contributions her family might be willing to part with.
“I shall have Cook purchase all the food stuffs you’ll need,” Fran said. “Franklin and I will deliver them.” He nodded to his daughters.
“We could make curtains,” Juliet ventured.
“How dull,” Alexandra said. “No, Juliet, you and I will make the orphans their clothes.”
“Splendid,” Juliet said to Alexandra. “Or lessons on the pianoforte. Will there be a pianoforte, Matilda?”
“I could teach the boys to fence,” Fitz said. “Even orphans should know how to fence.”
Matilda’s eyes were wide. Her family was taking their contributions very seriously. Her father had never delivered anything anywhere. Juliet and Alexandra’s sewing never reached farther than samplers. And Fitz had volunteered to teach the young boys to fence of all things. Her mother sighed.
“It must be done. I will cancel my Costly Colours games with Lady Fitzroy from this day forward. Will be the only way to have time to do what I must,” Frances Sheldon said. She smiled fondly at Matilda. “I intend to do my very best for Matilda’s orphanage.”
“What is it you intend to do, Mother?”
“Why teach the classroom, of course.”
Everyone around the table was nodding and making plans. Matilda looked at her Mother. She knew for a fact that neither of her sisters could spell from their time when Frances Sheldon helped in the classroom to the obvious dismay of the governess. But she could hardly doubt her family’s enthusiasm. She could never break their hearts and refuse their gifts.
“Wonderful,” Matilda said and raised her wine glass. “The Sheldon Home for Children appreciates all you’ve offered.”
All shrieked, each one, when Matilda announced the name.
* * *
“Have I had a message from Lady Athena, Withrow?” Thornsby asked his butler. It was Friday evening, and Athena should have arrived home by now. After leaving Maplewood, she’d intended to stay a few days with a friend of hers, Lady Wilma, in London. He’d ridden his horse home and left the coach and footman to see Athena to her destination
“Nay, sir. I have not,” the starchy servant replied.
“I wonder where she could be,” Thornsby asked aloud. There was no one in the dining room to answer his question other than a footman posted at the door. He sat alone at the head of a twenty-five-foot length of gleaming mahogany. Thornsby and Athena had dined together nearly every night, with Smithly sometimes. The thought of Smithly kissing Athena in the hallway made him clench his teeth, and he smacked his sterling fork on the table.
The Sheldon girls were most likely uninterested in becoming his Duchess after hearing the tale the wren had no doubt shared. His sister had a suitor she did not need. He could not manage to snare a bride that he needed desperately. He had six months till his thirtieth birthday. Plenty of time to make his rounds of balls and assemblies. Plenty of time to find a wife.
But by Saturday, Thornsby was in a panic. Athena had not arrived home. Could she have been overtaken by highwaymen on her way home? Come down with an illness? Thornsby had just instructed Withrow to have his horse saddled intending to ride to Lady Wilma’s home when the butler opened the door. Athena and Smithly flew in arm-in-arm.
“Freddy!” Athena said and ran to her brother. She gave him a sisterly hug and kiss. “I have so much to tell you.”
“Athena! My God. I have been worried to death about you. You sent no message. I was sure you had been left for dead on the side of the road,” Thornsby said and gave into his alarm. He’d slept little the night before. He hadn’t really had a taste of life without her other than the past three days. Thornsby did not care for it. Over the years, he supposed he’d become accustomed to her conversation and her causes, and it was dreadfully quiet without her. He raised his head from their embrace.
“Smithly. Leave and don’t come
“I shall have Cook purchase all the food stuffs you’ll need,” Fran said. “Franklin and I will deliver them.” He nodded to his daughters.
“We could make curtains,” Juliet ventured.
“How dull,” Alexandra said. “No, Juliet, you and I will make the orphans their clothes.”
“Splendid,” Juliet said to Alexandra. “Or lessons on the pianoforte. Will there be a pianoforte, Matilda?”
“I could teach the boys to fence,” Fitz said. “Even orphans should know how to fence.”
Matilda’s eyes were wide. Her family was taking their contributions very seriously. Her father had never delivered anything anywhere. Juliet and Alexandra’s sewing never reached farther than samplers. And Fitz had volunteered to teach the young boys to fence of all things. Her mother sighed.
“It must be done. I will cancel my Costly Colours games with Lady Fitzroy from this day forward. Will be the only way to have time to do what I must,” Frances Sheldon said. She smiled fondly at Matilda. “I intend to do my very best for Matilda’s orphanage.”
“What is it you intend to do, Mother?”
“Why teach the classroom, of course.”
Everyone around the table was nodding and making plans. Matilda looked at her Mother. She knew for a fact that neither of her sisters could spell from their time when Frances Sheldon helped in the classroom to the obvious dismay of the governess. But she could hardly doubt her family’s enthusiasm. She could never break their hearts and refuse their gifts.
“Wonderful,” Matilda said and raised her wine glass. “The Sheldon Home for Children appreciates all you’ve offered.”
All shrieked, each one, when Matilda announced the name.
* * *
“Have I had a message from Lady Athena, Withrow?” Thornsby asked his butler. It was Friday evening, and Athena should have arrived home by now. After leaving Maplewood, she’d intended to stay a few days with a friend of hers, Lady Wilma, in London. He’d ridden his horse home and left the coach and footman to see Athena to her destination
“Nay, sir. I have not,” the starchy servant replied.
“I wonder where she could be,” Thornsby asked aloud. There was no one in the dining room to answer his question other than a footman posted at the door. He sat alone at the head of a twenty-five-foot length of gleaming mahogany. Thornsby and Athena had dined together nearly every night, with Smithly sometimes. The thought of Smithly kissing Athena in the hallway made him clench his teeth, and he smacked his sterling fork on the table.
The Sheldon girls were most likely uninterested in becoming his Duchess after hearing the tale the wren had no doubt shared. His sister had a suitor she did not need. He could not manage to snare a bride that he needed desperately. He had six months till his thirtieth birthday. Plenty of time to make his rounds of balls and assemblies. Plenty of time to find a wife.
But by Saturday, Thornsby was in a panic. Athena had not arrived home. Could she have been overtaken by highwaymen on her way home? Come down with an illness? Thornsby had just instructed Withrow to have his horse saddled intending to ride to Lady Wilma’s home when the butler opened the door. Athena and Smithly flew in arm-in-arm.
“Freddy!” Athena said and ran to her brother. She gave him a sisterly hug and kiss. “I have so much to tell you.”
“Athena! My God. I have been worried to death about you. You sent no message. I was sure you had been left for dead on the side of the road,” Thornsby said and gave into his alarm. He’d slept little the night before. He hadn’t really had a taste of life without her other than the past three days. Thornsby did not care for it. Over the years, he supposed he’d become accustomed to her conversation and her causes, and it was dreadfully quiet without her. He raised his head from their embrace.
“Smithly. Leave and don’t come
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