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CHAPTER2
Aweek later
Dover, England
Lady Arabella Stewart leaned into her looking glass and pinched her cheeks, adding more natural color to the small dab of blush her lady’s maid had given her. She would not dare add more from the blush pot, as Father would have made her wash her face again, only to start over. He disapproved of thepretentiousness, as he called it, that makeup offered. Not that she wished to defy the wishes of her dear father, but her features were drab, and in her opinion, they needed warming up. It was a term Mary, her maid, always used.Let’s warm up those cheeks, milady, she would say. Mary said she recalled being told that as a child and used the phrase often.
Bella, as everyone called her, had met Mary as a child in Hyde Park. The little girl had wandered into the duck pond and there was nary an adult nearby. She had looked so dirty, and her clothing had been torn. Bella’s governess, Miss Shires, snatched up the child and took her home with them. “We will see what Lady Stewart says, but my instincts tell me that this child needs better circumstances,” she said.
Bella had been five, but her memory of that day was crystal clear. A man chased their carriage as they left the park. His black hat and his clothing were ragged and dirty. Miss Shires contended he had Mary at the park trying to teach her to pickpocket. Instead, the child had taken residence in the pond with the ducks, splashing and carrying on. He must have seen her leave, but from the back, most carriages looked the same, so once they were out of the park, she was safe.
For years, Mary had worn Bella’s cast-offs. With their age difference as narrow as it was, and their sizes similar, Mary received all of Bella’s clothing once Bella grew out of them or discarded them for newer ones. This had continued for years. Bella was one year shy of her twentieth birthday, and it was the Season. Expecting she might find a match, she had begged her mother to allow Mary to stay with her, should she make a match. Her mother liked Mary and had relented, thinking two sisters could not have been closer. She felt her daughter and Mary would be safe.
“Milady, are you excited about our trip to town today? I am to accompany you, so you will have time to spend in the bookshop.”
“You do not fool me, Mary,” Bella laughed. “You want to spend time in the bookshop, just as much as I do. Try not to be obvious. Mr. Greene, the proprietor, knows you read, but many of his patrons will not approve.” She looked at her friend. “I wish it was different, But Mama says, change comes one brick at a time. You know how to read, so that is a gift you can share with another.”
“I appreciate all that your mother and you have done to help me,” Mary said. “I feel blessed that Miss Shire grabbed me from that pond and took me home.”
“I am too. You are more like a sister to me than Paulette,” Bella sighed, deftly taking out the smudge pot and adding to what Mary had already done to her eyelashes.
“Milady!” Mary feigned irritation with her hands on her hips. “Yer mother will notice if yer father does not.”
“Your,” Bella corrected.
“Your,” Mary repeated quietly. “I try to speak correctly with you, but I cannot afford to appear better than the other servants in the house. I do not want to stir up a hornet’s nest. They assume we are friends, but there’s only so much they can bear of my acting above them in my speech.”
“I understand,” Bella said. And she did understand. “’Tis just important to me you have an education and know how to speak properly. You have always been good to me, and I only want the best for you.”
“Thank you, milady.” Mary finished Bella’s hair and handed her mistress a looking glass.
“I love it, Mary. It is exquisite!” Mary had carefully crafted a lovely handful of curls and fashioned them into a loosely braided bun on the back of Bella’s head and allowed long strands of barrel-curls to cascade down beneath it. She had woven thin pink and white ribbons throughout the hair, creating a delicate look.
“Your dark tresses look lovely with that pink and white striped chiffon walking dress.” It had white lace at the collar and sleeves and pearl buttons on the front with a pink satin ribbon that ran under her breasts. Mary had taken another ribbon and threaded it through her hair, having it become part of the braided bun.
“The carriage should be downstairs. Mama is entertaining. I say we go as quickly as possible before I get drawn into the parlor with my mother’s callers,” Bella suggested, grabbing the matching pink and white parasol, gloves, and straw bonnet.
“You can be a wicked girl,” Mary shot back playfully.
Bella knew she needed to be less friendly with Mary, but just could not pull it off when they were alone. Mary was her confidant in all things. She had close friends outside of the house, but Mary had always been here with her. It felt natural to turn to Mary.
Downstairs, she accepted her pelisse from Gordon, their butler, as he opened the door. “Shall I give the countess a message, my lady?”
“Mama is aware we are going,” Bella said. “But yes, please tell her I wanted to get an early start and did not wish to interrupt her company.” Bella found herself fidgety when she was made to sit with some of her mother’s company. The conversations were always dull—mostly about flowers or who recently married and who they were related to, to the point of nausea. If the guest was a closer friend of her mother’s, it might be about the latest scandal that had hit the tabloids, admittedly something more interesting. Bella was not willing to risk her morning.
“Very good, my lady,” Gordon said, sketching a small bow and closing the door behind the two girls.
Bella and Mary hurried down the steps to the waiting carriage.
It was almost December, and part of the reason Bella had come to town was to purchase something special for her mother and father. They frowned on excessive spending, but never minded the small gifts she found for Christmastide. Mama had begun to play the pianoforte more and more lately, and Bella thought some sheet music would be nice. With that in mind, she opened the door to the corner bookstore and walked in. A bell rang as the door closed behind the two ladies.
“Have you acquired any sheet music, Mr. Greene? Mama has begun to play the pianoforte again and enjoys it. I thought a marvelous piece of music would be a delightful addition to her collection.” Spying a small leather-bound copy ofPride and Prejudice, she scooped it up, handing it to Mr. Greene to wrap it up before Mary could see it. “This looks like a perfect book to add to my collection,” she said, giving an exaggerated wink at the bookstore proprietor. Mr. Greene smiled and nodded, accustomed to the antics and friendliness of Lady Bella and her maid.
“I think I have just the piece! Right this way, Lady Bella,” he said, leading her to the back row of the store. “I just received this score a week ago. It is by Mr. Beethoven. Your mother will surely enjoy playing it. His pieces never stay in here for long, and with the holidays upon us, I am certain this will be purchased quickly.”
Bella scanned the parchment. The musical arrangement looked glorious, but she would have to wait until after she gifted it to Mama before she played it herself. It was important to keep the surprise.
The doorbell jangled and Mr. Greene returned to the front, leaving her to browse the back shelves. Bella could not resist and pushed some books out of the way, clearing a small path to see the unknown visitor. He was tall with dark hair to his shoulders, and even though she was certain he could not see her, it appeared as if his brown eyes beheld her in their gaze.Surely not,she told herself. She looked behind her and caught Mary with her appreciative grin pasted on her face. “Mary!” she whispered. “Look away.”
