maharetr

Could be no model to follow

Bella – Lady Isabella Beaufoyle – looked out of the carriage window and suppressed a sigh. Sure she was entire delighted to be going to Attervale to have a good long visit with Lady Emily Merrett and her companion Miss Lalage Fenster. But she was somewhat put out that it had not been considered proper that she might just be put upon a suitable train – o, with one of the maids to accompany her for propriety’s sake – for the nearest station and take the fly from there.

No, here she was not only with her eldest brother Essie – Lord Sallington, that the family still called by the fond baby-name give him by his wet-nurse, Betty Higgins – that she might have borne with, but Mama – Viola, Her Grace of Mulcaster – as well. Anyone might suppose her an invalid!

She did, indeed, feel perchance a little what Chloe was wont to describe as wamblesome lately – had been confined to her sofa for some weeks since the Hackwold Incident. And she had to confess, inwardly, that she had had no inclination to her usual activity and that it had been somewhat of a relief to be told that it would not be prudent in the least to resume her usual social round. While there were no longer any manifest symptoms of the chill that had resulted – and no wonder! all remarked – from a ride on a night that was not merely chilly but interspersed with flurries of sleet, she still felt undue languid and unlike herself.

It had been Essie that had sat down beside her and said, it could come about that some event would cause a shock to the nerves – Quintus – Dr Ferraby was an old friend of his from the Raxdell House nursery days – said 'tis quite to be expected that even such a horsewoman as yourself might be somewhat set aback by being bolted with thus.

But he knew that the being bolted with by that skittish mare Thessaly had been quite the least of the matter. While Society gossip put it about that had been provoked so that Lord Blatchett might effect a daring rescue, in truth it had been a device to drive her towards his hunting-box. Whether – as he had told her – this was merely in order to provide a compelling reason for her father to concede to his suit to her hand, or whether he had had actual ruin in his intentions, Bella had not lingered to discover. Left alone – a chamber on the ground floor – the window unlocked – she had escaped.

Well-trained by Belinda Penkarding, she was entirely capable of saddling and bridling the cob that stood in the stables – the mare Thessaly being still in a very poor way – and mount without the need of a groom to boost her into the saddle. Her first thought had just been to get away but shortly had encountered a signpost that showed her in known territory and she had made her way to Jupp’s farm, where, most fortunate, Mrs Penkarding and Gertie Jupp were in residence.

Sure she had never had any mind to marrying Blatchett! Had, it was true, found his admiration very agreeable – a fine upstanding fellow – showed to advantage in a ballroom – and quite unsurpassed on horseback and in the hunting-field. Mayhap she had been, just a little, impressed that he took an interest in her – praised her equestrian talents &C –

However, after that visit to Oaks Merriam she could hardly take him very seriously. It was a splendid enough place – seat of the Earls of Blatchett these several generations – but what she and Chloe had most particular noticed was that he and his forebears had not at all been given to reading. Sure, one did not perchance expect a fellow in his rank to be given to deep study, but the works on the library shelves – elegantly bound in leather with the family crest stamped upon 'em – had clearly been purchased for show and not for use. Was not a collection that one would commend to Hannah Roberts to write up under her style of Bibliophilia for The Speculum of Arts and Sciences! that she was very noted for and was quite besought to come look at libraries up and down the country.

Furthermore, as the daughter of a Duke that took a most conscientious dutiful part in the government of the nation, Bella had observed that Blatchett was conspicuous by his absence at the Palace of Westminster. Though had some doubts as to the soundness of his political views from idle comments he had passed.

Bella had been brought up in a set in which the ladies took the liveliest interest in politics – Lady Wallace, one of her mother’s oldest friends, wrote political sketches under the style of Aspasia – and her mother herself was wont to act from time to time as her father’s political secretary. Then, of course, there was Flora, Miss Ferraby, that shocking Miss Ferraby, that wrote and lectured upon political matters and even more unwomanly topics, that had been a dear friend of Essie’s from childhood, and that, even with her notoriety, the family would not at all have objected to him marrying. But although they seemed on terms of great affection, to Bella’s observation, did not come to have and to hold, forsaking all others &C.

She had taken advantage of being obliged to lie upon a sopha in the warm to undertake a deal of unaccustomed reading, and had desired to be brought copies of those radical journals in which Miss Ferraby’s thoughts were published. She had no doubt that there were households where, was this discovered, there would be an immense outcry, and indeed, she began to apprehend why that might be so. But Papa himself had come talk to her and explained that Miss Ferraby was a very estimable person – her views on the education of children widely praised – but that Bella might consider that, although she was widely received in Society, her station was very different from Bella’s. The Ferraby connexion was everywhere admired: however, Sir Josiah, though raised to the rank of baronet, had been a Northern industrialist of humble origins whose abilities had made him wealthy and influential. He had also had very radical notions about the position of women and had made his daughters independent rather than bestowing portions upon 'em to catch husbands.

So there was Flora’s elder sister Miss Elizabeth Ferraby that was now Lady Ollifaunt had taken her portion and put it into theatres and had some several in provincial towns and cities, and it was known that reputations were made in 'em – was an actress had got her start there was now quite the Queen of the stage in New York! –

And it was widely given out that had she so desired, Miss Margaret, instead of marrying Sebastian Knowles, might have made a career as a musician.

Papa went on to dare say that we might see somewhat remarkable with the daughters of Sir Harry and Dr Quintus, that were of a like mind to their father. Quintus had even been heard to express that he saw no reason why ladies should not become doctors.

But, even so, Bella understood that her lot in life was different. O, there was no expectation that she should marry in her first Season, and Mama somewhat deplored the rush to get young women married off. Better to wait a little, and look about, and learn at least something of the world, and obtain some degree of judgement of men’s character.

Nonetheless, though 'twas never said in so many words, she was supposed to get married in due course.

Even with the example of her aunt Jane before 'em! – though one understood that there had been there the matter of being left a generous bequest by the great-uncle that had conveyed her her classical learning, so that she had been able to maintain her independence until such time as dear Admiral Knighton had been in a position to offer.

It was all a puzzle to Bella. She had never yet seen a man she desired to marry, except for Mr Josh Ferraby, because then one might go with him on his explorations. People said you would have babies, as if that were a fine thing, and while she found Rollo’s and Cathy’s children amiable creatures enough, had no great inclination to motherhood herself.

But what was the position did one remain single? From looking about, she fancied it came to going live with one or other brother or sister and being Auntie in the household, that struck her as quite immense tedious. O, there were cases where a man remained single and had a sister that kept house for him and took care of affairs – she wondered whether, perchance, did Essie continue in his disinclination to wed, that might answer? Would that not even be sensible? Though one heard it also came about that men that were quite old took a sudden fancy to marry some much younger woman – had not Lord Fendersham been looking very doating on Lady Theodora Saxorby? it had been much remarked – and the existing chatelaine was thus deposed.

Yet – she almost started at the thought, as they turned into the short drive up to the manor house at Attervale – was not Lady Emily unmarried? And never had been married? Here she was, had been living at Attervale, one of the Nuttenford estates, as 'twere as Lady of the Manor, with Miss Fenster, this entire age – managed the home farm – dealt with the tenants –

However, when she thought a little further about it, did she mention that as an instance of a life that a lady might lead did she not marry, she fancied that all would groan and throw up their hands and say, o, that is the Merretts for you. For somehow, though Bella did not think their behaviour was so wildly out of the common, the family had the reputation of being eccentrique to the point of scandal. Lady Offgrange that had eloped with the Marquess – the Earl himself that had married lovely, witty and wealthy Miss Rebecca Gold rather than one of the young ladies of aristocratic breeding being paraded for his approval – she did not quite know exactly what it was about Mr Geoffrey, but there was something – Lady Louisa marrying Harry Ferraby –

She sighed. Even the entirely eligible union of Lady Rachel with Artie Demington had taken place within a flurry of his parents’ misplaced expectations.