“Matthew came home from his tour a few months after you set out, thoroughly dissatisfied with life demanding money to indulge his…um… whims, and those of various friends he brought here. He introduced his mother to the opium habit. Kate had taken small doses of laudanum before, for her nerves.” She hesitated on the word. “Now, she cannot live without it, and Doctor Althorpe tells us she will be like this for the rest of her life. He is the new physician in Middlebrook, and assistant to Doctor Tilbury, who is long overdue to retire.”
“Where was Sophie?” said Charlie.
“She was at school in Bredenbridge – thank goodness.”
“You were saying about Matthew…” Joshua prompted.
“We sent the twins and their governess to stay with Caroline. It was not safe to keep them here with Matthew causing havoc in the house, smashing furniture if he could not have his way. William Rufus and his brother Sidney did what they could to control him, but even they suffered. Kate wouldn’t hear a word spoken against him when he grew wilder and more violent towards the servants. It is a characteristic of her forebears. I suppose the end was inevitable.”
Charlie did not like to ask what she meant.
“He was invited to stay with friends in Ireland. Your father forbade it, fearing the worst, but Kate gave him money to travel – just to be spiteful, so she must accept her share of blame. I don’t know if you have any idea of the kind of profligates he called his friends…”
Strong emotion forced her to take a breath before resuming.
“I doubt they could sail a boat when they were sober, but we learned they took a yacht out in one of the Atlantic storms when they were inebriated and soaked to the brim with opium. The boat foundered on the rocks and no one survived. It took three weeks to find all the bodies and Matthew’s was the last. Your father went over there for the burial. Poor Tom, he blamed himself for everything.”
Aunt Jane’s words triggered a childhood memory of a time, soon after Charlie arrived at Linmore, when a friend of Matthew Norbery tried to shoot Joshua by the lake, and he wondered if the same bully was involved in the accident. To him, that would be justice.
Sophie came home a few weeks later, blissfully unaware of the events that caused turmoil. She had returned to Linmore only once during the whole time Joshua and Charlie were on their tour, at the end of her first term at school. She had written feverishly to her brother, and the letters continued on his return.
Joshua knew Charlie wanted to see her, but she wrote incessantly about her busy life, and they assumed she was happy to stay. They could hardly think anything else, considering the bundle of hasty scribbling that came almost every week.
Yes, she was happy, and her friend’s father was most obliging as to frank her letters. They were the most delightful people, and she could not wait to introduce them to Charlie. She had so much to tell him…
All they had to do was wait. They anticipated her return on three separate occasions, and each time Charlie was disappointed.
Sophie arrived at the most unexpected time. Each morning, Joshua and Charlie took a ride across the park in a different direction, but it always ended with a race to see which one would reach home first. Sometimes, one or other won by a horse’s nose but usually it was a dead heat.
They were half way back across the park when they saw a strange coach lumbering up the drive. Although too far away to identify the conveyance, the wish to know more spurred them on.
If Joshua’s father been there to witness the event, they would have dismounted sedately and handed over the reins with a word of thanks to the grooms. Instead, they galloped into the stable yard, threw themselves from their mounts, and hurtled around the side of the house to reach the front door before the vehicle came to a halt.
They stopped, gaping in amazement as the coach door opened, and a tall, shapely figure, clad in a fashionable dark green pelisse, over a matching gown, tumbled out, straight into Charlie’s arms.
“Charlie,” she squealed with delight, hugging him. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Let me look at you.” Her brother held her at arm’s length and his jaw dropped. “Sophie,” he growled with obvious disapproval. “What the deuce are you wearing?”
“Isn’t it dashing?” she said, unbuttoning the coat, to reveal a low-cut bodice, which clung to her form. “It’s a present. My friend bought a new outfit, so her parents insisted I had one too.”
“It’s indecent,” he said. “Go and find a scarf to cover your chest.”
Sophie stopped, looked mutinous and then laughed. “Don’t be silly, Charlie. You and Joshua are dressed up to the nines, so why shouldn’t I?”
“That’s different, Sophie. You’re a girl and must have a care for your reputation.” Charlie’s mouth worked as he tried to find words to describe his feelings. “It’s too small. They should have bought you a larger size.”
She pouted and turned aside. “What do you think, Joshua? Do you think I’ve grown?”
His tongue stuck to the top of his mouth. He nodded, trying not to meet her eyes. He lowered his gaze, and wished he had not. Yes, she had definitely grown. She might have sprouted horns as well as a voluptuous bosom, but he did not stop to look.
Sophie gave a gurgle of delight and moved closer.
“Now,” she said, “it’s time I looked at you…” Her eyes widened in amazement. “Ooh…my…word, Joshua…”
She stopped to let her tongue encircle her lips, and then, boldly, extended her hand to stroke across his shoulders right down his lower back. “You have grown so… tall… You’re even bigger than Charlie…”
Out of sight of her brother’s vision, she slyly let her fingers trickle teasingly across his derriere, whilst waiting to see his reaction.
Heat immediately surged through him. Startled, he turned and met her smouldering gaze, but not wanting to think what it meant, dropped his eyes to the coating of dust on his top boots. It was better to do that than acknowledge her blatant invitation. Luckily, Charlie’s mind was on other things.
“Don’t encourage him, Sophie,” her brother grumbled. “His head’s big enough as it is, without you giving him ideas of his importance. You wouldn’t believe the number of women that chased after him these last few months.”
For some inexplicable reason, Sophie flounced off in a sulk, leaving Charlie to explain his state of agitation. He was beside himself. His hands fluttered across his chest – hardly knowing which part to touch, and yet, clearly his sister’s décolletage was the cause.
“Oh, my God, Josh,” he said. “What are we going to do? She has no more notion of the world than a newborn. Fancy her thinking it’s all right for a girl of her age to expose her chest, wearing clothes like those. What kind of people are they to buy such things?”
Joshua knew from his encounters with Italian women the look Sophie gave him was anything but innocent. It was wanton, but that was not what Charlie wanted to hear.
“You’ll have to help me look after her, Josh; otherwise we’ll have some loose fish giving her a slip on the shoulder. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Sophie had changed beyond their expectations. Whilst they acknowledged their maturity, it never occurred to them she was similarly growing up. Joshua did not want to think of her as a woman, but knowing Charlie expected an answer, he nodded like a loony. Speech was impossible, even if his life depended on it.
While his breathing returned to normal, Joshua concentrated on his second impression – that the hat Sophie wore was too old a style for a girl her age – and if he was not mistaken, she wore makeup, but on that he remained silent.
It seemed inevitable that Sophie’s behaviour would cause Charlie embarrassment, but Joshua determined to play no part in the process. His friendship with her brother was worth more than Sophie’s fleeting amusement.
Within minutes, she returned to plague them.
“Look at her, Josh.”
Sophie seemed delighted her appearance struck her brother speechless. A throaty gurgle of laughter erupted as she slipped between them and linked her hands through their arms. “I have so much to tell you…”
“What’s that?” said Charlie, when his sister drifted into his bedroom.
A soggy strip of leather fell to the floor when Sophie took a handkerchief from her pocket. Charlie picked it up and recognised it as the leather tassel from Matthew Norbery’s boot, which Sophie took when they first arrived at Linmore. He looked at her in disbelief. Surely, she had not kept it all this time. It must be at least eight years.
“Why is the tassel wet, Sophie?” It gave him a sense of unease.
“Oh, that old thing?” she said, not meeting his eye. “I threw it in the lily pond at Annie’s home, and forgot it; only, one of the gardeners found it, and gave it back to me this morning.” She sounded aggrieved. “I don’t want it now it is spoiled.”
“Matthew Norbery is dead, Sophie,” said Charlie. “He drowned in the sea.”
She looked at him, and said without interest, “Is he? In that case, Joshua won’t have to leave home.”
“No,” said Charlie. “Nor can he join the army, as we always planned.” Then an awesome thought struck him. “Did you put a curse on this?”
She gave a half laugh. “Don’t be silly, Charlie. I do not know any spells. I just wished something would happen to let Joshua stay at Linmore, so we could always live here. It’s our home, and it would be lovely if you could meet Annie, and she could come to live with us.”
With Sophie at home, Squire Norbery had to organise some kind of entertainment. Whereas nothing official was permissible in a bereavement year, there was no reason to avoid informal gatherings where the young people could meet without offending convention.
Joshua met his nephew on the baby’s first birthday. They travelled to Shettleston Hall for the occasion, and he saw immediately that marriage had changed his sister. Caroline was happier than he had ever seen.
Something about her reminded him of Lady Rosie. He could not say what it was, but seeing the baby jolted his memory. He hoped her assurances were correct, otherwise, he would no doubt hear from her…
He had not realised that Caroline was a great organiser of social events. She knew many families with young folk of similar age to Charlie and himself, and decided it was acceptable for young people to attend dancing classes.
“Can you dance, Joshua?”
“Yes,” he said with a smile, remembering how he learned. “Charlie and I took dancing lessons whilst we were in Athens.”
When she looked surprised, he said, “It’s true. We were guests of the British Ambassador’s family. They know Aunt Winifred.”
No one could dispute that.
“That is excellent,” she said. “Several female members of Shettleston’s family are in need of dancing practice, in preparation for their presentation.”
She looked dispassionately at Sophie. “Did your lessons at school include dancing?”
Sophie met her eye and smirked. “Of course, Cousin Caroline; and I have lots of practice whilst staying at my friend’s house. Her parents are extremely sociable people, and with their position in society, they regularly entertain.”
Caroline Shettleston’s nose twitched.
“Then I trust you will have no trouble assisting the young men in the Shettleston family to learn the correct steps.”
Joshua sensed an undertone in his sister’s manner, but could find no reason for it. He knew Sophie used to challenge Caroline’s authority, but surely, nobody held a grudge that long.
It was easy to see the difference between Joshua and Charlie’s proficiency and the country folk who received only the basic instructions. Charlie was in his element, charming the young ladies with his natural ability in the dance, whereas Joshua gave his attention to the quieter girls, lacking a partner. After all, someone took pity on him, so the least he could do was return the compliment.
Several times he noticed Sophie watching him, and heard her say in conversation with his sister, “I don’t mind dancing with the other young men, Caroline, but I mustn’t neglect Joshua. It would be most impolite.”
To his surprise, she was remarkably good, and everyone commented on how well their steps matched. Then Sophie bobbed a saucy little curtsey and moved on to her next partner. Later, when she returned for a third dance, he was ready. “No, Sophie; only two dances are permissible. Three are not allowed.”
She scowled, and insisted. “Yes, but this is only a pretend dance.”
“No,” said Caroline, overhearing the exchange. “It’s a preparation for Almack’s, so we must do things correctly.”
After several sessions at Shettleston Hall, they went to other country houses for birthday parties, which always ended with dancing. It was the first time Joshua had met many of the young members of his community, and yet he supposed he would have to know them. Maybe, one day, he might even marry one of the girls. He looked around to see if he could remember who they were, but their names escaped him. Never mind, there was plenty of time.
Once Joshua started to dance, he was too engrossed in the enjoyment of the set to give anyone a second thought, until Charlie appeared, looking anxious.
“Have you seen Sophie?”
No, he had not and did not particularly want to – but Charlie did.
“You’ll have to help me, Josh. I can’t look everywhere.”
Joshua thought of the obvious. “She might have gone… well, you know.”
Realisation dawned on Charlie’s face. “Good thinking, I’ll see if she’s upstairs, and you can look in the garden. She might have felt hot and gone outside for some air.”
There was no sign of Sophie when Joshua stepped out onto the terrace, so he walked down the steps to the garden.
“Sophie,” he called, all the time looking around.
Hearing voices, Joshua walked down a cobbled path, but with evening merging into night; it was not easy to tell if he was moving in the right direction.
“Sophie, where are you?” Then he clarified his reason for being there. “Charlie is looking for you.”
He heard a low laugh, coming from the bushes, and Sophie emerged, adjusting her skirts. “What are you doing there?” he said.
“Were you worried I might get lost, Joshua?”