Page 31 of The Book of Lost Stories
‘There is nothing remotely romantic about Lord Rayven, and his manner of speaking to me left so much to be desired that I had much rather he had left me in the coach! But his friend seemed pleasant enough: a Captain Harry Stavely, formerly of the Rifle Brigade. I wondered if he might be a relative of your neighbours in Cheshire, for are they not called Stavely?’
‘Harry Stavely?’ To Alys’s surprise, Nell’s cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink and she looked slightly self-conscious. ‘Why … yes, he is Gervase Stavely’s brother and so has now inherited the estate. He rode over several times to speak to George about his brother this winter, for they were friendsfrom childhood, you know, and George was very cut up about his death. Is Mr Stavely staying in Town, then?’
‘That I cannot tell you, for I had little conversation with either of them. And,’ Alys added, ‘I would not feed Pug with any more sugar. He has just been sick on the carpet.’
‘Poor little thing!’ cooed Nell. ‘But my page will take him for a walk and then he will feel better.’
‘How grand you are, with a page,’ Alys said, when a gap-toothed child in livery had removed the little dog, ‘even if he is not the most prepossessing of boys.’
‘Oh, Sammy will improve in appearance in no time, with good feeding. I don’t think he will ever be tall enough to become a footman, but already he is inches taller than when he came in.’
‘Came in?’
‘To the Benevolent Ladies Society, an evangelical group who take small children from the worst back-slums – mostly girls, but a few boys, too – and lodge them at a house near Kew. It is in the charge of a respectable dame and they are taught the manners and skills they will need to go into service. Then we try and find positions for them, like Sammy.’
‘I did not know you were of an evangelical turn of mind, Nell.’
‘I am not really, except I wished to help others less fortunately circumstanced than myself, especially children, and joining the Benevolent Ladies enabled me to do that.’
‘Are they orphans?’
‘Some of them, but others are brought by their parents, desperate for their child to have a better life than they themselves can offer. I sometimes go out to Kew to visit them and take clothing and other necessities, so you could accompany me one day, if you wished.’
‘I would like that very much, Nell,’ Alys said, smiling warmly at her friend. ‘Much more than going into society, I assure you.’
‘But, like me, you can do both. Alys, do say that you will sometimes accompany me to my engagements,’ coaxed Nell.
Alys grimaced. ‘Well, I suppose a little town polish would not come amiss, but I would first have to smarten myself up a bit and, as you know, my resources are limited, or I would have gone into half-mourning by now.’
‘I do not think you could dance in half-mourning, so perhaps, since no one here knows the precise date of your bereavement, you might wear colours again?’ suggested Nell.
‘I have no objection to abandoning my mourning entirely, but I must tell you that I cannot dance.’
‘I will teach you, for you might want to stand up occasionally. But let us first discuss the attaining of a suitable wardrobe for—’
‘—a spinster of limited means!’ interjected Alys.
‘No, for a young lady making her debut in society,’ Nell amended firmly.
‘Not so very young and with no desire to catch a husband, which I imagine makes me unique.’
‘But sensible.’ Nell’s face clouded over.
‘Mr Rivers bade me welcome very civilly yesterday,’ Alys said carefully. ‘He does not usually breakfast with you?’
The previous evening when she had arrived, her host had been on his way out of the house, but stayed long enough to say everything that was polite.
Alys had been shocked to see his once rubicund face now haggard, his eyes sunk into dark sockets, hardly recognizingthe cheerful young bridegroom she had briefly met three years before when they had visited the Dower House.
‘No, he … he is out a lot, and when he is at home he usually shuts himself into the library. That seems to be the way of married couples in his set: they barely clap eyes on each other from one day to the next,’ Nell said bitterly.
Alys did not press her yet. She could perceive that her friend was not happy, but hoped that in time she would confide fully in her.
‘Well, now you have me for company, Nell.’
Nell brightened. ‘Yes, and I am sure we will have such fun! I’ve had a capital idea of how to replenish your wardrobe, too, if you do not dislike it. You know I have a deal of pin money, and I am afraid I am always too inclined to buy whatever gowns and bonnets take my fancy, without thought of whether or not they will become me. And then, of course, I cannot wear them and it seems a sad waste. But our colouring is so different that what does not suit me may well suit you. And we are much of a size, except that you are taller. But then, gowns can be let down, or have extra flounces and trimming added, after all.’
‘I am not so proud as to dislike the idea, if you are sure you mean it when you say they are things that do not become you?’
