Lament for a lost lover

You couldn’t just arrive with us. How could I explain your being there?” You will explain beforehand. It is so easy. ‘Dear Lady Eversleigh, I have a friend who has been staying with me for some time, and I could not really leave her at the chateau while we are away. I answered your invitation in a rush of pleasure because I was so delighted to have it. But now I see that I cannot really leave this friend. It would be most impolite and I know you will understand. She is charming, of excellent family, in fact one of ourselves. Now if it would make no difference to you, it might be that you will extend your invitation to her... If so how delighted we shall all be to come. Do forgive the blunder I have made. It was such a joy to get your invitation that I suppose I answered it without thinking of my responsibilities...’ There, what about that.”

“I can’t do it, Harriet. It would be quite wrong.”

“I think it would be quite right. But of course if you would rather I did not come ...”

“I know it would not be half as much fun without you. But I don’t see ...” Harriet spent the rest of the afternoon making me see. And the next day Jacques rode over with a note such as she had suggested.

He came back in a few days with a reply.

My dear Mistress Tolworthy,

But of course we shall welcome your friend. She must come and be a member of our party. My son and daughter are very much looking forward to meeting you. Matilda Eversleigh.

When I showed Harriet the reply she laughed with pleasure. “What did I tell you?” she demanded. And I must say I was delighted that she was coming with us.

PROPOSAL IN A TOMB

JACQUES ACCOMPANIED US. AFTER OUR ARRIVAL HE WOULD GO back to Congreve, but it had seemed wise to have him with us on the road. We stayed a night at the inn which the Eversleighs had recommended and the following day arrived at Chateau Tourron.

It was much more grand than Congreve. There were no goats or chickens in sight, and it had an air of graciousness though a little decayed. Jacques led us into the stables where grooms hurried up to take our horses, evidently having been warned that we were coming.

A. servant appeared and took us into the hall where Lady Eversleigh was waiting to greet us.

She was a tall woman, somewhere in her late forties, I guessed, with masses of light fluffy hair and rather babyish blue eyes and Buttering hands. She was clearly pleased to see us and turned first to Harriet.

I am so delighted you have come,” she said. “I so much enjoyed meeting your mother ..” Harriet smiled and, lifting her hand slightly, indicated me.

“I am Arabella Tolworthy,” I said.

“But, of course. So like your mother. How could I not have seen? My dear, welcome, and this is your friend ... and your brother. We are so pleased to have you. Was the inn comfortable? We have stayed there and found it good ... as inns go. Now you must be tired and wish to wash or have some refreshment. We will show you to your rooms first. Have you brought much baggage with you? So difficult travelling. I will have it brought up.”

Lucas said we had two saddle horses and they were in the stables.

“One of the men will see to that. Now come with me. I have put you two ladies together. I hope you will not mind. We have not a great deal of room. My son and daughter are so pleased that you have come. They will tell you so themselves. There are some little ones left behind, I believe. Oh, dear, what a pity they are so young!” In spite of her somewhat inconsequential manner, I thought she was assessing us rather shrewdly and me in particular.

The room I was to share with Harriet was large and contained two beds. There was a carpet on the floorboards, and although it was furnished in a slightly more grand manner, it reminded me very much of the Chateau Congreve. Lucas was settled close by.

“I hope this will be adequate,” said Lady Eversleigh. “How I should love to be back at Eversleigh Court. How different! How spacious! How adequately we used to entertain our guests there.” She sighed. “But it will come and you must be feeling the same about your homes ...”

“We yearn for the day when we can return,” said Harriet, and although I looked at her sharply, she went on: “But the news is more hopeful. Perhaps it will not be long before we are making our plans to go home.”

“It must be soon. There is great excitement among the King’s entourage. My husband is there, you know, for it was there that he met your parents. That dreadful Cromwell ... dead! And this son. He is not like his father ... a fellow of no account, I have heard. That is all to the good, don’t you see?”

I lied that we saw absolutely, and she said she would s to refresh ourselves and then if we would come down to Ion she would have the utmost pleasure in introducing us to her son and daughter.

When the door shut, Harriet looked at me and laughed. ‘At least,” said Harriet, “our hostess is not at a loss for a word.”

“She is very friendly.”