Page 82 of Wicked Is the Duke
Daisy turned and walked toward Anna. "I was so looking forward to wearing my new gown. It's so lovely."
"And you will. Our dinner party will just happen at another time. Hopefully, the weather won't be as vile as it is today."
Alice regarded her coolly. "Are you and Henry still leaving for Paris tomorrow?"
"Henry has business in Paris, but right now when we leave is dependent on the weather."
"Trying to get rid of us, Alice?" Henry's deep voice boomed as he walked across the room.
"No, of course not," she replied wryly.
His lips twitched. "I do hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid Anna and I are going to have to postpone our trip to Paris. At least for a few weeks."
"I will simply go mad if I have to stay locked away in this house," Alice wailed.
"I can assure you you'll be fine. Use the time to catch up on correspondence, read a book or, heaven forbid, do some needlework."
Anna glanced at her husband. "I could use your help, Daisy's, too, in choosing new wall covering for your rooms," she said.
"Our rooms have never been redone," Daisy remarked. "They're probably exactly the same as they were two hundred years ago."
Henry chuckled. "I'm quite sure they've been redone more recently than two hundred years, Daisy."
"I have samples and books we can go through."
"Can we, Henry?" Alice asked. She smiled as she said the words. Anna knew she'd struck a chord with the girl. Finally.
"If I say no, you'll hound me until I give in to you," Henry said crisply. "So yes, you may both redo your rooms. Anna will guide you through the process."
"What about Jane? We should include Jane in our selections," Alice replied.
"And we will once the weather clears. In the meantime, we'll make selections, and you can present them to Jane for her approval," Anna said.
A loud clap of thunder sent the girls scurrying across the room, away from the windows and toward Henry.
"Alice, why don't you ring for some tea?" Henry said, shaking his head at his sisters’ supposed fear of a thunderstorm. He knew it was more of an act. Any other time they, along with their brothers, would find Henry if he was home, and sneak into the attics and tell ghost stories while the storms raged around them.
She nodded and walked over to the bell pull and waited for the butler to enter. As she did, Anna smiled as Henry sat down in a gold covered chair across from her.
"I've dispatched two footmen to deliver a note I wrote cancelling the dinner party," she said. She smoothed the skirts of her burgundy day dress with her hands.
"I think that was a smart move. No need for anyone getting stranded in this storm. It's not fit for man or beast."
The butler appeared, nodding as Alice told him what it was she wished. The older man gazed discreetly in Anna's direction for approval. Anna gave a quick nod, smiling at the butler.
"Alice, we should show Henry the charcoal drawings we did today," Daisy said.
"Yes! Let's go get them now while our brother is here."
They excitedly started to scurry out of the room when Henry called after them.
"Don't dally. Tea will be here momentarily."
"It'll only take a minute," Daisy called after him.
Henry turned to his wife. "It appears the three of you are faring a little better."
"Yes, though I have to give Jane credit for talking with them."
