Rebecca leaned across and gave Louisa a kiss on the cheek.
“Oh, my dear,” said Louisa, flustered but nevertheless pleased, “What on earth was that for?”
“Oh, for nothing,” said Rebecca, thinking how lucky she was to have such a lovely cousin. Then, settling herself back in her chair she said, “Even so, I am sure you would enjoy a holiday, especially as the new pills are doing you good, and I have a suggestion to make.”
She had been thinking it over in the coach on the journey from London and now she had made up her mind. “As you know, Grandfather left me half of Marsden mill, and I mean to take an active interest in it. I could do so from here, but it would mean a lot of travelling, and with the weather being uncertain that is not a good idea. So I have decided to take a house in Manchester for the next few months.”
“Manchester?” Louisa's face broke into a smile. “It would be the very thing. There are the shops — not so grand as London, but still, there are some very pretty things to be had along Deansgate and in the Exchange Hall. And then there will be Mrs Emily Camberwell to visit, and her sister, Mrs Camilla Renwick.” Emily and Camilla had been at the same seminary as Louisa in their younger days, and the three had remained friends. “And of course, best of all, we will be near to our own dear Joshua, who is now in Manchester to take care of the mill! It will be so wonderful to see him again.”
That was the one thing against the idea, to Rebecca's way of thinking, for she was under no illusions as to the strength of her attraction to Joshua and knew that meeting him would be difficult. Nevertheless, as they were partners in the mill it was something that could not be avoided.
“You like the idea?” she asked.
Louisa smiled. “Of course I do. I think it's a splendid idea.”
“Then it is settled.”
“Emily and Camilla will help us find a house, I am sure,” said Louisa thoughtfully.
“Good. As soon as it can be arranged we will move to town.” She yawned.
“Oh, my dear, you must be tired,” said Louisa sympathetically.
“I am,” Rebecca admitted.
“I will tell Betsy to serve dinner at once. And then you must have an early night.”
Whilst the arrangements for the move to Manchester were being made, Rebecca had time to enjoy being at home again, at least for a short while. The weather continued cold. Fortunately it was not quite as bad as it had been earlier in the year, but still, she and Louisa did not get out much: there was in truth very little for two spinster ladies to do in a modest house in the Cheshire countryside in the middle of winter. The shops and concerts of Manchester, however, would provide a pleasant distraction.
“I hope we have remembered everything,” said Louisa, as at last the carriage was packed and they were off.
“I'm sure we have,” said Rebecca. “The rented house is furnished, and we have already sent the linen and china up to town with Betsy. And besides, if we have forgotten anything, we can always send Betsy back for it.”
“Yes, my dear, you are right,” said Louisa. “I am so pleased we have brought a few personal touches with us. They will make the place feel more homely. I am looking forward to hanging Grandfather's portrait in the drawing-room.” She settled herself back against the squabs and stretched her legs out in front of her.
“Have you enough room?” asked Rebecca.
“Plenty,” said Louisa. Her face suddenly lit up. “Oh, Rebecca, I am so excited! I can't remember the last time I had any fun!”
Rebecca was delighted to see Louisa's enthusiasm. Her cousin had had a dull winter, made worse by problems with her joints, and was in need of some entertainment. Besides, a round of parties and shopping would take Louisa's mind off the aches and pains her pills had not been able to alleviate.
“Then we will make the most of it,” said Rebecca. “I will have to spend some of my time at the mill, but for the rest of the time we will enjoy ourselves.”
Louisa sighed. “Jebadiah would be pleased. He always loved Manchester. It is where he began his life, and he remained a Northern lad to the end!”
The countryside rolled past the window, with only a small pocket of snow left here and there to show what a hard winter it had been. The grass was green and verdant, and looked as fresh as if it had been new-washed. Above it was a clear, cold sky.
As they drew nearer the city the scenery changed. Meadows and a rushing river gave way to streets and buildings, some fine, others squalid. The recent expansion of the city had brought both good and bad in its wake. Good, because the manufacturing industries had brought work and wealth to the city; bad because it had also brought poverty, for the mill hands could only work when there was work to be had, and in these times of unrest there were often periods of enforced idleness when the war with France or trouble with the Luddites brought mills to a standstill.
But still Rebecca felt her interest quickening. This was where her grandfather had laid the foundations of his fortune, and she felt a connection to the city.
The coach began to move more slowly as the streets became busier. Smart shops now lined the sides of the roads, and fashionable people strolled along the pavements. Gentlemen raised their hats to greet friends or acquaintances and ladies, followed by footmen balancing columns of hat boxes, disappeared into modiste's. Young children with their nursemaids skipped along, taking some exercise. Brewers' carts rolled past, drawn by plodding cart horses. Hackney carriages went by; and in front of them assorted carts and carriages made their way forward in a bustle of noise and confusion.
“Is it always like this, do you think?” asked Louisa a little fearfully.
“I think it must be,” said Rebecca. “But I dare say we will soon get used to it.”
“I have not been to Manchester for some time, and I had not realised how much it had grown,” said Louisa.
At last they turned down a broad street and approached the house they had rented for the next six weeks. They had been in the coach for only two hours, as Manchester was no more than fifteen miles from their Cheshire home, but the day was cold and they were glad to arrive.
“Here we are,” said Rebecca, as the coach rolled to a halt.
“We have made good time, then,” said Louisa. “I was hoping we would be here for lunch, and we are.”
They walked up the steps to the imposing town house and went inside.
“This is lovely,” said Rebecca, looking round with interest.
“Oh, yes it is,” said Louisa as her eyes, too, roved round the hall. “I am so relieved. It was very good of Emily and Camilla to handle so many of the arrangements. Their brother, Edward, helped too. He is a widower now, and Emily keeps house for him, since her own husband is dead.”
Rebecca and Louisa untied the strings of their bonnets as the coachman unloaded the coach, and they were just about to remove their cloaks when Louisa noticed some cards on the console table.
“Oh, look, Rebecca,” said Louisa delightedly, picking up one of the cards from the gilded console table. “It is from Emily — Mrs Camberwell. And another one from Camilla. And an invitation to one of Emily's soirées, to be held at the start of next week.” Then her face fell.
“Is anything wrong?” asked Rebecca.
“Oh, no, dear. It's just that I thought there might be one from Joshua.”
“He probably does not know we are here,” said Rebecca lightly.
“Yes, he does,” said Louisa, “for I wrote to him and told him all about it. Still, never mind. I told Emily and Camilla he was here, and no doubt we will meet him at the soirée.”
The house in Manchester soon became a busy one. Louisa's friends, Mrs Emily Camberwell and Mrs Camilla Renwick, were both well known in Manchester, and through their good offices Rebecca and Louisa were quickly made to feel at home. Visitors called, cards were left, and invitations flooded in. Rebecca and Louisa attended a number of dinner parties and other entertainments, but most of all they were looking forward to the soirée.