Page 34 of The Book of Lost Stories
‘Why, Miss Weston!’ he exclaimed, recognizing Alys.
‘Mr Stavely, we meet again,’ she said, glad she was wearing one of the pretty dresses that Nell had given her, rather than her shabby mourning. ‘I have the advantage of you, sir, for when I described my accident to Mrs Rivers, she told me whoyou were, while you must have had no idea that I would be making a stay with her.’
‘No, but it is a very pleasant surprise to find you here, I assure you. I trust you and your companion sustained no lasting shock to the system from your accident?’
‘No, I thank you, although Miss Grimshaw was a trifle bruised. Do you also make a stay in Town, Mr Stavely?’
‘Yes, with Lord Rayven. We are old campaigning friends, you know.’
‘But I do not suppose you go out early each morning in order to look at some bit of architecture or curiosity recommended by a guidebook, as Alys does,’ Nell said. ‘She is quite inexhaustible! Nor did I like her to go alone, although now my page goes with her, it does not presentquitesuch a strange appearance.’
‘No, you should certainly not go alone, Miss Weston,’ Stavely said, looking quite shocked, for clearly he was a very serious young man. ‘Do you then have a taste for antiquities?’
‘I have an interest in everything new to me, antiquity or not.’
‘I believe you are a bluestocking, Miss Weston. Do you also have an interest in parties and balls, like other young ladies?’
‘I declare, Mr Stavely, you are unkind to tease Alys so,’ Nell cried. ‘Of course she is not a bluestocking!’
‘I fear I am not clever enough to be ranked with those august ladies,’ Alys said, ‘although I do not understand why it should be thought so undesirable in a woman to possess any great degree of understanding or intellect. I do not mean to pretend to be stupid just to conform to such idiotic notions.’
‘Er – quite,’ he agreed. ‘I can see that when Rayven described you as the most singular young lady of his acquaintance, he was telling only the truth.’
‘Did he indeed do so?’ asked Nell, intrigued.
‘I expect his lordship was merely exercising his strange sense of humour at my expense,’ Alys said calmly. ‘It was not meant as a compliment.’
They were interrupted by the arrival of a plump, middle-aged lady and her two rather plain but good-humoured daughters, and soon the conversation turned to lighter matters.
Lady Chibberly, who was very inquisitive, seated herself on the sofa next to Nell and enquired in a low voice, ‘Your friend, Miss Weston, means to make a long stay with you?’
‘Yes, I hope for the whole season.’
‘And what of her family? From where does she come?’
‘From Yorkshire, but her parents are dead.’
‘She is an heiress?’ Lady Chibberly asked eagerly, for she was also the mother of an adored but profligate son.
‘No, although Miss Weston has a small property, her means are modest.’
‘Oh … that is a pity, for since she is no longer in the first bloom of youth she will find it hard to get a husband without any fortune.’
‘She does not intend to marry, but means instead to retire from Town after this season and live quietly with a companion.’
Lady Chibberly looked surprised. ‘Not marry! But there is no need for her to give up all hope yet. She is not precisely beautiful, yet there is something very taking about her expression when she is animated.’
Nell smiled. ‘Perhaps some man may yet persuade her to leave off her single state, who knows?’
When they left, Lady Chibberly managed to carry off Captain Stavely with them, for she was always keen to throw her girls in the path of eligible young men.
As soon as he quitted the room, Nell seemed to grow suddenly pale and extinguished again. ‘There, were not Lady Chibberly and her daughters pleasant, Alys? But I fear their chatter has left me with a headache, so perhaps I will go and lie down for a while.’
‘I think more than a headache ails you, Nell,’ Alys said gently. ‘I do not wish to pry into what does not concern me, or force a confidence you do not want to give, but something is amiss. It is my fear that your marriage, which started out so happily, is now in difficulties.’
‘Oh, Alys, I know I should not burden you with my troubles, but I feel I must talk to someone or go quite demented!’ Nell cried. Then she cast a frightened look at the closed study door and whispered, ‘I never know when George is in the house or not these days, although mostly he is not. Come up to my bedchamber.’
Once there she sank down on the carved bed, her face anguished. ‘You have guessed right. I am deeply unhappy, for George has slowly changed towards me and his whole character now seems so different from the man I married. I expect marriage bored him after a while, and most married couples do seem to spend much of their time apart, but I did not think George and I …’
