The Gilded Cage - Put in my Place

Reception Revelations

"She looks lovely, Mrs Scott? Is she being a good little girl?" Mrs Forsyth said as she drew me down onto her lap with ease. Bella was quite accustomed to handling nurslings of all shapes and sizes, and I was instantly helpless in her arms, as a girl like me should be. She really did not seem to mind that I was crushing the copious skirts of her peach silk DiMarco gown as she cuddled me to her corseted chest and planted a kiss on my forehead, showing her affection for me. I melted into her arms, surrendering to her hugs, because they felt nice. I was wearing a yellow and white dress, with matching ribbons in my braided hair. "I know that she can be a handful at times?"

"So far, so good...this time." Mum replied, watching me closely, as always on edge. She was taking her responsibilities towards the litter very seriously. Having us all spread around the big hall, during the wedding reception, clearly made her nervous. But most of my sisters were total angels, with the Brewster girls reunited with their grandparents, and Naomi and Natalie sitting happily with Mama, whilst Caris was enjoying the rare treat of seeing her parents. So, that left Nicola and me, the terrible twins, and Mum had been taking us around the room with her, as she circulated, to make sure that we stayed out of trouble, but also, I thought, to demonstrate that we were under proper discipline and being raised as nurslings, for our sins. "I am sure you have heard all about our...oh, I should have asked, Bella dear...my apologies...how was your honeymoon?"

"Very educational, Mrs Scott...Rome is a beautiful city but it has a lot of museums, and John wanted to see every single one." Bella laughed, holding me tight and kissing my hair, whilst Nicola stood at her side, holding hands with Mummy. "But it is really nice to be home, and catching up with all the gossip on such a happy day for Mr and Mrs Radcliffe...my husband thinks you are being a brick, Ma'am...stepping into the breach for the Montague family...in very unfortunate circumstances...I would be happy to help, if you ever need me...I am sure my husband would approve..."

"That is very kind of you, Bella...but now that we have Miss Stewart back, things are much easier, and we hope to have a new fulltime nanny before she starts her new job at Deepdene, if things go to plan...which I sincerely hope they will, for once!" Mum replied, watching Bella rest my head back against her soft shoulder, obviously fond of me. And I was fond of her, of course. Our friendship had been a rocky road, but we cared about each other, and I was happy enough on her lap. "I am quite sure that you have many church activities and good works to involve yourself in, dear?"

"Arabella will be spending her time with me...and her mother...no doubt," Edwina Deacon said, rather sharply, appearing from my blindside, and slipping a bridle around Bella's reluctant face, just like that. Bella accepted it, of course. I think she must have seen her grandmother approaching because she just turned her head to receive the bridle. She had been well-trained like me, and it was just automatic to fall under discipline after a little while. The wedding had been a formal affair at church, as one might expect, and almost every adult woman I saw was sporting a modesty bridle during the service, but the reception was different, and most of them had been removed so that everyone could chat and celebrate with Mr and Mrs Radcliffe during the wedding breakfast. But after the lengthy meal and the speeches, when people started to circulate a bit more, a few had started to reappear, especially with the younger ladies, most of whom were still maidens, I had duly noted, but some young wives, like Bella. It was definitely happening much more often, to more people, as the dreaded purge continued to spread like a virus. Mama was still unencumbered, I was pleased to see, as was my mother, perhaps because she was sitting with the bride, and Edwina Deacon, who I had never seen using one ever, but so many others were not quite so lucky. On the other side of the large ballroom, the Ellesmere party were holding court, and every female was under strict discipline and had been as soon as they finished eating. "She is being a little too exuberant...don't you think so, Elizabeth?"