Page 16 of The Lady and the Duke

“Not that I know of. She likes to putter in the flower beds out front, but I have never seen a man about, and she certainly does not clamber about the trees doing any pruningherself.”

“Then that shall have to be one of mytasks.”

“You can do such things?” Jennyasked.

“My whole family gardens, and they could never get me out of the trees when I was ayoungster.”

“Well, are you not thecleverone?”

Lydia surveyed the rest of the back garden. There,” she pointed. “There is the perfect spot for a vegetable garden.” She pointed to a sunny portion far enough from the fruit trees to provide unobstructed morning and afternoon sun—even in the spring and autumn. “Might there be some young friend of yours who could plow up a sectionforus?”

“One of my scruffy brothers mightoblige.”

“Of course, I shall need to get my aunt’spermission.”

Jenny raised her finger. “I suspect the kettle must be on the boil. It is timefortea.”

* * *

Jenny left rightafter tea and Lydia spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking her trunk and cases. The house was so quiet. There was no Lucy scurrying around preparing dinner. No sisters trouncing up and down the stairs. No mother working in the garden. No cats. No dogs. Just the silence of an emptyhouse.

Lydia thought to familiarize herself more in the kitchen. She thought it might be nice if she were to prepare a supper for her aunt before she returned from attending to theDuchess.

How she longed for her family garden where she could harvest beans, greens, squash, or any number of other delectables to base her dinner on. There must be a market or a greengrocers in town, but it was too late to set out exploring this afternoon. She did find a meat pie in the larder and some potatoes and a cabbage, so she satisfied herself with those for thisevening.

As she was uncertain as to the exact time she might expect her aunt back home, she maintained the fire in the stove and was prepared to start the supper when shereturned.

In the meantime, she explored the rest of the house, except for her aunt’s bedroom as that to her seemed overly intrusive. There was a small study with a modest library which pleased her greatly as she was hoping to find reading materials. However, upon further examination, most of the books seemed to be of a legal nature. This seemed strange until she remembered her mother saying, at one point, that her aunt’s late husband was a clerk in a local lawoffice.

Finally, after she had exhausted her examination of the house she settled into the sitting room and took up the embroidery that she had been mindful enough to bringwithher.

There was a clock upon the fireplace mantel and she noticed that it was nearly six-thirty, so she expected her aunt’s return at anymoment.

By then the sun was declining and long shadows were beginning to stretch across the front garden. Lydia sat at the window and began looking out forheraunt.

Presently, she heard movement in the kitchen, and surprised, she went to investigate. Was it an intruder? Had Jenny forgotten something and come in the back way? She peeked into the kitchen and sawheraunt.

“Aunt Lavinia, I was watching for you from the frontwindow.”

“I came in the back door,” her auntanswered.

Lydia went over, opened her arms, and offered her aunt anembrace.

Lavinia took a step back and refused the hug. “Lydia. You arrived, safely, I presume,” she saidsourly.

“Yes, thankyou,Aunt.”

Lavinia picked up the teapot with the tea left over from earlier thatafternoon.

“Can you explain to me why this filthy teapot is sitting on my kitchentable?”

Stunned by her aunt’s remark, Lydia held out her hands to receive the pot so she mightcleanit.

“I am so sorry. I shall take care of that. Jenny and I had tea after she so graciously helped me find your place and arranged for my luggage to be delivered. I assure you, this will never happenagain.”

“Humph.”

Lavinia was short of stature and thin. Her face looked worn and haggard—either from the stress of her workday or because she was not happy with her life. In either case, it surprised and shocked Lydia, and it made her sad to think that her aunt might not be her hoped for cheerycompanion.