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 taste. It suddenly occurred to her how truly uncomfortable she had always felt among the elaborate gilded French furnishings which the dowager
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 taste. It suddenly occurred to her how truly uncomfortable she had always felt among the elaborate gilded French furnishings which the dowager
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