Miss Langrishe nodded, but clearly she was tired. At last she sought her bed, leaving Amy to consider what plans she might make to persuade James into offering for Charlotte.
She began her campaign on the following day, when James and her cousins arrived to suggest a ride into the countryside.
‘No Sir William?’ she said in surprise.
‘He had no time for us today,’ James told her cheerfully. ‘We must start the dig tomorrow and our friend is preoccupied with last-minute preparations.’
‘And will the weather hold?’ Amy asked. ‘Surely we cannot dig in heavy rain, or in a frost?’
‘We’ve spoken to the country people,’ James assured her. ‘They have their own time-honoured ways of predicting future weather. I have it on their authority that we shall have some days of perfect autumn calm.’
‘Oh, good!’ Amy gathered up the skirt of her riding habit. ‘I can’t wait to start, can you?’
James smiled down at her. ‘Do you know the prerequisite for an archaeologist, Amy?’
‘What is that?’
‘It is a curious quality known as patience, my dear. Let us say that we discover some artefact, some man-made object half-sunk into the earth. How would you remove it?’
‘I’d dig it up,’ she said at once.
‘I don’t doubt it! But consider! It might then fall apart. Possibly we should never know how it was constructed.’
‘Oh, I see what you mean. Perhaps we should make a drawing of the site, and later lift it with great care, perhaps numbering the pieces as we remove them.’
‘Well done!’ he said. ‘That is the way to go about our dig. Sir William will be proud of you.’
An irresistible spirit of mischief entered Amy’s mind.
‘Oh, I do hope so!’ she cried in artless tones. ‘His good opinion is of such importance to me.’ She peeped up at James.
To her annoyance, this announcement appeared to have fallen upon deaf ears, as far as inducing jealousy was concerned.
‘Yes,’ James said. ‘That I can understand. He is the best of men. His good opinion must be of value to all his friends.’
Amy was baffled. She decided to change the subject. ‘Do tell me!’ she began. ‘Were you not astonished by Charlotte’s performance last evening?’
‘I was indeed! Such a gift! That young lady has more about her than is apparent upon the surface.’
‘And you like her, don’t you?’
‘I hold her in the deepest regard, my dear. It will be a pleasure to enjoy her company in this next few weeks.’
‘Oh, I am so glad. Her father fancies…well, I mean, he has the impression that she and Sir William…but, of course, that is ridiculous.’
‘Of course!’
Glancing up at him, Amy saw that his expression was bland.
‘Oh, I hate it when you look like that!’ she cried. ‘It means that you don’t agree with me at all.’
‘Have I said so?’
‘There was no need,’ she scolded. ‘I know that wooden look.’
James chuckled. ‘What it is to have a face like an open book!’ he lamented. ‘Amy, you are too quick for me. How may I make amends?’
‘Well, in the first place you might take more interest in Charlotte. I know how much you like her, but you do not show it. Now her father is concerned because he thinks that Sir William is, well…“dangling after her”.’
‘And I must disabuse him of that belief?’
Amy did not care for the stern look upon his face.
‘Oh, pray do not get upon your high ropes!’ she cried in exasperation. ‘Would it be a hardship to engage her in conversation?’
‘Not in the least!’ he answered easily. ‘Miss Skelmersdale is a sensible person. One can only benefit from an exchange of ideas with her. She is not given to flights of fancy, or to outrageous remarks.’
‘Unlike myself, I suppose?’
‘Amy, you are yourself!’ In an unguarded moment his hand reached out to smooth a straying ringlet from her immaculate coiffure. ‘Don’t ever change, I beg of you!’
There was an odd note in his voice, but Amy chose to ignore it. Everyone about her seemed to be behaving in a most peculiar way. There was no accounting for it.
It was with a feeling of relief that she gave her horse his head that morning. People were impossible, she decided. One wished the best for them, and then they did the most extraordinary things.
Still, the morning was so fine and the air so fresh that she soon began to enjoy herself. Challenged by her cousins, she spurred her horse into a gallop and managed to keep up with him. Then, rosy faced and laughing, she admitted with some reluctance that it was time to turn for home.
‘We ain’t been out above an hour,’ Henry complained.
‘I know it, but Sir William is to call upon us this morning. He hopes to have some word as to when our expedition can begin.’
She was right. When they returned to Laura Place they found their friend closeted with her aunt. That lady’s smile of satisfaction caused Amy to question her at once.
‘Oh, please don’t keep me in suspense!’ she cried. ‘What is it, Aunt?’
‘Good news, I believe, my dear. But I shall let Sir William tell you of it.’
Sir William had his papers spread out upon the sofa table. Now he held up a letter.
‘I have this morning heard from an acquaintance, Miss Wentworth. The Earl of Laverstoke has agreed that we may research the history of his ancestral home. It is not too far from Bath.’
‘Laverstoke? Is he not recently remarried?’
‘You are well informed, Miss Wentworth. That is correct.’
Amy was puzzled. ‘Is he in residence, sir?’
Sir William could understand her reservations. ‘You wonder if he will welcome the disturbance to his property at this time? Let me assure you that he is perfectly agreeable. He was something of a dilettante in the field of archaeology in his youth, but in recent years he has had little time to pursue such interest.’
Amy could well believe it. In late middle age the Earl had married a girl who was barely out of the schoolroom. The young lady was considered to have done well, both for herself and for her family.
James caught her eye. ‘The happy couple are about to leave for Brighton, so we hear. We shall not be de trop, if that is what is worrying you.’
‘Nothing of the kind!’ Amy said stiffly. ‘I am quite sure that Sir William is well aware that we should not wish to upset his friend.’ She turned to him and smiled. ‘This is a surprise,’ she said. ‘I thought that we should be working in some farmer’s field.’
‘So did I!’ Sir William said with feeling. ‘But I have been desirous of examining Laverstoke’s property for some time. It was under siege in the Civil War, when the wife of the seventh Earl held it against the Parliamentarians. To work on the site may tell us much about the conflict.’
‘Have you much information, sir?’
‘Just this.’ He held up a drawing of an enormous building. ‘You will see that the house is E-shaped. Such homes were built in Elizabethan times as a compliment to the queen.’
His enthusiasm was infectious.
‘So when shall we start?’ Amy asked.
‘What do you say to three days hence? That will give us time to finalise our preparations.’
‘Oh, yes!’ Amy was delighted. The prospect of spending time in the open air whilst doing useful work could only please her. ‘If only the weather will hold…’
‘The country people believe that it will.’ James was smiling down at her. ‘Amy, I believe that you would work in pouring rain if necessary.’
‘I would!’ Amy turned to Miss Langrishe. ‘You do understand, ma’am, don’t you?’
‘I do, my love, but I’ll confess that I’m much relieved to know that you will be within easy reach of shelter. I would not have you take an inflammation of the lungs, or fall prey to some dreadful rheumatic ailment.’
‘Oh, Aunt, you kn
ow that I’m never ill!’ With all the confidence of her eighteen years Amy beamed upon the older woman. Then a thought struck her. ‘We must let Charlotte know at once,’ she cried. She looked at James, willing him to undertake the errand, but it was Sir William who replied.
‘It will be my pleasure,’ he said quietly.
In the event, his offer was unnecessary, for at that moment Mrs Skelmersdale was announced. Officially her morning call was made for the purpose of thanking Miss Langrishe for her hospitality on the previous evening. In reality, she intended to throw Charlotte in Sir William’s way as much as possible.
He must be considered the finest catch of the Season, and she knew her contemporaries well enough to realise that she must guard her prize. Bath was over-full of matchmaking mammas with hopeful daughters who would cut out Charlotte given the opportunity.
Now she almost purred with pleasure when she learned that the dig was to take place on the Laverstoke estate. Any faint misgivings she might have harboured were stilled at once. Charlotte was now moving in the highest circles. Laverstoke, she knew, was a friend of the Prince Regent. To be able to claim acquaintance with the Earl could only enhance her daughter’s reputation. She turned to Sir William.
‘Your friend must be the most amiable of men!’ she gushed. ‘Does he take an interest in your work, Sir William?’
‘Not in any serious way, ma’am,’ came the polite reply. ‘But you are right. He is the best of creatures, and is always ready to oblige a friend.’
‘Oh, I am sure of it! I should not care to have my own garden dug about and turned into a ploughed field.’
James glanced at Charlotte’s face and decided to intervene. The girl looked ready to faint with embarrassment.
‘Why, ma’am, we shall leave his lordship’s grounds exactly as we find them,’ he said easily. ‘Pray do not worry yourself on that account.’
Mrs Skelmersdale nodded, but clearly she was anxious to take her leave. There was much to be done if Charlotte was to appear to the best advantage in such exalted company, and the girl must be warned not to disgrace herself.
Two days of non-stop lecturing took their toll and when Charlotte arrived for the start of the expedition she was looking heavy-eyed. She greeted Amy with a glance of despair.
‘Just look at me!’ she cried. ‘I feel like a decorated may-pole, but Mother would insist…’
Even Amy was taken aback by her friend’s appearance. Nothing could have been more unsuitable than the white gown of heavy satin beneath a half-robe of lavender silk. Charlotte’s fine blonde hair had been tortured into curls and ringlets and her enormous, over-dressed bonnet dwarfed her face.
‘Does your mother realise that we shall be digging?’ Amy cried in horror.
‘She does not, and I durst not tell her.’ Charlotte groaned. ‘Oh, Amy, I feel a positive freak.’
‘Don’t worry about it!’ Amy said briskly. ‘Did you bring an old gown with you?’
‘I did, but if Mother sees me I shall be in dreadful trouble.’
‘Then we must take care that she doesn’t see you. James asked if we’d prefer to ride or take the carriage. Let us settle for the carriage. You can wear your bonnet until we reach our destination.’
‘I shall still look very strange.’
‘But not for long,’ Amy comforted her. ‘Now let us hurry! James has strong views about unpunctuality. He considers it ill mannered.’
It was the work of a few moments to help Charlotte out of the offending finery and into her simple cambric gown, but when she set the expensive bonnet upon her head again both girls began to laugh.
‘Oh dear, it really is the outside of enough!’ Charlotte gasped. ‘I look like something from a side-show at the fair.’
‘No, you don’t. Wear it until we are beyond the town and then you shall toss it aside.’
It was fortunate that they had decided upon this plan, for it was as they crossed the Pulteney Bridge that they spied a group of ladies strolling towards them.
‘Oh, Lord! There is Mamma!’ Charlotte had paled, much to the surprise of James and Sir William, who were seated opposite them in the carriage.
‘Don’t try to hide!’ Amy said quickly. ‘Sink down a bit, but smile and wave…’
‘Must we stop?’ Sir William said at once.
‘Oh, pray do not! I mean…it would be best if we drove on…’
James had been regarding his companions with amusement. ‘Yes, that would be best,’ he agreed. ‘But won’t you explain this mystery to us? Miss Skelmersdale, I must hope that your mamma has not forbidden you to join us?’
‘Oh, not in the least! She is delighted. It is just that she did not quite understand…’
Both gentlemen looked mystified.
‘Charlotte has changed her gown,’ Amy explained quickly. ‘She fears that her mother will not be best pleased.’
‘I see.’
A look at her companions told Amy that neither gentleman understood at all.
‘When Charlotte arrived she was wearing a gown more suitable for a ball,’ she told them bluntly. ‘I fear that Mrs Skelmersdale is under the impression that we ladies are to sit about, looking…er…decorative.’
‘You will certainly do that, my dears, however you are dressed.’ James was chuckling with amusement. Then he turned to Charlotte. ‘Then this splendid bonnet was a part of your toilette?’
Charlotte gave him a rueful look. ‘It was, I fear.’ She tugged at the strings and threw the despised headgear on to the seat beside her. ‘There, now I feel more like myself again.’
‘You will never be other than yourself, Miss Charlotte, whatever you are wearing.’ The warmth in Sir William’s voice brought a blush to Charlotte’s cheek, and startled Amy.
It was no wonder that Mr Skelmersdale had got the wrong impression, she decided. Of course, Sir William was merely being kind in trying to put Charlotte at her ease, but to someone who didn’t know him it might appear that he was overly interested in her friend.
She felt James’s eye upon her and tried to avoid his gaze, but when she looked at him again she was aware of his amusement. Perhaps he too had got the wrong impression. Well, she would soon set him to rights.
For the rest of the journey to the Laverstoke estate she was lost in thought. Surely in these next few days she could find some way of bringing James and Charlotte together.
It was as they entered the outskirts of a small village that Sir William brought the carriage to a halt.
‘Let us examine the parish church,’ he suggested. ‘That may give us some indication of what has happened here in the past. It is on the edge of the Laverstoke estate.’
His interest in the state of the masonry soon brought Henry and Crispin to his side.
‘What do you say to this?’ he asked them. ‘I would guess at musketry fire…’
Both of them agreed with him. ‘And the site?’ he continued. ‘Is it defensible?’
Henry gazed into the distance, where the ancestral home of the Earls of Laverstoke towered above the countryside.
‘It isn’t ideal,’ he pronounced. ‘For the most part the countryside is flat, but here the river forms a barrier. The streams which flow to either side of the house would supply fresh water, but look here…!’ He pointed to a patch of rising ground. ‘The perfect site for cannon, if I’m not mistaken.’
Sir William smiled. ‘That is my own impression. Let us press on! Laverstoke may be in possession of documents which will help us.’
Amy doubted this. She was holding the drawing that had aroused Sir William’s interest.
‘But this is not the same house,’ she cried, as the mansion came into view. ‘It is smaller, and it is not built in an E-shape.’
‘Miss Wentworth, you are right.’ Sir William beamed upon her. ‘This present house was built upon the ruins of the original a century and a half ago. It is the foundations of the earlier structure that we hope to find.’
‘But will that not be difficult?’
Charlotte ventured shyly.
‘Possibly, but I have a plan. Richmond and I will pace out the dimensions of the present manor, and then, Miss Charlotte, we shall ask you to make a drawing of it, exactly to scale. If we superimpose this upon the earlier drawing of the house we shall see at once where the discrepancies lie.’
‘And have you no task for me?’ Amy was disappointed.
‘Of course, Miss Wentworth. Your work will be all-important. You must take careful note of the dimensions as we measure them, otherwise we shall be wasting our time.’
‘And what of Henry and Crispin? They will wish to be of help to you.’
Sir William smiled at her. ‘The task I have in mind will please them, I believe. I intend to ask them to study the lie of the land with a view to deciding upon the best place for an attack upon the manor. It will be an exercise in military tactics.’
Amy looked at him with admiration. He must have given much thought as to how to use his willing helpers to the best advantage. Each was to be given a task well within their capabilities. It was clear that he was an expert in such matters.
‘Well, Amy, are you satisfied?’ James teased. ‘We don’t intend to allow you ladies to sit about in idleness.’
‘I should hope not.’ Amy was studying the landscape. ‘Where is the local village? I had thought it must be close to the church. There is some sign of habitation there, but it is hardly a thriving community.’
‘You have sharp eyes, Miss Wentworth. In the Civil War the village was razed to the ground to give a clear field of fire.’
‘By whom?’
‘By order of the Countess of Laverstoke, ma’am. She was a person of formidable will. The manor was besieged upon three occasions, and her people fought off two of the attacks before she was forced to surrender.’
‘Clearly a woman after your own heart, Amy!’ James was teasing her again. ‘Would you have done the same?’
‘Why, yes, of course! Her troops must have been very brave.’
‘Indeed they were! They were heavily outnumbered. The Countess had a mere two hundred cavaliers, but they gave a good account of themselves.’
‘At a heavy cost, I make no doubt.’ Amy’s eyes grew sad. ‘There must have been much loss of life.’
The Matchmaker's Marriage Page 14
