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Chapter 7
Isabel had been expecting to sleep badly – it wasn’t the bed she was used to, after all – but she was surprised that it was quite comfortable. Or maybe it was comfortable because she was so tired, and floorboards would have felt like heaven at this point. Whatever it was, Isabel ended up sleeping very deeply.
When she woke up in the morning, it was quiet. Not as quiet as she was used to, but it was pleasant. There was a little clatter, and voices floated up to her room, but it wasn’t as bad as she expected. Isabel lay in bed for a moment, allowing herself to get her bearings. This house was going to take some getting used to.
But it was their only option. If this was going to be their last comfort before they ended up being in service or an even smaller dwelling, they had better make the most of it.
Isabel got out of bed and went to the window, pulling aside the thin curtains. She was mostly looking into the gardens of the houses behind them. The gardens were very nice, a small expanse of green but still with many flowers and trees.
Their own garden looked very pretty, and Isabel could see herself sitting under the tree at the back of the garden with a book or exploring for more specimens. To her right, if she leaned out a little, she could see the trees in Hyde Park. They were full of blossom.
She did like a long walk, and Isabel had heard from her few friends in Devon that the parks in London were beautiful. They were perfect for exploring. Isabel was going to need it in between lessons. Her mother had planned on starting her training this morning, which Isabel wasn’t looking forward to. She could only hope she picked things up quickly; otherwise, she was going to really struggle.
Isabel didn’t like struggling with something. She felt like a simple fool, and it was embarrassing.
If only Mr Cohen were here with her. Isabel would have been fine taking more lessons from him. He was extremely patient and didn’t mind if it took Isabel slightly longer to understand what he said, her enthusiasm to learn was enough for him. Lady Dunley was not like Mr Cohen; she had taught Isabel a few things before, but she ended up getting frustrated.
Isabel could see a few squabbles happening today.
Washing herself and dressing, she headed downstairs to the dining room. Lady Dunley was already there, reading through the morning letters.
“Good morning, Mother.”
“Hmm? Oh, good morning, dear.” Lady Dunley was frowning as she looked up at her daughter. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did, actually. I wasn’t expecting that.” Isabel sat down and looked around. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Bacon and eggs and some toast. Mr Moorweather said that was all he was able to do with the budget.” Lady Dunley nodded at her half-eaten plate. “He’s not done too bad a job. He’ll never be DuBois, but he’ll do.”
Isabel could agree with that. Mr Moorweather could cook, and his food was good. She could happily eat what he made. But she did miss Cook. He was just splendid in the kitchen. No one else could compare to him, which was a shame. However, if they did have to have someone else making their meals, Mr Moorweather would be a suitable replacement.
One of the footmen came in and placed her breakfast in front of her. Isabel began to eat, nodding when the footman held up the coffee pot. She was going to need a lot of coffee to stop herself from falling asleep during these lessons. They were bound to be boring.
“So, are we still starting my training today?” Isabel asked around a mouthful of egg. “Can I have the morning to myself, and then we start in the afternoon?”
“I’m afraid not. You’re going to have to start as soon as we’ve had breakfast.” Lady Dunley held up a square piece of card that glinted in the light. “This just came through this morning. It’s an invitation to an earl’s residence in two weeks. He’s having a ball.”
Isabel froze.
“I ... I thought I would have more time to get myself prepared. That’s only two weeks away!”
“I’m sure we’ll be able to manage, darling.” Lady Dunley put the letters aside and picked up her coffee cup. “It’s not going to be easy, but it’s the best we’ve got.”
“I won’t be able to get anyone’s attention! I know I can’t!”
Isabel looked down at herself. She could talk widely about the classics or sciences, but that was about it. She didn’t think any woman would want to talk about that, and she knew she would stand out like a sore thumb, especially with her bad posture. While Isabel didn’t know much about Society, she certainly knew that if she got something wrong on her first big occasion, everyone was going to remember, and then Isabel was going to struggle severely to get back on an even footing.
This was not good at all.
“Oh, Isabel, don’t be such a pessimist already,” her mother said reproachfully as she began to continue eating her breakfast. “We’ve got two weeks, which will be plenty of time. And we can also get the dresses needed for your social engagements.”
“How many dresses will I need?”
“We’ll get them as and when.” Lady Dunley gestured at the letters. “As long as I don’t give any to the current Lord Dunley, we’ll have plenty to keep us going for the year.”
The thought of keeping the money away from the new viscount made Isabel giggle. He had considered it a gesture of goodwill to allow Lady Dunley to keep using the title, but that was about it. He expected the former viscountess to pay off her husband’s debts instead of doing it himself, as he should have done. Lady Dunley liked to be mild-mannered, but she was very passionate about not doing as she was told this time.
Isabel liked that. Her cousin had put them in such a horrible position. She had no loyalty to him.
