Enlightening Delilah by MC Beaton Read Free Book Online

carriage.
    ‘Miss Wraxall has changed,’ he said. ‘When I knew her, she had no interest in anything other than feminine trivia.’
    ‘She has a good mind,’ said Mrs Cavendish.
    Sir Charles swung round. ‘I am come to make my farewells, Mrs Cavendish. I go to London for a few months.’
    ‘We are very sorry to lose you,’ said Mrs Cavendish. She wondered whether to tell him that Delilah, too, was going to London, but decided against it. Miss Wraxall and her father had not wanted the news broadcast about; Delilah because, like Sir Charles, she did not want to be subjected to a round of calls and leave-takings; and the squire because he wanted to avoid questions about his supposed friends, the Tribble sisters.
    ‘What takes you there?’ asked Mrs Cavendish.
    ‘I promised myself a round of pleasure on my return,’ said Sir Charles. ‘Besides, it is time I found a wife and settled down.’
    ‘You do us a disservice,’ teased Mrs Cavendish. ‘Are there no ladies among the local belles good enough for you?’
    ‘I think I would like to try further afield.’
    ‘Well,’ said Mrs Cavendish slyly, ‘it could be you might meet one of our local ladies in London and fall in love and find you have wasted your journey.’
    ‘I doubt it,’ he said. ‘But pray keep this news to yourself. I have no desire to have to go the rounds and sit over endless teacups explaining myself.’
    ‘I won’t breathe a word,’ said Mrs Cavendish. She hesitated and then a desire to satisfy her own curiosity and also to find some way of getting Sir Charles and Delilah together in London made her say, ‘The squire has formed a friendship – or rather, reformed one – with a certain Miss Amy Tribble. She resides in Holles Street. I know we are very parochial here, but the squire is an old friend and I am anxious he is not going to make the mistake of marrying someone unsuitable. Would it be too much to ask you to call on this Miss Amy Tribble and send me a report?’
    ‘I shall be glad to do such a trifling service for you.’
    After he had left, Mrs Cavendish thought about Sir Charles and Miss Wraxall. She felt they were eminently suitable. Both had more than their fair share of good looks, both appeared to hold strong views on various subjects. Both belonged to the village, and Mrs Cavendish felt that people from the village should stay together and not waste their time bringing in foreign blood – by which she meant unknown people from London. Sir Charles would be understandably annoyed with her to find Delilah in residence with the Tribbles, but then, by the time he called, he might be glad to see a familiar face. He was a gentleman and had promised her a letter describing this Miss Amy Tribble, and no matter how high his irritation might be, Mrs Cavendish knew he would still send that letter. She rose and bent to collect the tea-things. Having only the one maid meant that you had to do a great deal of things yourself. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she bent over the table. How fat I am become, she thought in dismay. I must start to go for long walks again and not eat so much. Gentlemen like plump ladies, but not when they are so very fat as I!
    Delilah and her father set out for London on another beautiful morning. The mist was just rising off the fields so that it was like looking at the landscape through gauze. Red and gold leaves fluttered down on the roof of their carriage as the squire’s travelling coach bowled through the country lanes to join the London road.
    It was a long, easy, golden day of travel. Delilah had brought a novel to read, but the book lay unheeded on her lap as she looked out with pleasure at the glory of the countryside. They stopped for the night at a posting-house and went to bed, planning to set out as early as possible.
    In the morning, the waiter banged at the door of Delilah’s room and called, ‘Seven o’clock.’
    Delilah struggled awake and drew back the bed-hangings. The