𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒

Chapter 11

"What did he want?" Diana blurted out, her impatience getting the best of her. As she was met with confused pairs of eyes at her outburst, she cleared her throat and put on her usual genuine smile. "I'm sorry, I just hope nothing unpleasant happened."

"On the contrary actually," Her uncle responded, making nothing out of his niece's sudden outburst, "He only wanted to talk to me, which was quite surprising. He offered me a glass of wine, and we talked about miscellaneous things, really, I felt as though I was conversing with a friend, not my boss."

Diana and Alicia exchanged looks as they listened.

"As much as I am happy, my dear husband, I am surprised as well, what was this friendly conversation about?" Mrs Frederica Fleming asked curiously, dabbing her 'kerchief on her lips softly. It pleased her greatly that her husband was finally getting along with his employer, but what caused this sudden shift was a really intriguing question to ponder on.

"Ah, just a casual conversation, he inquired after my health and I returned the pleasantry. He told me that he would be willing to make an exception for me by giving me some days off, after I told him that you had given birth that day. But I refused the offer and told him that my nieces were here to help out, and really because I wasn't sure if he'd cut down my pay for taking days off and I did not want to risk asking. The old employer—I would be stupid to not consider things like that after him." 

Diana glanced at her aunt, who had thankfully regained most of her energy after the birth a week ago and had not fallen prey to any bouts of fever. The infant child too, was much redeemed, his small form gaining color and muscle each day. 

"He's a handsome man," Arthur Fleming continued, a statement that startled Diana out of her reverie as she looked at him. "Lord Buxton, I mean." 

"Most of the workers have not seen him yet and I had been one of them, but now that I have made his human acquaintance, I do think he's a striking young man. And with all those mills under his command, and his strict hold on his affairs? I think men like that are scarce. I suppose I admire him for it really." 

"What game is that man playing?" Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick asked once she and her cousin were alone in their aunt's room after dinner, tending to the new born baby, while the rest of the family enjoyed a moment as their former selves in the drawing room. 

"Lord Edward Buxton does not want his name in tatters, that is all. He is aware of Uncle Arthur's relation to our family, and if word of his behavior with a member of our family gets out, he may not have anyone to do business with in Southampton anymore," Diana replied simply as she rocked her baby cousin in her arms, "I daresay he is clever."

"Not clever enough," Alicia added, kissing their baby cousin on the forehead.

"There you girls are," A familiar voice suddenly came, and the girls turned to look. It was their aunt, looking healthy and well, with new bursts of color in her cheek. Smiling, she approached Alicia and handed her two little cards with ink printing on them.

"What are these?" The surprised lady asked, inspecting the things, they seemed to be entrance cards for an event. Diana leaned in to look as well, and a puzzled expression spread over her face.

"These are tickets, to John Floris' perfume exhibition tonight. I asked Arthur to get them for you two, you've been such helps and we wanted to do something in return," Their aunt spoke happily.

"You shouldn't have, Aunt Frederica, it really is no trouble for us," Alicia insisted.

"And besides, you're not completely well, you need your rest and we cannot just leave you even for a few hours until you're as healthy as you should be," Diana added.