Page 17 of Estelle’s Ardent Admirer (The Bookshop Belles #1)

CHAPTER 17

The Second Crate

E stelle could have floated home in a bubble of happiness. The Ferndale carriage was a very close second best. Felix, his grandfather and great-aunt remained at Ferndale Hall to prepare for the wedding, while she travelled alone to Hatfield.

She stepped into the bookshop and the door tinkled. Louise looked up from the counter and squealed with delight. In seconds they were in each others’ arms, embracing as if they’d been apart for months, not a few days.

“Did he propose?” Louise asked.

Heat stole over Estelle’s face.

Marie walked in bemoaning, “Must you be so loud, Lou?” Then she saw that Estelle had returned and threw her arms around them both. “Oh, very well, you’re allowed to squeal when it’s good news like this. I thought you’d stepped in Crafty’s leftovers.”

The commotion brought Bernadette and Mrs Poole into the bookshop and all four of them tried to hug Estelle at once.

“Girls, girls,” Mrs Poole said, “Let Estelle breathe.” Even though Mrs Poole had contributed plenty to the crush herself.

The love of her sisters filled her with joy. Estelle beamed and was about to tell them everything in the right order when Bernadette blurted, “He has proposed, hasn’t he?”

“Yes,” Estelle nodded, realising it was impossible for them to speak sensibly. Caught up in happiness, she hugged her sisters again. Individually this time.

Louise held Estelle by the shoulders and said, “You have accepted? Yes?”

For the briefest moment, she wondered about trying to make a jest, but she didn’t have it in her. In any case, her smiling face gave her away. “Yes,” she confirmed.

They smothered her with love and congratulations. Then Bernadette spotted the bracelet on her wrist and shrieked, making her hold it up so they could all admire it.

“Wait until you see Miss Yates’ gift,” Estelle said with a grin. “That gift, I can share with all of you.”

“Where would you like it, Miss Baxter?” The two footmen who’d ridden on the back of the coach hauled the trunk packed with silks in through the bookshop’s narrow doorway.

“We’ll never get it up the stairs. Put it here behind the counter and we’ll empty it out, and get Mr Thomas next door to store it until you can take the empty trunk back to Ferndale,” Estelle decided.

Everyone was giddy with curiosity to see what lay inside it. Estelle was equally impatient to share it with them. There was an awed silence when she lifted the lid of the trunk. Marie reached out a wondering hand to stroke a pale pink silk stitched with tiny white flowers.

“That is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Marie almost whispered it. “Where did Miss Yates get these?”

“They were for her trousseau. They’re fifty years old, can you believe it?” Estelle was telling her sisters Miss Yates’ rather poignant story when the doorbell jingled and the last voice she wanted to hear said;

“What are you girls looking at?”

Estelle slammed the lid of the trunk down, almost catching Louise’s fingers, and turned, forcing a smile to her lips. “Why, Cousin Joshua. And Cousin Phoebe. What a pleasant surprise.” She kept her wrist with the pearl bracelet below the level of the counter. She wasn’t quite ready for her cousins to know about her betrothal just yet.

“We received some more books from Father,” Marie said blandly. “Proof that he’s still very much alive.”

What a whopper fib, and most unlike Marie to tell! Marie had always been scrupulously honest. Estelle sneaked a sideways glance at her sister, but Marie’s expression was smooth and untroubled.

Cousin Joshua, on the other hand, looked as though a black cloud had descended on his head. He huffed and puffed, and then turned right around and walked back out the door again, Phoebe twittering in his wake.

They all breathed quiet sighs of relief. Thank heavens this hadn’t been a drawn-out confrontation like previous times. Estelle was too filled with happiness at her upcoming marriage to Felix to let anyone ruin it. Especially Joshua.

“Well, that got rid of him without him finding out about the silk, but what a lie, Marie!” Estelle looked at her sister in astonishment. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“It wasn’t a lie. Another crate of books from Father did arrive, yesterday.” Marie grinned at her. “But we unpacked them and took them all upstairs already. I didn’t actually say to Cousin Joshua that’s what we were looking at.”

“Was there a letter? Where is he now?” Estelle asked eagerly.

“No letter.” Marie grimaced. “At least, not that we’ve found yet. I thought there might be one tucked into one of the books and we didn’t find it yet, that’s why we took them all upstairs. Didn’t want to accidentally sell the book with a letter in it.”

Bernadette and Louise had re-opened the trunk and were staring at the silks again. Estelle smiled at them. “I want you to choose two each. I told Miss Yates and she thought it was a lovely idea for you to have some of it as well for new gowns, and there’s enough here for twenty dresses.”

“At least,” Louise agreed, picking up a gorgeous sage-green silk. “Are you really sure, Estelle?”

Out of nowhere, Crafty appeared and jumped into the box of fabrics.

Everybody yelled at the cat to get out, as she rolled around and made a nuisance of herself.

Mrs Poole grabbed the cat while Marie gently pulled the silk away from her claws and managed not to rip the threads.

“Of course I’m sure.” Estelle put an arm around Louise’s waist. “You’ll look lovely in that green. You can wear it at my wedding.”

“Well, let’s get them all upstairs,” Mrs Poole said practically, shooing Crafty away. “We can lay them out in your father’s room for now to keep that cat off them, while you decide what patterns you want made. I know a few girls who sew a nice straight stitch who’ll be glad of the work to make your trousseau, Estelle.”

“Oh, but we can’t afford…” Estelle fell silent, thinking. They still had the bank loan payment to worry about, but - should she ask Felix for the money? Now that they were engaged, it didn’t feel quite so awful. He had practically begged her to let him help, after all, and the real help she needed was monetary.

Bernadette said, “We shall miss you once you marry, but you’ll only be at Ferndale Hall and that is but an hour’s ride. I was also wondering,” she smiled and paused a little, “would Lord Ferndale mind so much if I grew some herbs in his garden? The glass houses would be suitable for ginger.”

Lousie and Marie pretended to measure up fabrics, but they’d gone quiet so they had to be listening for the answer.

Estelle blinked, a little confused. “Well, I… can’t imagine Felix and I will be moving to Ferndale Hall so soon…”

“Why ever not?” Bernadette shot back.

“I really hadn’t considered that. Lord Ferndale runs the Hall and Miss Yates is the mistress. I couldn’t possibly assume Felix and I would be required until Lord Ferndale passes, and I hope that is not for a long while yet. Oh, by the way, he thanked you most graciously for the tonic.”

Bernadette beamed at the compliment, but then her expression became stern. “Miss Yates can’t be expected to carry the load for much longer. She is nearly seventy.”

Meanwhile, Louise pressed one of the cream-coloured silks against a more vibrant blue and gasped at how beautiful they looked together with a satisfied, “Oh yes.”

Marie said, “She’s right. Miss Yates has more than done her duty at Ferndale, she should have more leisure.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. They have Mrs Sykes, who is very capable,” Estelle said, her mind whirring with the expectations of her new duties. How would she oversee Ferndale Hall and the bookshop at the same time?

“So, the books that arrived,” she said, changing the subject, “Marie, may I see them?”

“Of course,” Marie neatly folded the silk she’d been holding and put it back in the trunk. “And keep Crafty away!” She closed the lid firmly.

“I’ll pop next door and get Mr Thomas.” Mrs Poole flushed a little, but they forebore to tease her. “Ask him to carry that upstairs and put it in Mr Baxter’s room.”

Upstairs, Estelle and Marie looked over the pile of books, picking up each in turn and gently giving them a shake before adding them to a specific stack. Marie had already begun sorting some.

“This pile is for listing in our next advertisement in The Times. There are valuable titles here that I know collectors will want. This pile is for books we can shelve here in the shop, and this pile is for Louise to rebind.”

Bless Marie’s organisational skills. She really knew her titles. A great many of these were in French, and as they gently turned the books upside down to see if letters would shake out, Estelle caught sight of illustrated pages.

“Oh good heavens!” It wasn’t her fault that the book fell open on a specific colour plate that had her blushing from her forehead to her toes.

Marie glanced over and giggled. “We may need a separate pile for books to keep under the counter.”

More nervous laughter broke free, as they continued. As Marie shook out the final book, she signed with resignation. “No letter.”

Estelle joined her in disappointment. “So frustrating.”

“At least there are books, and we can sell many of these by order, so father did well.”

“But without a letter, how do we know when he sent them?” Estelle asked.

Marie sat back and said thoughtfully, “You were looking forward to him walking you down the aisle.”

Estelle nodded, heat prickling her eyes. “And we have no idea when he’ll be back.”

Marie patted her hand and said, “Oh well, you’ll just have to let the next in line do that duty.”

Estelle shook her head and said, “The next in line is…”

“Cousin Joshua!” they both said at once.

Estelle shuddered.

Marie, blast her, cackled with merriment. “Can you imagine how much he’ll hate that? The moment he hands you over, you outrank him! And he’d have to be on his best behaviour because all of Hatfield would see him misbehaving.”

“Oh dear!” Estelle took a steadying breath. “We should delay the wedding until father comes home.” It sounded loyal to say that, even though she was growing fonder of Felix by the hour and rather wondering how soon they could wed.

“Don’t you dare. I’m going to enjoy watching Joshua and Phoebe squirm as they are forced to congratulate you through gritted teeth.”

“Maybe they’ll be out of town?”

Marie sombered. “You don’t think they’ll object to the banns, do you?”

There was no knowing how mean Cousin Joshua could get. “Felix is speaking with Reverend Millings this afternoon, to read the first one out this Sunday.”

“Will Old Brimstone be doing the service?”

Estelle grimaced, recognising the private name many had for the local vicar. “Probably.”

Marie sat down beside Estelle and gave her a friendly nudge. “The wedding ceremony itself might be something to endure, but afterwards, you’ll be Mrs Felix Yates and in-effect-if-not-in-fact, mistress of Ferndale Hall. We shall book extra carriages and horses to take invited guests from St John’s to Ferndale. We shall place Joshua and Phoebe on a far table so you will barely notice they’re there.”

“There is a lot to organise,” Estelle said, rubbing her head.

“And we will be here for you every step of the way,” Marie said.

For the next two weeks, wedding preparations consumed Estelle’s waking moments. She was incredibly grateful for Mrs Poole, who took everything in her stride. The bookshop buzzed with the regular amount of visitors shopping for books, but also an irregular number of seamstresses and tradesmen who came to measure them for dresses and provide quotes for services.

Another daily visitor was Felix, who often appeared with thoughtful small gifts for everyone, and always bought some extra books to take home. He claimed they were for Lord Ferndale, and they accepted this mild falsehood without demur.

Because they were so busy, Estelle asked Louise if she could hold off on repairs that required the stinky glue.

“I cannot,” Louise objected. “The new delivery of Minerva books have arrived. They won’t last a week in the lending section if I don’t replace their cardboard covers with heavy boards and cloth binding.”

Estelle pleaded, “How about we hold off replenishing the lending section until after the wedding?”

Louise tilted her head, “I suppose I could always read them carefully first. Can’t have anything unsuitable on our shelves, just in case somebody reports us to Brimstone.”

“Bless your heart,” Estelle said, giving her sister a squeeze.

She nailed a new piece of hessian to Crafty’s scratching post, then checked behind the counter for entrails. Urgh. Another one. At least she didn’t step in it this time.

After cleaning it up, she unlocked the front door and set about checking their correspondence.

The front door bell tinkled as a customer came in.

Not a customer, alas. It was Joshua and Phoebe, with Little Sticky in Phoebe’s arms and the other two Baxter boys following. The eldest, Benjamin, stood beside his father, arms folded in an imitation of Joshua’s aggressive stance. He’d grown taller of late and had developed a menacing sneer he’d obviously learned at his father’s knee.

Brutus slipped behind a tall shelf to look at books. Phoebe put Little Sticky down. He ran for Crafty, who was sleeping on a lower shelf. He picked the cat up by the middle and squished her into his face. The cat made a soft uncomfortable yowl and turned her eyes to Estelle as if to say, “Are you seeing this?”

“Put that animal down, Barnaby!” Phoebe called out.

Little Sticky did. His sticky hands and face were now covered in dark cat hair.

At least he won’t get as much jam on the books , Estelle thought.

“You are getting married,” Joshua announced portentously.

“Thank you, I am,” Estelle said, noting his complete lack of congratulations.

Joshua huffed a little and said, “Will your father return before the event?”

He would not spoil her joy. She would not let him. “I dearly hope so. But in his absence…”

“... The obligation falls to me,” he completed for her.

So that was why he was here, trying his best to ruin her day. He could have said honour instead of obligation , but he was at least acknowledging the fact. Estelle managed a polite, “That appears to be the case.”

The bell tinkled again and relief spread through Estelle that they might have a customer for distraction and Joshua would not make a scene in front of them.

It was Felix, appearing before her like a guardian angel. He must have spent the night at the Red Lion to be here so early.

“Mr Yates,” Joshua said, with the most imperceptible nod.

“Mr Baxter,” Felix replied, with so little emphasis on the “Mr” he may as well not have said it.

Felix grinned cheerfully at Joshua, and Estelle had to smother a laugh. She’d never seen her cousin alter from superiority to extreme discomfort so quickly.

“I heard the banns yesterday,” Joshua said, addressing Felix. “You are to marry my cousin, Miss Baxter.”

Felix replied, “That I am. And I thank you for your congratulations.”

He’d made none, of course.

“You did not seek my permission, Mr Yates.” Joshua’s tone was chilly, and for a moment Felix froze, glancing at Estelle.

“We do not need your permission, Cousin Joshua,” Estelle said quickly. “Since I am five-and-twenty, you are no longer legally my guardian in my father’s absence. I am able to consent to my own marriage.”

It was Joshua’s turn to freeze, and he frowned, looking away as though mentally counting years in his head.

“My birthday was last April,” Estelle added, “as you might know, if you had bothered to acknowledge any of our birthdays in the last two decades or so.”

“The disrespect!” Phoebe began, and she huffed loudly to show how upset they were making her. Good.

Joshua waved her to silence, looking back at Felix.

“Her father has not returned,” Joshua said in an imperious tone. “There is nobody to give her away.”

Felix’s smile barely dimmed, but a flicker of doubt was there, because Estelle had become so familiar with his expressions and noticed the subtle change. Her favourite expression of his was when he smiled at her and looked down at her lips, because it meant they were about to share another beautiful kiss again.

“I would assume,” Felix said, “that as you are her closest available male relative, that honour would transfer to you?”

Joshua puffed himself up. Phoebe looked incredibly pleased with herself too. They weren’t going to refuse, were they?

Joshua said, “As it so happens, I might not be available.”

He what? she thought.

“Oh?” Felix said at the same time.

Phoebe was gloating. They’d clearly cooked up obstacles to throw in the way of Estelle marrying Felix, and were smug that one of their plans might work.

Over my dead body , Estelle thought.

Joshua continued. “You shall have to delay the wedding until I am.”

“I see,” Felix said. From his expression he appeared crestfallen. “When might you be available?”

Joshua made himself tall and gripped the lapels of his coat. “Well, you see, that’s the rub of it. I do not know. If Matthew Baxter is alive, he should walk his daughter down the aisle when he returns. I’d be usurping his position to do it in his place. If, on the other hand, we knew for certain that he was never returning, then I could step in. But that would also signify Matthew Baxter was no longer in this world.”

He’d rehearsed that pretty speech, Estelle was sure of it. It was too convenient. She would not let him get away with this. “I’m sure when my father returns, he will be delighted to know you stepped up to the occasion because he was otherwise engaged on the continent.”

“Yes, yes,” Joshua batted her argument away. “On the other hand, if we knew he was no longer with us…”

Felix cut in, “Not to worry, I’m sure my grandfather would be delighted to perform the task.”

“What?” Joshua and Phoebe said at the same time.

Felix beamed as if he’d found a sixpence in the Christmas pudding. “Lord Ferndale is more than happy to step in and represent any family in the parish when requested.” He turned to Estelle and her whole body felt lighter at how quickly he’d undercut them. “I’m sure he’d stand up for Estelle in her moment of need. So if you aren’t available, then not to worry, we have another avenue.”

Joshua blustered and blinked several times, then said, “I never said I wasn’t available, only that I might not be. I shall clear it with my man of business and… get back to you.”

Felix beamed. “Thank you, Mr Baxter. I look forward to hearing in the affirmative. And soon.” There was iron in the last word.

“Come along,” Joshua said hastily, rounding up his family and not meeting either Estelle or Felix’s eyes. Phoebe scooped up Little Sticky and then stalked out.

“Can I stay for a while?” Brutus asked from behind the shelves.

“Suit yourself, you know the way home,” Joshua said, and left without him.

Felix took the last few steps to Estelle and they embraced with relief.

“Thank you, so much,” Estelle said. “I don’t know how I would have dealt with him on my own.”

Felix kissed her and softly said, “You don’t have to deal with anything on your own any more, my darling.”

She took a deep breath, looking up at him. “You asked me to let you help, and you’ve done so much already, but…”

“Tell me.”

She fished in her pocket and pulled out the letter from the bank. “When Father left for France to go looking for books, he took out a bank loan. A rather large one. We understood, because he needed funds for travel and book buying, and we’ve been keeping up with the payments on the loan… until now.”

Felix took the letter and read it, his brow furrowed. “But didn’t you say your father’s definitely alive?” he asked, obviously puzzled.

“Yes, but since the last crate of books arrived without a dated letter in it, we can’t prove it to the bank. I personally think Cousin Joshua supplied the rumour about Father’s death to the bank in the first place.” She shrugged miserably. “There’s nothing I can do about that; the bank won’t even talk to me because I’m a woman.”

“They’ll talk to me. Let me take care of this payment for you, Estelle, and next week I’ll go into London and ask to meet with them. The simple fact that more books keep arriving from your father should be evidence enough that he’s still alive. I’ll get them to reduce the repayments back to their normal rates.”

“Thank you so much.” Relief sagged her shoulders. He’d told her she could ask him for help, and he’d followed through. He would end up helping a great deal.

“I’d have to speak to Grandfather to get access to more funds, but I could pay off the whole loan… call it my wedding gift to you…”

“Absolutely not!” Estelle shook her head. “Thank you for offering, Felix, but I feel bad enough asking you for this much. When we sell the books which Father has sent, we’ll have plenty for the next loan payment, even if you can’t get the amount reduced to what the original instalments were. And then Father will be back, soon, I hope,” she added stoutly.

“I hope so too.” Felix folded the letter and put it in his pocket. “Well, I will do what you let me, my love, and I’m honoured you allowed me.” He kissed her again, and took himself off.

A sound behind her made Estelle whirl, hand to her throat, and she gasped as she saw Brutus emerging from among the bookshelves. She’d forgotten the boy was there. How much had he heard? She wracked her brain in a momentary panic, trying to think if she’d said anything Cousin Joshua could use against them if Brutus relayed what he’d heard to his father.

“Mr Yates seems like a very nice man,” Brutus said, and Estelle smiled despite herself.

“He is.”

“I’m glad you’re marrying him. You deserve someone nice.” Brutus hesitated, and then gave her a shy smile. “And if you’re married to someone rich, Pa won’t be able to force you out of the bookshop.”

Estelle relaxed. Brutus was on their side! How Joshua and Phoebe had raised such a kind-hearted child was beyond her. She beckoned him closer. “Would you like to help me for a little while, Brutus? I have some books to shelve. I could show you how we organise them by subject and author…”

Brutus’ eyes absolutely lit up, and he nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes please! I would love to help. I love books,” he added.

“I know you do,” Estelle said, making a mental note to order in some more books which would be suitable for a boy of Brutus’ age. Even though Cousin Joshua would never pay, Brutus could read them in the shop and Estelle was sure she could find other buyers. “Here. Can you carry these? They’re quite heavy.”

“I’m strong,” Brutus said determinedly, allowing her to pile books on his spindly arms. “You can rely on me, Cousin Estelle.”

Perhaps she could, at that. He was young, but old enough to learn. And with Ruth to help as well, perhaps it would be enough extra help for Estelle to leave her sisters to manage the bookshop for a part of each week, at least.