Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The return walk to the house was pleasant, but the growing chill in the air showed that Lord Whitchurch’s suggestion to return had been a timely one.

“Perhaps you might step into the drawing room for a few minutes?” Lenora suggested. “I’m sure my mother is at home, even though my father is likely to still be in his study. He is often hard at work at this hour.”

“I would be glad to,” Lord Whitchurch replied.

When they entered the drawing room, they discovered not only Lady Temple but also Dorian, Emma, and Charles Hooper.

Dorian introduced him to Miss Holt and asked, “Have you met Lady Temple?”

“I have,” Lord Whitchurch said. “It is very nice to see you again.” He bowed precisely, gentleman to lady to each of them.

“Please, have a seat,” Lady Temple said. “We were just discussing how unseasonably chill the weather has been, even though today is fine.”

“The weather has been more than a little peculiar,” Lord Whitchurch said, easing himself into a straight-backed chair. Once there, he sat erect, both feet planted firmly on the floor.

“It was a lovely day for a walk,” Lenora put in, giving a pointed look at Dorian as if she expected him to have taken advantage of the fine weather. “You have missed out on the sun, sitting here with my mother.”

“We had quite a pleasant chat,” Lady Temple said. “It is good to renew acquaintance with old friends every now and again. I do hope all of you will stay for dinner.”

“Of course,” Emma said amiably. “It is so nice to talk with you. Dorian has told me so much about all of you; I feel as if we are old friends already.”

“I am so glad to hear that,” Lady Temple said. “We have been away so long; it is lovely to reconnect with everyone.”

“So pleasant to visit with you,” Emma murmured demurely.

“Lenora,” Lady Temple said. “Perhaps you would care to come upstairs with me to freshen up. You have grass stains on your dust ruffle.”

Lenora sighed but acquiesced. By the look in her eye, Lady Temple had a purpose in getting her aside.

With a glance, the lady of the house collected Miss Tunstall as well. The three of them went upstairs to Lenora’s room. Miss Tunstall and Lady Temple helped Lenora transform her walking dress into a dinner gown.

Miss Tunstall removed her bodice and took it to the dress form for the maid to brush. Lenora slipped out of the petticoat that had the soiled ruffle and quickly pulled on a clean one. Meanwhile, Lady Temple selected a brocade bodice that went well with the merino skirt. She tsked over the loose stays and pulled the laces tighter.

“Really, daughter,” she said. “One would take you for a country lass about to go work in the fields rather than a young lady seeking suitors.”

“Is not Lord Whitchurch sufficient as a suitor?” Lenora asked.

“He seems like a respectable gentleman,” Lady Temple said. “But a good huntress always has more than one arrow for her bow.”

“Was that intended to be a jest?” Lenora asked as Miss Tunstall started doing up the row of tiny buttons that went up the back of the short-waisted vest. She then held out her arms so her tutoress could add a pair of sleeves that were puffed at the top and tight at the wrist. While not strictly fashionable, they helped Lenora keep her sleeves out of the soup.

“Just a cautionary tale,” Lady Temple said gently. “While he has come calling on you, I would recommend that you consider your long association with Lord de Clare.”

“Oh, Mother,” Lenora sighed. She bit her lip to keep from revealing what she had learned about Dorian and Emma. “He’s more like my brother than a suitor.”

Lady Temple sighed. “I just wanted to remind you to keep your options open. Come along then. I think we’ve made you as presentable as possible.”

They returned downstairs and collected the gentlemen from the drawing room. A few minutes later, they all trooped into the dining room. After a bit of bustle, Lord Temple sat at the head of the table while Lady Temple sat at the foot. Guests and family ranged along the sides.

Lord Temple had invited a friend to dinner, an Oxford professor named Percival Crane. Dr Crane had attained his doctorate for a paper he wrote after participation in a dig in Wiltshire. His personal mentor claimed to have been associated with Sir Richard Hoare, the renowned archeologist and antiquarian. This, plus the paper, had given him enough clout to obtain a professorship with no less than three Fellows in his department. He now sat in the place of honour at Lord Temple’s right. Lord Whitchurch sat on his left. Since Lord Whitchurch was technically her guest, Lenora sat next to him, with Dorian on her other side. August sat next to Emma; then Miss Tunstall rounded out that side of the table. Mr Hooper completed the other side. It was not the best social arrangement, but it did seat everyone.

As the servants brought in the soup course, a thin chicken stock with a few bits of something green floating on its top, Lady Temple addressed her husband. Although her tone was normal, her demeanour indicated that she suspected him of doing something other than working. “How was your day, my dear? Is the book progressing?”

“I have nearly another chapter completed,” Lord Temple replied steadily. “But please, wife, let us not talk business at the dinner table.”

“Very well,” Lady Temple said, shifting so the servant at her elbow could easily dish out her soup. “What should we focus on instead?”

“I understand the weather was clement today,” Lord Temple said. “How did you find it, Lord Whitchurch?”

“A trifle chill, but the sun was brilliant for a change. But surely you could have seen that from your study window?”

“Indeed I can,” Lord Temple agreed. “And so did my guests. But it is still nice to hear it from someone who was actually out in it.”

The last bowl of soup was served. Lord Temple bowed his head over his bowl. “For what we are about to receive, let us be thankful.” He picked up his spoon and dipped it into the soup, giving the signal that it was alright for everyone to follow his example.

For a few minutes, no one spoke as they carefully spooned up the thin broth. Lenora was glad of the silence. Sandwiched as she was between Lord Whitchurch and Dorian and across the table from Emma, she found herself in an awkward social quandary. With whom should she converse? What should she talk about?

Fortunately, when the servants took the soup dishes away, Lord Temple solved the problem for her. “What brings you to Bath?” he asked Lord Whitchurch, leaning around Lenora with a great want of decorum.

It was overly blunt, bordering on rude, but Lord Whitchurch took the query in good part. “I’ve come for the waters,” he said. “In particular, the hot mineral spring. Youthful misadventures have left me with as many aches and pains as an old grandfather.”

Lord Temple frowned at him. “Is it indeed so? Were you in the military?”

“Nothing so heroic,” Lord Whitchurch replied. “I have a passion for horses, but I was thrown by a half-wild colt I was breaking. It would seem he broke me instead.”

Lord Whitchurch dabbed at his lips with a napkin. “Delicious soup, isn’t it?”

Fortunately, this seemed to be an acceptable topic of dinner conversation. Lord Temple thanked him for the compliment. “I will be sure to pass it along to the cook,” he said.

Dinner progressed without any major social gaffes, although Mr Hooper flirted outrageously with both Lady Temple and Miss Tunstall. Lord Temple ignored his antics, instead quizzing Dr Crane about an upcoming dig.

“I am so fortunate,” Dr. Crane said. “I’ve been given permission to excavate a corner of a recent cow byre where some rather odd horns turned up.”

“I am sure they are from an auroch,” the professor was saying. “It would be a tremendous find, predating the Romans, no doubt.”

“No doubt at all,” Lord Temple corroborated. “It would be quite a feather in your cap should it prove true.”

“I had an enjoyable walk with Lord Whitchurch,” Lenora said to Dorian. “Thank you so much for introducing us.”

“Perhaps I should next introduce you to the professor,” Dorian teased.

Lenora made a face at him. “I already know him. He’s been friends with Father since he was a Fellow. Besides, do you have any idea how much a professor makes? His salary is only marginally greater than that of our vicar.”

“I heard that,” Dr Crane said jovially. “There are more things in life than an income, Miss Temple. Although I will own that it is good to have one that is dependable, however small.”

Mr Hooper snickered from near the bottom of the table and opened his mouth to comment but instead let out a sort of squeak.

“Oh, pray pardon me,” Miss Tunstall said. “This table is quite narrow.”

Lady Temple briefly closed her eyes, then opened them again. She didn’t say anything but signalled for the main course to be cleared away and the dessert brought in. Each guest was served a tart filled with a fruit jelly reconstituted from dried berries. The little pies were scarcely more than a mouthful, but their size meant that each guest could have one.

“I simply must get out to the famous ruins, as well as my dig site,” the professor said, gesturing with the tart in his hand. “You should come, too, Lenora, August, and bring all your friends, too. Especially if Lord Whitchurch has not seen it. It is remarkably well preserved.” This last was addressed across the table to Lord Whitchurch.

“Dorian, you should certainly come along,” Lenora said.

She was delighted to see his face light up with a smile at the invitation. But her jubilation was almost immediately dashed when Dorian said, “I would be delighted. And I am sure that Emma would like to accompany me.

She was not sure why, but an ugly little demon inside her wanted to stand up and shout, Forget all these other people! Pay attention to me!

But, of course, she did nothing of the kind. Instead, she plastered on what she hoped was a sweet smile and said, “That will be lovely. We can make a party of it.”

“May I come along, too?” Mr Hooper exclaimed. “I’ve not seen the ruins.

Lenora knew, of course, that a peaceful ramble through the ruins, such as they might have enjoyed in their younger days, was completely out of the question. But some part of her wished for a return to those carefree times when they could romp and enjoy themselves or simply sit and talk. Oh, why did everything have to be so difficult?