Page 6 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
He chuckled to himself. He’d bested Louisa at cards, and she hadn’t liked it one bit. How would she feel once he possessed the clock she coveted? Fine eyes or not, he couldn’t let the lady win that timepiece.
* * * * *
The next day, Louisa was up early, eager to attend her first auction. She joined her family for breakfast, stunning her father and brothers.
“To what do we owe this pleasure?” Leopold asked once she’d selected rolls and fruit from the sideboard and taken a seat beside him.
She shrugged. “Perhaps I merely wanted to have breakfast downstairs.”
“You normally avoid us as much as you can,” Leopold replied with a roll of his eyes.
“You’re excited about attending the auction today,” her youngest brother said with a wink.
“What auction?” Both Leopold and her father asked.
“Edith and I are attending a Leigh and Sotheby auction,” she replied lightly before taking a sip of the tea a footman had poured.
Her father and Leopold looked at each other, and her heart sank.
“I planned to attend the auction myself.” Her eldest brother stood up from the table. “I will be more than happy to escort you and Lady Harbury to the exchange.”
Louisa told herself it did not matter that Leopold accompanied her; at least she hadn’t been forbidden from attending the auction. She smiled tightly before replying sweetly, “That sounds lovely. I’ll send a note to let Edith know we will have company on our outing.”
Leopold left the room without another word. Louisa had not argued his accompanying her to the auction as she wished no further discussion of the subject. She’d been pleasantly surprised her mother had agreed to the outing after a brief lecture about discussing money in public and how attending an auction was a mere step away from such a deplorable event.
“Your mother knows you are attending the sale?” her father asked idly, never looking up from his newspaper.
“She does, Father.”
Louisa knew her mother’s approval was enough for him as he believed his wife to be the arbiter of what was and wasn’t appropriate for a young debutante of the ton.
She was sure having Edith accompany her to the auction had been a deciding factor for her mother. The young women had already started sowing the seeds that should convince Lady Chartham that Edith was the perfect chaperone for her daughter.
“I’ve heard that there will be a collection of rare books at the auction,” her brother James commented. “Perhaps we should all accompany you to the sale.”
Louisa knew her sibling hoped to get a rise out of her, so she replied cheerfully, “The more the merrier!”
“She called your bluff,” Francis said with a chuckle as he rose from the table. “Be assured that I will not tag along. I have no desire to haggle over household goods, dearest sister.”
James sighed. “I will admit I’d rather listen to Mother detailing the attributes of this year’s crop of debutantes than attend an auction for anything other than bloodstock.”
After her siblings departed, Louisa’s father lowered his newspaper.
“Was there something in particular you wished to acquire at the auction?” he asked.
“A mantel clock, Father. It is said to be one of a pair and very rare. The other clock has disappeared. The clockmaker is Gaston Jolly.”
“A well-respected craftsman, albeit French,” her father replied with a nod. “And you think your pin money will buy this clock?”
“I’m not sure.” She smiled winningly, hoping he would assist her in acquiring the clock.
Her father winked at her. “I will advise Leopold that if the bids aren’t astronomically high, he may help you win your clock.”
She jumped to her feet and rushed to his end of the table to hug him. “Oh, Papa! Thank you!”
“Go on with you now,” he said in a low voice after she released him. “You must look your best. As the most fashionable debutante in London, perhaps your appearance will dazzle the other bidders and help you secure the clock.”
“Perhaps!” She curtsied prettily and exited the breakfast room.
