“Seven years old,” she said with a sigh. “I was seven years old when last we met.”
“Good gracious!” Hyacinth gasped. “You were only a child! And you, dear… how old were you?” She expectantly turned toward the older sister and waited for a reply.
“Quite a bit older, I am afraid. As for my age, I am almost ashamed to confess it.” Hester’s taut smile was somewhat forced. “Suffice it to say it was half my lifetime ago?”
“ Thirty ?!” Hyacinth uttered the word as if it was scandalous and shocking. “Are you thirty now, Hester?”
“I am afraid so.”
“I do not mean to make you feel old, dear, I am only a bit shocked by the passage of time,” Hyacinth assured her. “And to your credit, you look quite a bit younger than your age.”
“Others have said the same thing.”
“So why have you not married?”
Hester exchanged awkward glances with her younger sister. She was so taken aback by her aunt’s discouraging question, all Hester could do was gape and sigh.
“Aunt H-Hyacinth!” Cordelia spoke up suddenly, attempting to rescue her sister from the uncomfortable question. “Do you not have a son?”
“I… yes… well… he is your late uncle’s son, and therefore no blood relation of yours,” Hyacinth explained. “But I do consider him to be my own son.”
“Why is he not here to greet us?” Cordelia attempted to heft her valise, but it was so tightly packed, she could barely lift it. “At the very least, he could help us carry our things into the house.”
“Do you not remember, dear? Frank is an invalid.” Hyacinth’s comment was so direct, Cordelia dropped her valise on her foot, effectively squashing her toe. Cordelia bit her tongue, resisting the temptation to wail in pain. “We do have one maid, Maisie, and she is rather robust. She should be able to help you carry your—”
“Frank is an invalid?” Hester repeated her aunt’s comment in an attempt to learn more.
“Yes. I’m not surprised you don’t remember. The last time you met, Frank was little more than a baby. He’s nineteen now.” Hyacinth saw Hester’s pinched brow and realized she wanted to know more. “He has a crooked spine. The poor boy was born like that. He can’t walk properly… he never has, I’m afraid. Though he’s adapted to the impediment well enough, I am afraid it’s made him a bit of a recluse. But he’s lucky, in a way. There’s a fisherman’s son in town who was born with a similar affliction, but he is… well, forgive me for being insensitive, but he sounds like a fool. Frank’s mind isn’t addled in the least. In fact, he is a very clever boy!”
As Hyacinth speechified about her son, the robust maid appeared to collect the sisters’ belongings. She collected their possessions and carried them into the cottage without a word to anyone.
“She’s a quiet one,” Cordelia observed.
“Ah… yes. You see… Maisie doesn’t speak to anyone,” Hyacinth explained. “Do not take offense. The girl is mute.” She followed the maid into the cottage and motioned for her nieces to follow.
The sisters trailed behind her, keeping their distance. The space between them was indicative of their immense reluctance. Though the older sister tried to keep a positive attitude, one thing was for certain: neither of them wanted to be here.
Cordelia whispered in her sister’s ear, “A mute maid, an invalid boy, and an obnoxious aunt… how soon can we return to London?”
“Cordelia… hush. ” Though she agreed with her sister, Hester did not want to risk being overheard.
“I am going to be miserable,” the younger sister moaned, “absolutely, exceedingly, ceaselessly miserable. How shall we withstand it?”
They toured the cottage with their aunt and soon discovered they would have to share a bedroom—which they had not done since they were children. As they passed Frank’s bedchamber, they were warned to stay away, as he apparently did not like to be bothered.
“Good gracious!” Hyacinth gasped. “You were only a child! And you, dear… how old were you?” She expectantly turned toward the older sister and waited for a reply.
“Quite a bit older, I am afraid. As for my age, I am almost ashamed to confess it.” Hester’s taut smile was somewhat forced. “Suffice it to say it was half my lifetime ago?”
“ Thirty ?!” Hyacinth uttered the word as if it was scandalous and shocking. “Are you thirty now, Hester?”
“I am afraid so.”
“I do not mean to make you feel old, dear, I am only a bit shocked by the passage of time,” Hyacinth assured her. “And to your credit, you look quite a bit younger than your age.”
“Others have said the same thing.”
“So why have you not married?”
Hester exchanged awkward glances with her younger sister. She was so taken aback by her aunt’s discouraging question, all Hester could do was gape and sigh.
“Aunt H-Hyacinth!” Cordelia spoke up suddenly, attempting to rescue her sister from the uncomfortable question. “Do you not have a son?”
“I… yes… well… he is your late uncle’s son, and therefore no blood relation of yours,” Hyacinth explained. “But I do consider him to be my own son.”
“Why is he not here to greet us?” Cordelia attempted to heft her valise, but it was so tightly packed, she could barely lift it. “At the very least, he could help us carry our things into the house.”
“Do you not remember, dear? Frank is an invalid.” Hyacinth’s comment was so direct, Cordelia dropped her valise on her foot, effectively squashing her toe. Cordelia bit her tongue, resisting the temptation to wail in pain. “We do have one maid, Maisie, and she is rather robust. She should be able to help you carry your—”
“Frank is an invalid?” Hester repeated her aunt’s comment in an attempt to learn more.
“Yes. I’m not surprised you don’t remember. The last time you met, Frank was little more than a baby. He’s nineteen now.” Hyacinth saw Hester’s pinched brow and realized she wanted to know more. “He has a crooked spine. The poor boy was born like that. He can’t walk properly… he never has, I’m afraid. Though he’s adapted to the impediment well enough, I am afraid it’s made him a bit of a recluse. But he’s lucky, in a way. There’s a fisherman’s son in town who was born with a similar affliction, but he is… well, forgive me for being insensitive, but he sounds like a fool. Frank’s mind isn’t addled in the least. In fact, he is a very clever boy!”
As Hyacinth speechified about her son, the robust maid appeared to collect the sisters’ belongings. She collected their possessions and carried them into the cottage without a word to anyone.
“She’s a quiet one,” Cordelia observed.
“Ah… yes. You see… Maisie doesn’t speak to anyone,” Hyacinth explained. “Do not take offense. The girl is mute.” She followed the maid into the cottage and motioned for her nieces to follow.
The sisters trailed behind her, keeping their distance. The space between them was indicative of their immense reluctance. Though the older sister tried to keep a positive attitude, one thing was for certain: neither of them wanted to be here.
Cordelia whispered in her sister’s ear, “A mute maid, an invalid boy, and an obnoxious aunt… how soon can we return to London?”
“Cordelia… hush. ” Though she agreed with her sister, Hester did not want to risk being overheard.
“I am going to be miserable,” the younger sister moaned, “absolutely, exceedingly, ceaselessly miserable. How shall we withstand it?”
They toured the cottage with their aunt and soon discovered they would have to share a bedroom—which they had not done since they were children. As they passed Frank’s bedchamber, they were warned to stay away, as he apparently did not like to be bothered.
Similar Books
