Her Sister's Fiancé - Book #1

Chapter 6

Stay O sweet and do not rise!

The light that shines comes from thine eyes;

The day breaks not: it is my heart

Because that you and I must part.

Stay! or else my joys will die

And perish in their infancy.

~ Daybreak; John Donne

Lavinia drew a deep breath, looking at the world around her with a sigh of contentment. She leaned her head back against the bark of the tree, looking up at the sky and contemplating the words she'd just read. Her eyelids slowly drifted closed, and she drew deep breaths.

Wet, earthy smells permeated the air around her. The rain had been wonderful, but she was glad to see the sun lending its light to the world again. The feel of the soft moss on the ground was cool against the flesh of her hand, and she rubbed the woodland carpet, remembering with a smile her love of the strange plant as a child.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes. She should head back to the house. Her mother had fallen into the grips of a cold, and the duties of the household fell upon Lavinia's shoulders. Squelching the desire to stay out here among the waving grass and tall trees, she rose.

The gravel crunched beneath her feet, and her mind returned to the book in her hand. Ethan had been so kind to give it to her! She still marveled at its excellent binding and found herself smiling absently when she held it. She was so happy to have another book, and it certainly had nothing to do with the giver of the present, she told herself.

The thought of Ethan made her sigh. Somehow she couldn't seem to help her mind drifting to him. She had to admit that he and Cassandra made a handsome match, they were both uncommonly handsome. But that thought made strange feeling rise within her. She tried to crush them without paying them any attention, she didn't even want to know what they were, they were wrong, that was all she needed to know. Ethan was her sister's fiancé, they would probably be married before this time next year, she told herself.

The house drew into sight, and suddenly, all thoughts of Ethan left her. Sam and Eliza, one of the housemaids and footmen, were dragging the rugs outside, and she could see that all the windows were open. They were turning the place upside down!

"Sam, what are you doing?" She said as she drew nearer.

"Lady Cassandra says we're to clean the house from top to bottom, miss," Sam replied, pausing for a moment to wipe the beads of sweat off his brow. Even in the cool of the day, he was perspiring like a criminal before a judge.

"Why?" A frown touched her features.

"She says we're to prepare for the guests that will be coming to stay over the season, miss." Sam shrugged. Lavinia took a deep breath and wetted her lips. A movement coming up the lane caught her attention, and she looked up to see Ethan striding towards them.

"Take the rugs back inside, Sam, and tell the maids to go about their normal duties. The house is adequately cleaned." She turned back to the footman.

"But milady—"

"Send Lady Cassandra to me if she objects. I am in charge of the household while Lady Maria is ill. Lady Cassandra can fuss all she likes, there is no need to go to such lengths for guests who may or may not come."

"Yes, miss." Sam nodded, a grin tugging at his lips. "Thank you, miss." He bowed and began tugging the rugs back into the house.

"What's going on here? Has there been a fire?" Ethan's good-natured voice said.