Page 18 of The Lady and the Duke

As Lydia tried praying, her mind kept wandering. She was unused to this type of prayer and considered that her aunt might be Catholic rather than Anglican. She wondered if her aunt would expect her to attend the Catholic Church with her, rather than allowing her to attend the church of herfather.

Her knees aching, her back in spasm, the prayer finally ended, and they headed, gratefully, toward thekitchen.

“What might I prepare for your breakfast, aunt?” Lydiaasked.

“Porridge, tea, and toast. There is some jam in the larder. I shall dress now and you may serve in thediningroom.”

“Yes, Aunt. What do you like on yourporridge?”

“Why, nothing, of course. What doyouhave?”

“We have a little butter, some honey, and a dashofmilk.”

“Hum. That sounds interesting. I will try that this morning.” Then she left to goupstairs.

Maybe her aunt was loosening up a bit. Was she really going to trysomethingnew?

Still, in her dressing gown, Lydia prepared breakfast after stoking the stove withmorecoal.

When Lavinia came down, Lydia poured the tea and set out the porridge and toast and set out the apricot jam she found in the larder. Then she sat down to have breakfast withheraunt.

“What would you like me to do while you are away today?” Lydiaasked.

“The house needs a good dusting. You may go to the market in the morning and shop for what you need for your dinner. I’ll leave a list on the kitchen table of provisions we need from the grocers, and in the late afternoon I would like you to heat some water so that I may have a bath after eveningprayers.”

They ate in silence for a short while, and then Lydia said, “My family, and especially my mother send you their regards, and she wanted to let you know that they are all very grateful that you have been so kind and generous to welcome me intoyourhome.”

“Humph.”

“I shall write to my mother today to tell her I have arrived safely and that you send your kindestregards.”

Lavinia looked up but didn’trespond.

Lydia continued. “My traveling companion in the coach was a Doctor Bernard Winston. He was most kind to me and said he was to be a guest of the Duke of Shropshire. So if you have not met him I am certain you will. And when you do, please send him my warmestwishes.”

“Is he a young man you areinterestedin?”

Lydia laughed. “Oh, no, Aunt. He is an elderly scholar from Oxford. He was the Duke’s tutor when he was a studentthere.”

As they finished breakfast, Lydia stood and cleared thetable.

“How do you travel in the morning to be with the Duchess? Do they send a carriageforyou?”

“I walk. It is good for theconstitution.”

“Isitfar?”

“Several miles. Except for snowy or rainy weather, it is a quitetolerablewalk.”

As Lavinia was gathering her parasol to leave, Lydia asked. “I am quite fond of reading and I examined the books in the study. They appear to be mostly of a legal nature. Are there any other books in the house that I might enjoyreading?”

“What doyouread?”

“I am partial tonovels.”

“No. We have nothing like that, but I do have a number of books with sermons and treatises of a holy nature. You will find them in the sitting room next to mybedroom.”

“Thankyou,aunt.”