Our sitting arrangement on the way home was rather different from before. Now, a glowering Anne and Maria had taken their seats on one side, keeping everyone at bay with the bad mood radiating off them, while the rest of us were comfortably placed opposite them. Unlike on the way over, our aunt didn’t give the twins a second glance. She was too busy contemplating Ella’s matrimonial prospects.
‘…three times he danced with you, Ella, just think! Three times. Not to speak of the compliments he made you,’ she purred. I could almost see the twinkle of gold in her eyes as she contemplated the wealth of her future nephew-in-law.
Ella nodded, slightly puzzled. ‘He was indeed most attentive. It is no wonder that so many fine ladies were at his ball, considering how well he behaves to all his guests.’
My aunt laughed. It sounded a little like a choking vulture.
‘Oh, my dear. I doubt he would have paid so much attention to any of the other ladies.’
‘But, Aunt… what special interest could he have in me?’
This made my aunt laugh again, then wink at her niece. She was about as talented at winking as she was at laughing.
‘Of course, of course, my dear. You are very wise to be discreet.’
By this Ella seemed only more puzzled. Anne and Maria were staring daggers at her, choosing rather to believe her insincere than to believe anyone could actually be so innocent. I could hardly believe it myself - but unfortunately I knew it to be true. This was Ella we were talking about. I resolved to give my little sister a lecture about men once we were safely upstairs in our room.
When we got home, though, it looked like it would take some time before we could get to bed. First my aunt had to rush up to my uncle and tell him everything that had happened at the ball. Then she had to rush down and tell us how delighted he had been about everything that had happened at the ball, most of which she had to make up because my uncle probably didn’t utter more than two words in response to her jubilation.
And then…
Well, then the flowers arrived. We had just managed to calm my aunt down to a certain extent, when the doorbell rang. We were all so curious to know who could be calling at this late hour that we all gathered at the entrance to the hallway to catch a peek of the front door as Leadfield shuffled down the hall.
It took him a while to manoeuvre himself into a position in which he could open the door without losing his balance and falling over, but finally he managed. The door opened, and outside a young man in livery stood, carrying something colourful and enormous.
‘For Miss Ella Linton,’ he said, thrusting the big thing at Leadfield, who swayed under the weight.
‘Th-thank you,’ he said, managing a half-bow. ‘I shall deliver it directly.’
Leadfield had hardly closed the door when we all rushed out into the hallway. My aunt was leading the charge.
‘Well, Ella?’ she demanded of my little sister, who was holding herself in the background. ‘See if there is a card! See who it is from. Hurry, hurry!’
Cautiously, Ella stepped forward and took the enormous bouquet - for that’s what it was - from the swaying Leadfield. I supposed if one liked flowers and things, it was quite impressive. Some yellow flowers, dozens of white ones, and at the very top one of those red thorny things which were supposed to be so romantic. What were they called again? Ah yes, roses! Right beside the rose, a card peeked out of the bouquet.
While just managing to hold the massive flower arrangement with one hand, Ella took the card with the other, opened it, and read:
‘For the most wonderful dance ever. Sir Philip.’
‘Aww!’ My aunt clapped her hands, her eyes glowing with triumph and the promise of untold riches. ‘I knew it! I knew they had to be from him. Such beautiful flowers! And on the same evening, Ella, only imagine! I rather expected him to send a little something tomorrow, but on the same evening… That is promising, promising indeed.’
‘Promising for what, Aunt?’ Ella asked.
But my aunt only winked again and hurried off, muttering to herself: ‘Saint Paul’s Cathedral! Yes, nothing less will do. It must and will happen at Saint Paul’s Cathedral. And all my old friends will be there. Oh, I can see Mrs Gullifer’s face now, green with envy she’ll be…’
Anne approached her little sister with a smile that could have scared off a tiger. ‘Congratulations, my sister. They are truly beautiful flowers.’
‘Thank you,’ said Ella earnestly, blushing.
‘I truly believe,’ said Anne, ‘that the bouquet might be even larger than the one I have got.’
‘What?’
‘Didn’t you know?’ If possible, Anne’s smile got even nastier. ‘Sir Philip sent me a bouquet very much like that three days ago, and one to Maria the day before that. He seems to be fond of giving away flowers.’
‘Oh,’ said Ella. ‘I’m sorry yours wasn’t as large. Do you want mine? I wouldn’t mind.’
I had to steady myself against the wall, otherwise I would have collapsed from fits of silent laughter. Anne’s acid-sour face was a picture!
‘Don’t be too confident, little sister,’ she hissed, gathered up her skirts and rushed away with Maria right behind her. Ella looked after them, a puzzled expression on her face, then turned to me.
‘What was that about?’ she asked.
I waved the question away, while trying to conceal my smile with the other hand. ‘I’ll explain it to you someday, when you’re ready.’
‘Um… thank you very much.’
We might have said more to each other, but at that moment my aunt rushed into the room again.
‘Oh Ella, Ella my dearest! Isn’t it wonderful? Such beautiful flowers! Show me again, will you? We have to find a vase for them, so when he comes to visit he will see…’
She was still rotating like an overexcited top, her voice too loud to even think of going to bed in peace. So I took a book out of my uncle’s library and strolled into the garden. I hadn’t indulged in my favourite hobby as much as I would have liked, lately. Too much had been going on. But at least now I had a few hours before I had to go to bed.
What do you think I picked? Some wonderfully romantic novel that dealt with falling in love with tall, dark and handsome strangers? No, thank you! One tall and dark stranger in my life was quite enough. If those books gave help on how to organize a file system, that would have been one thing. But one glance years ago had been enough to tell me that all they were concerned with was strolling around gardens and mooning after men.
