“I am not,” Emilia said. “I could work on embroidery all day long.”
“Yes, that is true. It is a vexing little habit of yours,” Lily teased.
Emilia lowered the fabric to her lap. “I do not wish you to be bored. Would you care to play a card game?”
“No,” Lily sighed. “I shouldn’t complain to you. After all, I am sure there are many of my duties that I am overlooking right now.”
“You are entertaining me and that is sufficient.”
Lily leaned forward and lowered her voice. “I do think your staff finds it rather odd that we spend so much time together. I do not think that is normal for a lady’s maid.”
“It might not be, but I do not care.”
Turning her head, Lily asked, “When is your teacher coming to instruct you on how to play the pianoforte?”
“This afternoon,” Emilia replied. “Every genteel lady is expected to play the pianoforte, and I have no excuse since I own a rather grand one.”
“I wish I had seen Lady Shorne’s face when you started singing. I bet she was furious.”
Emilia smiled. “She definitely did not seem pleased.”
“Good, it serves her right,” Lily said. “She was just hoping to embarrass you and she failed spectacularly.”
Dalby entered the room and Emilia perked up. She was hoping his presence indicated that Lord Chatsworth or Lady Roswell had come to call.
“Mr. Calvin Livingston and his sister, Miss Clarissa Livingston, have come to call,” the butler informed her. “Are you receiving callers?”
Emilia blinked. What were they doing here? Did she want to speak to them? The last time they had spoken, it had not gone well.
Lily regarded her with curiosity. “Are you going to meet with them?”
She pondered the question before responding, “I don’t rightly know. Should I?”
“Aren’t you the least bit curious as to what they want?” Lily asked.
Emilia had to admit that Lily did have a point. Calvin and Clarissa had made the effort to travel from Cheapside to visit with her. The least she could do was meet with them.
Turning her attention towards the butler, Emilia said, “Please send them in.”
“Very good, Miss,” Dalby replied before he departed from the room.
While waiting for them to enter the drawing room, Emilia couldn’t help but wonder if she had made the right choice in agreeing to see them. She held no animosity towards them, but she suspected that they might harbor resentment for the way she had disrupted their lives.
Calvin entered the room first and bowed politely. “Miss Sutherland,” he greeted. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with us.”
A moment later, Clarissa stepped into the room, her expression marred by a frown. “Yes, thank you,” she said, her words carrying a trace of animosity.
Emilia had risen when they had come into the drawing room and she dropped into a curtsy. “The pleasure is all mine.”
An uneasy silence settled between them, and Emilia struggled to find the words that could break it. She was uncertain about their purpose for visiting, and the situation felt rather awkward.
Rising, Lily said, “I should let you speak to your guests in private, but I will just be in the entry hall if you need me.”
Once Lily had stepped out, Clarissa went over to the pianoforte and ran her fingers along the side of it. “Do you even know how to play the pianoforte?”
“I do not,” Emilia replied. “But I hope to learn soon.”
“What a waste, then,” Clarissa muttered.