Page 57 of The Lady and the Duke

“I am, but certainly you must have a kitchen gardenalready,no?”

“We do. But it could be greatlyexpanded.”

“Then if you have any questions for me about that, I will be happy to help. But, please, I want to hear more about your plans for the botanical garden. This I find most fascinating and I know so little about the scope of such aproject.”

Edwin nodded. “Then allow me to show you. Let us travel to where I envision laying out the formal garden, and then I will take you to review the drawings and you will get a better idea of thescope.”

Lydia enthusiastically admired what Edwin was trying to do. Not many men she knew had the vision to undertake such an ambitious project, and she could not imagine he had much support from his mother, who appeared to be much too conventional to admire his ambitiousundertaking.

What a shame, Lydia thought, that a man of such vision should be out of her reach as a marriage partner; for here was a man she truly admired and had great affection for, although she really did not know him all thatwellyet.

Edwin took her hand as he helped her into the trap. And she couldn’t help but notice the charge of energy they exchanged as he touched her. For a brief moment, their eyes met and he smiledshyly.

“Now, you must realize this is a work in progress,” Edwin said, as he stood before the drawings laid out on the table in his small office behind thestables.

Not a very impressive space for a man of his stature to work in Lydia thought—but then he was at heart really just ahumbleman.

“Nothing is set in stone, and I am open to changes and all suggestions,” Edward said, as he glanced to read Lydia’sreaction.

Lydia looked over the drawings. She was aware how close Edwin was standing to her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body. It made her feel slightly giddy and she moved away to look at a drawing on the other side of the table. He did notfollowher.

“Edwin, I am not very good visualizing a garden from plans drawn up on paper. But I do get the idea of what you are striving for and I find it very exciting.” She looked up into his eyes, which weresmiling.

“I know what would help,” he said. “I have some books with quite exact drawings of some historical gardens. It would give you a better sense of what I amstrivingfor.”

He went over to a bookshelf and pulled down several books, opening them, and spreading them on the table before her. He came around and stood close next to her and began pointing out features in the books that corresponded to designs in his drawings. However, Lydia was, once again, distracted by Edwin’s body next to hers and she was having a difficult time focusing on what he was trying to point outtoher.

She mumbled responses at appropriate pauses in his speech, but she did not truly comprehend what he was trying totellher.

Finally, he stopped speaking and turned to look at her, expecting her to respond to what he had justtoldher.

“Edwin, I have to say it is all very impressive, but I am afraid a lot of it is beyond my limited comprehension of a project of such scale.” But she did not want to leave it on a negative note. “However, I am certainly willing to learn, and if there might be some way you could see me assisting you I would be more than happy to offer my services in any wayIcan.”

“Thank you, Miss Lydia. I greatly appreciate that. I shall keep that in mind and will think how you might be usefultome.”

Lydia smiled. “I should be going. Ellen wanted to discuss the guest list for her birthday ball and I will need to return home to preparesupper.”

Edwin nodded. “Thank you for your time and attention, Miss Lydia. I look forward to seeing you soon again. Perhaps at the time of your next ridinglesson?”

Lydia nodded in return. “Good day,Edwin.”

* * *

Lydia wasin her bedroom writing a letter to her family. It had been far too long since she had invested the time to inform them of her life in Shropshire. She laid out the many events that had taken place since her last letter. There was Gingersnap to account for. Her walks with Doctor Cooke. Her delightful friendships with Ellen and Jenny and, with some hesitation, she described her unique relationship with Edwin, the Duke ofShropshire.

And lastly, she hesitantly broached the subject of her Aunt’s possible marriage, and Lydia’s dislocation, if her married aunt was to move to Oxford. She did not, however, mention the idea of returning home if she had nowhere else to go, for Lydia felt, with some certainty, that she would be able to find a suitable situationlocally.

As she was finishing the letter, she heard Jenny shrieking from downstairs. Gingersnap raced up the stairs and sought refuge underLydia’sbed.

“Just a minute,” Lydia shouted back. “I shall berightdown.”

She would finish the letter later, even if it meant she would miss thefinalpost.

“Jenny, why are you shouting?” Lydia asked as she came down thestairs.

“Did you get one too?” Jenny asked, bouncing upanddown.

“What?Getwhat?”