Rank and Respectability

- Chapter 24 -

The next few months rolled in and by like morning fog, slow and quiet. Nothing of great interest occurred but Katherine kept herself satisfactorily occupied, settling into a comfortable routine. Time had not yet adapted her to the timetable of the Ton, she could not linger in bed past nine; she would wander down to the conservatory to create floral arrangements, or (as was more often the case) visit the garden's central installation to draw the colourful birds within – she considered her artistic skills to be improving rapidly.

Betsey usually joined her near or after ten and soon after they would often sneak to cooks special pantry to sneak a taste of chocolate fudge, pickles, or candied preservatives; Miss Compton caught them once, and laughed outright before playfully scolding them. 

When they weren't stealing fudge, they were reading together on a window seat, sharing with each other the good parts and warning each other of the bad – Romeo and Juliette was considered particularly distasteful and pointless to Betsey, and Katherine was glad for the suggestion not to waste time on it.

Following two-o'clock tea with their family they often found themselves wandering the grounds; though 'wandering' may not be the most accurate word to describe their snowball fights and snowman-building (when there was enough snow), and (once winter turned to spring) frog-and-lizard hunting and tree-climbing. Eliza Ritewood visited often, but Katherine began to notice patterns in her dear friend's behavior.

Eliza was, at times, spacey and oddly more quiet and polite than usual; and these times consistently coincided with the appearance of Katherine's eldest brother. Katherine had thought for some time that Eliza may have developed a preference for John, but she was now certain her friend was properly twitterpated.

April was considerably taxing on their playful spirits as the sky was going through a difficult time and appeared to have been overcome with severe depression; gloomy and gray and tearful it was. Katherine claimed with an abundance of sarcasm "how lucky we've had but one rainstorm this month", for once it started it never once stopped. It came as a great relief when, late in the month, an invitation came from their sister and Mr Harding to join them for a week at Landyn House, for a small housewarming party.

The day they travelled was pleasant enough (taking recent weather patterns into consideration), it drizzled lightly; which made it easier on the men when Miss Compton's carriage became solidly stuck in a veritable lake of thick mud. After over a full hour of digging and pushing another carriage approached. It was Mr Routley, who was headed to the house party as well; he roped his horses to their own and the added strength of his horses eventually pulled them free and he was proclaimed their hero.

They arrived at Landyn House two hours late, the men covered in mud – especially poor John, who had slipped and bathed in it once the carriage finally started rolling. They all washed and went straight to bed though the evening had only reached ten-o'clock.

The first day of their stay was very full – despite having done really nothing at all – as they were introduced to members of Harding's family they had not met before. Thomas Harding's mother's (may she rest in peace) brother had come from Lewes with his family, and his Aunt Pierpont on his father's side from London with hers. A summary of their names and occupations falls thus:

Mr and Mrs Anton Tarrant had arrived the day before with three of their five children; Miss Grace Tarrant, eighteen, and Miss Elizabeth Tarrant, sixteen. One of their sons was pursuing his father's profession as a barrister in Cambridge, the other had become a steward, and their oldest (Sarah) had married four years ago. Sarah Tarrant-now-Chandler travelled with them, along with her husband Mr Chandler, and was heavy with child.

Mr Harding Sr's younger sister and her husband, Mr Philip Pierpont, arrived the day after Katherine and her party. Mrs Pierpont was a startling contrast to her brother Mr Harding Sr; she was bold of opinion and voice, enthusiastic in her boasting of her family and their accomplishments. Mr Pierpont was a splendid musician who taught violin, piano, and cello, and played in numerous orchestras; he was also a hobby composer and used every opportunity to have the ladies play his works, red with pleasure. Only one of Mr and Mrs Pierpont's seven children were able to come, their youngest child, sixteen-year-old Anne; they were hoping their second oldest would be able to join them, but he was to be married to a Miss Rook soon and had far too much to plan at home in London.