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‘You obviously don’t know what Piers is really like, my lady. He insinuated himself into our family years ago, pretending to be the rightful heir to the estate, and when that was proved to be untrue he managed to make my sister fall in love with him. Piers thinks only of himself. Why should Rosie and I allow our husbands to risk their necks to save someone as worthless as Piers Blanchard?’
‘My grandson has paid handsomely for his mistakes,’ Lady Pentelow said sharply. ‘Piers has served his time in the penal colony. He might be misguided in what he’s doing now, but I want him brought home.’
‘Please can we stop arguing about the rights and wrongs of Piers’ actions?’ Aurelia shook her head vehemently. ‘Why are you being so difficult, Patsy?’
‘We’ve come a long way,’ Nancy said quickly. ‘But if it’s inconvenient for us to stay here, there was a hostelry in the village. Perhaps we ought to go there.’
‘No, of course not.’ Aurelia rose to her feet. ‘We can’t offer luxury but I’ll send Ada to make up a fire in your room. You don’t mind sharing, do you?’
‘Of course not.’ Nancy could see that the slightest thing would send Patricia off on another rant against Piers and the Blanchard family, which would only make matters worse.
Aurelia stood up, clutching her shawl tightly around her. ‘I’ll let Mrs Witham know you’re here. We have very few servants left but the older ones have stayed on. I don’t know what we’d do without them.’
Patricia watched Aurelia as she pulled the tasselled cord to summon a servant. ‘How is it that your affairs have altered so quickly? Why wasn’t Alex told? I believe he has shares in the mine.’
‘Trade has been bad for several years.’ Aurelia sat down again, sighing. ‘Things would have been different had Piers chosen to come home as soon as he was set free.’
‘Just as I said. He’s irresponsible and selfish, but I dare say he’s making money out of his exploits in Barbados.’
‘If Aurelia had done what I ordered and married a man of means, none of this would have happened, but she insisted on marrying Martin Gibbs, a jumped-up miner.’ Lady Pentelow leaned back in her chair. ‘All this is too much for me. Leave me in peace until supper is ready. We no longer dine like civilised people, Patricia. You will have to live like peasants, as we do.’
‘Enter,’ Aurelia said in answer to a timid knock on the door.
‘You rang, ma’am?’ Ada edged into the room, glancing nervously at Lady Pentelow.
‘We have guests,’ Aurelia said simply. ‘Light a fire in the Chinoiserie bedchamber and make up the bed, please, Ada.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘And tell Cook there will be two more for supper tonight.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’ Ada curtsied, giving Patricia and Nancy a curious glance before hurrying from the room.
Aurelia turned to Nancy and Patricia with a hint of a smile. ‘We dine at six o’clock these days and retire to bed early in the winter to save money on coal and candles. I’m sure that Alex and Leo are much more comfortable on board ship than they were here, although neither of them complained.’
Patricia smiled. ‘Alex was a soldier and Leo spent time at sea, amongst other things, so they have both known discomfort. It’s you I’m worried about, Aurelia. You look—’
Aurelia held up her hand. ‘Don’t say it again, please. I know I’ve let myself turn into a slattern. It’s been a question of surviving, and I’ve had to turn my hand to all manner of things because so many of the servants have left.’
Patricia glanced at Lady Pentelow, who had nodded off to sleep and was snoring gently.
‘What happened to Martin? Is he still living in your old house?’
‘Yes, and he works at the mine. It was he who called the strike. He has nothing but spite for us now. I think he’s intent on ruining us, even if it means losing his job and his home. It was my fault, Patsy. I fell in love and I was blinded by my feelings for him.’ She gave Nancy a wry smile. ‘You might fall into the same trap one day, Nancy. Please be wary and listen to the advice of others.’
‘Nonsense,’ Patricia said sharply. ‘Nancy is far too sensible to allow her heart to overrule her head. She’s just escaped from my mother’s clutches, haven’t you, Nancy?’
‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that, but Mrs de Marney doesn’t need me now. Maybe I can help out here. I’m quite good at household matters.’
Patricia shook her head. ‘I’m afraid we won’t be here long enough to be much use. When I find out what has happened to Leo and Alex, we’ll be on our way home, Nancy. It’s Christmas next week and we don’t want to disappoint Dolly and Rory. Rosie is suffering because of Alexander’s idiotic quest to save his cousin. It’s not just about me, Aurelia.’
‘I understand. But there’s nothing we can do about it, so shall we forget Piers and the trouble he’s caused for an hour or two? There’s a decanter filled with blackberry wine – I made it myself and it’s quite potent. We haven’t been able to afford any luxuries, but I’ve become quite good at simple things like working in the still room.’ She sighed and then laughed. ‘I’ve become a good housewife even if I’ve lost my home and my husband.’
Nancy reached out to pat Aurelia on the shoulder. ‘I admire what you’ve done. I don’t know if I would be so brave in your circumstances.’
‘Just remember my example if you think you’ve fallen in love.’ Aurelia gave her a searching look. ‘I know that expression, Nancy. You have met someone, haven’t you?’
‘Of course not,’ Patricia said scornfully. ‘She would have confided in me, wouldn’t you, Nancy?’
