“Now,” Lady Easton said, “we will get settled and rest from our journey. Then, tea in the drawing room.” She’d turned to Caroline and said, “We have tea at four o’clock.”
Caroline had nodded, understanding that the lady meant four o’clocksharp.
“We will wish to have a quiet evening in, to recover from our journey,” Lady Easton went on. “Bramley, do tell me that our usual Thursday dinner is on offer?”
Bramley had nodded gravely. “Chickens have been procured, my lady.”
Lady Easton appeared vastly satisfied to hear that the chickens had been got, and Caroline wondered what she’d have done if they hadn’t been. Goodness, they were at the seaside, they should be enjoying the sea’s bounty at every opportunity. Instead, they would have chicken.
“Has my lord gone so far as to assign rooms?” Lady Easton asked her butler.
By the look on Bramley’s face, Lord Easton had not gone so far as to do much of anything. He shook his head, seeming to be in a state of grief over the question.
“Then I shall do it,” Lady Easton said, “Everyone, remain here while Bramley leads me up to view what I am left to deal with.”
Lady Easton sailed up the staircase while Bramley jogged ahead of her.
“Well Bertie,” Caroline said, “I suppose I am not to have a room with a pleasant view of the green on account of waving. Though your aunt insists you were only looking at my window because your eyes did not comprehend where they were going. Do they often get away from you and act of their own accord?”
One of the footmen snorted at this salvo and quickly turned away and fussed with the trunks to hide his laughter.
Lord Bertridge huffed and said, “Miss Upton, this taunting way of going on is not to be borne!”
Caroline shrugged. Whether Bertie could bear it or not was his own affair. Though, she had to admit he looked rather handsome in his fury. Almost as if she’d got a glimpse of what was underneath his careful façade.
Lady Easton appeared at the top of the staircase. “It is all arranged.” To the two footmen, she said, “Bramley will direct you with the trunks.” She turned and said, “Caroline, come with me, Bramley will show Richard where he is to be.”
Caroline picked up her skirts and flew up the stairs, leaving the huffing Lord Bertridge behind.
Much to her surprise, Lady Easton led her into a charming bedchamber that overlooked the green.
As Caroline peered out the window, the lady said, “Now I know we had that little dust-up about waving and Richard did advise a view to the garden but it is a very dreary view as you would mainly be staring at the house behind this one and I cannot like it for you.”
Caroline was rather touched by that. “Thank you, my lady. I shan’t wave to anybody.”
Lady Easton patted her arm and said, “I know you won’t, my dear. Now, Prudence will come in after she’s settled me and unpack for you. There is a little shelf in the corner there and so you might pass the time with a book. I have reviewed them all and do not find any of them offensive or inappropriate for a young lady.”
With that, she hurried to the corridor and closed the door behind her.
Caroline walked to the bookshelf and read through the titles. There certainly was not anything offensive, or anything interesting either. Most were dry tomes on military campaigns, there was a copy of Fordyce’s sermons that did not appear to ever have been opened, and the most exciting book was one with pastel drawings of the flowers in the area.
She hopped to the window, that being a far more interesting pastime.
One of two young bucks strolling along the path round the green near the house glanced up. He nudged his friend, and then the two smiled and waved at her.
Caroline sighed and closed the curtains. They looked genial, but she could not very well start waving out the window before she’d been in the house an hour. Lady Easton was at least counting on her forthat.
She amused herself by thumbing through the book on flowers and it was rather interesting. It seemed the seashore was a difficult master and only the hardiest of plants could survive the wind and the salt spray.
Prudence eventually came in and the first thing she did was place a small mantle clock above the fireplace. “Mr. Bramley has looked it over and pronounces it accurate,” Prudence said meaningfully.
Caroline laughed and said, “Do not upset yourself, Pru. I fully intend on being in the drawing room with at least a minute to spare.”
Prudence nodded and said softly, “You might even make it two minutes, just to be safe.”
“Very well, two minutes,” Caroline said agreeably.
Though the strict adherence to time by the minute had its irritations, it also had its amusing moments. On hearing her agree to two minutes, Prudence looked as if a physician had just told her she was not dying after all.
