My Dear Jenny by Robins Madeleine

Author:Robins, Madeleine [Robins, Madeleine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781611380705
Publisher: Book View Cafe
Published: 2011-07-12T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Sunday morning could not come soon enough for Ratherscombe, in rooms now unheated for lack of the ready to soften the coalman’s heart. Emily, on the other hand, lay snug in her room at her parents’ house, her head full of rose-colored fancies. When the light began to show through the curtains, she was instantly awake despite the late hours she had kept at a Devonshire House rout the night before—and making a sadly awkward process of dressing herself. It took her fully five minutes to choose her dress, tempted as she was to pick a favorite gown that, she was morally certain, would prove impossible to don unassisted. Finally she settled for less style and more practicality, and dressed herself in a gray muslin walking dress with a satin pelisse of vivid cherry red—not perhaps, the most subdued thing to wear to a secret assignation. In no more than five and thirty minutes she had completed her toilette and managed to creep from the room and out of the house.

Emily was surprised at how different the streets looked without the usual crowds of her friends and neighbors upon them. Not that they were empty, for the early morning belonged to the tradespeople, and there were men and girls singing down mews, offering new milk, flowers, fresh meats, and country delicacies.

Among the bustle of working folk Emily felt very strange indeed, and hastened toward the park. She had thought of going to meet her admirer on horseback, knowing very well that she appeared to great advantage in riding habit. But after some consideration she had decided that, on the off chance that Mr. Teverley—of course it was he—wished to sweep her into his arms, she ought to keep herself unencumbered by reins and bridles and other equestrian paraphernalia. The thought of Teverley—and of Teverley’s embraces—made her blush becomingly, to the delight of several flower boys standing near her.

She had no notion as to the time, only that it was earlier than she had been abroad in years—possibly in her whole life. She was certain that she must be on time, perhaps a little early, even, and hoped that this fact would weigh favorably with her secret admirer. As she neared the place appointed by Mr. Reagham, she scanned anxiously for Teverley—or anyone else, for that matter, since the park was singularly uninhabited at this hour. It had not occurred to her that she might be very early, and the realization that this might indeed be the case put the first crimp in her spirits. “I might have worn the blue gauze after all, and had time,” she muttered angrily to herself, unsure with whom she was most angry—herself for being early or Teverley for not being there. For the space of several minutes she simply stood where she was, waiting. Then, as her impatience grew, she began to pace. After she had walked the path back and forth some ten times, she grew tired of the exercise and, sighting a bench nearby, settled herself there for the remainder of her wait.

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