Page 7 of A Lady’s Mishap (The Lockwood Family #5)

7

A s Elodie made her way to the dining room for breakfast, she descended the stairs and came to a halt in the entry hall. It was filled with an abundance of bouquets, in every size and color imaginable. There were flowers everywhere.

White stepped forward and informed her, “Lady Elodie, these bouquets have been arriving all morning.”

“They have?” Elodie asked.

White nodded. “Yes, my lady. There are even more flowers in the drawing room. The cards are attached to the bouquets, so you can see who sent them.”

Elodie remained rooted in her spot, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of flowers. Where was she supposed to even begin?

Her mother’s voice rang out behind her. “Is it not wonderful?” she gushed. “It smells like a flower shop in here.”

Turning to face her mother, Elodie declared, “There are too many bouquets.”

“The gentlemen are simply vying for your affection, my dear,” her mother said. “Sending flowers is a small gesture to show you they are thinking of you.”

“But I only danced four sets last night.”

Her mother's smile widened. “You are the diamond of the Season. You must accept the fact that you will have many admirers.” She gestured towards the dining room. “Come now, let us join the others for breakfast.”

Elodie followed her mother into the dining room, where her brothers and their wives were already seated. As soon as Bennett and Winston saw her, they both stood and began clapping.

“Bravo, Sister,” Bennett called out.

Winston grinned. “There is a glowing article about you in the Society pages this morning.”

“Oh, wonderful,” Elodie muttered, sinking into a chair next to Mattie.

Her brothers returned to their seats, both wearing amused expressions as they continued to observe her.

“What is it?” Elodie asked.

Winston lifted his brow. “Don’t you want to know what the article said?”

Elodie reached for her napkin and placed it on her lap. “Not particularly,” she replied.

Bennett cleared his throat loudly as he held up the newssheets. “‘Lady Elodie was a vision of perfection last night, robbing eligible bachelors of their breath.’” He paused. “Shall I keep reading?”

“Surely, there is something else we can talk about?” Elodie asked.

Delphine placed a hand on Bennett’s arm. “Leave your poor sister alone. She does not need your teasing right now.”

“But, my love, that is an older brother’s sacred duty,” Bennett retorted. “That and stealing her buttered bread.”

Elodie raised her knife, pointing it at him with a warning look. “I am starving, and no one will steal my bread today.”

Their mother glanced up from her plate, clearly unconcerned. “Lower your knife, Dear. Ladies do not threaten people at the breakfast table.”

A footman placed a plate of food down in front of her. Elodie reached for the bread and carefully buttered it, ensuring every corner was covered with a meticulous swipe of butter. Just as she was about to take a bite, White stepped into the room.

“Lord Danbury has come to call on Lady Elodie,” the butler announced.

“Inform Lord Danbury that he arrived entirely too early, and I am still eating my breakfast,” Elodie said.

Before White could leave, Lady Dallington interjected, “Kindly inform Lord Danbury that we will be with him shortly.”

Elodie gazed down at her bread and sighed. “I love you, buttered bread,” she murmured wistfully.

Her mother shook her head. “Hurry up and finish eating.”

“But one should never rush when enjoying bread. Every bite should be savored,” Elodie replied.

Bennett held his hand out. “I would be happy to eat your bread.”

“I think not,” Elodie said, taking an exaggeratedly large bite. “I daresay that this is the most delicious bread I have ever eaten.”

Their mother pushed back her chair. “I believe you have made your point. Shall we?”

“But I am not finished.”

“You can have as much bread as you like after you meet with your suitors,” her mother assured her.

“Who says I will have more than one…” Elodie began but was interrupted as the butler returned.

“Mr. Thomas has come to call on Lady Elodie,” White announced.

Her mother gave Elodie a pointed look. “You’d better get used to the attention.”

Elodie placed the rest of her bread down onto her plate and wiped her hands together. “Why are these gentlemen calling at an ungodly hour?”

“It is almost noon, Sister,” Winston pointed out.

“I stand by my statement,” Elodie declared.

Winston chuckled. “What a hardship you face being loved by the ton .”

Elodie leaned over and placed the rest of her bread onto Mattie’s plate. “I hereby gift you the most delicious piece of bread you shall ever eat.”

Mattie grinned. “Thank you, but the moment you leave, Winston will steal it off my plate.”

“Do with it what you want,” Elodie said, rising from the table. “If I die, I want all my possessions to go to Melody, except for my prized nail. I want to be buried with that so I can protect myself from the zombies.”

“You aren’t going to die,” Winston replied with a laugh.

“We shall see, won’t we?” Elodie remarked as she exited the dining room, preparing to face her eager suitors.

As Elodie started walking down the hall, her mother turned and said, “Remember to smile and do try to be pleasant.”

“Aren’t I always pleasant?” Elodie asked, somewhat defensively.

“Not always,” her mother responded.

Elodie forced a wide smile to her lips. “Is this smile good enough?”

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “I suppose so, but perhaps you could try a little harder to make it look less like a grimace?”

“I will try,” Elodie said, adjusting the sleeve of her pale blue gown. “Though I feel like a stallion being spruced up for auction.”

Her mother stopped outside the drawing room and gave her a reassuring pat on the arm. “Just do your best, my dear.”

Taking a deep breath, Elodie stepped into the room and saw the tall, lanky Mr. Thomas and the stout Lord Danbury in the center of the room. They both straightened as she entered, beaming wide smiles at her.

“Lady Elodie,” they said in unison, bowing deeply.

Elodie dropped into a curtsy, trying to maintain the pleasant smile her mother had insisted upon.

They both eagerly approached her, and Lord Danbury was the first to speak. “You look lovely, my lady,” he praised.

“Thank you,” Elodie replied politely, though her smile felt more strained than ever.

Not to be outdone, Mr. Thomas quickly interjected, “I do hope I haven’t called too early, my lady.”

Elodie bit back her true thoughts and replied with a practiced grace. “Not at all, sir. I find that eating breakfast is vastly overrated.”

Mr. Thomas let out a bark of laughter. “You are quite witty.”

Lord Danbury nodded eagerly. “Indeed. After our dance last night, I told my mother the very same thing. It is rare to find a woman so beautiful and so quick-witted.”

Elodie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his blatant flattery. “Would either of you care for a cup of tea?” she offered, diverting the conversation.

“I would love one,” Mr. Thomas said.

“As would I,” Lord Danbury added, his gaze lingering on her.

Elodie seated herself on the settee and began pouring tea, methodically filling four cups. As she handed a cup to Lord Danbury, his gloved fingers lightly brushed against hers, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Elodie ignored the touch and kept her attention on the teapot, wondering how she could survive this without encouraging either gentleman’s interest.

Lord Danbury sat down next to her and asked, “May I ask what occupies your time, my lady?”

“The usual pursuits, I suppose,” Elodie said with a slight shrug. “I play the pianoforte and dabble in the dark arts.”

Lord Danbury nearly choked on his drink. “I beg your pardon?”

Lady Dallington rushed to smooth over the moment. “Lady Elodie was just teasing, my lord,” she said with a warning glance at Elodie. “Weren’t you, my dear?”

Elodie brought a smile to her face. “Of course, I was. I hope my attempt at humor did not offend you.”

Lowering his cup to his lap, Lord Danbury remarked, “Not at all. I find you to be most extraordinary.” His last words sounded rehearsed.

Mr. Thomas met her gaze. “Do you enjoy riding?”

Elodie knew precisely where this was headed but decided to be as truthful as possible. “I do, but I prefer to ride alone.”

“And why is that?” Mr. Thomas asked, leaning forward in curiosity.

“Unfortunately, my horse does not get along with others and tries to bite them,” Elodie informed him.

“I would be more than happy to lend you one of my horses for a ride, should you ever wish to go,” Mr. Thomas said.

Elodie waved her hand in front of her. “I could never cheat on my horse.”

“Cheat?” Mr. Thomas blinked in confusion. “How could one cheat on a horse?”

Keeping her expression serious, Elodie replied, “Oh, my horse would know. And she would never forgive me.”

Mr. Thomas, now completely befuddled, tried to reason with Elodie. “I do not think horses are capable of such emotions.”

“What do you think horses care about, then?” Elodie asked, her tone innocent.

Mr. Thomas opened and closed his mouth, clearly stumped. “I have never given it much thought.”

Her mother placed a hand on Elodie’s shoulder. “Perhaps we can speak of something else?”

With a mischievous smile, Elodie said, “Very well. What are your thoughts on unicorns? Real or imaginary?”

Lord Danbury huffed. “They are imaginary, of course.”

“Yes, that is precisely what I was going to say,” Elodie said.

As she took another sip of tea, Elodie could not help but feel a small sense of satisfaction. If she was going to endure these suitors, she might as well have some fun.

Anthony sat in his study, staring at the ledgers before him, though his focus was far from the numbers. His thoughts were consumed with the impending arrival of his parents. He wished they had remained at their country estate, given his father’s fragile health, but he understood their reasoning. They wanted to meet their grandchild, which was something Stephen had yet to find time for.

The door creaked open, and Percy entered, holding two squirming puppies in his arms. One was a Dalmatian puppy with its characteristic black spots, and the other was a light-silver Skye Terrier with funny-looking ears.

Percy held them up for inspection. “I have scoured London for puppies that meet Lady Elodie’s stringent qualifications. Do you think either of these would suit Miss Emma?”

Anthony rose from his chair, walking around the desk to study the puppies. “They seem… fine.”

“Fine, my lord?” Percy asked. “I thought Lady Elodie’s instructions were quite clear—no ugly dogs.”

Anthony chuckled and took the puppies from Percy. “Indeed, they were. Now, which one do you think is the cutest?”

Before Percy could respond, a footman appeared at the door. “My lord, you asked to be informed the moment Lady Elodie entered her gardens. She has just stepped outside.”

“Thank you,” Anthony responded. “I think I will let Lady Elodie make the decision. I trust her judgment when it comes to deciding if a puppy is ugly or not.”

Cradling the puppies in his arms, he quickly made his way out of the back door and crossed the small gate that separated his gardens from Elodie’s. He spotted her sitting on a bench, lost in thought.

Not wanting to startle her, Anthony called out softly, “Elodie.”

She looked up, and her face instantly lit up when she saw the puppies in his arms. “Oh, how adorable!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

The puppies wagged their tails enthusiastically as Elodie approached, her smile widening.Anthony grinned. “It seems they are as eager to meet you as you are to meet them.”

Elodie scooped up the Skye Terrier, laughing as it tried to lick her face. “I love dogs,” she declared.

“I do hope these puppies are sufficient. I was very specific that I did not want an ugly dog,” Anthony informed her.

“You did well,” Elodie praised. “They are both precious.”

“But if you had to choose one?” Anthony asked, though he already suspected the answer.

Elodie studied the puppies for a moment before smiling at the light-silver-haired one in her arms. “This one. His unusual ears give him character.”

Watching her bond with the puppy, Anthony felt a sudden reluctance to separate them. “You know what? I think I will keep both.”

Elodie blinked in surprise. “Whatever for?”

“I am partial to the Dalmatian, and you are clearly taken with the Skye Terrier. I think it would be best for the puppies to have one another to play with,” Anthony explained. “Unless, of course, your father will allow you to keep the puppy?”

“Oh, no. He is not particularly fond of animals. Though he does allow Bennett to stay in the townhouse, so perhaps there is hope,” Elodie quipped.

Anthony smirked. “That was awful. I am going to tell your brother that you said that.”

“Good! Perhaps it will bring him down a peg or two,” Elodie said with a smile.

Holding up the spotted puppy, Anthony asked, “What names should we give them?”

She raised her eyebrows. “I thought you did not want my help in naming animals.”

“I have had a change of heart.”

Elodie’s smile grew. “If that is the case, I think Miss Emma should name the Dalmatian since it will be her puppy.”

“I think that is wise, and the Skye Terrier?”

Glancing down at the wriggling puppy in her arms, Elodie replied, “Luise, but I will call him Lulu for short.”

“Lulu?” Anthony repeated. “That is an unusual name for a dog.”

“It is perfect since Lulu is such an adorable puppy.”

Anthony shook his head. “You are truly awful at naming animals.”

Elodie laughed. “It is not easy coming up with a name on the spot. If you had given me more time, I might have thought of something more clever.”

“Like what… Bubu?” Anthony teased.

Elodie playfully narrowed her eyes. “I would be angry at you right now if I didn’t have Lulu in my arms.”

“Then I am grateful for the distraction.”

Lulu wiggled in her arms and Elodie crouched down to set him on the ground. “How I wish I could take Lulu home with me.”

“I do hope you will consider Lulu to be your puppy. The good news is that you will just have to spend more time with me,” Anthony said, knowing there was truth behind those words.

“What a burden that will be,” Elodie retorted.

Anthony knelt down to place the Dalmatian puppy beside Lulu. He hesitated for a moment before admitting, “My parents should be arriving soon.”

The humor left Elodie’s face, replaced by concern. “I hope the journey isn’t too hard on your father.”

“I hope so, as well. For his sake.”

Elodie rose and placed a comforting hand on his sleeve. “It will be all right,” she said.

“How can you be so sure?” he asked, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. “And to make matters worse, Stephen still has not met his own daughter.”

“Are you truly surprised by that?”

He let out a long sigh. “Yes… no. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Elodie took a step closer to him. “Miss Emma is lucky to have you.”

“I do not think so. I visit her often in the nursery, but she looks at me with such fear, like she does not trust me,” Anthony reluctantly admitted.

“That is understandable,” Elodie said softly. “She just lost her mother. Trust takes time.”

Anthony ran a hand through his hair. “I do not know what I am doing.”

Elodie met his gaze with a small, understanding smile. “Does anyone, really? You are doing the best that you can, and that is what matters.”

“What if my ‘best’ is not good enough?” Anthony asked, his voice heavy with doubt.

Elodie’s expression softened. “I have the same fear. It is always lurking in my mind, paralyzing me with doubt. But we cannot let it stop us. A little fear can be a good thing. It pushes us to be better.”

Anthony felt a need to lighten the mood. “When did you get so wise?”

Elodie gave him an amused look. “I was told just this morning that I am rather clever. Lord Danbury was attempting to flatter me, though I think he was trying too hard to win my favor.”

“Did he succeed in catching your interest?”

Elodie shook her head vehemently. “Good heavens, no. Lord Danbury and Mr. Thomas were just the first of many gentlemen trying to charm me with empty flattery.”

“How do you know their praise was empty?”

She gave him a knowing look. “Because I am much more than a pretty face.”

“Yes, you are,” Anthony agreed.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other, and something unspoken passed between them. Anthony felt as if Elodie could see right into the center of him, and for the first time, he realized how badly he wanted her to see him that way.

A voice broke through the moment between them. “My lord, I do apologize for theinterruption, but your parents have arrived.”

Anthony turned to see a footman standing just beyond the gardens’ fence. “Thank you.” His gaze flickered down to the puppies nestled near Elodie. “Are you finished with them yet?”

She offered him a sheepish look. “May I have a bit more time with them?”

“You can have as much time as you like,” Anthony replied. Then turning to the footman, he added, “Stay with Lady Elodie and bring the puppies in when she is ready.”

The footman tipped his head. “Yes, my lord.”

Anthony began to walk away, but Elodie gently placed her hand on his sleeve, halting him. “Thank you, Anthony,” she said, her voice brimming with genuine gratitude.

“You are most welcome,” he said.

Elodie let her hand slip away and took a small step back. “Please give my regards to your parents.”

“I will,” Anthony promised before turning back towards the townhouse.

As he stepped into the entry hall, Anthony’s heart clenched when he saw his mother speaking softly with Percy. She looked noticeably older than the last time he had seen her. Her once dark hair was now streaked with more silver, the lines on her face deeper, undoubtedly from the toll of caring for his ailing father. It broke his heart to see her this way.

“Mother,” he greeted.

His mother turned towards him, her face lighting up with a familiar, tender smile. “My boy,” she said as she went to embrace him. “How are you?”

“I am well, but I am far more worried about you and Father,” Anthony said, dropping his arms.

A shadow passed over her face. “The journey took quite a toll on your father,” she admitted. “He is resting now.”

“Why aren’t you, as well?”

“I am eager to meet my granddaughter,” his mother replied.

Percy stepped forward. “I regret to inform you, my lady, that Miss Emma is napping at the moment. I will let you know the moment she wakes.”

A flicker of disappointment crossed his mother’s face, but she nodded in understanding. “Then perhaps I should rest for a short while, after all.”

“Allow me to escort you to your bedchamber,” Anthony said, offering his arm.

As they walked up the stairs, his mother asked, “Has Stephen met Emma yet?”

Anthony’s jaw tightened. “No. He is far too preoccupied with other distractions.”

“Well, I might be able to persuade him to do the right thing,” his mother said.

“I doubt that.”

She patted his sleeve lightly. “I can be very persuasive.”

At the top of the stairs, Anthony came to a stop and turned to face her. “You shouldn’t have come, Mother. It is too much for both of you.”

“I had to,” his mother asserted. “And your father, he was quite adamant as well. He wants to see at least one of his grandchildren before—” She stopped herself, her voice wavering.

“Before he dies,” Anthony finished for her, his voice tight with emotion. He fought to keep his composure, but deep down, he knew she was right.

His mother reached up, gently cupping his cheek with her hand. Her touch was warm, though her eyes were clouded with sorrow. “Your father is dying. There is no use pretending otherwise. We must cherish the time we have left with him.”

Anthony blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. “I refuse to accept that,” he said, his voice trembling with barely contained grief.

His mother lowered her hand, her own eyes brimming with unshed tears. “It does not matter what we accept. It is the reality we face.”

She gave him one final, sad smile before turning and walking down the corridor to her bedchamber. Anthony stood there, his heart heavy. As she disappeared from view, a single tear slipped down his cheek. He did not even bother to wipe it away.

The thought of losing his father filled him with an unbearable ache. How was he supposed to face a world without him? It was a day he dreaded, a day that now seemed all too close.