Page 111 of Doxy for the Ton
“Go to your mama, sir,” he said.
“I want to sit withyou.”
“Sammy darlin’, your ma needs you,” Mrs. Briggs said. “Didn’t you promise to look after your ma after what happened to her?”
Alexander glanced at Mimi and raised his eyebrows in question. She shook her head, and understanding filled his expression. Then he fished into his breeches pocket, pulled out a coin, and handed it to the boy.
“There you go, sir,” he said. “Share that with your mother, mind.”
The boy curled his fingers around the coin, then ran toward Lily, who lifted him onto her lap.
Alexander gestured to the chair. “May I take tea, Mrs. Briggs?”
“Have you finished with the coal?”
“Of course.”
“There’s the chamber pots next,” Mrs. Briggs said, “but I suppose you could take your tea now, provided none of the girls have any objection. Lily, what do you say?”
Lily colored but didn’t respond.
“Let him stay, Ma!” Sam cried, and Lily sighed.
“Very well.” She picked up her work and resumed stitching the gown, but she was tense and cast the occasional glance toward Alexander.
Anna rose and approached the tea tray. “How do you take your tea, sir?”
Alexander glanced at the tea things, then his gaze flicked to Lily before it settled on Mimi. He shook his head.
“Perhaps I should see to those chamber pots first. Mrs. Briggs, I take it the chambers are unoccupied? I wouldn’t want to frighten anyone.”
His gaze settled on Lily, who continued stitching. She glanced up, and their gazes met for a moment before she resumed her work.
“Yes, the chambers are clear,” Mrs. Briggs replied.
“I could clean the fireplaces,” he said. “But I can’t lay a fire, I’m afraid.”
“That’s disappointing,” Mrs. Briggs said, the sparkle in her eyes belying her harsh tone. “But it’ll have to do. Scrub those pots properly, mind. They stink somethin’ dreadful if they’re not rinsed out fully. They should always be scrubbed by hand. There’s a brush in the scullery you can use. With the brown handle. You can’t mistake it—it stinks worse than my grandma’s drawers.”
His eyes widened with horror.
“Empty the pots into the ditch first before you rinse them,” Mrs. Briggs said. “When you’ve finished that, you can have your tea, provided you wash your hands. If you do it properly, we’ll save you a slice of cake. What do you think, girls? Shall we save him a slice?”
“Yes.”
The room’s occupants all looked at Lily, who’d spoken. Then she blushed and resumed her attention on her work.
Alexander inclined his head in a bow, then exited the parlor.
Mrs. Briggs’s face creased as if she fought to maintain her composure. Then she threw back her head and laughed.
“Mrs. Briggs!” Mimi said. “You mustn’t tease him—he’s unused to it.”
“Then it’s time he grew used to it, darlin’. Oh, the look on his face when I told him to scrub the chamber pots by hand! I never thought I’d see a duke getting his hands dirty.”
“Aduke?” one of the women asked.
“That’s Mimi’s young man, Biddy,” Anna said. “Isn’t that right, Mimi?”
