by Ayles, Abby
Rodrick was greeted by one of the Earl of Montgomery’s butlers and led inside. He admired the opulent foyer and hall as he was brought into a drawing room to sit and wait until his hosts deigned to meet with him.
He sat on the dark green chaise lounge in the room and regarded the tall pair of bookshelves, wondering who had the time to read the books there.
Suddenly, he was greeted by James. Rodrick rose as soon as he saw him. His cousin smiled broadly at him as he came into the room and clapped him on the back.
“My dear cousin, how are you?” Lord Edwards asked him. “I’m terribly sorry to have kept you waiting. I was out shooting with my father in the grounds.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Rodrick replied. “I should’ve sent word of my arrival before coming. I only thought that you would want to know about the guests that are due to arrive soon!”
James looked surprised. “Lady Catherine?” he asked, his look of shock quickly giving way to quite an excited grin.
Rodrick nodded, grinning as well. “And Lady Noelle, of course. They’ve been given permission because they knew that my mother would be at my home as well.”
“Well, yes,” James said knowingly. “A bunch of bachelors can’t be trusted to be alone with ladies without a chaperone.” He was a proper gentleman and would never have agreed to the visit otherwise.
He quickly brightened from this more serious reaction and beamed at Rodrick again. “They must be arriving soon! Let me go change out of these dirty clothes and alert my father as well.”
“Yes, do,” Rodrick agreed. “They will likely be wanting to see as much of your estate as possible while they’re here.”
He left the mansion so that James could handle things there. His mother would likely need him now that she’d had a chance to tidy the guest room. As soon as he was back at Wildhill, his mother was there to meet him at the front door.
“Oh, Rodrick, there you are,” she said, a bit exasperated. “I didn’t know if you wanted the blue linens or the white, so I went with a little of both.”
He chuckled, smiling appreciatively at his mother. “That sounds perfect, Mother. I hardly think that Lady Noelle and Lady Catherine mind one way or another, as long as they have a good bed on which to rest.”
“I also sent the cook out to fetch some things,” his mother went on. “You know that we’re going to need some good dinners on the table.”
“I trust that our cook knows what she’s doing.”
His mother smiled at him as if he didn’t quite know what he was talking about. Rodrick came inside, past her, and walked back into his sitting room, taking his place in one of the wing chairs so that when the ladies arrived, he might look like he was relaxing at home in expectation.
Eleanor, for her part, returned to the couch and took up her sewing again. “Do you really suppose that it was my presence here that allowed them to come and stay?” she asked, liking this newfound power that she held.
Rodrick nodded his head, pouring himself a fresh cup of tea from the silver kettle on the table. “Perhaps they would’ve had to bring along a chaperone of their own otherwise,” he said. “But this way, you can get to know them as well.”
His mother was greatly excited about that prospect, he could tell. The ladies hadn’t gotten a chance to really meet each other at the ball, so this was the perfect opportunity for that. He recalled how gracious their mother, the duchess, had been towards his mother.
“James is taking care of things at Westwood as well,” he informed her. “Even if they’re not staying at his house, they can certainly pay a visit and explore the surrounding grounds.”
The more he spoke about all of the things they could do with the ladies, the more excited he became. He hoped that their carriage would be swift and safe for their travels there.
For several minutes, Rodrick sat there sipping his tea whilst his mother sewed beside him. It felt like a normal day at Wildhill. But then at last, Smyth came into the room and announced the arrival of his cousin.
James came into the room and Rodrick rose to greet him. They clapped each other on the shoulders, smiling at one another. Then he served himself some tea and sat down in the wing chair opposite Rodrick.
“I see that you have become the waiting committee here,” James teased with a nervous sort of smile. The corners of his mouth were a bit twitchy. “I suppose it does take a while for a carriage to arrive in Hertfordshire from London.”
Rodrick nodded. “Indeed. Every time I think that I should start performing some task, I know that it will only appear as though I’m busying myself when they arrive.”
James laughed. “Yes, it is far better to simply patiently wait than it is to try and seem occupied. They shall see right through that.”
Rodrick chuckled and then began pantomiming holding a book, seeing someone and then putting it down. His mother joined in the laughter, shaking her head and tutting a bit.
“You would do far better to just be yourselves than to try to put on any pretenses,” she advised.
He knew that his mother spoke the truth, but he found it difficult to just ‘act natural’ when he knew that something out of the ordinary was about to occur. Still, he did his best to simply sit there with his tea and discuss hunting with James.
Right as he was beginning to get bored with the topic, Smyth suddenly appeared to save them all. “My lords,” he announced with more grandeur than usual. “Lady Noelle and Lady Catherine Fletcher.”
He bowed out of the way and then the two young ladies entered the sitting room. Rodrick and James stood from their chairs to greet them, but in his excitement James forgot to replace his teacup in its saucer so he stood there awkwardly holding it as he bowed to their guests.
Rodrick tried to contain his amusement so his cousin wouldn’t feel more awkward. He stepped over towards Noelle and, bowing a bit, offered his hand to her. “My dear Lady Noelle,” he said. “How good of you to come and stay with us.”
She smiled at him, as rosy-cheeked and vivacious as before. She graciously took his hand and watched as he gently kissed the back of her gloved hand. “It was indeed an honor to be invited here, sir,” she replied.
In the interim, James successfully placed his teacup down onto its saucer and stepped towards Lady Catherine. The other girl was giggly as he took her hand and bowed to her. “I hope that the season has been treating you well,” he said.
“Oh, about as well as any other,” Catherine replied coyly, batting her lashes at him and showing off her Fletcher dimples. “It is wonderful to be able to get away from the city for a while.”
“Just so,” Rodrick said. “I was remarking to Lord Edwards here that some time out in the country would be splendid for you both. I don’t doubt that your townhouse is comfortable, but there is quite a bit to be said for the forests and fields in Hertfordshire.”
“Oh, to be sure,” Noelle agreed affably. “I was admiring the land as we came in and I thought that it should be such a delight to live out here away from so much hustle and bustle except when one wishes to be near all that.”
Rodrick nodded, gazing into her sparkling blue eyes. Then he realized that he really must be more of a host. “Please, won’t you sit down?”
He gestured over to the couch, where his mother now stood, beckoning them with a smile and an outstretched arm which showed off the two cushions beside her.
“Thank you,” Noelle replied. She nodded to Catherine and they sat down on either side of Mrs. Edwards.
“It is so wonderful to make your acquaintance,” the older woman said sincerely to them. “Would you like some tea or coffee, perhaps? You’ve had a long journey.”
“Are you hungry?” Rodrick asked them, sitting down once more in his chair as James sat across from him.
“Some tea would be lovely, thank you,” Lady Noelle replied with a smile. “And if it’s not too much trouble, our bags…”
Rodrick rose up out of his chair once more like a shot. “Quite right, how sil
ly of me.” He walked out of the room and went with Smyth to retrieve the suitcases from the waiting carriage. He also gave the driver a few shillings for his trouble and for the wait.
It wasn’t appropriate for the Viscount of Easton to trouble himself with something such as retrieving bags, unless of course he was the host, which he wasn’t. Rodrick would treat James as a guest, especially now that the ladies were there to witness. The last thing he wanted was for them to go back home and report to the duke that he forced his cousin to take part in such matters.
Rodrick thought. I must show them a good time so they may wish to return someday in the future.
Carefully, Rodrick carried a heavy trunk up the stairs alongside Smyth, who carried his bag as if it were nothing. The butler was used to such chores and he betrayed no emotion at all about it.
At least old Smyth is here to make me feel like less of a pauper.
He didn’t know where such self-consciousness came from. He always tended to feel worse about himself whenever wealthier people were with him. It didn’t help that things like class and societal rules had been beaten into him since birth.
But surely, I’m not alone in this, he thought. These ladies live in the same place as me, even if they lead different lives.
As soon as the bags were placed onto the floor of the guest room, Rodrick returned to the sitting room and his waiting chair there.
Chapter 13
It felt a little strange to Noelle to be staying at Mr. Edwards’ home. The best kind of strange, but still unusual and a bit difficult to get used to right away. After she and Kitty drank their given tea, they took their leave to go off to the guest room so they could rest themselves from the road.
“It’s rather unusual to have to undress oneself,” Catherine complained, removing her day dress and changing into her white nightgown.
Noelle didn’t even bother with all that. She knew that she wasn’t going to be wearing her day dress later on for dinner, so she just decided to keep it on and nap in it. “Really, Kitty, you needn’t be so entirely helpless,” she chided.
Catherine got comfortable in their bed, fluffing up the blankets and pillows to her liking. Then, for added measure, she stuck her tongue out at her sister. “I’m not helpless, it’s just how we were raised.”
Noelle couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. She got into bed, making much less of a show of it, lying on her side so she could look at her sister. She didn’t even bother putting the blankets over herself.
It wasn’t going to be a long nap, after all. She just wished to rest her body and her thoughts for a few moments. Being in a new place was overwhelming. She knew that, upon waking from their brief respite, she was going to be all bubbly with interest and enthusiasm for Wildhill.
“What do you think so far?” she asked Kitty. “Do you like this place? Isn’t Mr. Edwards a good and friendly host?”
“Yes,” Catherine agreed, closing her eyes as she spoke. She sounded far sleepier than Noelle felt. “This home is rather small, more like a cottage than a mansion, but it is pleasant enough. I wonder what Mother would say about it.”
Noelle rolled her eyes. “Oh, I don’t care what Mother would say. I already know, in fact; she would wonder why we weren’t staying at Westwood, and she wasn’t there with us.”
“Well, it is a good question,” Kitty pointed out. “Why isn’t Lord Edwards our host? Surely he has plenty of room in his estate house.”
Noelle worried her lower lip a bit in consternation. Nothing ever seemed good enough for the Fletcher ladies.
I wonder if Mr. Edwards is fretting about the very same thing. Surely not, or else he would’ve recommended that the duchess come down from her high castle and join us.
She didn’t know how, but soon enough sleep overcame Noelle. She and Catherine napped in their new, temporary lodgings for all of an hour. Upon waking, she realized that it had grown rather dark outside and the sound of crickets filled the air.
It really is like living in a cottage, she mused happily. Only I think it is a magical thing. I envy them their sights and sounds of nature when all we should ever hear are the noises of people talking and carriages rolling past on cobblestone streets.
Stretching her arms, Noelle got out of the bed and changed out of her day dress, putting on the pretty green gown that she’d chosen because it matched the color of her host’s eyes. She also took the time to reach back and tighten the strings of her corset first so that it wouldn’t be too loose after a long day in use.
The stays really weren’t all that loose, which was a relief. Noelle sat at the little vanity table and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was in need of some fixing up.
She pulled out the pins and let her light brown waves come tumbling down. Then she ran a brush from her trunk through it. I wonder if it’s really necessary to wear it up all of the time…
Noelle didn’t think that she’d be able to get away with such a thing, so she hastily brought her hair back up onto her head and pinned it all neatly back into place. Only at night should she really wear her hair down and give it a chance to be free.
“Kitty,” she called her sister next, turning from the mirror to look at her sister, still abed. “You should wake up now, Kitty dear, before we are terribly missed downstairs.”
Catherine grumbled a bit in the bed but she got up and, blinking, looked out the window at the darkened scene that greeted them now. “How long was I asleep for?”
Noelle laughed softly. “Welcome to the country where the time of day is a lot more noticeable,” she teased. “It really can’t have been more than one hour.”
“Goodness,” Kitty replied, pulling off her nightgown at once. She changed into a pretty, yellow gown with a pattern of little white flowers. Sitting down at the vanity now, she waited as Noelle took down her hair and gave it a gentle brush-through as well.
“Isn’t it a bit odd that no one ever came for us,” she said. “They let us sleep a whole hour without coming to call?”
“I think that the family here takes great pride in their freedom for leisure,” Noelle said. “There’s no reason to rush things. I like that.”
“Why, it makes me think that they’ve quite forgotten about us,” Kitty complained. “I’m nearly starved, too!”
Noelle made a face at her sister. “No, you’re not. Besides, I have a feeling as soon as we go downstairs we shall see that a nice dinner has already been laid out and waiting for us.”
Indeed, as soon as the ladies left their room and walked downstairs, they found the rest of their group still in the sitting room, awaiting their arrival, with the smell of their dinner ready to greet them as well.
“Ah, splendid, there you are,” Mr. Edwards said good-naturedly to them. “We were just wondering which one of us might find it necessary to go and rouse you.”
There was a smile both on his face and in his eyes as he gazed at Noelle. She could feel her cheeks lightly reddening as she smiled back at him. “Nay, sir, I’m a rather light sleeper.”
“Dinner is ready if you’re hungry,” his mother cut in. “I hope you’re in the mood for ham.”
They were escorted into the dining room then and invited to take a seat at the wooden table there. It had upon it a burgundy-colored cloth and all of the silverware and place settings that Noelle often found at banquets, except there was much less of everything. The table itself only had chairs enough for the five of them – perhaps six if another were to pay a visit.
She sat in a chair next to the head of the table, hoping by some miracle that this would belong to Mr. Edwards so that she could be near him and her sister could be near Lord Edwards. Mrs. Edwards sat across from her and smiled.
Mr. Edwards sat at the head of the table and James sat across from him. The butler came into the room then with a bottle of wine and carefully poured it into each of their glasses. He then came back a few moments later with a tray of ham and vegetables, which he served onto each of their plates.
Noelle’s stomach growled a bit. She was unaware that she was so hungry until she smelled the food that was placed before her. Before she could start eating, Mr. Edwards stood from his chair and held up his glass.
“To Lady Noelle and Lady Catherine,” he said, toasting them. “May your visit here with us be joyful.”
Everyone else held up their glasses. “To Lady Noelle and Lady Catherine,” James and Mrs. Edwards intoned.
Noelle felt her blush return – indeed, had it ever truly gone away? She sipped her wine as the rest of them sipped theirs, then Mr. Edwards sat back down in his chair.
The meal passed pleasantly enough. Noelle was so hungry that she feasted on her ham and vegetables and really gave no thought to worrying about much of anything. Catherine, meanwhile, picked at her food and seemed far shyer about the situation. This struck Noelle as odd because Catherine was usually not shy about anything.
“How are you liking Hertfordshire so far, my lady?” Mr. Edwards asked her with another friendly smile.
Noelle made sure to fully swallow and dab at her face with a napkin before answering. “I like it very much,” she replied. “I was just remarking to my sister that one can really sense the time passing here… See the sun as it sets and the like.”
He nodded his head. “Quite right,” he replied. “I do like that nature sort of grasps one out here and makes you remember the world we are living in.”
“Yes,” she replied enthusiastically. “Everything seems more alive here instead of being all stone and harshness.”
Kitty was looking at her quizzically now. “But this house is made of stone,” she pointed out.
“I think what Lady Noelle is trying to say,” James offered, “is that nature is really right outside the front door here instead of one having to go out looking for it.”
Noelle nodded to him, giving him an appreciative smile. “Yes, that’s it.”
“But surely you don’t live all of your life in London,” Mrs. Edwards said with a surprised look on her face. She held her fork midair, a bit of broccoli caught by its prongs.
