Lady Abigail couldn’t have been more excited to see her cousin. Though it had scarcely been a year since seeing Lady Fortuna Rosh last, it still seemed too long to Lady Abigail.
The two cousins had grown up as close friends since childhood. There was not much that happened to one that the other did not know about.
The Duchess of Wintercrest was a little nervous to meet the family she had heard such great praise about, from both Lady Abigail and her husband.
“Oh, Abigail, I’ve missed you so,” Lady Huntington said as she hugged her niece. “And Christian, look at you," she added, raising a hand to a plump, rosy cheek at the appearance of her nephew. “You have grown into quite a man. How long has it been?”
The duke happily took his aunt's hand and kissed it lovingly. Lady Huntington blushed an even more profound crimson as the small ringlets encircling her face shook with her giggles.
“And Your Grace, of course, it is lovely to finally make your acquaintance,” Lady Huntington said as the duke introduced his wife.
“I must confess, poor Isabella must feel as if she knows you already, dear aunt,” Lady Abigail said as they all entered the house and came to sit in the morning room. “I almost chewed her ear off the whole way from Wintercrest.”
“Where is Fortuna?” Lady Abigail asked when her cousin did not greet her or appear in the sitting room.
“She went out already this morning. It was a little early if you ask me, but she insisted on going with Josie to pick out the fabric.”
“Fabric for what?” Lady Abigail asked as she took a seat on a mint colored couch.
The whole room was decorated in a soft green color with gold accents all around. Between that and the excellent light coming in through the window, it gave the whole room an air of freshness that would brighten even the saddest of moods.
“I will have to let her tell you. She is quite excited about it,” Lady Huntington said before beginning to pour the tea set before them.
Lady Abigail enjoyed the company of her aunt as she drank her delicate morning tea and ate moist muffins. The whole party, including her brother, seemed utterly at ease as they shared stories of memories from the past.
Lady Abigail was just picking at a loose thread coming off the embroidered cuff of her morning dress and wondering where her cousin could be when Lady Fortuna finally returned home.
Immediately, Lady Abigail rose to greet her cousin, forgetting all about the out of sorts rose-colored cuff. It also didn’t escape her eye that behind Lady Fortuna’s entrance into the party was a maid heavily weighed down with a massive amount of fabric.
“Now, before you do anything,” Lady Abigail said after new introductions were made between the duchess and Lady Fortuna, “you must enlighten me on your mysterious morning endeavors.”
Lady Fortuna, who sat perfectly next to her mother, looked more akin to a china doll than a lady. She seemed far too fragile to be traveling about in early morning dew.
She was always one to think things through before speaking, so instead of starting right in, as Lady Abigail might have done, she instead smoothed the folds of her cream morning dress as she collected her thoughts.
As Lady Abigail waited, she wondered over the color of her cousin's dress. It somewhat made her look more pale and fragile. She thought to perhaps tell Lady Fortuna that cream was not a preferable color for her. Certainly, a soft blue would do better to bring out the little color in her cheeks and azure color of her cousin's eyes.
“Well, upon arriving in London last week, I was determined to find a good use of my time. While at home, I have been very fortunate to have a large amount of work for me, under the request of Reverend Brown, attending to the needs of our local girl's school.”
She took a deep breath of air. Lady Abigail couldn’t help but wonder why her cousin always looked about to faint from weariness when she knew Lady Fortuna to be a lady of many talents and busy hands.
“He recommended, before our leaving for town, that I get in touch with a very good friend of his, a Mr. Thomas Bloomsbury. Mr. Bloomsbury is a rector at the Foundling Hospital here in London.”
Lady Abigail was familiar with the Foundling Hospital. It was a place for children whose parents had, unfortunately, had to surrender them. The hospice was used to care for the children, as well as give them a good education and means for apprenticeship when they came of age.
It had already been around for several decades and had received not only high praise for their work, but had also been replicated a few times in different areas of the country since.
“Reverend Brown informed me that his friend was concerned about the constant needs of the hospital. They have more children than they scarcely have funds for the necessary provisions.”
Lady Abigail knew that helping less fortunate children was very dear to her cousin's heart. She had been given the Christian name Fortuna because she had been a miracle in her parent's lives. For many years they had tried unsuccessfully to have children, and then when they were finally able, it seemed destined for heartache and pain.
They buried four of Lady Fortuna’s siblings before she was born. With her sickly demeanor, they had expected her to go the way of all her predecessors. However, Lady Fortuna had grown and thrived. Her parents instilled in her the deep gratitude of her survival.
For Lady Fortuna, this gratitude showed in her constant willingness to help all other children as much as she could. She felt that if she were able to help one sick child get better, or perhaps give one impoverished child a better start at life, she would be doing the work that God had preserved her for.
“I wrote to Mr. Bloomsbury and asked that I help in any way they needed. I met with him and toured the hospital. He explained to me that, more often than not, the funds they receive go to clothing and bedding, making it difficult for them to buy supplies for educational purposes. He wondered if I might be willing to donate clothing and the like so that their funds could be used for a better cause.”
“Which explains the need to go to the fabric store so early in the morning and to burden your maid so heavily,” the duke said with a teasing smile.
“I thought perhaps I could start with making nightgowns, uniforms, pinafores, and bonnets for the children. They are also in need of proper bedding and winter garments.”
“That is quite a tall order for just the beginning,” Lady Abigail said. She often feared her cousin took on more than she was able.
“Well, I rather hoped to start a sewing group. This is where I was hoping you could help me, Abigail,” Lady Fortuna continued. “You are so good at making friends. I hoped you would help me organize a group of ladies to meet a few times a week.”
“Well, I have your first candidate right here,” Lady Abigail said pointing to the duchess. “I have never seen anyone embroider as finely as Isabella.”
“I would love to join if you would have me. The idea sounds wonderful,” Isabella agreed.
“Oh, Your Grace, I would appreciate that very much if you would be willing.”
“I also might suggest another addition if you would let me,” the duchess continued.
Lady Fortuna nodded in encouragement.
“My friend Lady Louisa Frasier is a very talented seamstress. I am sure she too would be happy to join your worthy cause.”
“Oh, this is so exciting,” Lady Fortuna said, clapping her hands with delight. “To already have so many potential ladies, I do not doubt that we will make a wonderful improvement to the Foundling Hospital and its residents.”
“Well, just two besides yourself,” the duke said with a little laugh.
“Three you mean, dear cousin,” Lady Fortuna countered. “There is your lovely wife, possibly her friend, and Abigail, of course.”
The duke struggled to hold back his laughter.
“Oh, Fortuna, I would be happy to rally to your cause, but you know I have no ability when it comes to sewing. I am dreadful at it, in fact.”
“I know it isn’t your strong suit,” Lady Fortuna said, always trying to see the light through the clouds. “I thought perhaps we could just start you on something very simple like the bedding or pinafores.”
“Oh, yes, Abigail. That would be easy enough,” the duchess encouraged. “You could make the pinafores; it’s just a simple stitch. Then when you are done, I could embellish them just a little to give each girl her own special pattern.”
“Maybe you should have Abigail start with a handkerchief instead. That way if it goes wrong, at least it will spend most of its time in a pocket or up a sleeve,” the Duke said with a hearty laugh.
Lady Abigail gave her teasing brother a pointed look. She knew Christian meant his words all in good fun. To be completely honest with herself though, she partly agreed with him. But Lady Abigail was not one to shy away from a challenge.
So often, Lady Abigail found sewing and embroidery too dull to catch her attention for very long. She would much rather be out and about exploring the beautiful earth.
She was sure the image of children wearing comfortable, warm clothes and having the tools necessary for their education would be more than sufficient inspiration to put her whole focus to the task.
“I would be more than happy to help,” Lady Abigail said, wrinkling her freckled nose at her brother.