separated Lady Ellen, her friend since childhood, from her fiancée, and then tossed the young man when she had decided that a viscount was not really in her class. The young couple, in love before, had been left bereft, like driftwood on the beach. Lady Ellen had gone to Cornwall to recover and the young man had accepted a commission in India, unwilling to face the storm of protest against him for having jilted his bride.
And not one soul in all of London suspected that Lady Galena had been at the bottom of the whole sorry business.
CHAPTER 9
"Everything is ready, then?" Violet glanced at her mother as Sadie spoke to Bendy Jones, the driver, as the outriders were placing their food basket and small travel cases in the carriage.
"Have all our boxes been placed in the other carriage?" Sadie asked.
"Yes, my lady," Bendy responded. "Sam and me, we put all the boxes in after we checked the wheels."
Violet could see that her mother was nervous and upset as she always was at the beginning of a journey. Her cloak was flapping in the wind and the hood had fallen back. Her nose was red and her eyes were teary from the cold. When she had complained the night before of a pressure in her chest. Violet had asked her if she was really up to the journey as she touched her forehead, which was too warm.
“We can still change our plans, Mama.” Violet said, but her mother shook her head.
"No, my dear, it’s nothing. By tomorrow I will be better.”
Bendy brought their attention back to the moment.
"We only await Lord Kelly and his valet, m’lady. They should be out soon. He wanted you and Miss Violet and Lady Bea to board the carriage because it be chilly out so early in the morning. Annie and Maribel are in the other carriage with the luggage already," he added, referring to the ladies' maids.
"Yes, we should best wait in the carriage for him, under the warm rugs," said Sadie and turned to Lady Bea, who was fidgeting nearby with the lock in her portmanteau.
"I prefer to travel with the abigails, Sadie," Lady Bea informed Sadie. "The other carriage will be roomier with only us three inside and as you know, I must take my naps."
"Certainly Bea," said Sadie warmly, reaching out and giving Lady Bea a hug. "Come, Violet, let’s help Bea settle into the other carriage first. Have you placed rugs in both carriages, Bendy?"
"Yes, they’re very warm now, my lady," the driver replied, "and the bottles are very hot."
"Good, good," said Sadie. "I cannot abide cold feet and now with my cold they have become indispensable.
"Come Violet, my love, let us board," she said to her daughter after they had settled Lady Bea in the other carriage.
Kelly spoke to them once they were settled. He planned to ride his horse alongside the carriages off and on as he disliked to sit inside a carriage for too long.
Once they were settled inside the carriage, Violet and her mother leaned back against the squabs and discussed the house party at the castle.
"For how long is the invitation, Mama?" asked Violet.
"Well, today is Tuesday, my sweet, so I imagine it will be until next Tuesday. The Almack's ball is to be held on Wednesday, as usual, and that house party crowd must attend. We, of course have no vouchers for Almack's to worry about, so we can stay at the castle through the next weekend."
"Surely not!"
"I was jesting, my sweet. Surely your mama can make a joke?"
"Yes, of course, Mama. I don't know why I didn't see it just as the jest it is. I'm bit overwrought, I believe. All this is too much too suddenly."
"Do calm yourself, Vi, and perhaps catch up on your sleep," said Sadie, who was not much calmer herself. "I heard you going down to the library for a book last night—late.
"No, Violet," she added hastily when Violet made an attempt to kiss her, "refrain from kissing me or hugging me while I have the cold. Remember that for some reason you catch my cold and I catch yours. It would not do for you to be too ill to attend the
And not one soul in all of London suspected that Lady Galena had been at the bottom of the whole sorry business.
CHAPTER 9
"Everything is ready, then?" Violet glanced at her mother as Sadie spoke to Bendy Jones, the driver, as the outriders were placing their food basket and small travel cases in the carriage.
"Have all our boxes been placed in the other carriage?" Sadie asked.
"Yes, my lady," Bendy responded. "Sam and me, we put all the boxes in after we checked the wheels."
Violet could see that her mother was nervous and upset as she always was at the beginning of a journey. Her cloak was flapping in the wind and the hood had fallen back. Her nose was red and her eyes were teary from the cold. When she had complained the night before of a pressure in her chest. Violet had asked her if she was really up to the journey as she touched her forehead, which was too warm.
“We can still change our plans, Mama.” Violet said, but her mother shook her head.
"No, my dear, it’s nothing. By tomorrow I will be better.”
Bendy brought their attention back to the moment.
"We only await Lord Kelly and his valet, m’lady. They should be out soon. He wanted you and Miss Violet and Lady Bea to board the carriage because it be chilly out so early in the morning. Annie and Maribel are in the other carriage with the luggage already," he added, referring to the ladies' maids.
"Yes, we should best wait in the carriage for him, under the warm rugs," said Sadie and turned to Lady Bea, who was fidgeting nearby with the lock in her portmanteau.
"I prefer to travel with the abigails, Sadie," Lady Bea informed Sadie. "The other carriage will be roomier with only us three inside and as you know, I must take my naps."
"Certainly Bea," said Sadie warmly, reaching out and giving Lady Bea a hug. "Come, Violet, let’s help Bea settle into the other carriage first. Have you placed rugs in both carriages, Bendy?"
"Yes, they’re very warm now, my lady," the driver replied, "and the bottles are very hot."
"Good, good," said Sadie. "I cannot abide cold feet and now with my cold they have become indispensable.
"Come Violet, my love, let us board," she said to her daughter after they had settled Lady Bea in the other carriage.
Kelly spoke to them once they were settled. He planned to ride his horse alongside the carriages off and on as he disliked to sit inside a carriage for too long.
Once they were settled inside the carriage, Violet and her mother leaned back against the squabs and discussed the house party at the castle.
"For how long is the invitation, Mama?" asked Violet.
"Well, today is Tuesday, my sweet, so I imagine it will be until next Tuesday. The Almack's ball is to be held on Wednesday, as usual, and that house party crowd must attend. We, of course have no vouchers for Almack's to worry about, so we can stay at the castle through the next weekend."
"Surely not!"
"I was jesting, my sweet. Surely your mama can make a joke?"
"Yes, of course, Mama. I don't know why I didn't see it just as the jest it is. I'm bit overwrought, I believe. All this is too much too suddenly."
"Do calm yourself, Vi, and perhaps catch up on your sleep," said Sadie, who was not much calmer herself. "I heard you going down to the library for a book last night—late.
"No, Violet," she added hastily when Violet made an attempt to kiss her, "refrain from kissing me or hugging me while I have the cold. Remember that for some reason you catch my cold and I catch yours. It would not do for you to be too ill to attend the
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