"Well that was a lovely start, was it not?" Lady Edge sighed, "I will have our steward take you to your rooms where you can freshen up before tea. Hopefully by then I can entice my daughter out to meet you."
Lady Edgehill rang a bell and her steward appeared in the doorway, "Adams, please show our guests to their rooms," she said with a slight wave of her hand, "and have their luggage brought up immediately."
The older man gave a curt bow to her before he stood at the door saying, "If you would follow me," gesturing towards the wide staircase in the hall.
Patience curtsied towards Lady Edgehill, "Come along girls, it has been a long trip." Faith and I followed suit and headed towards the stairs.
"Oh, Adams, perhaps the girls would like a room near Leah's," Lady Edgehill said more than she asked.
"Yes, your ladyship," he bowed again and then led the way up the stairs. The second staircase we took was not as grand as the first, but it was not meant so much for company as it led to the family's rooms. "Mrs. Woodbridge, this will be your room" he said opening the second door from the stairs. I did my best to look inside as Adams guided Patience around the room. "One of our men will bring your trunk shortly."
"Thank you," Patience started like she was going to say something but Adams closed the door as he exited and continued down the hall. I stifled a giggle at the surprised look she had on her face.
"You young ladies will be in the room next to Miss Edgehill, as my mistress has instructed," Adams said opening a door further down the hall and on the opposite side as Patience's room. He stood with the door aside allowing us to walk in. It was a large, bright room, obviously decorated for a young lady judging by the delicate pillows and bedding. "Is everything to your satisfaction, Misses?"
"Why, yes, thank you," Faith answered as I moved to the window.
"Your trunks will be brought up shortly," Adams said moving back into the hall, "One of the lady's maids will be in to check on you as well."
"Thank you," I smiled turning away from the window as he left, "Faith, I can see the park!" I whispered excitedly. She said nothing but took off her pelisse and hung it in the wardrobe and then sat at the dressing table fixing her hair and looking at her reflection. "Is something wrong, Faith?" I asked moving to look at her reflection as well.
"I had no question that you would do well here, Margaret, but Lady Edgehill is giving you a debut and sponsoring you at Court!" There were traces of a pout about her mouth but she did not look away.
"But I did nothing to warrant such attention," I replied, fear rising in me that in one day I could have lost my only friend in London as well as the good standing I thought I had finally found in Patience. "You must believe me, Faith, I expected nothing . . . I barely said a thing . . . "
"I am aware," she nodded, trying to let her mouth ease to its natural form, "and it is not that I am jealous so much as that I am taken aback by the extremely warm reception you have received."
"As am I," I agreed removing my pelisse, "I do not know why Lady Edgehill has chosen to bestow such graces upon me."
"Hmm," Faith smiled as she stood and walked towards me, "I think that the reason is glaringly obvious but perhaps you are still struck by the young and handsome Mr. Thomas Edgehill?" Her voice was light and teasing again, like it was as we were packing days ago, "Was I not telling the truth?"
I sighed happily, "You were in earnest." I sat at the delicate tea table that was bathed in the afternoon sunlight, "but I do not know what you find glaringly obvious, he left just after meeting us."
"Oh Margaret," Faith smiled taking my hands in hers across the table as she sat opposite of me, "when Lady Edgehill was talking about your debut, she said the honor will be her son's."
"I do not follow . . . "
"She expects you two to form an attachment," Faith explained clearly amused by my naiveté, "and remember as he left . . . what did he say?"
"He said something?"
"Margaret Woodbridge!" her voice raised, "you are either joking poorly or you are smitten with him."
I let the smile creep across my face, "He said that he approved. But at the time I had no idea for what he was giving his approval."
"Hmm," she said sitting back, "perhaps you are equal parts in jest and smitten."
It was not long before our trunks were brought to our room. We took turns in front of the mirror and unpacking. Since it was just tea we refreshed ourselves and decided which gowns to wear to dinner. Faith chose a deep red gown that had a black lace overlay. I could tell that she was going to look ravishing in it. I brought out the two gowns that Patience was determined that I bring, both pink . . . not a color that I chose to wear often. I stood and stared at them.
"Would you like my suggestion," Faith asked after several long minutes of my staring.
"You would be my life saver," I turned gratefully to her.
"Wear the white muslin dress with the ivy vines embroidered on it, then put the pink overlay on, it should give a lovely result." She quickly moved the one dress under the other and indeed they paired well together.
"Thank you," I breathed, "I am not suited to make fashion choices."
"I could ask Patience for you . . . "
"That is quite alright, she already made it clear these are the dresses I was to bring, so she should be pleased. Besides, I am afraid of what she might say to me now that Lady Edgehill has deemed it necessary to give me a debut."
"Knowing Patience, a bit put-out due to Lady Edgehill's comment, but over the moon that so much excitement is whirling around you."
"I am not so sure," I smiled weakly.
"She is closer to securing that alliance that she so desperately wants . . . " Faith set me down at the dressing table and began to tidy my hair. "Being that you are taken with Mr. Edgehill only heightens her hopes."
"I will trust your opinion in this," I started when the familiar two knocks came before the door quickly opened.
"Oh good, you've helped her, Faith," Patience said under her breath, "we should head down in a few moments. Have you chosen your dinner clothes?"
"Yes, Patience," Faith said warily, "we have dressed for dinner before."
"Let me see . . . oh yes," Patience said inspecting our selections, "very good indeed. Now Faith, I want you to help her add some color."
"Excuse me, but I am in the room," I interjected, "You can talk to me, Patience." Both of them turned to me incredulously.
"Of course I know you're here, Margaret," she said in her coddling voice. The same voice she uses when she tries to get Isabella to leave her bonnet alone. "You have done very well so far, Lady Edgehill has taken a shine to you. I dare say that Thomas has some interest as well."
"Some?" Faith laughed.
"Yes, Faith, only some. He did leave after all."
"He said that was expected," I challenged.
"That does not matter, if he was truly overcome, he would have stayed," Patience said definitively. "So for dinner, I want you to be so captivating that he will never want to leave your side." She turned back to Faith, "help her with the rouge and accentuate the positive."
Two new knocks sounded at the door, "I am Clara, I have come to help the misses with their trunks," a woman said into the door.
"Please come in," Patience said. When Clara entered I was surprised to see that she was not much older than Faith or myself. Her bright red hair was tucked into her cap and her face was fresh and rosy. "The girls have picked out their gowns for the night, please make sure everything is ready for them to change after tea." Clara curtsied and set to work immediately. "Well, let's not keep our hostess waiting," and with that Patience urged us to the hallway and she lead the way down the stairs.