Page 42 of The Lady and the Duke

“It will not take but a minute.” Lydia turned toward thekitchen.

“Oh, Lydia, I almost forgot. I have a letter for you from Miss Ellen.” She dug into her dress pocket and pulled out anenvelope.

Lydia turned back andtookit.

“And the Duchess is fine with you riding with Ellen. It seems The Duke insisted she acquiesce. I believe the letter will lay out thedetails.”

“I will get the tea, now,” Lydia said and went to the kitchen to prepare the tea and read theletter.

My dear sister, Lydia, (For I feel I must call youthatnow)

My mother has agreed to let you come and ride with me. I am so delighted. I hope you are,aswell.

I have consulted with your Aunt and we have arranged for you to come for your first lesson on Wednesday morning. I shall send the carriage to pick you up and we shall have a simply splendid time riding in circles and bouncing up and down on the saddle as you learn to ride like achampion.

Please wear a riding costume if you have one. If not, then a long skirtwilldo.

I have arranged for us to have lunch together in my rooms after. No need to engage with Mother’s endless and often boring conversations. It shall be justustwo.

Let your Aunt know if this isagreeable.

I so look forward to yourvisit.

Your new and lovingSister,

Ellen

Lydia was thrilled, but it was a conflict with her arrangement to walk with Doctor Cooke.Bother.

Lydia completed making the tea and took it to her Aunt who had fallen asleep in the chair. She didn’t want to wake her so she placed the tea tray on the table next to the chair and went back to the kitchen to think about what she should do about this conflict inschedules.

Her first instinct was to change plans with Ellen because she had first made the obligation with Reginald. But thinking about it further, she realized that Ellen had made arrangements for lunch, the carriage, and had, undoubtedly, scheduled grooms to deal with the horses. No, she should reschedule with the Doctor, as it was a much less complicated arrangement, and they could easily arrange their walk foranothertime.

Lydia returned to the sitting room, and found her Aunt awake and drinking her tea. She seemed to be refreshed and moreenergetic.

“His Grace spoke to me today about an idea you had for a garden,” Aunt said. “What is that allabout?”

Lydia explained her idea for a vegetable garden and Edwin’s offer to dig up the ground for them to getstarted.

Aunt did not seem to take well to the idea. “Isn’t it rather late in the season to be starting a garden? Summer isalmostover.”

“I was thinking about for next spring,” Lydiaanswered.

“I don’t know. It seems like an awful lot of extra work and fuss. And I certainly have no interest in digging, weeding, and stooping for a few vegetables that we can get for mere pennies at themarket.”

“But I enjoy it so, Aunt. And we can plant many delightful delicacies that are not available in thestalls.”

“Humph. Sounds like a lot of nonsensetome.”

“And I want to work on your fruit trees out back. They are greatly in need of pruning, and if properly tended to, will yield a great many more fruits. I can put them up by canning, and you will have wonderful fruit all through thewinter.”

Aunt sighed. “I don’t know. Let me think about it. In any case, we won’t need to worry about it until thespring.”

“But to get the proper seeds I will need to send for seed catalogues and order in plenty of time forplanting.”

“As I said, I will think about it,” She said gruffly. “Now, it is time forprayer.

“Yes, Aunt.” With her aunt in this mood it is a shame there was no letter from Doctor Winston today, Lydia thought toherself.