Page 20 of A Marriage is Arranged

The bride was glad to regain her own apartment, but she was not long alone, as her mother and the Dowager Countess soon followed her. She was astonished when the Dowager made her a formal curtsey.

“Oh, no, my lady!” she cried.

“Oh yes, my dear,” said her husband’s grandmother. “You are my lady now. It is right and proper for me to make my obeisance to the new Countess. The day will come when you will do as I, and pass the crown, so to speak, to your successor, but in the meantime I wish you every happiness as the Countess of Shrewsbury.”

The unreality of the wedding, the welcoming of all those people she did not know, the interminable time at table, on top of a sleepless night both longing for and dreading what was ahead, and now this. It was all too much. Tears filled Louise’s eyes.

“I know it all seems strange,” said the Dowager, coming to her and taking her hand. “But you will get used to it. I cried my eyes out on my wedding day, too. Did not you, Mrs. Grey?”

In fact, Mrs. Grey had not. She had been aware of her own beauty and had felt all the attention she received perfectly appropriate. Of course, her wedding had not been as grand as this. However, not wishing to reply negatively to the Dowager, she replied, “It’s a common reaction, I’m sure. But the delights of being a wife and having your own establishment will soon dry your tears, my dear. ”

Louise wanted to say that this would never be her establishment! She was just one in a long line of wives to the Earls of Shrewsbury. Without her husband’s name, she was a nobody. A plain, insignificant nobody. She had to dig her nails into her palms to prevent herself from saying it out loud. But then her natural optimism reasserted itself. She had said she would arrange it, and she would. She smiled, a little tremulously.

“Of course,” she said. “You are both so kind. I’m just a little overwrought. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just wash my face and hands.”

And she went through to her bedroom, where, behind a pretty rose-covered screen, stood a washbasin and jug of water. Having held a cool cloth to her face for a few minutes, she squared her shoulders and looked at her face in the ornately framed mirror.

“You are the Countess,” she said sternly to her reflection. “Act like it!”

The three ladies went downstairs to the drawing room, where they were soon met by the others. In due course, the gentlemen arrived. Coffee was served in thimble-sized cups, and there were glasses of dark liquids for the gentlemen and a few of the ladies. But it was clear the festivities were over, and before long, the guests started to depart. Louise found herself being curtseyed to again, but this time she was ready for it. She nodded graciously to everyone, murmured a few words, and very soon they were all gone. Louise’s mother left with the Dowager, with whom she was to spend another day or two before returning home.

The newlyweds looked at each other.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m glad that’s over,” said the Earl, “Do you have anything you wish to do now?”

The question caught Louise off guard. Although she had never stopped thinking about that night, what they would do in the afternoon had never occurred to her. She gave a tense little laugh.

“Yes,” she replied, too tired to dissemble. “I confess it was a bit of a trial. In fact, if you have no objection, I think I should like to lie down.” Then, as her face flamed in embarrassment, “I mean, I’m very weary, I’d like to rest, not….” She couldn’t continue.

“Of course not,” he said quickly. “Come.”

He led her upstairs to her door.

“Shall I have Lisle send your maid?”

“Yes, please.” She hesitated. “I can’t undo all the buttons you see.”

She gestured to her back. For one moment she thought he might offer to do it for her. She tensed, her heart beating fiercely. But he just nodded, bowed, and said, “I hope you are able to get some rest. I’ll see you downstairs for dinner.”

She watched him go back towards the stairs, not knowing whether to be glad or sorry, then opened the door to her apartment.

Rose was in her own room when the summons came for her to attend her mistress. It was the first time she’d ever had such a space to herself, and she was reveling in it. She’d been astonished when the housekeeper had shown her in.

“Oh!” she said, “is this all for me, then?”

“Of course,” replied Mrs. Smith, a little haughtily, “This room has always been kept for her ladyship’s dresser. I think you’ll find everything here you need, but if something is missing, please let me know.”

The room was large enough to contain a long table. This was for the dresser’s use in making repairs or alterations to the Countess’s garments. Rose didn’t know this, and, indeed, had no sewing equipment of her own. She had been used to borrowing from her aunt anything she needed for the minor repairs or darns to Louise’s limited wardrobe.

The table was set under a narrow window high in the wall. Once the housekeeper had gone, Rose scrambled on top of it, and by standing on tiptoe was able to see the view. Like all the other servants’ quarters, her room was on the top floor of the townhouse, just under the roof, and the window looked out over the chimneypots of London. She wondered where Freddy lived and if he would find her. He had said he would, but the city was so large. Just look at all the rooftops!

“What yer doin’ up there?” The maid bringing the message that she was needed downstairs looked up at her in amazement. She was London born and bred, and the chimneypots held no fascination.

“Just lookin’ around.”

“Well, ’er ladyship is askin’ fer yer.”

“The Dowager?” Rose was puzzled.

“No, yer ninny. The new one. The new missus.”

“Oh, yes, ’course!” Rose looked sheepish. “I’m not used to it yet!”

She went out into the corridor and looked up and down.

“Which way is it?”

The servants’ quarters were accessed both by a back staircase leading up from the kitchen and another, hidden behind an unobtrusive door on the middle floor where the main bedrooms were located. This was to be used only when servicing those rooms and was absolutely forbidden to any of the servants without business there. The scullery maids and kitchen boys barely knew of its existence. The girl led her to the door and opened it.

“Down them stairs. There’s a door at the bottom.”

“Sorry I been so long,” said Rose when she finally arrived, a little out of breath, at her mistress’s chamber. “It’s ever such a big house! I thought her ladyship’s one was big, until I saw this. And I got me own room! You should see it! ’Course,” she chattered on, “it ain’t a patch on this. Your rooms is lovely, Miss, m’lady, I mean.”

“Yes, they are,” responded her mistress. “It’s going to be a change for both of us. I hope you’ll be happy here.”

“Oh, I will, don’t you worry,” said Rose blithely.

As she lay down on her bed a few minutes later, her silk wedding gown put carefully away, Louise wondered whether the same could be said for her. But before she had time to think too much about it, fatigue overcame her and she slept.