Seamus opened the door and let me walk in first, there were a couple of pens filled with spaniel pups, "Oh, which one is she?" I cooed as I walked to the closest pen and reached inside to feel the soft fur.
"Why don't you guess?" Lord Edgehill said nudging Seamus, "which puppy do you think is my Alice?"
I turned and screwed up my face, "All right, I will play your silly game." I moved around each pen, watching as the pups followed me, tails wagging.
After my first turn around the room and inspecting the puppies in each pen, I turned back to look at Lord Edgehill and Seamus as they stood off to the side. The five dogs from our entourage having come in to join in the fun, "Well?" Lord Edgehill taunted, "Do you have a guess?"
"Don't look at me," Seamus chortled, "this is your game!"
I walked to the pen furthest into the room, leaned over and dropped my hand inside and six chocolate brown pups waddled over to me, "She's not in here," I said, "These puppies are still too young to leave their mother."
"Ha!" Seamus laughed and jabbed Lord Edgehill in the ribs, "She's right about that!"
"Yeah, yeah," Lord Edgehill patted his friend's shoulder, "but she hasn't found Alice yet."
That left two other pens. The first pen had puppies that were white with chocolate brown markings while the second pen had puppies that were white with tan markings, "If I'm right, both of these litters are about the same age."
"You're right about that too, Missy!" Seamus hollered and when I smiled back I noticed that Lord Edgehill had his hand on the water spaniel, giving it a gentle scratch on the head. I walked to the pen of tan puppies and leaned over the wall, the five puppies in there all swarmed towards me.
"Being that you already named her, Alice," I stood with the two female pups in my arms, "she has to be one of these."
"You think you're so clever," Lord Edgehill goaded as Seamus covered his mouth to hold in his laughter, "tell me which one is Alice."
I walked towards the gentlemen, still cradling the two puppies in my arms and looking down on their sweet fuzzy faces, "Well," I started as I looked up at Lord Edgehill and he was doing his best to remain stoic. "This is Alice," I said handing the one puppy that had a smattering of tan colored freckles on her muzzle to Lord Edgehill.
"How . . . how'd you know?" Seamus asked flabbergasted as I handed the other puppy to him.
I smiled widely, "She has character," and I started to laugh as Alice climbed close to Lord Edgehill's face and began licking him.
"Well, I'll be," Seamus clucked as he returned the other female pup to her brothers, "I would not have believed it . . . look at all of these puppies an' you picked out the right one!" he continued talking even though I had returned to the pen with the white and chocolate colored pups. "What about you, Miss, surely you'd like a puppy of your own!"
"Oh, I couldn't . . . my sister is allergic," I started.
"And you won't be with her forever, Miss Woodbridge," Lord Edgehill said moving towards me with Alice, "look at this face. You know you can't say no to her."
"But Patience would never . . . "
"Then keep her with us," Lord Edgehill urged, "and once you're ready to have her with you at your home, wherever that may be, I will bring her to you."
"You are very kind, but I will have to decline the offer . . . " I tried to look away and instead saw Seamus pouting dramatically, "for now. I will come for a puppy . . . in time."
"Ha!" Seamus bellowed, "That's right, Miss, come to me an' I will give you my best pup! Now tell me, which of my breeds do you fancy?" He took my arm and draped it around his, "Come, see what I have!" We walked out to the meadow and he let out a loud whistle.
Alice let out a howl. "Yes, Alice, you know what a whistle means," Lord Edgehill nuzzled her soft ears.
Seven dogs came running and barking, "Let's see," Seamus started, "My female field spaniel is still nursing her pups, but the rest are here. We've got a lovely pair of Welsh springers, these are Alice's parents," he said patting the tan and white dogs. "Here's the field springer stud," he pointed at the dark brown male. "The water spaniel is excellent if you have a lot of water near you . . . do you?"
"Well we have a little at home . . . but I do not know what the future holds," I smiled timidly and pet the curly haired dog.
"There's some water," Lord Edgehill said, I could hear a hint of amusement in his voice, "but you're picking which breed you like."
I kept my head down and moved to the white dogs with the chocolate brown markings, "I like these," I whispered at first, "they remind me of a dog I saw in a painting once."
"That's hardly a reason to pick a dog!" Seamus scoffed.
"Trust me, it's a very good reason," I smiled up at him, "and when I come for my . . . companion," I said glancing back towards Lord Edgehill who gave me an approving nod, "this is the kind I would like."
"All right," Seamus said scratching his head, "we've had a litter almost every year with the springers. They're very good dogs. When you're ready, you just let me know."
"Thank you, Mr. O'Bannon," I said as I stood up, giving his arm a light squeeze, "I look forward to the day."
"Well, shall we head back?" Lord Edgehill asked.
"What? You only just got here!" Seamus interjected, "You're sure you don't want to stay an' have a drink with me?"
"You know if I had come alone that I would, but I should get Miss Woodbridge home before dark," Lord Edgehill sighed apologetically, "Besides Miss Alice needs to get used to her new home."
"You're going to spoil that dog," Seamus muttered.
"Yes, I am," Lord Edgehill beamed. "Thank you, old friend," he said patting Seamus' back, "Alice and I will be back in a few days to say hello. How is that?"
"Don't forget to bring her," he nodded at me, "you're more than welcome any time, Miss Woodbridge."
I curtsied, "Thank you, again."
"An' when you're ready, I'll be sure to have a puppy just for ya!" Seamus said as he followed us to the carriage. "An' Miss Alice, you're welcome home any time too," he said in a sort of cooing way as he gave her a scratch before we took our seats.
We waved goodbye as the carriage turned about and began the ride home. We weren't even off of the O'Bannon property when Lord Edgehill took out that red bundle and opened it, Alice crawling up as close as she could get to sniff, "Just wait, darling," he chuckled, "we will take very good care of you."
I just watched silently as he broke the chicken and carrots into small pieces for the puppy, who happily devoured them as soon as he offered them. "So," he broke the silence after a few minutes, "are you going to tell me how you figured out which puppy was Alice?"
"It was a lucky guess," I smirked looking out the window noticing the sun was beginning its decline.
"Poppycock," Lord Edgehill retorted, "I saw you . . . I could tell the wheels were turning behind your eyes."
"Well, once I realized the . . . "
"Field spaniels," he offered.
"Yes, the field spaniels . . . once I realized they were too young to leave, that left me with the springers."
"But you didn't even pay much mind to the darker ones . . . why?" he asked, Alice had finished her treat and nestled up against his leg, her eyes getting heavy.
"You paid more attention to the water spaniel," I reasoned. "From the moment you saw him at the side of the carriage, you pointed him out expressly. Then when we were in the cottage, you were absentmindedly scratching his head, you had a bond with him."
"But Seamus is a friend, I've seen all of his dogs many times . . . it could have . . . "
"Yes, it could have been a coincidence, but it wasn't," I grinned, "so I went to the tan pups and there were only two females, that narrowed down my choices very well."
Lord Edgehill nodded, "well, you still had a fifty fifty chance . . . " he was again absentmindedly stroking Alice as she slept at his side.
"The other female had a predominately white face," I sighed, "Alice has character with her freckles . . . she is the one that I would choose."
"Very astute, Miss Woodbridge," he smiled appreciatively, "I will feel sorry for Thomas if he ever tries to outwit you."
"He's had the upper hand a few times," I admitted, "but we have never attempted to match wits, so to speak."
"Well, I will let him find out that secret on his own," Lord Edgehill reassured, "You know, I knew there was more to you than a pretty face. I hope you don't take that the wrong way."
"I won't, Sir," I assured him, "Patience does not quite understand that there is more than just being ornamental. I outwitted her though, and got her to agree that bringing books would be a good idea."
"Books?" he asked, "We have a fine library, you are welcome to anything in there."
"I am aware, and thank you," I nodded, "but my goal was to get Patience to realize that some men, like yourself, look favorably on a girl that strives to improve her mind as much as her looks."
"More young ladies should endeavor to open a book at least," he laughed followed by a sigh, "Leah and I used to read together."
"You mustn't worry about Leah," I shook my head, "she is a surprising young lady and I do believe she will leave her mark on many a young man in the circles."
"My quiet little Leah?" he questioned.
"She is not that quiet, Sir."