Sprig of Thyme

by Jenna Dawlish

  “It isn't that I do not value your opinion Frederick, but I can't do as you suggest. It is out of the question.”

  “Well, after you have told Dr Preston, I think he will think my plan the best option. You'll see.”

  Joel stood up, “According to Dr Preston it seems it will be sooner than expected. He thinks it will be a matter of a few weeks.”

  “You seem upset about it?” he said and put aside his newspaper.

  “Of course I am. How could I not be? She is my wife after all.”

  ***

  That night, Leonard mentioned nothing of his visit to the Polwarth's. Adella did not ask, although she thought of nothing else, especially the fact that soon Mrs Polwarth would be dead. She was sorry that anyone was ill, and especially terminally, but she wondered how much pain Joel was in because of his wife. If he loved his wife even a fraction of the way he had shown his love for her, then he would have suffered indeed. In a way it was a kind of justice. But, if there was proper justice, he would be the one who was ill. She hated her reaction to him, she hated what she was becoming, angry, resentful, unforgiving. She was mortified when she re-read the letter from his lawyer. Several times she thought about calling on him and demanding to see him and make him explain why he hurt her so. Her resolve to speak to him diminished, her hatred did not. She told herself that she must move on, and let her anger go again. She thought she had already done it once, and it was hard enough to try again. She wasn't sure she had the strength.

  The next morning, Adella stood once more in Mr Alther's Apothecary Shop, for once not waiting for medicines, but for their niece, Miss Helen Alther to appear. The shop was empty, and Adella took a few moments to look at the bottles and boxes in the glass counter and cabinets.

  “This is new,” Adella said, pointing to a stack of cardboard boxes behind the counter. The label read “Mr Reed's Liver Salts”.

  “Oh yes,” Mrs Alther said, “It just came in. It's been advertised in all of the newspapers, and we kept getting people asking for it. It's no different than any other liver salts, but the advertisement makes people want to buy it.”

  “It's more expensive than the others too,” Adella said as she picked up one of the boxes and examined the label.

  “Yes, Mr Reed must want the extra money to pay for the adverts!”

  Adella put the box down, and looked at the clock high on the wall.

  “They'll be out in a minute I'm sure,” Mrs Alther said following Adella's gaze. “They arrived exactly on time.” Mrs Alther seemed in a buoyant mood. There was a happy glow about her; her smile was wider, and she dressed in one of her prettier dresses.

  “They?” Adella asked.

  “Oh yes, Helen and Flora. Two of them! Well we only expected one,” she laughed a little, “but two came in the end. Flora is the eldest . She's, well -” Mrs Alther drew herself closer to Adella and whispered, “she's thirty and quite the plainest girl I've ever seen. Anyway, she's come too and I suppose looking for a husband like her sister, although Helen thinks she's an old maid forever now. None of the men near her wouldn't have her apparently. It's a shame when a girl is so plain, don't you think? It is a good thing that neither of us have had to worry on that score.”

  “Here I am! You must be Adella. I'm Helen.”

  They both turned toward the loud voice that broke their silence. Helen was a small girl, with clear, bright skin and fashionably arranged light brown hair. She was light on her feet and glided forward.

  “I am very pleased to meet you, Miss Helen,” Adella said.

  “I too! Uncle and Aunt have told me all about you!”

  Behind her, like a silent shadow, another woman stepped through from the office. She remained under the door frame, shyly looking on. She was similar in proportion to Helen, though clearly older.

  “And this is my other niece, Flora,” Mrs Alther said. “Helen is a little wild, and needed Flora to look after her.”

  “I am not wild, Aunt!” Helen cried with a smile that showed her straight white teeth.

  “Of course not, my dear. Your mother was always a little cautious that is all.”

  “Hmm. Well I did not want Flora to come, she'll spoil my fun. You'd better not spoil my fun, Flora.”

  Flora was silent, but Adella went around the counter and shook her hand. Flora smiled and quietly said, “I am pleased to meet you, Miss Maxwell.”

  “I know we will be best friends!” Helen said and she grabbed Adella's arm and dragged her out the door, “Come on, you must show me around Bath.” She slammed the door shut behind them.

  “My uncle said you live with your brother,” Helen said as she linked her arm through Adella's and lead her down the street.

  “Yes.”

  “And he's a doctor.”

  “Yes.”

  “Is he handsome?”

  “You will have to judge yourself. I think him handsome, but you may think differently.”

  “Well, I suppose I should meet him, although a doctor is not rich enough for me to consider marrying. Still, he may be able to introduce me to lots of rich men. Rich men who are single and about to die.”

  Adella stopped walking. “Surely not.”

  “Oh, don't be like that Adella. I would make any man happy if he were rich. Very happy indeed. Do you know any rich men?”

  “I am afraid I am not well connected at all. I know only tradesmen and servants.”

  “I'm sure I shall make friends quickly. Everyone likes me and I am excessively pretty don't you think?”

  “Yes,” she said somewhat reluctantly.

  They continued on. Helen chattered and Adella was forced to agree with her whatever the subject. Adella looked across at her, her feelings were already swinging between hating and liking her. Helen was blunt and honest about her quest for a rich husband, but at least she did not her hide behind artfulness. Something Adella abhorred. Her brother was safe, but she could not imagine a worse sister-in-law. It was just as well. She turned around and saw Flora walking behind. She smiled shyly back at Adella, and wondered whether the elder sister would make a better friend.

  Adella stopped again, “Flora, will you not join us?”

  She ran up to them, and the three of them continued on.

  “Shall we go and drink the water?” Helen asked.

  “If you like, it does not taste very nice though.”

  “Oh I do not care. I can eat and drink anything. Besides, you can't come to Bath and not try the water,” Helen said.

  They continued on again. Through the centre of Bath Helen was enthused by every shop and tea room they passed and they were forced to retrieve her several times as she looked in the windows. When they finally arrived at the Pump Room, Helen handed Flora a glass. “You drink it first.”

  Flora took a tentative sip and grimaced “It's warm and very salty.”

  “Let me try,” said Helen and she snatched the glass.

  “Ergh. It's horrible.” But she took another sip anyway.

  “Here, you have some Adella.” Helen handed her the glass.

  “No thank you. I've already tried the water, and I think it awful like you two. I don't need reminding of how it tastes thank you very much.”

  Helen giggled, then looked around the room. Adella watched as Helen's glances fell on each of the gentlemen. A couple of times, she caught a gentleman's eye, and she fluttered her eye lashes and smiled even more broadly than she was already. Adella was appalled, it was outrageous.

  Flora saw Helen's flirtations too, and suggested they go to the Abbey. They managed to extract Helen from the Assembly rooms by each looping an arm around hers and moving towards the door. Outside, they looked up at the Abbey.

  “It's certainly the finest Cathedral I've ever seen. Let's go inside,” Flora said, dragging the others along.

  “Do we have to?” Helen protested.

  “Yes,” Flora said, “You promised, remember?”

  They toured inside the Abbey and returned home for lunch. Adella insis
ted they go to her and Leonard's house. As they sat in the small living room and sipped tea and ate bread and cheese, Flora opened up more.

  “This seems a pleasant house,” she said, looking around. “Well furnished.”

  “It is quite small, but it suits Leonard and I. He is becoming a more successful doctor every month. I have high hopes for him. He may come home soon for a short time, but it depends upon his patients. They come first.”

  “I do not know how anyone could be a doctor, all those sick people! Ergh.” Helen said with a mouthful of cheese.

  Flora gasped, “Helen! Do not say such things. It is so rude.”

  “How so?”

  “Doctors are extremely skilled men who care for the sick and put themselves in danger to help others,” Flora said.

  Adella was right in her earlier assumption that Flora would make the better friend. She was sensible, controlled and extremely likeable. How Helen was from the same parents seemed so strange. To have two such different daughters! But one thing Adella thought was most odd was that Flora should be thought plain, because she did not think so at all. True, Helen was much younger, but Flora's large brown eyes complimented her oval face and red lips. No, Flora was pretty. Chances were, she had been treated badly by a gentleman too, and she did not wish to marry. Or no man had ever taken her fancy.

  As they sat and talked, they heard the front door open and close. Leonard walked in, dripping rainwater everywhere.

  “Adella, have you seen my umbrella? I am not very happy with myself; I forgot to take it. I should have learnt by now. Oh – “ He stopped short, “We have guests! Of course, one of you must be Miss Alther?” he said as he walked in.

  “Leonard, both these young ladies are called Miss Alther,” Adella said.

  “Two Miss Alther's!” he exclaimed. “Well, I am not sure Bath is ready for two of you!”

  They both giggled.

  Adella interrupted, “This is Miss Flora Alther, and this is Miss Helen.”

  “It is a pleasure,” he said taking each of their hands in turn.

  Leonard sat down, “Anyone with the name of 'Alther' is welcome in my house. Do you mind if I join you for lunch?”

  “Of course we do not mind Dr Preston, this is your house after all!” Helen said with a slight blush and flutter of her eyelids.

  “Indeed it is, but I would hate to disrupt you all. I know how ladies sometimes prefer to be without a gentleman so they can talk more openly,” he said with sly a smile.

  “There's nothing I say to a lady that I wouldn't say in front of a gentleman,” Helen said.

  Adella and Flora's eyes met briefly in mutual understanding. Helen would do no such thing.

  Leonard ate his lunch and chatted easily to both sisters. Although he found it disconcerting when, not only did Helen give him her undivided attention, but she kept interrupting Flora whenever he asked the elder sister a question. But Leonard bore it well, and was never rude to Helen.

  “Well,” said Leonard, “I must leave now, I have an appointment the other side of the city, and I mustn't be late.”

  “Oh must you leave so soon?” Helen said.

  “I'm afraid so.” Leonard stood up.

  “But I was hoping you would stay at least another hour,” Helen said.

  “I'm very sorry to disappoint you, but I hope I will have the pleasure of your company again soon. You are most welcome here any time.”

  That seemed to placate Helen, and she allowed Leonard to leave without further protestations.

  That evening, Adella took the earliest opportunity to ask her brother what he thought of the sisters.

  “Well before I answer that question, I will tell you what you have decided about them!”

  “Will you indeed!” the corners of her mouth turned up into a small smile.

  “Yes,” he said.

  Adella placed her needlework down and listened attentively.

  “Well, you think Helen an annoying twitterer, and you would rather be left alone to get to know her sister, Flora, who you think sensible and likeable.”

  “You came to this conclusion just from today?”

  “I can read you like a book.” He crossed his arms.

  “Hmm, very perceptive. Now all I need to do is think of a way to get Flora alone! It may be easier than I think though. Helen seems to want to be rid of her at the earliest opportunity.”

  “I wish you luck! But you would like to ask her to keep you company on Saturday evening, I have an engagement.”

  “I will see if I can get Flora alone that night. But, you have not told me what you think of them.”

  Leonard smiled, “One of them is very lovely.”

  Chapter 7

  The following morning, Adella was busy in the kitchen. She spent many hours there every day, and knew she could benefit from a few labour-saving utensils on display in shop windows. But they were expensive. She was a little unsure whether to ask Leonard for the money. It wasn't that she feared an adverse reaction from him, in fact, she knew that if she asked he would immediately give her the money. He wouldn't deny her anything he could afford to buy, it was only that it would be a large expense and she didn't want to bother him with it right now. She looked for the items in the second hand shops, but they were the same price as new. When it got closer to Christmas she would broach the subject of getting the meat mincer and a knife sharpener. Those two things would help the most.

  Her mind wandered in this way as she cooked and baked, it was only after a long time that she remembered to think about Joel. Her face turned into an immediate frown at the thought of him, and she whisked the eggs a little too strongly and tenderised the meat a little too hard from then on. It was hard at times not to think about him, especially when she was alone like this. She needed company and as luck would have it, not long after the door bell rang. She wiped her hands on her apron and went to answer the door.

  “Can we come in?” Helen said. Flora was stood next to her.

  “Of course,” and she ushered them in. “I'm so glad you are here, go through to the kitchen; I am baking.”

  They went through, “I am so excited, we are to go to the theatre tonight and you are to come with us!” Helen said.

  “The theatre,” Adella said. “I have not been for such a long time.”

  “I have never been, so I am very excited!” she grasped her hands together.

  “What are we to see? And how did you get tickets?”

  “Uncle got the tickets. They are the cheapest they had, and we will be so far up in the gods we won't be able to see or hear a thing! But the play is Richard III, it sounds a bit boring, but if it gets dull we could go to the buffet lounge and see who is about.”

  Adella didn't like the idea of that, but a quick glance to Flora allayed her fears. They exchanged a quick smile, and she knew Flora would not allow Helen to do any such thing.

  “We have a ticket for Leonard too. Do you think he would like to come? Uncle says we need a man to accompany us, although I don't see why. At least he might know a few of the people at the theatre. Oh, please say Leonard will come too, for Uncle says he hates the theatre so he is our last hope.”

  “I am sure he will come, if there is no patient who needs him.”

  “Oh good!” Helen declared.

  They stayed for a further half hour and chatted to Adella as she baked. She sent them away with a cake and a promise to call on them at seven o'clock with her brother.

  When he arrived home late that afternoon, Leonard already knew of the theatre plan.

  “I called in at Mr Alther's this afternoon and spoke to Flora. She told me of tonight's engagement.”

  “You do not mind accompanying us?”

  “No! Not all all. I would be glad to. What man could refuse to accompany three ladies out on an evening.”

  “I think we may have our hands full with Helen. Three of us to try and tame her may not be enough.”

  Leonard laughed then said, “I am sure we will have a del
ightful evening, despite the need to restrain Helen.”

  Adella and Leonard called at Mr Alther's at the appointed time. Helen and Flora were ready and the happy group set off immediately. Helen was dressed in a green gown, her hair was perfectly tied and Adella detected a small amount of rouge on her cheeks; they were unnaturally pink. Flora wore a plainer, yet not unbecoming dark blue dress with a matching shawl. The lack of frills suited her quiet demeanour.

  Helen once more commandeered Leonard and made him walk with her all the way to the theatre. Adella took the opportunity to get to know Flora better. They talked a little earlier that day in the kitchen, but Helen continually interrupted, and wanted to be part of the conversation. Now at least, Adella had Flora on her own for a short time.

  “Tell me Flora, whose idea was it for you and Helen to come to Bath?”

  “It was my mother's actually. She does think Helen wild and I think she is glad to see her gone for a while. She caused a great deal of heartache amongst the men our family are acquainted with; young and old. You see, I am sure you can tell, Helen is a most determined flirt and loves to have the attention of any man. I am ashamed of her sometimes, she can be terribly embarrassing.”

  She gave Flora a sympathetic smile. “And what about you? Are there many broken hearts you left behind?”

  “No, I am an old maid now, the only gentlemen who speak to me do so on the pretext of getting to know Helen.”

  Adella stopped and looked at her in disbelief. “How can you say such a thing?”

  Flora shook her head, “Because it is the truth. I am too old to be considered by any man. There was a young man once, who I thought. . .” her voice trailed off.

  “But it was not to be?” Adella filled in.

  “No,” she said and averted her eyes, “He turned his attentions to another young lady and they have been married these ten years.”

  Adella felt a new wave of camaraderie for Flora , “I too have had a similar experience. I will tell you about it one day, but I do not wish to spoil our evening by mentioning it.”