Free Lady Rose's Education by Kate Milliner Page B

looking amused by his own fumbling behaviour.
    ”You have quite surprised me, Lady Rose. I am Mr. Perry, the new vicar.”
    ”What happened to Mr. Burton?” Lady Rose asked.
    ”Nothing, nothing apart from advanced age. He wants to retire. As it happens, my father and yours, His Lordship, are cousins.” Mr. Perry took some steps towards Lady Rose and made a gesture as if to shake her hand. Then he thought better of it and continued:
    ”It was brought to His Lordship's attention that I was kicking my heels in Cambridge, graduated and ordained. His Lordship was so gracious as to offer the patronage to me.”
    ”I see,” Lady Rose said. ”I believe we have satisfactorily explained your presence in the village, Mr. Perry.” She smiled thinly. She had just witnessed her mother enlisting Norah as a helper for the marriage scheme, and it was not difficult to see that the new vicar had been recruited for the same effort.
    ”Would you like some tea? Should my parents be fetched as well?” she asked. She had no intention of making the awkward conversation too easy on Mr. Perry.
    ”I would not say no to tea, Lady Rose.”
     
    Lady Rose rang the bell and looked at Mr. Perry expectantly.
    ”Her Ladyship is in truth the reason I came to see you,” Mr. Perry said. Nellie appeared at the door.
    ”Could we have some tea, please, Nellie, and would you ask Her Ladyship and His Lordship to come down.”
    ”No, please do not that, not the latter,” Mr. Perry said hastily. ”That is, I have already seen Her Ladyship today, and she has asked me to talk with you, Lady Rose.”
    Lady Rose turned back to Nellie and said, ”Just the tea, then, Nellie.”
    Nellie curtsied and disappeared from the doorway.
     
    Lady Rose pressed her lips together. She could easily picture her mother talking to Mr. Perry and it made her blood boil. Lady Rose wanted to believe in the Countess's good intentions, but every time they talked she had a feeling that her mother was trying to crack her open like a clam. The Countess did not like her daughters to have private thoughts or feelings.
    ”You have aroused my curiosity, Mr. Perry. What does my mother want you to talk to me about?”
    ”I seem to have failed to introduce the subject delicately,” Mr. Perry said. ”I had planned to exchange some pleasantries first.”
    He collected himself and added, ”Let me at least say that I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Rose.”
    ”Thank you, Mr. Perry. For my part, I hope you will have a most fortuitous stay in our village,” Lady Rose said with some irony in her voice.
    Mr. Perry sighed and said, ”I suppose I have better go ahead and reveal the matter, since it has already risen its head. Her Ladyship told me that you witnessed a tragic accident a few days ago. She is concerned that it may have affected you more than you let on.”
    ”Does she think that talking to a priest might help?” Lady Rose said.
    ”I believe that was her train of thought precisely. I cannot claim to be an experienced pastoral counsellor yet –”
    ”But you would like to practice on me?” Lady Rose said.
    This put a lid on Mr. Perry for a moment. Then he said, ”I personally find that talking to an sympathetic ear helps in many situations. If it is my role as the vicar that bothers you, I can assure you that I practice common sense alongside the spiritual.”
    ”It is not what bothers me, Mr. Perry,” Lady Rose said. ”My problem is...” The problem was that her mother was knocking her into a marriageable shape, applying corset for the figure and priest for the soul. She could not very well tell that to the vicar.
    Nellie came in, bringing tea, biscuits and other trappings on a silver tray. She set them artfully on the little coffee table.
    ”Please, Mr. Perry,” Lady Rose said, pointing to the armchairs next to the table. She sat herself down on the edge of one chair. The new corset reminded her of its presence.
    Mr. Perry sat down.
    ”I hope you