by Abby Ayles
* * *
Just as she was holding it in her hands, however, waiting for assistance, she heard the voice of three other ladies chatting in hushed tones. They commented on Lady Alexandra’s choice and how unpatriotic it was to pick such a thing when the crown was currently at odds with France. They continued gossiping with no pause until Lady Alexandra could bear it no longer. She promptly set down the fabric and left the shop without buying anything.
* * *
“How you always seem to think the worst of your own kind,” Lady Josephine scolded, but in a soft tone. “Not everyone enjoys gossiping and judging. If you would just open yourself up from time to time, you might see that.”
* * *
“I do open myself up. All the time in fact,” Lady Alexandra countered as they entered Goshin’s shop for the table linens.
* * *
The room was wall to wall bolts of fabric, loosely organized by color and type of material. Hanging down from the ceiling were box chandeliers. Instead of holding candles they held spools of ribbon. The ends of the ribbons hung loosely down inviting any lady to come and take a closer look. Dotting the floor of the store were several tables with an array of buttons and brooches for sale.
* * *
“Lady Alexandra, Lady Josephine, how fine it is to see you this morning,” the proprietor greeted them as they entered with a long bow.
* * *
There were only two other women in the shop, both clearly wearing the uniform of a housemaid. No doubt they were picking up orders for their household and doing a little of their own purchasing as well.
* * *
“Good morning, Mr. Goshin. I wonder if you might point me to the cream linens. I am in need of several yards of fabric for some tablecloths.”
* * *
“You will want this wall here. It has the sturdier material for drapes and the like,” he said, happy to help.
* * *
The ladies went to their work studying the various choices of fabric and trying their best to decide if a solid color would do well or a print. After some great debating between the girls, they finally settled on a beautiful solid ivory with gold lace trimmings along its outer edge.
* * *
By the time the order was made for Thomas their butler to pick up later, they had gone on to acquire the items for their own house. First would be the candlesticks, then to the market for pantry items, and finally to Mr. Blots to purchase more parchment and ink for their father’s use.
* * *
Every time orders were made to be received later that afternoon by Thomas and the cart. It was far too much for even the two girls to carry on their own. As they entered Mr. Blots, Lady Alexandra was relieved that their day's shopping was almost done.
* * *
Several hours had passed since their start. It wasn’t the taxing work of walking from street to street, from Bond to Oxford street, but rather, she worried over her father.
* * *
Lady Josephine had insisted he would be fine, or else he wouldn’t have offered to go. Lady Alexandra wasn’t so sure. He often took on several of his science studies at once that often left him overwhelmed and near physically sick from the stress of it.
* * *
Lady Alexandra was ready to return home, give Thomas his instructions for procuring the orders at the various shops, and head straight away to the museum to check on Lord Grebs’ well-being.
* * *
“What a pleasant surprise,” a familiar voice called from around the corner of a high shelf of writing utensils.
* * *
Lady Alexandra smiled as she saw Lady Eagleton step around the large display. She was dressed in a fine cotton lemon dress with rich green trimmings and black velvet hat that made her golden ringlets shine.
* * *
The women greeted each other.
* * *
“This is a nice surprise,” Lady Alexandra agreed.
* * *
Together the three women spent much longer than needed within the shop enjoying each other’s conversation more than taking notice of the various items for sale. With the booming sound of the church bells ringing noon, Lady Alexandra remembered herself.
* * *
“Oh, forgive us, but I really must go check on my father,” Lady Alexandra explained. “He decided to go to the Museum of Natural Wonders today.”
* * *
“He did?” Regina said in surprise. If there was one woman in the world who understood Lady Alexandra’s anxiety, it was Lady Eagleton.
* * *
She had only come over to Lord Grebs house on one occasion to call on her friend. It just so happened to be a day that Lord Grebs spun out in a rather large fit of rage and distress. Lady Eagleton had not come over since.
* * *
“I am sure you are both worrying for nothing at all,” Lady Josephine intervened again. “If he is distressed, I have no doubt the duke will return him home.”
* * *
“The duke?” Lady Eagleton asked in surprise.
* * *
“Yes. Thanks to you,” Lady Alexandra narrowed her honey eyes at her best friend. “The Duke of Raven called early this morning asking to be of assistance for his own banquet. Father was very upset, thinking I had begged the man for help. He considered me incompetent and insisted on taking the duke to the museum himself to oversee today's preparations.”
* * *
“I think you are too quick to be offended by Father’s words,” Lady Josephine said. “I believe he was just surprised to realize how much time and preparations were necessary for such an extravagant event. I am sure he only wanted to add his own hands to help with the new-found knowledge.”
* * *
Both Lady Eagleton and Lady Alexandra looked at Lady Josephine skeptically, before breaking out into giggles over the girl's constant positive outlook.
* * *
“I swear, Lady Josephine,” Lady Eagleton said between giggles. “If everything in the world went wrong you would still find a way to be happy about it.”
* * *
Lady Josephine blushed at the jesting though she knew that both girls only meant it as a compliment and nothing more.
* * *
“I do agree, however,” Lady Eagleton added. “Raven is a very capable man. If he sees your father is agitated in the slightest, I am sure he will bring him right home. You have nothing to worry about on that matter. Won’t you come back and have a small luncheon with me instead?”
* * *
Lady Alexandra considered the idea. It was reliving that at least two people thought her father would be in good hands with Raven, even if she weren’t entirely sure of his character herself. There was also the fact that she had scarcely had any time to speak with her friend the night before at dinner. She rather hoped she could sit and confide in Lady Eagleton over all that had happened thus far.
* * *
It was with these desires, and the clear encouragement to do so from both other parties that stood with her in the shop, that Lady Alexandra agreed that an afternoon tea with friends was just the right thing to do.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Raven was quiet on the drive over to the museum. He was well aware that the earl hadn’t left his house for some time and he worried how Lord Grebs would react to the changing scenery around them.
* * *
For the most part, Lord Grebs seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. He looked out his window like an expectant pup and soaked in everything around them.
* * *
“I have to say, I am so excited to get out and see the museum again,” Grebs said as the museum came into view.
* * *
“Has it been quite some time since you have visited the place, then?” Raven asked though he knew the answer.
* * *
“I never really felt up for much after, well,” Grebs features went serious, “since my wife died. Everyone said it would get easier over ti
me; I found quite the opposite to be true,” he said with a shrug.
* * *
“You speak of your late wife with such love. I do admire that. Certainly, it isn’t true for all relationships.”
* * *
“We were brought together by our families,” Lord Grebs said in honesty. “I couldn’t have been happier for the match, though. She seemed to complete me in every way possible. When she took ill, well I didn’t have that balance anymore. Poor Alexandra,” he said with a sniff. “I feel she has taken on the brunt of the house with my wife’s death. She doesn’t know I know, but the night my wife died, when she said goodbye to the girls, I was there listening. Lady Grebs asked Alexandra to look after the others, see to the house. I think she just hoped to give the girl some purpose to distract her from the sadness that was to come. Alexandra took it so seriously, she is a very determined girl in nature, after all. I fear she gave up her own chances for happiness all so that she could take care of the others.”
* * *
Raven knew this about Lady Alexandra, though he had never learned the reason why. Knowing her personality as he did, though, he completely understood why she had chosen to take on her mother’s role in life for the sake of her younger sisters. If it was his parents’ dying request, he knew he would collapse from exhaustion before he stopped working to that end. Lady Alexandra was no different. In fact, he was sure that she would drop soon from exhaustion if she didn’t allow her younger sisters to take on more of the household roles and encourage her father to step up and retake his place.
* * *
“I felt like I was in darkness for some time there,” Grebs continued.
* * *
“And what made you awake from it?” Raven asked a little tentatively.
* * *
It was clear that though the earl was making progress back into a functioning part of his household, it was still yet the beginning. Raven was sure that one misstep would send the earl spilling back into his mourning and seclusion, leaving Lady Alexandra again to brunt the whole household on her own.
* * *
“I don’t know for sure,” Lord Grebs said as he searched his own mind. “I do know, however, that you were the first person to call on me for some time. In fact, I was sure the whole world had forgotten me. It was nice to know that even if I wither away in my house, my legacy – this museum –” he nudged his gaze to the erect building they now pulled alongside. “At least this can still impart some good in the world.”
* * *
Raven returned the earl 's smile as the carriage came to a stop at the foot of the museum’s stairs. Together they walked in, each lost in their own thoughts.
* * *
For Raven, it was the admiration of a marriage full of love, even if it was short lived. It reminded him so much of his own parents. He wondered if all matches made with pure hearts filled with love were destined to end that way.
* * *
When they entered the massive doors of the museum, several of the employees gasped in shock before welcoming the earl. It must have been an exceeding amount of time since he last visited this place.
* * *
Raven followed the newly returned proprietor as they made their way to the service areas behind the exhibit. Lord Grebs must have known this place well at one time as he walked with great confidence.
* * *
They entered a large, spacious kitchen that still smelled of fresh paint. There were already several workers inside clearing the remaining boxes and delivering cooking supplies.
* * *
They made their way back to a man who seemed to be directing the others. Mr. Brown was hired through a service without much foreknowledge of his employer. Now having arrived at the place he was greatly unnerved when he heard from the others that the said employer was a woman. His relief was all the greater when it was Lord Grebs and the duke that greeted him that morning.
* * *
“I was worried I might have to give my resignation right here on the first day,” he said with the drawl of an upper-level servant.
* * *
“My daughter, Lady Alexandra, enjoys the museums and comes from time to time when I am unable. But I can assure you that nothing out of hand goes on here. I support the museum. Various departments are run by gentlemen of my choosing whom I find to be trustworthy and hardworking.”
* * *
Raven did his best to bite his tongue. He knew that it was very unusual for a lady to have the type of entrepreneurial spirt that Lady Alexandra did, let alone use those talents on such a large scale as this massive museum. All the same, he didn’t like the way Mr. Brown suggested working under Lady Alexandra would be beneath him.
* * *
Raven made a note of being on alert for any other servants that might share the same reservation. They had no place finding an income here if they wouldn’t show Lady Alexandra the respect she deserved.
* * *
It didn’t take them long to square away the menu. Having anticipating meeting a woman that morning, the cook already had several menu options for her to choose from with all the courses detailed out.
* * *
Just as they were finishing with Mr. Brown, a man came in to inform the earl that the tables had arrived. Lord Grebs was to inspect the craftsmanship of each one before they were temporarily stored in a large holding room behind the safari exhibit.
* * *
“The design was of Lady Alexandra’s making, and quite a genius one it was, if I don’t mind saying,” the carpenter said as he pulled the first long wood table out of the back of his cart.
* * *
Raven studied the rich walnut wood that shined in the light of the day. Each slab of wood wasn’t painted but instead showed the natural grain and knots of the original product. It was only the top of the table, however, with no legs to be seen.
* * *
“What is so genius about it,” Raven asked curiously.
* * *
“You see,” he said, having the servant who was hauling the table out of the back of his cart flip it over. “Each one of the four legs are stored under the table for easier storage. I’ve put a notch at the top of each leg which fits into the pegs at all four sides of the table. Then this part of the leg here,” he said motioning to a ring of wood that surrounded the top of the leg. “It slides up and has a snap on the inside to keep it in place, sealing the two pieces together for when it is in use.”
* * *
“That is very interesting.”
* * *
“A whole room of men could dance on this, and not one leg would slip out of place, but breaking it down back into this compact style is so simple even her ladyship could do it.”
* * *
“And you said Lady Alexandra gave you the plans for such.”
* * *
“She did. She also permitted me to continue use of it should the need arise for other clients. Mighty generous, if I don’t say so myself.”
* * *
Raven beamed at the compliment given to the lady. Though he had as of yet to make the connection with her in the way he desired the most, he still swelled with pride over the ingenious and tenacity of his chosen lady.
* * *
Raven watched as all six long tables, easily enough to sit over fifty people, were marched to their waiting place in the storage room.
* * *
“Now that wasn’t hard at all,” Lord Grebs said, rubbing his hands together after the last of the tables were put away and the carpenter left to return to his shop. “I don’t know what Alexandra was so worried about.”
* * *
Lord Grebs looked down at his pocket watch to see the time. It was almost noon.
* * *
“Shall we go upstairs? I would love your thoughts on all the studies we're currently performing,” Lord Grebs said with excitement in his tone.
* * *
Raven was happy to follow Grebs as they made their
way back through the central open room and then up a set of stairs along the far wall. All the upstairs rooms had a fabulous view of the gallery down below with doors leading to various labs at uneven intervals.
