L&A: 11

The next day, a carriage from the Spencers’, carrying Rose and Richard, arrived to convey Lily home—she had finally recovered enough for Neville to set her free from the confines of the manor.

Archie met them at the door. “Good morning, Miss Spencer, Sir Richard.” Calling a barely fifteen year-old boy “Sir” seemed pretentious, but he knew that it was well-within the boy’s rights as his father’s heir.

Richard puffed up a bit at being called “sir”—something that didn’t happen often— and shook Archie’s hand exuberantly. “Thank you for taking care of our sister, Mr. Craven.”

“No trouble at all. Come in, please. The maids have laid tea in the parlor for us.” Richard smiled broadly, but Rose’s expression was tight as she closed her lace parasol and stepped over the threshold.

“What a lovely home, Mr. Craven,” Rose said.

“Thank you. Our father takes a great store in its upkeep,” Archie said as he led them into the parlor. Mrs. Medlock had laid the tea things out on the mahogany table, and Archie stepped forward to pull back Rose’s chair.
The party sat and Rose began to pour, as was her place. “I am glad that Lily will be coming home,” Richard said. “It hasn’t been the same without her.”

“We will be sorry to lose her,” Archie added. “She is quite a lovely young woman.”

Richard beamed. “I know. She is really quite fun, isn’t she? Always up to something.”

“I’m sure Lily hasn’t been up to anything while she’s been here, Richard,” Rose said sharply. “She’s been ill.” She began to nibble on a piece of shortbread.

“How is Eton?” Archie asked Richard. “I attended there myself.”

“Really?” Richard’s eyes lit up. “It’s smashing. I love it. Although I do miss everyone when I’m away. Especially my hunter. You must come round and hunt with me sometime, when the season is here.”

“I will, if you’ll have me.”

“ ‘Course I will. And Mother and Father are planning a ball in two weeks—you and your brother must come,” Richard said exuberantly. He reached into his coat and removed a thick cream envelope. “Here’s the proper invitation; mother insisted you have one. She wants to announce Rose’s engagement before she has the baby.”

“You are engaged, Miss Spencer?”

Rose blushed slightly. “Yes, Mr. Craven. To Captain Alfred Lennox. He’s a member of the Army.”

“He’s stationed in India,” Richard said, awe in his voice. “I can’t wait to go and visit you there, Rose.”

“When do you set out?”

“Not for a few months after the wedding. We are planning to wed in December.”

“Congratulations.” Rose nodded and smiled. When she’s in an agreeable mood, she’s actually quite pleasant to be around, Archie thought. I wonder how often that happens.

There was a rap at the door and the party stood. Neville was escorting Lily, who had mastered the crutches, into the parlor. A huge smile took over her face as she saw her family and Richard ran to her.

“Don’t knock her down!” Rose scolded as she went to her siblings. “Lily.” She kissed her sister’s cheeks demurely, but Archie could see how attached she was to her. “I’ve missed you.”

“And I you—both of you,” Lily said. “It will be nice to be home.”

“You cannot allow your sister to do too much,” Neville cautioned as he guided her to the table, where she gingerly sat upon a chair. Archie fetched a small stool for her ankle and Lily smiled shyly as he adjusted it. No one knew of their intended courtship, not even Neville.

“I will watch her very closely,” Rose said, giving Lily a stern glance. Lily rolled her eeys playfully. “We don’t need you injured again, not so close to Mother’s time.”

“And you must dance at Rose’s ball, Lily,” Richard said. “No one dances like you do—sorry, Rose, but it’s true—and I must lead you out.”

Lily smiled at her brother’s impetuousness. “I am sure Miss Lily will be ready to dance with you by the ball,” Neville said. “As long as she is careful in the meantime.”

“Oh, I will be.”

“Shall we escort you home?” Neville asked. “I have sent for our horses, Archie. I thought you would wish to accompany us.”

He nodded. “I would. I must speak to Lord Spencer about some business matters.” The Craven brothers stood. “Seward will see you to the coach,” Archie said, gesturing for the butler to come forward as the brothers departed for the porch.

“It is a shame to lose her,” Neville said as they mounted their horses. Lily was carefully handed in to the carriage by Rose, and Richard grasped her arms firmly as he lifted her in. Her blue cape flapped about her in the breeze and made her look small.

“She’s a neighbor. We will see each other often. We have been invited to Rose’s engagement ball,” Archie said.

“Are you going?”

“You are surprised?”

“As I should be. You haven’t been to a ball since London.”

“Times change, Neville. Didn’t you say I should be more social?”

He nodded. “But I didn’t think it would happen so quickly.”

“It has. I find the Spencers to be a very agreeable family. And as we must have good business relations, it wouldn’t hurt to have good personal relations as well.”

Neville nodded slowly, thinking of Lily and the personal relations he had in mind for her. “Absolutely, Archie. Absolutely.”