To Defend A Duke

Chapter 4

Evelyn walks into the entrance hall and the smell of sweet cakes and scones swirls under her nose. The hallway of the house is small but stylish, well looked after and bright. There are no portraits on the walls, only painting of wildlife and places. A few stuttering candles light all around and lead up to the small set steps that curves upwards. Evelyn looks around and grimaces, the decadent design is a lot different than her own home. Where in Darlington there are vases of freshly picked flowers, in this house, there are small statues made of gold and precious metals. The snap of the door makes her turn around and the butler appears behind her and helps her to remove her coat and hat. Once the garments have been hung up with her cousin's, her aunt directs her to the right.

The soft carpets muffle their feet as they walk down the main hallway to the parlour. The door is ajar as they approach and Evelyn sees that her cousin and brother have made themselves more than at home and are tucking into the delicious spread that has been laid out on a coffee table. She enters the room after her aunt and takes the seat next to her cousin on the tulip patterned sofa. The room is bright and airy, decorated with pastel pink wallpaper and different coloured flowers. A small writing desk sits by the large window that looks into the street. There are no bookshelves in this room, only small tables that hold ornaments and decorated glass creatures. The sofa she is sat on matches every other seat in the room, including the small footstool in front of the largest armchair.

A young girl with a pink face pours her and her mistress a cup of strong sweet tea, she offers them both milk but she is waved away.

"How was your journey?" Lucile asks as she spreads jam and cream on a scone. Evelyn studies the copious amount of food in front of her, cream cakes, sticky buns, scones and vanilla slices are pilled in numerous amounts. She takes a bite of a vanilla slice and the thick creamy rich cake has her closing her eyes in satisfaction.

"It was horrific, I don't think that man was a qualified driver," Henrietta tosses her head back and sips her tea. "I couldn't sit still for the potholes he ran over, a dreadful business." She tells Lucile fervently while sipping her tea with her pinky sticking out. Lucile's eyes widen at her story.

"Robson is a perfectly good driver, you normally have no complaint when he drives you to all your social meetings," William says, leaning back in his chair and chewing on a pink macaroon.

Henrietta purses her lips and opens her mouth to retaliate but Lucile cuts in quickly and sets down her cup.

"Well, you are all here safe, now." She says smiling. William smirks his victory and helps himself to another macaroon. Evelyn finishes her slice and notices that the cup she is drinking out is made of the finest china and has pink roses swirling on the lip, very different from the chipped teacups she has at home.

"I am hoping to go dress shopping tomorrow." Henrietta says, "I am in need of new dresses immediately."

"The nearest shop is on the outskirts of town, we can have the driver take us tomorrow morning." Lucile says brightly sitting forward, "I do love a good outing."

Henrietta smiles brattily, "I don't want the nearest, I want the best, wherever that may be."

Lucile falters but returns a smile and thinks for a minute. "Madame Olive's is the best place in the whole of London."

"Excellent," Henrietta says. "We shall go there."

"I will not be coming to an outing of such nature," William says.

"I suspected as much," Lucile says, "What do you have in mind instead?"

He shrugs and folds his arms behind his neck "I might go for walk."