by Lisa Prysock
Lady Jane and Lady Elizabeth looked at the fashion pages of The Mercury while discussing the grand tour they each planned to take next year in Europe if the war did not prevent them. Lady Myriah listened silently, but no one seemed to notice how quiet she was except for Winnie. Lady Burke embroidered, occasionally looking up to ask what time it was or glance over at her daughter and future son-in-law. She looked happier than when she had arrived, beaming with joy to see her daughter making an effort toward marriage; in spite of a great many misunderstandings as she called them.
Lady Julia and Lady Constance worked at their embroidery hoops, occasionally throwing a disgusted look in the direction of Jane and Elizabeth. They seemed annoyed that neither Jane nor Elizabeth suffered from lack of any material object and did not hide it well from the others.
Miss Higgens, Cordelia, escaped to play the piano in the Music Room, luring Baron Crane to turn the pages of her sheet music. Lady Mary and Lady Frances made a spectacle of themselves, giggling about how handsome the boys had been at the Dinner Party, especially Abel Johnston who had danced with Lady Frances. Lady Margaret joined in the conversation, but she kept more to her sewing than the rambunctious silliness, at least some of the time. Indeed, their silliness grated on even Catherine’s nerves at times, as she had hoped for a quiet evening to continue reading Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.
Kingston continued to read Paradise Lost by Milton settled on a sofa with Catherine. He also found it difficult to read at times with the chatter of the other ladies, but they had spent too many evenings retiring to the library early. They suffered through the incessant chatter, often having to read whole paragraphs twice, looking up occasionally to exchange a glance with each other. It was nice to be in the company of the others though, and they found that the group at Hillbrook Hall had grown into a sort of pleasant family despite a few mysteries. Catherine had learned that Christmas always contained mysteries and secrets, all usually solved by Christmas morning.
While the blizzard raged on Thursday evening, the day before St. Thomas Day, Winnie teased Kingston playfully after they had settled into a romantic table and chairs pulled close to the library fireplace. “Kingston, I suppose you remember the report I promised to obtain for you.”
“Report?” he asked as he adjusted his cravat.
“I have finally discovered who you should not marry.” Kingston had surprised her with a private dinner away from the other guests.
“Go on,” he remarked dryly, though she could tell by the smirk on his face that he had a keen interest in her estimations and reply.
“Well,” she began, shaking out her linen napkin and placing it across her lap. “Lady Julia, Lady Myriah, and Lady Constance are dreadfully preoccupied with the acquisition of wealth for one reason or another. You already know of the scandal any consideration toward Lady Agnes would have caused, and inadvertently entangled you amidst. You could face a duel of honor with life and death altering consequences which might leave your sisters destitute and penniless. Three have gaping holes in their education: Cordelia, Lady Margaret, and Elizabeth. Lady Frances hasn’t much inclination in that direction, either. Jane is a very spoilt only child; Lady Elizabeth has no faith and can be very mean spirited; and, finally, I have observed that Lady Mary is unrefined. Most all of them are exasperatingly silly.”
“So what you are actually saying,” he stood up and pulled Winnie to her feet, wrapping his arms about her, “is that I should definitely not marry any of the ten silly ladies under my roof.”
Laughing, she responded: “Definitely not!”
“You are unable to find any of these silly girls merit worthy of my consideration, as I at first reported to you.”
“Precisely!” she grinned up at him, drumming her fingers on the lapel of his dinner jacket.
“So, I shall therefore continue with my deepest and very first impression and conviction, to marry the woman I now hold in my arms!” He smiled a handsome grin at her.
She tilted her chin, looking quite lost in emotion. Stepping back from their embrace, he baffled her again. He reached inside his dinner jacket and produced a ring. He picked up her left hand and slid the ring on her ring finger. “I’ve been carrying this ring around with me since last Friday, waiting for the perfect moment. We are alone. We have the romance of the fire in the fireplace and candlelight in every direction. We are surrounded by the books we love, in the very room I am told my father proposed to my mother. The flowers in the vase on the mantle are filled with our favorites: hydrangea, jasmine, and plumeria. This ring belonged to the Duchess, my mother, Amelia, and every Duchess before her for as long as I know of. It belongs on your hand, and I am not surprised that it is a perfect fit.”
She held out her hand to see the ring he had placed on her hand, surprised by the weight and beauty of it. A tear of joy slid down one cheek from surprise at the things he revealed to her and that this moment had finally arrived. Taking into account the details of the arrangements… from the flowers, to the ring, to the romantic dinner, it was clear to her that he had given a good deal of thought to his formal proposal of marriage. It made her catch her breath with surprise, and as he bent down on one knee, he wasn’t finished with lavishing her with surprises.
On bended knee, he gallantly kissed her hand. Looking up at her, he said, “Will you marry me, Miss Catherine Edwina Lyndon? Will you become my Duchess? The flowers in the vase on the table beside us are filled with some of your favorites: white roses, lilies, lily of the valley. Over here, on the floor near the hearth, a potted foxglove and, over there, on the library shelf, long stem gladiolas. All of these, are your favorite flowers…” He paused. “I chose them because they are symbolic of you and your needs, and your desires. I shall spend the rest of my days lavishing my love and attention upon you. I promise to cherish you, love you, adore you, to continue to romance you. I will provide, honor, and protect you all the days of my life. I will lavish you with all of my earthly goods, serve our Creator jubilantly with you by my side, and forever endow thee with every possible expression of my love.”
Winnie nearly fainted into his arms at the eloquence of his speech. She had noticed the fresh flowers that had been grown in the beautiful conservatory, as she did every day; but seeing so many placed around them for their romantic dinner, and now, understanding the meaning behind each of the flowers he had chosen… Her hand flew to her mouth and she took in a deep breath, and exhaled.
“Yes, yes, Alexander Charles Kingston, Duke of Gladdington, I will marry you! I will become your Duchess… I will do my best to be a good, honorable, and loving wife to you, all of the days of my life.” Her words came out in a tone just above a whisper. She was afraid anything other than soft words might make the moment vanish or wake her from a dream.
When he had finished sealing their pledge to each other with a soft kiss that barely brushed her lips, he dried her tears with tender kisses on her cheeks and kissed her hands once more.
“Christmas Eve,” she said. “I would like to marry you on Christmas Eve, in the chapel, here at Hillbrook Hall, but with the storm, I do not think my family will be able to attend. I may want to have a wedding celebration later with them.”
“Of course, and I will do everything in my power to dispatch a message and invitation to visit us here at their soonest possible convenience—as soon as the snow storm comes to an end. Will your father give his consent or do you think he will contest the marriage?”
“I know of no reason why he would not consent, though it might upset the natural order of things among my sisters and cause all some initial degree of alarm at the speed of our attachment.”
“I’m afraid I have already scandalized the whole of Northampton with the way we danced, Wednesday last. I made my intentions very clear.”
“Another reason Father will most certainly grant his permission.”
The Duke continued to hold her in his arms.
“Alexander Charles…” she whispered.
“
Yes?”
“I would very much like to invite the shoemaker and his family,” she said.
“Whatever your heart desires, my Duchess,” he replied.
Commons.wikimedia.com, public domain
Micah 6:8, KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Chapter 12
Canterbury Tears
On Friday morning at breakfast, all were in low spirits as the blizzard continued to whip gusts of snow flurries over the plains, vales, and meadows surrounding Hillbrook Hall. To prevent the household from falling into a state of distress over whether or not the Annual Christmas Ball would take place, Maguire, Boggs, Crane, Grenley, and Kingston concocted an idea. They invited the ladies of the household to participate in a game of shuttlecocks in the Ball Room for a tournament of sorts after breakfast. The guests had restless energy to expend. The event would prove to be entertaining as well as memorable.
Once all were assembled, Kingston tossed a set of wooden paddles to the athletic looking Scottish Viscount among them. “Maguire… you shall be a team captain.”
Maguire caught the bundle of paddles and strode to the center of the floor, rising to the challenge in the manner of a peacock forth to victory. Cheers and bantering erupted from the young ladies and gents.
“Boggs, Crane, and Lord Grenley,” Kingston handed each sets of paddles. They formed a row beside Maguire in the middle of the ball room.
“’Tis not fair, my Lords!” Lady Elizabeth complained, hands on her hips.
“Why not?” Kingston, looking more amused than indignant, inquired teasingly.
“We want a few lady team captains!” Lady Elizabeth challenged as she stepped forward a few feet toward Kingston.
“Lady team captains?” Crane scoffed being the only unmarried gentleman among Kingston’s friends unafraid of the repercussions of his teasing. Crane, lanky and athletic, removed his morning jacket and tossed it aside. The look on his face said he was enjoying the challenge as he began rolling up his sleeves and bouncing around like a boxer warming up for a fight.
His competitive nature did not intimidate Miss Lyndon. “Yes, lady team captains!” Catherine stepped forward beside Lady Elizabeth in response to Crane’s taunt. Cheers from the ladies ensued as the gentlemen looked on, some amused, and some nearly offended.
“Lady team captains!” Lady Jane stepped forward, joining the line of opposition Catherine and Elizabeth had formed.
Kingston looked taken a bit off guard as Winnie and Lady Jane stepped forward to support Elizabeth’s demands. Winnie wore a broad grin and Kingston paced the length of their line, stopping to look Winnie squarely in the eye. He wore a hint of amusement on his face. Seeing he would not win the battle with the additional support Lady Elizabeth had gained, he stood just inches from Miss Lyndon and still looking her squarely in the eye acquiesced. “Aye, then, lady captains may be partners with the gentlemen captains for each team.”
The ladies cheered loudly. Those wearing heels kicked off their shoes, anxious to join a team as the echoes of their cheers bounced about the largely empty room.
“Surrender your paddles to the ladies, gentlemen. Lady Elizabeth, you shall captain the team with my good friend, Lord Maguire. Lady Jane, with my good friend, Baron Crane… Miss Lyndon, you shall captain with me.” He handed her the paddles for their team.
“We shall make a formidable foe, my Lord,” Miss Lyndon said coyly, curtseying as she accepted the paddles. Holding her head high, joined the line of captains. She was glad she’d worn her kid leather ankle boots. Kingston had no idea how many times she had played the game in the spacious West Chelmsford garden behind the country cottage with her sisters. She suspected he was in for a surprise.
“Lady Amiée-Jo, you shall captain with the Earl as Lady Anne-Marie has no inclination toward this game and merely lends her presence for our pleasure,” Kingston teased good-naturedly.
Amidst chuckles, Lady Anne-Marie accepted his teasing remark graciously, enjoying the banter after days of being cooped up in the house. “You are absolutely correct in your assessment Xander! I fear I shall have to ask Childers what she has done to your morning coffee after this!”
“Which Earl…?” Lady Amiée-Josephine inquired, hands on her hips, looking from Grenley to Boggs.
“Take your pick!” Kingston said throwing his arms out wide before the captains standing behind him.
“Boggs, and only because I know where you live if you permit our team to take anything less than first place!” Lady Amiée-Jo threatened teasingly with a wide grin as she joined Boggs.
“You had best not lose if you know what’s good for you, Boggs!” Maguire laughed.
“Don’t let her small size fool you gents. She’s very good at this game,” the Countess, Lady Boggs taunted, her arms crossed as she awaited her fate patiently. “We played in our Gallery Hall in Kent about a year ago. She beat us fair and square with the most points.”
“Aggie, you shall captain with Grenley.”
“It will give the two of them good experience for thinking as the married do!” Lady Burke whispered to Lady Anne-Marie. Lady Mary heard the sentiment and the three of them could barely stop giggling.
“How many shall each team have?” Maguire asked when the laughter died down.
“Seven,” Kingston said as Alton appeared coming in the room through the far door near the fireplace. He held open the door as nearly every servant in the household and most of the ladies’ maids appeared, including the housekeeper, Mrs. Glenwood; Polly Childers, the cook; Carl, the Stable Manager; and the Business Manager, the very stoic Mr. Andrews.
The household and guests were glad to see extra help arrive for the tournament. Kingston asked them to form a line with the ladies present. He gave each team a number. Then he went right down the line, assigning them to teams by counting one, two, three, four five, and starting over again at the next person. The number he gave each person determined which team one was dispatched to.
Hattie, the scullery maid; Lady Margaret; Miss Cordelia Higgens; Carl, the stable manager; and a ladies’ maid to one of the guests formed seven for Maguire and Elizabeth’s team. Grenley and Aggie had the footman, Nathaniel; Lady Mary; Lady Anne-Marie; Beatrice; and a groundskeeper. Boggs and Lady Amiée-Jo had team members Alton; Lady Julia; Lady Myriah; house maid, Bernice; and a groundskeeper. Crane and Lady Jane had the footman Jared; Lady Constance; Lady Burke; Laura, a parlor maid; and a ladies’ maid. Kingston and Winnie had Caleb, the third footman; Lady Frances; the Countess, Lady Boggs; and the Viscountess, Lady Stapleton; and a ladies’ maid. Each team was double counted for a total of seven.
“Mrs. Glenwood, if you will be our final judge,” Kingston said, to which the housekeeper nodded. “And Mrs. Childers and Mr. Andrews, if you would both be score keepers and referees.” They looked at each other and smiled. Seldom did life have pleasant surprises such as this.
The teams spread apart into each of the four corners, leaving Kingston and Winnie’s team in the center of the Ball Room. So that Mrs. Glenwood would not confuse the teams as judge, she and her referees assigned each team a color and distributed coordinating strips of colorful fabric to each team member. Team members tied these on their upper arms as arm bands to distinguish the teams from each other.
Each lady captain started the game by tossing the shuttle up into the air. As it came straight back down, they attempted to keep the shuttle in the air for as long as possible. Once that person missed, the next team member had a chance. If the shuttle fell to the ground, the team lost a point. For each successful hit, the team earned a point. It was decided that there would be no boundaries, but teams agreed to do their best to try to remain generally in their assigned locations. There weren’t any other rules so as to keep the game enjoyable. The team with the most points was declared the winner at the end of fifteen minutes. Mrs. Childers and Mr. Andrews wrote score
s down at the end of the fifteen minute rounds. If any teams tied, the teams which tied played against each other for a three minute round to determine their place. Every fifteen minutes, the teams took a five minute rest. Several extra ladies’ maids rolled tea carts into the Ball Room with glasses and pitchers filled with barley water, lemonade, and orangeat for refreshment. They also served saucers of almonds and raisins to players. The gentlemen were competitive, but they refrained from playing in an overbearing manner admirably, always yielding to the presence of a lady when in active play.
The player that seemed to enjoy the game most was Alton, earning himself the title of most valuable player by the end of the morning. Lady Amiée-Josephine and Miss Lyndon proved their worth. They each earned more points than everyone else in the Ball Room by more than fifty points. Lady Amiée-Jo and Boggs, with Alton on their team also performing so well, were in the lead just ahead of Winnie and Kingston by ten points. Maguire’s team was consistently vying Crane and Lady Jane’s team for third place. Lord Grenley and Aggie were in last place in most of the matches since they played a very silly game-- with the Earl to the surprise and delight of Lady Agnes, sometimes hiding the shuttle from the team. This was somewhat to the exasperation of Nathaniel, but he played along in a spirit of good sportsmanship, happy not to be polishing the silver. Mr. Andrews looked happier than Winnie had ever seen him as he scrawled down scores with the pencil he kept tucked behind his ear. It was good to see Alton laugh and enjoy the game and to interact with the maids and footmen.
“Shall we not say the losing team must entertain everyone else this evening with readings and music?” Maguire suggested before they were to play the last fifteen minute game.