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Chapter 7
The next morning, Louisa was awoken by a knock on her door. She took a few moments to get her bearings, and then said in a raspy voice, “Come in!”
When the door swung open, she was very surprised to see her father enter the room. “Papa!” she said happily, sitting up more in bed. “What are you doing here so early?”
“Good morning, my sweet,” he said gently, taking a few steps into the room and taking off his travelling cap. “I’m sorry to rouse you so early, and I only want to bring you home if you are feeling up for it, but I thought that it might be best if we didn’t ... overstay our welcome here.”
Louisa rubbed her eyes and pushed some of the hair that had got tousled in front of her face behind her ears. “That is an excellent plan,” she said with a yawn poised in the back of her throat. “My headache has vanished after a good night’s sleep, and I can be ready to depart in about three minutes.”
A warm, gentle smile graced Archie’s face, and he patted his cap twice with one of his hands. “That’s my girl, thank you. I was worried you would be unwell or might think that I was implying that you were being rude by recovering here – that is not it at all. I ... well, you know me, I just like to ensure that we stay on everyone’s good sides,” he said quietly, taking a pensive moment to look out the window.
Evelyn’s sudden disappearance with Nathan had been the hardest on her father, Louisa believed. He’d faced ridicule, not only in the community but also at work. So much so, in fact, that her scandalous decision very nearly cost him his job. It was only through his exceptional hard work and dedication to the bank that he was allowed to stay there. Louisa remembered him saying that if he hadn’t thrown himself into his job, then they would be penniless by now.
“Of course not, Papa,” Louisa replied, gingerly getting out of bed and putting on her over clothes. Her father turned around to give her some privacy, but truly it did not matter, for Louisa had been wearing so many layers beneath her dress that one could barely tell there was even a person under all those clothes. “You and I are of the same mind. I considered leaving many times last night so as to not trouble the Quinces any further, but my rotten head just would not allow me to.”
“Might I take a look at it?” Archie asked his daughter, and Louisa nodded. She presented the back of her head where she had hit the rock to her father and could feel his fingertips gently grazing the far edges of the egg-sized bump she now had there.
“My goodness, Lulu,” Archie said in a horrified whisper, “I am certainly glad that you did not feel any further ill-effects from this. Had this happened to anyone with a weaker disposition, such as me, for example, they would have been out for a week!”
Louisa laughed out loud at her father’s comment. “It really was not all that bad,” Louisa fibbed. “If it hadn’t been for my unconscious spell, I would have just picked myself right up and walked home!”
“Unconscious spell?!” Archie cried, appalled. “Mr Quince didn’t mention that ... but you know, come to think of it, I am rather glad that I was not made aware of that until now, for I would have worried about you all night.”
Now that Louisa was all dressed and had pulled her hair into an acceptable style for riding home, the father and daughter and Lloyd, of course, made for the door of the bedroom, but it swung open just as Archie reached for the handle.
Agnes was standing on the other side of the door, and when she was met with Louisa and Archie, she jolted. “Goodness!” she cried, clutching her chest.
“I do apologize, Your Grace,” Archie said, taking a few steps back and encouraging Louisa to do the same. “We never meant to startle you, but I’m sorry we did all the same.”
Agnes knitted her brows together and gave Archie a once-over before eventually giving him a polite smile. “Thank you, Mr Pelham. How pleasant it is to see you again, but we were not expecting to see you here so early this morning. I was just coming to see if Miss Louisa was feeling well enough to sit with us at breakfast, but now that you are here with her ... would you both care to join us?”
Louisa was practically bowled over by Agnes’ kindness. Not only had she been coming to collect Louisa for breakfast herself instead of having one of her servants do it, but she was also extending the invitation to her father. This gave her such hope for the potential relationship that she imagined she and Agnes having if she were ever to, by some miracle, end up together with her son.
Louisa looked to her father and saw that his expression mirrored hers. But then, of course, because he was too polite for his own good, Archie said, “That is far too kind of you, Your Grace, but we do not wish to impose upon you any further. You have already housed, fed, and rescued my daughter from her fall yesterday, and so we shall just go on our way.”
Unfortunately, judging by the offended look on Agnes’ face, she was not looking for this kind of polite response. Louisa had a feeling that when the dowager duchess offered you something, she expected you to accept it. Louisa realized that her father had entirely misread the situation, and now it was her job to rescue it.
“I am sorry, Father,” Louisa said respectfully, “but I’m afraid that I will have to accept Duchess Grenfell’s kind offer, for I do not feel entirely well enough to make the journey home without some food in my stomach.” And then, for good measure, Louisa turned to Agnes and said, “We would love to stay for breakfast; thank you ever so kindly for your offer, Your Grace.”
The patch-up job that Louisa had done seemed to have worked, for now, Agnes looked utterly delighted. “That is most unfortunate that you are still feeling the after-effects of your fall, Miss Louisa,” Agnes said, clasping her hands together in front of her, “but I know that we will all be very pleased to have you for breakfast. Follow me.”
Agnes strode out of the room, and as soon as she was gone, Archie gave his daughter a disparaging look. “Louisa,” he said sharply, “why on earth did you accept her invitation? That was very improper, and I do not know if the Quince family will forgive us for such an imposition.”
“Papa,” Louisa responded with equal sharpness, “you did not see the look of offence upon the duchess’ face when you turned her down. Shewantedus to stay because she offered. I certainly would not have accepted otherwise, and you know that!”
Archie opened his mouth to respond to his daughter, but Louisa strode past him. She had patience and understanding for her father’s plight, but it only extended so far. She needed him to trust her to do the right thing, which she most certainly was doing right now.
Louisa soon heard her father’s footsteps scrambling to catch up with her, and when they rounded the corner towards the dining room, Louisa’s stomach did a flip-flop when she saw that Isaac was already sitting at the table. The dowager duchess sauntered into the room, and when Isaac heard her, he looked up, and his eyes immediately went to Louisa.
His face positively lit up at the sight of her, and it only encouraged Louisa to feel that she and he might have a chance of being happy together. But she knew that she had to keep her expectations low, not daring to get her hopes up only to have them very quickly dashed because of her life’s circumstances.
“Good morning, Mother, Miss Louisa, and ...” Isaac trailed off for a moment until Louisa saw the ignition of recognition in his eyes, and he said, “Mr Pelham. What an unexpected pleasure!”
“Good morning, Mr Quince,” Archie greeted him, giving him a small bow and even finishing with a small flourish of his travelling cap. Louis had to stifle her laughter at her father’s formality, but it was also quite endearing. “I came to collect Louisa, and your mother was very generous to invite me to stay for breakfast.”
“How kind of you, Mother,” came a voice from the other side of the table, and Louisa looked to see that it was the young Duke of Grenfell. Her eyes flew to her father, who she knew would be surprised by the sight of him. Instantly, Archie’s eyes widened, and Gregory certainly noticed. “Good morning to you, Mr Pelham. I’m Gregory, Isaac’s brother, and I don’t believe …”
“It is an honour to meet you, Your Grace,” Archie said, bowing once more. Louisa worried that if he kept doing that, his knee would pop out of its socket, as it tended to do when he used it too much. “I knew your father in passing, and might I say that you have been doing a simply marvellous job of leading by the example that he set.”
