Rank and Respectability

- Chapter 26 -

The April showers soon gave way to the sunnier skies of summer, and a devilishly sweltering one too according to a disgruntled Miss Compton, who stayed in the shade if she was not indoors pining for winter. She spent most of her time furiously writing letters to various organizations and clubs regarding women's rights and suffrage movements.

Mrs Wheaton didn't much mind the heat, finding great joy in tending to the Rosforte gardens (the baroness cared less for flower gardens and much preferred her exotic conservatory, so she had given Mrs Wheaton full control over the estate gardens and it's staff).

Mr Wheaton and his youngest son thoroughly enjoyed the fine arts of fishing, hunting, boating, and general relaxation; while the elder Wheaton boy enjoyed more intellectual pursuits and could often be found in the library, pouring over essays and studies. John Wheaton did not require an overabundance of social activity or companionship (nor any abundance at all for that matter); when he felt the rare need for company other than his books and family, he would call on Mr Harding Sr, Mr Ritewood, or (a more recent development) Mr Routley. Once in a while he would write to Mr Thomas Harding or Mr Tarrant in Lewes, and once Katherine noticed the footman carrying out a letter addressed to Miss Grace. Katherine asked him once if he had received a reply, he said yes; whether it was a promising reply or not he did not divulge, but with respect to her brother she did not pry.

Eliza Ritewood had always been a regular visitor at Rosforte, but Katherine had noticed a significant decrease in her friend's visits of late and she had a strong and guilty feeling it had to do with a broken heart, and this is why: well into summer, after Betsey had swept off to London and the Pierponts, Katherine and Eliza had been in the gardens with Mrs Wheaton and John, having a debate about flowers. It began thus:

Mrs Wheaton had mentioned the red rose was a symbol of love while yellow was friendship and Katherine had mentioned it was a beautiful thing that flowers had such meaning and colours a language of their own.

Eliza then suggested that though it was a beautiful thing, it could cause a great deal of problems. The two others, aghast, demanded she explain how that could be so.

John spoke up then, saying if he were to pick flowers for a girl he admired, he would want her to appreciate the gesture and beauty of them, not read into it unnecessarily. Eliza nodded, agreeing that if women were to expect men to form bouquets according to the language of the flowers, then the romance would be lost.

It is at this point that it became a debate.

At some point, Katherine said to John with a laugh, 'It is a universal language! I am sure if you were gathering roses for Miss Tarrant, you would naturally gravitate to red!' The group was silent and she immediately saw her mistake. Mrs Wheaton quickly said 'Perhaps they are right, people do put too much value on the meaning of flowers.' then turned back to her work.

Miss Ritewood stared at Katherine, then stared at John. John looked embarrassed and irritated, not looking at anyone, before all but snapping 'This is ridiculous.' and leaving. 'I did not know John had a..' Eliza started. 'Oh no, no Lily, he does not..' Katherine interrupted quickly, but did not finish for she was not confident in her answer. Eliza had left soon after.

It had been two weeks since and Eliza had only come to Rosforte once, and even then for only a quarter hour in very low spirits.

Katherine, desperate, sought out her brother (an easy feat, he was in the library). After she poked about in his general vicinity for some time and glanced at him uncomfortably more often than what was natural, he finally put aside his book and looked at her in exasperation. "What is it then?"