- Chapter 25 -

Rain drizzled down the panes of glass separating the cozy parlor from the gloom and damp of the outdoors. Inside there was a card game between Mr and Mrs Tarrant, Mr Chandler, Miss Compton – who was helping Katherines father learn the game – and Mr Pierpont – who's boisterous laughter rang through the room often.

Near the hearth sat Mrs Chandler, Miss Grace Tarrant, Cecilia, and Mrs Wheaton in cheerful conversation.

In a corner of the room near Katherine – who lounged alone on a window seat with a book – was Betsey, Elizabeth Tarrant, and Anne Pierpont. It seemed as though the group's lively chatter was currently focused on 'poor Mr Routley' who had been watching the card game before his attention was unwillingly snared by Mrs Pierpont – who was burying the man with rapid fire questions and veritable waves of sympathy regarding the battle of Trafalgar and his scars. He looked highly irritated and uncomfortable, fidgeting and answering her questions vaguely, eyes focused intently on anything other than her in a less-than-subtle hint he was unwilling to speak on the matter. Mrs Pierpont was not picking up on this hint.

Mostly oblivious to the goings-on within the room, Katherine's mind had wandered without; her eyes had abandoned the lines of writing to watch ripples meld into each other in puddles spreading over the ground. The approach of the three chittering youths pulled her attention back to the present party.

"Katherine dear," Betsey cajoled her. "Your assistance is required. We wish to save Mr. Routley from his current fate but are unable to contrive a way of doing so. Lend us your skill and clever artifice sister that we may devise a solution!"

Katherine observed the predicament Mr Routley was in, a grin forming on her face. "Why, the solution is most plain! You must simply distract her. Miss Pierpont, would you be willing to lend your talents to the cause?"

Anne Pierpont knew exactly what was implied and was most willing.

A moment later, the three of them began walking about the room together for 'some small exercise'; Betsey taking the arm of Miss Pierpont and Miss Elizabeth taking her other side. As they closed in on Mrs Pierpont and her prey, Miss Anne Pierpont began speaking with raised voice. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly play for you Miss Wheaton! I am not at my best today, and no one wishes to hear the pianoforte today in any case."

Mrs Pierpont's head snapped around, her face a perfect picture of in indignation. "How ridiculous Anne! You are always at your best; and I'm sure anyone would love to hear you play, isn't that so Miss Wheaton?! Do not deny Miss Wheaton if she wishes for you to play Anne! Play. Play!"

The group barely suppressed their victorious grins. "Ah, but mama, I know not what to play, I am uninspired! Come show me which song to begin, you have such splendid taste in these matters!"

"Ouf! If you so insist." Her mother flushed with pleasure. "Do excuse me Mr Routley, sir, as you can see.."

"Of course! Do not hesitate for my sake! It will be a pleasure to hear your daughter play any song you so aptly choose."

Mrs Pierpont flounced off, leading the younger ones to the pianoforte like a hen with her chicks, and her husband called from the game table declaring he would find one of his own compositions for Miss Anne to play once the set was over.

A relieved Mr Routley visibly relaxed, then noticing Katherine was watching, he looked as though he was in conflict over whether to approach her. He did approach, and sat on the edge of the window seat she occupied at a polite distance, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I gather my rescue was a joint effort."

"You are truly observant sir, Betsey could be forced to watch you squirm no longer, the dear soul; and young Miss Pierpont was a saint in sacrificing herself to your cause. In contrast to her parents she is quite a charming soul. It is a refreshing thing to behold modesty in balance with recognition of one's talents."

"It is also a rare thing, to recognize one's own talents and merits without the inclination to boast of them."

"Precisely, you understand me, Mr Routley. We can observe, her parents are quite the opposite of this phenomenon." Kat smiled with a subtle gesture of a hand towards the subjects of their conversation.

The game being ended, Mr Pierpont had suffered them to release him from a second game and was huffing over to join his wife by the pianoforte, where his daughter currently entertained. "Here! Here you see! I've set a few of my recent pieces just here. They are nothing quite like Mozart, but this one here.." he shuffled some papers over the sheets his daughter was currently playing, forcing her to cease her current movement with a face showing highly forced patience. "A true proficient like yourself, my dear, will bring its brilliance to life splendidly!"

His daughter commented, "I cannot play it well father, for I haven't yet learned it fully. I shall do my best." obliged his wishes, and began.

As her fingers moved through the piece, only missing a chord once or twice, Mr Pierpont's chest nearly extended as far as his belly in pride. He clumsily acted maestro with an invisible wand on his way to a nearby settee, while his wife crowed "He is a true creative visionary, nothing moves me like his music played by my Anne!".

Mr Routley and Katherine surveyed the scene with barely contained humour. "It's strikingly similar to Haydn's The Seasons." Routley commented

"His composition? Yes! Ah, and just then I'm certain I heard Beethoven's Opus thirty-six Symphony Number two in D major."

"I'm surprised you know it!"

She leaned in and said in low tones. "What say you of the farmer's daughter now? I am a proper lady am I not?"

"Truly, the field flower has bloomed gloriously."

She laughed "I have learned all sorts of things; I can name every one of our country's monarchs; a most necessary thing to know I'm told... My writing and reading have improved greatly. I can plan elaborate balls and parties such as this."

"Ah, the latter being a matter I have little skill or experience with. It is most troublesome as my Aunt has not allowed a moment of rest this past month; you see, she believes it to be high time I used my grand manor to entertain...rather than to hide in."

Katherine smiled pityingly.

After a moment he added, voice growing quieter with each sentence he spoke, "My Aunt is not wrong, if I am to be honest; I really must hold some sort of event at Norcastle. No one has been there since my mother's funeral, and to be true, I've been feeling the need to breath some life into the place...I don't suppose...this is quite an unconventional...but I don't suppose you would be willing to help me plan some event; a house party or dinner party or some such."

She took a short time to think on his request, then replied; maintaining their hushed level of speech. "I admit I am a little conflicted. It is customarily the duty for the man, or more often, lady of the house. It would be a bit odd.."

He cut in. "The matter can be kept it between the two of us to avoid any...gossip or speculation on the part of others. It's just...I haven't the slightest idea where to begin in planning such a thing; and I'm afraid I haven't any other female friends to ask."

"Thomas and Cecilia?"

"They have their own home and matters to worry about now, being newlyweds. And they are not near enough Norcastle to be an efficient choice, by way of communication I mean."

"You are right. Then perhaps Eliza would, surely.."

"I'm afraid not, I wouldn't dare ask. Miss Ritewood is still quite sore about..well..you know. I don't blame her, I was...the whole situation...it was badly done indeed." His shame and regret were evident, and Katherine Gray's kind heart was moved.

"I will help you then. It would be fodder for rumors, as you said, if anyone were to discover I was; but I will enjoy the opportunity to plan an event. I never got the chance while we had Landyn."

"Thank you." he smiled a little, before falling silent.

"You have changed." she noted all of a sudden.

"Have I?" he sat up with a chuckle, a little surprised "For the better I hope?"

Katherine's reply was interrupted by Betsey and Miss Pierpont, who descended upon them now, having escaped the piano by giving Miss Elizabeth Tarrant a turn at the keys. "What are you two whispering so closely about? No matter, listen; Mr and Mrs Tarrant say it is a most shocking thing you and Celia and I have never before played whist and wish to instruct us! Do come Kat!"

"I will directly." and as she noticed Mrs Pierpont making their way added, "Is Mr Routley invited as well?"

Betsey glanced sideways at the man in question. "I suppose, if he would like."

He gave them a thankful smile and followed.

~~~

"You seem to have grown quite close to Miss Pierpont and Miss Elizabeth these past few days, Bet. How will you leave her tomorrow?" Katherine lay under thick quilts, tucked close to Betsey in their sisterly gossiping. Candlelight flickered over the walls of the room, overwhelming the subtle blue of the night's light filtering through the window.

"Oh, Anne is the closest thing to a sister! We are so like-minded, and she is very sensible, but not so much so that her imagination is hindered. She could be quite handsome too, if she was not so thin."

"Bet!"

"It is merely an observation!"

Katherine gave her sister a look of playful disapproval. "What of Miss Elizabeth Tarrant?"

"She is good to laugh with I suppose, she has whit. She speaks mostly of boys though and complained that there were none here. I don't know how she is such a hit with members of the opposite sex, her hair is all frizz and she has a great hairy mole sticking off of her face!"

"Betsey! Now that is cruel!"

"But it is true! I have grown tired of hearing of her numerous beaus, especially as I have a difficult time imagining how she could have captured them, with her looks. It wasn't just me, Anne also suggested we talk of something other than beaus at one point!" she then added thoughtfully "Perhaps it is her humor that attracts them, for some of her jokes would appeal to more masculine sensibilities."

"She didn't seem improper or coarse to me, but you paint a different picture."

"Perhaps not quite coarse, she was mostly respectable. Just a tad too inclined to laugh perhaps. Her sister seems lovely though, and quite the prettier of the two."

"I think, love, your jealousy of her many beaus has marred your image of her. I agree Grace is the prettier, but I believe she knows it too well."

Betsey's mouth hung open in laughing disbelief at her sister's accusation of jealousy and she heard little of the rest. "Jealousy!? I am not jealous!!" she directed a pillow at her sisters face with more than a little force.

Katherine captured the offending feather-pillow and clutched it to her chest with a grin. "None of that dearest! You cannot deny it would be agreeable to have one or two suitors of your own."

"I do not deny it! Who says I do not already?"

"What is this?? Speak!!" Katherine thrust the pillow she held back towards her sister, who buried her face within it's fluffy confines.

"It is nothing!" was the muffled reply. Betsey came up for air. "It really is nothing. There were two I met at the New Year's ball if you recall; Mr Sebastien Gray, and Mr Rook."

"Ah yes, I've met Benedict's brother a few times; but only briefly."

"Yes he was much like your Mr Gray; perhaps a bit more severe, but very pleasant and quite more ruggedly handsome." To mask the blush that threatened to rise, and considerate of any pain it may cause for her sister, she did not linger on the subject longer. "Mr Rook on the other hand was so sweet and charming, and breathtakingly beautiful; I've never seen such blue eyes. I loathe to be poetic but he really was an angel. I see you smile! Ugh, you are so much more a romantic than I Kat!" She laughed. "I believe he liked me; I believe they both liked me, a little. Ah! But Kat, isn't this a merry thing! Anne's older brother is to marry a Miss Rook, and Anne declares she must be a close, if not immediate, relative of the Mr Rook from the ball! Is it not a coincidence!"

"It is! If he is indeed related! But if her brother is to marry a Miss Rook, how did Anne not recognize his name when you told her of him? Surely she would have heard the names of her sister-in-law's family?"

"Ah...I did not catch his full name in introduction at the ball." She sighed with a pout. Her countenance brightened considerably the next moment. "I have not yet told you! Mrs Pierpont asked mama if I may visit them in London over the summer, and mama agreed! I am to attend the London season with Anne!"

"Why Bet, what fun, how wonderful! I.." Darkness descended suddenly on the room as the candle flickered unto death, and the girls gave little gasps and giggles. "Oh dear." Katherine observed their eyes quickly adjusted to the pale light provided by the moon. "It appears I forgot to replace the candle."

They giggled and snickered and whispered until their eyes demanded sleep, and in the late morning they rose to pack; for in a few short hours they would journey back to Rosforte and home.