This entire visit had comprised of her agreeing with him and they had little to converse about. In these last moments she had seemed a little more like the Gemma he had become fond of.
Lothar reluctantly left. He had walked into an unexpected pitfall when he had come there earlier and met with a completely different woman. Still, he found it difficult to leave her side.
The moment he left he was escorted outside, and his carriage was summoned. He thanked the Castwell's footman and opened the door to his carriage. He arrived home and wanted to change his attire to something he did not mind getting soiled.
He had been putting off the work he still needed to finish in his fields before winter. They did have workers, but Lothar felt awkward watching others work. He had been raised in a household where a man was dirty from work and can calloused hands. Every man’s hand he had shook since he had inherited his estate had been soft as a woman’s.
Lothar headed towards the fields to find two workers cutting grass and the four more turning the cut grass. Lothar went in search of farming tools and found a rusty scythe with a wooden handle that looked to give splinters as pieces of sharp wood frayed away from overuse.
He joined the workers in cutting the grass in the fields that would dry and make hay. After they had cut the grass then they would turn it a few times a day in order to dry it.
Then the hay would be made into bails and taken by hand or cart to the small storage barn. From there it could be sold or used for animal bedding for the winter. It was also mixed intofeed and used in creative ways such as stuffing beds and pillows as well as making dolls for children by those who bought it in the village market.
Lothar liked to work out in the open air. It gave him his best ideas and cleared his head. He had no idea how anyone could stay indoors all day. Lothar felt inside his pocket for his watch. He had been busy in the fields for two hours and felt hungrier now knowing it was nearly six o’clock and dinner time.
Lothar received a message after dinner that he had been asked by Henny to join him tomorrow as she was going into town. He had at first not wanted to, then he had thought of how Gemma had acted earlier today.
Perhaps Henny has realized I am a better option for marriage?Lothar thought, though he despised the fact that he still had feelings for her
Well I am going to have to wait and see instead of hoping or guessing.
***
The next morning was unusually warm for this time of year. The winter had started to creep in earlier and it Lothar sensed that it may be a sign that something wonderful would happen that day. He had visited with Henny for years, yet today he could not help feeling guilt.
It raked up his spine from the moment he arrived in town. It was natural to find yourself in the company of more than one woman before marriage was proposed. It was, however, alien to Lothar.
The irony is that I should feel this way about seeing Gemma and not about seeing Henny.Lothar thought as he started to worry his loneliness was beginning to drive him to madness. He gave his trusty packet watch another glance to confirm it was time to leave.
He looked to the puppy who now slept in his room and went down slowly to pet him. Lothar had washed the gray dog, to discover it was a dark brown dog. He had become so fond of his new pet that he was more unsure each passing hour, that he would be capable of parting with it.
When the footman had delivered the message yesterday evening, Lothar had arranged a time for he and Henny to meet.
“Your Grace, The Baroness Whitcombe requests the pleasure of Your Grace’s company tomorrow in town,” the footman had said.
“Did she give a time?” Lothar had asked.
“No, Your Grace,” the footman had answered.
“Please then inform her that I shall be in town near eight in the morning,” Lothar had instructed.
“At once, Your Grace,” the footman had said and had immediately left to follow Lothar’s instructions.
It was now half past six. If he left then, he would make it with enough time to locate Henny. She had relayed a message back that she was delighted to have him with her but had not arranged where to meet. He had an inkling where he would find her. She adored fabric. If she so much as heard there were new fabrics that had come in, she would be there the very next day. The only thing she adored more was sweets.
Lothar arrived in town at almost exactly eight o’clock. He first went in search of Henny at the sweet shop and then found her at the haberdashery.
He entered the large shop to find her busy comparing a swatch of material in her hand to one on the rolls against the wall.
“Yes, I think this one will do and please do not forget the lace, I shall need at least six meters of that, please,” Henny said to the shop assistant and then turned on her way to the other fabrics when she saw Lothar.
“There you are Lothar,” Henny said and came forward to give Lothar a small embrace.
“I thought that I might find you here,” Lothar said with a smile.
“You know me all too well,” Henny said. Her demeanor was more attentive than she usually was.
Perhaps this will be a new start?Lothar thought as he took in her appearance.She looks lovely. Then again, she always does, he thought.
