Chapter Eighteen
It was late when theircarriage turned into Grosvenor Square and pulled up outside Marcus’s house.To their surprise the house was still bright with light.“My aunt is still awake.Maybe she has guests,” Marcus observed.
A groom hurried to let down the steps and Marcus alighted first then helped Tessa down.She took a deep breath, then turned and said to Clothilde, who was staring open-mouthed at the grand house.“Pass Flora to me, please, Clothilde.”
Begin as you mean to go on.
With Flora in her arms and Marcus by her side, she began to climb the steps.The door opened before they reached it and Peverill, Marcus’s butler, came to meet them.“Welcome home, m’lord.We weren’t expecting you home so soon.I hope you’ll forgive—”
“Marcus?Is that you?”Lady Gosforth appeared in the entry hall.“What on earth are you doing home so early?We didn’t expect you for at least another month.What happened?”
“Change of plans.Good evening, Aunt Maude.”
She presented her cheek for him to kiss, glanced past him and saw Tessa with Flora in her arms.And froze.
After a moment she produced her lorgnette and raked Tessa and the child up and down with it.“And who is this?”
“My wife, Tessa,” Marcus said mildly.“Surely you haven’t forgotten her.”
“I meant the child, as you very well know,” his aunt snapped.
Tessa lifted her chin and met the old lady’s stare boldly.“This is my niece, Flora.”Her tone dared Lady Gosforth to make something of it.
Lady Gosforth stared at Flora.Flora stared back.
Lady Gosforth wrinkled her nose.Flora wrinkled hers, though it was just a button and no match for the old lady’s proud Roman nose.
“Your niece, you say?”
“Yes.My late brother Louis’s orphaned daughter.”
The old lady sniffed.“Then why is she dressed in rags?”
“They’re not rags,” Tessa said defensively.“Patched, yes, and mended, but—”
“Rags!Peverill!”Without taking her eye, horribly magnified by the lorgnette, off the little girl, Lady Gosforth addressed the butler who was supervising the luggage being brought inside.“Have the basket in my dressing room brought down here at once—the big one, with the lid.”
As the butler hurried upstairs Billy, Tessa’s little dog appeared on the landing of the stairs.With wuffs of joy he bounded down and began to gambol around Tessa’s feet.Her arms full of little girl she tried to pat him, but at the sight of him, Flora almost launched herself out of Tessa’s arms, reaching for the dog.
Feeling sure Billy wouldn’t harm her—and clearly the little girl was not the least bit frightened of the dog, Tessa set her onto the floor.It was an instant love-fest—dog and child acted as if they’d been best pals all their lives.Flora laughing and speaking unintelligible baby talk to the dog, and Billy wuffling and snuffling and wriggling with delight, licking any bits of her he could get to.
A short time later Peverill arrived carrying a large wicker basket.
“Ah, Peverill, the very thing.Put it on the table in the morning room.”To Tessa she said, “Bring that child into the morning room.Never mind the dog, he can come too.”
Tessa blinked.Lady Gosforth despised dogs.She glanced at Marcus, who shrugged and gestured her to go ahead, so she picked up Flora and followed the old lady into the morning room.Billy trotted after them.
Lady Gosforth undid the fastening of the basket and flipped it open.
Tessa gasped.It was full of the most exquisite little knitted, sewn and embroidered baby clothes.Lady Gosforth, muttering to herself, sorted through them quickly saying, “How old did you say the child was?”
“W-we’re not exactly sure,” she began.“Her mother died before—”
“Never mind, hold her up.”She measured a beautiful, embroidered smock up against Flora.“Yes, that will fit.Here—” She pulled fistfuls of baby and toddler clothes from the basket, dumping them on the table.“She’s smaller than Torie, and about the same size as I expect Jane will be, only I haven’t seen Jane yet, so I can’t be sure.But at least she won’t be dressed in rags—will you?—what did you say her name was?Flossie?”She pulled a face at Flora, who promptly pulled one back.
The old lady chuckled.“She’s going to be a handful, mark my words.Now, take that child up to the nursery and get rid of those dreadful rags!Peverill, send a maid to take these things up—oh, you have one, I see,” she added, noticing Clothilde loitering in the doorway.“Here, you, gel, take these.”
Understanding the gesture and tone, if not the words, Clothilde gathered up the small pile of garments and followed Tessa, who was a little dazed by Lady Gosforth’s unexpected reaction, from the room.
