Page 6 of Alessandra (Chisholm Manor #1)

After a restless night, Alessandra was woken by the older woman who had been kind to her the night before, lighting the fire in her room.

"Oh, Miss, I am sorry to have woken you," she said quietly.

"I was hoping I could do this quietly, so the room would be warm before you woke."

"That is alright.

I wake up at this time each day anyway.

Is the family already up?" Alessandra asked and saw the woman nod as she smiled.

"Yes, they have just gone down for breakfast, Miss, but they do not rush meals.

You have time to wash, if you wish.

I have put some hot water on your dresser there."

Alessandra followed her eyes and saw the welcome sight of the warm water to wash with.

"Thank you," Alessandra said.

"I am sorry, I do not even know your name.

How should I address you?"

"You can call me Margaret, Miss."

"Thank you, Margaret.

I will get dressed now and go down."

"Do you need some assistance, Miss?" Margaret asked.

"No, I shall be fine," Alessandra replied, eager to get on with the day.

"Thank you."

The woman nodded, smiled, and left the room to let Alessandra have her privacy.

After climbing out of bed, Alessandra took her time to enjoy the warm water as she splashed it on her face.

She made herself presentable, and ventured downstairs, wondering if she would remember how to get to the dining room.

After a while, she came across an older man in livery that indicated he was a service staff member.

She timidly asked him where the family was.

He smiled at her softly and asked her to follow him to doors that he opened, before removing himself and disappearing again.

Inside the room, Alessandra could see everyone else was already up and enjoying what appeared to be a banquet of breakfast in front of them.

It was so far removed from the quiet little breakfasts she and her parents shared in their home, that she felt like she almost wanted to cry at the stark difference.

Looking around the table, she could see that the only seat left was between her mother and Edward's mother.

Alessandra was relieved, until she realised she would be sitting directly across from Edward. The shyness, and resulting embarrassment about the shyness, began all over again.

Edward saw his mother begin a conversation with Alessandra.

He suspected it was a bold attempt to subtly make the young woman feel at ease.

After a while, he saw his intended betrothed start to relax a little.

While the two women talked, he watched Alessandra. He tried to figure out whatever he could about her, to file away for further attempts at conversation that would happen later. She was quite plain in looks, but that would not bother him. All he had hoped for was someone he could talk to and be friendly with. So far, that was looking unlikely, but, for his mother's sake, he was determined to give his best effort.

To the side of him, Alessandra's father was beginning to engage with Edward, asking him about the estate and his life to date.

Edward's father had earlier said that Alessandra's family had no social standing, but Edward found Alessandra's parents to both be well-spoken, knowledgeable, and very comfortable in their surroundings.

There was nothing about them that said they were 'nobody', as his father had said.

The family chatted among themselves until breakfast was cleared and Edward's mother suggested he take Alessandra for a tour of the gardens.

Both Edward and Alessandra looked up at that, surprised at the suggestion that they go anywhere alone, but he nodded in response.

As they both stood up, Alessandra looked at her mother with a pleading look on her face.

Instead of her mother coming to her rescue, she smiled at her and encouraged her to go. The two young people walked out of the room quietly. Alessandra looked at Edward only enough to see where he was leading her. Passing through passageways and doorways, they ventured outside.

Edward led her through different areas of the gardens, chatting as easily as he could about each one's history as he knew it.

He wanted Alessandra to feel comfortable and relaxed, but even with his soft nature, he was starting to feel like it was all a bit of a pointless effort.

For whatever reason, the young woman quite simply persisted in not talking to him.

They returned to their parents in the drawing room, not having gotten to know each other any better at all.