Chapter 53

The day was still very fine and bright when the Winchesters and the Blacks returned to the house of the Westbrooks. They were admitted into the parlour and found that the party was whole except for Miss Anne. With pleasantries out of the way and glances from members of his own party, Mr Winchester took to circling the room in a haze of a mood, which seemed to hang over him as his mind wandered and his attention drifted away to the recesses of his subconscious concerns.

"Where, pray, is dear Anne?" Isabella asked after a long moment. "I had wished to speak with her about this morning. I am quite jealous that she was given a private demonstration by Mr Winchester."

"Oh not this again," Mr Musgrove grumbled to himself but the room heard him clearly and became uneasy.

"She is not herself today, poor Anne, and has taken to roaming the great expanses of Mr Westbrook's estate. We've not see her since luncheon had ended," Mrs Westbrook whispered in an aside as Mr Winchester came nearer to her.

"Shall I go in search of her, Madame? You seem distressed," Dean asked and tried to hid his sudden concern.

"Oh yes, do sir, for my benefit. Tell her that her mamma is quite worried," the mother cried gleefully. "Bring her back to us."

"Why, Madame, when I had offered so vehemently, had you not accepted my offer to do the very same thing hours ago?" Mr Musgrove asked as he stood and joined Mr Winchester.

"You are well aware of the answer sir," the mother, who's eyes were set upon the Winchester fortune, spoke in a hushed but harsh, warning to the mousy man. "Should Anne find herself in danger out in the woods, I very much doubt you will do her any good with your pacifism. She is not in need of a clergy man but a warrior," she hushed her voice even further. "I have several other daughters who are in need of your company, sir, as you are well aware," she finished and then her tone was louder as the man slunk back and she addressed the object of her own hunt with enthusiasm once more. "Please Mr Winchester, go and find our dearest girl and bring her back safely to dine with us."

"I will Madame," Dean said with a bow, made eye contact with his brother, who nodded his understanding, and then fled from the room entirely.

"Madame, I implore you, have you considered the Winchester's offer?" Abigail Black asked when Dean was gone and the uncomfortable tension of the clergy man taking up a slow circling of the room became prevailing and unnerving. "We are in such great anticipation and need of companionship. For what are we to do with all these gentlemen and their hunting and estate business. It will be a bore for the ladies, if we do not have the companionship that we are used to."

"Oh my dear girl, I understand you completely," Mrs Westbrook carried in Abigail's way. "And am pleased to say that Mr Westbrook has considered the very generous offer of the gentlemen and he has agreed that Anne, Jane, Fanny and Charlotte will go with you. Claudia will remain with me to help with the younger girls and baby Philippe," she replied and there was a joyful eruption from the ladies of the gathering.

"Where do they go?" Mr Musgrove asked darkly.

"Why they have been graciously invited to accompany the Black ladies to the great estate of Mr Winchester," Mr Westbrook stated with pride and great self importance.

"Is that wise sir? To send your daughter, unmarried, into the wilderness with gentlemen so new to your acquaintance," Musgrove asked emphasizing his own disgust at the idea. "What will your neighbours think? How will this damage their reputation?"

"We know exactly what they will think, with six ladies and three gentlemen," Isabella stated and laughed. "And they come as our companions, not that of the gentlemen."

"Too many ladies, I should think," Mr Black whispered to Samuel but the room filled with giggles and chuckles. "Not good for assemblies or balls that are likely to be encountered. We will have to dance with them all, and me with my sisters. How unfortunate."

"Indeed," Samuel chuckled at the sarcasm in Mr Black's speech. "But our society is quite varied back home. We will have an evening assembly once a week, to be sure, but our days will be quite full of shooting and business. We will hardly spend much time with the ladies at their own day to day activities and Mr Singer, our dear butler, is very good when it comes to the protection of propriety and the planning of entertainments for the girls. We also have a few very near neighbour who also have daughters, unmarried, who will be very good society for the ladies. Do you know of the Talbots and the Harvelles, Mr Westbrooks?" Samuel asked to change the subject.

"I believe I have heard of the Talbots, sir, but I am unfamiliar with the Harvelles," Mr Westbrook responded.

"We will endeavour to form the acquaintance for you sir," Samuel stated. "They are the very best kinds of people."

"I trust that they are, if they are among those in your society," Westbrook spoke his agreement to the intended connections.

"Surely, you will throw us a ball, Mr Samuel," Abigail broke in to return to the ideas of the entertainment of the ladies. "For it would only be right to introduce us to all of your society."

"I leave that decision to my dear brother as he is the Eldest son and that responsibility would be on him," Samuel said with a laugh. "But I assure you, Dean is very good when planning such occasions. He has thrown balls on many occasion and at his own whims. Singer will likely already be ten steps ahead of us in the planning so as to alleviate his own work."

"That is capital news, such good help is very hard to come by," Mr Black stated.

"Indeed, I am intrigued by Mr Singer," Isabella stated.

"You will all meet him in very good time, and your own very good servants will be welcomed and treated with fairness," Samuel said. "But I do wonder why the whole family will not join us. Surely the invitation was for all of you," He spoke to change the subject.

"Mr Westbrook has business in town and has promised himself to Mr Shurley until his business is finished here in Whitby," Mrs Westbrook spoke quickly to answer the inquiry. "And we have received an invitation to travel into the moorlands to Castle Black."

"We will take the youngsters on the far shorter journey and as Mr Musgrove stays the fortnight, at least, and we are otherwise engaged with the Whitby society and my own business with regards to the estate, it is not entirely plausible to all make the journey. Therefore it seems only right to send out eldest daughters with you to make the traveling parties much smaller in all respects and easier to manage. Do not fret, my girls will have their own entourage and equipage, we will not be put out by their absence. But I trust that they will be well taken care of by you and your brother," Mr Westbrook added.

"Oh indeed sir," Samuel vowed. "They will want for nothing at Winchester Manor."

"I am sure, but what of their reputations?" Mr Musgrove persisted in his protests of the plot, or perhaps it was the lack of invitation for himself.

"I assure you sir, we are well prepared with ladies maids and chaperones for all of them. Why shouldn't they be admitted into the society of such illustrious gentlemen?" Mr Westbrook asked.

"Surely, for Mr Musgroves sake, you have a governess that you will send along with them," Abigail stated. "We do not travel with our governess any longer, for ladies of our age are no longer in any need of a governess, with elder siblings to watch the younger, you should not, in general, worry. We have ladies maids abounding, that seems to please our very good father."

"Indeed Abigail, and I am certain it pleases the ladies maids for the adventure of the journey and the prospects of new society," Isabella added with a giggle.

"Our Governess will remain with the younger children who still find themselves under her tutelage," Mrs Westbrook spoke haughtily. "Anne and Jane have their own maids, they will go as well as Betsey, whom Fanny and Charlotte share, she will also accompany them. That, in my very good opinion, is just what they need and these maids are perfectly capable of acting as chaperone."

"And our man McClare, along with a coachman, a footman, and good Mr Kenton, should be just enough of an entourage for our girls," Mr Westbrook finished. "No, I have made up my mind upon the subject. My girls are good, honest, helpful young ladies and I trust them and the Winchesters. They will go and that is the last that will be said on the subject," he finished with a direct order to the man who was only a cousin by marriage.

There came a great acclamation of excitement from the gathering and joyful chatter of the anticipated journey filled the air as Mr Musgrove slunk back to a corner near Claudia and sat to pout.

"And when do they leave?" Musgrove asked angrily.

"The day after tomorrow," Mr Westbrook responded proudly. "But do not fret Claudia, Margaret and Phylis will be here to entertain you, and there are plenty of lovely young ladies in our acquaintance who have been invited to dine tomorrow evening to say fair well to the girls. It will be a lovely evening of frivolity," he added boastfully, "I simply must have you all there in attendance as well," he added to the Black and Mr Samuel.

"We would be glad to attend and will set anyone's nerves at ease should they be as cautious and concerned as Mr Musgrove," Isabella accepted the invitation on behalf of everyone and made her pretty speech to the great joy that it brought to the patriarch.

"And I am pleased to stay, Papa," Claudia spoke from place near Mr Musgrove. "For I am not fond of traveling, and I am content with our society here. And of course, momma simply could not be without me."

"No indeed my dear," her mother cooed. "You are so very good Claudia my love."

"I know that you are invaluable to your dear momma, my darling daughter," her father added proudly.

"Then it is settled," Musgrove said angrily as he stood again and turned toward the door. "You will excuse me, I find a great need to take the air," he added, bowed abruptly to his host and fled.