My Lady Miriam Part 3

Miriam sat in her carriage with her mother, softly humming a tune and boredly staring out of the carriage window. The scenery was ongoing and one tree bore an uncanny resemblance to the other, as did the hills. The carriage was extremely well-sprung and the seats as comfortable as any carriage ought to be, making traveling pleasant however dull the journey might be. Miriam had not spoken of her adventure to anyone and had spent a good deal of time thinking about how she might use the gun she had in her possession to her advantage, but as no scheme had arisen to her, she was left with a gun in her rather large and fashionable purse and no use for it. Her Mama was sitting beside her looking out the opposite carriage window with a look of excited tiredness, no idea of what Miriam had encountered only two days ago, but Miriam knew better than to excite her Mama with such stories of men stealing her pearls and bruising her arms, and abominably rude men rescuing her from who knows what. No indeed, the escapade was best left to the safety of herself. Mama, though delightfully charming and determined, was not in a fit state to withstand such an excitement. Her mother sat now as picturesque as a queen, courageously bearing the long carriage ride. Miriam’s Mama was once a great beauty in her time, as she told Miriam herself one day as they sat in the garden when Mama was admiring Miriam for her smart little nose and animated eyes,
“I was a beautiful young girl once Miriam; just like you, I had so many beaux I knew not what to do with them! And I received many eligible offers before your Papa, indeed I did. And I such a graceful figure! But I am more than seven and forty and long past the blush of my first youth, so I shall not pretend to be what I am not.” She paused with melancholy reflection, “But! Still, I have my darling children and none of my beauty would I swap for you both!” Miriam had smiled at her dear Mama’s bravery, because although her Mama had said she has lost all her beauty, in truth she had not. Miriam looked across again at her Mama in the carriage and saw a small dainty middle-aged woman with well-coloured hair—it had not yet gone grey or any such colour—but had stayed at a dark brown, keeping with it the curls she had in her childhood. She had a delicate figure and a petite, yet determined chin and a smiling mouth, her eyes where a shade of pale green and sharp as any Miriam had yet met with. She did not pretend to be younger than she was, although she could of done it with great ease, but she dressed herself elegantly and with great taste, finishing off her attire with a exquisite and pretty dowager’s cap. She indeed had as many suitors now as she did then, many of them as serious as suitors can be, but this did not rank with her as being because she was pretty, but because she was wealthier than any widow and mother in the ton! She laughed them off, and enjoyed her state of motherhood and wealth, without any frets or cares to worry her and after her husband had died she had made up her mind never to marry again. So Miriam’s pretty, sweet featured mama was as lively as she was cheerful, and provided Miriam with all the love one parent can give. However her Mama was of a delicate constitution and often, when she was over-excited, had the inclination to faint and be in desperate need of careful tending. Long travels were not the best for her health, but she had insisted on visiting her brother, his wife and children; for indeed she had told Miriam, why have such a wealthy brother if one cannot visit upon him and be subject to such treatment that only royalty receive? This particular and long journey in the carriage had quite worn out poor Mama and made Miriam so dull that she had nothing to do but count the number of buttons on her gloves over and over.
“Well, Mama, life is so fascinating is it not?” She said sarcastically, resting her chin on her hand. Miriam’s mama replied nodding cheerfully, however exhausted she was,
“Yes indeed my dear. Only think we’re on our way to Blackmoore Park! Indeed, I can hardly wait to see my dear brother again and his darling children.” Miriam’s hand dropped and she sat up straight with a sigh.
“I wasn’t really in earnest Mama, I was only teas—” Miriam stopped as the carriage suddenly broke to a halt, and a familiar voice came from outside, one she couldn’t quite make out. Her mother frowned and tapped the roof….

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