Page 15 of The Lady and the Duke

Chapter5

Lavinia Daw’scottage was set back from the road, fronted by a lovely flower garden, sheltered behind a boxwood hedge. Lydia’s spirits rose as she beheld the lovely dwelling. It was a two story, half-timbered house with a thatched roof and an apple and pear tree on either side of the frontgarden.

“And you live next door?” Lydia askedJenny.

“Yes, right over there.” She pointed to the left. “Both of these houses were part of one estate some years ago, but have since been separated. Shall we goinside?”

“Yes,please.”

Jenny directed the men to carry the luggage inside thehouse.

“Shall we take it up to your room?” Jennyasked.

“I don’t know which room is to be mine,” Lydiaresponded.

“I know which it is. Your aunttoldme.”

“Then, yesplease.”

Jenny led the way up the stairs and went to the room that would be Lydia’s. The men deposited the luggage and Jenny started to pay the men their beermoney.”

“Oh, no, let me take care of that,” Lydiainsisted.

But Jenny went ahead and paid the men. “No. You can take me for a cream tea at Twistavant’s some afternoon when I am feelingparticularlylow.”

“That would be my great pleasure,” Lydia responded. “Do you know at what time my aunt shallreturn?”

“She is usually home just before six o’clock. She instructed me to tell you to unpack and settle in. And you might want to wander around the house and garden and familiarize yourself with your newsurroundings.”

“I have no idea where the kitchen is, but would you like some tea? I feel certain I can find my way around enough to offeryouthat.”

“That would belovely.”

As Jenny led the way to the kitchen, Lydia asked, “What can you tell me about my aunt? I have never met her,youknow.”

Jenny laughed. “Is that so?” She looked askance at Lydia. “What can I tell you? Well, she is in her sixties. She has grey hair, usually covered in a cap. Hereyesare…”

“No, not that kind of description. I will be able to see that soon enough for myself. What I want to know is what kind of person is she? Is she kind? What makes her cranky? Is she happyorsad?

“Oh, you want to dig below the surface,Isee.”

“Oh, this is the kitchen,” Lydia commented, as she began to search through the cupboards. “Now then, tea, tea, where does she keepthetea?

She was opening one cupboard after another. “Ah, theteapot.”

She placed it on the kitchen table as Jenny poured water from a jug into the kettle and set it on the metal stove. She then threw a few pieces of coal into the grate on top of the still hot bed of coals left from themorning.

“It should not take too long,”Jennysaid.

Lydia had found the tea, milk, and a sugar bowl, and was preparing the cups andsaucers.

“Shall we sit while we wait for the water to boil?” Jennyasked.

“Oh, I would love to see the garden, may we do that first?” Lydiaasked.

“Certainly. You love to garden, do you?” Jenny asked as she took Lydia by the arm and led her out the back door into thegarden.

“Oh, how lovely,” Lydia exclaimed, as she walked among the fruit trees. “But there needs to be some pruning done. Does she employ agardener?”