Chapter 1
Susan was standingat the drawing room door with her mother who was whispering to her and also trying to push her through the doorway at the sametime.
“He came all this way to see you,” Mother insisted. “Why are you not wearing your pretty yellow dress? He’s commented several times how nice you look init.”
“Mamma, I didn’t know he was coming this early. I didn’t have time tochange.”
“What’s all this whispering about?” Louisa asked as she passed by in thehallway.
“Your sister in insensitive to the fact that her young man has come to call and she looks like she just got up from scrubbing the kitchen floor,” Motherpouted.
“She looks just fine to me,” Louisa said, as she flipped through the pages of the book she wasexamining.
“She does not. Look at her bodice, not even a whiff of lace. And her cap is askew. She might as well be a beggar out on TiddlewhitSquare.”
“Oh, Mamma…” Susan complained. “You know youexaggerate.”
“Let her be,” Louisa said, “Jasper Grant is such a bore anyway. I don’t know what all the fuss isabout.”
“Oh, Louisa, you’re such a scandal. How can you say such a thing about your sister Susan’s beau? And a Knight of the realm and all that. You should be ashamed ofyourself.”
Louisa just shrugged and patted on her way down the hall in herslippers.”
“Mamma, shall I go in or not? Sir Jasper’swaiting.”
Mother became flustered and backed away. “Disgrace yourself then. Go on. Drive him away. Your last chance at marriage bliss and happiness. You’re not twenty anymore. And I couldn’t bear another episode like the one with SimonChamberlain.”
“Oh,Mamma…”
Susan turned and entered the drawingroom.
“Sir Jasper, you’re early,” shesaid.
“I couldn’t keep myself away from your radiant, beaming smile,” he said as he turned from the window where he was gazing at the sheep pond and came towardher.
Sir Jasper Grant was a fastidious young man who spent a great deal of time shunting between his tailor and his haberdashery. He was aware of every eye that was trained on him wherever he went. He studied his profile each morning in a trio of mirrors he’d had especially set up for his personal viewing satisfaction. He was lithe and comely and knew it. He had a small curl on the left of his forehead that he was constantly adjusting, and carried a small silver hand mirror about the size of an apricot on a silver chain around his neck. This he would hold out to gaze at, for the satisfaction of admiring himself or to find and correct any flaw that might need immediateattention.
“How are your parents and dear sister, Beatrice?” Susan asked as she directed him to a chair opposite where she wouldsit.
“All in the very best of health, and I trust all of you are heathy aswell?”
“We are, thankyou.”
They sat for a moment without speaking, as Sir Jasper studied hismirror.
“My mother sends her very best regards, and thanks you for the tidy woolen mittens you knitted for her birthday. She much appreciated thethought.”
“I’m so glad. Shall I order some tea? You must be parched after your journey fromFolkestone.”
“Yes, tea would belovely.”
Susan rang the service bell on the table beside her and Julieappeared.
“Yes,Miss?”
“Tea,please.”
“Yes,Miss.”
