recognize.
"Louisa, my dear child!" the dowager exclaimed as
she spread her arms in a gesture of welcome. The woman rose,
smiling broadly, and rushed into the dowager's open arms.
"Grandmama!" she cried. "I am so happy to see
you."
"And I you, ma petite ." The dowager hugged
her granddaughter and then stepped back to look at her. She tilted
Louisa's chin from side to side as she examined her face. "You are
much too brown, my girl. Country life is ruining your complexion.
But," she said, releasing Louisa, "what luck that you are in Town.
Robert must have told you that I am here to give him an engagement
ball."
"Yes," Louisa said breathlessly, "and I can't tell
you when I've been so excited. Imagine our Rob finally tossing the
handkerchief! When we saw his notice in the papers, I convinced
David that we simply had to rush up to Town to meet my future
sister-in-law. And what do we find but that Rob has bolted to Bath!
I was never so provoked." She scowled at Robert, who stood leaning
against the mantel grinning at his sister. "But you're here at
last," she said as her scowl turned into a warm smile, "and I'm
simply beside myself with excitement."
"Louisa, my dear," the dowager said, taking Emily by
the elbow and drawing her forward, "I want you to meet my
companion. Miss Emily Townsend. Emily, this is Robert's sister
Louisa, Viscountess Lavenham."
Emily dipped a curtsy and said, "Lady Lavenham, I am
very pleased to meet you."
"Oh, please, Miss Townsend," Louisa cheerfully
replied, "you mustn't stand on ceremony with me. Why, Grandmama has
written of you so often that I feel you are practically family.
Besides, I feel positively ancient when someone curtsies to me like
that. Please, sit down and be comfortable. My, what a lovely
dress."
She had taken Emily by the arm as she chattered
breathlessly, and led her to a chintz-covered sofa. Before Emily
could respond, Claypool entered with a footman carrying the tea
tray. The dowager claimed a large comfortable chair and settled
Charlemagne next to her. She poured tea as Claypool presented trays
of warm scones, slices of seedcake, and shortbread wedges. Emily
was once again put in mind of the differences between this
household and the dowager's, where standard tea fare usually
consisted of exquisite tiny tarts, petits fours, and intricate puff
pastry confections. Although she had always enjoyed Anatole's
delicate French pastries, she experienced an almost childish
anticipation for the traditional English treats offered by
Claypool. The aroma of the warm scones almost undid her composure,
and she had to force herself not to attack her plate with a very
unladylike enthusiasm.
Conversation centered on Lord Bradleigh's betrothal
as Louisa insisted on hearing every detail, although in her
excitement she interrupted so frequendy that the earl actually
imparted very little information. Unlike her grandmother, Louisa
was very pleased about the earl's marriage, as she had despaired of
her brother ever settling down. As she was not acquainted with the
Windhursts, she had no particular objection to the match. Emily was
pleased that Lady Lavenham's energetic personality eliminated any
need for her to participate in the conversation. She was able to
turn her full attention to the scones.
"When do we meet her, Rob?" Louisa asked. "I have
it!" she exclaimed as the earl was opening his mouth to reply. She
turned to the dowager. "Let's have her to tea tomorrow. Oh, do say
yes! I'm simply dying to meet her."
"I have no objection," the dowager drawled, breaking
off a tiny piece of shortbread, which she fed to Charlemagne, "as
long as Robert doesn't mind." She looked over at the earl for
approval.
"I think it's a fine idea," he said, "as long as you
both behave yourselves. Lou, you must promise to allow Augusta and
Lady Windhurst to say at least one or two words," Lord Bradleigh
said, scowling at his sister, though Emily did not miss the twinkle
in his eyes. "I would not like to give them a
"Louisa, my dear child!" the dowager exclaimed as
she spread her arms in a gesture of welcome. The woman rose,
smiling broadly, and rushed into the dowager's open arms.
"Grandmama!" she cried. "I am so happy to see
you."
"And I you, ma petite ." The dowager hugged
her granddaughter and then stepped back to look at her. She tilted
Louisa's chin from side to side as she examined her face. "You are
much too brown, my girl. Country life is ruining your complexion.
But," she said, releasing Louisa, "what luck that you are in Town.
Robert must have told you that I am here to give him an engagement
ball."
"Yes," Louisa said breathlessly, "and I can't tell
you when I've been so excited. Imagine our Rob finally tossing the
handkerchief! When we saw his notice in the papers, I convinced
David that we simply had to rush up to Town to meet my future
sister-in-law. And what do we find but that Rob has bolted to Bath!
I was never so provoked." She scowled at Robert, who stood leaning
against the mantel grinning at his sister. "But you're here at
last," she said as her scowl turned into a warm smile, "and I'm
simply beside myself with excitement."
"Louisa, my dear," the dowager said, taking Emily by
the elbow and drawing her forward, "I want you to meet my
companion. Miss Emily Townsend. Emily, this is Robert's sister
Louisa, Viscountess Lavenham."
Emily dipped a curtsy and said, "Lady Lavenham, I am
very pleased to meet you."
"Oh, please, Miss Townsend," Louisa cheerfully
replied, "you mustn't stand on ceremony with me. Why, Grandmama has
written of you so often that I feel you are practically family.
Besides, I feel positively ancient when someone curtsies to me like
that. Please, sit down and be comfortable. My, what a lovely
dress."
She had taken Emily by the arm as she chattered
breathlessly, and led her to a chintz-covered sofa. Before Emily
could respond, Claypool entered with a footman carrying the tea
tray. The dowager claimed a large comfortable chair and settled
Charlemagne next to her. She poured tea as Claypool presented trays
of warm scones, slices of seedcake, and shortbread wedges. Emily
was once again put in mind of the differences between this
household and the dowager's, where standard tea fare usually
consisted of exquisite tiny tarts, petits fours, and intricate puff
pastry confections. Although she had always enjoyed Anatole's
delicate French pastries, she experienced an almost childish
anticipation for the traditional English treats offered by
Claypool. The aroma of the warm scones almost undid her composure,
and she had to force herself not to attack her plate with a very
unladylike enthusiasm.
Conversation centered on Lord Bradleigh's betrothal
as Louisa insisted on hearing every detail, although in her
excitement she interrupted so frequendy that the earl actually
imparted very little information. Unlike her grandmother, Louisa
was very pleased about the earl's marriage, as she had despaired of
her brother ever settling down. As she was not acquainted with the
Windhursts, she had no particular objection to the match. Emily was
pleased that Lady Lavenham's energetic personality eliminated any
need for her to participate in the conversation. She was able to
turn her full attention to the scones.
"When do we meet her, Rob?" Louisa asked. "I have
it!" she exclaimed as the earl was opening his mouth to reply. She
turned to the dowager. "Let's have her to tea tomorrow. Oh, do say
yes! I'm simply dying to meet her."
"I have no objection," the dowager drawled, breaking
off a tiny piece of shortbread, which she fed to Charlemagne, "as
long as Robert doesn't mind." She looked over at the earl for
approval.
"I think it's a fine idea," he said, "as long as you
both behave yourselves. Lou, you must promise to allow Augusta and
Lady Windhurst to say at least one or two words," Lord Bradleigh
said, scowling at his sister, though Emily did not miss the twinkle
in his eyes. "I would not like to give them a
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