Fenella J. Miller Read Online Free PDF Page B

cut off her long hair. Satisfied she looked as good as she was able, she turned to go downstairs.
    Eliza was at the last stair when she heard a carriage drawing up outside. Surely not? Everyone knew that one did not arrive unannounced at dinnertime, whatever the circumstances. Not waiting to see who might descend from the carriage she ran the last few yards to the drawing-room. Three expectant female faces turned to greet her. She glanced across at Edmund, standing by the fireplace, rigid with embarrassment.
    Her mother came across and clasped her hands. ‘I am so glad you’ve chosen tonight to dress so well, my love. We have guests for dinner. Edmund met two friends of his from London, they are putting up at the Sun, and he has invited them to dine with us. It’s so long since we entertained that I’m quite beside myself with excitement.’
           Eliza noticed everyone was decked out in their best. Denver had obviously arrived in her absence for Edmund was in full evening rig and looked every inch a country gentleman, albeit a pale and worried one. Her mother was resplendent in burgundy velvet, a magnificent turban on her head and matching egret feathers dancing and blowing whenever she moved her head. Even her grandmother had made an effort to impress. She had on a strange moss green velvet ensemble, with an equally hideous turban.
           ‘Eliza, look at this dress Mama has given me? I feel like a princess and she has put up my hair as well, doesn’t it make me look grown up?’ Sarah twirled around, delighted with her new finery.
           Eliza felt sick with dread. Indeed her lovely young sister did look grown up, she looked so beautiful in a simple pink and white striped muslin evening dress, with dainty cuffed sleeves and a modest neckline, it made her heart ache.
    She looked as any 17-year-old young woman should look. With her golden ringlets arranged on either side of her face and her pale blue eyes sparkling with excitement, Eliza knew that a gentleman might find her irresistible.
           ‘Yes, you look lovely, darling, but remember if you are to dine with us tonight, you must not speak unless addressed. You must nod and say "yes please and no thank you, and how kind" but nothing else. Do you understand?’
           Sarah nodded making her curls fly. ‘I promise, I promise. I shall not be naughty tonight. If I’m good, can I dress up like this and come down to meet guests another time?’       Leaving her mother and grandmother to discuss the matter with her sister, she indicated to Edmund they should move apart and stand, in the deep curve of the bay window, to have a private conversation.
           ‘Edmund, what were you thinking of? Have you run mad? Why have you invited those men here?’
    Edmund seemed to be having difficulty in answering, he ran his finger round his stock as if it had grown too tight. ‘I was returning from Colchester having delivered the not to the lawyers and met them on their way back from a walk. One of our men covered them with mud and they were baying for his blood. When Wydale saw me he turned his anger in my direction. If it hadn’t been for Mr Reed’s intervention, that man would have reneged on his agreement and demanded that we leave the place at once.’
           ‘But don’t you see, Edmund, they will reveal everything. Can you imagine the distress knowing what you have done will cause our mother and grandmother?’
           ‘Mr Reed gave me his word of honour that they would behave as no more than friends of mine from London.’
    They heard the bell that hung outside the front door ring and Mrs Green welcoming the two gentlemen in. It was too late for further conversation. It did not occur to Eliza that she was at any risk of being exposed as the country bumpkin who had ruined the gentlemen’s stroll about the countryside.
           She went to stand by Sarah, just in case her sister did something that