Georgiana makes several references in her diary to Rebecca’s education; she makes an excellent translation from German and learns French from a governess while staying in Paris. She attended school in London, where she would have been taught a neat hand, a practical appreciation of drawing and literature and given a moral education.
In 1855 Sir William died, and four years later Georgiana married Edward Dering, whom she met at private concerts given by friends. The three travelled extensively in Europe over several years, sketching and drawing wherever they went.
In 1867 Rebecca, then aged 37, married Marmion Edward Ferrers of Baddesley Clinton, described, in the Catholic newspaper The Tablet, as ‘a genuine type of the old English squire, open handed and kind hearted and generous to excess’. Georgiana and Edward Dering moved to Baddesley two years later to join the couple.
The four became known as ‘The Quartet’, and immersed themselves in the arts – writing, poetry, fine art and music, as well as the restoration and upkeep of the house and estate. In the evenings they read Tennyson together and played the “Round Game”, sometimes with guests, where each person in turn had to compose a poem from a list of words given by the other players.