Georgette Heyer - Lady of Quality by Lady of Quality

Author:Lady of Quality
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-04-28T12:28:50+00:00

CHAPTER 10

It was considerably past noon when Miss Wychwood re-entered her house, and there were unmistakable signs that her uninvited guests had arrived, and were partaking of a late nuncheon in the breakfast parlour. James was halfway up the stairs, lugging, with the assistance of one of the maids, a large trunk; the page-boy was collecting as many of the smaller articles of luggage as he could conveniently carry; Lady Wychwood's abigail was sharply admonishing him, and warning James to be careful not to let the trunk fall; and Limbury had just come out of the parlour with a tray. He was looking somewhat harassed, as well he might, for the hall was littered with portmanteaux, valises, and bandboxes, amongst which he was forced to pick his way. At sight of his mistress, he looked even more harassed, and begged her to excuse the disorder, in a voice which gave her to understand that it was no fault of his that the luggage was still in the hall. "The coach in which it was packed, ma'am, arrived barely a quarter of an hour ago, and since Nurse wanted something out of one of the trunks, and insisted on searching for it immediately, and was unable to recall in which of the trunks she had packed it, we have been, as you might say, slightly impeded." He added, in an expressionless tone: "It happened to be in one of the valises, ma'am."

The abigail took up the tale, bobbing a curtsy, and saying that she was sure she was excessively sorry that Miss should have come home to find her house in such a pickle, which would not have happened if the second-coachman had not fallen so far behind on the road, and if Nurse had not been so foolish as to have packed at the bottom of a trunk what one would have supposed she must have known she would need on the journey.

"Well, never mind," said Miss Wychwood. "Are Sir Geoffrey and her ladyship eating a nuncheon, Limbury?"

Lucilla, who was looking at the impedimenta in round-eyed astonishment, whispered: "Good gracious, ma'am! What an extraordinary amount of baggage for just a few days! One would think they had come to spend months with you!"

"They probably have," replied Miss Wychwood bitterly. "Run up and change your dress, my love! I must greet my sister-in-law, I suppose, before I do the same."

"I will bring a fresh pot of tea for you directly, Miss Annis. Would you care for a baked egg, or a bowl of soup?"

"No, nothing, thank you: I'm not hungry!"

Limbury bowed, set his tray down on one of the trunks, and opened the door for Miss Wychwood to pass into the parlour.

Her brother, his wife, and Miss Farlow were seated at the table, but they all rose, and Amabel tottered towards her, and almost fell into her arms, saying faintly: "Oh, Annis, dearest one, how glad I am to see you at last! How good you are to me! You cannot

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