The Painter's Apprentice by Betts Charlotte

Author:Betts, Charlotte [Betts, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780748124961
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2012-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

On Sunday morning Beth dressed carefully in one of the gowns that Princess Anne had given her. She peered into the mirror, pleased to see that the dress, made of the finest wool the colour of lapis lazuli, made her eyes look as sapphire as her ring.

‘You look enchanting,’ said Cecily, eyeing the embroidery on Beth’s skirt with jealous eyes. ‘Would you like to borrow my shawl that Grandmama bought for me?’ She rummaged in the coffer for a piece of lace, as delicate as a spider’s web, which she draped around Beth’s shoulders. ‘There! I knew it would be perfect.’

‘Why, thank you, Cecily.’ Touched, she kissed her sister’s cheek.

‘And perhaps you will lend me one of your fine gowns that the Princess gave you? I think the green one would suit me, don’t you?’

‘I might have known you wanted something from me!’ Beth glanced at her reflection again and smiled. The lace shawl really was very pretty.

‘We’ll be a credit to Grandmama, won’t we? All heads will turn to look at us when we arrive at the church.’

‘Cecily! We don’t go to church to be admired.’

‘Don’t we? I don’t know why you’re scolding me when you’re all dressed up in your best things.’

Across the fields, the church bells began to peal.

‘Have you forgotten I’m going with Noah on an excursion to the city after church?’

‘To look at St Paul’s, you said.’ Cecily took the green gown out of the coffer and stepped into the skirt. ‘What a waste of a trip to the city! Don’t you want to go to the shops?’ Cecily sighed and turned her back for Beth to pull her bodice laces. ‘Don’t ruin your beautiful dress, traipsing around a building site.’

Beth said nothing but she did wonder if, in this instance, vanity had perhaps overridden her usual good sense.

Smoothing down her skirt with a self-satisfied smile, Cecily gave Beth a sharp look. ‘Is there something you’re not telling me? You don’t usually care much what you wear; it all ends up covered in paint anyway. Why this sudden change?’ She gripped her sister’s arm. ‘Please tell me it’s not Harry!’

‘I’m not remotely interested in Harry.’

A wide smile broke out across Cecily’s face. ‘It must be Noah then!’

‘Don’t be ridiculous! Just because I’m going to look at St Paul’s with him …’

‘It is Noah! It is! Your blushes give you away, Beth.’ She hopped up and down in delight.

‘Stop it, Cecily. And hurry up and put your shoes on or we’ll be late for church.’ Beth turned away from her sister’s prying eyes and hurriedly pinned up her hair with clumsy fingers. It was true. Cecily had only said what Beth had been too afraid to admit to herself.

She was saved from having to enter into any more conversation about the matter when Samuel hammered on the door.

‘We’re just coming,’ said Cecily.

‘Mama and Sir George are leaving. Mama says she has no intention of sitting at the back of the church because you’ve made them late.

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