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Chapter 19
Giulia sat at the writing table in the drawing room, scanning the papers neatly set out before her, the afternoon sun highlighting her wild, brown hair. The concentration on her brow pulled her eyebrows together, and she chewed on her lower lip. It was a familiar image and Mabel stored it away for the future when her friend was moved into Halstead Manor after the wedding and would no longer complete mundane tasks in this house such as letter writing or going over preparations for a ball.
“Is there truly nothing I can do to be of assistance?” Mabel asked, leaning over on the settee to better see her friend. “I feel useless.”
Giulia quirked an eyebrow. “You are coming as a guest, Mabel. You shouldn’t feel useless, exactly, but understand that I will not be putting you to work. I expect you to enjoy yourself.” She flourished her hand through the air. “Find a handsome man and dance all night.”
“I shan’t be doing any dancing if this wretched leg is still bothering me tomorrow.” She leaned down, squeezing her calf. Pain shot clear up to her hip and she grimaced.
Giulia’s dark eyebrows pulled together. “Do you need to skip the literary society today? I can tell Hattie and Amelia why you’ve decided not to come if you wish to rest for tomorrow. They will understand.”
“No, I have not seen either of them in a fortnight beyond passing in the church yard. And that does not count, not truly. I won’t skip the literary society to save my leg.” She sent Giulia an arch look. “I might be happy of the excuse to sit out the dancing tomorrow anyway, if I am to be honest.”
“In that case, we ought to be leaving soon.”
Mabel stood, her leg aching with each clumsy step toward the door. Her ride earlier to the vale had been foolish, only adding to her pain. But there was little she could do about that now. Gathering the folds of her habit’s skirt, she lifted the hem from the floor so it wouldn’t collect dust, resting her other hand on the wall. “Shall I request the horses be brought around?”
Giulia’s focus remained on the sheets of paper before her, but she nodded absently.
Mabel asked for the horses to be saddled, then waited for her friend to join her by the front door.
“Are you going somewhere exciting?” a saccharine voice said, preceding the figure who stepped into the lit entryway. The early afternoon sun shone through the window above the door and lit the marble floor in a tilted square, and Miss Sophy inched forward, narrowing her eyes against the bright rays of light.
“Not yet,” Mabel answered. “Is there anything I might do for you before I leave?”
“I had wondered if we might plan a drive to the seaside.”
“Our beaches here are not what you’d find in Brighton.”
“Of course they aren’t, but the outing would be enjoyable, yes? And I should dearly love to see what sort of beaches Devon has to offer. Even if they aren’t as lovely as what I’m used to.”
They were certainly lovely, but they lacked the bathing machines and resorts along the coast. Mabel gave the woman a tight smile, grateful to see Giulia heading toward them. “I will see what I can do. We will be attending Giulia’s ball tomorrow, so perhaps the day following.”
“Or the day following that,” Miss Sophy said, “so we are not forced to rise early after a night of dancing.”
Giulia glanced between them. “What is this?”
“Plans to visit the seaside,” Miss Sophy said.
“What a lovely idea.” Giulia grinned. “The distraction is well-timed for me.”
“Indeed,” Mabel said, smiling between the women. “Well, we must be off. We will see you at dinner.”
Miss Sophy dipped her head, and Mabel and Giulia returned the action. They were outside and halfway to their waiting horses when Mabel leaned close to her friend and lowered her voice. “Ought I to have invited her?”
“No.”
Mabel paused. “You are quite decided in that opinion.”
Shrugging, she smiled unapologetically. “This is not just tea with friends, Mabel. The literary society is a safe space for the four of us, and while I commend your bend toward inclusivity, it is not warranted in this situation. Did not Amelia consult with you and Hattie before inviting me to join your ranks?”
“Yes.”
“Then there it is.” Using the mounting block, Giulia lifted herself into her saddle.
Mabel followed behind, allowing Giulia to go ahead of her so her friend might not see the strain on her face. Her leg throbbed acutely, but she gritted her teeth and waited for the waves of pain to pass. It only needed a rest. She would return home later and put it up for the rest of the evening and by morning she would not feel a thing.
For the last four years, she had managed the ache in her leg well enough, and it only bothered her when she stressed it. But recently the pain had seemed to increase in both strength and frequency, becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore.
