‘But no matter – we are here now. And Mother has been telling me how gloriously the day went!’ Clara smiled encouragingly at Hannah, who responded with a small sad smile and then looked over quickly at Anne to check she wasn’t being watched, as seemed to have become a habit.
‘It was a beautiful day, was it not, Your Grace?’ Evelyn asked Anne, attempting to involve her in the conversation.
‘The sun indeed did shine that day, as I remember,’ Anne confirmed tightly.
Clara released a quiet sigh of derision, despairing that this woman would refer only to the weather on a day that should have been poignant for her. Hannah was immediately put on edge, but was relieved to observe that Anne seemed not to have noticed it.
‘Speaking of sun,’ Hannah rushed in to change the subject ‘how healthy you look! You have caught a slight tan on your skin from the Caribbean sun!’
‘Oh, really I try to avoid it, but it seems sun that hot can penetrate even bonnets and parasols…’ Clara batted the compliment away.
‘How vulgar it is for a woman’s skin colour to darken. Perhaps you should try a lighter powder to cover it,’ Anne suggested.
Clara looked quite taken aback and Hannah panicked that she might retort somehow – she was braver than Hannah was.
‘It must be extremely difficult to avoid the sun in such places,’ Hannah defended her sister.
Clara looked uncomfortably between Anne and Hannah ‘It certainly is.’
‘And where do you and James plan to travel next?’ Hannah enquired.
‘Hopefully, we should be based in London for a couple of months…’ Clara began.
‘’Oh, I do hope so!’ Hannah clapped her hands together joyously.
‘And then I believe on to Africa!’ Clara concluded.
Hannah breathed in delightfully and allowed her mind to wander briefly to exotic colourful countries – the freedom to travel wherever the wind carried you, to try new friends, indulge in unfamiliar cultures. She envied her sister’s independence and adventure. Clara’s eyes danced with animation as she talked about her travels and it was such a jarring contrast to the dull parlour room with it’s rigid formality and claustrophobic regulation.
‘How wonderful it must be…!’ Hannah enthused dreamily
‘It is no life for a lady of good breeding to be gallivanting across seas and land!’ Anne scoffed disapprovingly. ‘Do not procure such delusions for yourself, Hannah!’
Clara looked at Hannah quite dumbfounded but Hannah did not see it, for she lowered her eyes to her lap and forced herself to take a deep breath. Her life at Montwood suddenly felt so imprisoning. In comparison to Clara, who married for love, with a thrilling build-up to her extravagant wedding, Hannah felt as though she had been committed to a life of duty, obedience, and confining convention. It felt suddenly too much to cope with.
Evelyn feared the union could take a malicious turn and attempted to retain the social niceties.
‘I was admiring the flowers in your garden, Your Grace. How beautiful they are! Do you enjoy tending to the garden yourself?’
Anne huffed at the suggestion ‘No, I do not take any pleasure in the garden. Our groundsman sees to it that the gardens are maintained.’
‘I see,’ Evelyn nodded. It seemed however that even when they tried to steer the conversation to include Anne, she rebuffed it from every angle.
‘Clara,’ Hannah asserted, ‘might I show you a magnificent painting in the drawing room?’
‘Of course!’ Clara smiled.
‘If you will please excuse us a moment…’ Hannah addressed the two mothers as she took her sister’s hand and led her out of the parlour room.
Hannah dared not speak as they scurried across the hall – she knew that conversation would not be flowing between the Dowager Duchess and her mother which made it likely they would hear anything uttered in the foyer. She would wait until they were safely ensconced in the sound-absorbing furnishings of the luxurious drawing room.
‘Here it is!’ Hannah announced as she rushed her sister into the drawing room and indicated the large framed picture hanging above the fireplace, which was not lit, bringing a chilliness to the room that Hannah had not previously experienced there.
‘Oh, it is glorious!’ Clara declared, approaching the image in delight.
‘I must confess, dear sister – whilst I do simply adore this painting – it was rather a ruse to have some time alone with you to talk…’
Clara turned to look at Hannah, her face unsurprised.
