blanket." The others helped her gather the green yarn as well as a few skeins of other colors for the animals she wanted to knit into the blanket. "Let me go pay for these so they can wrap them up before Bea gets here," she said, and was about to move when Louisa reminded her of the rules.
"Good grief, it's not like I'm leaving the store, and Lucas isn't even here!" Ettie huffed.
"You won't have to worry about your brother if Molly catches you," Lucy warned. "And, believe me, I don't think she'd wait until we got home to show her disapproval, either!"
Ettie stomped her foot. "This is ridiculous. You don't see hordes of others shopping together. How am I supposed to get everything else I want to keep a surprise? I'm a grown woman, not a six-year-old!"
"There's nothing wrong with being young."
Four heads turned to see who had spoken.
"Oh, hello, Mr. Whitmore," Lucy said.
"Hello, Lady Huntington, or I suppose I should say Ladies Huntington and Lady Wintercrest." He chuckled and gave a small bow. "It's such a pleasure to see you accepted my invitation." Though his words included them all, his eyes were on Ettie.
"It's our pleasure, sir," Ettie said. "You store is amazing and I'm sure it is quite safe to shop without others hovering over your every move."
Lucy heard Franny gasp at her sister's audacity before Mr. Whitmore spoke again.
"You can hardly blame anyone who might wish to accompany you, my dear. I do believe my store is safe enough, but I can understand your brother's need to ensure it is so."
Lucy, a bit afraid that Ettie would launch into an argument, and not wanting to be involved in any possibly embarrassing scene, hurried to say, "How about I go with Franny and Louisa can go with you, Ettie?"
"That would also give me a chance to personally show you about the store," David said, offering his arm to Ettie. The others relaxed when Molly returned in time to hear Ettie giggle and hold up her arms, which were full of yarn. Mr. Whitmore's chuckle showed his ability to laugh at himself as he plucked a few skeins from her before offering his arm again. Molly turned to follow, leaving the other three to shop together.
"Thank goodness, Miss Molly showed up," Franny said and the others agreed.
"Let's find the things you need," Louisa suggested.
They found the paper, quills, ink and pencils in a corner of the store. "There are so many different choices," Lucy said, amazed at the variety of loose paper as well as thin and thick bound journals. "Are you looking for something like this?" She held up a book of papers she'd used herself in school.
"No, I don't know how long the book will turn out, and I can't illustrate it if every page has lines on it."
"Oh, then how about these?" Louisa held up different blank sheets in each hand.
"No, those are for watercolors and I'm not very good at that type of painting."
With a big sigh, Lucy looked again at the stacks of paper. Not only were some of various textures, there were stacks of different sizes as well. "I'm afraid I'm not much help, then."
"Should we ask for help?" Louisa suggested.
"May I offer some assistance?"
Lucy whipped around to find yet another of Uncle Stefan's dinner guests. Before she could speak, Franny did. "I'd appreciate all the assistance I can get. Thank you, Mr. Benedict."
Within seconds, the two were discussing the qualities of each type of paper, leaving Lucy and Louisa looking at each other. Taking her twin's hand, Lucy pulled her a short distance away to give the couple a bit of privacy. Whereas Ettie could cause who knew what sort of chaos when left to her own devices, Franny was the obedient, quiet one who could be trusted to obey every rule without question.
As the minutes ticked away, Lucy was surprised to discover that Mr. Benedict's offer of help wasn't just out of politeness. As she listened to him speak of how different textures took to different inks or paints, she understood the papers were indeed different and it was obviously
"Good grief, it's not like I'm leaving the store, and Lucas isn't even here!" Ettie huffed.
"You won't have to worry about your brother if Molly catches you," Lucy warned. "And, believe me, I don't think she'd wait until we got home to show her disapproval, either!"
Ettie stomped her foot. "This is ridiculous. You don't see hordes of others shopping together. How am I supposed to get everything else I want to keep a surprise? I'm a grown woman, not a six-year-old!"
"There's nothing wrong with being young."
Four heads turned to see who had spoken.
"Oh, hello, Mr. Whitmore," Lucy said.
"Hello, Lady Huntington, or I suppose I should say Ladies Huntington and Lady Wintercrest." He chuckled and gave a small bow. "It's such a pleasure to see you accepted my invitation." Though his words included them all, his eyes were on Ettie.
"It's our pleasure, sir," Ettie said. "You store is amazing and I'm sure it is quite safe to shop without others hovering over your every move."
Lucy heard Franny gasp at her sister's audacity before Mr. Whitmore spoke again.
"You can hardly blame anyone who might wish to accompany you, my dear. I do believe my store is safe enough, but I can understand your brother's need to ensure it is so."
Lucy, a bit afraid that Ettie would launch into an argument, and not wanting to be involved in any possibly embarrassing scene, hurried to say, "How about I go with Franny and Louisa can go with you, Ettie?"
"That would also give me a chance to personally show you about the store," David said, offering his arm to Ettie. The others relaxed when Molly returned in time to hear Ettie giggle and hold up her arms, which were full of yarn. Mr. Whitmore's chuckle showed his ability to laugh at himself as he plucked a few skeins from her before offering his arm again. Molly turned to follow, leaving the other three to shop together.
"Thank goodness, Miss Molly showed up," Franny said and the others agreed.
"Let's find the things you need," Louisa suggested.
They found the paper, quills, ink and pencils in a corner of the store. "There are so many different choices," Lucy said, amazed at the variety of loose paper as well as thin and thick bound journals. "Are you looking for something like this?" She held up a book of papers she'd used herself in school.
"No, I don't know how long the book will turn out, and I can't illustrate it if every page has lines on it."
"Oh, then how about these?" Louisa held up different blank sheets in each hand.
"No, those are for watercolors and I'm not very good at that type of painting."
With a big sigh, Lucy looked again at the stacks of paper. Not only were some of various textures, there were stacks of different sizes as well. "I'm afraid I'm not much help, then."
"Should we ask for help?" Louisa suggested.
"May I offer some assistance?"
Lucy whipped around to find yet another of Uncle Stefan's dinner guests. Before she could speak, Franny did. "I'd appreciate all the assistance I can get. Thank you, Mr. Benedict."
Within seconds, the two were discussing the qualities of each type of paper, leaving Lucy and Louisa looking at each other. Taking her twin's hand, Lucy pulled her a short distance away to give the couple a bit of privacy. Whereas Ettie could cause who knew what sort of chaos when left to her own devices, Franny was the obedient, quiet one who could be trusted to obey every rule without question.
As the minutes ticked away, Lucy was surprised to discover that Mr. Benedict's offer of help wasn't just out of politeness. As she listened to him speak of how different textures took to different inks or paints, she understood the papers were indeed different and it was obviously
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