Page 41 of The Trouble With Her Duke
“Children, we have appointments in town. It’s time to go. Our carriage is waiting.”
“We’re coming, Miss Hammond,” Michael said, exiting their tent. “We were just tucking Rosie in. Jeffrey plans to take her out while we’re gone.”
“Planning for her was very responsible,” Lydia replied. “Perhaps you can say goodbye to your father. Annabelle saw him head to his study.”
“Thanks! I’d like that,” Mandy said.
“Me too,” Michael added. “The other governesses never let us bother him.”
“Ordinarily, that might be the wisest course. However, I thought it might be nice since we’ll be gone several hours,” Lydia explained. She hoped he wouldn’t mind.
“Behave yourselves on our trip to town, and I may have a surprise later this week,” she said as they made their way to his study.
“Children! What a pleasant surprise. Where are you off to?” He looked at Lydia.
“Bath. You’d asked that I update their clothing, and since I have an errand with the modiste, I thought we could do it together,” she explained.
“Who are you, and what have you done with my children?” he bantered.
“Father, we’re your children!” Michael said, frustrated.
“Yeah! We’re right here,” Mandy said with her hands on her hips.
Lydia arched a brow, curious to hear him explain his jest.
“Never mind,” Damon said, ruffling his son’s hair. “I was trying to be funny.”
“Miss Hammond said there might be a surprise if we’re good on our trip,” Michael said.
“Bribery. I like it,” he whispered in Lydia’s direction.
“Jenkins is having some equipment put together for a fun activity, if you must know,” she scoffed. “Two footmen are accompanying us today in case there are immediate wardrobe purchases.” Lydia still chaffed over his directive to get new dresses. She smiled to herself, thinking of her solution.
“Of course! Jenkins filled me in, and I wholeheartedly approve,” Damon said, grinning. “They’ll enjoy that.” He stooped down and hugged each child. “Be off, now. I’ll see you this afternoon when you return.”
The trip to Bath didn’t take long. “Perhaps, if we get our shopping done, we will have lunch at the local hotel restaurant,” Lydia suggested. According to a recent note she had received from Sophy, the Golden Duchesses had a midday meal at the hotel restaurant on Wednesdays. It would be wonderful to see them. She also wanted to find out what the plans were regarding Annabelle. She was very helpful with the children, however, the last thing Lydia wanted was to depend on Annabelle and then lose her.
“All I know, Miss Hammond, is the duke asked the dowager to allow me to stay until he spoke with you,” Annabelle had said.
The duke has mentioned nothing about this, Lydia thought.
“Miss Hammond, I’ve some lovely fabrics for you to consider,” Madame Couturiere said, displaying a lovely sapphire. “I have a readymade dress in this fabric. Could we entice you to try it on?”
“That is lovely. However, I feel I need something demure . . . a paler color palette. I am the governess and I wish for my presence to be positive and not disruptive,” Lydia explained.
“Oh, Cherie! The color of your dress won’t be disruptive. However, we shall do as you suggest. Please try the sapphire dress so we can gauge the style.”
Lydia agreed to try the dress. “Do you have a place where the children can sit?”
“Certainly. Follow me.” The modiste led her to a discrete area down the hall from the other fitting rooms. “There’s a small area to sit. The duke’s children will be comfortable here.”
“Thank you. Annabelle will watch them,” Lydia said. “I will join you and we shall make selections for Mandy. Michael, afterward, we will visit the tailor.”
“Miss Hammond, if it pleases you, Mandy and I will look at fabrics and narrow down some selections.”
Annabelle was a jewel and was quickly becoming someone Lydia depended on. “That’s a sound idea.” Lydia tried on the sapphire dress. “I love it,” she said, turning in the looking glass. Using only pearl-like buttons as decoration, the simplicity and beauty of the dress amazed her. However, she was here for a purpose and wouldn’t digress, even if the blue was a refreshing color.
“Madame Couturiere, it’s lovely. Perhaps my better option would be the paler colors.”
