Page 1 of A Mismatch Made in London

1

March1811, Buckinghamshire

I concentrated on putting the finishing touch of red paint on the paper soldier I was making for Matthew. I’d pasted on the paper hat and jacket, and now I waved it in the air to dry.

Matthew ran into the bedroom I shared with two of my sisters. Holding up the little sword and the horse I’d made for him earlier, he grabbed the finished soldier out of my hand.

“Now I can cut my enemies to ribbons!”

Ten-year-old Nathaniel ran into the room holding a similar horse and rider. “No, you won’t! I shall cutyouto ribbons!”

“Attack!” Matthew cried.

They crashed their paper soldiers into each other, with many battle noises supplied verbally as they each claimed victory over the other.

“’Melia.” Diana, who was two years old and always left off the first syllable of my name, toddled into my room with tears on her cheeks.

“What’s the matter, darling?”

I could barely hear myself speak with the ruckus our brothers were making. I picked Diana up and carried her outside.

Before I could say another word, she laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

My heart melted at the downy head resting against my chest. I lightly kissed her blond hair and sank down in the hammock that Father had strung between two trees. I settled my little sister more comfortably in the crook of my arm, then I gazed up through the leaves, enjoying the way the sunlight filtered and flickered its way through.

Our baby brother had kept me awake for what seemed like hours the night before. I must have been tired, because when I heard someone calling, “Amelia!” I opened my eyes and realized I’d fallen asleep.

Diana was heavy on my arm, sleeping peacefully and drooling, creating a wet spot on my dress.

I raised my available arm and waved to Lavinia.

“Amelia, there you are. Mama wants you inside,” my sister said, stopping and putting her hands on her hips.

I waved her over and carefully stood up, trying not to jostle Diana too much, then handed her off to Lavinia, who accepted her very casually, letting her head loll around as if she didn’t care if she woke up. But Diana slept on, her head now on Lavinia’s shoulder.

“A letter arrived from Aunt Kendall, and Mama wants you.”

Eight years younger, Lavie was my closest sister in age, but our personalities were very different. Sometimes I envied my sister’s ability to always seem so sure of herself and never get upset. I was the oldest girl, and I should be the self-assured one. But I seemed to possess all of Mama’s feeling and sensitivity and less of my sister’s calm reason.

It could be a bit demoralizing.

“There you are, Amelia.” Mother’s wide eyes and smile told me it was good news as she shook the letter at me. “Your aunt and uncle have invited you to London for the Season! What do you think of that? I had begun to think that they never would,as you are two and twenty years old now, but thankfully, still as pretty as you were at sixteen.” Her eyes were misty as she gave me a wistful smile.

She began to speak of new dresses once I reached London. Meanwhile, I began to read the letter, the principal point of which was:

“We will be at Woodbank on the 6thof March, as Mr. Kendall must be back for the continuing session of Parliament,and shall take dear Amelia with us if you can spare her.”

Mrs. Kendall was my mother’s sister, who had married very well indeed, outdoing both of her sisters when she wed Mr. Oliver Kendall, a landed gentleman who’d won a seat in the House of Commons.

I had to admit, my uncle frightened me a bit. When I was a child, it was because he was so serious and gruff. As I grew older, I understood more about what it meant to be a member of Parliament. I also understood that I was only a country girl from Buckinghamshire, and though my father was a landed gentleman, he had twelve children to provide for, and therefore my dowry would be small.

“You are a lovely girl, and there are many young men who will fall in love with you,” Mother was saying, interrupting my reading of the letter, which did not mention me again anyway.

“Are you sure you can spare me? Who will help with Diana and the others?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I can hire another servant, if need be. And Lavinia can help more. We shall do very well, though you are my best helper.”

I hated to think of baby Diana crying and wondering where I was, for I knew Lavinia would not hold her when she was fretful nor rock her to sleep.