The house had been in storage with all the sheets over the furniture and dust was everywhere.  The maids and footmen were all working frantically bringing the house back to life now that the family was back home.  It was a large house with two floors and quite spread out over the property.  This had been going on for three days now, and finally, it was looking livable and fit for company. 

Mrs. Ripley was with the housekeeper making plans for the week's menus and plans.   Mr. Ripley was in town meeting with his friends and committees that he participated in. The butler was moving around making sure the servants were finishing up the cleaning and resetting up the house.  The biggest change had been for Miss Jane.  Her room had to be moved downstairs and furniture all around the first floor had to be spread out to make the room for the wheelchair to move around the rooms easily.

Jane had the maid, her personal assistant as well as personal maid, take her out in the back of the house to the patio to have some sun and a tea as she did some embroidering.  She sat in the large wicker wheelchair that had a tall back that she could lean back her head against to just relax and enjoy the day and just being home again.  Her dress was a periwinkle with lace around the tall neckline.  The skirt was not wide as it would get tangled in the wheels, though it was long enough to fall down to see just the tip of her matching shoes.  Usually, there was a quilt over her lap but it was a lovely day and she had the maid set it aside.

Catherine was doing a round of morning calls. She used to accompany her mother or sisters, but now she was old enough to go on her own, accompanied only by Sarah, who would wait in the hall. Her mother had a migraine and all of her sisters were busy. Catherine didn't mind. She felt quite the lady on her own.

Marigold Burgh had said that she had heard from Donna and Josephine Leslie who had called just before Cathy that they had heard from Mrs. Clifford that the Ripleys were back in Whitby. And so Catherine had decided to pay a call. She had heard that the daughter, Jane, was in a wheelchair after a fall. She remembered the girl from long ago, but had never been close to her, and she had not seen her since the accident. The only other thing she knew about Jane Ripley was that she was about the same age as herself; although two years had seemed an insurmountable impediment to friendship when they were children, they were both 'young ladies' now. Catherine hoped she would make a new friend.

When she reached the mansion, she stepped up to the front door and knocked. Sarah waited a respectful few feet behind her.

The butler, a middle-aged man wearing a proper black uniform, opened the door.  "Hello, how may I assist you?"

"Good afternoon," Catherine greeted the butler. "Miss Catherine Ennington calling for Mrs. and Miss Ripley." She had her visiting cards ready in case they weren't able to see her.

The butler nodded and indicated to enter the entry.  "Please follow me to the parlor and I will let the ladies know you are here."  He responded granting Catherine came into the entry, he would close the door behind her and lead her through the marble floor entry where there was a grand stairway that had two sides that matched in the entry of a ballroom.  Under it was a large set of doors that led to the rest of the house.  To the left and right before going up to the stairs were a couple of other doors.

He led Catherine to the right and opened a door to the parlor.  It was clean and clear of sheets over the furniture.  One of the rooms Mrs. Ripley thought should be ready in case guests were to arrive.  It was a lovely room with a soft rose color theme.  The furniture was comfortable and meant for ladies not so much for men.  There were several chairs and two couches that matched the chairs.  A coffee table was arranged in the center of the seating arrangement.  Around the walls were paintings but not so much to overdo the room.  There were small tables holding vases with fresh flowers around the room.  At the far end of the room from the door that they had entered was a large french door that opened to the patio with a flower garden beyond.

If looking out there, Jane could be seen sitting in her wheelchair holding her embroidery on her lap and laying back her head against the wicker support of the chair enjoying the sun.

Catherine felt a blush creep up her pallid cheeks when she realized that the ladies were not in the parlour receiving visitors and had to be brought to her. She hadn't meant to impose and would have gladly left her card to avoid an awkward situation. But as the butler insisted that she should follow, she did, looking around at what she considered a beautiful home.

She took a deep breath when she was left alone in the parlour, or well, as deep as her restrictive clothing allowed. This was all very uncomfortable. She didn't dare to sit down before being told to do so, and so she shifted her weight from one leg to the other while she looked around. It was a fine sort of drawing room. Not quite so elegant as their own, she decided with no small amount of bias, but still very pleasant. She particularly liked the French doors and she took a small step forward and stretched her neck to admire the patio behind it.

That gave her a fright. A young lady was sat in some kind of wicker chair by the windows, resting her head back. Miss Jane Ripley, Catherine assumed. Was she asleep? Catherine wasn't sure whether the butler knew that Miss Ripley was here and meant for her to approach, or whether that would be impolite. How uncomfortable, indeed! She finally settled on a compromise by coughing softly, loud enough to announce her presence if Miss Ripley was awake, but hopefully not loud enough to disturb her if not.

Jane looked up hearing that someone was nearby.  Glancing through the french doors to the parlor she saw a lovely young woman.  She smiled and motioned her maid to move her over to Catherine.  "Hello.  I was supposed to be in the parlor, but the day is so lovely, I came out to the patio.  I am so sorry.  Is my mother expecting you?"  She then indicated one of the chairs.  "Please, do sit down."

Catherine walked through the open doors into the patio. "No, miss Ripley, - I assume? - I was doing morning calls, and when I heard your family had returned, I decided I'd call on you too." She sat down in the chair the chair opposite Jane, balancing rather on the edge, her back perfectly straight. While sitting down she made sure her cobalt blue skirt fell graciously without any awkward creases. "I must apologise. You weren't expecting any visitors. I would have left my card, but the butler told me to come through." This breach of etiquette felt like social suicide, and Catherine dreaded the thought of not only offending the Ripleys but of the story going around as well.

Jane smiled.  "Yes."  She responded to the question about her name.  "Harding must have not seen me in here.  I am so sorry.  The introductions have been amiss."  She gave a polite glance of question wondering who the young woman was.

"He will no doubt is off to go to let my mother know that you are here and that I was not in there to welcome you.  It is my error."  She winced.  At the comment about expecting guests, "Mother had let some of her friends know we were here for visiting."  She had been expecting the older women of the groups her mother was part of.  "So, please do not feel like you have made a mistake.  I am glad someone younger came."  She smiled.

Catherine smiled lightly. "How embarrassing all this is. And I even forgot to introduce myself. Catherine Ennington. I believe we have been in the same school?"