Lizzie caught a glimpse of herself through the mirror as she headed towards her bedroom door. She stopped, looked at herself in her red riding habit, hat cocked cheekily to one side, and imagined her father behind her saying, "Elizabeth my girl, isn't it time you put your mind to settling down instead of galloping around on that mare of yours and tickle-tackling with Emily O'Brien?"
Lizzie, although the apple of her fathers eye, drove him to distraction. She was 24 years old and still unmarried, which to him was totally unacceptable. He had done everything possible to introduce her to eligible bachelors but none, it seemed, were to her liking. So in the end he had given up which suited Lizzie perfectly; when she married she would choose her own husband - or so she thought.
She set off again heading down the back stairs used by the servants which led into the kitchen where cook was preparing breakfast for the household. "Good Morning Betsy", she called out and stopped to give her a hug, whilst sneaking a warm bread roll from the table and tucking it inside her sleeve.
"Mrs. Spalding to you young lady, if you don't mind! and don't think I haven't seen what you've got up your sleeve". Lizzie grinned, picked up some sugar lumps from the kitchen sideboard which she put in her pocket, and headed off through the back door which led into the courtyard.
Only Betsy could get away with this sort of familiarity, she had been with the Smallwoods for as long as Lizzie could remember, and Lizzie had been a regular visitor to the kitchen. Betsy had also made sure that Lizzie hadn't gone hungry when Lord Smallwood had sent her to bed without supper for "being a difficult child" which had seemed to be very often as Lizzie had been a rather spirited youngster. Betsy had been her friend since she was very little, always ready with her cuddles and as Lizzie had been growing up she had also provided a shoulder to cry on and several "words of wisdom" here and there, not all of which Lizzie had appreciated at the time.
Now Lizzie ran across the yard towards the stables where Joe the stable-boy had her mare Rosie ready and waiting. He helped her mount the mare and she set off at a trot down Back Lane, past the gamekeepers cottage, across the estate to Darkes Lane and on to the O'Brien's cottage.
It was 8.30 am when Lizzie arrived at the cottage. She dismounted Rosie and tied her up to the fence and, as was Rosie's habit, she nuzzled Lizzie's pocket for the sugar lumps. "Here you are girl", said Lizzie holding out her hand with the sugar lumps, "shan't be long", and she walked up the path and knocked on the door.
"Go on in, Lizzie", said Kate who had been watering her flowers round the side of the cottage and had heard Lizzie arrive, "Emily's in the kitchen." Lizzie went in and through to the kitchen where she found Emily putting away the dishes.
"Good morning, Emily", she said, "I came over early before you went to the library because I've got something to ask you."
"Oh no Lizzie!, what have you been up to this time?"
"Nothing", said Lizzie most put out, "not yet anyway, I wanted to ask you to come to the Hall next Saturday evening. We're having a few guests up from London, plus some of our neighbours, and I want you to come as my guest."
"Me?" exclaimed Emily, "I know we're best friends Lizzie, but really! - I'd be like a fish out of water with all those grand folk".
"Oh please Emily. You know what father's like, he'll be introducing every eligible batchelor to me and expecting me to be on my best behaviour - it's going to be agony if you're not there with me to help me out. Please say you'll come." Lizzie always knew how to twist people around her little finger and this she was doing very successfully now with Emily.
Emily had always given in to Lizzie's pleas and had lost count of the number of times she had been sorry. As children they had both ended up in hot water on several occasions because Lizzie had persuaded Emily to take part in some sort of outrageous prank.
"Oh! Alright", resigned Emily much against her better judgement, "but I honestly don't know what I'm going to wear".
"Wear your yellow dress - you look lovely in it".
"I'll see", said Emily gently pushing Lizzie outside, "now you'll have to leave, I'm going to be late opening the library".
"All right, I'm going, see you Saturday. I know," called Lizzie as she went down the path, "come over in the morning and spend the day, we can both get ready together then." And without waiting for a reply she mounted Rosie and started back to the Hall calling over her shoulder to Emily "I'll send someone to pick you up, have your things ready!" She urged Rosie into a gallop and went like the wind along the lane, across the estate and in through the ornate gates.
On reaching the Hall she turned Rosie towards the stables where Joe was waiting for her and taking the reigns he led the mare into her stall to be unsaddled, groomed and fed.
Lizzie made her way back inside to the morning room were all the family were seated having breakfast. "Been out already Lizzie?" asked Lord Smallwood.
"Yes father." Lizzie sat down at the table waiting to be served breakfast. "I've been to ask Emily to our party on Saturday, I thought she could keep me company".
"Why on earth did you want to do that? Aren't there enough people to keep you company here already?
"Father please, Emily is my best friend and I want her to come".
"All right, but don't you two do anything to show me up, is that clear?"
"Now father, when have we ever done that?" smiled Lizzie.
"I can think of several times Elizabeth", said Lord Smallwood giving extra emphasis to the name Elizabeth. "You two behave yourselves," he shouted turning his attention to the two younger members of the family who were currently arguing over who could take the biggest bite out of an apple, and at the sound of their father's voice they both looked up at him, wide-eyed and with a big red apple stuck in their mouths.
"Really, Margaret," he said addressing his wife, "can't you control these children of yours?"
Lady Margaret thought it very strange how they were always HER children when they were behaving badly but all she said was, "Now, now Tobias, you really should calm down and not let the children upset you so. You know what Doctor Elliott said when he last visited, he told you not to excite yourself, it's bad for your blood pressure."
Lord Smallwood grunted and muttered, "I don't know what I pay that governess for, she should be teaching these children the rules of ettiquette. I want to see a marked improvement tomorrow morning. Do you hear?" he finished glaring at the two youngsters.
"Yes Papa", said Becky, "Yes Papa", said Martin, both turning innocent eyes towards their father whilst kicking each other under the table.
Lizzie smiled, she new her father's bark was far worse than his bite and that as soon as he had eaten breakfast he would be his usual calm self again. She got up from the table to leave the room. "Don't worry father, Emily and I won't let you down, I promise, but you had better keep those two out of the way, heaven knows what will happen if they are let loose". And she left the room with her fingers tightly crossed on both hands.
The rest of the day she spent doing what she did best - spending her father's money, shopping with her mother for a new dress to wear on Saturday, and shoes, and gloves, and .............. a never ending list of MUST HAVE items fit for a young lady of her standing!
"Well one never knows, does one, when Mr Right might turn up and one should be properly dressed for the occasion shouldn't one?" she asked herself without giving another thought to poor Emily who was wondering what she could do with the yellow dress to brighten it up for what was going to be a very grand gathering.
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