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Book: Summerset Abbey: Spring Awakening (Summerset Abbey Trilogy) by T. J. Brown
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planning of their wedding. She missed his warm presence and quiet sense of humor. Funny how dependent on him she’d become.
After the newly wedded couple finally departed, Victoria urged Rowena to join her at her flat. Though Rowena knew her sister was eager to show her what she had done with her new home, she declined, promising to visit soon. Somehow, the thought of going to see Victoria’s new life as an independent young woman depressed her. While Victoria trained to be a volunteer aide, valiantly helping others while also tending to herself, Rowena still languished with family and waited idly for her fiancé to come home. How stale and predictable. Her father hadn’t raised her for this.
She wished her aeroplane could be stored closer to Summerset. Suddenly she thought of the hangar Sebastian had started building for her. Was it finished yet? Why shouldn’t she go see it? Wasn’t she to be mistress of Eddelson Hall? Sebastian’s mother had always been warm and welcoming. Excitement rose in her chest. She would make arrangements to go for a visit right away to check on the progress.
Within a week she was standing in Eddelson’s grand foyer as Sebastian’s mother, Lady Billingsly, chatted next to her.
“I am so glad you came, my dear. I admit to being quite lonely now that Sebastian’s gone and wanted to run an idea past you over tea. I had Cook make a sponge cake for your arrival. I don’t bother with treats unless I’m expecting company. Sebastian was the sweet tooth, you know.”
Rowena didn’t know, but felt that was one of the things she should know about her intended. A whisper of guilt ran through her. Had she always been so self-involved?
After tea, she told her future mother-in-law that she wanted to go see the progress on her hangar.
“I’m afraid you will find very little. Most of the young men have run off to join the army, and we need those who remained to look after the grounds. They work on it sporadically, of course, but I’m sure that once the war is over, it will be completed.”
As the gardener drove her out to the hangar location, her heart sank. They wanted it to be far from the stables and the horse pastures so the sound of the plane wouldn’t spook the animals. Sebastian had chosen the spot well: the hangar was backed up against a hill with a long field in front of it for taking off. The hangar would be large enough to hold her plane wing to wing with room enough to include racks on one side for equipment and parts. Her heart swelled with tender gratitude at his thoughtfulness. But though the foundation had been finished, the frame stood unfinished like a skeleton against the green of the trees. Any hope that she could get her aeroplane here anytime soon vanished.
She stayed with the Billingslys for several days and found herself liking life at Eddelson Hall more and more. The manorhouse reminded her far more of the home she’d grown up in than did Summerset. The rooms were bright and airy and designed for comfort rather than show. It wasn’t as old as Summerset and she could tell the inhabitants enjoyed their creature comforts as Sebastian had already installed central heating, plumbing, and electricity throughout the entire home, including the servants’ quarters.
Sebastian’s mother, rather a dragon lady like Rowena’s aunt Charlotte, began to grow on her, too, and she realized she could be happy in this house and in this family. Especially with access to her aeroplane guaranteed.
On impulse, she had the driver take her to the barn where Mr. Dirkes kept his aeroplanes before returning her to Summerset. The place was deserted of course, and the barn doors were locked up tight. She’d heard Mr. Dirkes had received a big government contract for aeroplane parts and would be extremely busy. Luckily, she knew where the extra key for the workers was hidden, and leaving her driver and car in front, she entered the small back door of the barn.
Only two aeroplanes were
After the newly wedded couple finally departed, Victoria urged Rowena to join her at her flat. Though Rowena knew her sister was eager to show her what she had done with her new home, she declined, promising to visit soon. Somehow, the thought of going to see Victoria’s new life as an independent young woman depressed her. While Victoria trained to be a volunteer aide, valiantly helping others while also tending to herself, Rowena still languished with family and waited idly for her fiancé to come home. How stale and predictable. Her father hadn’t raised her for this.
She wished her aeroplane could be stored closer to Summerset. Suddenly she thought of the hangar Sebastian had started building for her. Was it finished yet? Why shouldn’t she go see it? Wasn’t she to be mistress of Eddelson Hall? Sebastian’s mother had always been warm and welcoming. Excitement rose in her chest. She would make arrangements to go for a visit right away to check on the progress.
Within a week she was standing in Eddelson’s grand foyer as Sebastian’s mother, Lady Billingsly, chatted next to her.
“I am so glad you came, my dear. I admit to being quite lonely now that Sebastian’s gone and wanted to run an idea past you over tea. I had Cook make a sponge cake for your arrival. I don’t bother with treats unless I’m expecting company. Sebastian was the sweet tooth, you know.”
Rowena didn’t know, but felt that was one of the things she should know about her intended. A whisper of guilt ran through her. Had she always been so self-involved?
After tea, she told her future mother-in-law that she wanted to go see the progress on her hangar.
“I’m afraid you will find very little. Most of the young men have run off to join the army, and we need those who remained to look after the grounds. They work on it sporadically, of course, but I’m sure that once the war is over, it will be completed.”
As the gardener drove her out to the hangar location, her heart sank. They wanted it to be far from the stables and the horse pastures so the sound of the plane wouldn’t spook the animals. Sebastian had chosen the spot well: the hangar was backed up against a hill with a long field in front of it for taking off. The hangar would be large enough to hold her plane wing to wing with room enough to include racks on one side for equipment and parts. Her heart swelled with tender gratitude at his thoughtfulness. But though the foundation had been finished, the frame stood unfinished like a skeleton against the green of the trees. Any hope that she could get her aeroplane here anytime soon vanished.
She stayed with the Billingslys for several days and found herself liking life at Eddelson Hall more and more. The manorhouse reminded her far more of the home she’d grown up in than did Summerset. The rooms were bright and airy and designed for comfort rather than show. It wasn’t as old as Summerset and she could tell the inhabitants enjoyed their creature comforts as Sebastian had already installed central heating, plumbing, and electricity throughout the entire home, including the servants’ quarters.
Sebastian’s mother, rather a dragon lady like Rowena’s aunt Charlotte, began to grow on her, too, and she realized she could be happy in this house and in this family. Especially with access to her aeroplane guaranteed.
On impulse, she had the driver take her to the barn where Mr. Dirkes kept his aeroplanes before returning her to Summerset. The place was deserted of course, and the barn doors were locked up tight. She’d heard Mr. Dirkes had received a big government contract for aeroplane parts and would be extremely busy. Luckily, she knew where the extra key for the workers was hidden, and leaving her driver and car in front, she entered the small back door of the barn.
Only two aeroplanes were
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