I don't dispute her right
to call herself what she pleases: far from it, though who the Bracelys
were, I have never been able to discover. But when George Shuttleworth
wrote to me saying that he and his wife were intending to stay here for
a couple of days, and proposing to come over to The Hall to see me, I
thought I would just look in at the Arms myself, and see that they were
promised proper accommodation. They will dine with me tomorrow. I have
a few people staying, and no doubt Miss Bracely will sing afterwards.
My Broadwood was always considered a remarkably fine instrument. It was
very proper of George Shuttleworth to say that he would be in the
neighbourhood, and I daresay she is a very decent sort of woman."
They had come to the motor by this time--the rich, the noble motor, as
Mr Pepys would have described it--and there was poor Miss Lyall hung
with parcels, and wearing a faint sycophantic smile. This miserable
spinster, of age so obvious as to be called not the least uncertain,
was Lady Ambermere's companion, and shared with her the glories of The
Hall, which had been left to Lady Ambermere for life. She was provided
with food and lodging and the use of the cart like a hip-bath when Lady
Ambermere had errands for her to do in Riseholme, so what could a woman
want more? In return for these bounties, her only duty was to devote
herself body and mind to her patroness, to read the paper aloud, to set
Lady Ambermere's patterns for needlework, to carry the little Chinese
dog under her arm, and wash him once a week, to accompany Lady
Ambermere to church, and never to have a fire in her bedroom.
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