reluctantly accepted his apology.
She wondered how many other girls in town had received flowers sent by the Marquess of Brooke three days in a row. The first one personally delivered to the front door. If the count was more than one, she did not wish to know. He had sent them because he wanted her to like him and that was all the detail her private fantasy required. Logic and reality could kindly call in at the house next door.
‘Another bunch of white roses would have been nice. I quite liked them, especially the buds,’ she said to herself, opening the box and examining its contents. Inside lay her most prized possessions. She had refused to set foot on board the ship bound for England until she knew for certain that the box with its gold silk lining was safely in her cabin. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the leather-bound books that sat tightly packed in the box. Adamant that not one of them was going to be abandoned, she had packed and repacked them until she had managed to squeeze them all in.
A small red book caught her eye. She gently prised it out of the box and stared at the cover. For most other girls it would have been an odd choice of gift for a new friend, but she knew it would be perfect.
In one of her other travel trunks she found a beautiful red silk scarf and wrapped the book in it. Her mother had decreed that she must unpack completely by the end of their second week in England, but most of Millie’s things were still in the trunks in which they had arrived from India.
‘Perhaps next week I will empty the large one,’ she said to herself.
By the time their carriage pulled up outside Strathmore House, Millie was half out of her seat and holding onto the swinging strap in order to steady herself. Her mother took hold of Millie’s other arm and made her sit back down.
‘Wait until the carriage has come to a complete stop, my dear. We would not want you to have an accident, especially since you are likely to land on me.’
Millie shot her a dirty look.
‘Mama, that is uncalled for and unkind,’ she snapped.
She did not need reminding of how much she weighed, especially from her mother. Violet shook her head. ‘I was not referring to the little bit of extra padding you are currently carrying, young lady. I meant that the fabric of this dress crushes if you so much as look at it.’
She looked at the mulberry silk dress Violet had chosen to wear. It was far more elegant than the gowns she had worn to other homes, and it left Millie wondering whether her mother was apprehensive about their visit.
‘But since you are so sensitive on the subject of your figure you could do something about it, such as taking dancing lessons. I hear Lady Lucy is having one today; I may speak to her dance master and see if he can fit you into his weekly schedule. Your Aunt Beatrice was going to speak to one of the patronesses about procuring vouchers for us for Almack’s Club, so you must work at improving your waltz.’
Violet adjusted her gloves before continuing. ‘With the season a few months away, now is the time to master those tricky steps and be light of foot for the young gentlemen who will be clamouring to fill your dance card.’
A footman opened the door of the carriage and as soon as she had followed her mother out onto the pavement and finished arranging her skirts, Millie looked up at the house in front of them.
Huge
and
stately
were the first words that came to mind. Strathmore House took up nearly half the block, and was twice the size of the elegant houses either side of it.
‘The Duchy of Strathmore is one of the oldest titles in England; it dates back to somewhere in the fourteenth century. When your father refers to someone’s family as being an old family, this is what he means,’ Violet explained.
The huge Portland stone columns, which imposed themselves upon the streetscape, spoke silently of great wealth and power. Millie made a mental note to ask Lucy how big the house
She wondered how many other girls in town had received flowers sent by the Marquess of Brooke three days in a row. The first one personally delivered to the front door. If the count was more than one, she did not wish to know. He had sent them because he wanted her to like him and that was all the detail her private fantasy required. Logic and reality could kindly call in at the house next door.
‘Another bunch of white roses would have been nice. I quite liked them, especially the buds,’ she said to herself, opening the box and examining its contents. Inside lay her most prized possessions. She had refused to set foot on board the ship bound for England until she knew for certain that the box with its gold silk lining was safely in her cabin. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the leather-bound books that sat tightly packed in the box. Adamant that not one of them was going to be abandoned, she had packed and repacked them until she had managed to squeeze them all in.
A small red book caught her eye. She gently prised it out of the box and stared at the cover. For most other girls it would have been an odd choice of gift for a new friend, but she knew it would be perfect.
In one of her other travel trunks she found a beautiful red silk scarf and wrapped the book in it. Her mother had decreed that she must unpack completely by the end of their second week in England, but most of Millie’s things were still in the trunks in which they had arrived from India.
‘Perhaps next week I will empty the large one,’ she said to herself.
By the time their carriage pulled up outside Strathmore House, Millie was half out of her seat and holding onto the swinging strap in order to steady herself. Her mother took hold of Millie’s other arm and made her sit back down.
‘Wait until the carriage has come to a complete stop, my dear. We would not want you to have an accident, especially since you are likely to land on me.’
Millie shot her a dirty look.
‘Mama, that is uncalled for and unkind,’ she snapped.
She did not need reminding of how much she weighed, especially from her mother. Violet shook her head. ‘I was not referring to the little bit of extra padding you are currently carrying, young lady. I meant that the fabric of this dress crushes if you so much as look at it.’
She looked at the mulberry silk dress Violet had chosen to wear. It was far more elegant than the gowns she had worn to other homes, and it left Millie wondering whether her mother was apprehensive about their visit.
‘But since you are so sensitive on the subject of your figure you could do something about it, such as taking dancing lessons. I hear Lady Lucy is having one today; I may speak to her dance master and see if he can fit you into his weekly schedule. Your Aunt Beatrice was going to speak to one of the patronesses about procuring vouchers for us for Almack’s Club, so you must work at improving your waltz.’
Violet adjusted her gloves before continuing. ‘With the season a few months away, now is the time to master those tricky steps and be light of foot for the young gentlemen who will be clamouring to fill your dance card.’
A footman opened the door of the carriage and as soon as she had followed her mother out onto the pavement and finished arranging her skirts, Millie looked up at the house in front of them.
Huge
and
stately
were the first words that came to mind. Strathmore House took up nearly half the block, and was twice the size of the elegant houses either side of it.
‘The Duchy of Strathmore is one of the oldest titles in England; it dates back to somewhere in the fourteenth century. When your father refers to someone’s family as being an old family, this is what he means,’ Violet explained.
The huge Portland stone columns, which imposed themselves upon the streetscape, spoke silently of great wealth and power. Millie made a mental note to ask Lucy how big the house
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