she guessed that their hostess had used her time of mourning to good purpose, ordering the house to her own taste. She had left the parlour untouched, perhaps because it was so very comfortable. Susannah approved of what had been done here and thought how nice it would feel to be in a position to do as one wished. She would love to have the task of refurbishing a large house, but it was expensive. Money was certainly important for a comfortable life.
Left to herself, Susannah sighed. She so longed for romance, but she also knew her duty to Mama. Mama belonged in a house like this, not the cottage she was forced to live in these days. Her only chance of a better life was for Susannah to make a suitable match.
Susannah had finished her examination of the room and begun to change out of her travelling gown when someone knocked at the door. Thinking it must be her mama, she called out that she might enter. A young girl with brown hair and dark eyes came in. She smiled and bobbed a curtsy, seeming a little shy.
‘My name is Iris, Miss Hampton,’ she said. ‘Miss Royston says I am to be your maid for the next few weeks and accompany you to London.’
‘Oh …’ Susannah was surprised; she had grown used to looking after herself at the cottage, but it would be nice to be waited on again, if only for a few weeks. ‘Please come in, Iris. I knew someone had unpacked the gown I wished to wear for this evening—was that you?’
‘Yes, miss. I pressed it while you were having tea.’ Iris looked at her with interest. ‘You have lovely hair, miss. May I dress it for you?’
‘Do you know how to?’ Susannah was hesitant, for her hair was so fine and she could never get it to stay tidy for long.
‘My mother used to be a lady’s maid before she married,’ Iris told her. ‘She taught me all the skills I need and Miss Royston took me on a few weeks ago. She has her own dresser, but I was allowed to help—and now I am to serve you. It will be exciting to visit London, miss.’
‘Yes, it will.’ Susannah smiled at her. ‘Well, you may put my hair up for me this evening,’ she said. ‘I have been experimenting with it myself, but it always falls down again. We shall see what you can do, Iris.’
‘I think I can manage to make it stay in place, miss,’ Iris said. ‘You will be surprised at the difference it will make.’
Susannah felt very grand as she went down for dinner that evening. She was wearing an expensive yellow gown Mama had bought her for her birthday a few weeks before Papa died. She had not worn it since, because she had not had reason to do so, but this evening was a celebration and she wished to look her best. Her hair was dressed softly into a double loop at the back of her head, caught back with a silk flower and a few wisps allowed to curl at the sides of her face. She looked elegant and quite different from her normal self.
‘Susannah!’ Mrs Hampton stared at her daughter in surprise. ‘You have done your hair differently, my love. It makes you look older and more grown up.’
‘I think it suits her very well,’ Amelia said as she came to join them. ‘Are you pleased with Iris, Susannah? I thought she would be a help to you; if this is an example of her work, I am well satisfied.’
‘Iris put my hair up for me,’ Susannah said. ‘She says we shall try different styles and see which looks best. I think she is very clever with her fingers, for I could never have achieved something like this.’
‘I think I like it now that I am getting used to it,’ Mrs Hampton said, looking slightly pensive. ‘I have been used to thinking of you as my little girl, but I must get used to the idea that you are a young lady now.’
‘And a very beautiful one,’ Amelia said in a tone of approval. ‘I believe she will create something of a stir in town, Margaret. I think you must accustom yourself to the idea that Susannah will be much sought after by the gentlemen.’
‘Well, I hope she may meet someone nice,’ Mrs Hampton said, giving her daughter a fond look. ‘She is a good girl and has been a great comfort to me these past months. I am not sure what I should have done without Susannah’s support.’
‘Yes, of course she has,’ Amelia said and laughed. ‘But we must stop talking about her, for we are making poor Susannah blush.’
Susannah shook her head. She had always known she was pretty, of course, but with her hair styled differently she was beginning to feel like someone else—a young woman instead of a girl.
‘I hope that I shall meet someone I can like well enough to marry him,’ she said. ‘There was a gentleman at home who might have proposed marriage, but he was some years older and I did not care for him …’
‘I dare say you will be able to pick and choose when we are in town,’ Amelia told her. ‘I was thought pretty when I was your age. I might have married several times, but I hesitated and then …’ She sighed, shaking her head. ‘It was too late. I wasted my chance, Susannah, but you must make the most of yours.’
‘Yes, I shall,’ Susannah agreed. ‘If I am lucky enough to meet a gentleman I can like.’
In her mind she substituted the word like for love. She wanted to fall desperately in love with a handsome man, one who would carry her away on his white horse to a castle where she would live happily ever after. As her mother and Amelia turned to walk into the dining parlour, Susannah laughed at her foolish thoughts. It was unlikely she would meet a prince and live in a castle, of course, but she did hope that something exciting would happen.
The evening was as pleasant as any Susannah could recall for a long time. Her mama was so happy, so clearly pleased to be with her friend, and content with the arrangement that Susannah had almost made up her mind not to mention what she had overheard. However, Amelia drew her apart when Mrs Hampton stopped to enquire a recipe from the housekeeper.
‘Susannah my dearest,’ Amelia said softly, ‘my housekeeper tells me that you took a little walk towards the rose arbour earlier.’
‘Yes …’ Susannah blushed. ‘I will tell you that I heard Mama’s name mentioned and then … an argument. I did not listen long … Forgive me. I know I should have walked away immediately, but I could not help listening for a moment or two.’
‘If you heard someone say unpleasant things of you and your mother, please forgive me,’ Amelia said. ‘I am sorry if you were hurt and I hope you will not let it spoil your visit—or our friendship?’
‘It will not, for you said only good things,’ Susannah said. ‘I think he must be very unkind to speak to you so! Oh, I should not have said that—but I did not like to think he could speak to you in such a manner.’
‘Yes, my brother has been unkind,’ Amelia replied, a hint of sadness in her eyes. ‘His wife more so. Louisa can be spiteful when she chooses. However, I do not speak of it. I did not wish to be rude by appearing in town without informing my family of my intention, but Michael came down after he had my letter and we quarrelled. I shall say no more of the affair. I just wished you to know that his thoughts were not mine. I hope you know that I am truly happy your mama accepted my invitation.’
‘I do know,’ Susannah said and smiled. ‘You are kind and generous and I think we shall be very happy together.’
‘Then that is all I ask for,’ Amelia said. ‘Run along to bed now, my love. You have had a long journey and you must be tired.’
Susannah kissed her cheek on impulse. ‘You are so good! I hate him for being unkind to you,’ she said rashly and then ran away because she feared she had said too much. However, when she looked back, she saw that Amelia was smiling.
Chapter Two
Toby Sinclair looked at his uncle and frowned. He was twenty and newly in town, on the brink of his first Season since leaving Oxford. Harry Pendleton had just promised to put him up for several clubs, excluding the one he most wanted to belong to, however, which was the Four-in-Hand driving club. The elite group consisted of a select band of Corinthians