“Whatever color they are, they need some tending. They must be quite hardy to survive such neglect,” Kathryn said as she continued to walk down the path.
Grace followed her and soon spied an arch and bench in the distance. “Look over there. I think there areDamaskroses covering the arch,” she said, pointing to the end of the path.
“I think this garden is going to need a lot more work than we anticipated,” Kathryn said. “It looks to have been neglected for quite some time.”
“I agree, and Fletcher told me I could be in charge of bringing the garden back to life. However, I think the first task is to hire a gardener and some workers to clear out all the weeds. They’re taking over the path.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
The two young women wandered around the garden, examining what was there and what could be improved. By thetime they returned to the drawing room, everyone was waiting for the tea cart to arrive.
“What do you think of the garden?” Fletcher asked.
“Jacob… I mean, Fletcher, it’s quite a mess,” Grace said.
“Grace, you’re allowed to call me by my given name when it’s just family.” He turned to Kathryn. “Lady Kathryn, please do feel free to call me Jacob as well.”
Kathryn nodded. “Thank you, Jacob. And please, call me Kathryn.”
“We need to hire a gardener and some workers to clear out the mess so we can properly assess the potential of the garden,” Grace said.
“I’ll ask the steward for suggestions,” Jacob said. “I plan to meet with him tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Jacob. I believe once the weeds are cleared away, the garden could be quite beautiful,” Grace said.
After a quick knock on the door, Betsy wheeled in the tea tray.
“Oh, treats. I love treats,” Mia said as she looked at the cart overflowing with tasty delights.
“Lady Fletcher, will there be anything else?” the maid asked.
“No, thank you, Betsy.”
Betsy curtseyed and left the room.
“Mia, dearest, will you pour?”
“Me?” Mia asked with a bit of panic in her voice.
“Yes. It will be good practice for you,” Audrey said. “It is only family here, so don’t be nervous, dearest. Do your best.”
Mia looked apprehensive, but in the end, she did perfectly fine and didn’t spill a drop.
“See. I knew you could do it,” Grace whispered. “You’ll be a fine hostess one day.”
After tea, Jacob and Audrey retired to the lord’s bedchamber to rest before dinner.
“Do you want to see my bedchamber?” Mia asked Grace.
“Of course. Both Kathryn and I need to choose one as well.”
The three young women headed up the stairs to the family level.
Mia skipped ahead and stopped at the second door on the left. “Here it is,” she said, opening the door to reveal a bright and airy bedchamber painted in soft yellows. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s lovely,” Kathryn said, looking out the window. “You have a wonderful view of the meadow.”
“There are quite a few other bedchambers, and they are quite lovely as well, but I liked this one best,” Mia said.