Patriots and Loyalists, Secrets and Romance

four

Lady Dunmore walked down the stairs looking like a queen. She had on an expensive wig and I wondered if she wore wigs every day. My mother and father wore wigs only for special occasions. Maybe when you're Lady Dunmore, every day is a special occasion.

I curtseyed and said, "Mi'lady".  

She smiled graciously and said, "How good to finally meet you, Miss Price."

"The pleasure is mine," I said, hoping I sounded as mannerly and ladylike as she did. "And, please, call me Winifred."

"Winifred," she said, smiling, "And this is your mother, I take it?"

We had to walk through the foyer to get into the parlor, and the foyer was filled with arms. 

We walked through into the parlor where Lady Dunmore invited us to sit down. 

"Winifred," Lady Dunmore asked after we were seated, "Are you looking forward to your upcoming wedding?"

"Yes, mi'lady," I said, "Although we haven't set a date yet."

She smiled. "After tea I'd like to take you and your mother on a walk through the palace gardens, perhaps it will give you some idea of what flowers you'd like in your wedding."

"How kind," my mother said.

I did not spill anything during tea, which was a relief.  I had been worried that I would make a fool of myself.

Also, as much as Patience and I joked about my clothes "belonging" to her- since she's the one who took care of them- I also knew that on a more serious note, Patience's job was to make me look good, so if I went around letting my clothes get messy, it would reflect badly on her. I was sort of a walking advertisement of her work.

After tea, we went outside into the palace gardens.

We walked among the flowers chatting for about an hour.  Lady Dunmore told me that James, my fiance, had never been to the colonies before and was excited to come meet his bride. I blushed. 

My mother said, "Do you know when he will be arriving? In his last letter, he said he would be arriving in the late summer."

"Actually," the Lady said, "He just wrote to us the other day saying he plans to come much earlier than he intended. He will be here at the beginning of the month."

I about tripped over my own two feet. "That's only two weeks away!" I said, blurting it out. I blushed. "Pardon me for my outburst. I must admit I'm rather excitable these days."

Lady Dunmore smiled. "Then you will have plenty of time to begin planning your wedding!"