“How romantic.” Polly gazed at Lady Charlotte dressed in all her finery. “I wish it was me.”
“August is a lovely month for a wedding.” Lydia felt a lump in her throat. She was a young bride-to-be once. She would have been married to Chester by now and had a baby. “My warmest congratulations.”
“You must be getting excited,” Polly said. “With your wedding day so near.”
“Polly,” Lydia reprimanded. “Don’t be so familiar with Lady Charlotte.”
“Your observation is right my dear,” Charlotte replied. “I am very excited by the prospect, but also concerned about some late preparations.”
“Do not fret,” Jane said quietly. “It would certainly solve the staffing problem at Downton Hall.”
“A staffing problem?” Lydia queried.
“Yes,” Jane replied.” Mrs Brown the cook, had to go back home to London yesterday.”
“Has there been a bereavement in the family?”
“No, but her mother is very ill,” Jane continued. “She may be away for a while.”
“I hope she gets better soon,’ Lydia replied.
“So do I,” Charlotte announced. “She was going to bake a special wedding cake for my wedding, then she ran off to London,” she said with a huff. “It was very annoying.”
“I see.” Lydia was annoyed by her self-importance. “I’m sure the rest of the staff will pull together.”
“We have a junior cook to cover her position,” Jane said. “But she has never made a wedding cake, which is why we are here.”
“So my lavish window display,” Polly acknowledged with a grin. “Caught your eye ma’am.”
“It caught my husband’s eye. Opps.” The heiress laughed at her blunder.
“Lady Charlotte,” Jane touched her arm. “You’re not married yet.”
“Where has he got to?” Charlotte looked out of the window. “Is he still talking to Lord Cavendish?”
“Yes Lady Charlotte.” Jane could see that the men were engaged in a heavy discussion. “I fear it may be a while.”
Lydia ushered the heiress closer to the cake. She wasn’t going to wait for a man to close the purchase. It was always the woman who made that decision, no matter how coy she appeared. “Let me explain how I baked the fine ingredients into the wedding cake.”
Chapter 10
As the women stood around the wedding cake, Lady Charlotte’s fiancé came into the shop looking for the heiress. The handsome gentleman signalled a quiet hush to Polly, then slowly crept up behind Charlotte.
“What a delightful wedding cake,” Lady Charlotte said, as Lydia bent forward and adjusted a floral trimming around the cake stand.
“Yes darling,” her fiancé’s deep voice boomed. “We’ll buy it now.”
“Chester.” Lydia gasped over her shoulder. “Is that you?” The duke’s handsome face sent shock waves through her body.
“Lydia?” He was equally surprised by his first love. “What are you doing here?”
“This is my shop.” Her heart missed a beat, as she gazed into his jade green eyes. “You look very well.”
“You look..Very agreeable yourself,” the duke replied. “Forgive my manners.” He removed his beaver hat with a discreet bow. His dark curls captivated Lydia, as they tumbled against his angular jaw. They were the same curls that fell against her soft skin, as they stole innocent kisses away from the prying eyes of a chaperone.
Polly was quietly amused by Lydia’s interest in the duke. He was obviously a man she knew from the past. Not as prim and proper as she makes out, she mused to herself. Lady Cringlewood had also noticed an attraction between them. Her cool exterior was beginning to crack.
“Lydia.” Polly tried to attract her attention. She turned to the heiress in a loud voice. “The wedding cake also comes with a decorative cake stand and floral trimmings.”
Lydia broke off her gaze from Chester. “Yes that’s right.” She became aware of Charlotte’s hostile stare and assumed a more formal manner. “The cake is part of my summer collection.”
“How delightful.” The duke stared into Lydia’s pale blue eyes. He had forgotten how pretty they were, along with her sensuous mouth. His eyes drank in her shapely figure. Why did he jilt such a beautiful woman like this?
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A DUKE’S BRIDE. EPISODE 2 & 3 OUT NOW!
AD JAMES
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