The Beautiful Wallflower

CHAPTER ONE: Confirming the rumours

Victoria walked toward the side door of her mansion in London. Her brother had given it to her after both their parents had died and he inherited two houses. With their new title came more money, which Victoria used to upgrade the house.

As she entered the kitchen, she felt an immense different of temperature, and was happy for the cool air on her skin. Mr. Lennard greeted her while she took out her hairpins.

"What a lovely day it is for a ride," she told her butler while handing him the pins. "I might just leave the house again."

"Yes, my lady," Mr. Lennard responded. "But I am afraid it must wait. You have a visitor in the parlour."

"A visitor?" Victoria asked surprised. She had taken out all her pins and slid off her bonnet. "Whoever might that be?"

Mr. Lennard took the bonnet from the lady. "Lord Hawthorne, my lady."

"Lord Hawthorne? What is he here for?" She could not start to think why that particular lord would want to speak with her. She had had some visits from multiple ladies over the past days, asking about the rumours they had heard. In fact, she had two ladies in her parlor just before she started her walk so that she could get away from them.

"Very well," Victoria said and stroke her hands over her dress, enjoying the soft fabric. Although she often compared herself to her brother, the lady loved every dress she saw through the windows of shops. Twas one of the reason she did not go on walks outside her own property much.

This particular dress was the first one she bought when she came to live in her London house. Twas white with vertical brown stripes, and Mrs. Stanley had admired how both colours contrasted her long golden hair. She bought a matching bonnet, and discovered that it came with long, white gloves.

Mr. Lennard opened the door to the parlor as Victoria approached. The room was close to the front door, and the perfect room to have visitors. Twas one of the first ones she had redecorated. She renewed the green wallpaper and set in chairs, a small table and curtains in white. A piano filled the room and a fire place gave an easy feeling.

"Lord Hawthorne," Victoria said as she saw the man looking at a painting above the fire place. "I did not expect a visit from you."

The lord turned around and walked toward Victoria. His hair was dark brown, almost black, and he had a very confident way of walking. He took Victoria's hand and kissed the top of it.

"My apologies for the surprise, lady Blackburn. I was just admiring your painting." Lord Hawthorne pointed behind him.

"Tis not mine," Victoria told him. "My brother made it. He gave it to me when I moved in the house. With it came the promise that he will visit one day."

"How is lord Blackburn?" the handsome man asked.

"He is well. He enjoys the silence in the countryside." Victoria looked at lord Hawthorne. "But surely you are not here to ask about my brother. What brings you here? I hope it is not what many ladies before you have come to ask."

"I do not know what they were asking you about, my lady. But I would like to ask about lord Brompton."

"Ah," the lady said. The same every other visitor she had had, wanted to know about. She moved her hand, suggesting the lord could sit down, then rang a bell. "We will need a lot tea for this conversation."

"Yes, my lady?" Mr. Lennard asked when entered the room.

"Could you provide us with some tea and a piece of cake? And please, bring Mrs. Stanley. I believe this to be a conversation much rather heard by her than you."