Lady Rose's Education by Kate Milliner Read Free Book Online

with my own eyes, and I can't claim to have seen one. Can you?”
    Norah thought for a moment and said, ”My aunt and uncle seem to do alright.”
    ”Yes, well – it is different. I suppose farmers and their wives need to be united in their effort to keep food on the table.”
    Norah was not sure that limited means was the best guarantee for a happy union, but she only said, ”Do you not think that you and your husband could have some common interests, too?”
    ”What could they be? I love art and poetry. Suitable suitors are more likely to be advocates of king and country and their own stature, maybe with an added spice of stocks and bonds. And hunting. I know this to be true at least of Lord Ashbury who is my mother's preferred candidate.”
    Hard as she tried, Lady Rose could only see one kind of image of herself and the dullard of a husband. In the picture they sat at the two ends of a long table and a fleet of servants flapped around them. The gentleman was supposedly thinking about his tenants and other important business, but in reality his mind was more pleasantly occupied with the brandy and cigar that awaited him after the dinner. The lady was supposedly thinking about hats and gloves and charity work, but in truth she only longed to be reading and writing in the privacy of her room.
    ”I do not want to base my life on conceit,” she said. She thought a while and added, ”But then, I do not want my life to be only long walks and musings either. A complete life, a writer's life requires events.”
    Her eyes looked large and excited in the mirror, when she said to Norah, ”No, I do not wish to be married, but I think I should like to have a torrid love affair.”
    Norah dismissed this as the lady's usual nonsense, and continued her work in peace.
     
    Norah pierced the fabric for one last time with her needle and made a French knot. Then she cut the thread with the little sewing scissors. After hearing the snip of the scissors Lady Rose leapt up like a child after a haircut.
    ”Thank you, Norah! You are a treasure. I will not let anyone say that you are not a skilled seamstress.”
    ”Has someone said that?” Norah asked, surprised.
    ”No, of course not. Why would they?” Lady Rose said quickly, but Norah was left with a seed of doubt.
    ”How are they treating you downstairs?” Lady Rose asked. ”Are you making friends?”
    ”I am talking to people, but I wouldn't call them my friends yet,” Norah said.
    Lady Rose didn't really believe her. On those occasions that she had had some urgent business for Mrs. Motley and had gone downstairs, she had felt the general atmosphere of comradeship among the servants. They always seemed to be eating together and laughing heartily in the flickering candle-light. It must be wonderful to be tired from the day's good labour.
    ”You are sharing a bedroom with Nellie, aren't you? How are you two getting along?”
    Norah couldn't tell her the truth, so she just said, ”Fine. Usually we are so worn after the day that we don't say much.”
    Lady Rose could see them now, sharing their secrets in the dark and giggling like little girls. She felt a sharp sting and changed the subject.
    ”Are you going to see your aunt and uncle, since it is your evening off?”
    Norah nodded her head.
    ”Yes, My Lady. I'm terribly looking forward to seeing them again,” Norah said.
    ”I hope you don't have too monstrous a tale to tell them about how you are being treated here,” Lady Rose said.
    ”Of course not, My Lady,” Norah said. ”I have only received kindness from you, and that is what I'll tell them.”
    Lady Rose smiled magnanimously. This was how one sealed a friendship, she thought to herself.
    ”Is there anything else, My Lady?” Norah asked.
    Lady Rose had to admit she couldn't think of reason to delay Norah anymore, so she dismissed her.
     

CHAPTER 11
     
     
     
     
     
    June, 1891
     
    The Easter term in Cambridge had concluded for the year, and this was the