began arriving soon after eleven that morning. Justin had advised Lucinda to rest, but since he had gone riding alone and not returned, she was left with the duty of greeting his friends and arranging for them to be shown to their rooms.
‘Some of his Grace’s relatives have special rooms that are kept for their use,’ Mrs Mann had told her a few days previously. ‘And other friends like to be put at the rear of the house rather than the front, but I have a list of accommodation for you to approve.’
Lucinda glanced at the list. ‘I have no fault to find, but I would like to see the rooms once they are ready, just in case anything else is needed.’
At the start the housekeeper had been disapproving, but she was gradually warming towards Lucinda. When she had suggested that there should be flowers in all the guestrooms, brandy for the gentlemen, wine and sweetmeats for the ladies, her housekeeper had smiled and agreed.
‘They are the kind of things that guests like to find in their rooms, because it saves them asking for extras to be brought. Some people ring their bell for service all the time, but others do not like to seem too demanding.’
‘I think it is nice to have something at hand in that time between going up to your room and dressing for the evening—and before bed. So if all the rooms are supplied earlier in the afternoon, it will save the maids having to run upstairs a dozen times before dinner.’
‘That is thoughtful of you, my lady. I suppose you have not had the time to consider what should be done for the attic rooms?’
‘I need a little more time to consider.’
Lucinda had put the matter to the back of her mind, because the ball was more pressing and Angela had seemed fairly settled at the cottage. She still cried when her mother left her, but she was becoming less clinging, growing used to the idea that her mother came and went each day.
What would she do if Justin decided to take her to Paris or perhaps London? It was bound to happen in time. Lucinda could only hope that by the time he was ready for such a visit her daughter would be happier, content to stay with Nanny.
With the arrival of her guests, Lucinda had no time to give her daughter more than a passing thought. She was constantly greeting people, many of whom she had never seen before. It was a relief when Justin returned at noon and apologised for leaving her to cope alone.
‘I managed well enough. However, I am sure your guests will be pleased to see you.’
‘Our guests, Lucinda,’ he reminded her. ‘You are the hostess here, my dear.’
‘Yes, of course.’
* * *
Jane and Andrew Lanchester did not arrive until the early evening, when everyone was gathering for the ball. The guests who were staying had been served high tea and given sandwiches, lemon barley, brandy andwine in their rooms. A lavish supper would be served at about ten and the dancing began at seven.
Everyone was excited when they took off their cloaks, exclaiming over each other’s costumes. Jane was wearing a flowing green gown, because she said it was the true colour for witches. She wore her long dark hair loose about her face and a pendent of lapis lazuli about her neck
‘The lapis has magic powers,’ she said with a smile. ‘I am, of course, a white witch and use my magic only for good—some of your other guests look more sinister.’
Their guests had various ideas of what a witch or wizard should look like. Most of the men had chosen black and taken what could only be described as a medieval theme, wearing tight hose and tunics that fitted to the waist or fell in loose folds to mid-thigh, depending on their age and stature. The ladies were less adventurous, though several had dressed in flowing medieval style gowns similar to Jane’s. One lady had very long nails, which she had dyed with a green colour that looked very effective; some wore a velvet mask, and others had a pointed hat, which they soon discarded.
Andrew Lanchester had
‘Some of his Grace’s relatives have special rooms that are kept for their use,’ Mrs Mann had told her a few days previously. ‘And other friends like to be put at the rear of the house rather than the front, but I have a list of accommodation for you to approve.’
Lucinda glanced at the list. ‘I have no fault to find, but I would like to see the rooms once they are ready, just in case anything else is needed.’
At the start the housekeeper had been disapproving, but she was gradually warming towards Lucinda. When she had suggested that there should be flowers in all the guestrooms, brandy for the gentlemen, wine and sweetmeats for the ladies, her housekeeper had smiled and agreed.
‘They are the kind of things that guests like to find in their rooms, because it saves them asking for extras to be brought. Some people ring their bell for service all the time, but others do not like to seem too demanding.’
‘I think it is nice to have something at hand in that time between going up to your room and dressing for the evening—and before bed. So if all the rooms are supplied earlier in the afternoon, it will save the maids having to run upstairs a dozen times before dinner.’
‘That is thoughtful of you, my lady. I suppose you have not had the time to consider what should be done for the attic rooms?’
‘I need a little more time to consider.’
Lucinda had put the matter to the back of her mind, because the ball was more pressing and Angela had seemed fairly settled at the cottage. She still cried when her mother left her, but she was becoming less clinging, growing used to the idea that her mother came and went each day.
What would she do if Justin decided to take her to Paris or perhaps London? It was bound to happen in time. Lucinda could only hope that by the time he was ready for such a visit her daughter would be happier, content to stay with Nanny.
With the arrival of her guests, Lucinda had no time to give her daughter more than a passing thought. She was constantly greeting people, many of whom she had never seen before. It was a relief when Justin returned at noon and apologised for leaving her to cope alone.
‘I managed well enough. However, I am sure your guests will be pleased to see you.’
‘Our guests, Lucinda,’ he reminded her. ‘You are the hostess here, my dear.’
‘Yes, of course.’
* * *
Jane and Andrew Lanchester did not arrive until the early evening, when everyone was gathering for the ball. The guests who were staying had been served high tea and given sandwiches, lemon barley, brandy andwine in their rooms. A lavish supper would be served at about ten and the dancing began at seven.
Everyone was excited when they took off their cloaks, exclaiming over each other’s costumes. Jane was wearing a flowing green gown, because she said it was the true colour for witches. She wore her long dark hair loose about her face and a pendent of lapis lazuli about her neck
‘The lapis has magic powers,’ she said with a smile. ‘I am, of course, a white witch and use my magic only for good—some of your other guests look more sinister.’
Their guests had various ideas of what a witch or wizard should look like. Most of the men had chosen black and taken what could only be described as a medieval theme, wearing tight hose and tunics that fitted to the waist or fell in loose folds to mid-thigh, depending on their age and stature. The ladies were less adventurous, though several had dressed in flowing medieval style gowns similar to Jane’s. One lady had very long nails, which she had dyed with a green colour that looked very effective; some wore a velvet mask, and others had a pointed hat, which they soon discarded.
Andrew Lanchester had
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