What a Spinster Wants - Rebecca Connolly Page 0,32
age since I’ve been able to wear one.”
Steps in the corridor drew their attention, and Edith felt her pulse skitter at the sound.
“Miss Perry to see you, Miss Wright.”
Charlotte didn’t even bother to thank or dismiss her butler as she rose and dashed to the door. “Amelia! I’m so glad you could come!”
If she hadn’t been announced, Edith would never have guessed the young woman entering was Amelia Perry. The girl she remembered was a robust, lively, healthy woman with a glow of good nature about her at all times. She would never be the most beautiful woman in the room, but anyone would admit that, when taken altogether, she was resoundingly pretty.
This lass was pale, somber, and thinner than Edith had ever seen her, though she was not yet sickly in appearance.
The contrast was stark and nearly horrifying.
“Thank you for inviting me,” Amelia replied with a flimsy smile, her voice almost the same as it had been before. She looked around at the room timidly. “I’ve always wanted to come to a meeting of the Spinsters.”
“Well, here we are!” Elinor gestured grandly before giggling and shrugging her shoulders. “Not nearly as impressive as we ought to be, but there it is.”
Charlotte propped her hands on her hips, huffing playfully. “I beg your pardon. I am very impressive.”
Something about Elinor and Charlotte’s behavior pricked at Edith’s thoughts, and she leaned closer to Prue to ask, “Am I imagining things, or are the two of them exaggerating enthusiasm?”
“They are,” Prue whispered, her brow furrowing in concern as she looked at Amelia. “Amelia has not been well for some weeks and has been brought so low. I think they are trying to get her out of her melancholy.”
“By being silly?” Edith shook her head but smiled with real fondness. The effort was plain to see, yet it was sweet in its observation. Neither Charlotte nor Elinor were especially jubilant people by nature, although they were undoubtedly full of enough passion, and here they were exerting all efforts to brighten the countenance of a young lady.
This was why Edith had joined with them despite wishing to maintain a low-profile life in London; this genuine concern for others and willingness to act on that concern. Prue was probably the closest of them all to Amelia in friendship, but that didn’t matter. They could all adopt the girl and attempt to lighten whatever burdens she bore.
“What’s wrong with her?” Edith murmured with a sigh as Amelia tried for a laugh at something Charlotte said.
“Who can say? She’s not ill, nor has she been, but anyone can see she is not as she should be.” Prue smiled sadly and looked at Edith. “It was o-one of the reasons I th-thought she might like to come and stay with you.”
Edith’s brows rose in surprise. “She was your idea?”
Prue’s smile turned almost sheepish. “She was. Charlotte and Grace thought having a companion in your home might help you and keep certain things at bay, and I thought Amelia could do with being away from her usual surroundings for a time. Especially when she could have such a sympathetic friend to stay with.” She reached out and took Edith’s hand, squeezing gently. “Do you mind?”
“Not in the least,” Edith assured her. “Had I known you meant Amelia… Well, I only wish I had thought of it. But do you think she will wish to?”
Unlike some of the others might have done, Prue watched Amelia for a moment, giving the question some serious consideration and thought. “I don’t know, Edith. I hope she does.”
“Stop monopolizing her!” Grace protested loudly, gesturing for Amelia to come over to the rest. “We wish to visit with her, as well!”
It was a perfect interruption, and Amelia blushed with a smile as she moved away from Charlotte and Elinor to join the rest. “I apologize, I should greet everyone.”
“Nonsense,” Izzy protested, waving her hands dismissively. “We’re not going to take offense. Did you have a nice Christmas?”
Amelia sat and talked aimlessly of the Perry family Christmas as well as the winter, and none of it was particularly entertaining to hear. It ought to have been, but the note of enthusiasm was missing from the retelling, and they all knew it.
Even Amelia.
“Forgive me,” Amelia said suddenly, her shoulders slumping. “I’m not myself. It really was lovely, I promise.”
“Nobody had a Christmas as lovely as Elinor; it’s safe to say,” Izzy pointed out, throwing a teasing smile towards the newest bride of the bunch.