‘Th-that’s very kind of you,’ stammered Anne. ‘I…I hardly expected to see you at all today. Though you did say…’ Her voice faded. This wouldn’t do. She pulled herself together, stood up and gave him a slight curtsy. ‘Good morning.’
His eyes were on her hair, which was hanging loose in dark chestnut waves down her back. ‘You look different,’ he said.
‘I should hope so indeed! Rose here has just spent a great deal of energy cleaning me up. And I feel much the better for it.’
He came forwards and, frowning, took up a lock of her hair. ‘It’s…it’s a different colour. I thought your hair was darker,’ he said.
Anne suppressed a smile and removed the hair from his fingers. ‘No, my lord,’ she said gravely, ‘it merely needed to be washed. And now it is clean. I’m sorry if you don’t like its colour, but that is what it is, I’m afraid.’ She laughed and added, ‘I consider myself fortunate. When I was a child it was much redder and I had a temper to match.’
There was a sudden silence. Then she said in a strangled voice, ‘How do I know that?’
James nodded. ‘I’m not sure, but it’s a good sign. Your memory seems to be returning, if only in fragments.’
‘That was a singularly unimportant fragment,’ said Anne bitterly. ‘My name would be more welcome.’ Then she attempted another smile, and added, ‘But beggars can’t be choosers—I suppose I should be grateful for anything at all.’ There was another short silence, and then she went on in a more formal tone, ‘Thank you for your enquiry, my lord. I am much better. I hope you have a pleasant day.’
He paused, then said, ‘Have you breakfasted? If not, do you feel strong enough to come downstairs to have it with me?’
She was so taken by surprise that she didn’t know what to say. ‘With you? I…I thought you wished me to stay in this room?’
‘I would like you to stay in your room while I am out—but you would be safe downstairs with me. Of course, if you would prefer not to join me…’
‘No, no! I should like to! But I can’t be seen downstairs with my hair like this.’
‘Shall we say in ten minutes? I’ll talk to Mrs Culver. And Rose can do whatever is necessary to your hair.’
He bowed and left the room. Rose was already busy with brush and comb, twisting and winding Anne’s hair into a graceful knot on top of her head. When she had finished she gave it a final pat and said, ‘There, miss! You look lovely. His lordship will be pleased!’ She paused. ‘But I wouldn’t be so sure about Mrs Culver.’ Anne privately agreed with the maid, but she said coolly, ‘His lordship will be relieved to see that I shall soon be strong enough to take up my own life again. And so will Mrs Culver. Thank you, Rose. Show me where the breakfast room is, if you please.’
If the caretaker at Roade House had expected to see James early that day then he would have been disappointed. James spent more than an hour over breakfast and the morning was half over before he finally rose from the table. Anne sat opposite him, a touch of colour in her cheeks and a swathe of glossy hair falling from the simple knot on top of her head. She was an altogether different creature from the pale waif he had rescued, and she intrigued and delighted him. Her dress, as Cully had said, was of poor material and very simply cut, a servant’s dress, but she wore it with an air. Though he knew she felt vulnerable, even frightened, at her inability to remember anything about herself, no one would have guessed it from her composed manner. Her conversation was of necessity not about herself, but it was lively, sometimes displaying a touch of irony that perfectly matched his own, and occasionally revealing a keen sense of the ridiculous that made him laugh out loud.
Anne in turn was equally happy in his company. He talked with affection of his grandmother, and it was clear to Anne the bond between them was very close. She was obviously a woman of strong character, but he seemed to be amused rather than annoyed by her attempts to rule his life. Anne herself was amused at Mrs Culver’s determination not to leave her alone with James. She was in and out of the breakfast room far more frequently than strictly necessary, clearly disapproving of this joint breakfast. But James ignored her frowns, and quite often called on her to confirm or add to what he said when he was telling Anne stories of his childhood at Hatherton. Anne observed with interest how quickly the housekeeper responded to James’s charm. Before breakfast was over Mrs Culver was actually smiling again.
At last James reluctantly rose from the table and said, ‘It’s no use. If I am to keep my promise to Agnew I shall have to be gone. What do you plan to do today, Anne?’
Anne looked at Mrs Culver. ‘I think I would be strong enough to do some work, if Mrs Culver has anything for me to do?’
‘It’s good of you to offer, Miss Anne, but I’m sure his lordship would prefer you to be resting in your room. And so would I.’ Mrs Culver’s tone was cool. James might be back in her favour but this didn’t extend to his guest.
James frowned, but said nothing. Instead, he turned to Anne and held out his arm with a smile. ‘Mrs Culver is right as usual. I’ll see you to your room. The stairs are steep, and you are still not quite up to strength. I don’t suppose you’ve started the book I gave you, have you?’
‘No,’ said Anne, looking at Mrs Culver’s retreating back. ‘I’m looking forward to reading it today.’ Then as they slowly mounted the stairs, she said softly, ‘You are wrong to tease Mrs Culver, Lord Aldhurst. I’m sure she has your interests at heart.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘I’m glad of your arm up these stairs, but it would have been quite easy to ask one of the servants to help me, and very much more…tactful. It’s nonsensical, of course, but Mrs Cully sees me as a threat. She doesn’t trust me.’
They had reached the door of her room. He opened it, then said softly, ‘I’m not sure it’s as nonsensical as you think, Anne.’
She looked up at him, startled. ‘You don’t trust me?’
‘Oh, I trust you, of course I do! But you’re definitely proving a threat to my peace of mind.’ He added abruptly, ‘I must go! Agnew will be wondering what has happened to me. Enjoy your day! Read the book and stay in your room! Please?’ He turned towards the stairs, stopped, turned again and said, ‘I’ll look in on you this evening to see if you like the book. May I?’
‘Of course,’ said Anne. She pulled a face. ‘I think I can safely promise to be at home, Lord Aldhurst.’
She watched him race down the stairs, then went in, closed the door and hurried to the window. Two horses, one a powerful bay, were standing outside the front doors, held by a groom. James came out, mounted the bay and they moved off. Anne followed him with her eyes until he disappeared round a bend in the drive. Then she turned with a sigh, fetched the book and sat in a chair to read it. When Rose came in with a tray an hour later she was absorbed in the story of gentle Anne Elliot.
Later that afternoon Anne abandoned her book in favour of some exercise. She was walking vigorously round the room when Mrs Culver came in, a collection of clothes over one arm. She congratulated Anne on the progress she was making, then went on, ‘I’ve looked out a change of clothing for you, Miss Anne, though if you carry on as well as you seem to be doing at the moment you may have left us before you need them all. I hope you don’t mind—they are old dresses and such of Lady Aldhurst’s.’
Anne was touched. ‘Thank you, Mrs Culver. I’m sorry to be such a nuisance.’
Mrs Culver hesitated, and then she said, ‘The underclothes may be plainer than you are used to, I think…?’
Anne was puzzled. ‘Are mine so elaborate? I hadn’t thought…’ She lifted her skirt and examined the lace round the bottom of her petticoat. ‘I suppose they are. This is beautiful. I wonder where it came from.’ She looked up to find Mrs Culver regarding her with a strange look. ‘You think I know?