Creswell stepped out onto the terrace. “Viscount Turley has arrived. He will be down shortly.”
“Thank you, Creswell.” Frits heaved a sigh of relief. “I wasn’t sure he was going to make it.”
Adeline was relieved as well. Turley was standing up with Frits. She had asked Georgie to attend her.
When Turley joined them, he explained that he’d stopped at an inn and eaten. “Littleton dines at such an ungodly early hour, I knew I’d miss dinner.”
Frits raised his quizzing glass and aimed it at his friend. “However, knowing you were going to be late arriving, we dined at seven this evening.”
A stricken look appeared on his face. “I am sorry. I should have asked.”
From inside the house, the clock struck ten. Mama rose. “I’m for my bed. Adeline, you should come as well. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”
All the other ladies agreed it was time to seek their couches as well.
“Gentlemen, do not be late,” Lady Littleton admonished as she went into the house.
Adeline and her friends reconvened in the parlor, where they found two open bottles of wine and four glasses. She poured one for each of them.
“Where will the wedding be held?” Georgie asked as she helped pass the glasses around.
“Here in the chapel. It is not used much any longer, but it is easier for the tenants to get here than to the town. After the ceremony, there will be a wedding breakfast set out on the lawn. It is tradition that the lord and lady join in as well.” She sipped her wine. “I had wanted to start meeting the tenants before the wedding, but there was not enough time.”
“They will love you.” Georgie grinned.
Dorie and Henrietta agreed.
Adeline yawned. “I do not know why I am tired. We stayed up much later in Town. It must be the country air.” She rose. “I shall see you in the morning.”
* * *
Adeline woke early but pretended to sleep as her maid laid out the gown in which she would be married. When she had shown the modiste the tulle fabric with seed pearls Augusta had sent from Paris when she visited there before traveling on, the woman came up with a design to use the fine netting over a Pomona-green silk gown. The effect was as lovely as Adeline had hoped it would be. Knowing she would be outside for much of the day, she had eschewed slippers and had leather half boots dyed the same color as her gown.
“My lady, are you ready to rise?” There was no fooling Fendall. “Your bathwater will be here soon.”
“I am.” She left the bedroom again. When she came back, Adeline was out of bed. “Why are you running back and forth?”
“We moved everything yesterday, and one of the younger maids did not hear the instructions that the items in the clothespress was to remain in this dressing room. Everything I need is here now.”
“What do my new apartments look like?” It occurred to her that every time she asked about them, the person she asked changed the conversation.
A knock came on the door and her maid opened it. Two footmen rolled in a bathtub, and others carried buckets.
Fendall picked up the towels from where they were warming on a screen placed in front of the fireplace. “I am told the place where they can obtain the hot water is closer to your new chamber.”
Adeline was going to ask about her new rooms again, but decided it was no use. She would see them later.
She was still in her wrapper when Georgie, Henrietta, and Dorie entered the room.
“We have things for you.” Dorie held out something wrapped in paper. “It is blue.”
Adeline opened the package to find a pair of beautifully embroidered blue garters. “These are lovely. Where did you find them?”
“I had them made.” Her friend beamed. “My sister-in-law showed me a pair she had.”
“This is something borrowed,” Henrietta said as she handed Adeline the two gold hair combs Dorie had worn when she married.
Georgie gave Adeline a reticule that matched her gown. “I knew you had not remembered to have one made.”
