Even some of the Almacks patronesses lead scandalous secret lives."
"I agree, Vi," said Sadie, "They may deny they accept money for their favors but they do so just the same. They have their gaming bets settled by their lovers and given valuable jewels and clothes. Their affairs are under cover of 'family' and 'surname' but they are affairs just the same.
"But you have always been wiser than me, my Vi, so I have more faith in you to withstand pressure than I did."
Sadie, reclined her head against the gold velvet squabs. "I thank the Lord for that. Mama and Papa, your grandparents, came from the French gentry, as you will recall," she added. "But when they slid into dire poverty it ceased to matter where they came from. Oftentimes we had not even a piece of bread to share among the eight of us. Both my brothers were commandeered into the ranks and died in those bloody battles, fighting this war or that."
"Don’t speak of the past, Mama, for it is making you sad," interrupted Violet on seeing her mother's eyes fill with tears.
She well knew the story of how her grandfather, stripped of his house and all his possessions, had been only able to secure work on an English ship and had died of dysentery, leaving them in the direst poverty imaginable.
During the revolution, Sadie, the oldest had gone to the streets, selling her body to feed her twin brothers and baby sister. It had been to no avail, though, for the children had all died, her mother, as well, during childbirth.
The carriages were stopped so that Lord Kelly, who had been riding alongside on his horse, boarded, and they again resumed their journey to Castle Cynweir, all of them lost in their thoughts. Sadie finally slept while Lord Kelly perused the newspapers and Violet gazed at the rolling countryside that sped by at her carriage window.
Finally, even Lord Kelly slumbered, his head resting against the squabs, while Violet still held her vigil at the window and wondered what awaited her at the castle.
* * *
A stop at an inn for a luncheon finally distracted them from their uneasy sleep and the travelers spilled happily out of the carriages to partake of their meal.
This was the best part of the journey for Lord Kelly, who appreciated the chance for a good meal, a cheroot and a drop of brandy. The latter half of the trip he would then spend in deep sleep, unlike the fitful slumber of the past hours.
Bendy found a hostler to water their horses and care for their needs, while Violet looked on with interest at the busy crossroads inn. There was a heavy mail coach arriving and another large and lumbering coach from which several passengers were alighting.
The sky was still low with dark clouds but at least behind the clouds the sun's light spread out in silver streaks and there was a strong smell of wood smoke.
And as the forest cut to the road's edge, there was also a heavy and pleasing scent of pine in the air. Violet smiled, feeling better now than when they had left London.
During the years after the war, many of the displaced soldiers who had come back from the battles wounded and emaciated had settled down in the farms and many of the younger ones had married and now had children of their own. Violet had been a child during the war but had been strongly affected by the many years of hardship and the deaths that had affected so many families. There was hardly a family left in England who had been left intact. Most had lost a brother, a father, a son…
Lunch was a pleasing meal of roast duck and beef broth with new potatoes and a plate of steamed vegetables while an apricot cobbler drowning in clotted cream completed it. So good was their meal that a few crusty loaves of bread and a chunk of butter and marmalade were purchased for their afternoon tea on the road.
They lingered a little in the tap room after their meal. Lord and Lady Kelly spoke of their plans to replace the shabby furniture of the London townhouse which had not seen change in over a
"I agree, Vi," said Sadie, "They may deny they accept money for their favors but they do so just the same. They have their gaming bets settled by their lovers and given valuable jewels and clothes. Their affairs are under cover of 'family' and 'surname' but they are affairs just the same.
"But you have always been wiser than me, my Vi, so I have more faith in you to withstand pressure than I did."
Sadie, reclined her head against the gold velvet squabs. "I thank the Lord for that. Mama and Papa, your grandparents, came from the French gentry, as you will recall," she added. "But when they slid into dire poverty it ceased to matter where they came from. Oftentimes we had not even a piece of bread to share among the eight of us. Both my brothers were commandeered into the ranks and died in those bloody battles, fighting this war or that."
"Don’t speak of the past, Mama, for it is making you sad," interrupted Violet on seeing her mother's eyes fill with tears.
She well knew the story of how her grandfather, stripped of his house and all his possessions, had been only able to secure work on an English ship and had died of dysentery, leaving them in the direst poverty imaginable.
During the revolution, Sadie, the oldest had gone to the streets, selling her body to feed her twin brothers and baby sister. It had been to no avail, though, for the children had all died, her mother, as well, during childbirth.
The carriages were stopped so that Lord Kelly, who had been riding alongside on his horse, boarded, and they again resumed their journey to Castle Cynweir, all of them lost in their thoughts. Sadie finally slept while Lord Kelly perused the newspapers and Violet gazed at the rolling countryside that sped by at her carriage window.
Finally, even Lord Kelly slumbered, his head resting against the squabs, while Violet still held her vigil at the window and wondered what awaited her at the castle.
* * *
A stop at an inn for a luncheon finally distracted them from their uneasy sleep and the travelers spilled happily out of the carriages to partake of their meal.
This was the best part of the journey for Lord Kelly, who appreciated the chance for a good meal, a cheroot and a drop of brandy. The latter half of the trip he would then spend in deep sleep, unlike the fitful slumber of the past hours.
Bendy found a hostler to water their horses and care for their needs, while Violet looked on with interest at the busy crossroads inn. There was a heavy mail coach arriving and another large and lumbering coach from which several passengers were alighting.
The sky was still low with dark clouds but at least behind the clouds the sun's light spread out in silver streaks and there was a strong smell of wood smoke.
And as the forest cut to the road's edge, there was also a heavy and pleasing scent of pine in the air. Violet smiled, feeling better now than when they had left London.
During the years after the war, many of the displaced soldiers who had come back from the battles wounded and emaciated had settled down in the farms and many of the younger ones had married and now had children of their own. Violet had been a child during the war but had been strongly affected by the many years of hardship and the deaths that had affected so many families. There was hardly a family left in England who had been left intact. Most had lost a brother, a father, a son…
Lunch was a pleasing meal of roast duck and beef broth with new potatoes and a plate of steamed vegetables while an apricot cobbler drowning in clotted cream completed it. So good was their meal that a few crusty loaves of bread and a chunk of butter and marmalade were purchased for their afternoon tea on the road.
They lingered a little in the tap room after their meal. Lord and Lady Kelly spoke of their plans to replace the shabby furniture of the London townhouse which had not seen change in over a
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