P & P FF AU. NON-Canon GENERAL REGENCY
To Catch a Shining Star
Previously:
"Oh." Both of his friends gave sympathetic looks his ways as their eyes turned slightly down but not in with any judgmental looks to them. "We promise not to breathe a word."
"I know, it is why I replied the way I did."
"Let us have something to eat, take a small tour of Ravenshollow, and then perhaps I shall be able to take you over to the Kendall's estate."
Mr. Bennet meets Sir Wallace
Ch. 10
The estate was quiet as Conrad took Thomas over to Sir Wallace's home even though servants had long since been up working. Conrad got out first out of his carriage first, followed by Thomas. Mrs. Billings was then helped out by both men as her leg was acting up extremely bad. However; she really did want to see Sir Billings who was as dear to her as a brother would have been.
"Sir Kendall insists on you using a chair." His butler came forward with his employer's old chair and waited for the lady's husband and friend to get her seated before showing them into the Kendall's drawing room.
Sir Wallace took the small package and sighed. "Adrianna would have loved this."
"I am sorry, I did not know your wife had passed way." Conrad felt horrible. "Why did we not hear about her passing?"
"She asked it to be kept quiet." Wallace let out a long breath of air. "We buried my late wife the beginning of the week." Tears rolled down his wife. "I keep praying for Miss Corianna to return."
"Is she your daughter or granddaughter?" Thomas asked naturally thinking she must be for the look of love on the old man's face.
"Miss Corianna is the daughter I never had." He explained who the lady was, what he thought of the lady's family, more pointedly of her ringmaster father. "I will not call him a fool, for in many ways he is not. Nonetheless, when it comes to that particular daughter of his, he cannot see what a shining star, bright diamond in the rough she is. Sadly, neither he, nor her late husband ever truly appreciated that young lady."
The old man really should have said Widow Douglas. However, he had been calling her Corinna for so long that tacking on the last name of Douglas just seemed so unnatural. And yet he simply could not hand out only her first name; and calling her Widow Corianna -though technically correct, felt so stifling; Therefore, his tongue simply tacked on Miss. It helped that no real love had been lost on either side when her late husband was buried.
"How old is she?"
"If I told you that, that lady would have my hide and tack it to the wall." Laughed Sir Wallace for the first time since burying his wife. "But I will say that father of hers married her off way too young. I think he did it trying to curtail her ...wild...spirit."
"She was not so wild?" Thomas could hear the scorn in Sir Wallace's voice on the word wild.
"Since when was wanting to be able to read considered being wild? Every time that circus was in town, and I went down there plenty to visit a friend of mine, I never saw her doing anything inappropriate. You tell me there was not plenty of opportunity for her to be that kind of wild down there." He grinned wide. "I saw her at twelve plant a fist against grown man's jaw for attempting to do something he should not before I could even take two steps towards the cad."
"Sounds like an interesting lady."
"I would introduce you to her if she were here but, since Miss Corianna is not. However, there is a new, smaller, group that has started up that show cases mainly trick-riding, a few clown acts, and the flying trapeze. It is not as large as the Duncan one that left; however, I thought it would be kind to give them a hand up. I have met the owner, I need to get out of this house, how about I take you to meet the group?"
"We would like that." Conrad replied after looking at his wife and Mr. Bennet, both who nodded in agreement. Mr. Bennet's and sympathetic half-smile let Sir Wallace know this was one gentleman who understood his loss from personal experience.
"Good. However, first, I must change out of these clothes. I must confess I have worn the same ones for three days." Sir Wallace grimaced and then grinned wide. "I will now change; grateful friends have come and then we shall go."
The sun was still high in the sky as the small group waited for Sir Wallace to change his clothes and then climbed into their carriages and watched as the gentleman go into his own. The sun then cast its warm rays over the rolling meadows of Sir Wallace's estate as the group headed out to where the small circus group had set up.
As they approached closer to where the circus was set up, they could see the colorful tents and wagons arranged in a semi-circle, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. It was only when Sir Wallace stopped his carriage did the others stop theirs.
The air was filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the distant hum of bees as Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Billings, Mr. Thomas Bennet, and Sir Wallace strolled leisurely through the lush grass, their laughter and conversation blending harmoniously with the sounds of nature.
Mr. Bruce, the ringmaster, a tall man sporting dusty brown hair, with a commanding presence and a friendly smile, stepped forward to greet them. "Sir Wallace, it is a pleasure to see you again," he said, extending his hand. "And welcome to your friends as well. I am delighted to have you all here."
Sir Wallace shook the ringmaster's hand with a big grin on his face; hiding any grief he felt over Arianna's passing. "Thank you, please, allow me to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Billings and Mr. Thomas Bennet. I thought it would be a pleasant activity for them to see the circus, even when you are not performing."
"Please, come this way." The ringmaster chuckled. "I do not know how entertaining things will be. However, I would be more than thrilled to show you around. Though we are not a big group compared to many, we did just pick up a more acts last night".
They walked together through the camp, passing by performers practicing their acts and animals being tended to by their caretakers. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly Sir Wallace notice, far more than Mr. Duncan's.
Mrs. Billings marveled at the sight of a young acrobat effortlessly flipping through the air. "It must be wonderful to live such an adventurous life," she mused.
Mr. Bruce's smile spread from ear to ear. "It has its challenges, but -to me- it is indeed a life filled with excitement and wonder." As they continued their tour, Mr. Bennet acknowledged he admired the performers and their dedication to their craft.
"However, please do not hold this against me, I think I prefer my life with books and a home with no wheels."
"No offense taken; this life is not for everyone."
The group eventually found themselves back in the clearing they had come from only to a spot where a few chairs had been set up around a fire pit though no flames flickered. The ringmaster invited them to sit and enjoy some refreshments.
As they settled in, the conversation flowed easily, filled with stories of the circus and tales of their own adventures. Just before they left the ringmaster gave them tickets for the show.
"We will be here for a week choose any night you wish."