Saraband for Two Sisters

And she was gone. Was it true? I wondered. No, it couldn’t be. He wanted this marriage. Why should he have suggested it otherwise? Carlotta was just piqued because he had preferred marriage with me to a flirtation with her. To be ignored was something she could not tolerate and she persisted in denigrating anyone who did that. But I was uneasy, for I had to admit that the nearer I came to marriage the more did I realize that Richard was by no means the conventional bridegroom. Mab was a little envious of Ana. She found fault with her needlework and grumbled that she could have done it so much better herself. She was disappointed because I did not make a confidante of her. Mab, I was coming to the conclusion, was really rather a silly girl. She was constantly trying to turn the conversation to babies. “Oh, Mistress Angelet,” she would murmur, “I can’t wait for the first little baby.

I do hope you won’t have to wait so long as your poor mother did.”

 Then she talked about her sister Emily, who had had a child out of wedlock.

“Emily was like that,” she said. “She couldn’t leave the men alone and nor could they leave her. She got caught she did ... caught good and proper. And me mother says that if she don’t take care she’ll have another to feed before long. I said to her once, ‘Em, you are silly. You’ll get caught again.’ And she said that she couldn’t help it if she did. It was just her way. She couldn’t say no.”

Mab would look at me speculatively and I became angry with her, one of the main reasons being that I was so ignorant of that side of marriage and indeed a little fearful of it.

Richard returned and came at once to Pondersby Hall to see me. I went down to the parlor. He took my hands and kissed them, and as soon as I saw him I was happy, for my doubts vanished and I realized how uneasy Carlotta had made me with her hints that I might be treated as someone else had been and the marriage canceled at the last moment.

I said, “You still want to marry me, Richard, don’t you?”

He looked at me in astonishment. “Why on earth do you say that?” I laid my face against his coat. “I don’t know. I’m just so happy I’m afraid it’s too good to be true.”

He lifted my face and looked at me intently.

“You are a dear good child,” he said. “It is small wonder that I love you.”

“And we’ll be happy, won’t we?”

“We must make sure that we are.”

“I will make sure.”

“Do you doubt that I will?”

“No, no. Not when you are here.”

“You must never doubt me ... particularly when I am not there. You do understand, don’t you, that I shall be away from home for long periods:”

“I do understand it. It was something my mother had to endure.»

“So you are prepared for it?”

“Yes, and ... perhaps we shall have some children so that I shan’t be lonely.” There was a silence and, looking up into his face, I saw a strange expression there which I could not understand. But then he took my hand and gripped it hard. “It is what I want,” he said. “Yes, I do want that very much.”

“I hope ... I shall please you,” I said.

He put me from him suddenly and, going to the door, opened it abruptly.

Mab fell into the room.

I felt very angry with her, for she had clearly been listening at the keyhole.

“What are you doing, Mab?” I demanded.

She rose awkwardly to her feet and stood there not blowing what to do and I saw that her eyes, which had been alight with curiosity a moment before, were now apprehensive. I said, “Go away. I will speak to you later.”

She ran out, shutting the door after her. I looked at Richard in dismay, for I saw that he was very angry.

“That girl will have to go,” he said. “We will not have her at Far Flamstead.”

“Go?” I stammered.

“Yes. Send her back to your home. I’ll not have her prying ... listening at keyholes.”

“She’s a silly girl. I’ll give her a good scolding and warn her.”

“No, Angelet,” he said sternly, “That is not enough. I will not have her in Far Flamstead.

She is to be dismissed.”

“She will be heartbroken. I know her well. She has been with my family since she was about eleven. My mother thought she was the most suitable one to send with me.»

“She is most unsuitable and I will not have her in my house.»

“It was just a moment’s folly, I know. She is a silly frivolous girl and so interested in us... .”

He said, “Angelet, you will dismiss that girl. Let her go back when the next messengers come with letters.”

He was adamant. It was in the nature of a command, and although I knew it was rather harsh treatment for poor silly Mab, I knew I must do as he wished for I greatly feared to displease him.

I said, “All right. She shall go, but it will be hard for her ... and I have grown used to her. She was just beginning to know how to do my hair.” He stroked my hair gently. “We will find you a maid who is better at it. Tell her that she must prepare to go at once.”