With This Ring by Carla Kelly Read Free Book Online Page B

now, ran
into the entranceway, suddenly rendered far less shabby by a
majestic bouquet of the reddest roses Lydia could
remember.
    Mama fumbled at the note lying
beside the roses, finally handing it to Lydia. “Open this!” she
demanded. “I vow I am all aflutter!”
    At least I am not giving you
heart palpitations, Lydia thought as she picked up one of her
hairpins still lying on the floor from last night’s encounter, and
slit open the note. She handed it to her mother, who read it, her
eyes growing wider and wider. “Daughter!” she exclaimed. “This is
amazing!”
    “ Do read the note, Mama,” Lydia
said.
    Mama read it out loud, her voice
trembling. “‘My dear Lady Luisa, You are to be congratulated on the
rearing of a daughter as kind and useful as Miss Perkins. One
rarely meets a parent who is so willing to sacrifice a daughter for
a day of philanthropy among those who serve their country. You
should be praised for your sagacity. If only I had the words to
tell you what I truly think of you. Regards, etc., Major Samuel
E.H. Reed, Lord Laren of Laren Hall, Northumberland, Battery B
Commanding, Third Division.’” Mama sank into a chair. “Daughter, I
doubt there is a single rose left in any flower shop in London.”
She stared at Lydia, unable to say more.
    I can play this right, Lydia thought
suddenly as she watched the amazement in Mama’s face. She picked up
the rest of her hairpins from the floor until she felt sufficiently
calm to look at her mother again. Keep your voice normal, Lydia,
she cautioned herself. Choose your words carefully. Major Reed has
given you a toss into the saddle, if you use it right. An offhand
disinterested tone would be best about now.
    “ Do you know, Mama, it is a pity
that you forbade me to return to St. Barnabas.” She sighed, with
what she thought was a rather good imitation of Kitty. “Ah, well.
Major Reed will manage without me, as you so helpfully pointed out
last night. Excuse me, Mama. I should dress, shouldn’t
I?”
    She went upstairs quietly, leaving
Mama to stare at the flowers and then the note again. This could
come to nothing, she thought as she dressed quickly. Mama is not
easily led. Lydia looked at her bouquet again, breathing in the
fragrance so riotous and exquisite at the same time. But I doubt
that even Mama has ever met someone as determined as Major Reed.
She smiled. Quite possibly he gets his way even more frequently
than Kitty. I shall have to ask him, provided I see him again, and
he is in the right mood.
    Mama was nowhere in evidence when
Lydia came downstairs again. The breakfast room was empty, except
for the butler, who poured her tea. The twinkle in his eyes was
most pronounced, telling her without words that the tale of the
early morning flowers had spread from below stairs to the
attic.
    “ Stanton, did you see my flowers,
and Mama’s?” she asked as she helped herself to eggs and
bacon.
    “ It would be hard to miss them, Miss
Perkins,” he replied.
    The door opened then, and admitted
her father. He took a cautious peek around the door before he
entered the room. Seeing only her, he sighed and came in, making
himself small in his chair and allowing Stanton to pour tea. After
one cautious sip and then another, he relaxed.
    “ Papa, did you see the
flowers?”
    He smiled and nodded. “Do you have
an extravagant admirer, Lydia?”
    “ No, Papa, just a poor, wounded
veteran I was trying to help at St. Barnabas yesterday,” she
replied, passing him the eggs. “I think he was
delirious.”
    Papa shook his head. “Men don’t send
flowers when they are delirious, daughter. Do have a care.” He
spooned eggs on his plate. “Of course, your poor mother is even now
sneezing from the effects of the flowers. Such a pity,” he said,
sounding anything but sad.
    Lydia made some appropriate comment,
hardly daring to look at her parent. I shall go into whoops over
Papa’s sympathy, she thought. She took a few bites of egg, a drink
of tea,