Alicia (12 page)

“What does your father like to do?”
Cassandra asked Miss Helen.

“Oh, he does everything,”
she confided shyly. “He reads books in the library, and does accounts with the steward, and visits tenants. He likes to ride and he drives a glorious new phaeton with the most beautiful chestnuts.”

“And does he have some handsome driving gauntlets?”
Cassandra asked.

“Just some plain ones that he has worn for years,”
Helen admitted. “Do you think he would like some?”

“I gave my brother a pair for
his
birthday and I vow he has used them every day since,”
Cassandra remarked.

Helen lifted shining eyes to Felicia and said, “Yes, I think that would be just the thing. Might I see some?”

While Felicia took out the driving gauntlets and Mr. Allerton discussed the weather with the vicar’s sister as she studied the linens, Alicia joined her friend before the Irish poplins and colored paduasoys.

“You did not mention to the dowager marchioness that you knew us,”
Alicia said quizzingly.

“Well, you know, she is such a strange woman that I thought it better to simply mention that I had a friend in the area. You have quite a selection of materials for a country town mercer.”

“Mr. Dean stocked even the most expensive fabrics. It seems the neighborhood people rarely bother to go to York or Leeds for their dressmaking.”

“This is a very attractive French brocade,”
Lady Gorham commented.

“Hopefully you will see the dowager marchioness in it before very long,”
Alicia said with a grin.

“Truly? Her taste must have improved since I knew her,”
the older woman replied caustically.

“The marquis purchased it for her and had it made up without her knowledge. In fact, Felicia chose the style. It is all a secret, you understand.”

“Not a word shall pass my lips. Tell me, Alicia, how are you managing?”

Alicia considered the question carefully. “Very well, actually. The shop is rather fun, the cottage is charming, and we have been accepted very well on the whole. Lord Stronbert allows Felicia to run tame at the Court with his niece and nephew who are staying there. She has been upset a few times by snubs and rudeness, but for the most part leads a remarkably genteel life. I fear things will be harder when the niece and nephew return to their home, but now all is well.”

“And you, my love? Have you made friends in the neighborhood?”
Lady Gorham bent her penetrating gaze on the younger woman.

“You know, I have not even thought of it. I have been so busy with the shop and the cottage that there has been no time for socializing. But I will make time while you are here, I promise. I am finally caught up on the books and have been working on the inventory. No matter. That would be of no interest to you.”
Alicia flushed and realized that she had become so involved in her work that she spoke of little else these days.

“I think it is more than time that you had a diversion,”
Lady Gorham commented pungently.

“I dare say you are right. Plan to come to tea tomorrow and I will broaden my horizons,”
Alicia teased.

“I shall accept, young lady, for Cassandra and myself.”

“I would extend the invitation to all at the Court, but Felicia said when she attended tea there that no fewer than a dozen people were assembled. And it was her impression that they were all resident. I should dearly love to meet Miss Carnworth, though,”
Alicia admitted.

“I shall induce her to come with me, whoever she is. And the dowager marchioness? She is my hostess, you know.”

Alicia regarded her ruefully. “I doubt you could convince her to come, but you are willing to try. And do bring Dorothy and Rowland.”

“I shall. Now I must be going, my dear. We are overdue at the Court already, but I wished to see you straightaway.”

“I am so glad you did.”
Alicia placed a salute on her wrinkled cheek. “I shall arrange to have time free to spend with you while you are here.”

“See that you do,”
the older woman said gruffly, and bustled off to retrieve her daughter.

Felicia was delighted to hear that they were to entertain the next day. She was sent off to advise Mavis, who would need help from the inn. Mr. Allerton assured Alicia that he could manage in her absence but business had been so heavy recently that she hesitated. “Do you know of anyone who could come in for the afternoon? I think you should have some help.”

“Young Jeremy Tomkins might be willing, ma’am.”

“Yes, see if you can get him. I do not like to leave you shorthanded.”

“I am used to being here alone. Mr. Dean was often too sick to spend much time in the shop,”
he explained.

“I know,”
she sighed, “but those such as Lady Wickham do not like to be kept waiting, even when they see that we are all busy.”

Mr. Allerton allowed himself a grave grin. “As you say, ma’am.”

* * * *

Mavis, with Felicia’s enthusiastic assistance, produced a vast array of cakes, biscuits, and tarts. The cottage gleamed with polish and several new seat covers adorned the chairs. There was a fire burning in the grate to offset the autumn chill, and its light glowed in the glass-fronted bookcase. Mr. Dean had even left a delicate little writing desk of mahogany inlaid with brass which had belonged to his wife. The handsome clock in its marquetry case chimed the hour and Alicia commented to her daughter, “You have wrought a miracle here these last weeks, my dear. I fear I have not thanked you as I should.”

“I have enjoyed it. There are still several seat covers to be replaced, and you can be sure they will be noticed.”

“But not commented on, thank heaven. Lady Gorham is well aware of our recent arrival. There is a carriage now. In fact, it sounds very like two carriages.”

Felicia skipped eagerly to the window and twitched back the draperies, which would need to be replaced. “Three, Mama. Lady Gorham and Cassandra have Rowland and Dorothy with them. The dowager marchioness is riding in state, and Lord Stronbert has Miss Carnworth with him in the phaeton.”

“Lord Stronbert! Perhaps he does not intend to come in but merely to leave Miss Carnworth,”
Alicia suggested hopefully.

“Oh, no, he is handing the reins to a groom. Do you not wish him to come, Mama? He is ever so nice.”

“It is just that I did not expect him,”
Alicia admitted as she unconsciously patted her hair to make sure that it had not been tousled. “I did not invite him.”

Lady Gorham was announced and whispered to her hostess, “I was sure you had forgotten to mention Lord Stronbert so I took the liberty of including him.”
She smiled mischievously. “It was the only way to get Evelyn here, and I felt she should be with me so early in my visit.”

“Indeed,”
Alicia said with mock aloofness, then with more concern, “I doubt we have enough chairs.”

A cool, lazy voice at her side said, “I shall not mind standing.”
But she had no time to respond as she greeted the rest of her guests. Finally she turned to Lord Stronbert and said, “How do you do, my lord? I am so pleased you could come.”

“Are you? I thought you seemed rather horrified.”
He laughed down at her and resisted the impulse to raise her hand to his lips.

“I have just realized that we will need another chair. If you will excuse me, I will have the maid bring one.”

“Do you have another?”
he asked curiously.

“Frankly, I do not know,”
Alicia admitted helplessly. Chairs had already been brought from the dining room and she was not sure if the bedrooms had been canvassed as well.

“Go and entertain your guests. Let me see to the matter.”

“I cannot do that,”
she protested.

“Your guests are awaiting you,”
he replied firmly.

“Yes, sir.”
Alicia retreated to the tea table and began to pour out as she spoke with Lady Gorham and Miss Carnworth. The dowager marchioness stayed a bit aloof, but not disapproving.

Lord Stronbert wandered into the dining parlor and found no chairs there. At the kitchen door he surveyed the activity within and drew back. He returned to the hall and hesitated before ascending the staircase. The first bedroom he entered was tidy if somewhat shabby. It contained no chairs. The second was strewn about with clothing, material, ribbons, and bonnets and contained a barely presentable chair. He surveyed it exasperatedly and bore it down to the drawing room with him. When Alicia saw him slip quietly into the room, she recognized the chair from her daughter’s room and bit her lip with vexation. The man had had the nerve to invade her daughter’s chamber, and probably hers as well! He gave an apologetic, helpless shrug and came forward to receive a cup of tea. “Thank you, Lord Stronbert. You might have sent a maid.”

“They were busy,”
he responded calmly.

The young people had gravitated away from their elders and were making plans for an excursion the next day. Lord Stronbert drew a chair up to the older group and engaged Lady Gorham in conversation so that his mother was forced to make some effort with Lady Coombs and Miss Carnworth. Alicia was interested in what Tetterton had been like when the dowager marchioness had come to the Court as a bride, and she found her guest surprisingly ready to satisfy her curiosity. It was not often people showed an interest in her forty-year-old reminiscences, and she felt strangely grateful to this young woman for hearing her out. She remembered two proprietors previous to Mr. Dean at the mercer’s shop and told of the misadventures that had followed the greengrocer for years. Her mentions of her husband were softly spoken with a fondness which enchanted Alicia. Miss Carnworth sat through this monologue with patience but a noted lack of enthusiasm.

Abruptly Evelyn, Lady Stronbert said, “We are having a dinner to celebrate my son’s birthday next week, Lady Coombs. I hope you and your daughter will be able to attend.”

Alicia was surprised and a little taken back by this gush of hospitality, and cast a nervous glance at Lord Stronbert. He was amused by her confusion but added his wishes that they would find themselves free to attend. “I am sure we would be delighted,”
Alicia finally managed to say. She was rewarded by an imperious nod from the dowager marchioness and an affable smile from the marquis.

Alicia took the opportunity to recover her scattered wits while she poured out more tea and the maids passed around refilled plates of pastries. The group had rearranged itself somewhat when she completed this task and she found an opportunity to speak with Miss Carnworth.

“Takes a fancy to someone now and then, does Cousin Evelyn,”
Miss Carnworth said bluntly. “Not that she shows it quite as someone else would, you understand. Not a bad soul, actually, though she puts people off with her odd starts. I’ve always thought it was a medical matter, but could you find a doctor to diagnose it? Never!”

Although Felicia had told her mother that Miss Carnworth showed not the least subservience to Lord Stronbert or his mother, Alicia listened to her wonderingly. Absently she offered the older woman a tart which was accepted as Miss Carnworth proceeded, “You will enjoy the food at the Court, as I can see you are particular. Fancy chef we have there. Never less than two courses with four removes each, and dozens of side dishes. The number of pastries, jellies, creams, cakes, and suchlike is enough to bring on the palpitations. But there, Agatha and the general are extremely fond of them, as of course the children are.”

“I can see I have a treat in store for me,”
Alicia remarked.

“One gets used to it,”
her companion muttered darkly. “That is not to say that I do not appreciate it. And there are so many people to please, what with their different likes and dislikes. The general is uncommon fond of collared eels,”
she said, with a grimace of distaste.

“You could not possibly do the sewing for everyone there.”

“Lord, no. I do some for the children and for Cousin Evelyn, but even they have most of their costumes made out. I would not have you think me a drudge. I love my sewing and wish there were more of it.”

“Felicia has a passion for it, too. Years ago I admitted to myself that I did not really enjoy it and put my hand to other things.”

“Felicia is a very clever child. Do you enjoy the shop?”
Miss Carnworth asked with unwonted gentleness.

“You know, I do. It tires me sometimes, but I have taken a fancy to ordering the merchandise and to displaying it attractively,”
Alicia confessed.

“Surely there is a great deal more to it than that.”

“Yes, and I cannot always like serving the customers. I have not the patience to wait for them to choose between the yellow silk and the purple satin. But I do not mind keeping the books; I was used to do so at the Grange.”

Miss Carnworth nodded her understanding and would have said more, but she received an unmistakable signal from Stronbert that he wished to speak with Lady Coombs, and she extracted herself by murmuring, “Must have a word with Lady Gorham, if you will excuse me,”
and a moment later Alicia found the marquis seated beside her.

“You were kind to indulge my mother in her tales of bygone days, Lady Coombs. The others at the Court are not so patient with her, and she loves nothing better.”

“I enjoyed hearing them, Lord Stronbert, especially the tale of the butcher chasing your dog down the High Street,”
Alicia responded, her lips twitching suspiciously.

“When I dashed to Cuffy’s defense and landed in the pond?”
he asked ruefully. “Yes, I imagine that would amuse you. Those sausages cost me a month’s allowance, I’ll have you know, and the dog was not the least bit grateful. He very nearly bit me when I tried to take them away from him.”

“Reprehensible,”
she murmured, “and your fawn corduroy coat and breeches ruined forever.”

Stronbert regarded her with mock exasperation. “Mother remembers the most remarkable things. I was very proud of that outfit, though, for it was a duplicate of my father’s, and it was never replaced. Some day I will show you the portrait that was painted of the two of us wearing them, while Cuffy chewed his way through my favorite boots as we posed.”

“I would be honored to see it,”
she replied politely.