ChapterOne
“Ican’t wait!” Lady Diana Arnold said excitedly, buttering another slice of fruitcake at the breakfast table.
“There’ll be picnics and carriage rides every single day and balls or theatre visits in the evenings,” she continued. “Then, of course, I’ll get to see Queen Charlotte and all her attendants. Arabella Benton said that at court, the ladies-in-waiting change their gowns three times each day, and the Queen a full five times. Can you imagine? I’m not sure I believe that.”
Percy Arnold smiled kindly at his younger sister. Having turned eighteen last winter, this would be the first London Season for Diana and the most exciting phase in her young life, so far. Aside from holidays in Bath, Brighton, or Harrogate, she had spent most of her life at Fernside, the family’s estate in a green and peaceful corner of Hampshire
Five years older than his sister, Percy could still remember his own pleasure in coming up to London as an adult for the first time. Oxford had been fun during his student days, but it was nothing compared to the thrill of the bright lights, high gaming stakes and pretty girls of London. He’d been enjoying the capital city thoroughly ever since making its first acquaintance…
“You must remember to set aside time for sleeping, Diana,” he said. “Or you’ll fall asleep in the theatre and disgrace yourself by snoring loudly during the most tragic scene.”
“I would not!” Diana said indignantly, turning her bright, hazel-brown eyes on him and raising her chin defiantly. Her face could have looked fierce if it had not been framed with natural blonde curls and softened by rounded, rosy cheeks. “You’re the only one in this family who falls asleep in public places, Percy Arnold. And the one who snores the loudest!”
“Am I never to be allowed to forget my graduation day?” He laughed. “I was extensively toasted with champagne, against my will I might add, by my college friends and fell asleep in the coach on my way to meet you all for dinner. I was two miles outside Oxford before anyone woke me up, and that was only to bother me for the excess fare.”
Diana giggled, evidently remembering her brother’s red-faced and disheveled appearance after having run all the way back to Oxford to find them, with his cap and gown all askew. Initially angry, her parents soon saw the funny side, and Percy’s propensity for falling asleep in public places had been a family joke ever since.
“I’m glad you’ll be in London with me too, Percy. There’ll be so few people I know.”
“In London with Diana?” their father, the Earl of Templeton, questioned, looking up from the book he had been reading and glancing around the table at his family. “I thought Percy was meant to be spending time with me this summer to learn how to manage the family estate and investments.”
“Well, Richard, he will have to do both, won’t he?” Lady Templeton said diplomatically. “If you’re going to be up and down to Fernside all the time, we will need a gentleman to escort Diana with me."
“He won’t be able to accomplish either task if he’s out carousing half the night with his friends,” the Earl grumbled.
“Me, carousing? I never carouse…” Percy said with a wink at his sister. “All rumors of my carousing are entirely false. Or possibly just exaggerated." His face was as innocent as a choirboys with the same blonde curls and rosy cheeks as his sister’s.
Both of his parents sighed and shook their heads, but their eyes still twinkled at him through their disapproval. Percy was as lovable as he was irresponsible.
“I remember my first Season,” Lady Templeton said with a smile, turning back to her daughter as she began to reminisce. “I was so nervous at first about the presentation at court and all the protocol. I was sure I would fall on my face or say something foolish but in the end, it was perfect, and the Queen looked straight at me and nodded. I was happy for days afterwards.”
“You will talk me through the presentation again and how I should curtsey to the Queen, won’t you, Mother?” Diana asked anxiously then. “I’m worried I’ll forget something important.”
“Of course, my dear. We’ll practice as many times as you wish. But don’t worry too much about the formalities. There will be so much fun to be had too. I had such a wonderful time during the summer of my first Season. So many parties and so many new friends. So many handsome young men too, and your father the most handsome of all of them.”
“Hmmph,” the Earl said, pretending to be absorbed in his philosophical tract again and disinterested in anything as frivolous as the London Season but actually smiling slightly as his wife caught his eye.
“He was the finest dancer too,” she continued. “We danced until dawn at Lady Jameson’s ball, the last of the Season. Do you remember, Richard?”
“I remember how much my feet ached in those heeled shoes men used to have to wear in those days,” he said grumpily but then looked up to meet his wife’s gaze. “But it was worth it to keep the most beautiful girl at the ball in my arms all evening.”
“I should love to dance all night at a ball like that!” Diana exclaimed dreamily. “Just to dance on and on until the sun rises…”
“Whom would you be dancing with?” Percy asked. “If you’re planning an all-night dance, I suggest you pick at least five strong young men. Otherwise, it would be like running the mail coach from London to Edinburgh without changing horses. The poor creatures would drop down dead unless they have Father’s stamina.”
“Oh, anyone as long as they’re tall, handsome and good at dancing…” Diana trailed off.
“How about my friend—”
“Don’t tease your sister about young men, Percy,” their father admonished then. “Diana, remember that you’re to marry your cousin Andrew. The London Season is all part of growing up, but you can ignore much of the frivolity you’ll encounter. You won’t be hunting a husband at all those balls unlike most of the other poor girls. There’s no need to get too excited about the young men.”
“Of course, Father,” Diana said flatly, and Percy saw the light go out of her pretty face at their father’s words. Their parents didn’t seem to notice anything at all and carried on with their breakfast, beginning a conversation about whether one or two carriages would be required in London for the Season.
* * *
Diana’s betrothal to her second cousin, Andrew Arnold, had been afait accompliin the family for as long as she and Percy could remember.
Over the last century, Arnold family marriages had brought with them several complex and unusual entails around items of land, Christian names, and financial bequests, which were to be split and passed through the principal female line, while the title, central estate and its income continued to pass through male heirs.