The Perfect Finish

Chapter Sixteen - Recovery

Anna dreamed that night of her own Sunrise Dew. The mare was standing by her bed, pawing the carpet softly and snorting. In her dream, Anna stood in her nightdress and climbed onto the  mare's back. Sunnie took her out over the rooftops of London to a race course she had never been to, where Father was holding a stopwatch as Lightning Elena thundered round the track. He clicked his watch with a flourish, turned a beaming face to Mr Norris and said, "If only Anna could race like that! We'd have her back today."

She woke in anguish with a start and lay still, eyes opened wide. The sun shone brightly through her window but she didn't feel ready to wake. The late nights were difficult to adjust to.

Sleep was gone. Horses' hooves clopped on the street outside. Maybe the sound triggered the strange dream? What had she been thinking? She knew without doubt that the Anna referred to by her father was herself and not Sunnie's daughter. She was trembling.

She rang the bell and a maid brought breakfast on a silver tray. It was only a dream. However distressing one found it, a dream was not reality.  

Anna ate everything on her tray.  Breaking the bad news was going to take strength.

What did one wear on a day like this? Riding clothes, of course! But in the absence of the best thing, Anna decided on a green dress with a matching bonnet, sensible walking shoes and gloves to match. A drive in the park was planned and could not be avoided now. 

Anna took a last critical look in the mirror and went in search of Mrs Cosgrove.

Her hostess sat in a chair in her room with a shawl wrapped about her. The gazette was opened on her lap and her eyebrows were drawn into a very unladylike frown.

Mrs Cosgrove finally noticed her and gestured to Anna to enter. "Close the door, dear. I have made an unpleasant discovery."

Anna did as asked and came to sit by her hostess, who thrust the gazette into her hands. "It's near the bottom of the page."

Anna looked past the births, marriages and death notices, searching through the engagements  for the name she knew she would find.

There it was: Roger William Withand Esq of Talston Manor, Essex, to Georgiana, eldest daughter of Sir Michael and Lady Annandale of Galveston Hall, Essex. 

A bird flew past the window, wings fluttering against the breeze.

What to say? Anna looked up at Mrs Cosgrove. "He - gave no hint of this at Almack's." 

He had been a little withdrawn, no more. And the letter was for her eyes only. 

They'd connected.  A wave of sorrow took hold, easily brought into being after that strange dream. She had not loved Mr Withand as he loved her, but it would have come. She would have been happy.

"Oh my dear, we will hear more of this today. It may be a mistake." Mrs Cosgrove reached for Anna's hand and held it in a damp grip. "I am simply glad we had not spoken of our hopes. You could hardly have continued in society if you had expressed a preference for him." She looked at Anna and her eyes narrowed. "Are you upset? You are not in a position to indulge in sentiment, Anna. I am sorry  – he seemed a nice young man and would have suited you well. But we have a job to do, have we not? Or you will be back home with your stepmama at the end of the season." 

She loosed Anna's hand with a sigh. "We will drive out as planned this morning. Perhaps we shall learn more. At least we can show that the news does not upset us and has come as no surprise." She took the gazette from Anna and closed it.

"I do not know the lady." Anna said, swallowing hard. "Do you?"

"The young Georgiana? No, I do not." Mrs Cosgrove's tone was full of condemnation. "Anna, you will not give the matter another thought. We have many other friends to fill this void."