Page 47 of Yours Truly, the Duke
“But none of them are the color of Mama’s favorite rose. I’ve thought about using one of the shades that’s close, but I can’t bring myself to use any of them.”
Fredericka’s chest constricted, and she derided herself for not having more patience with Elise. She didn’t know why she was sometimes so short with the children. Of all people, she shouldn’t be. Compassion flooded through her. She remembered what it was like being orphaned at a young age, dependent on someone other than your parents to take care of you. Fredericka also knew what it was like to miss the love of a mother and feel unwanted, abandoned. She didn’t want to ever make Elise feel that way. Fredericka had wished a thousand times she hadn’t suggested Angela go with her husband to London. What Fredericka thought might be a time to have a recommitment of the love they once had for each other had ended in the tragedy of their deaths.
Swallowing past a dry throat, she smiled at Elise and said, “I’ve heard it said that in London one can buy anything the world has to offer. Why don’t we find out tomorrow if that’s true? We’ll go looking for thread. In every shop in London, if we have to. Between them all, there should be thousands of colors to choose from. Hundreds at least. Anyway, we won’t stop looking until we find the color you think is perfect. And when we do, wewill buy every inch they have so you’ll never run out. How does that sound?”
Elise smiled. “Thank you, Auntie.” She reached over and hugged Fredericka and stepped back. “I would like that.”
“Good,” Fredericka answered, her heart swelling with tenderness. “It shouldn’t take us all day to find thread, so perhaps we can mosey over to the fabrics and have a look too.”
“I guess so,” Elise conceded shyly.
“I want to go,” Bella said from behind them.
“M-me too,” Charles whispered from his place on the sofa.
“Yes, of course, we’ll all go tomorrow.”
“A-and n-no lessons,” Charles added with a laugh, and a few jumps up and down.
“I don’t know about that, young man,” Fredericka added with a laugh. “I’m quite sure as early as you rise, Miss Litchfield can manage to get one or two lessons in before the shops open.”
The children settled back down. So did Fredericka with working on her poetry. The only sounds she heard were an occasional voice from one of the servants in other areas of the house.
Until she heard whistling and masculine footfalls coming down the stairs. The master of the house was finally up. And obviously in a lighthearted mood.
She strained to listen in order to ascertain in what direction he would go. Directly out the front door or elsewhere in the house? The sounds came nearer. She kept her gaze on the open doorway, her stomach tightening, ridiculous as it was, wondering if he would walk by. He did. Splendidly dressed in a short dark-blue double-breasted coat with tails, buff-colored trousers, and shiny kneeboots. Only a stride or two past the doorway, his footsteps halted. Her heart felt as if it skipped a beat. Seconds later, the duke appeared in the doorway, glanced around, and walked inside.
Without prompting, Fredericka, the children, and Miss Litchfield rose, giving the duke the respect his title deserved when entering a room.
He nodded to them all as he stood looking so handsome and debonair. Flashes of how she’d felt wanted last night when he’d held her so intimately flooded over her. She smiled at him with all the warmth she was suddenly feeling.
“Good morning, Uncle Your Grace,” Bella greeted with a beaming smile, rocking from her heels to her toes and back again as she continued to hold out her skirt to the side.
“It’s afternoon,” Charles corrected.
Bella jerked her hands to her waist, pivoted, and gave her brother an evil-eyed glare. “I know that.” Just as quickly she twisted back to the duke, popping the same bright-faced, little-girl grin on her lips and cheerfully saying, “Good afternoon, Uncle Your Grace.”
Wyatt smiled affectionately at her. “Good afternoon, Bella. And everyone.” He looked at Elise and Charles with the same caring expression before his gaze settled on Fredericka. He gave her a curious look and suddenly asked, “What on earth are the children doing in here?”
Fredericka sucked in a surprised breath. Her entire body seemed to go still. Every thought in her brain scattered like autumn leaves blowing around a desolate garden. “Oh, well,” she hurried to say, not sure if she was even breathing. “I didn’t know you preferred they not be in your drawing room. Where would you like for them to go instead?”
CHAPTER 13
LILACH—FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF LOVE
—MRS. WHITMAN
Oh, early love, too fair thou art,
For earth too beautiful and pure;
Fast fade thy day-dreams from the heart,
But all thy waking woes endure.
“Wait, wait,” Wyatt said, looking mystified. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s no schoolroom, so I thought to allow them in here for a change of scenery from their rooms, but never mind.” She started motioning with her hands for the children to go with Miss Litchfield, who was also signaling them to join her. “It’s not a problem that you’d rather they not be in here, Your Grace. We’ll go back abovestairs immediately.”
