bed beside her.
‘I apologized to Mr Fletcher,’ said Emily sleepily, ‘and gave him the wig as a present, which he accepted most graciously.’
‘I knew you would,’ said Hannah.
‘Why?’ asked Emily.
‘Because I have discovered this day,’ said Hannah firmly, ‘that although you have been badly spoilt, underneath it all, you are a young lady of resource, courage and humour.’
‘Really!’ said Emily, experiencing a glow of pleasure.
There was no reply. She twisted about and looked at her sleeping partner, but it seemed that Hannah Pym had fallen neatly and quietly asleep.
Along the corridor, Mrs Bradley and Lizzie lay side by side in a big four-poster bed.
Lizzie turned on her side and Mrs Bradley’s voice sounded in the darkness. ‘Reckon you’ve made a mistake with that captain, m’dear.’
Lizzie sighed and said faintly, ‘I cannot do anything now. I gave my word. Oh, Mrs Bradley, I wish it would snow and snow and snow so that we might never reach Exeter.’
‘All it takes is a little courage,’ said Mrs Bradley comfortably. ‘Now, me, I ain’t got none, but if I was you, I would ask that Miss Pym for help. Her could take on a whole battalion of Napoleon’s soldiers.’
‘My late husband,’ said Lizzie, ‘was a strong man. He made all the decisions for me. I never even had a thought of my own. But you know how it is. My family were so proud of him. Everyone kept telling me I was lucky to have such a fine upstanding man as a husband, and so … and so …’
‘You felt it downright wicked to think anything else,’ said Mrs Bradley. ‘Children might ha’ helped.’
‘Oh, but I have two sons, twins, of twenty-two.They work in the business. I mean, they are both lawyers. Everyone says they are the image of their father.’
‘Not comfortable for you. What did they think of the captain?’
‘They do not know,’ said Lizzie in a low voice. ‘Captain Seaton said it was no concern of theirs and that they might be angry at the idea of me remarrying so soon. He arranged everything and I just went along with it.’
‘You got a tidy bit o’ money then?’ asked Mrs Bradley.
‘Yes, I am fortunate in being comfortably off.’
‘How’s that come about? Thought your dear departed would ha’ left most to the sons.’
‘There were marriage settlements. I have my own money.’
‘And that’s what the captain wants, mark my words. Not that they all wants money. That Mr Fletcher would take you if you hadn’t a penny.’
‘Do you think so?’ asked Lizzie, her voice lightening. ‘I feel so comfortable with him. He asks me what I think. Most strange in a man.’
‘There’s still some good’uns around. Now go to sleep, there’s a love.’
Lizzie fell almost immediately into a deep sleep and dreamt she was travelling on the stage on a sunny warm day with Mr Fletcher sitting beside her, holding her hand.
In the Red Room, Mr Fletcher cautiously raised himself on one elbow. ‘Are you awake, my lord?’
‘Only just,’ said Lord Harley amiably.
‘I think it was noble and generous of Miss Freemantle to present me with that fine wig.’
‘It was the least she could do,’ said Lord Harley cynically.
‘No, I think not. She has obviously led a pampered life and she is so very beautiful, and in my experience beautiful young ladies think their beauty is enough to offer the world. And yet she made her apology with such sincerity and grace.’
‘Mark my words, Miss Freemantle was still shocked from her ordeal in the storm. She will no doubt be restored to her spoilt self on the morrow. I wish this storm would blow itself out.’
‘I think there is a change in the weather coming. I can feel it in my left leg,’ said Mr Fletcher.
‘Let’s hope your left leg is right. What a day. Running after that stupid female and then having to dislodge Mrs Bradley from the bath.’
‘Why, what happened?’
Lord Harley told him and then began to laugh, not over Mrs Bradley’s
‘I apologized to Mr Fletcher,’ said Emily sleepily, ‘and gave him the wig as a present, which he accepted most graciously.’
‘I knew you would,’ said Hannah.
‘Why?’ asked Emily.
‘Because I have discovered this day,’ said Hannah firmly, ‘that although you have been badly spoilt, underneath it all, you are a young lady of resource, courage and humour.’
‘Really!’ said Emily, experiencing a glow of pleasure.
There was no reply. She twisted about and looked at her sleeping partner, but it seemed that Hannah Pym had fallen neatly and quietly asleep.
Along the corridor, Mrs Bradley and Lizzie lay side by side in a big four-poster bed.
Lizzie turned on her side and Mrs Bradley’s voice sounded in the darkness. ‘Reckon you’ve made a mistake with that captain, m’dear.’
Lizzie sighed and said faintly, ‘I cannot do anything now. I gave my word. Oh, Mrs Bradley, I wish it would snow and snow and snow so that we might never reach Exeter.’
‘All it takes is a little courage,’ said Mrs Bradley comfortably. ‘Now, me, I ain’t got none, but if I was you, I would ask that Miss Pym for help. Her could take on a whole battalion of Napoleon’s soldiers.’
‘My late husband,’ said Lizzie, ‘was a strong man. He made all the decisions for me. I never even had a thought of my own. But you know how it is. My family were so proud of him. Everyone kept telling me I was lucky to have such a fine upstanding man as a husband, and so … and so …’
‘You felt it downright wicked to think anything else,’ said Mrs Bradley. ‘Children might ha’ helped.’
‘Oh, but I have two sons, twins, of twenty-two.They work in the business. I mean, they are both lawyers. Everyone says they are the image of their father.’
‘Not comfortable for you. What did they think of the captain?’
‘They do not know,’ said Lizzie in a low voice. ‘Captain Seaton said it was no concern of theirs and that they might be angry at the idea of me remarrying so soon. He arranged everything and I just went along with it.’
‘You got a tidy bit o’ money then?’ asked Mrs Bradley.
‘Yes, I am fortunate in being comfortably off.’
‘How’s that come about? Thought your dear departed would ha’ left most to the sons.’
‘There were marriage settlements. I have my own money.’
‘And that’s what the captain wants, mark my words. Not that they all wants money. That Mr Fletcher would take you if you hadn’t a penny.’
‘Do you think so?’ asked Lizzie, her voice lightening. ‘I feel so comfortable with him. He asks me what I think. Most strange in a man.’
‘There’s still some good’uns around. Now go to sleep, there’s a love.’
Lizzie fell almost immediately into a deep sleep and dreamt she was travelling on the stage on a sunny warm day with Mr Fletcher sitting beside her, holding her hand.
In the Red Room, Mr Fletcher cautiously raised himself on one elbow. ‘Are you awake, my lord?’
‘Only just,’ said Lord Harley amiably.
‘I think it was noble and generous of Miss Freemantle to present me with that fine wig.’
‘It was the least she could do,’ said Lord Harley cynically.
‘No, I think not. She has obviously led a pampered life and she is so very beautiful, and in my experience beautiful young ladies think their beauty is enough to offer the world. And yet she made her apology with such sincerity and grace.’
‘Mark my words, Miss Freemantle was still shocked from her ordeal in the storm. She will no doubt be restored to her spoilt self on the morrow. I wish this storm would blow itself out.’
‘I think there is a change in the weather coming. I can feel it in my left leg,’ said Mr Fletcher.
‘Let’s hope your left leg is right. What a day. Running after that stupid female and then having to dislodge Mrs Bradley from the bath.’
‘Why, what happened?’
Lord Harley told him and then began to laugh, not over Mrs Bradley’s
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