Anne went on to York, where she stayed with Mr Duffin, whose wife had died three months previously; now fifty-five, Miss Marsh hoped she would at last be able to marry her lover, twenty-three years her senior. Anne spent half a day with her thoughts fixated on Harriet Milne. We have both gone too far to retract. I thought & think of this. Poor Mariana!!! How can I trust myself? I know not yet how keen remorse will be or if I have too little virtue left to feel it deeply. I cannot, do not respect Mrs Milne. I told her seriously she must not now be nonsensical with anyone else. I could not stand it. I could be desperately jealous. She has no conduct. She would intrigue with anyone. How can I trust such a woman? Her mind still on Harriet, Anne chatted with Mr Duffin’s niece that evening; turned to obscure lovemaking. She said I was very odd. [...] She was evidently interested, she scarce knew why. [...] Thought I to myself, ‘Here I am flirting again, not contented with my folly with Mrs Milne. How can I trust myself?’19 Two days later, she continued her flirt with Mariana’s other sister Lou Belcombe. Lou had offered herself to Anne on several occasions. The most recent had come in a letter, proposing they live together. My whole conversation odd & foolish & if Lou had a grain of nous, she must understand it. At last I said nothing was impossible. Perhaps I should fall in love with Lou. I never felt anything more like it. ‘Why should you not?’ asked Lou. I said, ‘What! Engaged to one sister and in love with another?’ ‘Yes,’ said Lou, ‘with two of her sisters’ – alluding to Mrs Milne. That same evening, Anne chatted with Miss Duffin again. Surely she might almost smoke [suspect] me. I went a little too far. [...] Were I at liberty to try, I might succeed. But ’tis indeed foolish to flirt in this way & shew myself for nothing. But somehow I seem as if I could never resist the opportunity. A woman tête-à-tête is a dangerous animal to me. What with Mrs Milne and my folly to Lou and Miss Duffin, what would Mariana say? ’Tis well she is in ignorance.20
At the turn of the year, back in Halifax, Anne received post from various women. A regular love letter came from Harriet Milne. Is it possible that I can have feelings which have never yet been roused into action? Affections that were dormant till you called them forth? Anne found Harriet’s direct style exciting. She wishes to lead me on, but she told herself I must not get into a scrape with her.21 A few days later, an unsuspecting Mariana sent a very kind letter. It gave me a pang of remorse to think of my folly with Mrs Milne, but Mariana’s affection consoles & fortifies me again.22 And finally, Maria Barlow wrote from Paris, having been told by Anne that she and Mariana had sworn fealty anew in Buxton, & this, after having known me, makes the case absolutely decisive. There is no other form left to adopt but that of friendship. [...] I have received my divorce! I am resigned & may you be happy with her destined for you.23
In the midst of this tumult of competing females, James Lister died. On 26 January 1826, Anne was just brushing her teeth when (at 9 ½ by the kitchen clock) Cordingley rapt [sic] at my door and bade me go down directly – my uncle was laid on the floor. Ran to his room (my aunt almost in an hysteric of grief, supported by Cordingley, in the hall). Saw him fallen at the foot of his bed. He had presumably had a heart attack while getting up. Alas! It was too late. All was over. Ran down to my aunt. Did all I could to compose her. Anne had her father and sister fetched from Northgate House and took care of a worthy funeral for the head of the family.
On the very day of his death, James’ relatives gathered at Shibden Hall and listened to Anne reading out his will. As agreed while he was alive, James left his entire estate to his niece. As long as his siblings were alive, however, she had to share the annual income equally with them. Anne senior, Jeremy and Marian also had a lifelong right to live in Shibden Hall. As Anne had been favoured by Uncle James, Marian was to become Jeremy’s sole heir. While Aunt Anne grieved a great deal for her fraternal companion and Jeremy and Marian were also in tears, Anne remained cool. ‘Lord, I am a sinner. There is not that sorrow there ought to be.’ Felt frightened to think I could think, at such a moment, of temporal gains – that I was now sure of the estate. ‘Are others,’ said I, ‘thus wicked?’ & knelt down & said my prayers. [...] He was the best of uncles to me. Oh that my heart were more right within me.24
13 James Lister, oil painting by Joshua Horner (assumed); Calderdale Leisure Services, Shibden Hall, Halifax.
James Lister was laid to rest in the family crypt at Halifax Parish Church on 3 February 1826.
Anne became the fifteenth Lister of Shibden Hall; the first had been her great-great-great-great-grandfather Samuel; Anne was of the seventh generation after him. The fact that fourteen Listers had owned Shibden Hall before her was due to many sons and daughters in the family not marrying and the inheritance frequently being passed on to younger brothers. Jill Liddington25 calculated that the Listers had only owned Shibden Hall for two hundred years, not the three hundred Anne claimed. Her aristocratic pedigree was not as old as she would have others believe, or as she liked to believe herself.
As soon as Anne had become lady of Shibden Hall, the two women who believed or hoped themselves to be married to her came to pay visits. The first to put in an appearance was Isabella Norcliffe. Despite her recent unhappy stays at Shibden Hall, she sounded out the possibility of living together, asking Anne unceremoniously how much money she now had at her disposal. As always, they slept together – A kiss last night of Tib. Perhaps I may never have another26 – and as always, they argued over petty matters. Isabella called me a fool & an ass before George and claimed my aunt & I were laughed at for our pride.27 After seventeen days, Anne was once again glad to have got rid of poor Tib. [...] I would not live with her for all the world. But even as lady of Shibden Hall, she laid stake by their friendship. Her family importance, etc., used to please me. Now I am ashamed of her. In fact, it has been of use to me to know the Norcliffes & being intimate at Langton does very well,28 so she did not want to break off all contact with Isabella.
Mariana Lawton arrived at Shibden Hall two weeks later, pale & thin & ill. For Mariana, the moment they had both been waiting ten years for had come. Not through Charles’ death but through the death of Uncle James, the opportunity had arisen to live out their dream of a life together. Her departure had been preceded by ugly scenes with her husband. Charles worse tempered than ever. He had not spoken to her of four days before she set off, so she had merely left him a short note to say goodbye; she did not, at that moment, know if she should ever return. Half a word would make her leave him but I urged her going back, at least for a time. My uncle’s death was so recent it would look as if she took this opportunity of parting from him to come to me. She was for going back to her own family. I objected to this. Charles might not live long & then all would be right.29 For many years, Anne had accused Mariana of not standing by her. Now it was Anne evading the issue. While Mariana had previously been concerned for their reputation, now Anne thought they should not show themselves to be a couple. It is likely that such concerns were only part of the truth – once again, Anne was not even sure if she still wanted Mariana. ‘Oh,’ I last night said to myself in bed, ‘I would rather go abroad without her.’ Wished to be a while at liberty & have my fling in Italy.30 ‘Going to Italy together’ was a phrase for sex in Anne’s secret language. As long as they could still only dream of such trips, she would go with Mariana ‘to Italy’: Slept very little last night. Talked almost the whole time till about 4 in the morning. Went to Mariana four times, the last time just before getting up. She had eight kisses and I counted ten. As in Buxton, when Anne confessed all about Maria Barlow to Mariana, she now admitted the subject of Harriet Milne & how I committed myself on the Sunday, but declaring I had gone no farther. Mariana had suspected it & the assurance things were no worse was a great comfort to her.31 She forgave me but was horrified at Harriet Milne’s depravity.32 Being keen to live with Anne, Mariana was not in a position to put pressure on her.
Mariana had only been at Shibden Hall for three days when Anne received a letter from Charles Lawton, to sa
y I had some time ago done him the honour to make an overture of reconciliation, which he regretted he did not directly accept as then he might not have had to apply to me on this present occasion.33 He had in fact rejected an attempt at reconciliation from Anne after her uncle’s death. Mariana had written to her how tactfully Charles dealt with her grief for the loss of James Lister. In response, Anne sent him a letter containing what I consider a very handsome offer of reconciliation between Charles & myself, tho’ without any ‘constrained or uncomfortable compromise of my feelings’.34 Charles, however, said only to Mariana, ‘I never felt ill-will towards Miss Lister. I was hot & angry at the time but I have never thought of it since.’ ‘Then why did you not speak to her in Buxton?’ ‘I never saw her at Buxton.’ ‘Yes, you met in the passage.’ ‘I don’t know that I did, & was not likely to put myself in her way. I should have no objection to shake hands with Miss Lister – but don’t talk anymore. I want to go to sleep.’ That had not been enough for Anne; she planned to let it rest forever. I care not about it. Charles’ manner is not enough conciliatory for me.35
Shortly after this failed approach, Charles’ surprising letter arrived, insinuating that his not accepting my offered reconciliation, & that circumstances respecting her own family, had been the cause of her [Mariana] leaving home. That was a questionable interpretation, but it allowed Charles to take a step in Anne’s direction. If I was still inclined to hold out the hand of friendship he would meet me in all sincerity of heart. What he wrote was in perfect confidence – I knew not how much he wanted a friend. If all was known, he might not seem so much to blame. That, however, was the plain truth, and no one knew it better than Anne Lister. Charles asked Anne not to show his letter to Mariana, whereupon she told her about it immediately. We lay about quarter-hour, talking & chuckling over the thing. Whatever happened, his writing to me & the way in which I would behave, would acquit me to the world.36 Once reconciled with Charles, Anne would be able to meet Mariana far more easily and frequently. Things could not have gone better from Anne’s point of view; she was all the more determined about sending Mariana away again before her two-week visit was over.
Mariana Lawton was serious about leaving her husband. Her first step was to go to her family in York and from there to Langton Hall, where she encountered her sister Harriet Milne, with whom she had a bone to pick; yet she had to keep quiet so as not to give herself away. Mariana suffered much. Harriet and Charlotte relished telling Mariana how Anne had stayed up with them the previous Christmas three hours one night, telling them indecent stories. Fred, this should not be.37 Anne,
meanwhile, received a second letter from Charles. He seems to hope she will return thro’ the influence of Steph when she ‘has given herself time for cool reflection. I cannot, my dear Miss Lister, believe you would consider me so faulty as I may appear & wish you, knowing all circumstances fairly, were left to judge between us.’ Declares he has always felt the sincerest regard for her & wish to make her happy. Anne was certain on the matter. She must go back. It will be best on all accounts.38 And so Mariana was pushed and pulled on three sides to return to her husband: by Charles, by her brother Stephen and even by Anne. But Mariana was not prepared to give in without conditions. ‘I told him, Fred, that my affection was gone, my esteem shaken. That I had no feeling left that could support us under a repetition of annoyances I had had to contend with. Consequently it was not likely that I could meet them again with calmness. That, thro’ Steph’s and your interference, the present disagreement might be made up,’ 39 – but only until the next. She did not disguise her deep disappointment towards Anne. ‘I was sorry to say I could find it in my heart not to go back but you say I must. Well, Fred, your will must be done.’ 40
Even before Mariana went back to Charles, Anne’s calculation paid off. Grateful for her support, Charles made no objection to Mariana spending all of May at Shibden Hall on her way back to Lawton Hall. Outsiders thought them man & wife.41 Earlier on Anne had confided in her older friend Eliza Priestley – almost the only gentlewoman in this town42 – that she would not really settle at Shibden Hall till I had some friend ready to settle with me. Wished I had one now. It would be a great comfort to my aunt as well as myself.43 In conversation with Mariana, Mrs Priestley now said that Anne would not change much at Shibden Hall. ‘Ah, I don’t think so,’ said Mariana, inadvertently, ‘I think we might.’ The we was tell-tale. Mrs Priestley had noticed it & looked as if it was not lost upon her. Mariana coloured deeply – talked of ‘we’ & ‘we’ as much as she could afterwards in such a manner as to turn it off, but probably only made bad worse. On Mariana’s telling me this as we returned, we both laughed heartily. I told her Mrs Priestley would instantly guess all about it.44 Anne was not concerned, however. At some point she would live with a woman at Shibden Hall, so it was a good thing to get people used to the idea early on. And although she did not want to have Mariana by her side forever at the moment, she did get on well with her. She will know & manage me better in future. I do not, cannot, doubt her affection. I think we shall get on well together in time to come.45
To stand her ground as the lady of Shibden Hall with absolute control over the estate’s income, Anne Lister had to ward off attacks from her father. Despite being overlooked in his brother James’ will because of his inability to do business, he was now acting the lord in front of tenants and suppliers and bribing Anne’s business partners to make side arrangements in his favour. Anne got to grips with business matters, prices for wood, broken stones, labour. On the first semi-annual payment day, when Anne accepted the rents in person, she refused her tenants the reductions previously granted by Uncle James. They will think me ‘very hard’. Hoping not to get off to a bad start with their new landlady, all the tenants have paid every farthing. This, too, is more than I counted upon.46
Another reason for Anne refusing Mariana’s wish to move in with her was that Aunt Anne wanted to spend some time in the south for her rheumatism. That suited her niece very well. They had hoped to return to Paris together since their pleasant weeks there in 1819. That had not been possible while Uncle James was alive. Now, though, Anne bought a large travelling carriage for £220, with plenty of space for the two of them, plus their servants and luggage. They would hire horses from one posting to the next, travelling comfortably in their own home. Anne felt she had ordered her business matters at Shibden Hall and hoped to see Rome and to spend two years travelling. Mariana was to go along with them as far as Paris.
On 16 June 1826, the staff at Shibden Hall lifted fragile Aunt Anne into the fully packed carriage. Her longstanding servant George Playforth accompanied them, in charge of the coach and the luggage. The new maid, MacDonald, took the place of Cordingley, who had had enough of travelling. Jeremy and Marian Lister moved into Shibden Hall during the two Annes’ absence. Northgate House had to stand vacant, as the tenant Anne had found died suddenly before moving in, and Jeremy proved incapable of finding another.
To begin with, Anne Lister senior and junior spent some days with Mr and Mrs Lawton in Liverpool and Dublin, not least so as to demonstrate to all their acquaintances in Yorkshire and Cheshire that Mariana had not left her husband and that her husband had made up with Anne. At the Royal Hotel in Chester, Anne met Charles for the first time in ten years. Charles soon came in. Went up & shook hands with him & said I was glad to see him, as if nothing had passed disagreeably between us. All passed off remarkably well. [...] Mariana says he was very nervous all the morning. We both behaved uncommonly well. My manners soon set him at his ease. I had two glasses of Madeira at dinner & three of port afterwards. [...] Charles retired at 10. My room next to theirs & Mariana & I came in in 5 or ten minutes. She undressed in my room. So did I, quite, & in half an hour we had been in bed, had two or three kisses & Mariana was gone to Charles. After this successful start, the next few days were very relaxed. They travelled together to Parkgate on the coast, where the marital bedroom at the hotel was so stuffy that Charles was glad to have i
t to himself & Mariana slept in mine.47 Two very good kisses, last night, at once. We got into the other bed this morning that it might seem as if we had not slept together. Even Anne had to pay due respect to Charles, whom she heard snoring on the other side of the wall at night. He is very attentive to my aunt & all goes on beautifully.48
In Liverpool, Mr Duffin joined the Lawtons and the Listers, and was later to report in York how well Charles, Mariana and Anne got on. They spent three days viewing what was at that time the largest port in the world. Having grown fat on slave trading, it was the point of exit for all the goods produced in the industrial heartlands of Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford and even little Halifax. From Liverpool, the group went on via Wales to Dublin, where all of us much struck with the magnificent appearance of the public buildings & the width of the streets. The food was delicious, the accommodation excellent, and in the evening they enjoyed Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, of all things. But things did not continue in this merry vein. Anne drank a glass of warm lemonade. Charles never heard of such a thing. Nobody would, or ever did, take it but myself. Then he began about Mariana’s shawl & mine being for winter, not summer. Nobody wore such here, etc. Tiresome. I am sick of travelling with him.49
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