Page 141 of The Lady and the Duke

I am back at my studies and working hard to get caught up with the curriculum I missed while visitingHoneyfield.

I hope all is going well with your agricultural projects, and I am anxiously awaiting your reply as soon aspossible.

Your devotedservant,

Daniel

Lydia laid the letter in her lap next to Gingersnap. She was grateful Daniel had recognized his folly and had apologized for it, but she still felt uncertain. She admired Daniel and was grateful for his company, but she was still too conflicted in her feelings for Edwin. Would they ever recede? How couldsheknow?

She recognized that Daniel was a most suitable and desirable suitor. He would be considered a great catch by any young lady in her position. However, that recognition was not enough unto itself to convince her she wanted to pursue a relationship with the young Mr. Beaufort. The whole situation reminded her of her ex-beau, Henry Howell. Henry—whom she had nearly forgotten. How quickly the landscape changed. First, there was Henry, then Dr. Cooke, then Edwin, and now Daniel. How fraught with angst was themarriagegame.

She must respond to Daniel’s letter. It was heartfelt and genuine. But oh, she had to admit her heart was notinit.

She wiped the thought from her mind and decided she would, for now, concentrate all her efforts on helping Jenny with thewedding.

* * *

And then thewedding day arrived. To everyone’s surprise, the night before the wedding there had been a huge snowstorm—a blizzard, with snowdrifts and frozen tree branches coveredinice.

The sound of limbs cracking under the weight of the ice sounded throughout UpperMagna.

Fortunately, Lydia had stayed over at the Lovell’s house the night before the wedding. She was needed to help with the bride’s hair, makeup, and dress. And they needed to start early, as the wedding ceremony was at ten o’clock. Lydia had slept in Jenny’s room and the two were awakened at six with shouts from Graham as he opened the front door to find a mound of snow blocking theentrance.

“Shovels! Brooms! All hands on deck,” he bellowed throughout thehouse.

Lydia got out of bed, went to the window, and pulled back thecurtain.

“Oh, Lord, help us,” sheexclaimed.

“What?” Jenny asked groggily, as she sat up on oneelbow.

“We are snowed in,” Lydiashouted.

Jenny sprang out of bed and rushed to the window and let out ashriek.

Graham suddenly knocked at the bedroom door andopenedit.

“Fear not, fair ladies. Papa and I shall make a pathway to the road. All is not lost,” he said anddisappeared.

“I will be right back,” Lydia said, as she bounded out of the bedroom and ran downstairs. She rushed to the kitchen and found Lydia’s mother making breakfast and tea. She looked up andlaughed.

“What a day for awedding,eh?”

“What can I do to help?” Lydiaasked.

“Best go calm the daughter. I shall be right up with tea and toast. Maybe you can start onthehair.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lydia said and loped up thestairs.

“Jenny, your mother is making tea. She will berightup.”

“Oh,” was all Jenny could say. She was digging through her chest of drawers. “I can’t find my grandmother’s cameo. I wanted to wear it today in memoryofher.”

Lydia went over and took Jenny by the arm and led her to the bed and sat her down on the edgeofit.

“Calm down. We will find it. We are going to set your hair, paint your face, get you into your lovely wedding gown and find your cameo. But all ingoodtime.”

“Do you think Charlotte will make it over here tohelpus?”