“I have told my aunt, the Countess,” said Emily, “that I am not going to marry until I am at least thirty years old!”
“Well, you will be quite on the shelf by that time, Emily. But perhaps Freddie will find you some elderly officer from the regiment who is looking for a bride?”
“Perhaps, but I hope that the war will be over by then, otherwise I might find myself a widow within a few months of marriage.”
They then turned their conversation to more cheerful subjects, and the rest of the journey seemed to pass quite quickly. The carriage soon passed through the village of Marshfield and turned down the long slope on the hill into the city of Bath. Aunt Lucy’s house was situated in the Paragon, just along the street from the Royal York Hotel. She gave both of them a very warm welcome.
“Julia! And this is your friend Emily Brandon? I’m so delighted to meet you, my dear. Have you had a pleasant journey? I have been looking forward so much to seeing you both, and have all kinds of plans for your entertainment.”
Her butler collected the trunks from the carriage and arranged for the footman to take them upstairs. The house was on four levels, with the main entertaining rooms on the first floor stretching from the front to the back of the house, each beautifully furnished with silk curtains and handsome carpets.
Soon their trunks had been unpacked by the maids and they were able to change from their dusty travelling clothes into fresh apparel.
Both Julia and Emily had bedrooms at the front of the house, overlooking the street, where there was a constant parade of fashionable people visible below, going to and from the Baths and the Assembly Rooms. However, they did not stay long looking at the view, as a delicious repast awaited them in the dining room below.
“How is your father, Julia? I know that your dear mama has been worried about him, and goodness knows he has had a few problems, one way and another, over the past two or three years.”
“I am concerned about him, too, and the doctor does not seem to be able to do very much to improve the situation. I would have liked him to have come with me, but he seems to get tired so easily, and Mama said that the journey might be too much.”
Aunt Lucy looked very concerned. “That’s a great pity, for there are many expert medical men practising in Bath who might be able to help him.”
Emily agreed with her. But the conversation turned to more cheerful subjects, and it was clear that Aunt Lucy did not intend Julia to have very much spare time in which to worry about her father.
There was to be a concert at the Lower Assembly Rooms tomorrow afternoon, and Aunt Lucy had purchased tickets for all three of them so that they could attend. She had in mind a little shopping in Milsom Street before that, interrupted perhaps by taking a few cakes in one of the tearooms during the morning. She had seen a very modish new dress in the window of one of the dressmakers, and wondered whether Julia would be interested in having that style made up from the length of silk that Emily had purchased for her at Wilding and Kent’s emporium in London.
“If you would like to read a little whilst you are staying with me, don’t forget that there is a subscription library that you can use in Milsom Street. I recall that you are very fond of books.”
“It sounds as though I may not have time for that, Aunt. I told Emily that you would make sure that we were very busy during our stay!”
Aunt Lucy smiled, and then said, “It’s getting rather late now, so perhaps we should not wait too long before going to bed, so that you are fresh and ready to start everything tomorrow morning.”
The following days were filled with a round of activities, with every waking moment occupied by making visits to Aunt Lucy’s friends, listening to music at the concerts, visiting all the delightful shops, meeting acquaintances on the streets, and getting ready on many evenings to go to one of the balls.
“I am really quite exhausted,” joked Julia, “and have met so many eligible young men that I cannot possibly remember all their names.”
“Some of them are so good-looking that I might even decide to bring forward my plans for marriage from thirty to twenty,” said Emily.
Aunt Lucy had done her best to make sure that they met every handsome young man worthy of consideration who was staying in Bath. Whilst there were many young ladies wearing the latest fashions, Aunt Lucy thought that Julia, and Emily also, of course, looked as well dressed as anyone at the concerts and balls.
Certainly, there was no shortage of the most fashionable young gentlemen with shapely calves and powerful thighs clad in breeches. Aunt Lucy was not immune to all that either, and wondered that her niece seemed to be so unimpressed by all the handsome young bucks to whom she had been introduced. Julia did not seem to find any of them interesting, but she could only do her best.
There was no news from Freddie, but Harriet wrote to say that Papa was taking life quietly by resting as much as he could, and that the doctor had called, with undisclosed results. Mr. Douglas had visited and his company had seemed to cheer their father. Sophie had been, as ever, irrepressible during his visit, so that Mama had to ask her to leave Papa with Mr. Douglas in peace.
“Sophie is always the same!” was Julia’s response.
A few days later, a letter arrived for Aunt Lucy during breakfast. She undid the seal, unfolded the paper, and read slowly through the contents. Then her eyes began to fill with tears.
“Dear Aunt, whatever is the matter?”
“Oh Julia, this is such a sad message. My dear friend Susannah Hatton has died. I knew that she had been unwell some months ago, but had had no idea that it was so serious.”
“I am so sorry, Aunt Lucy,” said Julia. “Had you known each other a long time?”
“Yes, my dear, we had been at school together and kept in touch over all the years since then. So it seems that we have been friends forever.”
“Does the letter say anything else?”
“Yes, it does. In her will, she has asked that several friends should choose something from her house at Morancourt, as a legacy that they would like to remember her by. That is a very kind idea, Julia, isn’t it?”
“Yes, indeed. When are you planning to do that?”
“Her heir writes that he is to visit Bath soon, and plans to call on me so that we can make suitable arrangements.”
“Do you know anything about him, Aunt?”
“Very little, Julia. All I can tell you is that he writes a good letter, and is keen to carry out my dear friend’s wishes.”
Aunt Lucy had been very insistent that the new dress should be made for Julia during her visit to Bath. Much time had been spent deciding on the design and having fittings to make sure that everything was exactly as it should be. Emily was delighted that her friend was to have that and several other new things. Julia was rather more cautious, for the new patterns were rather more flamboyant than she was used to, perhaps a bit more “London style” than she felt comfortable with.
However, Aunt Lucy was having none of it. “Blue is so becoming to your slim figure and delicate colouring, Julia. It would be such a pity if such an attractive girl as you were not to be shown to the best advantage.”
Since Emily was of the same opinion, Julia did not argue any more, but agreed to select some simple jewellery, and other accessories, to complement her dress. Indeed, it seemed that Aunt Lucy had been right, since her new attire attracted many favourable comments, not only from the dowagers at the concerts and balls they attended, but also in the added attention she was receiving from all the beaux.
Julia and Emily heard no more about the legacy until the following week, when Aunt Lucy told them that a gentleman would be visiting her later that morning.