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Bea and I are beside ourselves with excitement as we ride in the carriage with Aunt Tufton to Beaumont Manor. Bea is excited because we have been invited to a house party at an Earl's house, who happens to be the most sought after catch of the season. I am excited because I haven't seen Edmund for days and I get to see him in his home. Emily, the Tufton's lady's maid, also seems exhilarated to be going. I now know that when you go to a house party each guest brings their own valet or lady's maid. I can explain to you the effect that the pull of gravity has on the height and velocity of an object. I can also explain in detail the quadratic equations that go along with it, but going to a house party is something I know nothing about.
Happily, my aunt has all but abandon her lectures to me, conceivably because I have gained the notice of an Earl. She understands from Beatrice that he is helping me find a husband. And they both still believe he is interested in Bea but they also acknowledge that he could also be taken with Regina because they think she is the most beautiful, fashionable lady of the season.
The drive from London has taken about four hours but we are almost there. I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling because the trees and fields have been a refreshing change from the stuffiness of London. To hear the birds chirping and smell the greenery is something I've missed from living in the country when I moved to London. The small town of Woburn, which we are driving through, is quite sweet with its little shops and stalls.
The carriage slows as we are close to Beaumont Manor House now. I am both excited and nervous to meet Mr. Goddard, another potential suitor. I am a bit disappointed that Mr. Wimple was not invited. Edmund decided that Stephen was too enamored of me and it would be better for him to wait until the house party is over to see me again.
"Mr. Wimple needs time to cool off a bit, Lizzy," Edmund explained.
I hope Stephen is able to keep up with his friendliness while I am away. I saw him yesterday and encouraged him to continue socializing in my absence. He said that he would try. I had to refrain from saying 'good boy' to him, as it would have come out more patronizing than I would have intended. He told me he would miss having my hand to hold and my face to look at. Such a sweet thing to say. He is really doing very, very well.
Our carriage slows and turns a corner and the wheels make a crunching sound on the manicured gravel path to the most lovely home I have ever seen. The symmetry of the building is somehow comforting, it is large but still homey looking. The house is happily situated among the nearby gardens and fields, with a wooded area to the rear right of the home. There are lavender hedges lining the drive and I take a deep breath to enjoy the pleasing aroma. As we pull up to the front steps I see Edmund stepping out the front door. He looks comfortable and as confident as ever. It is the most relaxed and happy that I have ever seen him. He must enjoy being home. There is a man in a dark suit standing beside him, who looks to be the butler.
Once we have come to a complete stop the footman opens the carriage door and pulls down the step. Then he assists both my aunt and cousin out first. As I get out of the carriage I cannot help but to beam at Edmund over the footman's shoulder. I couldn't hide my happiness if I tried. He returns my smile with one every bit as enthusiastic. "Welcome to Beaumont! We are so happy that you have finally arrived!" He says it to us all, but his eyes are on me and my heart flutters. I have not seen him for five days and it was far too long. I thought perhaps my inappropriate affection for him might dim during his time away. I can see now that it has not. At all.
He has the most charming smile as he says, "I have been pacing all day in anticipation of your arrival. Please come in!"
My aunt smiles up at him, "Are we the first to arrive, Lord Westworth?"
We all go up the stone stairs and through the heavy carved wooden doors into the grand entry hall. Edmund says, "Yes, the rest of the party is arriving tomorrow. I thought to get your daughter and niece's help before the rest of the guests descend upon us." I look up into his face and he winks at me. I hear the butler clear his throat and mumble something behind me. It sounds as if he doesn't fully approve of something.
"And this is my butler, Fields. He holds general disapproval for me, but will be exceedingly agreeable to everyone else. Please let him know if there is anything he can do to make your stay more pleasant." Fields bows to us and surprisingly has no reaction to Edmund's teasing. I can't help but smile at Fields, I am just so happy. The greying man seems a bit startled by the forwardness of my smile. His look makes me think I do not know the proper way to behave with servants. That is probably true, since I was practically raised by them.
There is a beautifully carved staircase that ascends to our right. Above the stair are portraits, which I assume are Edmund's ancestors.
A kindly looking lady with salt and pepper hair tied up in a bun approaches us then. Edmund introduces her, "This is Mrs. Stewart, the housekeeper. Please let her know if you have need of anything during your stay with us. The footmen have brought your trunks to your rooms and Mrs. Stewart will show you where you are staying. Once you get settled feel free to rest for as long as you need, then come down whenever you are refreshed."
Mrs. Stewart leads the way up the stairs and I grin down at Edmund standing in the foyer as I follow. His hands are clasped behind his back and his eyes follow us all the way up. The housekeeper shows my aunt to her room first and I am surprised that her trunks are here in her room even though the footmen never passed us in the foyer. There must be a back staircase they have used. I noticed that Emily did not enter through the front door with us either, she just disappeared after we all got out of the carriage. Hopefully someone is also showing her to her room.
My aunt's room has burgundy colored wallpaper and ornately carved polished furniture. I'm trying not to let my mouth hang open but I think I have said, "it is so lovely" at least a dozen times since arriving. Everything smells fresh and clean. The woodwork sparkles with polish. My aunt definitely approves of her room, "I may need to do over a room in exactly this style. It is so fashionable."
Next the housekeeper shows Beatrice to her room which is a beautiful lavender colored bedroom with a view of the front drive. Bea's room is right next to her mother's. The walls have a painted flower mural along the ceiling. The furniture is painted white and the bedding is lavender and white. It smells faintly of citrus, lemon maybe. The whole room is so feminine and Bea is also clearly pleased with it, "Violet is my favorite color, it is like he picked it just for me!"
It is just Mrs. Stewart and me now as she leads down the hallway to a room on the backside of the house. She smiles kindly to me as she opens my room door and I gasp. The door she has opened reveals a room much larger than either my aunt or cousin's rooms. The entire room is wrapped in warm wood paneling which gives it a bit of a masculine feel. It might seem plainer, without the fancy wallpaper or murals but it just looks regal to me. There are several nice landscape paintings hanging on the paneled walls. The bed, desk, wardrobe and tables are made of rich, dark wood. The bed has four posts that nearly reach the ceiling. At the back of the room is a large bay window that looks out on the back gardens under which there is a padded bench and I think it would be a nice place to read. The bedding, curtains, and cushions are a rich green color with gold accents. There is a bouquet of lavender in a vase on the dresser and it has filled the room with the pleasing fragrance. It is the loveliest of the lovely rooms we have seen.
I haven't set foot inside because I am sure there is some mistake. This room looks fit for someone important, this can't possibly be the room intended for me. Mrs. Steward doesn't look annoyed by my hesitation or the look of awe on my face. She tries to wave me in. I shake my head, "I am sure there must be some mistake. I am not special enough to stay in a room like this. Surely this is intended for one of the other guests who are arriving tomorrow?" The thought of Regina having this beautiful room makes me a bit sad.
Mrs. Stewart laughs just a bit, "There is no mistake, Miss Cavendish. Lord Westworth had me assign all the rooms for the other guests but he insisted you have this room. It was his room growing up here at Beaumont. He has moved to the master suite now." My smile increases and I dare to enter and see my trunk has already arrived.
I just now notice that there is a girl standing in the room near my trunk. Mrs. Stewart motions to her. "This is Rachel. She will be your lady's maid while you are at Beaumont. She can help you dress, will fix your hair as well as run errands for you. She will also wash and care for your clothing and shoes. Let her know of anything you require."
I don't take offense that she feels the need to describe the duties of a lady's maid to me because apart from having Emily fix my hair a few times I have never needed one. In fact I am very surprised to have one now. My eyebrows both go up. "But we brought Emily, the Tufton's lady's maid. I thought she would be tending to the three of us."
Mrs. Stewart smiles kindly at me, "Lord Westworth thought Emily might be busy tending to Lady and Miss Tufton. He thought it would be nice for you to have a maid of your own."
I am sure my smile shows how happy this makes me. I did notice that Rachel's face dropped a bit at my protest but she seems pleased now that she can see I was not complaining. I suck my lips into my mouth and take a breath through my nose. Then my smile is back, "My own lady's maid. I can't even imagine it. I shall feel like a princess for my whole visit." I clap my fingertips together quietly. "I need to thank Edmund right away. He is so kind!"
Mrs. Stewart's eyes twinkle, "There is one more surprise also." She walks over to the wardrobe and opens both doors. Hanging in the wardrobe is no less than a dozen dresses, mostly in greens and blues but I also spot a cream colored silk day dress and a burgundy colored ball gown.
I look in confusion at the dresses and my eyes dart from Mrs. Stewart to Rachel trying to understand. When they don't explain, I stammer, "B-but those aren't my dresses. My dresses are in my trunk." I stupidly point to the trunk at my feet.
Mrs. Stewart tips her head to the side a bit, "Miss Cavendish, Lord Westworth has ordered these dresses for you as a surprise. He explained to me that you did not have your own wardrobe and have been wearing clothes that belong to your cousin. He was very insistent that you would have your own dresses while you stay here."
My knees are weakening and I don't understand this level of generosity. I sit in a nearby chair so as not to fall over. "B-but how will I ever repay him? They have to have cost so much money." I shake my head. "He has no use for these dresses when I leave." Then my head comes up in surprise. "What will people think, with him buying me dresses?!"
Mrs. Stewart smiles again, "Lord Westworth will not expect to be repaid. And no one need know where the dresses came from. He said if pressed, say they are from Lady Westworth, his mother."
I'm still frowning, "I still think it is too much."
Rachel happily opens the drawers of the dresser next to me. "And there are stockings and gloves and nightgowns and everything you could ever need." I think Rachel is as enamored with my new clothing as I am.
I lean back against the chair. "I think I might need that small rest that Lord Westworth suggested, just to recover from all the surprises."
Mrs. Stewart shows me how to ring for Rachel when I have need of her. And Rachel said she could unpack my trunk when I was done resting but I think there was no need. I would never choose to wear the dresses in the trunk over the ones hanging in the wardrobe.
I realize I cannot possibly rest until I talk with Edmund. Mrs. Stewart has left but Rachel is just outside the door when I call her back in. "Can you help me change into one of the day dresses? Perhaps a simple one is best for today, when no other guests have arrived?"
I find out that Rachel knows all about dresses and which ones would be suitable for different occasions. "You, Rachel, are going to be a lifesaver. I know next to nothing about fancy clothing and you will keep me dressed appropriately. I am so glad you are here to help me." She beams at the praise. She probably thinks I'm just trying to be nice, she will likely find out that I really know nothing about clothing and hair styles.
She chooses a cotton dress in a light cornflower blue. I am grateful for her help with the buttons down the back. The trim that wraps around just under my chest is of the same blue but several shades darker. There is a similar wider trim around the hem. It has a squarish neckline and long sleeves. There is a mirror over the dresser and I am surprised to see myself in a pretty dress for the first time in months. It actually may be the prettiest I've ever worn.
I don't bother with gloves as we are indoors and there is no formal event. I call a thank you to Rachel and try to slow myself from skipping and running down the hall to find Edmund. I am quite careful on stairs after my tumble at Almack's and I get to the foyer and look around to see if I can find anyone.
Fields appears through a doorway, "Lord Westworth has requested you join him for tea and cakes in the library." He motions to the opened double doors at the bottom of the stairs.
I give him a big smile, "Thank you so much Fields." I turn and go through the door to find a room filled with couches, chairs and desks. The walls are lined with bookshelves full of books. Edmund is nowhere to be seen so I follow the room around a corner to find another sitting area in front of a fireplace. This part of the room has windows along one wall overlooking a landscape of fields of lavendar. There are several bookshelves coming from the wall into the room lined up one after another. Creating little alcoves lined with books on three sides. So many books, my mouth practically salivates at the thought of having access to them for a full week.
I see the back of Edmund as he is sitting on the couch with the tea tray in front of him. When he hears me he jumps up with a smile. "You finally came down. I was worried you became lost." His smile drops just a bit. "I only meant for your aunt and cousin to rest, not you."
I have to laugh at him, "I did not rest, Edmund. I barely was introduced to my room and changed into one of the lovely dresses you have for me to wear." I hold the skirt out just a bit and spin so he can see it.
His eyes warm, "Lizzy, you look positively beautiful. I have wondered since we met what you would look like in a pretty dress." I roll my eyes a bit at that. "So you like them? And the room?"
I can't contain my gratitude any longer. I step to him and grab his arms. "You are so generous Edmund. I love the room so much, it is my favorite so far. And you hired a lady's maid for me? Rachel is just wonderful." I'm frowning now. "But, Edmund the dresses are too much. They are lovely, but you should not have spent so much on me." His hands so pleasingly come to rest on my hips.
He is shaking his head, "Nonsense. I didn't do it for you, I did it for me. I couldn't possibly be required to look at such hideous dresses in my own home." I see the twinkle in his eye and know that he is teasing me again. "Lizzy, the dresses are yours. You can take them with you when you leave. And if anyone asks, they are from my mother. She will be here soon."
I reach my hand up to his shoulders and stand on tip toes and do what I have been wanting to do for a long time. I kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you so much Edmund. You have been so generous to me. I don't deserve any of it."
His eyes brighten and he chuckles, "Well, if I would have known you were going to show your appreciation this way, I would have done much more, much sooner."
I step back away from him, realizing if someone came in or even walked by, they might be shocked at how closely we are standing. He grabs my hand and as neither of us are wearing gloves, our skin touches. It is an unsettling feeling, but in a good way. I feel tingles down my spine. He pulls me to the couch to sit and pours tea and hands me an empty plate for cakes and sandwiches. "One sugar?" I nod. What a good friend to remember that.
His eyes look down on me warmly, "I am so glad you are here. It was a long five days of waiting for you to come."
I still have my permanent smile, "It went slowly for me too. And now that I am here, I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful home. It is by far the loveliest I have ever been in."
His eyebrow raises just a bit, "William's home is a bit more elegant."
I remember back to the luxurious rooms I saw at the card party. "William has an impressive house, but everything was stone, which made it feel a bit more cold. I love the warmness of your wood staircase and paneling."
He smiles as if my opinion pleases him. "I couldn't agree with you more. But I am likely biased since I have loved Beaumont since I was a child. It has a very special place in my heart. I am very glad you like it also."
I look around the library. "And there couldn't be a more wonderful room in the world than this library. My father would have loved this room so much, I wish he could have seen it." I sigh in thought. "And I am just like him, given the choice, I could probably spend the full week here and never get bored."
Edmund runs his hand down my arm when I mention my father. "Well, I have other plans for you also, so you will have to leave the library now and again. But come here anytime you have free and make yourself comfortable. My office is through that little door there on the left. It is like a secret entrance of sorts." I see the little door in the paneling, I would not have noticed it if he didn't point it out to me.
We hear the steps behind us as Fields enters. "Lady Westworth's carriage approaches, Sir."
Edmund smiles, "Let's go welcome my mother."
A/N: Here are some pictures of what I'm imagining Beaumont to look like. Top left is the library, bottom left is the dining room, and right is the foyer/stairs: