Page 3 of Visiting Miss Austen (Miss Austen #2)

Breaking up our journey at Papa’s had been an excellent plan. After partaking of Sue’s nourishing meals and having a couple of good night’s sleep, I recovered my natural optimism. But all too soon, it was time to leave for Bath; and on that morning, Lucinda and I were up bright and early .

Saying goodbye to Papa was not easy. But he reassured me that he was content and looking forward to Harriet, Evan, and little Evie coming to Ashbury. And that Mrs Snelling was always popping over with news and keeping him entertained—I tried not to dwell on that! A letter to Harriet asking if she knew anything about the nature of their relationship was definitely well overdue!

Meanwhile, we had a day of stagecoach travel to endure. Being packed in with other passengers, and Lucinda’s elbow poking into my ribs whenever she moved, could have been trying. But I did not let it temper my excitement. Soon, we would reach Bath and, of course, Jane!

When the coach made an unscheduled stop on a high ridgeline to drop off a passenger who lived in a nearby farm, Lucinda and I took the opportunity to stretch our legs while their luggage was offloaded. A thin-faced woman had insisted on the window being raised for much of the journey, so I was feeling nauseous again.

I breathed in lungfuls of cool fresh air and delighted in the glorious view. All around were green rolling meadows, and way down in the valley, I saw a church spire rising from a cluster of honey-coloured buildings.

One of the drivers, a middle-aged man with a neatly clipped beard, had joined us for a smoke. ‘Excuse me, but is that Bath?’ I asked him. He nodded .

‘When will we reach it? ’

He sucked on his cheroot and blew a stream of smoke out of the side of his mouth downwind.

‘Not long, madam, an hour at best,’ he replied, flicking something from beneath a fingernail. He glanced at Lucinda, who had wandered off a short way to peer at some grazing cows. ‘She your daughter? ’

What impertinence! How old does he think I am? ‘No, she is not. She is my sister-in-law’s daughter. I am but four years older.’ I pursed my lips in annoyance.

He saw that I had taken offence and doffed his hat. ‘Apologies, madam. It was an easy mistake to make, what with such attractive ladies as yourselves being so similar in appearance. ’

I humphed, partly mollified, and he grinned.

He ground out his cheroot stub with his boot heel and said, ‘Right, madam, we best be off if you and your niece want to arrive in Bath before nightfall.’

I went to collect Lucinda forthwith. Hopefully, it was a one-off occurrence because he had poor eyesight—I did not want to be mistaken for her mother when we were socialising!

Whether the driver urged the horses to gallop faster to make up for his faux pas, I did not know, but the last leg of the journey passed rapidly. Before we knew it, we were standing with our trunks on the front stoop of 13 Queen Square, our home for the next six weeks.

Lucinda’s hand rested on my arm, and I could feel it quivering.

‘Do not be anxious. The Austens are very friendly and welcoming,’ I said and raised my hand to rap the brass knocker smartly on the cobalt-blue door .

We waited, but the door did not open.

‘Perhaps they didn’t hear it,’ whispered Lucinda. So I rapped again, and we waited some more.

Eventually, a maid wearing a white cap with a frilled edge poked her head out.

‘Can I help you?’ she enquired, somewhat tartly .

‘Yes. I am Felicity Fitzroy, and this is my niece, Lucinda. We are staying with the Austens. Are they in?’

‘No, ma’am, but they should be back shortly.’

‘Did they say we would be arriving?’

The girl shook her head. ‘Not to me, ma’am, but I come only in the afternoon to help cook.’

We were ushered into an entranceway, and I felt rather disgruntled by Jane and her relations being out—in my head, I had been expecting a joyous welcoming party! But I quickly adjusted my frame of mind. Something must have occurred, a last-minute engagement or some such.

Lucinda fiddled with the pearl button on her glove and peered down the narrow hallway. ‘It is strange they are not here to greet us,’ she said, sounding nervous.

‘There is nothing to worry about,’ I replied, removing my hat and its pin with some relief. ‘They probably had an afternoon engagement and were kept later than expected. They are no doubt hastening back to greet us as we speak.’

Because they were expecting us on this date and hadn’t forgotten about us, surely ?

The maid showed Lucinda and me to a bright and airy drawing room with a picturesque view of Queen Square. ‘I’ll let Mrs Bromley know you are here,’ she said and went off. I assumed Mrs Bromley was the housekeeper .

Restless and wanting Jane to materialise, I paced about the room while Lucinda perched on a high-backed floral sofa.

Mrs Bromley came in momentarily. She was a stout woman dressed entirely in black and most apologetic, saying that we had been expected tomorrow and not today. But of course, we should make ourselves comfortable and that the Austens were expected back very shortly. She would ask Alice (presumably the maid we had met) to bring us tea and refreshments forthwith.

Indeed, as soon as she stepped out of the room, I heard a man’s voice in the hall greeting her; and a few seconds later, a handsome sandy-haired gentleman entered the drawing room. He was of medium height, rosy complexioned, and dressed in a light-brown tailcoat, embroidered waistcoat, and olive-green breeches.

He started upon seeing that the room was occupied by us and looked momentarily confused.

I smiled at him, recognising Jane’s third brother. He had been adopted out to rich relations at a young age, but I had met him once or twice in Steventon when he had come to visit. And I had heard much of Godmersham Park from Jane and Cassie, which he had inherited five years past.

‘Hello, Edward! ’

He blinked at me. ‘By Jove, Felicity? I hardly recognised you. You look quite the lady of the manor. ’

I stared down at my light-blue travelling pelisse, which I was still wearing, the room being rather chilly. My attire had been upgraded, I supposed, as Max provided me with a generous allowance; and I had my own personal dressmaker, who was skilled in creating the latest fashions from Paris. Thanks to her, I had brought with me to Bath several dresses for dancing and not just two, as I had despaired of having in Steventon .

Edward went back into the hallway and called out, ‘Hie up, Jane, your friends are here!’

Jane came running into the room, carrying her pelisse and reticule. Her mouth dropped open when she clapped eyes on me .

‘Flissy! But we were expecting you tomorrow, the twenty-fifth!’

I shook my head. ‘It was the twenty-fourth, dear. But it is no matter, as long as you did not forget we were coming at all.’

Quickly, she deposited her items on a chair and crossed the floor to grasp my hands and kiss my cheeks in greeting .

‘Of course not! I am sorry I wasn’t here to welcome you. If I had known, I wouldn’t have gone out.’

‘It is quite all right. We were kindly welcomed by your housekeeper and made comfortable. We have not been kept waiting but a quarter of an hour, so it is of no consequence. I have been admiring the view, and Lucinda has been resting. ’

I gestured to the girl to stand and meet my friend, and she did so and gave a curtsy. She did have such nice manners and was always obliging in that respect. There was no sulkiness or scowling to put up with, which was a relief.

‘How do you do, Miss Austen?’

‘Very well, thank you, Lucinda,’ said Jane, nodding to her.

‘Oh please, do call me Lucy. ’

‘All right, Lucy. And you must call me Jane.’

While this was going on, I was distracted by the sound of Elizabeth’s tinkling tones in the hallway. Jane’s sister-in-law had waylaid Alice as she was bringing our tea, and the door was ajar so I could hear her saying things such as ‘much less salt’ and ‘please trim the fat’—Edward’s diet being obviously of some concern to his wife since he had gout .

Their conversation finished, Alice appeared with a tray of tea-things; and Elizabeth followed, wearing a businesslike expression. I had met her once a few years ago on one of the occasions Edward had visited the rectory and thought she had a pleasing confidence. Now in her mid-twenties, she had not changed much in manner or appearance and was still fair-haired, slim, and elegant despite having borne five children under the age of six. From what Jane had told me about her sister-in-law’s firm hand in taking charge of her unruly brood, it was safe to say that Elizabeth Austen was used to being listened to .

‘Hello, Felicity. Edward told me you had arrived,’ she said warmly, and we bowed to each other.

‘Elizabeth, thank you so much for having us,’ I replied.

‘It is our pleasure. And this must be Lucinda. How lovely! Welcome, my dear! Oh no, no need to curtsy. Come and sit by me on the sofa and tell me all about yourself.’

Lucinda glanced at me, and I nodded reassuringly. The poor thing looked a bit overwhelmed at being drawn into this instant friendship, but Elizabeth was our host and not to be deterred. I had a feeling that Jane must have mentioned Lucinda was on the marriage circuit. Elizabeth was a compulsive matchmaker and had caused Jane much amusement over the years in her attempts to introduce friends (and even Jane herself) to what she deemed ‘eligible suitors’. So far, none of her pairings had worked out.

It looked like Lucinda was about to be taken under her wing as her next project .

As her official chaperone, I felt a bit mean leaving Lucinda in Elizabeth’s clutches. However, as Jane and I were chatting on the opposite sofa, I could easily cut in if I felt it was needed.

I took the cup of tea Jane handed me and sank back into the tasselled cushions with a sigh. I could relax now that order had been restored!

‘Where is Edward?’ I asked. ‘Does he want some tea?’

‘He is resting before supper as taking the waters always tires him out,’ said Jane. She told me she and Elizabeth had been at the pump room while he was bathing next door.

‘What do you do at the pump room?’ I asked.

‘Oh, promenade around and make acquaintances, as one does in Bath,’ said Jane airily .

I sipped my tea. ‘And did you meet anyone?’

‘An older lady and her husband. They were respectable enough, but quite dull.’

She squinted and pretended to look at me through a pair of pince-nez, and I giggled.

‘Now tell me about your trip. Was it terribly taxing?’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Very much so. I thought we would never arrive. The inns were awful, and the carriage ride uncomfortable. The only good thing is that it didn’t rain. Otherwise, it would have taken twice as long.’

‘I hope you are not missing Max too much?’ Jane teased.

The memory of his dear face swam before my eyes, and my heart pinched. I bit my lip and did not trust myself to speak.

‘Ah, I am sorry. I should not have said that. Of course you are.’ She patted my hand gently .

I pushed down the lump in my throat with another swallow of tea and took a steadying breath.

‘I must write to him and tell him of our arrival so he can inform Seraphina that Lucy hasn’t been accosted by highwaymen. Thank you again for allowing her to stay. I know it was very last minute.’

‘Not at all. As Elizabeth said, it is our pleasure. And I fully intend to help you with your chaperoning duties and rescue her from any nefarious gentlemen. ’

We looked across at where Elizabeth was questioning (read: interrogating) a blank-faced Lucinda about her dowry .

‘I think Lucy might need rescuing right now.’

‘Shall I suggest that she attends to her toilette before supper?’

‘Yes, thank you,’ I said, relieved.

Jane extracted Lucinda from Elizabeth, saying that she needed to show us to our rooms and that ‘there was time enough for talking about dull matrimonial things later’.

Elizabeth laughed gaily, and I saw she was used to Jane’s remarks and did not mind them. In fact, she found them amusing (luckily for Jane!) .

Our rooms were at the top of the house, up a double flight of stairs .

‘Elizabeth and Edward have the apartment off the drawing room,’ Jane said as we ascended. ‘She said I could have it, but I preferred to be upstairs. There are two rooms, one a good size and the other smaller. But both have a nice aspect across the park. ’

‘Oh, only two?’ I asked, confused about the sleeping arrangements.

We stopped on the landing for Jane to explain further.

‘I thought you could share with me, Flissy, as it has a double bed. The other only has a single. I hope you will not mind?’

I shrugged. ‘It suits me well.’ I had hoped for a room of my own, but needs must, and it made sense for us to share as we were friends.

‘Are you sure, Aunty Fliss?’ asked Lucinda worriedly. ‘I can bed down on the floor on some cushions or—’

‘Don’t be silly, Lucy. You will do no such thing,’ I said sharply before she could mention going into a cupboard. ‘I’m sure Jane and I will be perfectly content—as long as she does not kick.’

‘I don’t kick, but Cassie told me I once recited a poem in my sleep,’ said Jane, leaning against the stair banister with a grin.

‘Which poem?’ I asked curiously.

‘John Donne’s “The Flea”. That morning, we had changed the bedding for washday and discovered several dead flies on the mattress. Insects were obviously on my mind.’

I gave a snigger that came out through my nose .

‘See, Lucy? You are lucky to be in by yourself. Otherwise, Flissy may disturb you with her snorting,’ joked Jane .

‘Very amusing,’ I said, pretending to be haughty. ‘Now are we going to stand about here all day, or shall we see these rooms?’

We left Lucinda to sort herself out in the smaller room, which had an interesting, and not altogether pleasing, beige tint to the walls but was quite comfortable and contained a window seat overlooking the park—something Lucinda seemed delighted with.

‘I can watch people walking by rather than having to converse with them,’ she said earnestly. I was again reminded of Max as they both had the same shyness of nature, and another yearning pang shot through me. Lord, hopefully, his letters would ease my heart’s suffering. Otherwise, this was going to be six weeks of emotional endurance !

In the larger room next door, there was a sizeable bed, a chest of drawers, and a closet full of shelves. Jane declared that this was more of a cupboard than a closet as it was useless for hanging anything up. Indeed, due to the lack of storage in the room, I resigned myself to living out of my trunk for the duration of the stay .

I noticed she had set up her writing slope on the table by the window. There were no papers to be seen lying around, but I knew there was at least one manuscript lurking inside it.

‘Have you been doing any writing?’ I enquired .

‘No, not really. I am still working on Elinor and Marianne and refining your story. To be honest, my brain has been rather befuddled since arriving as we have been so busy. That is why I mistook the date of your arrival. I should have checked your letter,’ she scolded herself.

‘There is no harm done,’ I reiterated, not wanting her to feel bad about her mistake. ‘I can understand that being in Bath would cause one to be at sixes and sevens. Tell me again what we shall do.’

Jane counted off on her fingers. ‘Well, there is the pump room, which we shall see tomorrow. Then there is the theatre, concerts, balls, teas, walks in the park, and, my personal favourite, the circulating library in Milsom Street, which has an excellent supply of the latest novels.’

I wrinkled my nose slightly, and Jane noticed. ‘Do not worry. We will be spending infinitely more time dancing and socialising, and I can always go on my own if you are disinclined to.’

‘Thank goodness!’ I said. ‘I did not come to Bath to be stuck browsing books in a dusty library, though I am sure Lucinda will go with you—she loves reading.’

‘A girl after my own heart,’ said Jane with a smile. ‘Though if her mother wants her to marry, we should introduce her to society as soon as possible. Who knows, if she meets someone thrilling, she may give me an idea for a new novel.’

Hmm, I was not so sure about that since my romance with Max was the subject of Jane’s latest manuscript. In that case, it would be better for Lucinda to spend time at the library improving her mind rather than giving Jane fodder for her stories !