Gloucester House," she
said to Emily, "as it was the home of the Duke of Gloucester for
decades. Not too many years ago, it was bought by the Earl of
Grosvenor, who has apparently spent a fortune renovating the
interior. I've not seen it myself, of course, since I haven't been
to Town in years. But I've heard various reports of either its
supreme elegance or its overblown vulgarity. I shall have to
arrange an invitation and judge for myself."
They soon turned into Upper Brook Street headed
toward Grosvenor Square, which immediately reminded Emily of Queen
Square in Bath, where her friend Lady Mary lived. The square was
surrounded on all four sides with elegant town houses. Although
each was obviously designed separately and therefore did not have
the uniformity of style found in Queen Square or Laura Place, there
was nevertheless a sense of familiarity that comforted Emily. The
square itself was actually a small circular park laid out in a
geometrical design of formal gardens and enclosed by a wrought-iron
fence with elaborate gates in the center of each block. Emily eyed
her new surroundings with pleasure.
The carriages pulled up in front of a large town
house in the middle of the western side of the square. It was of
gray stone and was distinguished by a classical pediment over the
large doorway supported by two Doric columns on either side. There
were three rows of windows above, the second row echoing the
entrance, with small pediments over each window.
Lord Bradleigh's faster curricle had arrived a few
minutes before the other carriages, so that by the time the
dowager's chaise pulled to a stop, liveried footmen and grooms had
spilled onto the street to assist the new arrivals. Although a
footman placed a step beneath the door of the dowager's carriage,
it was the earl who assisted first his grandmother and then Emily
to the ground.
"Welcome back to Bradleigh House, Grandmother," the
earl said as he took the dowager's arm to lead her toward the front
door. "It has been far too long since you have honored us with your
presence."
Emily and Tuttle walked behind, while their fellow
travelers also disembarked. Emily was busy admiring the elegant
facade of Bradleigh House and was therefore oblivious to the
frenzied activity of unloading the carriages that took place behind
her. They were ushered to the spacious entry hall, where they were
met by a tall silver-haired man with a stiff military bearing, who
was introduced as Claypool, the butler. Emily was also introduced
to Mrs. Claypool, the housekeeper, who led the way up the gently
curving stairway to the third level, where the bedroom suites were
located. Emily smiled as she realized that even amidst all the
confusion, Lottie, taking her new duties very seriously, had
followed unobtrusively behind and had commandeered a footman to
help carry up some of the more portable baggage.
Mrs. Claypool signaled to Lottie, indicating which
room had been assigned to Emily, while she escorted the dowager to
her suite. Lottie held the door open, and Emily entered the large
sunny room which was to be her home for the next several weeks.
Lottie quickly scrutinized the room and gave the footman
instructions on where to place the portmanteaux. He immediately
hurried from the room to help with the rest of the baggage.
" 'Tis a lovely room, miss," Lottie said as she
helped Emily out of her pelisse and bonnet.
"Yes," Emily responded distractedly as she surveyed
the spacious room. It was indeed one of the loveliest rooms she had
ever had the pleasure to occupy. It was decorated in various hues
of green, rose pink, and white and was dominated by a large bed
covered in a fine white silk counterpane embroidered with garlands
of ivy leaves. Most of the furniture was of dark wood, and Emily
recognized the elegant lines of Sheraton. She found that she was
immediately comfortable in this obviously English room, so
reminiscent of her mother's
"I have always known it as Gloucester House," she
said to Emily, "as it was the home of the Duke of Gloucester for
decades. Not too many years ago, it was bought by the Earl of
Grosvenor, who has apparently spent a fortune renovating the
interior. I've not seen it myself, of course, since I haven't been
to Town in years. But I've heard various reports of either its
supreme elegance or its overblown vulgarity. I shall have to
arrange an invitation and judge for myself."
They soon turned into Upper Brook Street headed
toward Grosvenor Square, which immediately reminded Emily of Queen
Square in Bath, where her friend Lady Mary lived. The square was
surrounded on all four sides with elegant town houses. Although
each was obviously designed separately and therefore did not have
the uniformity of style found in Queen Square or Laura Place, there
was nevertheless a sense of familiarity that comforted Emily. The
square itself was actually a small circular park laid out in a
geometrical design of formal gardens and enclosed by a wrought-iron
fence with elaborate gates in the center of each block. Emily eyed
her new surroundings with pleasure.
The carriages pulled up in front of a large town
house in the middle of the western side of the square. It was of
gray stone and was distinguished by a classical pediment over the
large doorway supported by two Doric columns on either side. There
were three rows of windows above, the second row echoing the
entrance, with small pediments over each window.
Lord Bradleigh's faster curricle had arrived a few
minutes before the other carriages, so that by the time the
dowager's chaise pulled to a stop, liveried footmen and grooms had
spilled onto the street to assist the new arrivals. Although a
footman placed a step beneath the door of the dowager's carriage,
it was the earl who assisted first his grandmother and then Emily
to the ground.
"Welcome back to Bradleigh House, Grandmother," the
earl said as he took the dowager's arm to lead her toward the front
door. "It has been far too long since you have honored us with your
presence."
Emily and Tuttle walked behind, while their fellow
travelers also disembarked. Emily was busy admiring the elegant
facade of Bradleigh House and was therefore oblivious to the
frenzied activity of unloading the carriages that took place behind
her. They were ushered to the spacious entry hall, where they were
met by a tall silver-haired man with a stiff military bearing, who
was introduced as Claypool, the butler. Emily was also introduced
to Mrs. Claypool, the housekeeper, who led the way up the gently
curving stairway to the third level, where the bedroom suites were
located. Emily smiled as she realized that even amidst all the
confusion, Lottie, taking her new duties very seriously, had
followed unobtrusively behind and had commandeered a footman to
help carry up some of the more portable baggage.
Mrs. Claypool signaled to Lottie, indicating which
room had been assigned to Emily, while she escorted the dowager to
her suite. Lottie held the door open, and Emily entered the large
sunny room which was to be her home for the next several weeks.
Lottie quickly scrutinized the room and gave the footman
instructions on where to place the portmanteaux. He immediately
hurried from the room to help with the rest of the baggage.
" 'Tis a lovely room, miss," Lottie said as she
helped Emily out of her pelisse and bonnet.
"Yes," Emily responded distractedly as she surveyed
the spacious room. It was indeed one of the loveliest rooms she had
ever had the pleasure to occupy. It was decorated in various hues
of green, rose pink, and white and was dominated by a large bed
covered in a fine white silk counterpane embroidered with garlands
of ivy leaves. Most of the furniture was of dark wood, and Emily
recognized the elegant lines of Sheraton. She found that she was
immediately comfortable in this obviously English room, so
reminiscent of her mother's
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