Charming Miss Atherton

One

"I have read that love can alter a person and I cannot help but wonder what effect it will have upon me." -An excerpt from Bridget Atherton's diary, one year before her debut into society, April 1810.

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"Will you be needing any more refreshments this morning, Miss Atherton?" A genteel housemaid named Tilly asked, breaking the silence in the room.

Bridget closed the book that she was reading. "Thank you, no. That is perfectly adequate."

Tilly folded a linen napkin next to a plate of scones on the breakfast tray. "If I may remind you, Miss, your family is taking their breakfast downstairs and asked to be remembered."

Bridget drew near the buffet of food. She loved her family dearly but she did not always wish to be under their watchful eyes. Lately, they had been paying far too great attention to her moods. Whenever that happened, Bridget retreated to the library to avoid their well-meaning inquiries.

"It was good of you to tell me. Inform them that I shall consider it," Bridget replied, grabbing a scone from the breakfast tray. Dismissing Tilly with a nod, Bridget walked toward the large windows that afforded an extensive view of Norbury Park.

She glanced down and saw her younger sisters Jocelyn, Margaret, and Violet selecting flower arrangements from the garden. Slowly, an amused smile brightened Bridget's face. They held in their hands roses with no color at all, only brown petals with withered edges. Their governess's face was pinched tighter than a gathered pillow in blatant frustration. Every member of the Atherton family had a bit of a black streak.

Poor Miss Rutherford.

She was her younger sisters' target for the day. Miss Rutherford carefully selected a perfectly bloomed rose and spoke in such animated language that it was quite obvious Bridget's sisters were receiving a light scolding. Bridget turned away from the window with a half-smile. It was always a source of entertainment to observe Miss Rutherford's attempts at making her younger sisters more genteel ladies. It was, even more, diverting for Bridget to watch her sisters' sabotage their unsuspecting governess. Bridget briefly considered joining them but decided against it. Her spirits were far too low to be among company.

Bridget Atherton was considered by all to be a very fortunate young lady. She had a pretty countenance, a tidy fortune of 30,000 pounds, and in possession of a consequential name in London society's best circles. Bridget spent most of her days doing exactly as she pleased, given the boundaries of propriety, on her family's estate, Norbury Park. Bridget and her siblings had the very good luck of being raised by avant-garde parents who encouraged the improvement of their minds. In most notable families, education was a privilege generally reserved for sons and heirs.

And, although a well-read woman was considered unladylike by general society, Lord Norbury detested the notion that his daughters ought to be limited to a simple conversation that did not venture beyond comments about the weather. Under her father's influence, Bridget became very passionate about books and spent a great deal of time in the library. It was her personal sanctuary. It was there that she could briefly escape the social confines of her rank and situation and dream of adventures beyond her sphere. Being a gentleman's daughter, she had few choices in regards to her future.

First, she could marry someone from the nobility and produce an heir. Second, she could remain unmarried, oftentimes referred to by general society as an old maid or spinster. Or, Bridget could renounce all her material comforts to devote herself to God and join a convent. Oftentimes, she found herself gazing out the library windows searching the expansive hills and skies for a sign of something better to come. The country afforded little adventure. Bridget's daily routine was dreadfully monotonous and did little to rally her spirits. Rise. Dress. Take breakfast. Walk the grounds. Change dress. Take tea. Change Dress. Music lessons on the pianoforte. Take luncheon. Reading or gardening in the afternoon. Change dress. Take tea. Embroider pin cushions with mother. Consume a light dinner. Change dress. Join the entire family for supper. Retire for Bed. Rise and repeat. There were rarely any deviations to her schedule except in cases where the family entertained guests -and those visits were few and far between.