Page 60 of The Lady and the Duke

Chapter15

Then a few days later,Lydia sat patiently in Doctor Cooke’s waiting room with three waiting patients. She held a tin of biscuits in her lap. When the Doctor next came out, accompanying one patient and ready for the next, he sawLydia.

He nodded to the others waiting in the room, held up a finger and said to them. “One moment please.” He went over to Lydia and asked, “Areyouill?”

“Not at all. I simply wanted to thank you for introducing the walks to me and I broughtyouthis.”

She handed himthetin.

“Why, thank you.” He peeked inside. “They lookdelicious.”

“You are most welcome.” She rose to leave, but Reginaldstoppedher.

“We never finished our walk last week after you found the injured cat. How is she doing, by the way? Have you found herowner?"

"She is mending and still with us. I never found her owner, if she evenhadone.”

“Then let me take the opportunity to show you morewalkssoon.”

“I wouldlikethat.”

“Next Wednesday, at the same time asbefore?”

Lydia nodded. “I look forwardtoit.”

As she left Reginald’s office she felt that she was taking care of business. For the business of a single, young gentlewoman, with no living and no prospects, was to find either a husband or a respectable position with a good family. There was little else availabletoher.

She marched resolutely along to do the morning marketing, holding back any tears that might try and assert themselves. She was not going to cry. She was not going to take pity onherself.

Reminding herself, once again, what a fine person Doctor Cooke was, she held her head high. There was no doubt he was interested in her, and if she continued to be agreeable to him, she believed he would eventually ask for her hand in marriage. And she realized that was a much better solution than seeking employment with an uncertain family that might let her go, on a whim, at any pointintime.

* * *

When she returned from marketing,the post had arrived and there was a letter from her mother and a letter for her aunt from Dr.Winston.

She immediately opened the letter from her mother. Lydia speculated the reply had been so swift, as her mother was replying to her news about the impending marriage ofheraunt.

My Precious DaughterLydia,

I was delighted to receive your recent letter, although it seemed a long timeoverdue.

I was astonished to learn of the news about your Aunt Lavinia. However, I shall address that mattershortly.

First, I wanted to tell you that Emily’s baby has arrived and it is a fine and healthy girl, whom they have named, Claudia. Just imagine, you are nowanaunt!

I am also pleased to announce that Margaret and Charles are expecting their first child soon after the beginning of the year. Soon you shall be an aunttwiceover.

I wish I could report that your father is doing well, but he is not as careful as he should be and continues to go outside in dripping weather with no protective covering, and he does not eat properly. He has lost some weight, and I urge him almost daily to visit with Doctor Nestor, but he resists me ateveryturn.

I am mostly fine, but I get the occasional case of flutters and I must lie abed from time to time in theafternoon.

All else about the household seems to be satisfactory, but I do miss Lucy. I wish I could say our financial issues have improved, but they have not. Which brings me to the news aboutyouraunt.

I know you have not asked to return to live at home, but I must stress, that in the present conditions, it just would not be possible for us to take you back on any kind of a permanentbasis.

I have asked around the village discreetly to see if there might be any positions open, appropriate to a genteel lady, but I am sorry to say I have come up emptyhanded.

Of course, we would welcome you home on a short visit at any time, but as a permanent situation, it would not be possible. I hope youunderstand.