Chapter 17

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the grand dining room. The family gathered around the long, polished table, the silverware clinking softly against fine china. Conversations buzzed lightly, but there was a noticeable absence—both Andrew and Marianne had not shown up.

Peggy, ever the lively spirit, was practically bouncing in her seat. Her excitement for the upcoming wedding was palpable, and she could hardly contain her joy. She twirled in her chair, her eyes sparkling with delight as she shared her plans with anyone who would listen.

"I simply cannot wait for the wedding!" Peggy exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious. "I've already started thinking about the decorations and the flowers. I want everything to be perfect. And the music! Oh, it must be divine!"

Rose and Ruth, seated across from her, smiled warmly.

"We're excited too, Peggy," Rose said, her tone gentle but equally thrilled. "It's going to be such a beautiful event. Marianne and Andrew make such a lovely couple."

Ruth nodded in agreement. "Yes, and the dresses! I can't wait to see Marianne in her gown. She'll look stunning."

Lady Harriet, seated at the head of the table, glanced around, her brow furrowing slightly. "Has anyone seen Andrew this morning?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of concern. The room fell silent for a moment as everyone looked around, shaking their heads.

"No, Lady Harriet," Rose replied. "He hasn't come down yet."

"Strange," Lady Harriet murmured, her gaze drifting to the empty chair beside her. "He's usually very punctual."

At that moment, Lady Hillsfolk turned her attention to Peggy. "And what about Marianne, dear? Have you seen her this morning?"

Peggy paused, her cheerful expression faltering slightly. "Marianne isn't feeling well," she explained, her voice tinged with concern. "She's in her room, resting."

Lady Hillsfolk nodded, her worry evident but tempered with understanding. "I see. I hope she feels better soon. The wedding preparations must be exhausting for her."

As breakfast continued, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, though a subtle undercurrent of concern lingered. Once everyone had finished their meal, Lady Hillsfolk excused herself and made her way upstairs to Marianne's room.

She knocked gently and went inside to find Marianne looking pale, lying in bed.

Lady Hillsfolk approached the bed and inquired in a soft tone, "Marianne, dear, are you all right?"

Marianne smiled a little. "Yes, I am fine. I would say just a little under the weather. Nothing serious."

Lady Hillsfolk took Marianne's hand in her own as she sat on the edge of the bed. "That's good to hear. Take as much rest as you require. This time of year, the heat can be extremely demanding."

Marianne said, "Thank you, Mother," with gratitude in her eyes. "I just need a little time to recover."

With a nod, Lady Hillsfolk patted her hand and got to her feet. "Obviously, my dear. I'll let you go to sleep. Do not hesitate to send for me if you need anything at all."

Lady Hillsfolk gave a last, comforting smile and carefully closed the door behind her. Returning downstairs, she continued to think about Marianne's condition.

The family members went about their daily activities as the morning wore on, but there was always a sense of excitement for the impending wedding. Peggy laugh echoed like a bell as she danced in the garden amid the flowers. Her excitement was unbridled as she swirled and twirled.

With a warm smile on her face, Peggy announced to Ruth and Rose, "This wedding is going to be the event of the year! Lavender and cream is the color palette I've already chosen. It will be really classy."

Rose laughed, her eyes sparkling. "You have such wonderful ideas, Peggy. I'm sure it will be beautiful."

"Thank you, Rose," Peggy replied, beaming. "I just want everything to be perfect for Marianne and Andrew. They deserve the best."

Ruth nodded, her expression thoughtful. "They do. And with your plans, it certainly will be. Marianne is lucky to have you as her sister."

Peggy's smile widened. "And I'm lucky to have her. Now, let's go check on the flowers in the greenhouse. I want to make sure we have enough for the arrangements."

The three made their way to the greenhouse, their chatter filled with excitement and plans for the future. The day was bright and clear, and despite the morning's absences, the mood was one of optimism and joy.

Back in the house, Lady Hillsfolk found herself drawn to the library. She settled into a chair by the window, a book in hand, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Marianne. After a while, she decided to check on her once more.

As she approached Marianne's room, she knocked gently and entered, finding Marianne sitting up in bed, looking slightly better.

"How are you feeling now, dear?" Lady Hillsfolk asked, her voice soft with concern.

Marianne smiled faintly. "A bit better, thank you. The rest has helped."

"Good," Lady Hillsfolk replied, relieved. "I was worried about you. It's important to take care of yourself, especially with the wedding so close."

Marianne nodded. "I know. I'm just hoping to feel better soon, so I can help with the final preparations."

"You will," Lady Hillsfolk assured her. "Just take it one step at a time. We're all here to help."

Marianne's eyes softened with gratitude. "Thank you, Mother. Your support means a lot to me."

Lady Hillsfolk smiled, patting her hand gently. "That's what family is for, dear. Now, rest some more. I'll check on you later."

Leaving Marianne to rest, Lady Hillsfolk returned to the dining room, where the family was gathered, discussing the upcoming wedding with excitement and anticipation.

* * *

The afternoon sun filtered through the lush greenery of expansive gardens, casting dappled shadows on the winding paths. Lady Harriet, a vision of grace in her pale blue gown, walked arm-in-arm with Harry. The well-kept garden was a haven of peace with sweet-smelling flowers and the soft buzzing of bees providing a calm atmosphere.

Harriet's expression was anything but calm. Her lips pressed together into a thin line, her brow furrowed. She said, her voice trailing off into dread, "I'm terribly concerned about Andrew. He's always been extremely dependable and on time. It's unusual for him to skip breakfast completely."

Harry gave her arm a comforting squeeze. Tall and robust, his quiet manner frequently counterbalanced Harriet's more fervent tendencies. His tone was comforting as he said, "I understand your concern, dear, but maybe he's just too overwhelmed. He might be burdened by the obligations of the estate as well as the wedding preparations."

With a sigh, Harriet's eyes strayed to a nearby cluster of roses. "I am aware. However, I can't get rid of the impression that he's worried about something deeper. All I can hope for is that we're not pressuring him into this marriage. I'm concerned that he might be unhappy or feel imprisoned."

Harry turned to face Harriet and stopped walking. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he met her gaze. "Andrew has reached adulthood and is now a duke. He is aware of his obligations and his limitations. We have to have faith that he is aware of what is best for himself. I'm confident he would have voiced any significant reservations if he had any."

Nodding, Harriet's concern did not completely go away. "You're correct. Simply put, I want him to be happy."

Harry's eyes narrowed as he looked ahead and they started walking again. He could see a figure on a horse approaching in the distance. "Look over there," he added, giving Harriet a gentle prod. "Isn't that Andrew?"

With a squint, Harriet's face lit up with a mix of excitement and relief. "It is, indeed! Oh, I'm very glad."

Harry grinned as he advised, "Remember, to be joyful. Rather than our worries, Andrew needs to feel our support. Let's give him a hearty greeting."

Harriet and Harry went to meet Andrew as he drew closer to the garden's entrance. Andrew dismounted his horse with smooth grace. Having managed the estate for years, he had developed a more gruff edge to go along with his remarkable looks. His attitude was one of deep absorption, his dark hair slightly ruffled from the ride.

"Good evening, Andrew!" Harry exclaimed with joy. "Enjoying a ride on such a beautiful day?"

As he reached them, Andrew looked up, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. "Good day, Harry, Harriet. Yes, the ride was refreshing. Sometimes a bit of solitude helps clear the mind."

Harriet stepped forward, her smile warm and welcoming. She knew it was a lot for Andrew to handle. She didn't think it was the right time to ask Andrew what was wrong. He had always taken his time to process things, and once he did, he came to share things with her on his own.

Harriett replied, "I'm glad to see you, Andrew. We were starting to worry when you didn't join us for breakfast."

Andrew chuckled softly, shaking his head. "My apologies. I needed some time to think, and the morning seemed like the perfect opportunity."

Harry clapped him on the shoulder. "No need to apologize. It's good to see you taking some time for yourself. The wedding preparations must be quite a lot to handle."

Andrew's smile grew slightly. "Yes, they are, but I'm managing. Peggy's enthusiasm is infectious, and Marianne has been wonderful. I'm lucky to have such a supportive family around me."

Harriet's eyes softened, and she reached out to squeeze Andrew's hand. "We all want this to be a joyous occasion for you, Andrew. If there's anything you need, anything at all, just let us know."

With a grateful face, Andrew nodded. "Harriet, thank you. You have no idea how much your support means."

They switched to more lighthearted subjects as they resumed their stroll through the garden. Harry, who was usually an excellent source of banter, chose to tell a story about a recent estate meeting that had him in stitches.

"You won't believe what happened at the last estate meeting. Mr. Fletcher, the new steward, came to his first session. You know the kind, eager to make a good impression."

With a slight smile on his lips, Andrew nodded. "All right, Harry. Already, this sounds promising."

"Mr. Fletcher was anxious to come out as educated, so he spent the entire morning tremblingly going over his belongings," Harry related. "When it was his turn to present, he got up with great confidence and started discussing crop rotations."

With a raised eyebrow, Harriet showed interest. "And why are crop rotations so funny?"

Shaking his head, Harry laughed. "He did, however, make a little mistake. He started with a thorough explanation of how we should rotate our sheep and cows to increase wool and milk production rather than talking about our wheat and barley rotations.

Warm and hearty laughter erupted from Andrew. "Oh no, that poor man! Was he corrected by anyone?"

Harry smiled and gave a nod. "Yes, but not until he spoke about it for almost ten minutes. Finally, Lord Browning, scarcely able to keep a straight face, said, ‘Mr. Fletcher, while your enthusiasm for animal husbandry is great, I believe we were talking about grain, not livestock.'"

With a giggle, Harriet shook her head. "How did Mr. Fletcher respond?"

Harry laughed and said, "He turned beet red and muttered something about needing to review his notes. Afterward, we all laughed a lot about it, and it definitely made the rest of the meeting more enjoyable."

While continuing to laugh, Andrew wiped a tear from his eye. "It's something I can just envision. Such meetings can benefit from a little inadvertent humor."

Warmly, Harriet smiled at her brother. "Andrew, I'm happy to see you laughing. Too much time has passed since we last had a moment like this.

With a softened smile, Andrew nodded. "It has. I believe that lately, I've been taking things a little too seriously. It's helpful to keep in mind that laughter is always welcome."

Harry gave a nod of approval. "Without a doubt. Life is too brief to live in constant solemnity. The small things, like Mr. Fletcher's mistakes, must bring us joy."

The tension that had persisted earlier appeared to completely disappear as they strolled along, to be replaced by a feeling of relaxation and companionship. Their chat was perfectly complemented by the garden's vivid flowers and soft breeze.

Andrew said, "Remember when we made a fort in the backyard, Harriet? We invited everyone to view it, and everything collapsed right before we could actually play there. Thankfully, nobody was harmed, but the scene was a mess."

Harry gave a hearty laugh. "That seems like a really exciting adventure. I wish I could have witnessed it."

Harriet gave her husband a smile. "Yeah, that was something, after all."

Andrew laughed. "We overestimated our abilities a little too much."

They exchanged anecdotes and reminisced about their childhood misadventures, and the talk went easily. Their laughing made the garden seem to come to life, and the promise of a lovely evening and the scent of blossoming flowers filled the air.

Harry paused and grinned broadly as they walked up to a little pond, the water glistening in the late afternoon sun. "You know, I'm appreciative of times like these. The most important things are these straightforward moments spent with family, even with all of the obligations and stress."

Squeezing his hand, Harriet gave him a gentle look. "Harry, you're right. These are priceless moments. And, Andrew, know that we are always here to support you."

Andrew felt a great sense of thankfulness as he glanced at his sister and brother-in-law. "I want to thank you both. I appreciate your help very much."

Harriet couldn't help but gaze at her brother as they strolled. His eyes held a contemplative glint she had not noticed previously, suggesting a darker side hiding behind his composed demeanor. She decided to watch him to make sure he wasn't carrying more weight than he was revealing.

After a while, they came to a stone bench close to a group of trees. They chose to relax for a while because the soft light from the sun produced a tranquil atmosphere. Harry stood close by, slouching against a tree, as Harriet and Andrew sat down on the bench.

With a nostalgic smile on her lips, Harriet enquired, "Do you remember when we used to play as children? We'd spend hours running through the gardens, pretending we were on grand adventures."

Andrew laughed, the recollection glimmering in his eyes. "Yes, I do recall. You were the fearless leader who always took me along on your adventures."

Harriet chuckled, her tone playful and melodic. "And you were always the voice of reason, keeping me from getting us into too much trouble."

Harry added his two cents while grinning warmly at their exchange. "Indeed, those were less complicated times. No obligations and no demands. Simply the delight of youth."

Andrew nodded, his smile fading a little. "They were, indeed. However, when times change, we also have to adapt. We have significant obligations right now, and I'm appreciative of the chances they present."

Reaching out, Harriet put a hand on Andrew's arm. "Andrew, you've always had such strength. But keep in mind that you can rely on us when necessary. We're here for you because we're family."

Andrew's gaze softened as he turned to face his sister. "Harriet, I am aware. And I'm more grateful than I can express. I guess sometimes I just have to remind myself of that."

Seeing the emotional undertone, Harry made the decision to lighten the tone. "Talking about responsibility, have you seen the newest stable addition? A splendid horse, a gift from Lord and Lady Pembroke. Very gregarious beast—reminds me a little bit of you, Andrew."

Andrew's eyes glowed with curiosity. "I haven't yet got the opportunity. I've been meaning to look at the horses."

"Why don't we go now?" Harriet said, straightening her skirts and getting to her feet. "A new horse sounds like just the thing to lift your spirits."

Grinning, Andrew got up as well. "It seems like a really good idea. Lead the way."

The talk was easy and full of jokes and stories as they made their way to the stables. Seeing her brother more relaxed gave Harriet a sense of relief. She was aware that the days ahead would be hectic and possibly demanding.

When they arrived at the stables, the stable master welcomed them and showed them to the newest stable member with great enthusiasm. The stallion, with his lustrous coat and perceptive eyes, was truly a gorgeous beast. Andrew walked up to the horse and patted its neck with a soft touch.

Andrew said, "He's beautiful," in a tone full of adoration. "A fine gift, indeed."

Harry smiled and leaned against the stable door. "I figured you would enjoy him. Despite his training, Lord Pembroke claimed that he still had a lot of spirit."

Andrew gave a resolute nod, his eyes shining. "I would love to try him out. Maybe we could get a ride later tonight?"

"That sounds perfect," Harriet said. "It will do you good to spend some time with him."

The sun was setting as they were leaving the stables, bathing the estate in a warm glow. Feeling comfortable, Harriet strolled between her husband and her brother. The promise of fresh starts and the reassuring presence of family seemed to have eclipsed the worries of the morning.