Remarkable creatures by tracy chevalier 27

havetothrowontothelawnforthebirds.“HeisafriendofLordHenley’s,he
hasafarmnearBeaminster,andheisafinedancer.Hehasalreadyaskedmefor
thefirstdanceonTuesday!”
I watched her fiddling with her toast. Although I had heard similar words
often enough before, something about Margaret herself was different. She
seemedmoreclearlydefined,andmoreself-contained.Shekeptherchindown,
asifholdingbackextrawords,andtuckedintoherselftolistentonewfeelings
she was trying to comprehend. And though her hands were still busy, their
movementsweremorecontrolled.
Sheisreadyforahusband,Ithought.Igazedatthetablecloth—paleyellow
linen embroidered at the corners by our late mother and now sprinkled with
crumbs—and said a short prayer, asking God to favour Margaret as He had
Frances. When I lifted my eyes I met Louise’s, and they must have reflected
mine, both sad and hopeful. It was likely mine were more sad than hopeful,
however. I had sent many prayers to God that had gone unanswered, and
wonderedsometimeswhetherornotmyprayershadbeenreceivedandheardat
all.
MargaretcontinuedtodancewithJamesFoot,andwecontinuedtohearof
himoverbreakfast,dinner,teaandsupper,outonwalks,whiletryingtoreadat
night. At last Louise and I accompanied Margaret to the Assembly Rooms so
thatwemightseehimforourselves.
Ifoundhimveryagreeabletolookat,morethanI’dexpected—thoughwhy
shouldn’tDorsetproducemenasfinelookingasanyyou’llmeetinLondon?He
wastallandslim,andeverythingabouthimwastidyandelegant,fromhisnewly
cutcurlyhairtohispale,slimhands.Heworeabeautifulchocolatebrowntailcoatthesamecolourashiseyes.Itlookedgloriousagainstthepalegreengown
Margaret wore—which must have been why she wore it, and had taken the
trouble to get me to sew on a new dark green ribbon at its waist, as well as
fashion a new turban with feathers dyed to match. Indeed, since James Foot’s
arrivalinLyme,shehadbeguntofussevenmoreoverherclothes,buyingnew
glovesandribbons,bleachingherslipperstoremovescuffs,writingtoaskour
sister-in-lawtosendclothfromLondon.LouiseandIdidnotbothermuchabout

ourownclothes,wearingmutedshades—Louisedarkbluesandgreens,Imauve
and grey—but we were happy enough to allow Margaret to indulge in pastels
andfloweredpatterns.Andiftherewasmoneyenoughforonlyonenewgown,
weinsistedshegetit.NowIwasglad,forshelookedlovelydancingwithJames
Footinhergreengown,withfeathersinherhair.Isatandwatchedthem,and
wascontent.
Louisewaslessso.ShesaidnothingattheAssemblyRooms,butwhenwe