mother, brother and sister. It was not just balls and clothes for Bella and friends and a very different environment for Fred that were at stake here. Their lease had not been renewed on the modest house they had rented. Their bills and their meager income had parted ways many years ago and they barely eked out a living. They had lived the last week before coming here on the bounty of Mrs. Bundy. But they could not continue to live at her expense, however much the kind lady would press them to.
Where would they be now if Uncle Worth had not answered her plea?
A shiver went through her at the thought of how close they had been to being out on the street. How long would they have lasted, going from parish to parish where the poor were allowed a few days and nights? How long would her mother and Bella go this way before breaking down altogether? She knew herself well enough to know that she could survive as a servant should it have come to that and that Fred would likewise be adaptable. But Bella and her mother were not made of such stern stuff. She knew them well enough to know that their spirit and their bodies would be broken and their health would follow.
She had made a promise to Uncle Worth and there was no avenue open to her except to keep her promise, no matter how much it hurt. She must back away from Lord Merrick, for it was a love that had no future. Better now while she still had the strength and determination to stay away from him and from thoughts of him.
* * *
Celia’s and Bella’s ball gowns, paid for by Uncle Worth, had been delivered by the seamstress the day before the ball and now lay in tissue, looking mysteriously glamorous in their boxes. Again and again Bella exclaimed in wonder at her lovely white dress and donned it half a dozen times, while her mother sat before her and exclaimed in admiration.
They spent the afternoon in such happy preparations, doing and redoing Bella’s hair, poring over her dance card which already had two spaces filled in by Jack Longard’s large scrawled name, and experimenting hair arrangements, with perfume and a touch of salve for Bella’s lips. They also perused on Bath’s newspaper, for the forthcoming ball had been mentioned and many guests were to be from Bath, which was just a few miles away from Rook’s End.
But Celia, after a wistful glance at her peach gown of shot silk with embroidered sleeves, the most beautiful dress she had ever owned, took her sketch book and escaped to the woods. The thought of the ball left a bittersweet taste in her mouth and she wished it was the day after the ball already, with the ball safely over.
How was she to spend several hours in the same room with Robert, whom she had not seen for the past ten days? How would she react at sight of him? How was she to successfully hide her feelings so that Caroline would not run to her father and again accuse Celia of trying to take Lord Merrick away from her? These questions churned in her mind and tormented her constantly.
She had seen a lot of Scott Bannister the days after that afternoon, for he had called almost every day, but she had seen nothing of Lord Merrick. Then she heard that he had left for London and would return in time to attend the ball. She donned her cape and boots and went off to the wood.
CHAPTER 9
It was a beautiful day and the little wood hummed with small life, from the buzzing of bees and wide swings of butterflies to rabbits and hares darting away at Celia’s approach and caterpillars crawling over branches. Summer had at last come to the woods. Celia held a walking stick in her right hand, for she had remembered Lord Robert’s suggestion that she carry a stick to fend off any fox that might become aggressive.
The sun hung high above, peeking through the branches of the trees, white and gleaming. And certain that Lord Robert was safely away in London, she decided to advance across the division between the little wood and on to the Shelton
Where would they be now if Uncle Worth had not answered her plea?
A shiver went through her at the thought of how close they had been to being out on the street. How long would they have lasted, going from parish to parish where the poor were allowed a few days and nights? How long would her mother and Bella go this way before breaking down altogether? She knew herself well enough to know that she could survive as a servant should it have come to that and that Fred would likewise be adaptable. But Bella and her mother were not made of such stern stuff. She knew them well enough to know that their spirit and their bodies would be broken and their health would follow.
She had made a promise to Uncle Worth and there was no avenue open to her except to keep her promise, no matter how much it hurt. She must back away from Lord Merrick, for it was a love that had no future. Better now while she still had the strength and determination to stay away from him and from thoughts of him.
* * *
Celia’s and Bella’s ball gowns, paid for by Uncle Worth, had been delivered by the seamstress the day before the ball and now lay in tissue, looking mysteriously glamorous in their boxes. Again and again Bella exclaimed in wonder at her lovely white dress and donned it half a dozen times, while her mother sat before her and exclaimed in admiration.
They spent the afternoon in such happy preparations, doing and redoing Bella’s hair, poring over her dance card which already had two spaces filled in by Jack Longard’s large scrawled name, and experimenting hair arrangements, with perfume and a touch of salve for Bella’s lips. They also perused on Bath’s newspaper, for the forthcoming ball had been mentioned and many guests were to be from Bath, which was just a few miles away from Rook’s End.
But Celia, after a wistful glance at her peach gown of shot silk with embroidered sleeves, the most beautiful dress she had ever owned, took her sketch book and escaped to the woods. The thought of the ball left a bittersweet taste in her mouth and she wished it was the day after the ball already, with the ball safely over.
How was she to spend several hours in the same room with Robert, whom she had not seen for the past ten days? How would she react at sight of him? How was she to successfully hide her feelings so that Caroline would not run to her father and again accuse Celia of trying to take Lord Merrick away from her? These questions churned in her mind and tormented her constantly.
She had seen a lot of Scott Bannister the days after that afternoon, for he had called almost every day, but she had seen nothing of Lord Merrick. Then she heard that he had left for London and would return in time to attend the ball. She donned her cape and boots and went off to the wood.
CHAPTER 9
It was a beautiful day and the little wood hummed with small life, from the buzzing of bees and wide swings of butterflies to rabbits and hares darting away at Celia’s approach and caterpillars crawling over branches. Summer had at last come to the woods. Celia held a walking stick in her right hand, for she had remembered Lord Robert’s suggestion that she carry a stick to fend off any fox that might become aggressive.
The sun hung high above, peeking through the branches of the trees, white and gleaming. And certain that Lord Robert was safely away in London, she decided to advance across the division between the little wood and on to the Shelton
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