Growing Good (12)

Seasonal Celebration (3)

Things were still very awry within the Pockinford household! Her parents had still not communicated aught to Thea – Lady Theodora Saxorby – of any details concerning this disgraceful matter about her brother the Honble Simon, that from being an annoying Evangelical prig had been shown up a great hypocrite. So there was no family Christmas on the Shropshire estate this year – Artie of course was off to Harrogate, where Rachel was coming about to health after near dying in childbed – the younger ones had already been dispatched for a long stay at the rectory with their aunt Agnes and the Reverend Doctor Hugh Lucas –

And Thea, o, it was entirely delightful, so delightful it felt quite sinful! was spending the season with her sister Aggie – Lady Agatha – in her husband Hughie’s East End parish. For Grissie had pointed out that Trembourne House was a house of mourning – would be taking things very quietly – and while in usual circumstances might have seemed incivil to go away, had been quite urged to do so.

Not just darling Aggie and Hughie and their dear little children – but also dearest Sister Linnet and the other members of the sisterhood that were doing good works and leading a religious life in the parish. Thea considered Sister Linnet quite as a spiritual advisor.

Now, said Sister Linnet, when Thea went to take tea at their house, I am sure Lady Agatha has a deal of things planned for you, but I fancy she will be quite agreeable to this proposal of mine –

Thea sat up.

– about the parish there are a number of ladies, widows and spinsters, that are not in such destitution that they fall upon the parish, but nonetheless are in somewhat straitened circumstances – so we have gone about to bring 'em together into working parties, where they may have company, and we give 'em tea, and they may feel they are doing good. So, we purpose giving a Christmas party for these ladies –

Thea began to grin. And it would greatly gratify 'em did Lady Theodora sing a carol or so for their entertainment? O, this was an entire different matter from being desired to show off for family guests and in particular that horrid creature Lord Fendersham! Also, now she was going take proper instruction from Miss McKeown she had a great deal more confidence in her capacity.

Quite so, they will be talking of it for months! And, Thea dear, while you have a very proper taste for plainness in dress, I think they would be charmed to see you in something rather fancier.

La, I have one of my bridesmaid’s gowns – a creation by Miss Thomasine at Mamzelle Bridgette –

The very thing!

Very fortunate it turned out that the pianoforte in the Sisters’ House was in tune, and Sister Renata was quite capable of providing accompaniment, 'twas all entire convenable. So Thea came to help the sisters make up baskets for the ladies, that would contain some treats for 'em –

Sure, said Sister Linnet, as they made pretty parcels with coloured paper and gilded ribbon, there is a place for austerity and self-denial. But when someone’s life is already hard – a daily round of pinching pennies and making do – sure I think there is a goodness in small pleasures and modest comforts, 'tis by no means self-indulgence.

Thea was moved to disclose somewhat of the family trouble over her brother Simon.

Sister Linnet sighed, and said, alas, men had temptations that women did not and mayhap the trouble lay there, but indeed, he sounded to have been considerable trying in his ways.

But here it was, the afternoon of the tea-party, and the ladies coming in, in what one might see must be their best, and very like normally laid by in camphor against the moth, and looking a little nervous. Their eyes lit up at the fine spread before 'em, as they shook hands, and made little dips, that greatly embarrassed Thea.

She saw 'em quite feasting their eyes on the sight of her dress, that though 'twas entire proper for a young unmarried lady, was quite exquisitely made with very fine embroidery and a pattern of seed pearls to the bodice.

And, o, 'twas an offering to sing to 'em – and to desire that they would join in to the chorus of Noel, Noel &C – and there were tears in some eyes.

***

Harry said somewhat grumpy that, was obliged to go meet with fellows of the town and there would doubtless be a deal of drinking and a fog of tobacco smoke, sure he wished himself back in the days of genteel snuff-taking, but the thing had to be done. Could not have it said that Sir Harry Ferraby was grown proud and distant, forgets his roots, becomes a Londoner –

Lou kissed him and said, dared say 'twould be agreeable enough once he was there. And while there might be drinking and smoking, she could not suppose that 'twould be a vulgar coarse set was Enoch Dalgleish of the company, or indeed, Jeremiah Gaskell.

Harry’s expression softened, and he smiled, and said, indeed so. Sure there is Gaskell, that was a workhouse brat got his beginnings shoveling at the coke works, a deal nicer-conducted than Henry Birling, that sold 'em to Papa in order to go be a county gentleman. He snorted.

Well, he will not be there, will he?

Hardly! Sure I am astonished that the Tory interest could not find a more prepossessing candidate. But then, there is not such an immense pack of 'em in these parts that they have a great choice – Sir Jack Whitterby I daresay is too busy getting his feet beneath him since inheriting –

Anyway, said Lou, carefully straightening and patting down his clothes and brushing a hand over his hair, the ladies of the town and I will have an agreeable gossip-party, along with dear Scilla Wallace –

For Bobbie Wallace had felt obliged to come spend this season in his constituency, being so recently elected and with some hint that a general election might be in prospect.

He kissed her and said, complaining about your menfolk, no doubt!

Lou giggled. She watched him down the stairs, and then went to peep into the nursery where Hal and Gervie were peacefully slumbering – the adjacent chamber where Scilla Wallace was feeding little Freddie, Mark having already been put to bed – and then further along the corridor to the girls’ playroom, where she could hear the sound of romping within.

She opened the door and peeped in.

Not too noisy, my dears – the little ones are asleep –

Three rather flushed faces looked up at her from the floor. She did not interrogate exactly what they had been about. The weather had been too inclement to go outdoors, and youthful spirits would be worked off somehow.

It was, she thought, gratifying to see Una Wallace so lively. Had been entire the best thing for her, the company of girls of around her own years, going to school, after all those years spent very much with older people – for Lou apprehended that Tina Gartslade’s children were considerably younger than Una.

But she must go downstairs to be ready for her guests, the good ladies of Firlbrough, an excellent set ever busy about improvements and sensible good works, very businesslike, most of 'em having been bred up in an expectation they might need to take hold of business in some emergency, and was’t not so, was an asset to a husband to have a wife that understood business.

Well, Lou, shocking poorly educated merely to be loosed onto the Marriage Market as she had been, had come about to understand somewhat of that! First there had been beloved Eliza Ferraby, that had instructed her in the arts of managing a household, when she had gone to stay with them at Raxdell House during all that turmoil in her own family – Nan eloping, and the entire family quitting Nuttenford House after their father stole a snake to public scandal, and then he went to America and was eat by a bear –

And she had come to know and admire her dear friend Bess’s brother Harry, and when she made her début, had made bold to speak to him that her brother, that had by then succeeded as Nuttenford, had averred that he would not constrain his sisters’ choices in marriage and that Harry should not be hesitant to speak on account of the difference in their ranks.

He had been very patient with her ignorance – she was not the like of his mother, that could have run the ironworks herself at necessity! – but she had at least come about to understand the rudiments of the various matters he was concerned with. Was not one of your fine ladies that does not wish to know aught of where the money comes from!

Here they were, her guests, the excellent good women of Firlbrough, ever about fine practical and well-managed good works – sure she hardly needed to commend to 'em these fine volumes that were purposed by this new enterprize of Harry and Sebastian’s for keeping charitable records, but she had samples laid as if idly on tables, for they were very pleasing to look at.

They were all very eager to tell her about the quite magnificent party that had been give to mark Miss Unwin’s retirement from the girls’ school – the presentation of mementos – the speeches –

Lou had already heard a deal of this from Miss Unwin herself! Had gone visit the quondam schoolmistress with treats and presents of her own, for sure, owed her a very particular gratitude – had Miss Unwin not been turned off by the horrid Fraylinghams for having the temerity to become ill, they would not have offered to Papa to take in Lou and Miss Millick so that Milly might step into Miss Unwin’s shoes and instruct the beastly Fraylingham cousins, and Lou might accompany 'em to dance and deportment classes –

And had that awful time as poor relation not happened, would never have met Bess and the whole Ferraby family, when Bess, gallant defender of the oppressed, had turned upon those reptile girls that had been twitting Lou on her shabby dress, that had been Nan’s and Em’s before her.

She smiled about, and enquired about the various other matters they were engaged upon with the Institute and the Public Library and the Mother and Baby charity &C&C – and the tales of various courtships and impending marriages that went forth –

Scilla Wallace showing exceeding well – nicely deferential as a younger woman to the matrons of the town – murmuring that would mention this or that to her husband –

Yes, the occasion was going.