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Society asks that a woman be accomplished not learned….
Charlotte was late. She had agreed to run an errand for Mary that morning at the haberdashery which had taken far longer than she had anticipated. She hurried along the path leading to Heyric, mentally preparing for the day ahead. She had made headway in Leo’s French lessons in the last few weeks and had determined the morning would be largely devoted to further improvements by reading together a simple novel in French that Charlotte had recently found in the library at Heyric. Augusta was currently working on an embroidery project and seemed to be quite enjoying the activity. This was so out of character, but as it coincided with one of the requirements of Mr Colbourne as to what constituted ladylike behaviour Charlotte felt obliged to encourage it, besides it gave her time to open genial conversations with Augusta whilst she was concentrating on her work, without it drifting to impertinence and sharp comments necessarily.
She entered the house through the back entrance in the usual way. Mrs Wheatley was nowhere to be seen and just as she was approaching the stairs Leo bounded over to her with a broad smile on her face, ‘Father has just received a large package’ It’s over on the hall table. Leo gestured to a wooden crate 3 foot by 3 straw poking through the slats, with the words FRAGILE marked on the side. Both Charlotte and Leo took a few steps towards the table to take a closer look and Charlotte could discern a label attached to one side with Mr Colbourne’s name on it and Heyric Park but also underneath ‘from Messrs Carey -London. Leo had obviously seen the same as she continued ‘… and it comes all the way from London, I have already asked father what it was but he said I would find out later and that I must be patient, but that we may be able to use it as part of our lessons from time to time. What do you think it could be Miss Heywood?’ with a puzzled if excited look on her face. ‘I have no idea Leo, but it sounds very much like you will find out in due course. Now its past 9 already , we should make our way to the schoolroom’. Truthfully, Charlotte found the situation almost as intriguing as Leo. She was vaguely aware of the name of Messrs Carey but could not recall from where. It was perhaps an hour or so later, Charlotte sat with Leo reading together the book in French, which in truth was proving much harder work than she had anticipated. Leo was constantly distracted with thoughts of the package downstairs, Augusta meanwhile, had after a time asked to be excused, citing a headache and that she was going to take stroll outside. This was not surprising to Charlotte; she had been intently concentrating on the needlework for some time and she thought a break away from her work would do Augusta good. It was not twenty minutes after Augusta had left them, that there was a gentle knock at the door of the schoolroom. Before she could reply, Mr Colbourne entered.
His appearance was so unusual during the morning hours when he was usually busy with work in his study, that Charlotte looked up in some surprise from the book with a puzzled look on her face, Leo’s face brightened as she said with much uncontained enthusiasm ‘Father , father have you opened the package, yet?’ Mr Colbourne eyed his daughter with some amusement replying ‘I have Leo, and I was wondering if the 2 of you would like to come and see the contents of the same, which are now in my study, I think you will find it most informative…if Miss Heywood is in agreement that is.’ He looked then directly at Charlotte giving her a small smile, and which in turn elicited a smile from her pleased that he was taking more interest in Leo. ‘Of course,’ she replied, adding with an amused but slightly exasperated voice ‘in truth Leo has been so distracted with thoughts of it, we seem to be making little progress on her French this morning’. And so it was that Mr Colbourne led the way back downstairs with 2 somewhat intrigued young ladies behind him.
The morning sun shone brightly into the study and once they had entered, Mr Colbourne made his way to his desk on which stood a strange item -A polished wooded plinth on top of which a variety of brass tubes and dials where fixed. Charlotte remembered where she had seen the name of Messrs Carey now, a scientific instrument maker of telescopes and such like, and mumbled almost to herself ‘of course William Carey’, Mr Colbourne having seen the look of understanding on Charlotte’s face and hearing her comments said with some surprise ‘Do you know what it is?’ . ‘No’ Charlotte admitted, ‘but is William Carer not a maker of telescopes and such like?’ He was impressed, ‘That is correct Miss Heywood, and this is his Compound Monocular microscope’. ‘For looking at stars and planets’ asked Leo with a look of puzzlement on her face. He laughed, ‘No indeed, for looking at things of a much smaller and humble scale, the idea is similar to a magnifying glass, but the microscope is much more powerful version of the same. ‘ Leo looked amazed, ‘can we examine the water snails with it?’ ‘I suspect not Leo’ he replied, for much smaller things than Keeled ramshorns , let me show you both’. He made his way to the instrument placing a small glass plate onto a circular disc, fiddling with the same . He looked down on the instrument through what Charlotte assumed was some sort of eyepiece, making adjustments with a small screw on the side before shortly exclaiming ‘Ah, see here'. Leo made her way first and with Mr Colbourne’s help, pulled the small library steps to the table, which she stepped up on before looking through the eyepiece and exclaiming with some wonder. ‘Oh my, father, that’s amazing’ a short pause ensued before she added ‘what is it?’, making both Mr Colbourne and Charlotte laugh. ‘It’s a leaf from the oak tree in the garden. Can you see the patterns?’. Leo peered again, ‘yes I can, they look like little roads through a village or blocks on a wall on a castle’.
After peering for some minutes, Leo was lifted down off the steps. ‘Would you like to look to Miss Heywood’, he said softly to Charlotte. ‘Indeed, very much’ she replied. Charlotte moved round the desk, he pulled the steps away from the desk where Leo had been standing to make way for Charlotte, they were now in close proximity, leaving her somewhat unsettled. She briefly looked up at him before turning her attention to the microscope. At first, she was confused as to what exactly she was looking at, as she peered through the eyepiece, but then as her eyes adjusted, she gave a small ‘oh’, She was amazed at the detail she could see. Leo had been right the patterns looked very much like paths through a village or complicated maze with uniform cells throughout the structure , the light catching the various shades of green, making them seem more intense. ‘That’s truly wonderful;’ she exclaimed a smile gracing her face as she looked up catching Mr Colbourne’s eye. ‘It surely is’, he said softly looking at her.
Shaking himself quickly out of his reverie he said, ‘I have something else to show you both’. He carefully removed the plate from the microscope and busied himself with a small glass dish from which Charlotte could see were minute yellow shells. ‘What are they father?’ said Leo. ‘Littorina Obtusata’ he replied much to the puzzlement of both Charlotte and Leo. ‘Flat Periwinkles’ he explained smilingly. Charlotte and Leo looked at each other and giggled as Charlotte stepped away from the desk so Leo could reclaim her position on the steps and peer again at the microscope. ‘How pretty they look’ she said with a wistful sigh, ‘like golden jewels’. After Leo had looked, making the occasional comment, Charlotte again peered down the eyepiece. ‘The intensity of the colours and details is impressive through Mr Careys instrument’ she said, ‘ why, it’s like seeing into another world.’ ‘Which world would that be? asked Mr Colbourne. ‘Perhaps Lilliput’ explained Charlotte with a wry smile, ‘quite so’ he replied supressing a laugh. Mr Colbourne had a small collection of shells on a tray and as Charlotte pulled away, he gestured to the tray –‘help yourself if you would like to look at another specimen’ and whilst Charlotte was inspecting the tray.
After a pause, he prompted further with ‘So Miss Heywood, does anything catch your eye…shell wise?’ Charlotte’s eyes widened remembering the last time that question had been asked her, with thoughts of Sidney entering her mind and the awkward situation on the beach that it conjured up. His brows furrowed noticing a look of discomfort cross her face. ‘Is something the matter?’ he asked. Charlotte blushed ‘Not at all Sir, I was just remembering some shells that I have back at home that I would love to see in this much detail, but in truth you have a much better collection here, impressive…’ she trailed off’ again a blush.
Shaking her head slightly, believing that she had taken up far to much of Mr Colbourne’s time, and in truth, not wanting him to see her in such confusion, her eyes alighted on the clock on the mantlepiece she exclaimed, ‘ah, I see it is lunchtime, as you know Mrs Wheatley does not like the girls to be late, I shall take Leo down now’. Mr Colbourne’s open demeanour changed to one momentarily of disappointment before shuttering and politely replying ‘of course’. Charlotte sensing the change in his presence and feeling she had broken the spell of what had been a diverting and enlightening interlude as well as recognising it as a good opportunity for father and daughter bond, added guiltily. ‘Thank you so much for showing us the microscope, Leo has obviously loved the experience, it was very thoughtful of you…I hope we have not put you to too much trouble?’ ‘Trouble?’ he replied….’it’s been no trouble at all Miss Heywood.’
After lunch, the rest of the day Charlotte spent with both girls outdoors it being a fine day. Leo now eager to find other items outside to examine through the microscope should Mr Colborne allow her to use it again. Charlotte putting the experience down to an unexpected spontaneous act on Mr Colbourne’s part and not likely to being repeated.
It was therefore with some surprise that on the following day, Charlotte entered the schoolroom only to find that the Microscope had been transferred to the table in that very same room. There was a small note placed next to it.
Miss Heywood
I am glad you and Leo found the Microscope so useful. On reflection, it seems better housed in the schoolroom for the time being, to widen the girl’s knowledge and learning. I hope you won’t mind if I occasionally visit during school hours to use also.’
AC
She was delighted, that he had taken the trouble to have the microscope brought upstairs for the girls use and education, and her heart swelled at the thought. A small voice within her whispered that she was also pleased she might see more of him, causing her some flustered confusion which she quickly suppressed as nonsense.
Next to the Microscope was a tray or two of potential specimens neatly laid out. The tray of shells from the previous day; four butterflies which were pinned to a board in size order; a few perfect leaves and some flowers in a separate tray. Amongst the flower tray, Charlotte noticed the bright vibrant blue colours and shape of a perfect cornflower, she gently picked the cornflower up touching them lightly to her cheeks and smiled to herself before sighing…nonsense Charlotte Heywood she thought to herself, complete nonsense.