4

A t last Alice is able to say with truth to Sam, ‘Not very far now.’

Alice is both excited and nervous, glad to visit her friend, to see again the familiar places where she grew up, but also assailed by nagging guilt at leaving High Stoke, despite the relief she is convinced they all felt at her departure. To this is added the anxiety – and the reminder of her own contrary humours – that although she resents the studied silence regarding Henry, she also dreads the moment when sooner or later she will have to explain to an inquisitive acquaintance the details of how her lone state came about. But for now, Alice pushes that to the back of her mind and allows her excitement free rein, as Wat turns the horses onto the track that leads to the great decorated brick Cazanove mansion a mile to the west of Hillbury.

There has been no means by which they could let Ursula know the day, far less the time of their arrival, and as Wat approaches the house, Alice is startled to see Oz Thatcher, Ursula’s head stable boy, watching out for them. Her surprise is the greater when the heavy studded door opens and Esther, Ursula’s waiting woman, stands back to give passage to her mistress. Ursula steps out with a welcoming smile into the bright sunshine. Oz moves to the horses’ heads as Wat brings the coach to a halt and climbs down to open the door.

‘You are very well informed as to our time of arrival,’ Alice says to her friend as she prepares to step down, and jokes, ‘I declare you must have stationed watchers on the Woodley road!’

Ursula answers simply, ‘I did.’ It brings home to Alice how easy it is to forget the reach of the Cazanove influence, no less than the disinterest with which Ursula regards the power she now wields as mistress of all the Cazanove lands and the fabric dyeing venture on which the Cazanove fortune rests.

Ursula’s greeting does not extend to the sort of fond embrace that Olivia Egerton would give her, far less Betsy’s wash-house-scented hug when Alice and Sam left High Stoke. Ursula’s kiss is cool and restrained, but as Alice knows, no less sincere from this queenly, reserved woman. Alice matches her own greeting to it, but is unable to resist a hand-clasp as she whispers, ‘Thank you for persuading me to this visit, Ursula,’ which draws a nod and a brief smile from her friend.

Ursula turns to address Sam standing at the open door of the coach. ‘Do you have a kiss for your Aunt Cazanove?’ And Sam, standing on tiptoe, leaning out, is just able to reach her cheek. She offers him her hand to get down, but, ‘I can do it, I can do it!’ he says and she stands back as he jumps in a single leap to the ground.

A merchant is due to call on Ursula, on business regarding the dye-houses. ‘I regret this greatly, Alice,’ she apologises as they stand in the hall and Wat brings in their boxes. ‘Master Goldwoode imports goods into Bristol. He used to supply dyestuffs to my husband and now I shall make his acquaintance as I summoned him regarding a pressing matter of quality.’ Ursula turns to Wat lifting down Alice’s boxes. ‘Wat, I should like you to be here when Master Goldwoode comes. I shall need you to do some scribing.’

‘Ah.’ Wat looks doubtful. ‘Mistress, I said I would go and attend to the chute on the rinsing tank as soon as I returned.’

‘I don’t suppose it’s urgent. Perhaps you can do that tomorrow?’

‘It will not take long,’ he says. ‘When is Master Goldwoode coming, do we know?’

‘He’s staying at the inn and sent to say he will take a meal and come up later this afternoon.’

‘That will give ample time, mistress,’ he replies.

Alice takes the opportunity to absent herself and Sam. ‘Ursula, I have my own business to transact with Daniel at Hill House. I could do that this afternoon. Sam can’t wait to see him anyway, can you Sam?’

‘Daniel’s my friend,’ Sam explains to Ursula.

‘Then of course you must visit your friend, Sam. It will give him much pleasure to see you, I feel sure.’