bounty of autumn and its border composed - rather incongruously - of embroidered blossoms and peaches. She suspected Rodney had allocated her the best bedroom to thank her for agreeing to spend the week here. The rug on the floor was pale and Tara’s immediate thought was that she must not step on it in her outdoor shoes, it would be sure to mark. ‘When you are ready, Lady Tara, you will find the other guests gathered in the green drawing room,’ the butler said. ‘You will find it at the north west corner of the house.’
‘Thank you,’ Tara said, and then could contain her impatience no longer. ‘Which guests have arrived?’ she asked.
‘Lord Frederick is here with his cousin Miss Palmer,’ the butler said immediately, ‘and Lady Susannah arrived a short time ago, ma’am.’
‘Thank you,’ Tara said again, struggling to hide her reaction. Just because Leo wasn’t here yet did not mean he was not coming. She changed out of her travelling dress into a light muslin frock and went to join the others.
Rodney and Freddie were both gratifyingly pleased to see her and later, as they gathered for dinner, old Lord Hulme made her feel particularly welcome. ‘Tara,’ he said, ‘how lovely to see you again. I believe you grow more beautiful every day.’
Tara laughed. ‘You flatter me too much, Lord Hulme,’ she said, but she knew he was sincere and it reminded her sharply of Leo who had paid her the greatest compliment she had ever received simply by painting her as he saw her. They sat down at the table and with dismay Tara saw that there was no extra place waiting for an additional guest. Perhaps Leo was not expected after all. During the long two weeks since she had last seen him she had told herself repeatedly that he would be bound to come, and it seemed she had convinced herself. But he was not here and there was no evidence that he was expected. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Rodney if Leo were coming, but something held her back. Not good manners, she admitted to herself wryly, but a fear that asking would somehow jinx his arrival, or perhaps it was just that she wanted to hold on to hope. As long as she had not been told Leo was not coming, she could still wait for him.
But dinner drew to a close with still no sign of Leo. The ladies withdrew and when the men rejoined them after their brandy and cigars Tara thought just for a moment that Leo was with them, but the tall, dark-haired man she had caught sight of out of the corner of her eye was a strong, young footman, waiting on Lord Hulme whom, Tara was saddened to see, was no longer steady on his feet.
After a little while Lord Hulme retired and Tara joined in a desultory hand of bezique. But the other ladies’ hearts were not in the game either, Susannah clearly would rather be at Rodney’s side and Antonia looked as if she could hardly keep her eyes open. It was cruel to Susannah, Tara knew, but it would be a kindness to Antonia, and to Rodney’s Aunt Phyllis, who had agreed to act as chaperone, as both looked as if they would appreciate an early night. Tara rose.
‘If you would excuse me, ladies,’ she said. ‘I find I am too weary to keep my mind on the cards. I think I shall go to bed. I am sure we all have a very exciting week ahead of us,’ she added, seeing from the dismayed look on Susannah’s face that she had deduced that once Tara left the room the other women would follow suit and she would have to leave too. ‘I for one wish to be rested enough to enjoy it to the full,’ she added.
The peach bedroom was, of course, south facing, and in the moonlight Tara could easily make out the road following the far side of the shining river. When she was ready for bed she dismissed Betty and returned to the window, to stare out into the darkness at the London road. She had given up waiting and had got into bed, telling herself firmly that she would deal better with her disappointment if she got a good night’s sleep when some
‘Thank you,’ Tara said, and then could contain her impatience no longer. ‘Which guests have arrived?’ she asked.
‘Lord Frederick is here with his cousin Miss Palmer,’ the butler said immediately, ‘and Lady Susannah arrived a short time ago, ma’am.’
‘Thank you,’ Tara said again, struggling to hide her reaction. Just because Leo wasn’t here yet did not mean he was not coming. She changed out of her travelling dress into a light muslin frock and went to join the others.
Rodney and Freddie were both gratifyingly pleased to see her and later, as they gathered for dinner, old Lord Hulme made her feel particularly welcome. ‘Tara,’ he said, ‘how lovely to see you again. I believe you grow more beautiful every day.’
Tara laughed. ‘You flatter me too much, Lord Hulme,’ she said, but she knew he was sincere and it reminded her sharply of Leo who had paid her the greatest compliment she had ever received simply by painting her as he saw her. They sat down at the table and with dismay Tara saw that there was no extra place waiting for an additional guest. Perhaps Leo was not expected after all. During the long two weeks since she had last seen him she had told herself repeatedly that he would be bound to come, and it seemed she had convinced herself. But he was not here and there was no evidence that he was expected. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Rodney if Leo were coming, but something held her back. Not good manners, she admitted to herself wryly, but a fear that asking would somehow jinx his arrival, or perhaps it was just that she wanted to hold on to hope. As long as she had not been told Leo was not coming, she could still wait for him.
But dinner drew to a close with still no sign of Leo. The ladies withdrew and when the men rejoined them after their brandy and cigars Tara thought just for a moment that Leo was with them, but the tall, dark-haired man she had caught sight of out of the corner of her eye was a strong, young footman, waiting on Lord Hulme whom, Tara was saddened to see, was no longer steady on his feet.
After a little while Lord Hulme retired and Tara joined in a desultory hand of bezique. But the other ladies’ hearts were not in the game either, Susannah clearly would rather be at Rodney’s side and Antonia looked as if she could hardly keep her eyes open. It was cruel to Susannah, Tara knew, but it would be a kindness to Antonia, and to Rodney’s Aunt Phyllis, who had agreed to act as chaperone, as both looked as if they would appreciate an early night. Tara rose.
‘If you would excuse me, ladies,’ she said. ‘I find I am too weary to keep my mind on the cards. I think I shall go to bed. I am sure we all have a very exciting week ahead of us,’ she added, seeing from the dismayed look on Susannah’s face that she had deduced that once Tara left the room the other women would follow suit and she would have to leave too. ‘I for one wish to be rested enough to enjoy it to the full,’ she added.
The peach bedroom was, of course, south facing, and in the moonlight Tara could easily make out the road following the far side of the shining river. When she was ready for bed she dismissed Betty and returned to the window, to stare out into the darkness at the London road. She had given up waiting and had got into bed, telling herself firmly that she would deal better with her disappointment if she got a good night’s sleep when some
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