CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Giff arrived back at Worthington House and was led to a good-sized parlor anchored by a large lady's desk. His mother, Lady Worthington, and Alice were seated near the window. Outside, the Great Danes were playing with the older children.

The butler announced him. "Lord St. Albans, my lady."

Alice glanced up. "Oh, good. We can go no further until we know if we are being married in church or not."

He took a seat next to her on a small sofa. "If we want to have the ceremony in church, it can only be in ten days at nine in the morning."

She took one of his hands between her smaller ones. "That is only two days earlier than we had planned."

Lady Worthington poured him a cup of tea, and Alice added the milk and sugar. Her ladyship glanced at his mother then at him. "Very well. I shall write to Madam Lisette to notify her of the change. The only other decision is where to have the wedding breakfast."

He and his mother had both thought the Cleveland House gardens would be perfect, but it would be much more difficult to keep track of the children. "Here."

Mamma shot him a look, and he tilted his head to the window. Understanding dawned on her countenance. "I agree. It will be easier to have it here with the children."

He thought Lady Worthington heaved a small sigh of relief, and Giff said, "There will be plenty of time for them to explore our gardens later."

She glanced at a paper in her hand. "Number of guests. We generally invite family members and close friends of the bride and groom."

"I would like my father to be there," Mamma said. "I wrote to him as soon as Alice and Giff were betrothed."

His mother probably didn't know about the ship. "I asked for his ship to travel to Scotland after the wedding."

"Wonderful." Mamma smiled broadly. "He will no doubt sail down here." She gave Lady Worthington a chagrinned look. "We will not know how many of my family will be onboard until they have arrived."

"As long as you can house them, we will manage." She glanced down at the list and back up. "Are there any customs your family would like to see that we do not have here in England?"

"There are so many. I have an idea of some we could do here." His mother held up her hand and stared ticking them off. "White heather for the groom and in the bride's bouquet, a sixpence in the bride's shoe, a piper to lead them to the table, the loving cup with whisky, they'll dance the first reel, and the sword dance at the end. The cake is usually a fruit cake. I had my cook start it already."

Alice looked at him. "Piping?"

He grinned "Yes. If we were in Scotland, we'd be piped from the house to the kirk and to dinner."

"You mean bag pipes?" Alice's eyes were wider than he'd ever seen them. She'd obviously never heard of the tradition before.

His mother laughed. "Yes. Bag pipes. They don't sound bad at all when played properly. Although, I do not know how easy it would be to find a good piper in Town."

"We generally do not dance at our wedding breakfasts," Grace said. "But there is a first time for everything, and the children will like it."

"It seems as if we have finalized the plans," Mamma said. "I will send my list of family and friends to you no later than tomorrow morning. My secretary is at your disposal if you need her." She turned to Giff. "What are your plans?"

He looked at Alice. "We must speak with Simmons and his wife about the positions of butler and housekeeper."

"Excellent," his mother said. "What else?"

"I am taking my personal servants to see the heir's wing. I hope to hear from the decorator and her husband soon. Her husband is an architect. And I want to be able to gather some maids and footmen from our housekeeper and butler here. Do you have anyone who would like to work for us?"

"I will speak with my housekeeper. She will not be at all happy about losing Simmons, but it is time for her to be responsible for her own house. What about a cook?"

"I have already spoken with our cook. He will find someone for us." Alice rose. "Whose carriage shall we take?"

"Mine is outside." Giff held out his arm. "Shall we?"

"In a few minutes. I must tell my servants to meet us there."

Once that was done, he escorted Alice out while Mamma waited for her coach to be brought around. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

Alice settled herself on to the bench. "Shopping. A great deal of shopping."

"I will be happy to accompany you." He picked up the ribbons.

"That will be fun. I do trust I will hear from the decorator soon."

He did as well. The sooner the house was finished the better. Giff wondered if their bedchamber was in good-enough condition to make love to Alice. He needed to be with her.

He called for the Simmonses to join them in the library. He and Alice were seated behind an old walnut desk when they arrived. Giff indicated the chairs in front of the desk. "Please." He wished there was tea, but this would have to do. "Her ladyship and I would like to offer you the positions of butler and housekeeper."

The couple smiled at one another. "Thank you, my lord," Simmons said. "We will be happy to accept."

Alice folded her hands and placed them on the desk. "It occurred to me that it might be better if we had additional servants that already serve our families. I will ask the Worthington housekeeper if she has any maids who might like to come to us. Do you know any maids who would like to change houses?"

"Footmen too, my lady?" Simmons asked.

"Indeed." Alice inclined her head.

Mrs. Simmons pursed her lips. "I do know a few of the younger maids who have learned their duties well but have no opportunity of advancement at the present. I would be happy to ask them."

"There are one or two footmen as well," Simmons added.

A knock sounded on the open door, and Alice glanced over. Williams, her maid, and her groom stood waiting. "Come. I would like to make you known to Simmons and Mrs. Simmons, our new butler and housekeeper." Her personal servants entered the room. Williams found chairs for them and set them in front of the table. "Mrs. Simmons, Simmons, this is my dresser, Bertram, my personal footman, Williams, and my groom, Robertson. They will be joining our household."

While they greeted each other, she glanced at Giff. "Coachman and stablemaster."

"I believe I can steal a coachman from my father. I'm not certain about the stablemaster."

"We don't have an extra one at Worthington House, my lady," Robertson said. "Lady Madeline took him."

"My lady, my lord," Simmons said. "There is a second stablemaster here. He's been waiting for the old one to retire."

Giff rubbed his jaw. "That might be our answer."

"My lady," Bertram said. "May Williams and I look around?"

"Yes, certainly. Mrs. Simmons can accompany you if she would like."

The housekeeper rose. "Thank you, my lady. I would be happy to show them the house."

The three of them left the room chatting quietly.

"If you do not mind, my lord, my lady," Simmons said. "I found the inventory for this house and would like to compare it to what we have for silver and porcelain."

"Yes, of course," Giff said. "Please let me know of any discrepancies." He stood and held out his hand to Alice. "Let's go to the stables and see if we can pilfer a few servants."

Robertson accompanied them as they strolled through the garden door to the mews. The key hung to the side of the gate. "Mr. Thorton would have someone's head if he saw that."

He was right. They had learned their lesson several years ago. "We will have to have it moved."

"I'll find out who to talk to about it." Giff glanced up at the wall. "Anyone could climb that wall."

Alice took a look at the foliage and almost laughed. "Only if they wanted to have a very painful time of it. "Those are climbing roses. Under them are rugosa roses and hawthorn. It would not be at all pleasant."

Giff touched the bushes as if he was trying to grab onto them and jerked his hand back. "That hurt. I'm glad to see someone showed some sense."

"Just so you know, my lady," Robertson said. "Williams said as how Mr. Thorton has been training footmen since before the Season to go to your houses. You and Lady Madeline and Lady Alice. He wanted to make sure they were trustworthy."

Alice thought there had been more than usual. "Thank you for telling me. You do not happen to know if Mrs. Thorton has been doing the same thing with maids, do you?"

Robertson shook his head. "You'd think she would."

"I hope she did." That would make this process much easier.

Giff took the key and put it in the lock. It took a few moments before he was able to turn it. Then it stuck when he got it unlocked. "This needs to be repaired."

They crossed to the stable and it was locked as well. "Fergus!" Giff bellowed.

His groom ran out of the stable next to theirs. "Mye laird?"

"Find the key. We need to make this standing suitable."

Fergus cracked a grin. "Aye, me laird."

He dashed off and came back with an older man following behind.

"No one told me we were to open this stable," the older man complained belligerently.

Giff lowered his brows. "Did no one tell you I'm getting married?"

The man scratched his nose. "Heard somethin' about it."

"If I am marrying and moving into the heir's wing, why would I not open my own standing?"

The servant took his hat off and scratched his head. "You got a point there, my lord."

Giff glanced at the cloudless sky and closed his eyes. "Exactly. Now open the door."

"Got to get the key, don't I?" The man walked off to the other stable.

Alice barely stopped herself from laughing. "Is he always like this?"

"I don't know." He scowled after the servant. "The last time I was here he ran me off by telling me my father didn't want me out here. I was to send for what I needed."

Robertson turned his back, but his shoulders shook briefly.

Fergus shook his head. "Right old codger he is, me laird."

Giff looked at him. "A laird now, am I?"

"Aye, me laird. Ye got yer own house and property in two places"

Alice couldn't hold in her mirth any longer. Giff glared at her. "What are you laughing about?"

In an attempt to stop, she waved her hand in front of her face. "It is funny. If you are a laird, what am I?"

"Still a lady." He barked a laugh when she pouted.

She was glad his mood had improved. "I assume he is the stablemaster. What is his name?"

"Smith." Giff stared across the short area separating the door. "I swear he's been here since before my father. Here he comes brandishing a key."

He took the key and opened the door. The smell of rotten hay and offal almost knocked her back. "This must be cleaned at once."

"Ain't my stable." Smith said. "Not my job." And walked away.

"Fergus." Alice smiled at the Scotsman. "Just how many grooms might like to work for his lordship?"

An evil grin appeared on his freckled face. "Including the young stablemaster, me lady?"

"Naturally."

He glanced at Giff. "What'll ye pay, me laird?"

"I'll pay twelve pence more per quarter than they are earning now." Fergus looked at Robertson as if he'd just noticed him. "An who are ye?"

"Robertson." He stood his ground at the clear attempt at intimidation.

Fergus's eyes narrowed. "Got any Scots in ye?"

"My father's side of the family is still in Scotland. He got work for an English lord and left. My mother's English."

Fergus stuck out his hand. "Glad to meet ye." He pointed his chin toward Alice. "Working for her ladyship?"

"I am her groom."

"Make sure Bromley knows. Unless I'm mistaken, he'll be the new stablemaster." Fergus turned to Giff. "Do ye need yer curricle? It's best if ye come back later this afternoon to see about the stable. There's likely to be a lot of shoutin' and swearin' going on here."

Giff offered her his arm, and she took it but did not move. "Fergus, I would much rather have the stable staff hired before we depart. After that, you can swear and shout all you would like."

Fergus glanced at Giff who nodded and took off toward the other stable. A few minutes later, he came back with their new stable-master and a sufficient number of grooms for their needs.

Smith followed them back as well, but she expected that. "Mr. Smith, I understand that you are not happy about losing some of your staff. However, I must point out that you have abrogated any duty toward this standing. Therefore, we have taken matters into our own hands. As you are not needed here, you may return to your duties."

The old man opened and closed his mouth, reminding her of a fish, then turned around and stomped off.

"She always talk like that?" Fergus asked Robertson.

He smirked. "When she needs to."

"I think me laird got hisself a fine lady. She'll do well when we visit home."

"We'll be back later. Make a list of what we'll need." Giff led her off through the garden gate. "Well done, my love."

"I have experience with men having more fun arguing than getting their work accomplished. Let us find out what is going on in the house."