“What time is dinner?” she asked.
“Today, it’s at seven. Usually it is at six. You may change the time to suit yourself.”
“Not tonight I can’t,” she grumbled, and Frits had a hard time holding in his laughter.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Early the next morning, Adeline accompanied Frits to meet Gertrude. He had told Adeline that the heifer was five years old, but she acted more like a much younger cow. That must be because she had not been bred. The head cow looked at poor Gertrude aghast as she frolicked with the calves. “When will Mr. Fitzwalter come for her?”
“We’ll have to take her over. If we don’t, she might not get there. She’s very canny. But to answer your question, I am not sure. He is still in Town, hoping to wed Miss Tice.”
“If Miss Tice and Miss Martindale do what their sisters did, they will have a double wedding.” Meaning twice as many mothers involved in the decisions. Then again, their mothers had been through this before.
He shrugged. “I suppose I will hear from him when everything is settled.”
By midmorning, her father had arrived with Will, Eugénie, and the baby. Papa grumbled that Will had refused to allow him to stop by Whitehall on the way out of London.
That afternoon, Henrietta and Georgie arrived with all the news of the past day. Adeline discovered that the rooms she was in were all connected to those of her friends, and they had been given a parlor as well. Yet the day was so nice, they gathered on the terrace for tea, and Frits joined them.
After exclaiming over the gardens and the house, they settled down for a comfortable coze. “The most important thing that happened,” Georgie said, “is that Lord Turner and Mr. Fitzwalter refused to wait until the end of July to marry.”
“That is, when St George’s has a time available,” Henrietta interpolated.
Georgie nodded. “Then Lord Fitzwalter became involved and demanded that the wedding be held at his estate.”
“That sounds like him,” Frits mumbled. “Did he actually go to Town, or did he write a letter?”
“He wrote a letter.” Henrietta frowned, showing them what she thought of such cowardice.
“Well, naturally, the world was coming to an end,” Georgie continued. “Mrs. Tice and Mrs. Martindale told everyone their girls were inconsolable. And I believe her. When I saw the ladies, they both had puffy eyes, as if they had been weeping.”
“But Mr. Fitzwalter saved the plans.” Henrietta picked up the story. “Apparently, there is a village that belongs partly to the Turners and partly to the Fitzwalters.”
“There is a market town.” Frits nodded thoughtfully. “Years ago, there was a boundary dispute and a line was drawn down the middle of the village. The church is on both sides of the properties, which has worked out to the church’s benefit over the years. The situation has benefited the town as well, due to the ongoing competition between the families to ensure that their side of the town is the most prosperous.”
“The weddings will be held there,” Georgie said. “Lady Turner, Lord Turner’s mother, will host the ladies before the wedding, which will take place in three weeks.”
“Is it one wedding or two, if they are marrying at the same time?” Frits mused.
“You have as much of an answer as I do,” Adeline said and her friends shrugged and shook their heads. “What is important is that the problem was solved.”
A few hours later, Exeter and Dorie arrived, and Adeline had never seen her friend happier.
“Oh, Adeline.” Her friend reached the top of the steps and hugged her. “I am so glad we could be here. Married life is wonderful!” She turned to Frits, and Adeline held her breath. “Lord Littleton. I wish you happy. You and Adeline are perfect for each other.”
“Thank you.” He bowed. “I see you have found your perfect mate as well.”
“Yes.” Dorie gazed lovingly at Exeter. “I have.”
That evening, after dinner, the gentlemen brought their brandy and port and joined the ladies on the terrace.
Frits’s mother strolled out holding a paper. “I have heard from Lady Normanby. Anglesey left for the Continent. He is required to write their solicitor at least once a quarter to prove he is still alive. Other than that, they do not expect to see him again.”
“I thought he was going to try to behave as he should?” Mama asked.
Sitting next to Adeline, Frits took her hand and squeezed it gently.
Lady Littleton shrugged. “She does not explain other than to say that Lady Holloway went with him.”
