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Their father smiled and offered them both an arm.
“Might I be permitted to escort both my daughters to the stables?” he asked, and both sisters laughed.
“Come along, it’s too nice a day to remain inside,” Eloise said, and together they made their way out into the sunshine, glad of one another’s company, the three reunited at last.
CHAPTER36
“Goodness! isn’t it bumpy,” Eloise yelped, as she clutched at her bonnet.
The carriage they were riding in had jolted over a particularly nasty rut in the lane leading through Draycott, and the occupants of the carriage – Eloise, Alice, Jackson, Delphine and Viscount Snowden – were all thrown to one side.
“That’s all part of the fun, isn’t it?” Jackson said, grinning at her.
They had left London earlier that day and had nearly arrived at the farm belonging to Alice and her husband, James. Eloise was excited at the prospect of seeing where her sister lived, and of meeting her brother-in-law, nephew, and niece.
“What a charming district,” she exclaimed, looking out the window as the carriage drove up a long lane lined with poplar trees.
“You can see the farm buildings from here, across the field,” Alice said, pointing out the window.
Several whitewashed buildings had appeared on the horizon, standing out against the blue, autumnal sky behind. The trees were turning now, their leaves becoming every shade of red and yellow. Eloise could not have felt happier in the company of the others, even her father, who had done all he could in the past days to make amends. They had heard nothing from Lord Crawford, save a curt dismissal of the betrothal, and the indication he wanted nothing more to do with a family so mired in scandal. But the family itself cared nothing for it, and both sisters could not have been happier.
“It’s beautiful, Alice. I can understand what drew you here,” Eloise breathed, as they turned off the lane and along a track that led up to the farm buildings.
Two children were waiting in the farm yard, a girl and a boy – Annabelle and Samuel – and Eloise’s niece was holding a large posy of flowers picked from the meadows that surrounded the farm.
“Oh, my darlings, how I’ve missed you,” Alice exclaimed, as she climbed out of the carriage and hurried to greet her children.
Eloise and the others followed. A man appeared from the farmhouse door, a handsome man with a farmer’s build who embraced Alice and kissed her.
“The children have been waiting for you out here all morning. Annabelle insisted on picking the flowers.” He laughed, as the two children danced around Alice excitedly.
“Children, I want you to meet your aunt, Eloise,” Alice said, and the two children looked up at Eloise and smiled.
“Aren’t you both a delight? And what a wonderful place you live in,” Eloise gushed as the others exchanged greetings.
Alice introduced the children to their grandfather, and Eloise smiled at the sight of her father being taken solemnly by the hand to view the animals.
“We have our own pony,” Annabelle said with great pride.
“Do you? And do you ride him yourself?” the Viscount asked.
“Oh, yes, we both do. He takes us up the hill over there.” Annabelle pointed to a small hill with a solitary oak tree at the top, around half a mile across the fields.
“Well, I’d like to see your hill for myself,” the Viscount declared, and his grandchildren took him by the hand and led him towards the stables, both talking over one another about the pigs, chickens and cows that populated the farm.
“A remarkable change,” Alice said, and Eloise smiled.
“Perhaps not so remarkable. He just needed reminding of what really matters,” she murmured.
Alice invited them inside, and James laid out refreshments on the large kitchen table in the parlor. There was bread, cheese, slices of ham and beef, pickles, preserves, butter and a large fruitcake cut into thick slices. They drank cider, made with apples from the farm, and there was much merriment and laughter. James was a delight, and it was clear to Eloise just how in love he and her sister were.
“I think I might take a walk. It’s a beautiful afternoon, and it seems a shame to waste the last of it sitting inside,” Jackson said after everyone had eaten and drank their fill.
He glanced at Eloise, who smiled.
“I’d like to come, too.” She rose from the table.
“There’s a lovely walk you can take along a path where the trees arch over and form a tunnel. It’ll be delightful at this time of year when the leaves are turning. Cross the farmyard, go through the gate by the barn, follow the path through the field, and you’ll come to the trees. The path loops around for a mile or so and returns to the lane we came up earlier,” Alice explained.
