Page 28 of An Enchanting Kiss (Captivating Kisses #5)

Cook brought a bowl to mix the cake in, along with such items as butter and eggs.

She showed Celia how to crack an egg and then asked the girl to beat it.

Cook cracked several more eggs into the bowl, with Celia stirring furiously.

Then Cook used a different bowl, adding in flour, sugar, baking powder, and cream.

Celia got to blend all the ingredients together, and then Cook added the eggs to the batter, giving it several good stirs to make certain it was properly blended.

“Now, we pour what you’ve mixed into cake pans,” Cook explained, picking up the bowl and dishing the batter into three different pans a scullery maid had brought over.

The pans were placed into the oven to bake, and Cook allowed Celia to help her create an icing for the cake.

The three of them sat at a table, Celia in Lia’s lap, as Cook entertained them with different stories about mishaps in the kitchen at other households she had worked at. Cook had Celia help her check several times until the cakes were a golden brown, then Cook removed them from the oven.

“These have to cool a bit. If not, any icing put on a warm cake just runs something terrible. We don’t want a messy cake now, do we, Miss Celia?”

“No,” Celia said, her eyes round and wide.

“Tell you what. Come back in an hour with Lady Lia, and I’ll let you watch me ice the cake. If Lady Lia says you may lick the bowl, you can do so.”

Celia clapped her hands as Lia said, “Thank you, Cook. We shall return in an hour.”

“What are we going to do now?” the girl asked.

“Remember how you and Her Grace played some notes on the pianoforte? I thought you might like to do that again.”

Lai took Celia to the music room, and they spent an hour there. She taught the girl the names of the different notes, and then Lia played Hot Cross Buns , a simple song.

“Now, you are going to learn the song.”

At first, Celia played the short song with the tip of one finger. The Lia showed her how she could use three different fingers, one for each note. Celia played it several times, and the two of them sang together.

“I know a song now!” she cried in delight. “I’m going to play this for Uncle Rupert.”

“I am certain your uncle will be most impressed with your musical skills. For now, though, we must head back to the kitchens.”

Cook had removed the cakes from the three pans and put them on a rack to cool. She explained what she did as she iced the first layer of cake and set a second cake on top of the first. She iced that layer and then the final one, finishing by smoothing the icing.

Looking to Lia, she nodded in approval, so Cook offered the bowl to Celia .

“Here’s a spoon, Miss Celia. Scrape up as much of the icing as you can. This is a special treat, though,” Cook warned.

“Thank you, Cook,” Celia said, dipping her spoon into the bowl.

Lia smiled at the older woman. “Thank you for allowing us to spend time in the kitchens with you today. Also, Lord Traywick asked if I would see if Lord Cressley might be able to come to dinner this evening, so an additional place will need to be set.”

“I’ll let Larsen know, my lady. Don’t worry. I am making plenty of food as it is.”

By now, Celia had finished what remained of the icing and gave the bowl and spoon back to Cook. Lia took her up to the schoolroom, having Celia practice writing her letters again. She also had the girl practice writing her first name. Since Celia was doing so well, she added Cummings to the slate.

“This is your last name. Cummings. Your first name and last name together make up your whole name.”

Celia frowned. “That’s long,” she complained.

“Not as long as my last name,” Lia said, chuckling.

She retrieved a second slate and wrote Cornelia Worthington across it. Slowly, she guided Celia’s finger along each syllable, helping her sound it out.

“I thought your name was Lia.”

“My given name is Cornelia. I use a shortened form of it. And just look how long my last name is. Worthington. It took me forever to learn how to spell and write it. You will have no trouble with Cummings.”

The rest of the day passed quickly, and Lia took Celia back to the stables. Orion had already been saddled since she had let the head groom know the times she would need the horse ready each day.

As they trotted back toward Crestbrook, Celia told her, “When I’m bigger, I’m going to ride a horse all by myself. I’ll hold the reins.”

“You most certainly will, and you will do a good job of it. You will make your uncle proud.”

She rode directly to the house, where a footman stood outside waiting for them. Then the door opened, and Viscount Cressley strode out.

“Uncle Rupert! I rode a horse today,” Celia shared.

He came toward them and raised his arms, taking Celia into them.

“Thank you, my lady, for looking after my niece today.”

“It was a pleasure, my lord. Now that I have you here, I am passing along an invitation from my cousin. It is Tray’s last night at home, and Aunt Agnes is having all his favorite foods prepared.

Tray asked that you be present at dinner this evening.

I know the invitation is being issued rather late and you might have other plans, but—”

“I would be happy to come and see Lord Traywick off. What time should I arrive?”

Her aunt usually had them gather in the drawing room at half-past six, and so Lia gave him that time.

“I will see you in a few hours then, my lady.” He then whispered something in Celia’s ear.

Immediately, she said, “Thank you, Lady Lia. I had a nice day with you.”

“As I did with you,” she replied, nodding, and then turning Orion and trotting away.

Lia hoped she could avoid speaking to Lord Cressley tonight since many others would be present.

She doubted there would be a reason to invite him again for dinner once Tray was gone.

Already, it was hard enough to see him on a limited basis.

She hoped the governess from town would arrive soon so that she would never have to see Viscount Cressley again before they returned to Millvale.