Page 62 of The Gift of Patience
“I have already done so, miss.” He bowed and left, no doubt to set the servants to work.
Patience barely had time to glance at the clock before Hope and Rotham walked in. She stood up to embrace her sister.
“Welcome. Did you travel all night?”
Rotham scoffed. “Might as well have.”
“Where is Sylvester?”
“He was still asleep, so our nurse took him to the nursery. How is Faith?”
“Doing well when I looked in on her and Benjamin last night.”
“I am so pleased it is a boy so he and Sylvester can be best of friends,” Hope said with a fond, tired smile. Motherhood looked well on her.
“Is no one else about?” Rotham asked as they took seats at the table and the footmen began to bring in food.
“We had a rather late night. Carew arrived with some horses after dark.” Patience did not want to be the one to mention that Stuart and the soldiers were here investigating a dangerous crime. She would let someone else broach that topic. Rothman tended to be a bit temperamental when it came to his wife and child’s safety.
“So everyone is here then?” Hope asked.
“It seems so.”
She smiled. “I have missed all of you. We were considering removing to London for part of the Season to be closer, then leaving for the Continent after Christmas.”
“May I go with you?”
“Of course, if you are not needed here.”
Patience waved her hand in the air. “There are more than enough hands to hold the baby should they be required.”
Rotham smirked at her remark.
“I never was much of a country girl,” she conceded.
Apparently, Armstrong had awakened the entire household. Westwood, Stuart, Montford, the Cunningham siblings, and her sisters, with the exception of Faith, all came into the room within minutes of each other.
There was a lively reunion as the sisters embraced, the men shook hands, and they immediately divided with the gentlemen on one end of the table and the ladies on the other. It was a much different breakfast than Patience had experienced in some time.
They remained where they were chatting long after they finished eating. It was hard for Patience not to steal glances towards the end of the table, but she desperately wanted to speak with Stuart and find out what else had happened last night. What else had she missed? If there had been shots fired, she thought she would have heard them this close.
None of the other soldiers were there, and she knew they were hidden somewhere on the estate, but she didn’t know where that would be.
The nursemaid entered with a little bundle. “Her ladyship thought you might want to show the little master off.” She handed the baby to his proud father. But Westwood was quickly relieved of his son by his doting Aunt Hope.
“Shall we remove to the drawing room where we can be more comfortable?” she asked.
Everyone took turns with the sleeping baby. Even Patience held him for a while, noting he did look much better today, sleeping like a cherubic angel.
Then the two aunts came down earlier than usual, so either they had heard the commotion or someone alerted them. With two babies to dote upon, all of the ladies appeared to be in heaven. Why did Patience feel the need to escape? When it was her own child, she would feel differently, would she not?
Perhaps she could use Xander as an excuse to escape. Usually, Peter would have returned him by now. She stood and walked over to the window and frowned when she saw a carriage rolling up the drive. Who could that be? It was certainly too early for calling on anyone. As it drew near, she recognized the black brougham, and while it was not Rupert, his family was just as bad. Especially now. Why would they be calling before noon?
Armstrong soon walked in to speak with Westwood. “A very distraught Lady Fagge and Sir Horace are here, my lord. Under the circumstances, I was not certain what to do. I placed them in the red drawing room.”
“What circumstances? No one calls at this hour,” Rotham asked, making no pretence about listening.
“There was an unfortunate event yesterday involving their son. As magistrate, I’m afraid I must deal with it. They have likely come to claim their son. Please excuse me.”
