Page 6 of A Winter Chase
Miss Fletcher brightened. “Is that so? Well, I hope we get on with them. We have to learn to get on with all these high-ranking people because Rosie is to marry a title. She is a great beauty, you see, so her destiny is to marry a lord and drag us all up into good society in her train, although for myself I’m not sure I want to be dragged up. Or could be, come to that. I dare saymydestiny is to marry the local parson and deliver beef jelly to all the poor families of the parish.”
“There are worse fates than to marry the parson,” James murmured, trying very hard not to laugh.
“Are there? I can’t think of many.” She shivered.
James was instantly alarmed for her. It was January, after all, and a bitterly cold day for a gently-brought-up young lady to be sitting about on gates.
“You will become chilled if you linger much longer here. Let me escort you back to the Park. I have to go that way anyway to hand over my efforts for the day.”
“Oh, that’s kind, although I won’t get lost, you know. If I look back the way I came, I can see the house very clearly. But if we are both going the same way, perhaps you can tell me about the neighbours and the village as we walk.”
And so they ambled slowly back down the hill, and James managed to tell her a great deal about the parish without once mentioning the church or the rectory or the fact that he was himself the rector.
2: Chadwell Park
The gamekeeper took Julia to a low building to one side of the house, which she immediately identified as the kitchens, from the distant banging of pots and the glimpses of still room and scullery on either side of the door. A harried kitchen maid took charge of the birds, with a bobbed curtsy and a surprised glance at Julia.
“Thank ’ee, Master James,” she said. With another puzzled look at Julia, she disappeared into a side room.
The gamekeeper laughed, his face alight with amusement. He was young for a gamekeeper, Julia thought, who had imagined such people to be weather-beaten men of mature years, grizzled and grey, chewing twigs between gloomy prognostications on the prospects for rain. This man was not above thirty, with pleasant features and hair of an indeterminate brown that fell in soft curls around his face like a halo.
“If you follow this corridor a little way and turn right just past the cheese store, you will find the passage to the main part of the house. When you come to the stairs, go up and you will come out beside the breakfast room. The entrance hall is just a short distance further.”
“Thank you, sir, and for your company. I dare say we shall meet again.”
“I imagine we will,” he said, grinning as he bowed low. Then, with a cheery wave of his hat, he was gone, closing the outer door behind him.
She had no difficulty finding her way as he had directed, emerging into the main house in a broad passageway lit from far above by some kind of window set in the roof. Several doors led off to either side, all of them closed. At the far end, wide stairs looped upwards past high windows. There was no one in sight.
Walking slowly down the passageway, she found the massive entrance hall, rimmed with marble pillars, its floor tiled in an intricate pattern. So grandiose, their new home! Not like the comfortable familiarity of their Sagborough house. A wave of nostalgia washed over her momentarily, but she resolutely banished it. It was strange just now, but they would grow accustomed and if the local people were as friendly as the gamekeeper, they would be very happy here.
There was no one about, but voices emanated from behind one of the closed doors, deeper male rumbles, and one higher voice that might be Mama’s.
Julia turned the knob and pushed open the door.
Many pairs of eyes turned to stare at her. Pa and Mama were there, as well as Angie and Johnny, who grinned when he saw her. Will was leaning negligently against an elaborately carved marble fireplace, looking very much at home. There were three complete strangers sitting stiffly on chairs with gold-painted arms.
“Oh! Julia!” Mama cried. “Goodness, child, must you come in here in all your dirt?”
Julia gazed down at her travelling pelisse. Itwasrather stained, now that she looked at it.
“I beg your pardon, Mama,” she said. “I shall go and change.”
“Well, now that you are here, you had better meet our neighbours, and the former owners of our new home. Lady Plummer, may I present to you our second eldest daughter, Miss Julia Fletcher? Julia, this is Lady Plummer, Sir Owen Plummer and Mr Michael Plummer.”
Lady Plummer, her back ramrod straight, inclined her head slightly in icy acknowledgement, but the two gentlemen had risen at her entrance and now made her formal bows.
Julia made her curtsy. “How do you do, Lady Plummer? Sir Owen. Mr Plummer. Pray forgive my dishevelled appearance, but I could not wait to enjoy the freedom of your lovely gardens after five days of confinement in the carriage.”
“That is entirely understandable, Miss Fletcher,” Sir Owen said, “although of course they areyourfamily’s gardens now, not ours. I sincerely wish you many pleasant walks there, and in better weather than January affords.”
“You are too kind, Sir Owen,” Mama trilled, a smile fixed on her face. “Too tolerant, when it must be the greatest grief to you to see your family home occupied by strangers.”
“It is no grief to me, I assure you, Mrs Fletcher, and I very much hope you will not be strangers for long. Did you walk far, Miss Fletcher?”
“Only to the gate to the High Field. I met the gamekeeper there, who told me the name of it.”
“The gamekeeper?” Lady Plummer straightened even more, sounding startled. “Is he better? The poor man has been practically bedridden for months now, but then he is over eighty, so it is only to be expected.”
