After hard times and odd jobs as a lone parent, Fay Weldon became one of the top advertising copywriters of her generation. She moved to TV drama (writing the pilot episode of the iconic series Upstairs Downstairs) then turned to novels – including the classic The Life and Loves of a She Devil and the Booker-shortlisted Praxis. Fay was made a CBE for services to literature and taught Creative Writing at Bath Spa University.

Habits of the House

Book I of the Love & Inheritance Trilogy

By Fay Weldon

Head of Zeus Ltd

Copyright © 2012 Fay Weldon
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-908800-04-6

Contents

Cover,
Welcome Page,
The House Awakes,
A Certain Slackness,
A Certain Reluctance,
The Earl Opens the Door,
An Early Breakfast,
Grace Wakes Rosina,
Her Ladyship’s Troubled Morning,
A Whole Day to be Reorganized,
The Bringer of Bad News,
Après le Déluge,
How the Earl Got Them into This Mess,
A Solution is Found,
The Earl Walks to the House of Lords,
Arthur Proposes to His Mistress,
Lady Isobel Instructs the Staff,
Another Task for Grace,
An Informal Party Comes and Goes,
Grace Presents her List,
Arthur Pays Another Visit,
The Earl of Dilberne Lunches with the Powerful,
Arthur Declines a Bride,
Something Turns Up,
Her Ladyship Receives Tessa O’Brien’s Card,
Eating Out: a Dinner Party at Pagani’s,
Angry People,
Mrs Baum Waits,
Tessa Tells Minnie How It Is – Or Tries To,
A Proposal at Second Sight,
A Matter of Reputation,
Arthur is Moved to Visit Flora,
The Gift of Equal Status,
The Earl of Dilberne Contemplates the Future,
The Fitting of the Dresses,
In the Servants’ Hall,
His Lordship Starts a Company,
Grace at Brown’s,
Minnie’s Odd Ideas,
Minnie Prepares to Go Riding,
Warm Toes in Golders Green,
Minnie Asserts her Rights,
Riding in Rotten Row,
Grace and Tessa go Shopping,
Some Things, Once Said …,
Tessa Too Lets a Cat Out of the Bag,
Rosina Spills the Beans to Minnie,
A Dinner in Preparation,
A Reconciliation Below Stairs,
Rosina and Minnie Shop at Liberty & Co,
The Earl Makes a Mistake,
In the Cabinet Office,
Taking Tea at Liberty’s,
Rosina Goes to Vine Street,
In the Servants’ Hall,
The Trip to Dilberne Court,
A Household Upset,
Tessa Makes a Visit,
The Bear at Esher,
Rosina Challenges Her Mother,
Rosina Sets Pappagallo Free,
Her Ladyship Faces the Truth,
Arthur Goes to Half Moon Street,
Minnie Weeps All Day,
A Busy Day at the Baum’s,
A Busy Day Below Stairs,
A Busy Day Above Stairs,
Rosina the Beautiful,
Mr Baum Makes His Move,
The Return of His Lordship,
A Royal Dinner,
Preview,
About this Book,
Reviews,
About this Trilogy,
About the Author,
An Invitation from the Publisher,
Copyright,

CHAPTER 1

The House Awakes

6.58 a.m. Tuesday, 24th October 1899

In late October of the year 1899 a tall, thin, nervy young man ran up the broad stone steps that led to No. 17 Belgrave Square. He seemed agitated. He was without hat or cane, breathless, unattended by staff of any kind, wore office dress – other than that his waistcoat was bright yellow above smart striped stove-pipe trousers – and his moustache had lost its curl in the damp air of the early morning. He seemed both too well-dressed for the tradesman’s entrance at the back of the house, yet not quite fit to mount the front steps, leave alone at a run, and especially at such an early hour.

The grand front doors of Belgrave Square belonged to ministers of the Crown, ambassadors of foreign countries, and a sprinkling of titled families. By seven in the morning the back doors would be busy enough with deliveries and the coming and going of kitchen and stable