Chapter Three.
I decided to go for a walk, free my mind, so I went to the hill and down towards the stream. As it gurgled along I heard a rider approaching. I spun round and saw a chestnut mare galloping towards me. It was Sir Henry.
He jumped of his horse in a quick, athletic way and landed by my side. He took up my hand and kissed it. I withdrew quickly.
"Good morning, Miss Doyle." He said, bowing.
"Is it Sir Henry?" I replied haughtily.
"Why indeed yes, it is. My son is recovering, the day is warm and I am here talking to you." he said almost mocking me.
"I should find only two of those things pleasurable." I said turning away.
"You are a feisty young woman, Miss Doyle. How old are you?"
"I am sixteen, Sir." I replied, trying to walk away.
He grabbed my arm. "Same age as Carmen." He commented. "You're a friend of Carmen's, aren't you?"
I nodded.
He laughed. "What do you think of her, Miss Doyle? What do you think of my precious daughter?" I could hear a trace of mockery in his tone.
"I think.I think Carmen is a very accomplished young lady, she." I faltered and he noticed.
He began to laugh. "Well Miss Doyle you do not give me a very good description of my daughter, so far all I have heard is that she is an accomplished lady, which I am sure you are too."
I looked away as I did not want him to see me blush. "I think I should be going now." I mumbled.
"You can't go until I say so, and I am so enjoying our conversation. You have far more spirit then my daughters, well except for Carmen."
"Linnet has plenty of spirit." I said, I felt the need to defend her even though I knew she could perfectly manage to defend herself and did not need me.
He laughed his hearty laugh. "Your right, Miss Doyle, my Linnet has plenty of spirit it is a pity that it is sent in the wrong direction, against her father instead of towards him."
"Maybe that is not such a bad direction." I mumbled again. This made him laugh even more.
"Even Carmen would not dare talk to her father so."
"You are not my father." I said feeling more confident.
He shook his head. "I half wish I was. You should be a great mistress of Emerson Court, the servants would run in fear of your sharp tongue."
"I know you mock me. What about Edward?"
"Edward? Ha, a weakling of a son, a mere shadow of his father. No I shall have to look towards my daughters." He said resigned.
"I am sure Carmen would be delighted to oblige." I said, I too was enjoying the conversation that had awoken between us. "I am sure she would, but she does not have the quick thinking wit of her friend."
"Do not compare Carmen to me, Sir." I said. "Carmen is far prettier and more elegant then myself."
He laughed. "But I am sure her brains will never match yours. How is your mother?" he asked suddenly. He threw me off my guard with that question and left me feeling bewildered.
"She is fine thank - you Sir."
"She has a maid to look after her?"
It was my time to laugh, I could hardly imagine Charlotte a maid. She was more a mother to me, she kissed me goodnight, and told me stories and I in turn shared my problems with her.
"She has Charlotte." I replied. "Now I must say Good day to you Sir." I said as I walked away.
"You and your mother must come to dinner next week." He shouted after me.
I didn't turn around.
When I go home Charlotte looked at me surprised.
"I thought you was going for a walk." she said.
I shook my head and disappeared up to my room.
The next day Charlotte came screaming up to my room. "Oh Roselyn, Roselyn, guess what, you and Mrs Doyle 'ave been invited to Emerson Court for dinner tonight!"
"Tonight!" I exclaimed.
She nodded and handed me the invitation. "Well we can hardly refuse it can we." I said excitedly.
Even mother consented to come. If she came home early and did not tire herself she would be okay, Charlotte said.
So that night, I got dressed in my gown and Charlotte arrived at my room to do my hair in an elegant fashion.
"'Tis how they wear it in London." She told me. Charlotte had to attend to my mother as well so after doing my hair she disappeared and I did not see her again until it was time to leave. The carriage arrived for us, and the coachman took my hand and helped me up, mother followed with the help of Charlotte who then clambered into the carriage. Charlotte was to eat with the governess in the nursery, and could of course not join us at the table, and it was beneath her to eat with the servants.
As we arrived Sir Henry helped my mother out of the carriage then extended his arm for me.
"First we shall sit in the parlour and wait for dinner to be served before going to the dinning room." He told us.
So we sat down in the parlour listening to the conversation which was dominated by Sir Henry. Charlotte had disappeared upstairs to sit with the governess. Lotus, Edward and Linnet were too young to join us so they too were eating in the nursery.
There were also three other guests who joined us, they were from London. Carlotta Davenport and her husband Lucas, and the enchanting William Castly. Carlotta was only nineteen years of age. She was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen, her hair was a dark auburn colour and stretched down her back. She had enchanting eyes that roved around the room taking in everything in one glance. She had a gentle voice and I am sure her nature matched. Whereas her husband was in constant disapproval of his surroundings. William Castly was the third son of Sir Roger Castly, and although he would never inherit the title, he had a large fortune at his disposal. He had brownish hair, his eyes seemed to hide something but he laughed with gallantry and seemed a gracious gentleman.
"So Castly, what trade are you to take up?" Sir Henry asked.
"I'm not sure, Sir. I have a lot of options open to me, it is a custom in my family to go into the army. But I do not fancy it myself, I should be forever away from home. My father suggested parliament, but I am afraid I care not for that either."
Carmen seemed enchanted by this man she had never met before and spoke up when she should have kept quiet. "I think one should follow their heart, not their family traditions."
Her father scowled at her. Family traditions had always been important to him.
"I see your wisdom, Miss Moore." Mr Castly said to her politely.
Carlotta Davenport smiled. "Wisdom is to be found anywhere William, even in one so young." She turned to Sir Henry. "I believe my brother is rather old fashioned."
Lucas looked at his wife. "Carlotta is of course a fountain of wisdom." I felt sorry for Carlotta, for none could fail to notice the malice in his voice. But instead of being offended Carlotta laughed at her husband.
"Indeed, I am not, but I know the ways of the world Lucas." She told him.
"Wisdom is not often found in my family, but I must admit Carmen shows some." Sir Henry said.
Carmen smiled at me. I looked at my mother, so far she had not spoken a word and had sat in the corner just listening, I thought it was time we both joined the conversation.
"I heard your son was ill." Said Lucas Davenport to Lady Damask.
Lady Damask nodded. "Indeed, yes. My poor little Edward took such a tumble form his horse that it was thought he could not possibly survive. But he deified fate and still with us, he is eating upstairs in the nursery."
Carlotta turned to me. "You are not a member of this family?"
I shook my head. "No," I said awkwardly.
My mother thought it was time to speak up. "We are friends of the family." She said looking towards Sir Henry.
He laughed. "Yes Fiona and Roselyn Doyle are friends of mine, and of my daughters."
Carmen turned to William Castly. "So what shall you do Mr Castly?"
"Well, Miss Moore, I expect I shall."
At that moment there was a knock on the door and a timid Milly pulled it open.
"Dinner's ready." She said.
I decided to go for a walk, free my mind, so I went to the hill and down towards the stream. As it gurgled along I heard a rider approaching. I spun round and saw a chestnut mare galloping towards me. It was Sir Henry.
He jumped of his horse in a quick, athletic way and landed by my side. He took up my hand and kissed it. I withdrew quickly.
"Good morning, Miss Doyle." He said, bowing.
"Is it Sir Henry?" I replied haughtily.
"Why indeed yes, it is. My son is recovering, the day is warm and I am here talking to you." he said almost mocking me.
"I should find only two of those things pleasurable." I said turning away.
"You are a feisty young woman, Miss Doyle. How old are you?"
"I am sixteen, Sir." I replied, trying to walk away.
He grabbed my arm. "Same age as Carmen." He commented. "You're a friend of Carmen's, aren't you?"
I nodded.
He laughed. "What do you think of her, Miss Doyle? What do you think of my precious daughter?" I could hear a trace of mockery in his tone.
"I think.I think Carmen is a very accomplished young lady, she." I faltered and he noticed.
He began to laugh. "Well Miss Doyle you do not give me a very good description of my daughter, so far all I have heard is that she is an accomplished lady, which I am sure you are too."
I looked away as I did not want him to see me blush. "I think I should be going now." I mumbled.
"You can't go until I say so, and I am so enjoying our conversation. You have far more spirit then my daughters, well except for Carmen."
"Linnet has plenty of spirit." I said, I felt the need to defend her even though I knew she could perfectly manage to defend herself and did not need me.
He laughed his hearty laugh. "Your right, Miss Doyle, my Linnet has plenty of spirit it is a pity that it is sent in the wrong direction, against her father instead of towards him."
"Maybe that is not such a bad direction." I mumbled again. This made him laugh even more.
"Even Carmen would not dare talk to her father so."
"You are not my father." I said feeling more confident.
He shook his head. "I half wish I was. You should be a great mistress of Emerson Court, the servants would run in fear of your sharp tongue."
"I know you mock me. What about Edward?"
"Edward? Ha, a weakling of a son, a mere shadow of his father. No I shall have to look towards my daughters." He said resigned.
"I am sure Carmen would be delighted to oblige." I said, I too was enjoying the conversation that had awoken between us. "I am sure she would, but she does not have the quick thinking wit of her friend."
"Do not compare Carmen to me, Sir." I said. "Carmen is far prettier and more elegant then myself."
He laughed. "But I am sure her brains will never match yours. How is your mother?" he asked suddenly. He threw me off my guard with that question and left me feeling bewildered.
"She is fine thank - you Sir."
"She has a maid to look after her?"
It was my time to laugh, I could hardly imagine Charlotte a maid. She was more a mother to me, she kissed me goodnight, and told me stories and I in turn shared my problems with her.
"She has Charlotte." I replied. "Now I must say Good day to you Sir." I said as I walked away.
"You and your mother must come to dinner next week." He shouted after me.
I didn't turn around.
When I go home Charlotte looked at me surprised.
"I thought you was going for a walk." she said.
I shook my head and disappeared up to my room.
The next day Charlotte came screaming up to my room. "Oh Roselyn, Roselyn, guess what, you and Mrs Doyle 'ave been invited to Emerson Court for dinner tonight!"
"Tonight!" I exclaimed.
She nodded and handed me the invitation. "Well we can hardly refuse it can we." I said excitedly.
Even mother consented to come. If she came home early and did not tire herself she would be okay, Charlotte said.
So that night, I got dressed in my gown and Charlotte arrived at my room to do my hair in an elegant fashion.
"'Tis how they wear it in London." She told me. Charlotte had to attend to my mother as well so after doing my hair she disappeared and I did not see her again until it was time to leave. The carriage arrived for us, and the coachman took my hand and helped me up, mother followed with the help of Charlotte who then clambered into the carriage. Charlotte was to eat with the governess in the nursery, and could of course not join us at the table, and it was beneath her to eat with the servants.
As we arrived Sir Henry helped my mother out of the carriage then extended his arm for me.
"First we shall sit in the parlour and wait for dinner to be served before going to the dinning room." He told us.
So we sat down in the parlour listening to the conversation which was dominated by Sir Henry. Charlotte had disappeared upstairs to sit with the governess. Lotus, Edward and Linnet were too young to join us so they too were eating in the nursery.
There were also three other guests who joined us, they were from London. Carlotta Davenport and her husband Lucas, and the enchanting William Castly. Carlotta was only nineteen years of age. She was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen, her hair was a dark auburn colour and stretched down her back. She had enchanting eyes that roved around the room taking in everything in one glance. She had a gentle voice and I am sure her nature matched. Whereas her husband was in constant disapproval of his surroundings. William Castly was the third son of Sir Roger Castly, and although he would never inherit the title, he had a large fortune at his disposal. He had brownish hair, his eyes seemed to hide something but he laughed with gallantry and seemed a gracious gentleman.
"So Castly, what trade are you to take up?" Sir Henry asked.
"I'm not sure, Sir. I have a lot of options open to me, it is a custom in my family to go into the army. But I do not fancy it myself, I should be forever away from home. My father suggested parliament, but I am afraid I care not for that either."
Carmen seemed enchanted by this man she had never met before and spoke up when she should have kept quiet. "I think one should follow their heart, not their family traditions."
Her father scowled at her. Family traditions had always been important to him.
"I see your wisdom, Miss Moore." Mr Castly said to her politely.
Carlotta Davenport smiled. "Wisdom is to be found anywhere William, even in one so young." She turned to Sir Henry. "I believe my brother is rather old fashioned."
Lucas looked at his wife. "Carlotta is of course a fountain of wisdom." I felt sorry for Carlotta, for none could fail to notice the malice in his voice. But instead of being offended Carlotta laughed at her husband.
"Indeed, I am not, but I know the ways of the world Lucas." She told him.
"Wisdom is not often found in my family, but I must admit Carmen shows some." Sir Henry said.
Carmen smiled at me. I looked at my mother, so far she had not spoken a word and had sat in the corner just listening, I thought it was time we both joined the conversation.
"I heard your son was ill." Said Lucas Davenport to Lady Damask.
Lady Damask nodded. "Indeed, yes. My poor little Edward took such a tumble form his horse that it was thought he could not possibly survive. But he deified fate and still with us, he is eating upstairs in the nursery."
Carlotta turned to me. "You are not a member of this family?"
I shook my head. "No," I said awkwardly.
My mother thought it was time to speak up. "We are friends of the family." She said looking towards Sir Henry.
He laughed. "Yes Fiona and Roselyn Doyle are friends of mine, and of my daughters."
Carmen turned to William Castly. "So what shall you do Mr Castly?"
"Well, Miss Moore, I expect I shall."
At that moment there was a knock on the door and a timid Milly pulled it open.
"Dinner's ready." She said.