Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal

I do so miss London, but no matter how much I tease, Mr. Pridmore will not agree to our going.”
    â€œMy dear, you know well that I cannot be away. I have business to attend to for his lordship. “
    Vincent cleared his throat. “Speaking of business, I should like that tour of the plantation.”
    Mr. Pridmore closed his mouth around whatever his first reply was and gave a nod of his head. He smiled. “Of course. I see that you are a man of business, like your father. I admire that. Mrs. Hamilton, should you like to accompany us on the early part of our tour? You might like to see the shrubbery.”
    Jane stood, brushing off her dress. “I should be delighted to come. It would do me good to see where we are to live.”
    â€œWhat?” Mrs. Pridmore cried. “Oh, you cannot mean it. Mr. Pridmore, you are not thinking of the heat today. You would be much better to stay in the shade of the veranda. Really, the heat quite does one in when you first arrive. I fainted my second day here, truly I did.”
    Mr. Pridmore waved her objection away. “We will start close to the great house so that you may return easily.” He picked up the bell on the side table and rang it. Jane might have been affronted to have him call their servants, were it not for the fact that as overseer he had charge of all the workers on the estate.
    Frank appeared in the door on the instant. “Sir?”
    He addressed Vincent, but Mr. Pridmore answered him. “Fetch Mr. Hamilton’s hat and send Mrs. Hamilton’s maid with her parasol and bonnet. Betsy? Go with him to fetch our own.”
    Betsy curtsied and left the room, all without raising her eyes.
    Jane smiled at Mrs. Pridmore. “You must have become used to having this house empty.”
    â€œOh, indeed we did! How lovely to have neighbours again. I do so miss Lord Verbury. You must miss him terribly. He was such a sweet old man, and always so wonderfully condescending with his attentions. Why, do you know that he gave me an orange tree to plant at our house when we married? Such a kindness. It has grown quite tall, and bears such lovely fruit. Oh! And I have just had a thought. As we walk, I shall be able to show you our house. You must come to take tea with me as soon as you are settled.”
    Louisa entered then with Jane’s black bonnet and her parasol. She offered the bonnet with a curtsy and Jane noticed that she had a second bonnet hanging by the cord. “We are only taking a tour of the property, Louisa. I do not think I shall require you. Perhaps you could attend to Betsy while we are out?”
    â€œOh!” Mrs. Pridmore put a hand to her bosom. “But I could not do without Betsy on our walk. Who should hold my parasol?”
    Louisa donned her own bonnet. “Indeed, madam. You are not used to the climate here. I should be remiss in my duties if I did not carry your parasol.”
    And of course, it would also be difficult for her to report to Lord Verbury about Jane if she did not accompany them. “Thank you, Louisa.”
    Once they were all equipped with bonnets, hats, and parasols, Mr. Pridmore led them out the back of the great house. The two wings of it extended to make an open yard at the back. A broad stretch of lawn had palmetto trees at intervals to provide welcome shade. In the centre of the lawn stood a narrow brick building. It had a low ground floor, and then a set of steep steps leading up to the first floor. Iron shutters hung open from the windows. Vines twined up trellises affixed to the sides, which did something to relieve its harshness.
    Mr. Pridmore gestured to the building. “Our counting house. You and I shall be spending quite a bit of time there, eh, Mr. Hamilton?”
    â€œLikely.” Vincent followed him with his hands clasped behind his back.
    As they rounded the building, strolling towards a shrubbery at the back of the yard, Mr. Pridmore stopped by a heavy iron door.