naval hero."
"Much has been on my mind. I can't believe I will be leaving your household to run my very own. It is somewhat intimidating. I-I… oh ignore me. I'm just being fanciful."
"Daisy, Humphrey is a good man. He will be more than happy to show you how to run a household. I have seen the adoration in his eyes when he watches you. It is much like the way Father would look at Mother. Father would be so proud. He always wanted you and Humphrey to be man and wife."
Daisy twiddled her thumbs and nodded. "Yes, you are right. It's just my nerves getting the best of me."
"Good. I was worried—"
"Worried?" Daisy frowned. "Whatever for?"
"Ah… you were in a horrible depression for such a long time – wouldn't eat, hardly spoke, all because of that—"
"Master Thomas?"
Both Daisy and Thomas turned when their housekeeper Martha stepped out and walked over to them.
"Lord Humphrey is here. I put him in the salon."
"But he isn't set to arrive for another two hours. Oh dear." Daisy stood and placed her book on the bench seat.
"Calm down, Daisy, dear. I will play host to Humphrey while you freshen up." Thomas glanced down at his pocket watch. "It is almost time for tea. Perhaps something else came up and that is why Humphrey has come earlier then expected."
"If you don't mind me sayin', the lordship is all smiles and very anxious. He was pacin'
the room when I left." Martha leaned in to whisper. "And he has two boxes, a long velvet one and another smaller one that looks to me like it might have a ring inside."
"Martha!" Daisy admonished.
Martha winked in response and curtsied. She walked back inside, humming softly under her breath.
Daisy and Thomas looked at one another for a moment. Then he grabbed her arm and wrapped it around his own. They walked back inside the house.
"Why don't you run upstairs to refresh yourself and I will tell the cook to bring us tea and those tarts you love so much?"
Daisy almost tripped and steadied herself. She held onto Thomas tighter. "T-tarts? What kind of tarts?"
"Strawberry of course! You must be too excited to see your betrothed if you can't remember that simple thing. By the by, I can't think of the last time you have eaten a dessert tart.
I do remember our old cook Wilda making the most incredible ones. And her daughter… what was her name?"
Daisy swallowed and her lips trembled as she mouthed the name he inquired about.
Distant memories rushed over her as she reflected back to a certain time in her girlhood when she had enjoyed a few strawberry tarts with the one person she thought she would be with forever.
She tried to shake off the memories that always made her chest hurt. "Thomas, I'm suddenly not feeling too—"
"There she is! My beautiful blushing bride."
Thomas and Daisy turned to see Lord Humphrey standing in the doorway of their salon.
A huge smile broke over his face, and he rushed forward and took Daisy's hands in his own.
"You are beyond lovely, my dear." He kissed her knuckles and placed her arm in the crook of his. "You are also looking very well, Thomas."
Thomas crossed his hands behind his back, rocked on his feet and nodded. "Thank you, my Lord. I am very well. And you?"
"Pish, we are to be family soon. Please call me by my Christian name, Draco." Humphrey looked down at Daisy and gave her another wide grin, showing off his blinding white teeth.
"And that means you also, Daisy."
Thomas held out his arm for Humphrey and Daisy to follow him into the room. Daisy glanced up at Humphrey in surprise. "But my lord, it would not be proper to call you by your given name. I would rather wait until we announce our engagement."
Humphrey pursed his lips together and led Daisy over to the settee. He sat down next to her and took hold of her hand. Daisy held back a grimace. She wished he wouldn't display such affection in front of her brother.
Thomas didn't seem to mind, however, as he stood and folded his hands in front of his waist. "I am in
"Much has been on my mind. I can't believe I will be leaving your household to run my very own. It is somewhat intimidating. I-I… oh ignore me. I'm just being fanciful."
"Daisy, Humphrey is a good man. He will be more than happy to show you how to run a household. I have seen the adoration in his eyes when he watches you. It is much like the way Father would look at Mother. Father would be so proud. He always wanted you and Humphrey to be man and wife."
Daisy twiddled her thumbs and nodded. "Yes, you are right. It's just my nerves getting the best of me."
"Good. I was worried—"
"Worried?" Daisy frowned. "Whatever for?"
"Ah… you were in a horrible depression for such a long time – wouldn't eat, hardly spoke, all because of that—"
"Master Thomas?"
Both Daisy and Thomas turned when their housekeeper Martha stepped out and walked over to them.
"Lord Humphrey is here. I put him in the salon."
"But he isn't set to arrive for another two hours. Oh dear." Daisy stood and placed her book on the bench seat.
"Calm down, Daisy, dear. I will play host to Humphrey while you freshen up." Thomas glanced down at his pocket watch. "It is almost time for tea. Perhaps something else came up and that is why Humphrey has come earlier then expected."
"If you don't mind me sayin', the lordship is all smiles and very anxious. He was pacin'
the room when I left." Martha leaned in to whisper. "And he has two boxes, a long velvet one and another smaller one that looks to me like it might have a ring inside."
"Martha!" Daisy admonished.
Martha winked in response and curtsied. She walked back inside, humming softly under her breath.
Daisy and Thomas looked at one another for a moment. Then he grabbed her arm and wrapped it around his own. They walked back inside the house.
"Why don't you run upstairs to refresh yourself and I will tell the cook to bring us tea and those tarts you love so much?"
Daisy almost tripped and steadied herself. She held onto Thomas tighter. "T-tarts? What kind of tarts?"
"Strawberry of course! You must be too excited to see your betrothed if you can't remember that simple thing. By the by, I can't think of the last time you have eaten a dessert tart.
I do remember our old cook Wilda making the most incredible ones. And her daughter… what was her name?"
Daisy swallowed and her lips trembled as she mouthed the name he inquired about.
Distant memories rushed over her as she reflected back to a certain time in her girlhood when she had enjoyed a few strawberry tarts with the one person she thought she would be with forever.
She tried to shake off the memories that always made her chest hurt. "Thomas, I'm suddenly not feeling too—"
"There she is! My beautiful blushing bride."
Thomas and Daisy turned to see Lord Humphrey standing in the doorway of their salon.
A huge smile broke over his face, and he rushed forward and took Daisy's hands in his own.
"You are beyond lovely, my dear." He kissed her knuckles and placed her arm in the crook of his. "You are also looking very well, Thomas."
Thomas crossed his hands behind his back, rocked on his feet and nodded. "Thank you, my Lord. I am very well. And you?"
"Pish, we are to be family soon. Please call me by my Christian name, Draco." Humphrey looked down at Daisy and gave her another wide grin, showing off his blinding white teeth.
"And that means you also, Daisy."
Thomas held out his arm for Humphrey and Daisy to follow him into the room. Daisy glanced up at Humphrey in surprise. "But my lord, it would not be proper to call you by your given name. I would rather wait until we announce our engagement."
Humphrey pursed his lips together and led Daisy over to the settee. He sat down next to her and took hold of her hand. Daisy held back a grimace. She wished he wouldn't display such affection in front of her brother.
Thomas didn't seem to mind, however, as he stood and folded his hands in front of his waist. "I am in
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