Carteret: Confirmed Bachelors Book 3 by Jenny Hambly

Author:Jenny Hambly [Hambly, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2021-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Lady Malmsy and Mrs Pellow visited Tremlow House a few days later, and a comfortable rapport was soon established between the ladies. Miss Reynolds and Phoebe accompanied them, the young girl naturally gravitating towards Emma who was equally pleased to see the child. Miss Reynolds sat on the periphery, rather quiet, her thoughts apparently elsewhere. Cassandra completed a series of sketches of Mrs Pellow whilst they drank tea and chatted, and it was agreed that the sisters should return the following afternoon for a final and more formal sitting in the summerhouse that was situated at the top of a gentle slope in the garden. It was fronted by a series of large windows that had the dual benefits of allowing great quantities of light into the building whilst offering its occupants a wide view of the marsh and the sea beyond.

After the visitors left, Cassandra retreated there and from her sketches of the twins completed two rudimentary watercolours, their images side by side on the canvas. By a subtle shift in expression, she had captured something of their different personalities she hoped. Tomorrow she would mix some gum into her paints to strengthen the colours and hope to accurately match the hue of their eyes, hair, and complexion. The painstakingly delicate work of the miniatures would take rather longer to complete.

The dinner hour passed unnoticed, as did Louisa when she quietly entered the room and left a glass of wine and a plate of cold meat and bread and butter for her refreshment. She was recalled to the lateness of the hour by a protesting rumble from her stomach and an appreciative smile curved her lips as she saw the repast laid out on a small table. It was set next to a cushioned cane chair, positioned to take advantage of the wide view beyond the window. The weather had cooled, and dusk was beginning to descend. A low-lying mist crept over the marsh, and the clouds above reflected the sunset, blushing a dull red.

Cassandra sank into the chair and rubbed gently at her tired eyes, before reaching for the wine and taking a small sip. She looked out of the window, her eyes feeling soothed by the gathering darkness and absently nibbled at a slice of bread and butter. Lights out at sea marked the progress of the dark hulk of a boat towards the entrance of the harbour. It was probably bringing coal in on the high tide to be offloaded in the morning into the barn built there to store it.

Her attention was caught by another light, closer in that was moving across the marsh. That probably belonged to a lone herdsman returning home after checking on his sheep. She had frequently seen such characters on her solitary walks. She sipped her wine, idly watching his progress. Every now and then the light disappeared, and she amended her first hypothesis. Many waterways criss-crossed the marsh that at high tide became navigable for small boats, and judging by the lamp’s height and its intermittent visibility, it was probably a fisherman.

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