Chapter 2

It was late afternoon when the Forester party arrived in Eastbourne; young William had fallen asleep with his head in his mother's lap leaving Flora to make polite and inane conversation with Philip Martins. It hadn't been a complete waste of time though as despite his natural reticence Flora had learnt a few valuable pieces of information about not only her mother-in-law but also Eastbourne society in general. The Older Mrs Forester was a strict and god fearing woman who had been devoted to her husband and sons and who had taken their deaths very hard indeed. She was apparently fast friends with another matriarch of Eastbourne society a Mrs Ferguson whose late husband had been a leading businessman and gentleman. The Ferguson family had once ran Eastbourne's dockside but now settled for presiding over it's society with the same appraising gaze as a seasoned captain would a timber yard; whether or not you succeeded and were accepted into society was largely at their say so. Or more to the point the say so of the two remaining females in the Ferguson line, the old Mrs Ferguson and her daughter a Miss Cecilia Ferguson who had kept all of Eastbourne's eligible bachelors on a tight string for many year, the young Mr Ferguson was something of a dark horse, a quiet timid sort of gentleman who it was feared had a greater interest in the bottle and the gee gee's than on finding a suitable mate of his own to continue the prestigious Ferguson lineage.

It was with all these thoughts in mind that Flora approached what was to become her new home. It was a somewhat dark foreboding house, it's architecture rather more bulky and showy than she was used to, it reminded her somewhat of a rather grand old gothic cathedral. Getting out of the trap she quietly reminded her son to mind his manners and how to address his grandmother, for a moment she wished she had had the chance to check her appearance, a days travelling could not have done her any favours and she so wanted to make the right first impression. Tightening her grasp on her son's hand she knocked lightly on the door smiling when a rather dour faced maid opened the door and ushered the newcomers into the front room where a rather hatchet faced woman was waiting.

"Well you are here then."

Smiling warmly Flora nodded curtseying politely. "Yes Ma'am it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Snorting the older woman ran her eyes over the dusty pair before her, only softening slightly when her eyes rested on her grandson who was eyeing the old woman with interest.

"So you're William?"

"Yes Grandma." William replied simply and Flora breathed out a little when she caught a small smile tug at the older woman's lips.

"You must call me Grandmamma." She reproved gently. "I will have no sloppy foreign ways in my house is that understood William?"

"Yes Grandmamma."

"Do you like scones William?"

"Yes."

"Yes What?"

"Yes please."

"Then sit and your mother can pour the tea." Mrs Forester insisted waving at the nearby chair for her grandson completely ignoring her daughter-in-law. So slipping over to the table Flora poured out two cups of tea and a glass of milk for William.

"Do you take sugar Mrs Forester?" Flora asked politely.

"Yes Two and don't call me that my girl..."

Putting the two lumps in Flora stirred the tea before taking the cup across. "Perhaps you can suggest what I can call you?"

Sighing as she took a sip before handing the cup immediately back to her daughter-in-law. "Too sweet...I said two sugars girl not two heaps! And well you might as well call me Mother."

Taking the cup back Flora reluctantly surrendered her own unsweetened cup adding precisely the right amount of sugar before taking it back to the woman who had demanded such a title. "There you are Mother." The name stuck in Flora's throat it conjured images of her own dark haired little mother, the woman with a gentle voice and kind eyes who was as far from the woman sat before her as it was possible to be.

"William perhaps you would care to go and wash your hands before having your tea?" Mrs Forester suddenly pronounced. "Nancy will show you the way." She added in a tone that was not to be brooked and so confused and with a worried glance at his mother who nodded her agreement the little lad allowed the dour faced maid to lead him off.

"Flora." Mrs Forester announced as soon as the door had shut behind William. "I think it is important I make my position and yours here in my house completely clear. You are family and as such I am only too happy to give you respite within my home, indeed I have always offered you that but until recently you have been determined to maintain your own independence which shows a rather head-strong and stubborn disposition. Now however you want my assistance but it must be under my conditions, as a dutiful daughter I will provide for your every need but I will not be crossed or questioned in my own house. I am not to be embarrassed by your being here and so...I am unsure as to your character when it comes to more delicate relations, whether you are of good character when it comes to men but I will have no such flirtations here. You are a respectable widow and will conduct yourself as such, I will not have my son's good name dragged into any disrepute have I made that clear?"

Biting her lip so as not to say something she would regret Flora forced what she assumed was a meek and obedient expression on to her face and nodded. "Crystal clear Mother."

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Picking her way through the market Flora glanced down at the long list her mother-in-law had sent with her, frowning at the last item on the list. Normally she would have relished a trip to a dressmakers, being a woman after all, however her new 'Mother' had already managed to ruin this one small pleasure and had taken the opportunity to pre-select a few fabrics she thought would be suitable and knowing Evelyn as she now did Flora somehow doubted they would be anything flattering. Finding the dim little shop she pushed open the door only to be greeted by a scene of pandemonium. The little fat tailor was running around barking orders at his assorted seamstresses as clearly some order was falling behind. Hearing the bell he took one look at his customer and assessed her station from the rather threadbare day dress and waved one of the darting girls over. Smiling the pretty little redhead dragged a startled Flora off to one of the side dressing rooms.

"Don't mind him Missus...He's a little flustered we just had a visit from the Ferguson's and little Miss Cecilia decided to order half of the store he's farmed the work out to all of us like we don't have enough to do already but well it's all commission so we should be glad of the work I suppose?"

All this she managed to communicate in a few startled moments all whilst ridding her customer of her day dress in a few quick movements.

"Not bad I've worked with worse."

Blushing slightly as the young girl tutted and appraised her figure.

"I'm sorry I don't think I caught your name?"

"Oh sorry Dora Martins."

"No relation to Mr Philip Martins?" Flora asked suddenly surprised when the young lass's face broke into a smile.

"My brother...Oh you must be Mrs Forester."

"Guilty as charged." Flora replied smiling as the girl seemed genuinely pleased to meet her, the first person she had met in Eastbourne who was.

"Oh I am so pleased to meet you, my brother said how pleasant you were and how pretty I so hoped we would meet and well look now it must be fate or something?" Dora announced bouncing up and down in excitement. "What can I show you...something in green definitely and a dark blue I think oh and..."

"Wait Dora. Apparently my mother-in-law stopped by and picked out some fabrics she thought I might like."

"Oh...OH!" Dora gasped as the penny suddenly dropped her blue eyes growing wide as she scrunched up her nose in distaste.

"That bad?" Flora replied watching as the girl's face changed in horror of the social gaff she thought she had made. "It's alright Dora I suspected much...Is there any chance there are fabrics similar that aren't as vile as those picked out? I mean change the colour slightly and the style and anything can look good."

Smiling Dora nodded rushing out into the backroom to cast her eye over the stock. Returning a few minutes later with a nice dark green muslin, it was conservative enough that it would not arouse her mother-in-law's suspicion but the colour picked out the richness of her dark eyes and hair and emphasised her flawless porcelain complexion. "I love it. Dora I suspect you're a treasure!" Flora told the beaming girl.

"And we have a lovely light blue satin as well..."

Holding up her hands Flora joked. "One hurdle at a time Dora, let's get this one past old eagle eyes first."

Nodding the girl began to take more detailed measurements.

"So what is Miss Cecilia having made up?"

"Oh an entire new wardrobe, but she never stays for a fitting just prances in and orders half the shop. Old Mr Sanders he keeps begging her to stay and get some new measurements taken." Dora muttered glancing over her shoulder to see if they could be overheard before adding in a whisper. "She's not the sprightly thing she used to be, all those chocolate's her Beau's gave her over the years have added and inch or two to her figure but she won't have it!"

"Yes I understood she has quite the full program!" Flora added thinking to herself that gossiping must be a genetic trait of the Martins family.

"Well it seems she has made up her mind finally, now she only has to convince the poor sod she's decided on." Dora added grinning wickedly. "He's a gentleman of some means our Mr Corey but not old money like the Ferguson's. I think that's why she kept him at arms length for so long, not good enough for her highness."

"Than why's she changed her mind now?" Flora asked genuinely curious.

"Oh." Dora added pausing as she debated whether to pass on this particular piece of gossip before deciding to go ahead anyway. "Mr Ferguson her brother, well he hasn't turned out very well. Lovely gent, lovely manners but well he is a little too fond of the good things in life, wine, women and the odd flutter and who can blame living with a family like that? Only it's not been the odd flutter, word down the docks is he's morgaged up the hilt and well someone has to keep little miss in silk and chocolates and if it isn't going to be her brother..." Dora trailed off knowingly.

"The poor man." Flora muttered to herself, her heart contracting at the thought of some poor man being strung along solely for the depth of his purse; and even as she listened to Dora prattle on her thoughts kept returning to poor Mr Corey wondering just how long it would be before he learned of his love's fickleness of heart.

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