‘Quite.’
Lady Philadelphia smiled. ‘I hearyou won’t be joining us at Boughton House?’
Lady Rothborne shook her head. ‘Notthis time. I’m a little over-excited, shall we say, by therecent comings and goings of our charming visitor; a few days alone is justwhat I need. I’ve seen a good forty seasons of deer-hunting—plenty forsomeone of my age.’
Lady Philadelphia smiled. ‘I’ve gotplenty more to do yet, then.’
‘Indeed. I shan’t keep you,’ LadyRothborne said before gliding from the room.
The girls continued to pack LadyPhiladelphia’s outdoor clothes until the designated trunks were filled tocapacity. Mary wanted to quip that if she went away for ten days toScotland she would have precisely one winter coat to pack, but wasn’t yet sureof her standing, despite the overt friendliness being shown to her. Thenthe lunchtime bell sounded and Mary and Eliza were thanked for their help andallowed to go on their way.
‘Home time for you, then, Mary,’ Elizasaid.
‘Oh yes, in all the fun of packing I’dforgotten.’
Maryclosed the kitchen door to Blackfriars and began to walk up the back pathtowards home. It was a warm day with a gentle breeze and Mary enjoyedhaving her hair flowing freely across her shoulders, rather than pinnedawkwardly under her hat. She crossed the courtyard to the back path andbegan the short walk home. She took slow, deliberate steps, not wishingto arrive home too soon. As she passed the orchard, her mind was frettingover what or whom she would find when she got there and she failed to see themovement among the blossoming apple trees.
‘Mary!’ called the voice.
She recognised it instantly and turned tosee Edward grinning at her from the abbey ruins. She smiled and rushedtowards him. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you!’ She ran into his openarms and squeezed him tightly.
‘I could tell from the grumpy look on yourface! You didn’t even check I was here,’ Edward said, with a hint ofdejection.
‘Sorry. I was worrying aboutthings—home, not seeing you for ten days—stuff like that,’ Mary said, releasingherself from him before kissing him on the lips. ‘But you’re here!’
‘Of course. I couldn’t not see myfiancée before I go on my annual hunting holiday!’
Mary rolled her eyes. ‘It’s alrightfor the chosen ones. I’m going to be stuck here catching up on all theunwanted, rubbish jobs that get stored up across the year.’
Edward hugged her again. ‘At leastit’ll be quiet and Mr Mansfield will be gone. Come on, let’s go and sitdown for a minute.’ Edward took Mary by the hand and led her to the pieceof sandstone which had become their usual seat. On their last visit here,Mary had finished carving into it their initials. EM and MM. Shesat and stared at the shallow engraving, already missing Edward in hermind. She had already made up her mind to come here next Wednesday on herhalf-day off and just sit quietly, pretending he was with her.
‘Are you okay, Mary?’ Edward asked.
Mary shrugged, suddenly and inexplicablyunable to speak. A wave of emotion had poured over here and a tear randown her cheek.
‘Hey, what’s the matter?’ Edward said,tenderly running his forefinger up her cheek to her moistening eye.
‘I don’t want you to go,’ Mary said in acroaking voice.
Edward laughed. ‘I don’t want to goeither, but it’s only ten days and then I’ll be back. Come on, this isn’tlike the Mary Mercer I know and love. Where’s your fiery, wild sidegone?’
Mary managed a short smile. Where hadher fiery, wild side gone? Had three months of hard labour as a thirdhousemaid really been enough to bash it out of her? No, itcan’t have been. She just wasn’t coping very well with Edward’simminent departure and the uncertainty of her home life. Her feelings forhim had come and grown so quickly that it had turned everything she had knownupside down. She was sure that was all it was.
The pair sat in a comfortable silence forsome minutes, before each of them needed to go.
‘I’d better get back to my duties beforeI’m missed. They’ll be loading the carriages any minute,’ Edward saidquietly.
‘And I’d better get home before Carolinecomes storming down here after my money.’
Mary stood and faced Edward. Shedidn’t know how to say goodbye. She could see in Edward’s sad face thathe was feeling the same.
‘Ten days—it’s nothing at all,’ he finallysaid, in as cheery voice as he could muster.
Mary could tell that he wasn’t feeling it,though she still smiled. ‘Yeah, it’s not long.’
‘Goodbye,’ Edward said, leaning in to kissher.
She allowed herself to be lost in thetenderness of his embrace, to momentarily forget that he was going.
Edward broke away. ‘I love you, MaryMercer.’
‘I love you, too, Edward Mercer.’
She pecked him one last time on the lips,then led out of the ruins through the orchard onto the path. With a finalsmile, she turned in one direction, and he in the other.
Mary continued up the hill towards herhouse. When she next took a glance round, Edward had gone. Shementally took a hold of herself, took in a deep breath and went home.
Itwas Caroline who opened the door. But for a veiled headdress, she wasstill wearing full mourning garments. Mary had hoped that by now shemight have returned to Bristol, but knew deep inside that Caroline would remainrunning the household until their mother returned.
‘I was wondering where you’d got to,’Caroline said.
Mary was unsure how, but as each weekpassed, Caroline appeared more haggard and her vitality more faded than theprevious time she had seen her. Today was no exception. As Marystepped through the door she noticed that Caroline’s eyes were darker and moresunken and her hair matted and lank.
Caroline slammed the door shut, pushedpast Mary and headed into the kitchen. ‘Your sister’s upstairs,’ Carolinesaid.
The news that Edie was back home took Maryby surprise and made her stomach lurch. She wasn’t sure she was in theframe of mind to cope with the compounded concoction of Caroline’s evilness andEdie’s bitterness. Worse still, she heard an unwelcoming guttural coughcoming from the front room: her father was up and out of bed, his melancholiaevidently having passed. Could
