Page 116 of The Mistress of Ashmore Castle

‘I suppose they’ll have to go to an agency,’ Rose said.

‘What a dreadful thought,’ Moss said, shocked.

‘Don’t see they’ll have any choice. Trouble is, you never know who you’re going to get that way. And you always wonder, if a man’s out of work and having to go to an agency, if there isn’t a reason behind it.’

‘It’s a pity her ladyship’s gone to France,’ Moss said. ‘She knows so many people, she would probably hear of someone suitable. Her young ladyship doesn’t have that sort of – of web of acquaintance, if I may phrase it so.’

‘She’s been busy having babies,’ Rose pointed out tersely. ‘Hardly been anywhere to make friends.’

‘Indeed, indeed, I meant no criticism. And we are blessed with two male heirs.’ Still ‘we’, Rose noted. ‘How is the new baby?’

‘Coming along slowly. And little Lord Ayton is flourishing like a weed. Running about all over the place now. You never saw such a likely lad.’

She told him a few stories about the heir’s activities, and then it was time to go. Moss got gallantly to his feet to see her off, and looked so wistful as he asked her to convey his regards to everyone that she said, ‘Why don’t you come up to the Castle some time and give ’em yourself? On your next afternoon off. Come up and have tea – everyone’d love to see you.’

The suggestion seemed to cheer him. ‘I will, I will. I’d like to see Mrs Webster and Mr Crooks and the others. I’ll take a little stroll up there next time I’m off duty.’

Nina left her luggage to be collected, and walked the half-mile or so to Wriothesby House, partly because Trump needed the walk after the long journey, and partly because she rather fancied stealing unannounced into ‘the vicinage of her home’, like Jane Eyre.

Bobby, her husband and children were remaining a few days in London and had urged her to stay too, but as they were residing not at an hotel but with a relative she felt awkward about accepting and declared she was expected at home. She sent a telegram to say she was coming, but seeing an earlier train when she got to the station, she took it, so there was no-one waiting for her when she reached Market Harborough.

The little town looked pleasantly familiar, and one or two people she knew gave her a smile and a nod as she passed. Turning in at her gate, she saw the façade of the house, like a friendly face, and thought again how beautiful it was. Trump suddenly remembered, and pulled at his leash, so she let it go, and he dashed away and in through the open front door with a single glad bark. So by the time she stepped in, Mrs Deering had appeared from the nether regions with such a welcoming smile she really did feel she had come home.

‘Oh, madam, there you are! But we were expecting you later. We must have misunderstood.’

‘I saw the chance of an earlier train and took it, that’s all.’

‘But there was no-one to meet you! Dear me, did you take a taxi?’

‘No, I walked. It’s no distance.’

‘Well, the master’s gone down to the factory. He was going to go on to the station afterwards. He’ll be so put out to’ve missed you.’ She lowered her voice confidentially. ‘He’s been so excited about you coming home, ma’am. Quite like a boy at Christmas, if you’ll forgive me.’

‘Oh dear, I didn’t think of that,’ Nina faltered. Would he be angry, waiting on the platform for no reason?

‘Not to worry, ma’am, I’ll send the boy down with a message. I expect you’d like some tea. I’ll bring it to you in the drawing-room. Oh, there’s a letter for you, come this morning.’ She took it from the hall table and handed it over.

The drawing-room was pleasantly cool and smelt of lavender wax. The French windows were open onto the terrace, and the smell there was real lavender – bushes of it planted along the edge of the wall. Trump dashed out with a thousand things to investigate, and Nina sat on the stone bench in the shade of the house and read her letter. It was from Kitty:

. . . a dreadful shock, however little one liked the man. You will think me silly, but I was rather afraid of him. But now all the uproar is over, I am in hopes that the house will settle down and everyone will be happier. He was not a calming influence below stairs so Hatto tells me. I’m just grateful that my mother-in-law was not here – she left the day before it happened – because I’m sure she would have found a way to make it my fault.

Nina turned the page and read the descriptions of the new baby and his remarkable progress. Alexander. What a strange, but noble name, she thought. So Kitty had two sons now, and she had none. She read on, about Louis, how he was running around and climbing on things, and how he had taken an odd fancy to Giles’s man Afton.

I suppose now that I have done my duty [Kitty went on], I shall not have to have any more children, and will see less of Giles even than I do now. He is always busy about the estate and often I do not see him all day until dinner.

Nina contemplated the message here. Kitty could not be explicit in writing as she might have been if they were together, but the paragraph sounded wistful. Was she saying that she thought Giles would no longer come to her bed? Nina took her heart by the scruff of its neck and would not allow it to feel any gladness about that. Poor Kitty, who was so in love with him! Would it be worse, she wondered, to be married to him and hardly ever see him? No, she thought, Kitty still had the privilege of calling him her husband, and the right to demand certain things of him. If she, Nina, had been his wife, she was sure he— No! She would not think along those lines. She turned hastily to the letter again.

Alice is my great comfort, always ready to walk with me or sit with me. I shall be able to be a better companion to her, because Dr Arbogast says I may now resume riding, as long as I stay at the walk for the first weeks. I can’t express how much I’m looking forward to going out on my darling Apollo, whom I’ve hardly ridden since Giles first gave him to me. And riding at the walk will be no penance, when I can be taken by his four legs where my own two won’t carry me! Alice, of course, would spend every waking hour riding if she could, so being with me will not be nearly so irksome as it must sometimes have been these long months of being housebound.

Trump came galloping in from the garden and dashed past her, barking, and she heard the rumble of male voices and realised her husband had returned. She jumped up and hurried to catch him in the hall, thinking that if he’d had a wild-goose chase, his temper would not be improved by having to come and find her.

But his face broke into a beaming smile as soon as he saw her. Behind him, Decius smiled too, and nodded a greeting, but she had no time to speak to him. She had to have her hands captured by Cowling’s, and both her cheeks heartily kissed.

‘Well, well, there you are! Safe and sound after all!’

‘I’m sorry about catching an earlier train—’ she began contritely.

‘No, no, don’t be! I’m with you the sooner, that’s all that matters. Well, my dear, and how are you? You look positively blooming! Did you have a pleasant time? I’ve missed you so much. I’ve been like a poor old dog – haven’t I, Decius? – sniffing about the house looking for his lost mistress! Nothing’s the same when you’re not here. Nothing’s right. Are you glad to be back?’