‘He must tell his own story,’ I said.
‘But he will tell only half of it,’ she protested.
‘A quarter would be enough,’ I returned.
‘Perhaps that is why he stays away,’ said Eleanor.
And indeed it seems only too likely.
This mollified Catherine and by and by, when the rain stopped, we walked into the village, where Eleanor wanted to buy some ribbon. The conversation moved on to Catherine’s family and I learned more about her brothers and sisters, all nine of them, and thought what a difference it must make in the family to be ten children instead of three.
‘I have two older brothers besides James,’ said Catherine, ‘and six younger brothers and sisters.’
‘And did you spend your time nursing sick animals when you were younger?’ I asked her.
She looked at me in surprise.
‘No, never. I used to play cricket instead.’
‘You were almost an entire team,’ I said.
‘With Papa, yes, we were, but of course only one team,’ she said. ‘We sometimes played with our neighbours but more usually we made two teams, dividing those who wanted to play into equal numbers, though it was never very equal in other ways because William is always wanting to win and Ned is always thinking about something else – he wants to be an inventor.’
‘And what does he want to invent?’
‘Something to hang the washing out. He is forever thinking of ways to make Mama’s life easier for her, or easier for Papa.’
‘If he ever invents such a marvel you must let me know,’ I said. ‘I am sure I will be able to persuade my father to buy such a machine for the abbey. He has every labour-saving device known and I sometimes think that that is the cause of his bad temper: he has nothing left to improve.’
‘Well, if Ned manages it, I will be sure to tell you,’ she said.
It emerged that she was not particularly fond of music, having learnt the spinet at eight years old and abandoned it at nine; that her sketches were confined to drawings on the backs of envelopes; that she learnt writing and accounts from her father and French from her mother, – ‘but I am not very good at them,’ she artlessly remarked – and that her chief delight as a child had been rolling down the hill at the back of the house.
She drew such a picture of carefree happiness that Eleanor and I were engrossed, for it was a childhood far removed from our own, and although I would like my own children to have a more organized education, I confess I would very much like to see them rolling down the hill at the back of the parsonage, to the scandal – no doubt – of the neighbourhood.
Thursday 11 April
Eleanor and I returned to the subject of Frederick’s absence this morning, whilst Catherine wrote to her brother. We could not decide what Frederick was about.
‘If he truly means to marry Isabella, then he must speak to my father at some point, but he does not show his face,’ I said.
‘I think he stays away because of his engagement,’ said Eleanor. ‘We know he is on leave and there is no need for him to avoid the abbey unless he wishes to avoid our father. He knows how angry Papa will be and he dare not face him.’
‘Frederick has never wanted for courage, whatever else might be his failings: I have been expecting him for days. I cannot understand why he stays away. If he were truly engaged then I think he would come here at once. I think his behaviour is wholly incompatible with the supposed engagement,’ I said. ‘I have wondered at times whether Frederick entered into the engagement for the sole purpose of annoying our father. I have also wondered whether the engagement really exists, except in Isabella’s mind. And even if it exists I wonder whether he will see it through, or will he jilt Isabella, in the way she jilted Morland?’
‘Surely not?’ asked Eleanor, but she did not look convinced. She was thoughtful and then shook her head. ‘It is no good, no matter how much I think about it, it remains a mystery. Frederick does not even write. My father looks for a letter every morning and never finds one.’
‘But Frederick has never been a good correspondent,’ I remarked.
Catherine joining us at that moment, we set out for our walk. Catherine and Eleanor took their sketchpads with them and sat by the lake, as pretty a sight as anyone could wish for, and Eleanor shared her knowledge of art with her willing pupil whilst I entertained them with my conversation. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we lost track of time and were almost late for dinner. Catherine dressed quickly and was downstairs before either Eleanor or myself, a change from the first night when she amused herself by looking through old chests of linen!
Conversation at dinner was the same as always, with my father worrying that Catherine might be bored, and that the sameness of every day’s society and employments would disgust her with the abbey.
‘I wish the Lady Frasers were here,’ he said. ‘They would be good company for you. Such well-behaved, pretty girls. We might have a ball if they were here, eh, Henry? But perhaps we can have one without them. I wonder how many young people are in the neighbourhood. What do you think, Henry, Eleanor? Are there enough for a ball?’
He knew as well as I did that it would be difficult to find seven young people within ten miles at such a dead time of year, when most of our friends and neighbours were in Bath, or visiting relatives.
‘But we must not neglect Miss Morland. We must show her something of the country. The next time you go to Woodston, Henry, we will take you by surprise some day or other.’
I was much taken with the idea and said, ‘An excellent scheme,’ and Catherine looked delighted.
‘And when do you think, sir, I may look forward to this pleasure?’ I asked. ‘I must be at Woodston on Monday to attend the parish meeting, and shall probably be obliged to stay two or three days.’
‘Well, well, we will take our chance some one of those days. There is no need to fix. You are not to put yourself at all out of your way. Whatever you may happen to have in the house will be enough. I think I can answer for the young ladies making allowance for a bachelor’s table. Let me see; Monday will be a busy day with you, we will not come on Monday; and Tuesday will be a busy one with me. I expect my surveyor from Brock-ham with his report in the morning; and afterwards I cannot in decency fail attending the club. I really could not face my acquaintance if I stayed away now; for, as I am known to be in the country, it would be taken exceedingly amiss; and it is a rule with me, Miss Morland, never to give offence to any of my neighbours, if a small sacrifice of time and attention can prevent it. They are a set of very worthy men. They have half a buck from Northanger twice a year; and I dine with them whenever I can. Tuesday, therefore, we may say is out of the question. But on Wednesday, I think, Henry, you may expect us; and we shall be with you early, that we may have time to look about us. Two hours and three quarters will carry us to Woodston, I suppose; we shall be in the carriage by ten; so, about a quarter before one on Wednesday, you may look for us.’
The matter was settled. I withdrew at once and made preparations for my departure, then attended the ladies, booted and greatcoated.
‘Our pleasures in this world are always to be paid for,’ I said by way of apology, ‘and because I am to have the pleasure of your company at Woodston on Wednesday, I must go away directly, two days before I intended it.’
Catherine was gratifyingly disappointed, wanting to know why that should be, and not knowing whether or not I was serious when I said that I must frighten my housekeeper out of her wits, in order to prepare for the visit.
My room in particular will need a great deal of tidying if it is to be fit to show visitors, for I must attempt to get rid of the litter of papers, the tangle of fishing lines and the hairs left by the dogs.