The Apothecary's Daughter

Chapter 27

Emmeline looked at herself in the mirror once more, straightening out the skirt of her rust-colored muslin gown. Her hair was pulled back with a cream ribbon weaving through her chestnut locks. She dabbed some of her lavender perfume on her wrists and neck. It was not often that Emmeline was invited to these sorts of gatherings. She was still shaken by what Lady Margaret had said. She wished she was not so sensitive. Normally her resolve held firm, but lately she had felt like a feather dancing on the wind of insecurity. "This dinner will do me good, prove to everyone that I am not a simple country bumpkin." She chastised herself for even thinking such a thing. She grabbed her cloak and began the journey to Mooreland Park.

She drove the curricle down the familiar roads to the estate. The servants there were used to her driving herself, but she knew the circumstances of tonight were different. A proper dinner required a level of airs that she could not afford to put on. The wind from the road would give her cheeks a lovely rose color as she did not bother to put on rouge.

She arrived at Mooreland Park just as the sun was beginning to set. She saw Lady's Margaret's carriage pull up to the front of the house as Emmeline's curricle entered the gate. She let herself hope for a moment that the correspondence Lord Hargrave had sent Lydia was an invitation to dinner, just like the one she had received. Emmeline chastised herself for letting an unnecessary jealousy enter her mind. Emmeline was not privy to hold such rights.

A footman, Curtis she believed, helped Emmeline out of the curricle and quickly took her place in the driver's seat to take the horse to the barns. Emmeline took a deep breath and prayed that her hair had not fallen out of place during her journey. She steadied herself as she entered the house, her head held high.

A maid takes her cloak and leads her into the parlor. A footman announces her arrival. The crowd looks up politely, some nodding a hello. She observes the group Lord Hargrave had assembled. Lady Margaret and Lord Thomas were chatting away with the Coopers, another local family. Lydia and Lord Hargrave were deep in conversation with the Coopers' oldest daughter, Fiona and her husband. A young man she does not recognize rises instantly and walks over to her.

"So you are the infamous Miss. Emmy I've been hearing about for the past three days." He says jovially, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He bows deeply and kisses her hand dramatically, causing a blush to form on Emmeline's cheeks.

"And you must be silly Uncle Charlie who never visits." She laughs. Charles takes her arm and guides her to a nearby settee.

"So my reputation precedes me." He says with a laugh, "Although being the 'uncle who never visits is quite a rude statement'. You are very bold Miss. Somers to judge my character like that."

"You called me by my Christian name before we were even properly introduced. I believe bold is a better descriptor for your character."

"Now I see why my brother and niece are so fond of you. No one in this lot would dare say such a thing to the guest of honor so early on in the evening. Now I must know, what has the esteemed Lord Daniel been like since he's moved out here? He seems like a changed man."

Emmeline looks over to Daniel briefly. His focus on Lydia, who is telling an animated story about a time that she lost her bonnet in a shop in London. He's focused as he always is, giving the company he is with his full attention. He is more stoic than she was used to seeing him.

"He is a more relaxed man, that is for sure." She knew she could speak honestly with Charles. There was a level of trust that developed between them instantly. "When I first met him, he was very stoic and cold. After a few weeks, and with some gentle coaxing from Matilda he has come out of his shell."