“Oh, let’s do take him to see the stables,” Winsome said.
“Come, Miles,” Verity said.
“I’m coming too,” Valor said. “If he gets scared, I can tell him of all the times I’ve been scared. It’s less scary to know that other people are scared.”
With that, the circus of young people left the drawing room to hinder the grooms in whatever work they were trying to get done.
Charlie brought in a tea tray. Serenity poured, as Felicity and Grace were guests now. “I did not know you had a nurse that followed you everywhere, Felicity. I supposed you had one at home, but does she come with you whenever you go out?”
Felicity laughed. “There are three of them, in fact. At first, I resisted such a setup. After all, how much trouble could one little baby be? Stratton was so insistent though, and I have come to the conclusion that he was right. With each passing day, she becomes a little bit more of an adorable trouble.”
“Wait until she’s up on her feet,” Grace said. “Take the time now to remove everything you value and store it in the attics. Miles gets away from his nurse more than you might imagine, and instantly races to whatever is the most breakable in his reach.”
Serenity laughed, as she’d seen young Miles at his worst the year before. If there were a thing to be broken, he would find it and break it. And then cry because he broke it.
“Enough about us two married ladies,” Felicity said. “You’ve been to Almack’s and flowers have arrived, and what else is here?”
“The flowers are from Lord Thorpe,” Serenity said. “He lives two doors down and I saw him in the window the night it was snowing. Also, he’s sent this collar for Nelson, which is really very thoughtful.”
Just then, Nelson came bounding in with his usual three-legged lope. He came to a halt and looked round, wagging his tail. Then he turned round and ran out again.
“He will have been sleeping on my bed and has heard the sounds of children in the house,” Serenity said.
“This is from Lord Thorpe,” Felicity said, admiring the collar. “The marquess?”
“The reserved marquess?” Grace asked.
“Goodness, everybody keeps saying he’s reserved and, well, I suppose he might be. I do not really know. He is to come to dinner on the morrow with his brother, Lord Charles. Do come too.”
“I would not miss it for the world,” Grace said. “Dashlend will come along too, I am sure.”
“And I will accept for Stratton. I imagine they both are acquainted with Lord Thorpe. If only Patience were in Town, but she and Lord Stanford have been delayed in Brighton. They oversee the renovation of his house there and it has gone on longer than they imagined. She does say she will be on her way as soon as she can.”
Of course, Serenity did feel the absence of a sister. Though, she could not keep her mind on it for long. It kept drifting back to Lord Thorpe.
“He is really something to look at,” Serenity said. “He said he planned to take his dog out walking in the square one day soon. I have looked out the windows sometimes, but I haven’t seen him.”
Felicity and Grace looked at one another. Both of them laughed. “No, you will probably not see him. At least, not until you have gone out to the square yourself,” Felicity said.
“You see?” Grace said, “It was said to excuse the moment when he very coincidentally encounters you walking your own dog.”
Serenity felt rather stupid to have failed to comprehend it, if it were true.
“What do we wait for?” Felicity said. “The children, and Nelson of course, require taking the air.”
“Nelson can wear his lovely new collar,” Grace said.
As they rose, Felicity said, “By the by, Winsome wrote me that our aunt has installed another butler, but we have not seen hide nor hair of him.”
Serenity nodded. “Mr. Cremble. He seems to be spending most of his time closeted in his room with a bible. He thinks Mrs. Right is in league with the devil.”
Both of her sisters nodded, as they were both well-used to the dear housekeeper’s interesting gambits with any incoming butler.
