‘We are going to Cleveland shortly, for the Easter holidays, ’ said Palmer. ‘Charlotte has had enough of town and wants to go home with the baby. Will you join us?’
‘Nothing would give me greater pleasure,’ I said, for it meant I would be with Marianne, and I was looking forward to seeing her recover her health and vigour.
‘The ladies will be taking two days on the road. It will be easier for Charlotte and the child that way. But we need not travel so slowly. I have some business to finish in town, and I propose to start out the day after my wife but arrive not many hours later.’
I said that this suited me, and it was agreed.
Monday 3 April
I seem to have spent the last few days being thanked for my small kindness, for this morning, when I called on Mrs Jennings to tell her that I would be going to Cleveland, I found Marianne alone, and as I hesitated by the door, she sprang up and took my hands.
‘Oh, I am glad to see you. I have been wanting to thank you for helping Edward ever since Elinor told me of it. You have been a true friend to him when those who should have been his friends, his own family, deserted him. But you are a man who knows the meaning of loyalty, as I am only too well aware. Will you not sit down? Mrs Jennings is visiting Charlotte, but she will be back directly.’
She waved a hand towards the sofa and I was pleased to see that her wrist was not so thin as formerly.
‘And so Edward is to live at Delaford,’ she said, as I sat down.
‘He is.’
A variety of emotions flitted across her face and then she said, with a sigh, ‘How difficult everything is! A few months ago, I would not have thought ...’ Her eyes left mine and wandered unseeingly around the room. Then they came to rest on a picture her sister had been painting. ‘But perhaps there is still some hope, if not for me, then ...’ Her eyes found mine again. ‘The living is not enough for him to marry on, I believe you said?’
I could not follow her thoughts, but I replied to her question, saying, ‘No, I do not see how it can sustain a family.’
‘How could it? With only two hundred a year, they will not be able to marry.’
‘I do not believe so, though Sir John seems to think they will manage. I dined with him at the Palmers last night. Mr Palmer was good enough to invite me to Cleveland.’
‘Ah, Cleveland,’ she said, her face falling.
‘You do not want to go? I thought you would be glad to leave town, with its unhappy memories.’
‘And so I am. And yet I was happy here, too. I cannot forget that when I arrived, I was full of hope. I sat by that window, I played that pianoforte, when I waited for him to call.’
‘But in the country you will be able to enjoy the wide-open spaces, taking country walks — ’
‘Do not tempt me with country walks, for it was on one such walk that I met him,’ she said in agitation.
‘The variety of scene will lift your spirits, I hope,’ I said.
‘It is too near ...’
I understood her, for Cleveland was in the same county as Willoughby’s seat.
‘You thought to go into Somersetshire in happier circumstances. ’
‘How well you understand me,’ she remarked, looking at me with gratitude. ‘You are the only one who does. Elinor tells me that we will not be near him there, but she does not understand that being in the same county will be torment to me. It is good of you to listen to me. I cannot burden Elinor any further, she has her own troubles, and Mrs Jennings is not someone I can confide in. But to have you here as my friend eases my mind more than I can say.’
‘I am only too happy to do anything I can to help you,’ I said sincerely.
‘I am glad you are coming with us to Cleveland.’
The simple sentence meant more to me than she could possibly know.
‘I ...’ I cleared my throat. ‘I am looking forward to it, too. You will be staying at Cleveland for a week, I understand?’
‘Yes. And then I can go home, to Barton, and to Mama.’ At that moment, Mrs Jennings entered the room and I told her that I was to join her in the country. She was pleased, and we all parted in the certainty of seeing each other again before very long.
Thursday 6 April
Palmer and I left London this morning and stopped at Reading. Tomorrow we will reach Cleveland.
Despite her protestations to the contrary, I hope that the change of scene will do Marianne good.
Friday 7 April
We arrived at Cleveland just as the light was beginning to fade, but as we turned into the drive, I could see that it was a spacious, modern-built house, situated on a sloping lawn. There was no park, but the pleasure-grounds seemed tolerably extensive, with an open shrubbery and closer wood walk. The drive wound round a plantation, past lawns dotted over with timber — a mixture of fir, mountain-ash and acacia, interspersed with tall Lombardy poplars — and took us to the front door.
We were soon inside. It was a tranquil scene. Mrs Jennings was sitting with her carpet-work, Marianne was playing the pianoforte, and Miss Dashwood was reading.
‘Oh, Mr Palmer, we thought you would never get here!’ said Charlotte. ‘We have held dinner back on purpose. You will like to dress first.’
‘The day a man needs to dress in his own home after spending all day in the saddle is not one I want to see. We will have it at once,’ he replied tersely.
‘Mr Palmer is always so droll!’ said Charlotte, nevertheless giving the order, so that before very long we were in the dining room.
‘How was your journey?’ asked Miss Dashwood.
‘Very good,’ I said.
‘It was barely tolerable,’ snorted Palmer. ‘Potholes all the way.’
‘We thought you might have found it difficult going in the rain,’ said Elinor.
‘We had no rain,’ I said.
‘No? It has been raining all morning here.’
‘But it has not prevented us having a high time,’ said Charlotte. ‘What do you think we have been doing, Mr Palmer? We have been showing baby to Mrs Harding.’
‘Ay, a finer child never drew breath, so Mrs Harding said, and she should know, for she has been housekeeper here for twenty years,’ said Mrs Jennings.
‘One child is much like another,’ said Palmer provokingly.
‘Why, Mr Palmer, how can you say so?’ exclaimed his wife and her mother.
‘There is every difference in the world between children, and if yours is not the most intelligent child I have come across in many a long day, then my name is not Jennings,’ finished that lady.
He only snorted, but when they are not by, he praises the infant fondly enough.
I was glad of a hot meal, and afterwards my eyes were drawn to Marianne as she sat at the pianoforte.
I saw Mrs Jennings watching me and I became aware that I was staring, and so I said to Miss Dashwood, ‘I have in mind some improvements which I mean to make to the parsonage at Delaford when I return. The house is capable of extending at the rear, and a new room might be built above the kitchen. The two front rooms could then be knocked into one, and, with some new decorations, I believe it may be habitable by the time Mr Ferrars has been ordained.’
She listened to my plans whilst carrying on with her needlework, and I tried to keep my eyes away from Marianne until it was time to retire.
Saturday 8 April
Rain kept us indoors today. Palmer and I whiled away the morning with billiards, for he has a fine billiard room, and this afternoon we joined the ladies. Mrs Jennings was sitting over her carpet-work and Charlotte was playing with her baby. Miss Dashwood was engaged in needlework and Marianne sat with a book.
‘She always finds her way to the library, wherever we stay,’ said Miss Dashwood.