Gerrard, this is as good a time as any to …” Mother prompted with a pointed nod of her head in Simon’s direction and I groaned inwardly; not another surprise.
Lord Thorncliffe stammered and reached for his ear and before he could respond, Mother had leapt in, “Simon, Lord Thorncliffe’s son will be staying here only until the university year resumes. It is intended that he continue his law studies at Oxford. Perhaps you should go with him – your future would benefit and I think you’ve probably outgrown Master Baxter.”
I watched my brother curiously. He had been riding the estate early this morning with Collings and held a genuine care for his land and tenants. The latter, perhaps enticed by the young master’s good looks and considerate nature, were quite taken with him and he wore his adult responsibilities well.
Over the years he had casually mentioned following a path into medicine, with no real expectation of the opportunity arising. Given the choice, would he opt to stay here, or would he grasp the chance to go to university? I for one, would be devastated should he leave, and clasped my hands together tightly beneath the linen tablecloth in a silent plea that he would decline the offer.
He was slow to respond, but finally he addressed Lord Thorncliffe. “I think I would like that, Sir. The property is managed well under Collings. It will still be here when I return.”
“Good, good.” Lord Thorncliffe smiled. “Er … We must consider your subjects, of course, and I shall prepare all the paperwork. You should be able to depart for Oxford with Patrick.”
And just like that, the turning upside down of my life was complete. Anne began babbling excitedly about her scholarly brother, while Lord Thorncliffe and Simon discussed the subjects necessary for medicine. Mother reclined in her chair, a look of quiet satisfaction on her face, and when I asked to be excused she nodded in reply.
That had been this morning, and now, as Simon joined me in the library, we sat briefly in companionable silence before he spoke. “You know, I’ve always wanted to be a physician.”
“You hadn’t mentioned it for some time. I thought you had changed your mind.”
“I’d put the idea aside – resigned to remain here, though of course we couldn’t have foreseen the current turn of events, could we?”
“So you’re happy then?”
“Yes I am,” he said, firmly. “And Mother seems pleased.”
“Why wouldn’t she be? Sending their sons to Oxford is what people like Lord Thorncliffe do. Mother has ever aspired to be more than the wife of a mere baronet.”
“And now she’s about to become a countess.” Simon finished.
“And you’re prepared to leave this – your home, your inheritance?”
“Collings has been helping me become more involved with the tenants lately and I rather enjoy it – they seem to like me too.”
I snorted indelicately. “The tenants’ wives and daughters like you. The men respect you because they’ve watched you grow up and know you’re not a brute.”
“But I wasn’t expecting an opportunity like this, Zan. An opportunity to study medicine …”
“So you’ll leave your lands in the hands of a stranger,” I stated, unfairly.
“Collings is no stranger – he knows the place better –”
“Not Collings,” I said with significance and he frowned.
“Lord Thorncliffe? He wouldn’t be involved. Collings will remain in charge and besides, this place is my inheritance – no-one can change that.”
“I suppose not,” I mumbled.
“Why are you upset? Do you think I’ll be so absorbed in anatomy and biology that I’ll not have time to marry you off?”
I thumped his arm playfully. “Don’t be a rat, Simon. I’m in no hurry to bear the brats of some cranky old man so don’t make any plans.”
“And that’s for me as well,” said Anne coming into the room.
“Well now Annie, dear little vixen, the sooner you are foisted on some old fart the better for everyone.”
Simon and I laughed but Anne dropped an elegant curtsy and rose, skirts lifted perfectly as she stepped up to an imaginary dance partner and held out her hand, “Your majesty, I would be honoured to share this dance with you.”
We laughed again but Anne thrust her chin out. “You may laugh now, but there are big things in store for me, I can feel it.” She hugged herself rapturously. “I shall go to court, and ladies will envy me and gentlemen will fall in love with me. And you, dear brother and sister, you’ll be bowing to me.”
Simon and I looked archly at one another and my brother said, “If you say so, Annie.”
“I do, so you’d best be nice to me now, for I won’t forget it if you’re not.”
“Really?” I asked. “So what are these big things that are in store for you, or can you not share them yet?”
“Oh, you’ll see,” she lisped coyly.
Simon nudged me, “Thinks she’s going to ensnare Prinnie and be a king’s favourite.”
Anne looked smug. “Don’t laugh – Jemima get your wet nose off my skirt – you never know what could happen.”
I nodded then. “That’s true, because I’ll wager you didn’t know you were going to fall on your backside in front of Jeffrey yesterday.”
“Oh, be quiet about that!” Anne snapped.
“What’s this?” Simon’s face lit up, mischievously.
“Leave it be, Alex,” my sister warned.
Ignoring her, I said, “Yesterday morning – remember it had rained? Anne and I were walking out past the stables, and Jeffrey was polishing Lord Thorncliffe’s coach.”
“Alex, please don’t. It was embarrassing enough then, don’t have me relive it.”
“I’m sorry, Annie. Simon, you won’t believe this – she lifted her skirt to step over a puddle, and just as she did,” I could barely get the words out for laughing, “she said, ‘good morning Jeffrey’, and at the very moment he looked up, she put her foot into a huge horse turd. She slipped in it – oh, it was so funny!”
By this stage Simon was doubled over with laughter and I was breathlessly gripping my ribs. “She landed, plop, on her arse, right in a great pile of horse-pooh. Jeffrey ran over to see if she was alright, but even he was laughing so hard … she had to sit there in the muck until Jeffrey stopped laughing enough to help her.”
Anne was looking fit to kill. “Well,” she snarled, “I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves at my expense,” and with queenly dignity, swept from the room.
Simon and I exchanged glances and broke into renewed laughter. When finally we sobered, Simon
