Page 26 of The Book of Lost Stories
‘As to that, you are a connection of my husband’s and we certainly do not intend to put you out of your home, of course,merely to remove you to one more fitting to your present circumstances.’
When she had gone and Pug was released from bondage in the kitchen, Alys relieved her feelings by hurling a particularly hideous vase into the fireplace. Lady Basset had probably already mentally catalogued it, but let her look for it in vain when she took triumphant possession of the Dower House.
My dear Alys,
You have been put into a quite untenable position, and I hate to think of you suffering under the tyranny of such a woman as the new Lady Basset. You and poor Miss Grimshaw cannot possibly live in some hovel on the estate until April.
I have given the matter some thought and believe I have a solution: you must come to stay with me in the New Year. Now, do say you will, for I would like of all things to have a friend to take about with me. And, of course, Miss Grimshaw is included in the invitation. should she wish to accompany you.
I have spoken of this to Mr Rivers, who says it is a capital idea, for I have become quite glum and mopish from one thing and another, and having a friend to stay might cheer me up …
Alys looked up from Nell’s letter and said, ‘There, is that not kind, Letty?’
‘Indeed it is, and to invite me, too – how thoughtful, and what a sweet girl your friend is! But should you be staying withMrs Rivers, I would welcome the opportunity to visit my relatives in London.’
‘Well, this is certainly a solution, although I do hope it does not cramp the fashionable Mrs Rivers’ style, having such a country dowdy as myself staying with her.’
Of necessity, both were still attired in deepest mourning, having dyed all their gowns and retrimmed their bonnets with black ribbon.
‘But in London you might go into half-mourning, or even colours, for no one there will know precisely when the major died,’ suggested Letty. ‘I expect you will go into society with Mrs Rivers, you know, and you could not dance in your blacks.’
‘Since I cannot dance, that is of no moment. I have no desire to cut a dash in society, even if I could,’ Alys said, laughing.
‘But I am sure Mrs Rivers moves in the best circles, and I dare say will take you about with her.’
‘Not once she has seen the shabby figure I present. I promise you, she will be very glad to leave me to my own devices while she gads about. No, I have several things I mean to do while I am staying with her, such as discussing with your nephew whether we should let my publishers into the secret of my authorship or leave my identity a secret. Then, too, I want to look over my house, visit museums, concerts, exhibitions … the Tower with the wild beasts … oh,allthe things I have only heard about!’
‘But if you furbish yourself up a trifle, under Mrs Rivers’ aegis you might very well meet an eligible parti, for I am sure you are pretty enough, despite your lack of fortune.’
‘I am an old maid of almost four and twenty! And in any case, I have no wish to get married, Letty.’
‘I know you have often jokingly said so, dearest Alys, but surely …’
Alys rose and walked up and down the little parlour impatiently. ‘Oh, I did have romantic dreams when I was younger, I admit, but they took a severe knock in Harrogate. And what examples of happy marriage do I have to inspire me to follow suit? Mama and Papa could not have been happy together, Lady Basset wasdeeplyunhappy, and James is set to live under the cat’s foot!’
‘But I am sure there are many happy marriages: your friend Mrs Rivers, for one.’
‘Perhaps,’ Alys said dubiously, for that all was not as it should be in the Rivers household was becoming plain to her, reading between the lines of Nell’s letters. ‘And do not forget, should it be discovered that I am the author of such infamous novels, then there would be no hope for me at all.’
‘No one need find out. And if youshouldmeet some amiable, eligible man, I hope you will at least consider his offer.’
‘I am unlikely to meet such a paragon, and who would marryme, past my prime and with barely sixpence to scratch myself with?’
‘Alys, that is a most unladylike turn of phrase! And you do not look your age in the least.’
Alys laughed and thanked her, but she could see that Letty still thought marriage was the ultimate prize in life, whereas she had come instead to yearn only for a little house of her very own, with no demanding, autocratic man ruling the roost. Most women must wait for widowhood to reward them with their independence, but hers was almost within her grasp.
‘Then it is decided. I will go and stay with Mrs Rivers fora time – althoughnotto husband-hunt – and you will enjoy making a visit to your nephew and his family, will you not?’
‘Oh, yes, I cannot wait to see the dear children. But pray, Alys, do notentirelyclose your mind to the idea of a respectable alliance should you receive an offer, for what if sales of your books fall off, or the fashion for the Gothic tale ceases, or—’
‘If that were to happen, then I would write something else,’ Alys said, although such spectres as Letty mentioned frequently haunted her dreams. ‘But I promise to have as good a time as I can while I am staying with Nell, if that will please you. And I will come and see you in Cheapside and tell you all about it.’
‘Alys, have you thought that you might meet Lord Rayven in London?’ Miss Grimshaw ventured. ‘Will that not be awkward?’
‘I expect he moves in very different circles, for once he inherited he became vastly wealthy and a most eligible bachelor. Nell says he is now a “buck of the first head”, whatever that may be! I dare say I will not see him at all.’
‘Let us hope not, but you might very well meet your maternal relatives, for although your grandfather does not now often leave his house, your aunt is in society, is she not?’
