Chapter Eleven #2
But yes, new clothes were non-negotiable, even for their country life, particularly not since their old ones worsened with each day of work, regardless of Henry digging up more pieces from who-knew-where for them to use.
Despite a little excitement at the prospect of getting new garments that she would’ve chosen, Hypatia was quite minded to just ask Mary—a talented seamstress according to a begrudging Langton, and less begrudging Henry—to do the work, or to merely do it herself, however, she was dutifully reminded that patronage of local businesses was an important part of being Countess of Gadmin.
So here she and Thorn were, in Sandham, the closest village-almost-town which had a draper-cum-haberdashery-cum-tailor-and-dressmaker.
It was a charming little place, not as busy as one near a rail station, soon-to-come rail station, or on the main road.
However, it was on one of the more travelled roads traversing the countryside, and boasted therefore a small but respectable inn, a variety of shops to serve the local populace—a grocer, a butcher, a baker, the clothier, an ironmonger, and so on—and some bright little cottages and homes, set around and below from the small green and Gothic-style church.
Having finished their sartorial business at Wilson’s—covering the Mister Wilson, the Mrs Wilson, and their assistants, the Mssrs Wilson—which had taken far longer than Hypatia would’ve liked, though not nearly as long as they’d planned for, which was a pleasant surprise, Thorn and Hypatia wandered about Sandham, trying to get their bearings, and in a way, she supposed, introduce themselves to their new neighbours.
It had been a move made like so many, she realised, since Thorn’s arrival, in concert but without need for consultation beyond a glance.
‘Are you pleased with your choices?’ Thorn asked, as he led the way towards the green.
‘Yes, thank you. At least I will be if Mrs Wilson heeds my orders, and manages to deliver them without any of the ribbons, lace, bows, or other unnecessary adornments she was so set on convincing me I needed.’
‘Well I don’t know, I thought the pink flowered lace for instance, would’ve been just the thing to bring out the grapes on that extraordinary bonnet she had you try on.’
Hypatia glanced at him, to find him just as serious as his tone suggested; all except for the tiniest hint of a dimple above the left corner of his mouth.
‘You think you’re amusing, don’t you?’ Hypatia chuckled, tugging and pulling his arm gently, teasing the smile and jest from him until finally he laughed heartily.
‘Actually, come to think of it, that bonnet would’ve looked most fetching had I worn it whilst you sported that waistcoat Mr Wilson proclaimed the height of fashion—remind me, was the colour seaweed, or pickle? ’
‘Well now we must go back for that bonnet, for I’ll have you know when you weren’t paying attention, I ordered that waistcoat, with embroidered pigs too.’
Thorn wiggled his eyebrows, and Hypatia laughed this time, drawing the looks of the few passersby, though perhaps that was merely the general curiosity they’d faced since arriving in Sandham, that reserved for newcomers.
She didn’t have long to ponder it though, for in a trice, Thorn had stopped them, swinging Hypatia around so they faced each other, standing indecently closely, his hand sliding down her arm to take her hand as he so seemed to like to, and which she didn’t mind for that very reason.
Not that she was averse to touch, only as she was discovering—having not truly had a proper opportunity before—though she liked her husband’s touch in certain situations, she had no need of it as he did in other less sensual moments.
‘I am glad you will have clothes that you like,’ he said, gentleness washing away any jest, and warming her heart.
‘If we achieve nothing more than that in all of this, I’ll be glad of that.
And admittedly, I will be rather…excited to see you in that gown with the superbly dropped shoulders,’ he said, tantalisingly marking the invisible collar line over her current one.
‘And that dark puce will be an excellent colour for you.’ Hypatia wrinkled her nose, stifling a grin, and he sighed.
‘It was puce, wasn’t it? Ruined my attempt at seduction. ’
‘Was that what you were trying to do?’
‘You asking that doesn’t bode well for my answer.’
‘I suppose not,’ she grinned, letting her enthusiasm for his attempt, and indeed, any further engagement in any manner of seduction or bedsport, shine in her eyes.
They hadn’t had occasion to…continue where they’d left off so to speak, work being what it was, and their exhaustion creeping in further with every passing day, only she needed him to know, the days since their last encounter had only served to increase her own enticement.
As they had his—at least as far as she could tell from the smouldering gazes he’d sometimes throw her across a barn, or field, or table.
Even at times whilst they were covered in muck and other things best left unsaid, such as when she’d slipped and tumbled into a pile of it, and he’d laughed until she’d tried out her skills at tossing handfuls in his direction.
They’d both ended up worse for wear, though laughing, and still, his gaze had been smouldering, which she supposed said something of their rather exciting compatibility.
A compatibility whose longevity she didn’t know—just as she didn’t know what their married life in general would hold once life assumed a more gentle, less hardy pace—but which she wished to enjoy whilst she could.
The rest, the future, could wait to be discovered and adapted to in time; no use fretting over it.
Though I doubt adapting to not having Thorn in my life someday will be as easy as adapting to having him in it.
‘Soon,’ she promised with a smile, tapping his lapel, and moving them onwards. ‘When we’ve more than a couple hours to shut our eyes, and perhaps enjoyed proper baths, and then there’s the question of your current nighttime companion. Of whose health and nomenclature I haven’t inquired.’
‘He is growing apace,’ Thorn told her, an affectionate smile on his face as they circled the green slowly.
‘The doctor said to keep on as we had been, and I was thinking I might see if he would like to come with me tomorrow, when we bring out the next group to the woods. He seems very curious, staring out the window at every chance, though I don’t think he knows quite what to make of the goats. ’
‘Ah yes, of course. He’d be able to see them now they’re trimming the back gardens. I think you should bring him tomorrow. Langton for one will be glad to have him out of the kitchen, he keeps finding the runt rooting around the pantries and even found him in the cellar this morning.’
‘He has good instincts already, and actually, I’ve been thinking… Truffél would be a good name.’
‘As in the French? Truffle?’
‘Somewhat reminiscent, but actually Truffél,’ Thorn clarified, spelling it out. ‘It is sophisticated, and has a little twist.’
‘I think it suits very well,’ she smiled, shaking her head slightly, wondering what would happen the day the pig grew, and Thorn couldn’t treat it quite so much like a pup.
He’d taken to it greatly, and though she wondered some days why he hadn’t wanted her to help in its rearing, he loved the little beast, and so, she was glad for him.
‘We should stop by the butcher’s,’ she said, changing the subject.
‘See if he’ll take care of those Dr Gideon mentioned were at their time.
Danny did mention he rears his own, but perhaps he would have an interest in ours for a change. ’
‘Agreed. I’ll not do business with the one in Horings, as he was Warren’s pet, and it would save us going five miles for the other Hampton mentioned.’
‘Perhaps we could find some small things to purchase at the other shops too. Langton mentioned needing a new saucepan, and Henry could do with some proper shears if he’s going to continue replanting and tending the gardens.’
‘And Niamh might do with some rhubarb sweets or something, if there are any to be had.’
‘Rhubarb? Did you eat those as a child?’
‘They were my favourite, as it happens, madam. What kind did you have?’
‘I—’
Hypatia was about to admit that she’d never had sweets as a child, nor many as a grown woman—likely unwisely, for he’d buy her a boxful of twenty varieties—when she noticed a rather well-dressed man of middling everything, hailing them with a stick, and calling hullo from across the green.
‘Thorn…’
Thorn followed her gaze, and along with her, plastered on a somewhat awkward, but mostly polite smile.
‘Good day there, Lord Gadmin, Lady Gadmin!’ the man said, coming to a halt before them, looking very energetic indeed.
‘My apologies for hailing you unceremoniously, however I’ve been meaning to come by Gadmin Hall for days, and was just on my way there, when Mrs Bowles, the baker, told me you were in town, so I simply had to find you!
’ Thorn and Hypatia blinked, waiting for the man’s name, or purpose, and he paused, only realising after a rather long moment that he’d missed out such pertinent information.
‘My apologies again,’ he chuckled, offering his hand out to Thorn.
‘Simon Reeves, I’ve a sheep farm a mile or so to the east of you, and I heard you were looking for me.
My flock have been grazing some of your lands, according to arrangements made with your previous bailiff, Mr Warren. ’
‘Ah, Mr Reeves, a pleasure,’ Thorn said jovially, doing as he had with everyone else in a similar position they’d tracked down until now—giving them the benefit of the doubt. ‘I’m glad to finally put a name to the sheep.’
‘Ha! Very clever,’ Reeves chuckled, before turning to Hypatia. ‘Lady Gadmin.’
He made to bow, but she offered her hand instead.
‘How kind of you to come find us, Mr Reeves,’ she said, when he finally found it in himself to shake it.
She watched him carefully, but saw none of the usual telltale signs of it being out of some sense of male superiority, but rather shock, because of his own technically inferior societal position.
Which boded well in his favour as came to giving him the benefit of the doubt; as did the fact that so far none of those they’d managed to track down as having used Gadmin Hall lands had done so knowing Warren’s deceit and treachery.
Hypatia suspected that if there were any some such, she and Thorn would only eventually hear of it through the gossip mill, and be able to do nothing, as they would’ve likely taken their beasts, crops, or whatever else, by then, or merely cut their losses.
Or so we can hope; the last thing we need is any manner of fight or war.
‘Let me assure you both,’ Reeves continued, what looked like sincerity about him, though Hypatia would have to rely on Thorn for his thoughts and reactions.
‘I had no idea my use of your lands wasn’t condoned by the previous earl, or his agents.
He was a strange old fellow, and everyone around here knows he went a bit…
enthusiastically into the pig business, without much success, so I thought he was merely seeking some additional revenue.
Since I heard that wasn’t the case, I’ve of course taken my flock elsewhere. ’
‘We appreciate your honesty, Mr Reeves,’ Thorn said, throwing her a glance, and she nodded.
‘However, there is no need. We are not farmers by profession, but we are learning, and having a variety of visitors and crops on the land is naught but beneficial as we’ve heard.
We are more than happy to continue to welcome your flocks, perhaps you’d be so kind as to visit us at the Hall one of these days, and we can speak of which pastures are best now.
And discuss what other arrangements we might come to.
We are neighbours after all, and all want, I think, the best for this land. ’
‘Well said, my lord,’ Reeves said somewhat bombastically. ‘Couldn’t have said it better, in fact. I will do just that, and thank you very kindly. I wish all around these parts shared such sentiments, but they’ve been caught by the fever of profit, and call from the cities for more.’
‘There is greed and a love of money in every trade, Mr Reeves,’ Hypatia said, with a mellowing smile, and he tipped his head, touching the brim of his hat.
‘Wise, my lady, very wise, the both of you. Well, I’ll be off, then, it was a pleasure to meet you both, and I shall call upon you at Gadmin Hall very soon indeed. Good day!’
And with a bow, and flustered half wave, he was gone.
‘That’s one more down,’ Thorn commented. ‘I hope I did right, and said what I should, I assumed you were in agreement when you nodded.’
‘You did, husband,’ Hypatia smiled, taking his arm, and turning them back towards Sandham’s main street. ‘However, there is one minor complication.’ Thorn frowned, quirking his head, and she smiled. ‘We’re going to need some furniture for at least one receiving room.’
Laughing, Thorn nodded, and off they went again.
And Hypatia couldn’t help but feel as though she’d arrived somewhere she’d always meant to be.