The Dragons of Kellynch (Jane Austen's Dragons Book 5) by Maria Grace

Author:Maria Grace [Grace, Maria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Soup Press
Published: 2020-03-03T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

August, 1809

The next three weeks in Bath were … what was the best word to describe them? Interesting? Memorable? Challenging? Difficult?

After her admission into the Order, Father was invited to attend an official ceremony to mark the occasion. He refused.

Mrs. Smith and her husband attended, having been given a special dispensation to permit them to become her sponsors to the Order, at least temporarily, until such time as her father accepted his responsibility. That would easily be years, or not at all. Thankfully, the Smiths understood and were ready to accept the possibility.

Since they were not Dragon Keepers themselves or even Friends, they could offer her little in the way of actual guidance. But they would not regret their choice. She might not have left school with an understanding of the classical languages, but she had been taught history, geography, French, and Italian. If she could learn those, she could learn whatever the Blue Order required. Especially considering how accommodating they were in identifying the books she would need most and arranging for them to be sent to Camden Place.

Father, on the other hand, was not nearly so pleased. A whole trunk full of books that would have to return to Kellynch with them would be highly inconvenient when the luggage cart had been nearly full when they arrived. Elizabeth would have new gowns to take back with them. Surely, all those books were not necessary, were they?

The Undersecretary’s call, or rather calls, as it took three before Father was “in” to receive him, were even less appreciated, involving much shouting. Anne could hear the animated discussions quite clearly despite being in the ladies’ sitting room on the floor above Father’s office. So, this was what it meant to enjoy—or perhaps endure—the preternatural hearing Blue Order members had that allowed them to perceive sounds that others could not. At least it was only her who could hear what was going on –the servants should not be privy to hearing their master dressed down so very eloquently.

Irresponsible, unscrupulous, vain, lazy, and selfish—words no one else dared use with Father were spoken—or yelled, with abandon. It was difficult to say that Mr. Wynn was wrong, not when he supported each claim with so very much damning evidence. Father did at least agree that Anne would have the role as junior Keeper—whatever that meant—but that he would not have her putting on airs she did not deserve because of it. Naturally. Mr. Wynn did not find the attitude pleasing and ended his call with a final warning to see that the Dragon Keeping on Kellynch improved. It probably fell upon deaf ears, despite the volume at which it was delivered. Mr. Wynn was not admitted to Camden Place after that.

He did, though, send an additional box of books and a handwritten journal written by a junior Keeper on another estate some fifty years ago. On first glance, it appeared to be written in great detail, far more than any of the books she had read offered.

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