Ada & The Queen (The Woodhouse Series #3)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

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*Woodhouse Residence, Belgravia, London*

"You all choose today of all days to go out?" I asked, following Emerson down the stairs to the family living room, Cosette in my arms. "What exactly am I supposed to do alone all day?"

"Paint, read, work..." Emerson suggested, as Theodore was sitting on the settee, going through papers and Charlotte was fixing her hat. "Maybe train that little thing to stop scratching at the furniture." Emerson gestured to Cosette as I scowled.

"You can go out! London is alive for the season!" Charlotte explained as I walked to the window

London may be alive, but so were the skies - rain poured non-stop since early morning and the dismal grey clouds meant it did not intend to stop any time soon.

"Yes...tell that to Mother Nature..." I grumbled as I turned to my family, Florence entered the living room, pulling on her coat.

"Adelaide...you have the entire house at your disposal! Do whatever you like!" Charlotte explained.

"Or...you could, of course...make friends?" Theodore suggested and I scowled at him.

"I have friends...they are just not in the country right now..." My mind flashed to Juliette Delacroix and Colin Boyle - her in Paris and him in Dublin. "And I never actually stayed at university long enough for me to make friends there, did I?" It was a jibe at my brothers and they looked at each other awkwardly before getting ready to leave.

"You're all going to the same place?" I asked and Theodore shook his head.

"Florence and I have a case in Harrow..." Theodore explained as Florence handed him his hat.

"And we are going to dinner in Crawley with some friends..." Emerson said, offering his arm to Charlotte.

"And when will you all be back?" I asked, following them all towards the front door.

"Late..." Emerson replied.

"If you leave, make sure someone is with you..." Florence said as she hugged me and they all hurried out.

"Don't wait up!"

Hustle and bustle ended as my family walked out the door.

I looked at Cosette in my arms and sighed. "I guess it is just you and me..."

***

I entertained myself for the day playing with Cosette, before heading to the piano to play a little music to have some sound in the house.

Cosette sat on the lid as I played Edelweiss, but a few keys sounded off-pitch so called for Gideon, our butler, to try and tune it.

When he couldn't, we had to wait for Ezekiel who had a few more errands to run after dropping off my family in their respective places.

I headed down to the kitchen and offered to make a Hevva cake (a traditional Cornish treat), the maid helping me as they came out looking quite delicious.

After a quick lunch, I brewed some tea and sat in the living room with my book. Cosette curled up on the window seat, watching the raindrops on the window.

The fire crackled and I dove into the world of Frankenstein. A bite of Hevva cake took me on a nostalgic trip to my childhood in Cornwall.

It was just like Mama would make - a quick treat she would throw together whenever I was sad.