The Broken Daylily

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Brompton family

The first carriage to stop in front of the Lindenberg estate, was a dark red one. Three people stepped out: a woman, a man and a young boy. Madilyn watched them from behind a curtain as they made their way to the front door. When they disappeared out of view, she waited for Iris to come to her and tell her she was asked to come down to meet the guests.

She was quite nervous. She had felt that way since lord Thomas told her his family would come. Though she did not understand why she felt that way – they were merely people, after all – she could not ignore it. Was she nervous because they were her family now – as Iris had once said? Or was she nervous because she had not seen people in weeks?

She followed Iris as the woman led her to the terrace at the back of the house. The three people were there, as well as lord Thomas. They all looked at her as she neared them.

The woman stepped forward and curtsied. Madilyn could see that she had similar features to Thomas, especially the colour of their hair. She must be his sister, she figured.

"Lady Madilyn," lord Thomas spoke, "this is my sister, Elizabeth, and her husband, William."

Madilyn curtsied to both of them, and greeted: "my lord, my lady."

"Please," lady Elizabeth said, "call me Elizabeth. I may be a lady, but I prefer my first name."

She nodded and gave the lady a smile. "Of course."

"And I am Francis," the young boy said, coming to stand in front of his mother.

Madilyn lowered herself a bit and smiled at the beautiful boy. "It is a pleasure to meet you, lord Francis." She extended her arm to him, and he took it and kisses the top of it, like a true gentleman would.

"Let us sit," lord Thomas said while motioning to the chairs. Everyone followed his lead and took a chair, Francis sitting next to his uncle, a proud smile on his face.

Just when everyone was seated, the butler walked onto the terrace and announced that another carriage had arrived. Not much later, another couple and a little girl appeared.

"Uncle Andrew!" Francis shouted, and ran to his uncle – lord Andrew. While the man picked up his nephew, Madilyn thought of where she had heard the name before, but she could not remember. Mayhap someone has merely mentioned his name to her.

While lord Andrew walked to his brother and then to lord William, Madilyn watched Elizabeth and the other woman hug each other. She was quite shocked, for a hug was very improper. They ought to curtsy and not touch each other.

Suddenly lord Andrew stood in front of her, with next to him lord Thomas.

"This is my brother, Andrew," her husband announced. "The now proud lord Duncan."

The lord of Duncan threw his brother and a mean look. "You do not have to rub it in every time you see me."

"But I like teasing you," lord Thomas responded with a wink. Madilyn realized that is was the first time she saw lord Thomas with a genuine smile. He must truly feel comfortable around his family, she figured. He did look calm and without worry.

Before she knew it, she was presented with a different person: a woman with blonde hair and a yellow dress. Twas a quite spectacular dress, one Madilyn would never dare to wear for it was quite eye-catching.

She curtsied for the woman. "Lady Duncan."

The lady curtsied to her, then said: "please, call me Victoria."

As the lady straightened, Madilyn noticed Victoria had a bigger belly and realized she was pregnant. She tried not to look shocked, but she feared it was shown on her face. The lady was pregnant, yet she showed herself outside her house. She should not!