Ada & The Queen (The Woodhouse Series #3)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

*Woodhouse Residence, Belgravia*

My family were running around me, as I sat calmly on the windowsill, engrossed in my book.

What was going on? I have no idea, but it was Sunday and I wanted some downtime before returning to work tomorrow.

"Adelaide?" Florence called to me and I groaned, getting up and heading down to the guest living room on the ground floor. It was beautifully decorated as some of the housemaids and servants cleaned and polished the sideboards and mantle, fluffed pillows and dusted down the curtains. 

"Will now be the time you all tell me what is going on?" I asked, leaning on the doorframe and Florence frowned.

"Oh my...we've been so busy, it must've passed me..." She moved a vase to the sideboard that had just been cleaned and fixed another bouquet for the other side. "Ambrose and Emily are coming for dinner."

"Really?"

"Yes...so please...make sure you are ready for 5 pm..." Florence walked to the dining room and I followed her. "Which place settings do you think will look good?"

She held up red polka dots or blue flowers and I suggested the flowers as they seemed more summery.

"Why isn't Charlotte doing this?" I questioned, aware that this was not Florence's job whenever we had guests. As the family matriarch and chatelaine of our estates, Charlotte was responsible for all events that occurred in any of the homes, from finalising the courses for the meal to agreeing on decorations and themes. Florence helped, of course, but it was Charlotte's main responsibility as Viscountess.

"She is not feeling well, so she is resting till tonight..."

"And where are my brothers?"

"Emerson is at the hospital and Theodore has a few errands to run..." Florence was getting flustered as a few staff members came up to her and asked her questions.

"Miss Moore...we are out of flour to continue the after-dinner tea and cakes..." One of the maids replied as Florence groaned.

"I'll run to the market with Ezekiel..." She said as Agnes came over to her.

"But the decorations have not been finished yet?"

"I'll do it..." I offered as Florence looked at me. "I can either go to the market or stay here for the decorations..."

"You stay here..." Florence said. "I trust your judgement but I'm sure Agatha will push you in the right direction if need be..."

Florence hurried out of the room and pulled on her coat as I followed her. "My decorating skills are not that bad..." I pouted as she left quickly with Ezekiel.

Agatha gave me a list of things to do and it was not a one-sided scrap of paper.

This could take a while.

***

I was dressed in a beautiful pebble grey gown with daisy flowers and green foliage embroidered all over. It was puff-sleeved and off the shoulder and my hair was in a low bun with some pearl pins and loose curls around my ears. A pearl necklace decorated my neck as well as my mother's locket and pearl earrings hung on my ears.

I twirled a few more times before grabbing Cosette and my skirts and running down the stairs to greet the guests. "Adelaide!" Emily was more than delighted to see me as I hugged her, Ambrose bowing her head respectfully to me as we stood in the guest living room. The candles were lit and whiskey was in the air as we entertained Theodore's oldest friend and his fiancee.