Degrees of Hope Read Online Free Page A

vanished, and she would beg Hope not to speak of their antics in his presence.
    On the Thursday afternoon of the second week, just two days before she and her husband were due to leave, Hope and Honoria were having a picnic lunch in the unoccupied paddock.
    MacDuff accompanied Hope everywhere she went outdoors, and was at this moment stretched out beside them on the grass, enjoying the sun. Honoria liked the dog and often petted him when her husband wasn't around, but today she had no interest. In fact she seemed very subdued that day and when Hope thought about it, she had been getting quieter all week.
    “Is something wrong?” Hope asked.
    Honoria looked up at her and smiled sadly. “Not at all, I am just a little sad to be leaving, that's all.”
    “But your house will be ready before the end of the year, and then you'll live here most of the time.”
    “Yes,” she sighed. “Removed from all my old friends and family. At least in London, I had some friends visiting me during the season, and my brother came see me regularly. Here I shall have no one but you.”
    “Then why are you moving up here? Surely there is land closer to London or your family's estate available.”
    “There is,” Honoria admitted. She looked down, as though ashamed of what she was about to say. “Malcolm can be very jealous,” she said softly. “Not just of men but of anyone who claims my time. Malcolm says that he wants to live here to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life but the reality is... well, I think he wants me away from the London life. He wants me isolated so that he can have me all to himself.”
    “Then he has failed,” Hope said, reaching over and taking Honoria's hand. “No matter what happens, you and I will always be great friends, and I am but a ten minute ride from your new home.”
    “I...”
    “Yes?”
    Honoria glanced up into Hope's eyes then quickly looked away again.
    “I am worried that he will forbid me to see you.”
    “So? He is in London most of the week; he cannot know what you do.”
    “But he can. The servants do as he asks them and they report my movements to him.”
    “Well then, I shall just have to be exceedingly nice to him, so that he has no reason to forbid me from seeing you.”
    Honoria was silent for a long while before speaking and when she did her voice was barely above a whisper.
    “He already disapproves of you. He believes that it is unseemly for a woman, such as yourself, to be independent and still unmarried at almost twenty four.”
    “Honoria, look at me,” Hope said, gently squeezing the other woman's hand, silently giving her strength.
    Honoria looked into her friend's eyes.
    “You will never lose me,” Hope assured her. “Even if he moves you to the Outer Hebrides, all you have to do is write and I will come running.”
    “Thank you.”
    To Hope's surprise, Honoria began to cry. Hope put her arms around her and held her tightly until her tears subsided.
     
    The Arundell's house was finished by Christmas, and although nothing when compared to Marchwood Hall, it was a fine home. With six bedrooms, a small stable block, a landscaped garden at the rear and with no expense spared, there was no doubting the status of its residents.
    Malcolm and Honoria moved in over the Christmas period, and in the New Year their pattern of behaviour began to formulate. Honoria lived full time at the house, whilst Malcolm left for London during the week to manage his businesses, leaving on the Monday morning and returning on the Friday evening.
    Honoria quickly made a few friends among Marchwood society, but Malcolm seemed to have little interest. Indeed, they hardly socialised at all on the weekends and it seemed that the only activity that could tempt Malcolm away from his wife, was the shooting parties that Lucien or another local gentleman organised on the weekends.
    Sadly he had moved to Marchwood too late to partake in the game shooting for very long, as the law prohibited