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Chapter 11
The days following the feteand banquet were a blur; Rebecca could scarcely remember everything that transpired over the course of those days. They spent their time allowing Aylesham to become better acquainted with all of his in-laws in a more familial setting, conversing and touring the village. The Duke of Aylesham even played on the floor with the children at one point during the week.
Additionally, Isobel delivered her baby—a beautiful, tiny girl named Penelope, Penny for short. Rebecca, in her hobbled condition, wasn’t as much help as she wished, but she did what she could to read stories to little Edmund and Sarah, as Wynn was needed to attend to Isobel and little Penny.
Rebecca needed these diversions, or she would have spent altogether too much time dwelling on her last conversation with Ben. He had been cordial and distant at the banquet. Rebecca, in turn, had conversed with the other guests after the surprise request for her to perform on the pianoforte and the impromptu entertainments that had followed, including a moving performance by Delia of Portia fromThe Merchant of Venice. Despite Rebecca’s best efforts to be indifferent, however, Ben had always managed to draw her attention: his applause after her performance, his voice filtering across the room from his conversation with Artie and Delia, the kindness of his gaze as he’d spoken to Hannah Broome.
He had not bid her goodbye when he’d left that evening. It was undoubtedly for the best that he had not.
While the days with family since that evening had served as a distraction, they hadn’t been entirely successful at suppressing her thoughts of Ben. She desperately wished she could help him, that he would let her help him. His insistence that she go to London to alleviate some of his guilt was all he would let her do. She understood that. It didn’t make her feel any better, however.
The two-day journey in Aylesham’s lavish coach was exciting, she allowed. They spent their time in the coach making plans, and the descriptions Susan and the duke provided of the landmarks of London were informative and enjoyable, but the feel of Ben’s lips on her fingers when he’d bid her farewell in the garden lingered, and the look in his eyes continued to haunt her.
They finally arrived in London, and the coach rolled to a stop at the entrance of the duke’s London residence, Aylesham House. Rebecca peered through the coach’s window at the towering mansion, her eyes wide as she took in the details: the numerous windows, the immense columns and arches. Rebecca could scarcely fathom such wealth.
“Come, dear sister,” Aylesham said, extending his hand to her to assist her from the coach. “It has been a tiring journey, and no doubt you and my duchess would care to refresh yourselves and rest a bit. Afterward, if you like, I will take you on a tour of Aylesham House so you will feel more comfortable in your temporary lodgings.”
“Thank you,” Rebecca said, noting that—once again—her feisty, independent sister gave the duke a melting look and then he did the same. Rebecca realized she was going to have to do all in her power to give them the time they deserved together as newlyweds and not have them fretting over the invalid little sister.
“I was wondering,” she began as she released Aylesham’s hand and took her crutches from the footman, “if you might know someone whom you trust to evaluate my ankle. Mr. Moody is a fine surgeon, and I am most grateful for his care, but I wonder if a London surgeon may be able to shed more light upon the subject of my recovery.”
“What an excellent idea!” Susan exclaimed. “It would be helpful to our plans if we had a decisive answer about when she may remove the splint from her ankle, George. Don’t you agree?”
“Of course I do,” Aylesham said with another indulgent gaze. “Which is why I wrote to Dr. Archibald before we left Lincolnshire, asking him to meet us here tomorrow morning, if that is agreeable to you both, naturally. Undoubtedly, it was pretentious of me to arrange such a meeting without discussing it with you both first. I hope you will forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive,” Rebecca said, moved by his efforts on her behalf. “Indeed, I thank you for your foresight.” She looked beyond her sister and brother-in-law and saw that Aylesham House’s staff were lined up, waiting to greet the duke and duchess and their guest: butler, housekeeper, first maid, first footman, and on down the line. It was altogether overwhelming to see the number of servants needed to meet the demands of a ducal household and staggering in comparison to the number of servants at Alderwood.
Oh, but she was a green girl! Much more unsophisticated than she’d even imagined herself to be. She gazed about the spacious entry hall, with its nooks for sculptures and a painted ceiling giving the appearance of soaring heavenward, an enormous chandelier ablaze in candlelight as the center focus.
She barely kept herself from gaping in wonder as she followed Susan, who the housekeeper, Mrs.—oh, what was her name?—was leading up the main stairway and down a corridor to the guest room that Rebecca presumed would be hers during her time in London.
The housekeeper eventually came to a stop and opened the door, gesturing for Rebecca and Susan to enter. “If there is anything you need, Duchess, miss, you have only to ring.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Chilton,” Susan said.
Chilton! That was it. Rebecca was going to have a devil of a time remembering all the names of all the people she was going to meet. She plopped into a chair, nearly dropping her crutches.
Mrs. Chilton curtsied and closed the door behind her.
“It can be rather overwhelming at first,” Susan said, obviously recognizing Rebecca’s dumbfounded expression. “Not to worry though. You shall have me at your side, I promise. And I daresay you shall soon have Lady Walmsley at your side and Aylesham nearby to intimidate anyone he deems unworthy of his now dear little sister.” She grinned. “He was utterly astounded by his welcome into the family. It rather gave me the upper hand over him for a day or two.” Her expression softened. “I cannot imagine not having any brothers and sisters, can you? Had it not been for our brothers, I daresay the great Duke of Aylesham would have intimidated me to no end. But when one has spent time with the Jennings boys, one learns a thing or two—even and especially if one is a sister!”
“That is true.” Since Rebecca was several years younger than Susan and most of their brothers, she doubted she had learned the same thing or two Susan had learned, but she had learned a bit.
But Susan’s comments about Aylesham being overwhelmed by their large and boisterous family made sense and also reminded her of his similarity to Ben in that regard. Like Aylesham, Ben had no siblings to help him understand the relationships between such attachments, or why Rebecca’s brothers had been protective of her and unwelcoming to him. They had opened their arms wide in brotherly acceptance to the Duke of Aylesham, however. It seemed unfair. “This may seem like a change of subject, but I’d like to be sure the Earl of Winton receives an invitation to my come-out ball,” she said.
“Indeed?” Susan said, raising an eyebrow. “If that is your wish, then certainly, we can send him an invitation. I would suggest, however, that you spend a bit of time here in Town mingling with Society and meeting other young people, especially young gentlemen. We come from a rather small village, you know, and I would love for you to enjoy yourself before you set your cap on one individual.”
“My cap isn’t set,” Rebecca said, which wasn’t entirely true, although she would try to make good on the promise she’d made to Ben . . . and to herself. “But he is a friend, and even your lofty husband said Ben is needed in Parliament and should come to Town.”
“Very well,” Susan said. She chuckled to herself. “Lofty indeed.”
“Besides, Ben himself told me to make friends and indulge in flirtation and fun while I’m here.”
“My opinion of him rises even higher if that is truly what he said. Very wise of him.” She leaned over and kissed Rebecca on the cheek. “Now, if you think you will be all right, I believe I shall leave you for about an hour and let you rest from your journey. Then we shall take tea, and by then, I’m sure Aylesham will be ready to show you the house.” She glanced down at Rebecca’s ankle and over to her crutches. “But, perhaps, only part of the house so that you are not too tired.”
“Thank you,” Rebecca said.
Susan smiled. “I am glad to have you with me in London at last. And I want you to rest well, for I intend for us to be very busy taking in the sights and mingling with Society. I want to watch your expression at everything you see and experience. It shall be jolly fun!” She left the room, closing the door softly, and Rebecca heaved a sigh. She was here in London, as she’d planned and imagined her entire life. She was truly excited to be here; she had already seen things that had enlarged her view of the world outside Lower Alderwood.
