"Expectations" (Book 2), by Gratiana Lovelace (2018-2019), (Completed)

Ch. 5: Traveling misadventures, Part 1

"Expectations" (Book 2)-- Ch. 5: Traveling misadventures, Part 1, December 23, 2018 by Gratiana Lovelace (Post #1198)
(an original Regency romance copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2018 - 2019; all rights reserved); [(1) story cover art, left]

[As is my custom, from time to time I will illustrate my story with my ideal cast consisting of (in order of appearance/mention in this chapter): Crispin Bonham Carter as Lord Harold Blount the younger brother of Lord Christian Blount the Earl of Sussex, and older brother to their younger sister Lady Elizabeth Blount; and Emma Thompson as Lady Gwendolyn "Gwennie" Lindsay of York, the sister to Lord Duncan the Viscount Lindsay portrayed by Rupert Penry-Jones, and their late older brother Lord Alfred portrayed by David Oakes.]

Author's story content and serializing scheduling notes: For the most part, my ratings for the chapters will be PG-13-for romantic interludes and dramatic moments. If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with these ratings, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer. And I always put the previous chapter's brief recap at the top of the next chapter. Also, I hope to post new chapters weekly on Sundays.

"Expectations" Ch. 5: Traveling misadventures, Part I

After several days of eating healthily and doing as their family's London cook Mrs. Crisp tells him to do, Lord Harold Blount is looking and feeling more fit and well rested than he has in a very long time. Such that, he decides to bring forward his hither to unannounced plan to join his brother Lord Christian and the rest of his small family at their Summer home of his Dowager Grandmother Lady Catherine's Dower House on their expansive Sussex Hall country estate.

Lord Harold is still rather put out that his brother Earl of Sussex Lord Christian Blount  honored his agreement to let Sussex Hall for the Summer to the Yorks---Lord Duncan the Viscount Lindsay's ducal family, who were forced to relocate from York Castle due to roof leak repairs and then family wing bed chambers renovations-even though the Blount's no longer need the rent money due to their late Grandfather Earl's mine investment turning profitable.

Lord Harold loves the sport of the country at Sussex Hall estates in the Summer even more than he had wagering and other nefarious activities in London. And after spending the Winter in London, he is eager to see and ride his Sussex Hall mount Perseus over the rolling hillside of the Sussex Hall estate. And though Lord Harold also remembers with fondness some of the willing country milk maids of his past acquaintance, he is circumspect from his unwilling parting with [his married Lady] of the past several months, the slightly older but still beautiful Lady Penelope Lindquist-whose husband had whisked her away to the continent. So the only country sport that Lord Harold will be pursuing at Sussex Hall estates will be of the animal variety. And even with that, he is not as much a hunter as he is a nature appreciator.

Their London Sussex House Cook Mrs. Crisp will be sorry to see young Master Hal depart--as she called him when he was a young boy. But with promises from Lord Harold [(2) below] to be good, backed up by his eight days of sobriety, eating healthily, and him organizing his departure to the countryside, she gives him her blessing.

Well, Lord Harold organized the caravan of his carriages and several wagons with the assistance of his valet and groom, and several footmen who will serve as outriders for his carriage--as well as the other carriages and wagons laden with his clothes and other items that his brother Lord Christian and recent sister-in-law Lady Madeline requested be sent down to them. Lord Harold's brother and sister-in-law just do not realize that Lord Harold will be traveling with their possessions.