"No more than you, Louisa. No more than you."
It felt like it was late when Louisa stretched her hands across her soft silken sheets and blinked her eyes open slowly. No one was knocking on the door to tell her to wake and come to breakfast, no one had come in to provide her with options and choices and things that she simply must decide. No one had even come to ask her if she wasn't getting up to see to the menu and she knew well that Mrs. Brooks had very serious feelings about the menu and the time that it needed to be done.
Oh she was tired, but deliciously. The tired that came from hard work and having rested well, being languid abed later than one should and at the very brink of a wonderful dream.
Perhaps a dream like the previous evening?
She was almost certain that it had actually happened which might be stranger than it being a dream. Cedric had been so gentle, so kind. She thought perhaps he had tucked her into her bed, helped her to be comfortable, got rid of the busk that had been digging into her.
It had been soft and gentle in a way that had plucked at her heart and she wasn't sure if she wanted to believe that it had really happened and be in danger of being disappointed when nothing had changed, or decide that it was a dream and enjoy the memory.
"My lady?" Ellis knocked very softly on the door, a noise that would never have woken her if she had still been asleep.
"I am awake, Ellis," Louisa called, and the girl slipped into the room, looking a little pleased and a little awkward at once. "What time is it? It must be later than breakfast surely, I can see the sun on the drapes."
"Indeed, my lady, it is full noon and the family is at luncheon! I was asked to see if you had awoken yet but we were absolutely not allowed to wake you ourselves, my lady. Forgive me but his lordship told us we simply couldn't disturb you and you neededyour sleep." Ellis smiled a little at this, like the idea of Cedric demanding his wife be allowed to sleep was a delight to her.
"Oh my," Louisa sat upright. "But there was so much to do today - the menu?"
"Mrs. Brooks."
"The accounts for Darlington Hall?"
"His lordship said he would look it over and bring it to you only if he had to."
"What about -"
"My lady," Ellis crossed her arms. "Can I put out your day dress and help you change for lunch?"
Louisa nodded mutely. It had been so long since she had woken with no immediate pressing matters to attend to that she was fully dressed and on her way into the dining room before she could think of a single thing more to ask Ellis. What on earth had happened last night?
Upon entering the room the family ate in, a smaller and more friendly version to the long hall that parties were to held in, Louisa was delighted to see Abigail and Kenneth sat eating next to their uncle.
"And then -Uncle Cedric this is important- even though she used to be a fish she wasn't a fish anymore, she had legs!"
"Did she indeed?" Cedric asked seriously, winking at Louisa and making her hide a smile. "I cannot understand why someone would want to exchange being a fish for a person."
"She was in love," Kenneth said with his large solemn eyes staring at his uncle as though he was imparting the secrets of the world. "It's always because they're in love in stories, you know."
"Yes, didn't you know that, Cedric?" Louisa asked, taking her seat at the other end of the table. "What do you think, children, should we invite your uncle to spend more story time with us?"
Kenneth cheered and Abigail smiled at her, a little less obviously enthusiastic but pleased. It was so lovely to see the way that they were opening up again, like carefully blooming flowers daring to open after a thaw.
"I am pleased to continue my education in the matter of stories," Cedric said, smiling at the children. "Louisa, I have instructed Mrs. Brooks to invite some applicants for the position of governess for the children. I shall need your approval of the final choice before we hire her."
Perhaps, Louisa thought, she hadn't woken up at all. This was so new, so completely unexpected that she choked a little on her coffee and had to dab at her lips and cough for a full minute while Abigail patted her arm and Kenneth shouted, 'Don't CHOKE Aunt Lady!' in her ear.
"We are also expected at an evening party at the De Westerfall estate in a few days, so you will need to send out for further gowns. Do not hesitate to spend what is needed to ensure that you have what you want," Cedric was continuing when Louisa held up her hand.
"My lord, please, one thing at a time! Whyever have you hired a governess when I am here for the children?"
Cedric winked then at the children and they both giggled behind their hands as though they were part of some fine conspiracy. "We have discussed it as a family, have we not children? And it is very important that you remember that you are not a governess, you are my wife. Your role is to be part of the family, not one of the servants."
"Yes," Kenneth said. "You are Aunt Lady and you need to get rest so you can tell one ten hundred five stories more to us!"
"We will be good for the governess, Lady Louisa," Abigail added. "I promise."
Louisa flushed a little. She loved taking care of the children but it had been hard lately to keep on top of all the things that she was expected to do. Oh this was truly a relief, this was going to help so much!
