Fallen Grace - Mary Hooper [51]
She stood there until she could get her tears under control, then said another sad and silent farewell to her child and began to make her way back to the path which led to the station. Reaching this, she found a well-dressed young lady waiting there and was immensely surprised when this person addressed her.
‘Good morning,’ said Miss Charlotte Unwin, ‘and excuse me for asking such a thing, but did you know Miss Solent?’
Grace, unprepared for this question, thought it wisest not to lie in case the young lady was trying to catch her out. ‘No, I didn’t. Not personally,’ she admitted.
‘But – forgive me – I was watching you at her mausoleum and you were grieving very deeply.’
Grace felt a little alarmed at this and, playing for time, adjusted her veiling. ‘She was not known to me personally, but . . . but her charity work was. They called her Princess of the Poor, did they not?’ she said, recalling the engraved silver plate on Susannah’s coffin.
‘Oh. So you . . . ?’
‘Yes, I benefitted from her aid,’ Grace said. Which was true in a way, she thought. She looked at the girl standing before her, who was dressed in the very best and most fashionable shade of purple half-mourning, the gown expensively frilled and ruched, a white fur tippet at her neck.
‘I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself, but I was just so surprised to see you there.’ She smiled. ‘I am Miss Charlotte Unwin.’
Grace, startled and wondering how long the girl had been watching her, was rather late in bobbing a curtsey.
‘I came here with my mother today.’ Charlotte Unwin hesitated, trying her hardest to look friendly and caring. ‘She thinks I should learn about our business and wanted me to meet one of our best mutes.’
Feeling immediately that she was being spied upon, Grace did not know what to answer to this.
‘There! Please don’t go silent on me,’ Charlotte Unwin said. ‘I can assure you that I mean you no harm.’
Grace cleared her throat. ‘I’m sure you do not. I didn’t see you before, Miss Charlotte. Were you on the train?’
‘No, Mama and I came down here by carriage, and now she is at the graveside looking after the poor dead bride’s parents.’ There was a pause. ‘But your name is Grace, is it not? And how long have you been working for my family, Grace?’
‘For several months now,’ Grace replied. ‘And I must thank you for taking such a kindly interest in my sister. She’s told me of your attentions to her,’ she added.
‘Not at all,’ Charlotte Unwin said. ‘She’s a hard worker and a . . . a great character, your sister.’ She gave a light laugh. ‘She hasn’t only got me for a friend, though.’
Grace looked at her enquiringly. ‘You mean – the other servants?’
‘No, I mean she has a young male friend. A follower who works for one of our neighbours as a groom.’
‘She has a follower?’ Grace asked, astounded.
‘Indeed she has! I do believe his intentions are serious.’
Grace shook her head. ‘There must be some mistake, surely. My sister is . . . is . . .’ She struggled for the right word to describe Lily’s condition, but Charlotte Unwin seemed to know what she meant.
‘Never fear! The young man in question is a simple country soul,’ she said. ‘I believe them to be well suited.’
Grace absorbed this information with some difficulty. Miss Charlotte must be mistaken. Lily couldn’t possibly have a young man! She’d not said anything about it when Grace had been to the house and it was most unlikely – near impossible, in fact – that she could keep anything like that to herself.
‘Please don’t concern yourself about it,’ Charlotte Unwin said. ‘It’s a decent match and I’m sure your family will approve.’
‘We have no family,’ Grace murmured, still stunned. ‘There is only me and Lily.’
‘Oh, of course!’ Charlotte Unwin said. ‘Do forgive me. Lily told me