Page 98 of The Fortunes of Ashmore Castle
The priest knew quality when he saw it – and in fact he recognised her from the illustrated papers his wife enjoyed. He suddenly felt much better about the whole business.
‘Dearly beloved,’ he began, in his most sonorous tones.
Mr Moss had always insisted on the proper ceremony when a senior member of the family or an honoured guest arrived, and Mr Afton had inherited the arrangement. So the servants were lined up outside when the carriage arrived back from the station; and Giles stood at the centre of the chevron of welcome. Behind him, Arabella tightly held the hand of Miss Kettel.
William went to open the near carriage door and hand Kitty down, while on the far side Alice jumped out in her usual way without waiting for Sam.
They reached Giles at the same time, and he kissed them in turn. ‘I’m so glad you came,’ he said.
‘Poor little boy,’ Kitty said. ‘It’s so very sad.’
‘No Rachel?’ he asked.
‘She didn’t want to come,’ Alice said. ‘She had engagements.’ And she left them to go to Arabella, who received her embrace woodenly. Alice had always had more to do with Linda’s children: Rachel had been away for most of her come-out year, while Alice, sorry for them, had taken them out riding and played with them. She took Arabella’s free hand and she and Miss Kettel walked her back into the house.
Kitty and Giles went in together. ‘She looks different, poor child,’ Kitty said. ‘Thinner. Is she eating?’
‘Not well, according to Miss Kettel. I’ve tried talking to her, but she’s hard to reach. Understandably, I suppose. They must have been very close, having so little attention from anyone else.’
‘Is Linda really not coming?’
‘I’ll show you the letter. She said she wouldn’t be able to get back in time. And we can’t delay the funeral any longer in this weather. She said to continue without her.’
‘But she’ll come afterwards?’
‘There was no suggestion of that in her letter. She said she couldn’t leave our mother at the moment.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t think she has a maternal bone in her body. Even as a child, she never played with dolls.’
‘I can’t understand it,’ Kitty said. ‘I don’t even like leaving the boys in London for a few days.’
‘You’re going back?’
‘The day after tomorrow, to supervise the packing, and I’ll bring them home on Friday. The Season’s almost over now, and I don’t mind missing the last few events.’
‘I’m glad,’ he said. ‘The house isn’t the same without you.’
She would sooner he had said he had missed her, but it was something.
‘Good to have you back, Miss Hatto,’ Mrs Webster said.
Kitty’s maid paused to strip off her gloves and said, ‘A sad occasion.’
‘They thought he was getting better,’ Rose said, ‘but then the pneumonia came on. Struggling for breath at the end. I never liked the brat, but it wasn’t a nice way to go.’
‘Lady Rachel didn’t come, then?’ Mrs Webster said.
It wasn’t enough of a question for Miss Hatto, who never spoke much anyway, to make an answer. Children died all the time, you had to expect it, and though it was sad for the mother, and possibly the father, it meant little to the rest of the world. The loss of an unformed child was not like the loss of an adult, a unique and irreplaceable personality, whose character had been years in the making. The proper obsequies had to be observed for a viscount, even though he had been a minor, but it was no use pretending that anyone had cared about Arthur. ‘I’d better get my lady’s blacks unpacked,’ she said.
‘I have a spare black armband for you, if you need it,’ Mrs Webster said, as the neat little figure went past her towards the stairs.
‘Thank you, I’ve already sewn mine on,’ Miss Hatto replied.
‘She’s a funny one,’ Rose remarked, when she was out of hearing. ‘A lady’s maid who won’t gossip? Makes you miss old Taylor sometimes.’
‘Miss Taylor didn’t gossip,’ said Mrs Webster.
‘She wouldn’t have called it that, but she had ways of letting you know what was going on,’ said Rose. ‘Not that I needed it when Lady Linda was here. She always told me everything.’
‘It’s a surprise, her not coming for the funeral.’
