Chapter Text
My dear Selina,
I have, at last, arrived in Highbury, a married woman and mistress of my own home. After years of hearing of your delight in your own situation, I have been impatient to enter the marriage state myself, and now that you have met Mr. E., I am sure that you can see that I have done myself no discredit! He is as handsome and charming a man as ever I saw; only think of our being in Bath at the same time! It must have been destiny.
I was so pleased that you could make it to the wedding, in your condition. I was quite frightened that you rather ought to have been in confinement. I did overhear Clara Jeffereys say that she thought it very odd to see you, that in your advanced state you would take attention away from the bride, but I assure you that I never thought any such thing. I was only ever concerned about your welfare. I am sorry that we placed you in so far a corner, but I thought it would be a discreet location, should the new Baby Suckling have made an early appearance. Do not worry at all about Mrs. Jeffereys. She is a mean-spirited, spiteful girl and she looked quite ugly indeed in that shade of purple.
You will want to hear of my new home and I confess myself delighted with it already. The Vicarage is very sweet; nothing, of course, to Maple Grove, but we are not all destined to be fine ladies! Mr. E. has done much to prepare it for me, and I am not displeased. It will need a woman’s touch, you know, but I am not afraid of the task. The curtains must be changed - they are yellow; you know I cannot abide yellow - and it will need to be furnished anew, and the kitchen is dreadful, but I do not complain. If it is a little smaller than I am used to, it does not signify. The tiniest hovel would do very well for me, as long as I had my caro sposo by my side.
Still, it was a bit of a surprise.
I have been quite occupied with making the acquaintance of the principal families around the village. I do believe that I am a great favorite already. I have received so many invitations to dinner that I fancy it must be more than mere politeness. They are not used to new faces in Highbury, and I believe that I am a more elegant woman than they often get the chance to see. You know how simply I like to dress, and how I abhor excess finery, and yet I am always the most stylish in the room. I do not care a bit about it, of course, but I do note it.
My, but one does get fussed over when one is a new bride! It makes one feel rather grand. I would not wish any harm to come to my new caro sposo, but if I am so unfortunate as to become an untimely widow, I will have the happy thought of a second marriage and second bridehood to sustain me!
I joke, of course.
I must say, I am most gratified to see how respected and even revered my dear new husband is! He has so many friends, and they are all so gentlemanlike; I would not have expected that sort of quality in the inhabitants of such a place as Highbury. I rather feared that I would be surrounded by people coarser and more vulgar than I am used to, spoiled as I have been with the society of Maple Grove. I am not a delicate flower, as we know, and I thought I would handle it all with grace, but there are a good many gentlemanlike gentlemen and ladylike ladies here, more than enough to form my own little circle. I flatter myself that I will be a sort of model for them. I know that my dear Mr. E. is considered a superior man here. Perhaps he is not as important a personage as Mr. Suckling, but he is certainly a leading figure in Highbury! I feel very fortunate to have married such a man. One does not want to throw oneself away on the unworthy.
Of course, it has not all been cozy, sociable visiting. I can tell that I will be doing much in the way of charitable works. It will be my duty, given who Mr. E. is, and a noble one. I know that I will relish it. If it means that I must give up my music, what is that to me? I will be too busy for such frivolous pursuits, and assisting the poor is so much more gratifying than practicing on the pianoforte. I know you were forced to give up your music for much less.
You will be pleased to know that I have found a project! You know how I crave employment. I have met a young lady who is in need of my services and I am quite determined to be her patroness. Miss Jane Fairfax is a pretty little thing, quite accomplished, but living with impoverished relations and destined to be a governess, the poor dear creature. Do let me know if you hear of a suitable situation for her. She must have an exceptional one.
Oh, I had almost forgotten: you do remember my theory, of there always being one very dreadful lady in one's circle? I have already found her here in Highbury and will write further regarding that lady in my next letter. I am running out of paper and I should like to do her odiousness justice.
All of my love to you, dear sister, and Mr. Suckling, and the children. You must come visit us here in Highbury, despite the humble picture that I paint. There is a quaintness about the place that I am sure you will enjoy, and you will be the grandest sight that the village has ever seen! The barouche-landau alone will cause a great sensation.
Yours ever,
Augusta