Hannah turned to her mother and the scene was so surreal to her. Here was her mother who was so much a part of the furniture that made up her everyday life and yet in the past week, since her wedding day she had neither seen her nor spoken to her. Hannah rushed her mother into an embrace and as she breathed in her familiar perfume, she suddenly felt a pit of sad nostalgia in her gut; a longing for the Haworth residence; for her old bedchambers and her quiet days painting with Sophia by her side. She even missed her mother’s consistent reprimands with regard to her painting. All conventional domesticity that she had quite taken for granted now stung to think of. She felt quite homesick.
Clara grabbed Hannah’s attention back and held her by her upper arms.
‘Let me look at you, sister…’ a slight frown crossed her face. ‘Why, you look quite different…’
Before Clara could elaborate, Anne’s stern voice cut through the air as she rounded the corner.
‘I hear we have guests?’
Evelyn straightened up, standing on ceremony and Clara leaned to see the woman, whom she had no doubt been told about.
‘Good day to you, Your Grace,’ Evelyn greeted Anne and curtsied. ‘We apologise for intervening and hope you consent to a spontaneous visit…’
Anne smiled falsely and looked over at Hannah before responding.
‘Of course. You are now family, after all…’ it seemed to Hannah that Anne spoke the words through gritted teeth.
Whilst Hannah understood there had probably been no time in which to announce their visit, having only returned from abroad just yesterday, she feared the impulsiveness of the call would only add to the ammunition Anne was building against her. Hannah knew that Anne was a woman who believed in doing things properly and Hannah’s mother and sister just showing up would further prove to Anne that the Haworths were not adequate stock to be taken into the Montwood family.
Hannah withered as Anne joined them.
‘May I introduce my eldest daughter, and Hannah’s older sister; Lady Clara Ashworth…’ Evelyn motioned to Clara, who took Anne’s hand and curtsied, but did not lower her eyes; she kept them firmly on the Dowager Duchess.
‘Your Grace. It is an honour to meet you,’ Clara said sweetly.
Hannah noted how her mother was rigid with formality and she realised this was probably how she, herself, looked most of the time when Anne was around. For one moment when her family arrived, Hannah had relaxed and felt able to entirely be herself. Now that Anne had arrived, the fondness and communion had evaporated.
‘Come to my parlour room,’ Anne instructed. ‘We will take tea.’
The three Haworth ladies exchanged unnerved glances and followed Anne’s echoing footsteps in silence.
***
‘Hannah, will you pour, as lady of the house?’ Anne suggested, putting a dark emphasis on the title. Hannah bristled at the mention of it, knowing that just days before, Anne had reminded the house staff in no uncertain terms that she, the Dowager Duchess, should still be considered the main lady of the house.
Hannah forced a smile and poured the tea for all the ladies gathered but was acutely aware of how her hand was trembling. She saw Clara notice it and shoot her a concerned glance. Clara had also noticed how thin Hannah had become and narrowed her eyes, watching her sister with worry.
‘Do try not to spill, dear,’ Anne commented, enjoying the spectacle.
Hannah blushed and, on completing the duty, took her seat promptly. Nobody else had spoken and Hannah hated it – if Anne were not there, Clara and her mother would be tripping over each other to ask questions and gossip and Hannah almost cried wishing that were her reality and not this stiffness and constant scrutiny.
‘James sends his warmest regards, Hannah,’ Clara broke the tense silence, then she turned to the Dowager Duchess to elaborate. ‘My husband, Lord James Ashworth – he is very successful in Trading and Importing Overseas Goods so we travel most of the year and are hardly ever home…’
Most people would feel compelled to ask where they had recently visited or enquired as to the quality of their journey, but Anne remained tight-lipped and simply nodded an acknowledgment that Clara had spoken.
Evelyn dived in to save Clara from embarrassment ‘Do tell your sister where you have been these past few months!’
‘Oh Hannah, it has been quite marvellous!’ Clara reached out to touch her sister’s arm. ‘We have been in the Caribbean islands. You honestly have not seen such a beautiful place! The things you could paint-’ Clara instantly realised her mistake and all three ladies looked to Anne in horror to see if she reacted, and were relieved when she did not lift her eyes from her teacup.
‘I mean, the things you could eat there…I tried the most incredible fruit. A Coconut – it tasted like juicy white crunchy flesh within a large hairy nutshell and I consumed a very strange sweet fruit that was long and encased in a bright yellow waxy jacket! Can you imagine!’
Hannah smiled, caught up in Clara’s enthusiasm – she so loved to hear of her adventures whenever she visited.
‘How long was your crossing to return home?’ Hannah ventured.
‘Urgh, a tiresome eight weeks! We boarded in March – it is such a long time to be at sea. Frustratingly, we were only days off being here in which case would have been present to attend your wedding! It was so close. But I hear the Duke requested a special license and so-’
Anne loudly cleared her throat, indicating the topic should not be discussed. Clara quickly took a sip of her tea to cover her indiscretion.
