‘I was visiting our injured carpenter.’ As soon as she had said it Henrietta realised she had fallen into the trap of justifying herself. The knowledge he had been spying on her frightened her. ‘And of course making plans for Master Weldon's wedding,’ she added with more assurance. But she was uneasy. Could he have overheard anything that had passed between Robert and herself?
No, Robert had closed the farmhouse door, and they had kept their voices low. They were safe this time, but the clerk's almost supernatural capacity for silent appearances spelt danger. She would have to keep her wits well about her.
*
Alice dumped an armful of shifts and petticoats on the bed and pushed her hair back under her cap. ‘I still think Martha would be steadier. She's younger than Letty, but she's got a good head on her shoulders.’
‘But my aunt speaks highly of Letty.’ Henrietta looked up from her dressing table where she was making a list of the wedding guests who would be staying overnight and which room should be made ready for each. ‘And I really must make up my mind today. You are to be married next Wednesday.’
‘I'm not going away. I can still look after you.’ Alice looked mulish.
‘Your first loyalty now is to Robert and your child,’ Henrietta chided, realising her maid was jealous of Letty's supplanting her, instinctively preferring the meeker Martha. Alice sat back on her heels, rubbing the small of her back. For the first time Henrietta noticed smudges of tiredness under her eyes. ‘You must rest. You're doing too much in your condition.’
‘There's much to do,’ Alice retorted, although she accepted Henrietta's hand to help her to her feet.
‘Letty will be my new maid.’ Henrietta took her by the shoulders and shook her gently. ‘But no-one could replace you in my heart. We've been friends all our lives, Alice. we can be closer friends still.’
The tip of Alice's nose went pink with suppressed emotion, but all she said was, ‘Well then, I suppose I'd better begin teaching the silly wench her duties.’
‘Before you go, I've got something for you.’ Henrietta led
Alice to the oak clothes-press. ‘I want you to have these gowns.’ She spread the grey silk and the blue wool on the bed and added two sets of lace collars and cuffs.
Alice's eyes widened. ‘But, Mistress, you've already given me a gown.’
‘I want you to look your best for the wedding. And afterwards you will have a position to support as Robert's wife. Now take them and ask Martha to help you with the adjustments, she's the nimblest with a needle. I won't need you for the rest of the day. Send Letty to me, she can start learning at once.’
Alice gathered up the fine fabrics, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and hurried out without a word of protest. Henrietta laughed and closed the door behind her.
As she sat down she felt the smile fade from her face. Everything was going well, preparations were in hand for both weddings and the household buzzed with happy excitement like a summer beehive. Alice and Robert radiated a quiet happiness, Letty was full of excited pride with the expectation of her new position and Aunt Susan, delighted that her niece was so well settled, spent every spare moment mooning over letters from Lawyer Stone.
The only fly in the ointment was the lack of news from Oxford. Dick had returned after five anxious days to report he'd been unable to speak to the man he’d sought. Finally he'd entrusted the message to another confederate, but since then nothing had happened.
Robert maintained stoutly that all would be well and the man Dick had seen was reliable. But Henrietta could not be reassured. Matthew was due to return in less than two weeks – time was running out fast.
Chapter Eleven
‘If my Aunt asks for me, Letty, tell her I will be in the orchard.’ Henrietta hesitated on the front step, unsure she could trust Letty to remember to say where she was if anything important occurred. Training an unlettered village girl to take the place of Alice was proving more difficult than she had expected.
‘Shall I go and tell her now, Mistress?’ the girl asked.
‘No, Letty.’ Henrietta took a deep breath and told herself to be patient. Letty was pathetically eager to please, but she wasn't Alice, who had been Mistress Weldon the past week and was now assisting Aunt Susan in preparations for Henrietta's wedding. ‘There is no need to tell anyone where I am unless it's important. Do you understand? I want a little time to myself in peace and quiet.’
‘Yes, Mistress.’ As Henrietta crossed the gravel towards the fruit trees she head the plaintive question, ‘How do I know if it's important?’
She fervently hoped Letty would never find the answer to her own question. What with the preparations for the wedding, the presence of three maiden cousins of her father's from Aylesbury who never stopped chattering and now the arrival of Lady Willoughby, come to add matronly support to Aunt Susan, her head was aching and she longed to be alone to think.
The wedding was only a day away. Matthew would arrive early tomorrow morning, so Cobham informed her. Letters had come by messenger for Cobham from his master two or three times each week, but he rarely passed on news to Henrietta, and she was too proud to ask. Matthew had not addressed a line to her and his silence left a small, empty ache in her heart. However coldly they had parted she'd expected at least a formal note to acknowledge that they were betrothed and soon to be married. Aunt Susan had noted the omission and commented on it, despite the excuses Henrietta found herself making for her betrothed.
‘I do not understand it. Why should he not write? He seemed so fond. It is beyond my comprehension,’ she kept saying until it became a litany that grated on Henrietta's nerves. ‘Manners have declined of late, but I cannot believe he has not sent you a gift at least. Some gloves perhaps, the latest book of verse from the London booksellers…’
‘I'm sure he is busy, Aunt,’ Henrietta kept soothing. ‘He has to put his affairs in such order that he can stay at Winterbourne a while. He cannot leave his legal clerks for weeks on end without guidance, and his practice is large, with many important clients.’
‘Well, I repeat I cannot understand it. You are to be married shortly…’ It was at this point after dinner that Henrietta made her excuses to Lady Willoughby and fled the parlour.
The sky was leaden with the threat of thunder and the air filled with swarms of irritating small flies. Under the low-growing trees the atmosphere was stifling and oppressive and Henrietta wanted nothing more than to ride her horse to the top of Beacon Hill, breathe the fresh breeze, escape the whole hot, heaving household, forget marriage and duty, casket and secrets.
But it would be extremely discourteous to abandon her guests for such a length of time, and besides, all the grooms were occupied in clearing out the long barn before setting up the trestles for the servants' wedding feast. And, however rebellious she was feeling, it was unthinkable for a well-bred young woman to ride out unescorted.