A Country Miss in Hanover Square Read Online Free PDF Page A

approved of what had been done here and thought how nice it would feel to be in a position to do as one wished. She would love to have the task of refurbishing a large house, but it was expensive. Money was certainly important for a comfortable life.
    Left to herself, Susannah sighed. She so longed for romance, but she also knew her duty to Mama. Mama belonged in a house like this, not the cottage she was forced to live in these days. Her only chance of a better life was for Susannah to make a suitable match.
    Susannah had finished her examination of the room and begun to change out of her travel ling gown when someone knocked at the door. Thinking it must be her mama, she called out that she might enter. A young girl with brown hair and dark eyes came in. She smiled and bobbed a curtsy, seeming a little shy.
    ‘My name is Iris, Miss Hampton,’ she said. ‘Miss Royston says I am to be your maid for the next few weeks and accompany you to London.’
    ‘Oh…’ Susannah was surprised; she had grown used to looking after herself at the cottage, but it would be nice to be waited on again, if only for a few weeks. ‘Please come in, Iris. I knew some one had unpacked the gown I wished to wear for this evening—was that you?’
    ‘Yes, miss. I pressed it while you were having tea.’ Iris looked at her with interest. ‘You have lovely hair, miss. May I dress it for you?’
    ‘Do you know how to?’ Susannah was hesitant, for her hair was so fine and she could never get it to stay tidy for long.
    ‘My mother used to be a lady’s maid before she married,’ Iris told her. ‘She taught me all the skills I need and Miss Royston took me on a few weeks ago. She has her own dresser, but I was allowed to help—and now I am to serve you. It will be exciting to visit London, miss.’
    ‘Yes, it will.’ Susannah smiled at her. ‘Well, you may put my hair up for me this evening,’ she said. ‘I have been experimenting with it myself, but it always falls down again. We shall see what you can do, Iris.’
    ‘I think I can manage to make it stay in place, miss,’ Iris said. ‘You will be surprised at the difference it will make.’

    Susannah felt very grand as she went down for dinner that evening. She was wearing an expensive yellow gown Mama had bought her for her birthday a few weeks before Papa died. She had not worn it since, because she had not had reason to do so, but this evening was a celebration and she wished to look her best. Her hair was dressed softly into a double loop at the back of her head, caught back with a silk flower and a few wisps allowed to curl at the sides of her face. She looked elegant and quite different from her normal self.
    ‘Susannah!’ Mrs Hampton stared at her daughter in surprise. ‘You have done your hair differently, my love. It makes you look older and more grown up.’
    ‘I think it suits her very well,’ Amelia said as she came to join them. ‘Are you pleased with Iris, Susannah? I thought she would be a help to you; if this is an example of her work, I am well satisfied.’
    ‘Iris put my hair up for me,’ Susannah said. ‘She says we shall try different styles and see which looks best. I think she is very clever with her fingers, for I could never have achieved some thing like this.’
    ‘I think I like it now that I am getting used to it,’ Mrs Hampton said, looking slightly pensive. ‘I have been used to thinking of you as my little girl, but I must get used to the idea that you are a young lady now.’
    ‘And a very beautiful one,’ Amelia said in a tone of approval. ‘I believe she will create some thing of a stir in town, Margaret. I think you must accustom yourself to the idea that Susannah will be much sought after by the gentlemen.’
    ‘Well, I hope she may meet someone nice,’ Mrs Hampton said, giving her daughter a fond look. ‘She is a good girl and has been a great comfort to me these past months. I am not sure what I should have done without