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Chapter 15
The next morning, Lydia found herself rushed off her feet by all the household tasks that needed doing. She was ashamed that she had let them slide for so long and felt even guiltier when she saw how much it impacted her mother.
“I had planned on baking a pie tonight,” Penelope Seymour mentioned to her daughter around lunchtime, “but oh, we don’t have enough butter made for the crust. That is a shame, but oh well.”
Lydia felt the guilt gnawing at her stomach like a wild dog eating an animal’s carcass. Penelope never complained about anything, which made it all the more difficult when Lydia found herself having done something wrong. Then, she not only felt bad about having made a mistake, she also felt horrible that her mother felt she had to put on a happy face about it and move along as though nothing had happened.
“I am so sorry, Mama,” she said tenderly, touching her mother on the shoulder. “I shall ensure that you have enough butter for your recipe! I will return in a few minutes.”
Lydia began walking quickly out of the kitchen until she heard her mother call behind her, “Where are you going, Lyddie? I’m sure we could figure something out instead!”
Lydia turned back to her mother and gave her a knowing look. “Mama,” she said, “you have had to make so many exceptions for father every time he is called away on a sudden emergency or has to stay late because of a sick child. I think the least I can do for you is ensure that we have enough butter so that you can make the pie that you’d planned for dinner.”
Penelope sighed and threw up her hands in defeat. “Thank you, dearest,” she said rather appreciatively and then disappeared upstairs to go and tend to something.
Lydia grabbed her cloak and opened the front door when she came face to face with, “Edmund!” she cried in surprise. When she realized her error in what she had called him, she said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to call you that, I meant …”
“No, no, please!” Edmund reassured her. “Feel free to refer to me as Edmund, that would make me rather happy, actually.” He smiled at her, and for the first time, Lydia realized what lovely teeth he had. She was momentarily distracted by how white and nice-looking they were until she remembered herself.
“I do not mean to sound rude,” Lydia continued, “but what are you doing here? Did you send word for me and I never received it?”
“Oh no,” Edmund said enthusiastically, “I ... I just came here on a whim and wanted to see if you would consider joining me on a walk through the enchanting woods that you have surrounding your home. With your chaperone too, of course.”
Lydia opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking for the right words to say. She wasn’t sure that she actually wanted to go for a walk with Edmund, as she did not want to lead him on in any way. However, there was still a small voice in the back of her mind reminding her that Percy had not asked to court her yet, and so she should not shut down all her options. Remembering this, she finally responded, “That would be lovely. I shall go and fetch Mabel.”
Lydia ran back inside and called to Mabel, who had been assisting her mother with the washing. When Lydia explained to her what was going on, she looked very pleased. “I am very happy to see you giving that fine young man a chance,” she said warmly. “He is a duke, after all,” she added. While Mabel probably meant that to be an encouraging sentiment, it only served to make Lydia more anxious.
And so, the three of them set out towards the woods. Edmund seemed as nervous as Lydia was as he couldn’t stop playing with his hands. Lydia had never met a duke who got nervous around young women, and so seeing Edmund this way endeared him to her further. “So,” Edmund said, trying to start up a conversation, “how is your family? I hope they have been keeping well.”
Ugh,Lydia thought to herself.Is this really what our conversation is going to consist of? I thought that if we were to go out on our ‘own’ like this, it might allow us to finally have some actual conversation together. If he is going to make small talk the whole time, then I am going to cut this short and go back home.
Even though she thought this, Lydia still went ahead and answered Edmund’s question politely. “They have been quite well, thank you,” she responded. They were now reaching one of Lydia’s favourite parts of the woods. It was a clearing that had grass that was so light and delicate, it felt like walking through a field of feathers. The knowledge that they were just about to walk through this part of the wilderness buoyed Lydia’s spirits. “My father has been quite busy as there have been quite a few cases of the common cold about town, and you know how dramatic society people can be about even the slightest illness.”
Lydia laughed at her own comment but was surprised when Edmund didn’t. She looked at him, and he had his brow knitted together in a way that told her he didn’t understand what she had said. “I just meant,” she clarified, “that there are certain members of our community who tend to over-exaggerate symptoms to get more attention.”
Edmund still looked utterly confused. “Why would someone do that?” he asked, flummoxed by the idea. “Don’t they know what a waste of time that is for your father?”
Lydia sighed to herself and decided to drop the subject. She had just commented as a joke and did not feel like pursuing that topic further. “Yes, it is. How is your family? I understand that you have two younger brothers?”
Now, Edmund chuckled. “I certainly do,” he said proudly. “They’re growing up to be fine young men, but unfortunately without my father’s presence to guide them, they are always getting up to some mischief or another.”
“I can certainly understand that,” Lydia said knowingly. “Is that hard on you?”
“It is,” Edmund replied, sounding very serious. “My brothers’ behaviour is very trying on me, as I have to be an example for the family. And if I am upset when I arrive at a social function, that is all society gossips about for the following weeks.”
Lydia opened her mouth and then closed it again. She was about to comment that she hadn’t heard any such gossip but decided not to say that. It was obvious that Edmund thought that society cared a great deal more for the slightest turns in his emotional state than they really did, and so she thought it better to leave him in his blissful ignorance.
“Speaking of gossip,” Edmund said unexpectedly, “I have heard murmurs about town regarding you and the Duke of Wexley. People say that they have seen the two of you spending a long time together at gatherings and even occasionally going off together. Is there any truth to these rumours?”
Lydia felt her throat close up in panic. She could also feel Mabel’s eyes boring into her from behind. She kept walking at the same pace but felt very much like running away from everything right then. “The Duke of Wexley, you say?” she tried to comment naturally. “Yes, I have been seeing him at balls and parties from time to time, but that is just because he and I run in similar circles. My best friend Marianne is well-acquainted with Perc – I mean the Duke of Wexley’s best friend, Lewis Crawford. He and I just sort of ... end up in the same places.”
Lydia’s mind suddenly flashed to the passion that she and Percy had shared in the other night in the library and could feel a pleasurable twinge inside her. But she couldn’t concentrate on it for long, as she knew that she could quickly be drawn into fantasizing about Percy for their whole walk.
Instead, she looked over to Edmund, who looked like he believed her about as much as he believed that pigs could fly. However, he still said, “Ah. I see. Well then, it seems that the rumour mill of society has blown things out of proportion once again!”
Lydia turned her full attention to him. “How exactly have they blown what they’ve seen out of proportion if you don’t mind me asking? What have they said about the Duke of Wexley and me?”
Edmund suddenly looked very uncomfortable and glanced back towards Mabel. “I am not sure that I can say any of this in such polite company,” he said awkwardly.
