Jane and the Damned by Janet Mullany

Author:Janet Mullany
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780062013958
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2010-11-12T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“I am happy to announce a complete cure, Mrs. Austen. Your daughter is well again.”

Jane watched in fascination as Luke, sitting next to her mother on the sofa, gazed into her eyes. Cassandra, seated in a chair nearby, let her sewing fall onto her lap and seemed equally enthralled by his presence.

“Oh, my dear child!” Mrs. Austen said to no one in particular. “Yet she looks so thin, still. Her bloom has yet to return.”

“My sister is most anxious to have Miss Jane‧s company at the Pump Room. I think those visits, and a judicious use of the waters, should put matters to rights soon enough.” He paused. “I shall continue to accompany the ladies. It is safest, you know. And Miss Jane may resume her usual social activities.”

“There, you see, Jane!” Her mother turned to her. “You are well enough to join us this evening. I do so wish you could come with us, Mr. Venning. Sydney Gardens are quite delightful and they say there will be braziers and hot punch to keep us warm.”

“I regret my sister and I are otherwise engaged, ma‧am.”

Jane was silent. As she suspected, her father had given in to her mother‧s demands.

“You and your charming sister must dine with us,” her mother said, and then looked thoughtful. An invitation to dine these days, with an uncertain food supply, was not to be issued lightly.

“When we have enough food,” Jane said.

“Now, Jane, there is no need to embarrass Mr. Venning! He understands perfectly, I am sure.”

“I am sure he does,” Jane murmured. “We should want to give the gentleman what he is accustomed to for dinner, after all.” She sent Luke a sidelong look, exposing the merest hint of canine.

“Oh, do not talk nonsense,” her mother replied.

Luke cleared his throat. Jane was sure he was en sanglant. “My sister has mentioned that she would like Jane to stay with us as her companion. No, you need not make any answer just now, but Clarissa would be glad of some female company. Please give the idea some consideration.”

“That is most kind,” Mrs. Austen exclaimed, “but I do not think we can spare Jane just yet.”

After a few more minutes of conversation, about the severe weather and the lack of news combined with the proliferation of fantastic rumors, Luke bowed and took his leave.

“What a charming gentleman! It is a thousand pities he cannot accompany us to Sydney Gardens. I think he is quite taken with you, Jane. But what shall you girls wear tonight?” Mrs. Austen asked. Cassandra responded with great enthusiasm while Jane picked through a pile of papers on the table that her sister had collected, ready to paste them into her commonplace book, which lay, along with a container of flour paste and a brush, nearby. The collection was of the usual sorts of odds and ends Cassandra liked—illustrations cut from a fashion paper annotated with Cassandra‧s notes, a few scraps of fabric and trims, recipes and poems Cassandra had written out or copied, and drawings.

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