'I do not think Prudence will take kindly to the idea. She does, it is true, enjoy Geoffrey's companionship – but marriage is a different thing.'
'What Prudence thinks has nothing to do with the matter. She will do as she is told. I suppose you are thinking of your old notion that marriages should be love-matches? Psh! Nonsense! We were married in order to join two estates, and we barely knew one another, yet we have done well, methinks.'
Aunt Anne did not reply, and after a pause, Uncle John went on.
'Prudence will not be told as yet, but it will be your task to prepare her, to impress upon her she must study the art of running a large household, so that when the times comes, she will not disgrace us.'
'I am confident she will not do so.'
'Good. That is all I have to say.'
Caroline heard the scrape of chairs pushed back from the table, and the footsteps of her aunt and uncle as they left the room. She had been extremely surprised at the subject of their conversation, since no one had ever before mentioned her marriage. Now she was to be betrothed!
To Geoffrey! It was tremendously exciting!
She began to wonder when it would take place, and what sort of celebrations there would be. She could remember one of the maids who lived in the village having a betrothal feast, and she had crept to the cottage and peeped through the window at the colourful scene, and listened to the merry singing. There had even been dancing – something Caroline had never seen before, though she had heard of it from the maids. And she was to be the centre of that excitement! What fun it would be! She wanted to fling out her arms and practise skipping and jumping.
The closeness of the cupboard suddenly irked her. She must get out, into the fresh air, or she would burst. Mistress Williams would surely have retired to her own room by now, having failed to find her.
She cautiously pushed open the cupboard door, and peered round it. There was no one there. As she crawled out of the cupboard, it occurred to her it might not be wise to go out of the door, in case she met her uncle or aunt, so she crept over to one of the open casement windows, and after a quick look to see there was no one on that side of the house, she climbed out and ran over to the hedge which bordered the rose garden. Beyond it was the orchard, and Caroline made her way as quickly as she could to her apple tree. Then, absently nibbling an unripe apple, she began to consider again the extraordinary news she had overheard.
She had known for some time she was her uncle's heiress, and this did not excite her. The thought of marriage had scarcely entered her head, and then only when she imagined herself as a fairy princess, rescued from some appalling danger by a handsome prince, who would immediately fall in love with her and carry her off to his castle. She had never once considered she might marry Geoffrey, who was two years older, but sometimes condescended to play with her, either when he had no other boys to play with, or when his father and he rode over on a formal visit, and the adults told them to go off and play together. It would be fun to be betrothed! She would be of greater importance within the household, but best of all would be the celebrations attached to the betrothal. Then, when they were grown up, she and Geoffrey would marry and live together. She wondered where, whether it would be with her aunt and uncle, or Geoffrey's father. She hoped it would be the latter. Geoffrey's household did not seem to have quite so many prayers and Bible readings, and did not seem quite so solemn.
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Runaway Hill Page 16