Having readied herself for the day, Harriet walked downstairs to the breakfast room. No one was in the room but a lone footman. Picking up a plate, she began making her selections. Not a whole lot, but coddled eggs, bacon, and toast were a good start to the day. Her thoughts wandered to Lucien, wondering when he would arrive. Hopefully the rain would cease and it would dry enough so they could take a walk.
The footman brought her some fresh hot water for her tea. She added her tea and let the pot steep for a few minutes before she poured a cup. It smelled heavenly and tasted even better. The tea was some Daphne had found at her favorite tea shop in London. Pouring a cup, she let it sit to cool some, but not before she took a sip of the hot beverage. Deciding to take her tea with her to the drawing room, she finished a piece of toast with strawberry jam and rose to quit the room.
The rain was still coming down at a steady pace, but Harriet knew that meant nothing in London. In minutes the sun could come out from behind the clouds and begin drying up the ground.
The first thing she noticed upon entering the drawing room was the huge flower arrangement from Lucien. It had been placed on a table, a mahogany sideboard. The colors from the tulips brightened the room. He was a thoughtful man to take the time to choose the flowers. She knew it was Lucien responsible for it because he said gifts were not meant to be chosen by staff, but by the sender themselves.
Sam was making noises on his perch nearby, obviously wanting attention. He began nodding his head and turning it in strange motions.
“Good morning, Sam. Are you a good bird today?” she asked. Hearing him respond always made her giggle because one never knew if he truly understood what you said or not. Harriet thought, like Daphne, that Sam was a lot smarter than anyone would admit.
“Sam good. Sam want apple,” he replied.
Walking over to his perch she noted no apples but there was an orange. “I’m afraid an orange will have to do for now, Sam.” She picked up a slice and let the parrot pick it up with his claw.
Sam nibbled it once and immediately threw it to the floor. “Sam want apple!” he demanded.
“I’m afraid there are none, but if you get hungry enough you can climb down your ladder and get the orange.”
“Bloody hell!”
“Sam, that’s not nice,” Harriet said. “It’s the orange or nothing I’m afraid.”
Talking to a parrot. She understood Arthur. Smart or not, he was simply a bird. Instead of continuing, Harriet went to sit down near the windows to finish her tea. The rain still hadn’t stopped. She watched it as it plummeted down from a dark-gray sky.
Hearing the door open, Harriet watched as her cousin’s wife ignored her pet parrot and sat down across from her. All the while, Sam was squawking in the background, cursing, and demanding “apple.”
“Are those the flowers from Lord Lucien?” she asked. “They’re even more gorgeous than my maid told me.”
“Yes, they are. He’s got exquisite taste, doesn’t he?”
Daphne nodded with a sly grin. “He certainly does. I’d say he’s a keeper.”
“I hope so.”
Her cousin cut a look over to Sam who was continuing his tirade for apple. “Someone woke up with a case of the uglies. You were correct not to give into him. He’ll get tired soon enough and will come down off his perch and eat the orange. Just because apple is his favorite doesn’t mean he’s going to get it every time.”
“He certainly has his own opinions and doesn’t care if it doesn’t match the other person’s.”
“You’re very observant,” Daphne replied, before adding, “Is this what you’re going to wear to meet Lord Lucien?”
“Yes. Is there something wrong with it?”
“It’s fine. The color is quite becoming on you.”
“Thank you. I’ve discovered lots of colors I’ve never worn before that look good on me.” She sighed, louder than intended.Daphne understood what it meant. Her mother had never allowed her to choose anything for herself. Now she could.
Her mind kept wandering to Lord Lucien and the fact that he would be there soon.
Chapter Seven
Lord Lucien decidedtaking one of his carriages to pick Harriet up would be best. The afternoon was gorgeous and he decided that after tea with his mother they could go to a park near her cousin’s home and take a leisurely walk. He hadn’t been able to spend much time at all with her the last few days due to the Prince of Wales’s demands. The prince ordered his own private rail car, and it had morphed into something larger than first envisioned. But he was the queen’s son and heir and they both knew the prince would win out on whatever he wanted. It was a game and a tactic they both played, and Lucien knew he would benefit greatly. Businessmen would hear the prince came to him for a private car and would do the same. To do business with someone the prince trusted was incentive enough for some men.
Arriving at Jameson House, Lucien was immediately ushered indoors and taken to the drawing room where he found Lady Daphne and Lady Harriet waiting. Lucien went through the motions required of a man in polite society. He couldn’t help but notice how elegant Harriet looked. She had already awoken the dragon within, but today she was even more appealing than she usually was.
“I take it everything with the Prince of Wales went well?” Harriet inquired with a shy smile.
He returned her smile. “I certainly hope so. The car is all but finished and he’s eager to do a test run to Edinburgh.”
