by Abby Ayles
* * *
Naturally, it didn’t take long for one of them to mention that Lady Alexandra had in fact danced with the duke. That had sent Sophia swirling with more questions and an added amount of melancholy that she was not yet of the age to attend such events.
* * *
Lady Alexandra never told her sisters that the dance had been a mistake. Instead, she explained that the duke was merely kind to a friend of Lord and Lady Whitehall whom he was closely associated with. None of her sisters had accepted that answer. Josephine knew Alexandra well enough not to continue questioning. She could see clearly it was an uncomfortable subject for her eldest sister and left it at that. Williamina for her part was either far too shy to ask, or simply had no interest. Sophia, unfortunately, had continued on without hesitation or pause.
* * *
Lady Alexandra could only guess at her youngest sister’s behavior when she entered their house tonight with the duke as a guest. She just hoped that the small girl could gather enough decency not to mention that dance in his presence. Lady Alexandra didn’t know what would be more embarrassing, having her sisters speak of that horrible mistake, or listening to the duke explain to them what really happened that night.
* * *
“It’s a surprisingly fine day, isn’t it,” Raven said taking Lady Alexandra away from her thoughts.
* * *
She looked above at the blue sky not even marred by smoke today. The wind was just swift enough to brush away the chimney smog without being difficult to stand. Only occasional white puffs dotted the never-ending blue. It was one of those rare days that Lady Alexandra imagined she was getting a glimpse of the world outside this city.
* * *
“They remind me of cotton,” Raven continued, following her gaze and seeming to know her thoughts.
* * *
“I’ve only ever seen the fabric, though I have seen pictures of the plants in some of my father’s books.”
* * *
“They look very soft and fluffy like the clouds, but actually when you touch it there is a bit of stiffness to them, I suppose because they are balled so tight. And then there are the thorns of the stiff outer shell, dried in the heat of the sun to irritatingly sharp points.”
* * *
“Are you quite familiar with it, then?” Lady Alexandra asked turning her attention to him. She knew he had seen much of the world, and clearly knew the Americas well after this morning’s conversation with Mr. Lucas.
* * *
“I have seen it quite frequently in Virginia, though I believe it is more common in the southern colonies. My estate is predominately tobacco.”
* * *
“How interesting. My father insists on getting much of his tobacco from the colonies. He insists it is a better product. I detest the smell myself. He is constantly smoking it in his library, and I am sure the walls have blackened more from that than the hearth.”
* * *
Lady Alexandra who had run on with her opinion without thinking realized she might have offended the duke. After all, he just announced a considerable holding in the plant and here she was openly detesting in.
* * *
“I didn’t mean to offend, your grace. I am sure many people find it to be a pleasant past time, and I know it also has medicinal properties,” she said, quickly feeling her cheeks flush.
* * *
Raven gave a soft chuckle, “Have no fear, Lady Alexandra, my pride was not wounded in the least by your opinion. I am not entirely fond of the product myself if I am entirely honest. I will enjoy some tobacco from time to time, but beyond that, the only use I have for the leaves is in the monetary gain it supplies me.”
* * *
Lady Alexandra relaxed a little in her seat as he waved her worry away.
* * *
“You must know much about the colonies. I have always tried to imagine a place so wild and untouched by civilization.”
* * *
“It is certainly beautiful. The land can be quite enchanting and surprisingly holds more variety of environment than one could imagine.”
* * *
“Do you plan to make it your permanent home? I only ask because the abundance of land draws so many to take the treacherous trip across the sea.”
* * *
“I did consider it at one time. I do enjoy spending time on the plantation, but no I don’t think I will ever go to the colonies permanently.”
* * *
Raven got a far-off glazed look to his eyes and Lady Alexandra wished his thoughts were as easy to read as her own.
* * *
“I have my aunt here, of course,” he added after a moment’s pause. “I could never convince her to step on a boat, and I couldn’t bring myself to leave her behind, permanently that is. Do you know my Aunt Rebecca, Lady Sinclair that is?” he added for clarification’s sake.
* * *
“I know her name well, though I don’t think I have ever had the pleasure of making her acquaintance.”
* * *
Lady Alexandra thought to herself that there would have been few situations in life where their two paths would have crossed. Though they were both unmarried and likely to never marry, they were just as vastly different in social standing as they were in age.
* * *
“You seem very like her to me,” he said musing as he studied her. “I will introduce you to her. I think you two would get on very well.”
* * *
Lady Alexandra only smiled softly before turning her gaze back to the landscape around her. She recognized the streets well and knew that they were coming close to her residence. She wasn’t exactly sure if Lady Sinclair would share in her nephew’s interest of impoverished, ridiculous ladies as he seemed to be.
* * *
The ball of nerves that had been temporarily halted by the distraction of their conversation began to well within her again. In only a few moment’s time they would turn the last street corner and arrive at her father’s London home. She didn’t believe she had ever felt so scared and vulnerable ever before in her life, including that moment she promised her mother to fulfill her dying wish. But as she felt the carriage slow and her home come closer and closer to view, she knew she would have no choice but to face what lay ahead of her.
* * *
She was happy to see that for the most part the streets were clear of people. The sun was now starting to rise to the peak of its rotation across the sky, and the warmth would be at its peak. With this, most who could would seek the security of shaded homes or garden pathways veiled with trees.
* * *
Her sisters, she knew, would be sitting in the drawing room, perhaps with a small after breakfast meal and tea. Hopefully, Sophia would be busy with the school assignment Lady Alexandra had instructed her to complete that morning. Williamina would no doubt be at the piano practicing as she so often did, and Josephine would either be painting, stitching, or darning as was the habit for both Lady Alexandra and her next youngest sister on most afternoons.
* * *
She could picture them easily all sitting in the drawing room in a relaxed state, perhaps even still in their morning dresses. How she wished she could somehow enter the house and take the duke to her father in the library without having to pass right by them. In the tedium and boredom of an afternoon just like any other, she had no doubt they would jump at any opportunity for an interruption, including coming out to greet her in the hall.
* * *
It was an inevitable moment that she was regretting all its outcomes before it even happened. But as the carriage came to a halt and the duke descended out before helping her, she knew that there would be no stopping it. Just before turning up the cobblestone walk that intersected their small front garden, Lady Alexandra exchanged a look with Polly. She could easily tell that even the maid in her young age knew that something quite out of the ordinary for Earl Grebs and his daughters was about to take place.
&
nbsp; Chapter Seventeen
Raven could see that Lady Alexandra was visibly nervous. She had already claimed shame over her address, though he found her father’s house to be a fine townhome, well kept with a neat flower garden ornamenting the front lawn. It was a bit unorthodox for him to be following her home and presenting himself to her father, whom Raven had never met. It wasn’t entirely out of propriety, though, as he was calling on a business relation. In honesty, though, he probably should have contacted the earl by way of his solicitor as they had never been introduced as of yet.
* * *
Raven, however, had little patience for the silly formal rules of the peerage. He did find propriety in many of them, such as the maid who often accompanied Lady Alexandra for modesty’s sake, or some of the societal edicts, but overall found most of them tedious and unnecessary. Being a duke, he often decided to sidestep the rules he found ridiculous knowing that few would question him. Usually, it had worked to his advantage. Although, there was that exception when he introduced himself at Sir Hamilton’s ball and found that he had confused one lady for another. Though as he walked up to Earl Grebs’ home, he couldn’t entirely say that the mishap had been a misfortune. In fact, he was rather enjoying the new associations the mishaps over ignored etiquette had caused.
* * *
As soon as Lady Alexandra opened the gate leading to her house, a butler pulled back the door clearly anticipating her arrival. What he was surprised to see was that she didn’t come alone. His eyes widened in surprise before he straightened up to his full height trying to look as noble as possible.
* * *
Polly for her part informed the driver where a public shed was around the corner to keep the horse and carriage before she took the service entrance around the back of the building. No doubt Raven’s driver would join her shortly thereafter while Raven saw to his business.
* * *
“Would you please see that a fresh pot of tea and some sandwiches be sent to Father’s office,” Lady Alexandra said, surprisingly coolly as she removed her hat and shawl and handed them over to the butler.
* * *
He nodded his understanding before bowing to the duke and taking his outer effects. Once hats, outer cloak, and cane were properly stowed he hurried down the single hallway to what he guessed was the kitchen of the house.
* * *
“If you would like to wait here, I will go and see if my father is able to receive you,” Lady Alexandra said, turning to Raven.
* * *
Just at that moment, a great stirring of commotion caught both their attention. Two large oak doors that came off of the foyer before the hall burst open, exposing a crowd of women.
* * *
“Alexandra, you brought a guest home with you,” the youngest one said at the front of the group.
* * *
He watched as the lady physically deflated that the rest of the household had detected them. He was aware that Lord Grebs had several daughters, and that information along with facial similarities drew the conclusion that these were Lady Alexandra’s sisters.
* * *
“Your Grace, may I introduce you to my younger sisters. This is Lady Josephine, Lady Williamina, and Lady Sophia.”
* * *
Each girl gave a curtsey to the duke as their name was called and he promptly delivered a bow in return once introductions were finished.
* * *
“The Duke of Raven is here to discuss some business with Father pertaining to the museum,” Lady Alexandra explained to her sisters, hoping that would be enough and they would leave him be, though she doubted it greatly.
* * *
“Would you join us in the drawing room for tea, Your Grace, while Alexandra goes to fetch our father,” Josephine said politely.
* * *
Lady Alexandra had somewhat dreaded the invitation and gave her sister a pointed glare. She didn’t fear Josephine’s interactions with the duke but rather Sophia’s. The young girl was already practically bursting out of her linen dress at the thought. Josephine raised a questioning golden eyebrow at her eldest sister’s look. It was too late however; the invitation had been made.
* * *
“I would love to, thank you,” Raven said with a dashing smile, making his way to enter the room as Lady Alexandra’s sisters parted away from the door.
* * *
“Do have Polly bring us some refreshments, as well,” Sophia said very importantly to her eldest sister.
* * *
She always did like to pretend an air of superiority despite her lot in life and order in the household. Lady Alexandra pressed her lips tight together to keep from responding. It was usually Josephine that would scold their youngest sister for her impropriety, but even she had the sense not to do so in front of the duke.
* * *
Raven only gave Lady Alexandra one more look with an intrigued smirk before entering the room and leaving her in the hall alone. Once gone, she let out a long sigh of frustration before turning to get her father. The sooner she saw her father ready for his guest the sooner she could remove Raven from her sisters' presence.
* * *
Raven sat comfortably in a high back winged chair in the small but comfortable drawing room. Lady Alexandra’s sisters took their places, one, the youngest he believed, with a book in her hand though she didn’t open it to read, another tending to the mending and the last a little unsure what to do. Raven was delighted with the idea of sitting with these ladies. He was sure he could glean more information about the Lady Alexandra that intrigued and confused him so.
* * *
“I understand you have only recently come to town after an extended holiday abroad,” Lady Josephine said, with a pleasant look to her.
* * *
Though Josephine had much darker hair, almost black, where Lady Alexandra had chestnut brown, they seemed very similar in features overall. Though unlike Lady Alexandra, who seemed to always physically carry an unseen weight, none of her sisters seemed to share much in it.
* * *
“Yes. It wasn’t a holiday per se. More just time to see the world, further my education, and of course see to property my family has holdings in elsewhere.”
* * *
“How very fascinating. I can see why you would have an interest in meeting my father then; he is quite a lover of world travels as well.”
* * *
“I hope I am not interrupting by coming on such short notice,” Raven said quickly, though the fact that all three ladies were giving him their undivided attention, save for Lady Josephine who kept her hands busy with some mending, told him that he wasn’t interrupting much.
* * *
“Not at all,” Lady Sophia said with a broad smile across her lips.
* * *
Raven saw that she was very young, perhaps not even of age to come out in society. Though she held herself with a high air, and clearly had confidence enough to make orders of her older sister in the hall, she still had girlish youth glowing from her face.
* * *
“In fact, I was just saying how I was longing to make a new acquaintance,” Sophia continued. “Josephine mentioned that you met our oldest sister at the ball though she hadn’t had a chance of an introduction. Alexandra seemed to be quite tight lipped about it though. Which of course makes me wonder all the more what really happened at Sir Hamilton’s, Your Grace,” Sophia urged.
* * *
“Sophia! That is not at all a proper question to ask the duke,” Josephine said in a sharp, hushed stone.
* * *
Before a retort could be made on the part of the youngest sister, the doors swung open, and Polly came in, understandably a bit out of breath, with a tray of currant rolls and a fresh pot of tea. It was in that moment that Raven realized they had but the one maid.
* * *
The room was silent for the most part as the tray was set down next to Lady Josephine and she poured out the cups on
ly taking time to ask the duke his preferences.
