the other topic of conversation. “Was Morton any help in nudging John’s promotion along?”
“The obstinate creature says he doesn’t know the archbishop. I’m sure he does, but he will never stir a finger to help anyone.”
Mrs. Percy received a letter from Bishop Norris announcing that he would be stopping at Canterbury on his way home from the conference at Lambeth Palace and suggesting that she and Lucy meet him there. Unaware of how well the ladies were entertained, he thought he was giving them a treat. He promised to give them a tour of the famous cathedral, a project that had often been discussed in the past. He would also stay with them a few days at Rose Cottage before continuing to St. Giles.
“What shall we do about Lady Sara?” Mrs. Percy asked Lucy. “She will recognize him in an instant. Her husband is at St. Giles. She has no fondness for the bishop.”
“She hasn’t called on us in an age,” Lucy pointed out.
“But if she does—I cannot like to ask a bishop to lie.”
“No lies are necessary,” Lucy said. “There is no reason we cannot be related to a bishop. He knows I am posing as Mrs. Percy and won’t say anything to give us away. You bother yourself for nothing, Auntie. It will be lovely to see Uncle Norris again.”
“Well, I daresay he will be fagged to death and only means to rusticate a day or two in the quiet of the country. Shall I tell him we’ll meet him at Canterbury?”
“Yes, why not? It will be a little change—or do you dread the trip?”
Mrs. Percy hid her dread as much as she could and said she would write a note arranging the rendezvous at Canterbury. The visit was temporarily forgotten in the excitement of the Ashford assembly.
The inhabitants of Ashford were agreeably surprised to see both the noble families of the neighborhood turn out in force for their little assembly. The entire ménage of both Milhaven and Chenely were there. Of equal interest were the newcomers from Rose Cottage. They attended with the Milhaven party, and Lucy caused a great sensation when she arrived in such elevated company, wearing a sea-green froth of chiffon, with diamonds sparkling at her throat and ears.
“Diamonds,” Lady Sara said in a dismissing voice to her brother. They had arrived five minutes before the Milhaven party and were watching the door eagerly. “I wonder who she got them from. They look dreadfully out of place at a simple country assembly. I shall slip her the hint she is overdressed. A common mistake amongst parvenues.”
“Lady Beatrice is wearing hers,” Avedon mentioned.
“Ah, is dear Beatrice here? How did I miss her?”
“You cannot have been looking very hard. She takes up the pair of chairs right across from us.”
She slapped her brother’s wrist playfully. “Don’t make fun of your own partner, Adrian. You and Beatrice will be leading off. She looks charming. I’m amazed she can still squeeze into that old peacock-blue gown. I swear it came off the ark.”
He glanced glumly across the hall to where Lady Beatrice was just rising. She was an unappetizing vision in blue, with her jet-black hair piled into a mountain on top of her head. She looked about as lively as an oyster on the half shell. His eyes moved again to Mrs. Percy. He had seen her in motion, and knew her trim and fashionable figure would move gracefully on the dance floor. With a heavy heart Avedon strode across the room to Lady Beatrice.
It was uncharitably said of Lady Beatrice that she would marry if she had to have the village idiot. This was not entirely accurate, but her escorts were drawn from a wide spectrum of society. She was delighted to have a gentleman worthy of her for once at a local assembly.
“Avedon, we are greatly honored this evening,” she smiled. Her teeth seemed to get longer by the year. “I see the Milhaven party is enlarged by two. I am shocked at Isabel dragging that girl along with her.”
“I expect it was the gentlemen who did the
“The obstinate creature says he doesn’t know the archbishop. I’m sure he does, but he will never stir a finger to help anyone.”
Mrs. Percy received a letter from Bishop Norris announcing that he would be stopping at Canterbury on his way home from the conference at Lambeth Palace and suggesting that she and Lucy meet him there. Unaware of how well the ladies were entertained, he thought he was giving them a treat. He promised to give them a tour of the famous cathedral, a project that had often been discussed in the past. He would also stay with them a few days at Rose Cottage before continuing to St. Giles.
“What shall we do about Lady Sara?” Mrs. Percy asked Lucy. “She will recognize him in an instant. Her husband is at St. Giles. She has no fondness for the bishop.”
“She hasn’t called on us in an age,” Lucy pointed out.
“But if she does—I cannot like to ask a bishop to lie.”
“No lies are necessary,” Lucy said. “There is no reason we cannot be related to a bishop. He knows I am posing as Mrs. Percy and won’t say anything to give us away. You bother yourself for nothing, Auntie. It will be lovely to see Uncle Norris again.”
“Well, I daresay he will be fagged to death and only means to rusticate a day or two in the quiet of the country. Shall I tell him we’ll meet him at Canterbury?”
“Yes, why not? It will be a little change—or do you dread the trip?”
Mrs. Percy hid her dread as much as she could and said she would write a note arranging the rendezvous at Canterbury. The visit was temporarily forgotten in the excitement of the Ashford assembly.
The inhabitants of Ashford were agreeably surprised to see both the noble families of the neighborhood turn out in force for their little assembly. The entire ménage of both Milhaven and Chenely were there. Of equal interest were the newcomers from Rose Cottage. They attended with the Milhaven party, and Lucy caused a great sensation when she arrived in such elevated company, wearing a sea-green froth of chiffon, with diamonds sparkling at her throat and ears.
“Diamonds,” Lady Sara said in a dismissing voice to her brother. They had arrived five minutes before the Milhaven party and were watching the door eagerly. “I wonder who she got them from. They look dreadfully out of place at a simple country assembly. I shall slip her the hint she is overdressed. A common mistake amongst parvenues.”
“Lady Beatrice is wearing hers,” Avedon mentioned.
“Ah, is dear Beatrice here? How did I miss her?”
“You cannot have been looking very hard. She takes up the pair of chairs right across from us.”
She slapped her brother’s wrist playfully. “Don’t make fun of your own partner, Adrian. You and Beatrice will be leading off. She looks charming. I’m amazed she can still squeeze into that old peacock-blue gown. I swear it came off the ark.”
He glanced glumly across the hall to where Lady Beatrice was just rising. She was an unappetizing vision in blue, with her jet-black hair piled into a mountain on top of her head. She looked about as lively as an oyster on the half shell. His eyes moved again to Mrs. Percy. He had seen her in motion, and knew her trim and fashionable figure would move gracefully on the dance floor. With a heavy heart Avedon strode across the room to Lady Beatrice.
It was uncharitably said of Lady Beatrice that she would marry if she had to have the village idiot. This was not entirely accurate, but her escorts were drawn from a wide spectrum of society. She was delighted to have a gentleman worthy of her for once at a local assembly.
“Avedon, we are greatly honored this evening,” she smiled. Her teeth seemed to get longer by the year. “I see the Milhaven party is enlarged by two. I am shocked at Isabel dragging that girl along with her.”
“I expect it was the gentlemen who did the
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