“No!” Camellia’s retort was as swift as it was predictable.
Mary hid a smile. Rose had a way of finding just the right words to get Camellia and Lily to do something.
“Well, then,” Rose continued, “you will have to listen to whomever the earl hires and do what she says.”
“Oh, all right,” Camellia agreed grudgingly. “I’ll listen to her and learn to do things the way they do here. But I’m still going to be the same person.”
“Of course you are.” Mary gave Camellia a swift hug. “We are all going to be the same people.”
Dinner that night was a much smaller affair, with only the Bascombe girls and the earl present. Fitz, the earl informed them, already had plans elsewhere, and he had not invited anyone, even Royce or the aunts. Noting that the earl had declined to don formal attire this evening, instead wearing the same clothes he had worn during the day, Mary could not help but soften a trifle toward him.#p#分页标题#e#
However, since the earl was not blessed with the ease of conversation that Fitz or Royce possessed and Mary and her sisters were still largely in awe of the man, conversation proceeded in a rather ponderous manner, with a great deal of time given to the weather and the details of the Bascombes’ trip across the ocean. It was something of a relief when the meal ended, and the women were able to leave the table while Stewkesbury stayed for his customary glass of port.
The rest of the evening passed rather slowly as well. In their spare time at home, Lily had often read to the others aloud as they mended clothes or darned their stockings. However, Lily, thrilled by the size of the library here, had been very disappointed to find that none of the books in it were of the exciting sort she liked.
“Not one by Mrs. Radcliffe,” she announced in an offended tone. “They’re all history and philosophy and boring things like that!”
“Nothing with even a skeleton or two?” Rose teased. But they all had to agree that none of the volumes would liven up their evening.
At home there had always been something with which one could occupy oneself—if not mending, then old garments to be torn into cleaning rags and bandages, or flour sacks to be hemmed into dish towels, or their few dishes of silver to be polished. But the silver salt cellar and serving utensils had been sold to help finance their trip, and they had brought only their best clothes, so there was nothing to be mended or disposed of. Mary had brought her knitting needles and crochet hook, but no yarn, which would have taken up too much space.
They searched fruitlessly through the drawing room for a game or even a deck of cards to while away the time, but found nothing, and after a time they decided to retire early.
The next morning Fitz returned to the house, looking slightly rumpled, as they were going down to breakfast, but he managed only a smile and a perfect bow before hastening upstairs to his bed. The earl breakfasted with the sisters, then informed them that after an hour or two in his study, he would be going to his club for lunch.
The girls, left alone, once again faced the prospect of a dull day.
“I know.” Camellia leaned forward, her gray eyes lighting with interest. “Let’s go exploring.”
“Where?” Rose asked. “There’s nothing but city out there.”
“That’s what we’re going to explore.”
Lily straightened, a smile beginning on her lips, but Rose looked doubtful. “But we haven’t any idea where to go. What if we get lost?”
“Then we’ll ask someone how to get back to this address,” Camellia responded. “Anyway, it can’t be that hard. Mary managed to find her way all the way back to the inn the other day.”
“That’s true,” Mary agreed. She had not enjoyed her walk through the city, but at the time she’d been worried about finding her way back and had not really looked at anything. “I got lost a few times, but I did finally get there. This time I shall pay more attention to where I’m going.” She stood up, smiling at Rose. “It might be fun. At least it will be something to do.”
There was still a frown creasing Rose’s forehead, but she nodded, willing, as always, to go where her older sister led. They got their bonnets and gloves, for, Mary thought to herself, they were not such heathens as to go out bare-headed and barehanded. But as they trooped downstairs, they hesitated at the sight of the footman standing at the ready in the front hallway.
Mary suspected that the earl would not be best pleased at their expedition into the city alone, but, she thought, the servant would hardly try to stop the earl’s cousins from doing what they chose. Holding her head high, she marched toward the front door, her sisters following in her wake like ducklings. To her relief, the footman sprang forward to open the door for her.#p#分页标题#e#