The Small House at Allington Chapter XXXIII - The Time Will Come

In which the holiday air at Allington is tinged with quiet unease as the squire contemplates the presence of young John Eames at a neighbouring manor, while conversations reveal the gentle ambitions and apprehensions surrounding future prospects and alliances. The arrival of the earl and his earnest discourse open a hopeful, if tentative, avenue towards consolation and new beginnings for Lily, as the household navigates the lingering shadows of past disappointments with a mixture of dignity and guarded optimism.