Page 16 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding

She leaned forward to get a better look out of the window.

Beyond the railings she could see shrubs and colourful flowerbeds lining a wide path which eventually curved away into the trees and out of sight.

There was already a fair number of people moving through the gates, some branching off on to a second path and she caught sight of a large building through the trees before their carriage swung around and came to a halt outside a large and imposing house built of creamy sandstone.

‘And this must be the hotel.’

As she waited for the footman to climb down and open the door, Flora surveyed the building, the tall sash windows, each one topped with a neat stone triangle that echoed the grander pediment over the central door.

It looked more like a private house than an hotel, except for an impressive doorkeeper who had stepped out as soon as the carriage drew up and was already making his way down the path towards them. Flora looked at Jenny.

‘Would you like to come with me, while I make my enquiries?’

* * *

‘Well, that was surprisingly easy,’ said Flora, when their mission was accomplished and they were on their way again. ‘How fortunate that they have sufficient rooms available—they appear to be extremely busy. And you will have a room to yourself, Betty.’

Her maid, sitting opposite, did not look particularly pleased with the news. She turned to share a disapproving glance with Jenny’s maid before addressing her mistress.

‘It ain’t right, Miss Flora, I’ll tell you that now. I should be sleeping on a truckle bed in your room with you.’ She gave a disparaging sniff. ‘After all, ’tis nothing more than a public inn, when all is said and done. Who knows what might happen in the night?’

‘It is a very respectable hotel, Betty,’ Flora corrected her, but gently. She knew her maid’s grumpiness stemmed from anxiety for the safety of her mistress and she was careful not to tease her. ‘Miss Albright and I were both very impressed with the hotel and its servants, were we not, Jenny?’

‘I would prefer you not to be staying there, if I am honest,’ replied Jenny, ‘But since you have made up your mind to it, I cannot see that any harm will come of it. Not when you have the estimable, sensible Betty to look after you.’

Flora’s heart swelled with gratitude for her friend. Jenny had said exactly the right thing to put Betty in a better mood. The maid’s plump cheeks grew even rosier and she preened herself a little.

She said gruffly, ‘Well, that’s as may be, miss, but I do know how to go on in such an establishment, even if I do say so myself. And I’ll make sure Miss Warenne comes to no harm.’

Having smoothed the maid’s ruffled feathers, the two young ladies sat back and watched as the fields gradually gave way to houses. Before long they were bowling through the city of Bristol towards the village of Hotwells .

‘We shall soon reach our destination, I think,’ said Jenny, ‘As soon as we are shown to our rooms I shall send a note to my aunt, telling her I have arrived. Aunt Elvira moved here because the waters taste so much better than Bath, but I believe she is so ill she rarely leaves her room now. I hope she will be well enough to see me this evening, but I think it far more likely she will prefer me to call in the morning.’

‘I would very much like to come with you to see her, if I may,’ said Flora. ‘Either this evening or tomorrow, before I set off for Bellemonte. And when I return, we will have a day to explore the delights of Hotwells and Clifton!’

Jenny gave a rueful smile. ‘I am not sure what delights we shall find here. From everything I have learned, Hotwell House is full of those who are chronically ill and have no appetite for the entertainments on offer in Clifton village. However, it suits me very well to stay here, since all I want to do is be with my godmother.’

By this time the carriage had descended a narrow and winding road to the banks of the River Avon. When it came to a stop, the ladies stepped out and looked up at Hotwell House, towering above them.

Built a century earlier, it was a tall, stuccoed building, rather austere in aspect and constructed on a rocky ledge protruding slightly over the river.

Tree-covered cliffs rose steeply behind it and cut into the rock was a series of steps that led up to the village of Clifton, which boasted a pump room, theatres and assembly rooms.

Flora could not imagine many of the Hotwell’s residents making the steep climb up the steps to the village and she said as much to Jenny.

‘No indeed, poor things,’ replied her friend. ‘I cannot help but think they would be better living in Clifton, where there is more to divert them.’

‘Yes, I think that, too,’ murmured Flora, looking up at the severe building towering above them.

She thought the place looked tired and drab compared to Bellemonte, with its colourful gardens, the grand pleasure baths and the warm, welcoming frontage of the honey-coloured hotel, and everything built around the pretty square.

* * *

Having paid off the postillions and stabled Mr Farnleigh’s coach, Flora was obliged to make arrangements for another hired carriage the next day to take her to Gloucestershire.

She did not object. She had a generous monthly allowance and was happy to pay for her trip.

She would far rather that than have a reckoning sent to Mr Albright—or even worse, her uncle—and have to explain why she had visited Bellemonte.

Jenny and her maid would not disclose that she had spent two nights at Bellemonte unless directly challenged.

As for Betty and Edwin, who had accompanied them, they were devoted to Flora and she knew she could rely upon their discretion.

The Farnleighs were so much older than their niece that they had come to rely upon their servants to look after her.

From the first moment Flora came to live with the Farnleighs the servants had been her allies.

When Aunt Farnleigh thought Flora was having a gentle riding lesson in the south field, she and her groom were galloping over the hills, and when the Albrights took her to the assembly and she returned later than she should, not one of them mentioned it.

This outing was a little more daring, but Flora still hoped that it might go undetected.

* * *

Bellemonte was basking in the hot afternoon sun when Flora arrived.

In the quiet square she could hear shouts and laughter coming from the far side of the high wall which bounded the grand pleasure bath.

At that moment, before she made her way into the shadowed interior of the hotel, she felt slightly envious of the young gentlemen cavorting in the cool waters.

Flora was shown to her room by a female servant while a footman carried her portmanteau, leaving Betty with nothing to do but follow on with her own small bag.

‘Well, at least I have a room adjoining yours, Miss Flora,’ she said, once they were alone. ‘That’s a mercy. ’

‘It is, but I do not want you to keep to your room, Betty,’ said Flora.

She was unpacking her clothes and shaking out the gowns before passing them to her maid to hang on the pegs in her dressing room.

‘Of course I won’t be doing that, Miss Flora. I shall be accompanying you everywhere. You can hardly go out and about alone!’

‘No, but when I am not “out and about” , as you put it, I should like you to engage the servants in conversation. I want to know what they think of Mr Talacre.’

‘Lord, miss, you want me to listen to tittle-tattle?’ asked Betty, scandalised.

Flora shook her head. ‘Not exactly, but you can tell a great deal about a man from the way he treats those in his employ. I need to find out if he is an honest man.’

‘You are mighty interested in this gentleman, if I may say so, miss. Are you sure you ain’t sweet on him?’

‘Don’t be absurd,’ said Flora briskly, although she could not bring herself to look Betty in the eye. ‘Mr Talacre has business with the Viscount, and I am trying to discover the sort of man Lord Whilton is dealing with.’

‘Well, I think His Lordship should be doing that for himself and not dragging you into such matters,’ retorted Betty.

‘He didn’t drag me into anything,’ Flora protested. She shook out the last of her dresses and held it up. ‘I shall wear this one, I think. A promenade gown is perfect for taking a stroll through the gardens before dinner. What do you think?’

‘I think this whole escapade is sheer madness,’ declared Betty, narrowing her eyes at her mistress. ‘To wander around the pleasure gardens, even with a maid in attendance, is not seemly.’

‘Oh, what nonsense!’ Flora laughed at that. ‘I saw several ladies doing just that when we arrived and none of their maids looked half as terrifying as you!’

Betty had known Flora too long to take offence at this, but she scowled blackly and shook her head at her mistress.

‘Aye, and you aren’t too old for me to box your ears if I have any more of your cheek, Miss Flora!’