The Noble Life

Three

The following morning, Julia invited herself into the guest bedchamber before Catherine had even dressed for breakfast, eager to discuss the evening at Wyndham Hall. Catherine did not find her cousin's intrusion unwelcome; she enjoyed the closeness they shared, particularly as it reminded her of her dear sister Bessie at home. What she did very much mind, however, was the aim of Julia's visit, as Catherine had no desire to discuss the previous evening's events at length. But from her cousin's breathless arrival as she made her way hastily over to Catherine's bed, it was clear that she was in great need of a companion to listen to her tales, and so Catherine decided she would do Julia this honour even if she had no wish to recount her own evening.

"Oh, Catherine!" gasped Julia, barely a moment after she had entered the bedchamber, "I cannot stop thinking about how perfectly lovely last night was! Was it not the best evening you ever had?"

"You appear to have enjoyed it immensely, cousin. Pray tell, is there anything in particular which can account for your satisfaction?"

"You do tease me, Catherine!" laughed Julia, causing Catherine to start in alarm.

"Indeed you are mistaken, cousin," she told Julia urgently, "I had no intention of teasing you. What do you mean by this?"

"Only that I should have thought it were obvious to you, of all people, the cause of my happiness last night. Was it not so?" enquired Julia, looking a little put-out.

"You will have to enlighten me, I am afraid," said Catherine lightly, although an unwelcome suspicion was forming at the back of her mind.

"Why, Lord Russell, of course!" exclaimed Julia, and Catherine's heart sank as her fears were confirmed. "After his singling you out right at the beginning I feared you might keep him to yourself all evening, but after dinner he sat with me almost the whole time! Did you not see us sat together whilst you were playing the pianoforte? He entertained me immensely all evening; such a charming gentleman, and so animated in conversation – did you not find that when you spoke with him, Catherine?"

"He is indeed very comfortable in company, it would seem," Catherine replied, feeling quite unsure of how best to broach the subject of Lord Russell's character with her cousin, who had clearly come to esteem him greatly during their short acquaintance. Before she could say anything more, however, Julia went on.

"And his family! Are not his family the most agreeable people you ever met?"

On this Catherine felt she could make no positive reply without being untruthful, but Julia continued without waiting for a response.

"Miss Russell is such an accomplished young lady, and incredibly beautiful! Why, she will be the talk of the town when she is presented to society for her first season – yet still she is so modest! Lord Russell dotes on her, as does her mother, of course. What a dear old lady the Dowager Viscountess is, managing to remain cheerful despite the hardships she has faced. I do wish Papa had encouraged us to make their acquaintance sooner!"

Catherine privately felt it was more than likely to have been reluctance on the late Viscount Russell's side which had prevented the acquaintance from forming until now. She could not quite understand how she and her cousin had managed to form such vastly differing opinions from her own on Lord Russell and his family. After Lady Russell's rude comment Catherine did perhaps have a biased opinion of the woman, and she would admit that at least part of her dislike for Miss Russell was caused by jealousy – but her judgement of Lord Russell, she felt, was unclouded. How, then, had she and Julia come to such different conclusions about his character?

Catherine began to realise that perhaps her cousin's sudden infatuation with the young viscount far exceeded anything she had imagined thus far. If this indeed was the case - though the thought gave Catherine no pleasure - it was of the utmost importance that she should provide Julia with an insight into her thoughts on Lord Russell's true nature, before an attachment could properly form between them.