No love for Louisa

TWELVE

 It wasn't long before Louisa was introduced to  Rosemary's  latest love interest,  the French born Viscount Dupont, who  had kept his promise that he would call on them, which happened to be  almost a week later since Rosemary had first met him. Having been brought up mostly in England, there was only the faintest hint of his French accent. 

He was somewhat older, around  his mid to late  twenties, and appeared certainly more worldly wise than the other young men Rosemary had been flirting  and taking an interest in. On finally meeting him, Louisa now understood what Rosemary meant  in her description of him having  a  kind of dark brooding good look about him.   Having to accompany Rosemary, after he suggested they take a ride in his carriage, Louisa discovered he was much more serious minded, but at the same time  he had a charming way of addressing Rosemary  with French endearments, which she found delightful and flattering, so she had his full attention.

He became a serious contender thereafter,  appearing at some of the routes and parties and balls they attended over the next few weeks and continued give Rosemary due attention.

Louisa found she was happy remaining in the background again. Alex Carstairs seemed to have made himself scarce at all these events they had attended so far. She had not set eyes on him from the day at the museum, and she felt she could put her concerns about him to rest. She assumed that after doing his good deed, in helping her get her visit to the museum, it appeared  that  he had not given her another thought.  Part of her was relieved, whilst she didn't really want to acknowledge that a little part of her was also disappointed.  But thankfully, other distractions kept her mind from thinking on him. 

 On coming to London, she had  written to her old benefactor  The Reverend John Phillips letting him know, in hope that  he could come and  see her,  but she received a letter back from him regretfully informing her  with deep regret that his ill health lately due to his old age, made it almost impossible to go anywhere, and he was practically housebound. His wife had died four years previously, and he was now a widower in the hands of a tyrant nurse and his housekeeper Miss Gordon who give him no peace.

Recalling how he had gone out of his way to help her, after losing her parents, and still feeling she owed him a great debt, Louisa decided  that she would try and go visit him at his home in London, feeling it would cheer him up if he got to see her.

She had to wait until she had a free day when she did not have to accompany Rosemary anywhere, explaining to Hettie where she was going, it met with Hettie's approval, "Its good you are showing the same Christian charity towards him as he did you" she praised her for her thoughtfulness,  

So Louisa set of on her journey to visit  The reverend, this time not in Hettie's fine coach but with what pin money she had gathered up since coming to London she took a hack, which was quite an experience in itself, and one she vaguely recalled when she had been with her parents all those years ago,  She arrived safely at her destination, checking the address number on the door before knocking. A few moments later the door was opened by a thing woman in a dark blue dress whose grey green eyes stared at her expectantly.  Louisa assumed this was Miss Gordon the Reverend's housekeeper

"Hello my name is Louisa O'Mara, I have come to see the Reverend Philips, I wrote, so I think he is expecting me?"

"Yes, he's only mentioned it a dozen times this morning, its got him in a right old fidget, so I am glad you are finally here and he will settle down" The woman replied with exasperation before ushering her through the door.

She led her down the hallway and into the parlour where the Reverend Philips sat by the fire with a blanket around his knees.  He certainly did look a lot frailer than she remembered him, from he had last visited her at Thorn view Grange  just over three years previously.