AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 4
The rain continued for anotherthree days, which was somewhat unusual for this time of year, and it was unseasonably cold too. Mr. Fortescue didn’t call during that time, and Rebecca discovered that she missed his company. At the very least, his visits had seemed to break up the tedium of the day.
It was fortunate, therefore, that Rebecca was becoming more comfortable using the crutches he had given her and that her ankle was beginning to ache less. Occasionally, if she accidentally bumped into something when going from her bedroom upstairs to the chaise longue on the main floor, the sharp pain shooting through her foot and up her leg would remind her she had a ways to go before her ankle would be completely healed.
Mr. Moody returned to examine her plaster and check her ankle and leg for any sign of infection and, while Rebecca held her breath, finally expressed his satisfaction at the improvement he was already seeing.
“Must I continue spending my days on this chaise longue?” she asked him as he snapped his black bag shut. “Or may I get up and move about more?”
“Only if you are exceedingly careful, young lady. I personally would not recommend it, but as you are young and healthy and your ankle seems to be healing nicely, I believe you may move about for a brief amount of time each day—aided by your crutches, mind you.”
“Are you certain, Mr. Moody?” Mama asked with concern on her face.
“Mama!” Rebecca said. “I shall go mad if I am to spend the majority of my time for the entire next month or even longer on the chaise longue.” Annie had helped her dress each morning, and then Rebecca had come downstairs, assisted by Papa, her brother Thomas, or Albert, the footman, and then she had stayed downstairs until bedtime.
“Ihaveseen good results in my younger patients,” Mr. Moody said thoughtfully. “Their bones seem to knit together more swiftly than those of us older folks. I would recommend you not overdo it, however, Miss Rebecca. Caution is imperative, unless you want to cause yourself further injury. Begin slowly.”
“I will, I promise, and thank you!” Rebecca said.
Feeling freed from the chaise longue, with permission to move about the house more, Rebecca grabbed her crutches and headed for the music room immediately after Mr. Moody left.
As she made her way down the corridor, reflecting on her newfound freedom, she realized what the past week had done in terms of her perspective. It was easy to feel sorry for oneself when faced with a huge disappointment or when expectations weren’t met. It was easy to feel sorry for oneself when life seemed unfair. She had certainly done a great deal of that the past few days.
But right now, in this very moment, the idea that she could venture farther on her crutches and try to rebuild some of her lost strength, to search Papa’s library for new reading materials, and,especially, to venture into the music room and play her beloved pianoforte once again, was something for which she was grateful. It may not hold the thrill of London, but it was something that would bring her a few minutes of peace.
Albert happened to see her as she clumsily continued down the corridor, which was fortunate, as he was on hand to open the music room door for her.
“Is there anything else you need, Miss Rebecca?” he asked as she made her way to the pianoforte in the far corner of the room.
She plopped rather indelicately onto the pianoforte bench, surprised by how tired she felt after such a seemingly short walk. “Yes, thank you, Albert. If you could retrieve that stack of music atop the cabinet over there and bring it to me, I would be ever so grateful.” Mama had given up scolding her for not returning her copies of music to their proper places inside the cabinet; it was so much easier to simply keep the music out since she always retrieved the same ones and it was less effort on her part, despite its untidy appearance. Today, it was especially convenient, for poor Albert wouldn’t have to sort through all the stacks of music she’d collected over the years just to find her selected favorites.
She warmed up her fingers first with a few scales and arpeggios and then turned to a collection of Scarlatti sonatas. They were short pieces and delightful to perform, and considering the fact that she was feeling less gloomy after Mr. Moody’s encouraging words, they fit her state of mind rather well.
After playing a few of those, she reached next for Haydn and was in the process of setting the music on the music stand when Mama burst into the room.
“A letter from Susan has arrived,” she said, waving it in the air. “I thought perhaps you and I could read it together.”
Rebecca took a deep breath as anxiety rose within her at Mama’s words. She wasn’t ready to hear what she was missing in London, even knowing she’d made Susan promise to write to her.
Mama pulled a chair next to the pianoforte, sat, and then broke the seal on the letter. “Well, I expected something longer than this, and it appears that it took her a few days to post it too,” she said, holding it up for Rebecca to see. Indeed, it was a brief letter, mostly informing them that Susan and James had arrived in London safely and that Lady Walmsley was a sweet, elderly woman with whom they would all enjoy becoming acquainted.
“‘And it would be just my luck,’” Mama read aloud, “‘that I would meet the most loathsome man I have ever had the misfortune of encountering. A friend of James’s, apparently, so there is no accounting for taste when it comes to our brother’s acquaintances. And so, dear little sister, not everything is entirely rosy, even in London. All my love, Susan.’ There, you see?” Mama said, smiling brightly at Rebecca as she folded the missive and tucked it into her pocket. “You aren’t missing as much as you thought, if Susan’s words are anything to go by. I wish she’d told me more about how James is faring or if she’s seen your brother Simon yet. Ah well.” She rose to her feet. “I shall leave you so you may continue playing the pianoforte. It always has provided you with so much joy, and if I hadn’t promised the vicar that I would help with the ladies’ auxiliary this afternoon, I would stay and enjoy your music for a little while.” She leaned over, wrapping one arm about Rebecca’s shoulder, and kissed her on the cheek.
Rebecca hugged her about the waist. “Thank you, Mama. And thank you for allowing us to read the letter together. It means a great deal to me.”
“I know it does,” Mama said. “I may try to cast things in a positive light, but I know how disappointed you were not to be able to go with Susan after all your plans.” She patted Rebecca’s shoulder and pressed another kiss to her cheek. “I’ll see you at supper.”
Rebecca sat quietly for a while after Mama left.Whydid she have to break her ankle? She should have been there to support Susan when she’d encountered this loathsome man, whoever he was. Susan had given up on marryingagesago, and now she was being thrust into London Society, where people would scorn her age, call her a spinster behind her back, and look upon her with disdain. And Rebecca wasn’t there to be her companion and for them to provide mutual support for each other. They weren’t able to enjoy the great events together. Susan hadn’t even been the one who’d been interested in traveling to London! She’d agreed to go in order to be there for Rebecca.
The more Rebecca thought about Susan’s letter, the lower her mood began to sink.
* * *
Ben hadn’t called on Miss Rebecca for three days now, as the unseasonable rain and cold had given him a convenient excuse to remain at home. Unfortunately, at least to his way of thinking, the weather had begun to improve, and he had no excuse not to keep his promise to call upon her when the rain let up.
Which was why he was standing in the entry hall of Alderwood with the family butler assisting him in the removal of his overcoat and hat once again and Lady Thurlby herself arriving in the hall to greet him.
“Ah, Mr. Fortescue,” she said cheerfully. “I amsopleased to see you after such dismal weather has kept you from us. I myself am off to the vicarage at present, but I can spare an extra moment to take you to the music room. Rebecca is there, you see, playing the pianoforte, as Mr. Moody has said her leg is improving nicely and has given her permission to move about a bit more.” She turned and started down the corridor from which she’d just arrived, gesturing for him to follow her. “No, it’s all right, Hawkins,” she said to the butler when he started to object. “Perhaps you can see that tea is brought to the music room?”
