Chapter Fifty-one

Darlington Hall

Monday

Elizabeth, watching, laughed along with him. "They're my mother's dogs. They quite adore her, and you as well, I see."

Rome and Elizabeth sat on the hard bench listening to birdcalls and the squirrels scurrying through the trees. Again, Rome thought Darlington Hall was a place out of time, enjoyed by the very entitled few over the centuries, but still they'd made it magnificent. They didn't speak about serious things, both tired of going over the same ground, and there was nothing new to say in any case.

Rome asked, "How many workers does it take to tend the gardens and mow the lawns?"

It was Lady Millicent inviting them to join her for lunch.

They touched foreheads, breathing hard, then laughed, the dogs prancing around them.

Lady Millicent sat them down on one of the dark blue velvet sofas in the sun-filled informal family room as lunch was being prepared. It was a more modern room than the formal drawing room, inviting and comfortable, with oversized chairs and books on every surface, ready to be picked up and read and laid down again on any surface, didn't matter. Exquisite throws were scattered over the backs of the sofas, and a dozen pillows added color. Walnut bookshelves lined one wall, bulging with books of all kinds, not lined up neatly but shoved in haphazardly, this way and that, another sign this was a room where you could put your feet up and relax. A formal portrait of Millicent was hung over a small marble fireplace, across from another set of arched Palladian windows, their heavy draperies pulled back and looped around graceful golden hooks. Cleo, Disraeli, and Gladstone were sprawled dead to the world in front of them.

"My fault for sleeping so late, Mother. There'll be time to catch up."

Millicent began to pleat the pale-blue-and-white-checked throw over her lap. She heard her voice hitch and forced a smile. "Mr. Eiserly insisted I inform him whenever I plan to leave Darlington Hall so he can send out two officers to accompany me. That needn't be often, usually only when I drive to London to visit Tommy. Your father spoke with him twice yesterday about what happened." Millicent paused, then spit it out. "I know you and Rome plan to see your brother tomorrow, and I wanted to prepare you first, without your father present. I promise you you'll be amazed how much he's changed when you see him. He's still thin, but he exercises and runs most days and he looks so much healthier. His eyes are bright and focused. When he convinced me he really was sober, I moved him out of the small flat where he lived in Notting Hill into the Corinthian on Carberry Street. His flat is on the end, on the sixth floor. It is certainly better suited to his station. Do you know the Corinthian?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly, taking it all in.

Rome looked at Elizabeth's mother, saw she wanted desperately to believe her son had changed.

"I'll do my best," he said and hugged a madly licking Disraeli.