Fredrick’s voice came from behind her. “Who are those flowers from?”
“Lord Kendal,” she replied.
“Both of them?”
Octavia turned to face her brother and explained, “One is for me, and the other one is for Mother.”
Fredrick nodded in approval. “That was nice of him to think of Mother.”
“It was,” she replied, knowing that was just one of the many things she admired about Harred. He was such a thoughtful man, which was a rarity amongst men.
“Would you like me to take the flowers up to Mother?” Fredrick asked.
“That would be lovely. I just left Mother and she was resting,” Octavia revealed. “I do believe she would enjoy waking up to some fresh flowers in her room.”
Fredrick picked up the vase and said, “I thought we could go riding after breakfast.”
“I would greatly enjoy that,” Octavia replied. “Mrs. Harper has been spending more time in her room as of late and I find myself to be utterly bored.”
“You are always bored,” Fredrick teased. “But I would have thought you would have enjoyed Mrs. Harper not bothering you to constantly work on your needlework.”
“You make a good point. I shouldn’t complain or else I fear Mrs. Harper will sense I need to practice my needlework more.”
Fredrick looked fairly amused by her explanation. “How would Mrs. Harper sense that?”
“I think she has old lady senses, just as I have spy senses.”
“You do not have ‘spy senses,’” Fredrick stated.
Octavia smirked. “Don’t I?” she asked.
“No, you don’t.”
“Or perhaps you are just intimidated by my abilities and are trying to discourage me from using them,” Octavia joked.
Fredrick chuckled. “Sometimes I fear that you live in your own fictitious world and you hear only what you want to hear.”
“It is the best world to be in,” Octavia countered.
“I pity the man that you marry,” Fredrick said with a shake of his head. “Whoever it is will have his work cut out for him.”
Their conversation was interrupted by someone knocking on the main door. The butler went to answer the door and held it open wide, revealing Ruth.
“Ruth!” Octavia greeted. “What a pleasant surprise.”
Ruth looked uncertain as she stepped into the entry hall with a basket in her hands. “I hope I didn’t come too early. I don’t wish to intrude, but I wanted to drop off some of my Shrewsbury cakes. I discovered what I did wrong to make them so dry last time and I corrected my error.”
Octavia stepped forward and accepted the basket. “Thank you.” She reached inside of the basket and removed one of the cakes. After she took a bite, she gushed, “These are delicious.”
“May I have one?” Fredrick asked.
Octavia extended him the basket and it was only a moment later when he said, “I concur. These are quite scrumptious.”
“Thank you.” Ruth looked pleased with herself as she turned back towards the door. “If you will excuse me, I should be going now.”
Octavia wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to her friend, especially since she had come this far to give them a basket full of treats. “You should stay and join us for breakfast,” she suggested.
“Are you sure it isn’t too much of an imposition?” Ruth asked hesitantly as she glanced at Fredrick as if she were gauging his reaction.
