failed in that and Caroline was still the Queen, though King George refused to have anything to do with her and she lived in a separate establishment. Now the question was, would she be crowned with him?
‘You will be going, Uncle James, won’t you?’ Livvy queried.
‘I shall have no choice, not only because every aristocrat in the land will be expected to attend, but I am on his Majesty’s staff and involved in the arrangements.’ It was why he had been obliged to leave his country estate earlier than usual to take up residence in London.
‘In that case, why take on the extra responsibility of bringing us out?’ Beth asked.
‘That, my dear Beth, will be a pleasure and a privilege.’
Beth felt she was being propelled willy-nilly into something she knew was going to be a disaster. She would have to pretend to enjoy herself or her mother would be hurt and her uncle annoyed, yet it was not in her nature to be anything but honest; pretending would come hard. And she would be leaving Beechgrove just when everything was coming into growth, all the plants and seedlings being planted out, and the rare specimens that Toby had been nurturing would be showing their worth.
‘But, dearest, they will all still be here at the end of the Season,’ her mother said when she tried to explain how she felt. Harriet had come to her daughter’s room to say goodnight as she did every night and was sitting on the bed beside Beth. It was a precious time when they talked companionably together and problems were ironed out. ‘It is not as if you are going away for ever. Even if you find a husband, you will still come home to be married from here.’
‘I cannot imagine finding a husband among the fops who lounge about town ogling the young ladies being paraded like cattle at market.’
‘They are not all like that. I met your papa during my come-out Season and he was certainly not a fop. He was handsome and intelligent and not at all affected.’
‘You were lucky.’
‘Who is not to say you will not be lucky too? And if you meet no one to your liking, then there is no harm done. You will be out and that will make it easier for you to go out and about when you spend another Season in town.’
‘Yes, Mama.’
‘Tomorrow, we shall go into Sudbury and have Madame Bonchance make up travelling clothes for us. The rest of our shopping can wait until we arrive. The Duke has offered to pay our bills. Is that not kind of him?’
‘Why? We are not poor relations, are we?’
‘No, not exactly poor, dearest, but nothing like as rich as your uncle. Not rich at all, if truth be told. I have never bothered you with things like that before, but now I must confess that the money your dear father left us has been sadly depleted by the needs of the estate and his investments have not performed as well as they might. We need to be frugal.’
‘Does that mean we have no dowries?’
‘Oh, nothing as bad as that. James will provide your dowries, that has always been understood.’
‘Would it not be better to forgo the come-out and let me earn a living?’
‘Good heavens, no! Whatever made you think that? It would not look well at all, especially for your uncle. He would not have it said he was too close to look after his sister’s children.’ She paused suddenly, a small frown creasing her brow. ‘Has Toby been filling your head with nonsense about working for a living?’
‘No, not at all, Toby’s not like that. He has always behaved properly. But, Mama, he has to work, so does his father and all the servants and they seem content enough.’
‘I doubt it. And it is not the same thing at all. They were born to it, they know that is their lot in life, but you never were. I am beginning to wish I had said nothing to you…’
Beth flung her arms about her mother. ‘Oh, Mama, we have always been able to talk to each other and I would hate it if you felt you could not tell me things.’
Harriet kissed her daughter’s brow. ‘Then let us be thankful for what we have. And, Beth, there is no need to say anything to Livvy…’
‘No, of course not. Our secret.’
Her mother left and Beth blew out the candle, but she did not fall asleep immediately. She could not stop thinking about her mother’s confession and wondering how much of a difference it would make to her life. Would she have to accept an offer of marriage simply because it came from a rich man who could maintain Beechgrove in the old way? And if she did not, did it mean that some of the servants would have to be let go? Mama had not replaced the last chambermaid who had left to be married. Would Toby have to go? Her private dream, the one in which she offered to finance his plant-hunting trip on condition he took her with him, was no more than that: a pipe dream. It made her want to cry, not only for herself but for Toby too. Would a rich husband serve the same purpose? She thumped her pillow angrily. The time had not yet come when she would stoop to that.
The Duke, after riding round the estate with Mr Kendall, left about midday and in the afternoon the girls accompanied their mother to the dressmaker in Sudbury, their nearest town, and bespoke travelling gowns and accessories for their journey to London, which they were promised would be ready in good time.
It was the following day before Beth was able to escape to the potting shed where she expected to find Toby at work. He was nowhere to be seen.
She was about to turn back to the house, but changed her mind. She had come to talk to Toby about the latest developments in her life and she did not want to go back without unburdening herself to him. She set off for Orchard House, where he lived with his father on the edge of the estate.
‘Is Toby here?’ she asked when Mr Kendall answered the door himself. He was a well-educated man who had been estate manager since before her father died, and Beth knew her mother set great store by him, trusting him implicitly. In his turn, he worked assiduously to keep the wheels of Beechgrove turning. Beth had assumed it was an easy task, but, since her mother’s revelation, she knew he must be finding it increasingly difficult. Poor Toby would never set off on his travels unless a miracle happened. She was as sad for him as she was for herself having to go through the charade of choosing a husband.
‘No, Miss Elizabeth, he’s gone.’
It was then she noticed the bleakness in his grey eyes and the downturned mouth. What had happened? ‘What do you mean, gone?’ she asked.
‘Left. Gone on his travels. To Calcutta.’ It was obviously not something that pleased the man who faced her.
‘But how could he? The day before yesterday he was saying he did not know how he was ever going to manage it. What has happened?’
‘Miss Elizabeth, I think you should go home.’
‘I will when you have told me what this is all about. How can he have packed up and gone at a moment’s notice? There are any number of things waiting to be done in the garden and glasshouse, he surely would not have left them to someone else.’
‘He has. Pershore’s lad has been given instructions.’
‘I don’t believe it. He wouldn’t go like that, certainly not without saying goodbye to
