3rd October, 1814: Visiting Torrington

He had not taken too long to change from his wet clothes. A uniform coat was buttoned neatly across his chest, and a snug pair of white breeches with high boots completed the picture. A sash, the hussar style, had been bound around his waist and a sabre rested at his side, more for display than actual use.

He nudged his horse to make it go faster. He smiled, looking pleased and no longer afraid that he might sneeze and cough and grow ill. At the door he slipped out of the saddle and gave the door a firm knock waiting for someone to answer the door.

A stately butler, rather older, opened the door.

"Good morning, Sir."

"Good morning. Please inform Lord Torrington that I have arrived." Willoughby spoke politely and then added his introduction card so that the butler could of course know who he should be telling or rather his master would know who had come.

"Certainly, Mylord. If you would would care to step inside?"

The butler stepped back and and prepared to take hat and coat.

"My lord Torrington is awaiting you in the smaller dining room."

"Thank you." Willoughby observed as his mare was taken away, probably to be watered and settled in the stables until she was needed again. Once the door had closed behind him he handed the butler his hat, but refrained from having his pelisse passed to the butler and shook his head to signify he would keep it.

"Wonderful." He said more to himself than to the man, though inclined his head briefly and politely to him. A mere gesture that meant little to nothing really. He proceeded, the heels of his boots clicking away on the stone flooring.

The butler accepted that without any change in his mien, placed the garments on a table and with a little bow asked:

"If you would follow me, mylord?"

He then led the way up the stairs and into a pleasant, sunlit room, where Torrington was standing to greet him.

Emma had changed into a sprigged muslin dress with a cherry-red ribbon at the waist, and a sage-green spencer with dark-green frogging, very similar in pattern to the silver lace on her brother's uniform jacket. Her cream bonnet also had cherry-red ribbons, and had a simple ribbon rosette in cream and dark green.

She pulled a card out from her reticule and passed it to her brother before lifting her skirts to climb Torrington's steps, her other hand on her brother's arm.

Vickery rang the doorbell, his card and Emma's in his hand.

Willoughby entered Torrington's room slowly, admiring how light played off of the walls, the paintings and innitially th flooring as well. He smiled and nodded a polite greeting to lord Torrington. "I am surprised to be the first." He gazed about, as if in search of somebody else, who had arrived ahead of time or atleast ahead of himself.

"Or do you hide someone in that closet there ?" He said playfully, though with respect.

There was a brief commotion behind it, then the door was opened very quickly by a young man trying his best to straighten up and look impressive. That was quickly abandoned, however, when he recognized Vickery and saluted very crisply, but with a face-splitting smile.

"Major Vickery! .... Oh, pardon, Mr. Wilson."

The elderly butler had come hurrying down the stairs, and Freddie immediately stepped aside as he with all due ceremony accepted the cards and bowed the guests in.
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Edward smiled and offered willoughby a chair.

"My sister will be here in a minute. She ..."

He was stopped by Freddie's delighted cry.

"Hmmmm, either she has brought her dog along or another guest has just arrived."

Suddenly he was rather glad that Emma was on his left arm - it meant that he was free to return Rottlaender's salute, which he did mainly to humour the lad.

"Rifleman Rottlaender." He couldn't help smiling back - Rottlaender had always had an infectious grin - even as he passed their cards from one hand to the other before holding them out for somebody to take. He gave the butler a slightly apologetic glance as he paused to allow Emma to cross the threshold in front of him.

"And I shall finally meet the woman you have spoke so much about." Willoughby took the seat gracefully, ready to stand once a female might enter the room.

" Oh..is Rottlander still with you?" He inquired recognising the cry as belonging to the energetic batman that Torrington had during the war.

Edward couldn't help but grinning.

"Oh yes. And he hasn't slowed down one bit! Pye is here, too, turning my stables into a poultry farm and playing personal groom to my horse."

The butler offered to take Miss Vickery's things, while Rottlaender, more than delighted to be remembered, did the same for Vickery, although he did sneak a few shy and awed glances at Emma.

The butler with a movement of his eyebrows recalled the lad to his duties and bowed.

"Miss Vickery, Sir, if you would follow me?"

He conducted them into the breakfast room just as the door sounded again, this time followed not only by another joyful exclamation of Freddie, but also by the bark of a friendly dog.

Emma pulled off her bonnet, gloves and spencer and handed them to the butler. She caught Rottlaender glancing at her, and smiled at him. Vickery had nothing to hand over but his shako; he had his sash tied over his jacket and was not about to try getting out of either garment.

"Thank you," Emma said, addressing Rottlaender a little more than the butler, and took her brother's arm to follow the butler up to wherever the master of the house was to be found at this time of day.

" A personal poulty farm?...Don't tell me.....his chick still lives?" He asked, astounded that the youth could have brought her safely home, even more, when considering that she must have faced the hungry eyes of the seamen once aboard the ship set for home.

"...You have not yet turned her into dinner?" He arched a brow,and looked amused.

"I prefer chicken that has not toughened up by walking all the way from Portugal!", Edward answered lightly, then, as the door opened, immediately came to his feet again.

"Miss Vickery, a pleasure to see you again. Vickery. I hope you had no trouble finding the house?"

"It is hardly a challenge to find a house in a well-to-do area of London after tramping through the wilds of Spain trying to find one tiny village," Vickery replied, with a smile. "Although we did have the advantage of some excellently observed maps."

Emma curtsied once her brother had finished speaking. "Likewise, my lord," she said. She glanced around the room. "You have a very beautiful home, sir," she added, gracing their host with a slightly shy smile. She felt somewhat like an intruder with these men who knew each other - had known each other for many years.

Willoughby stood about as quickly as Torrington, once the lady had entered the room. He greeted her with a polite nod again, but afterwards kept his silence, the host of the house speaking for the most part.

"I must own that I only had been fortunate enough to have had a grandmother with a refined taste and an excellent staff."

Edward bowed slightly with a deprecating smile, just as the door was opened again and Bella came into the room, perhaps a bit more lively than was strictly decorous. Edward had to hide a grin and offered.

"Miss Vickery, gentlemen, I believe you have not yet met my sister Lady Isabella."

He in turn introduced the others to her; he couldn't quite supress a slightly protective note in his voice when he came to the men however. They were his friends, but this was his baby sister, and some reflexes were deeply ingrained.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Isabella." Willoughby approached the girl and took her hand gently, giving the knuckle a polite kiss, when he was introduced.

He appeared quite amused at the feeling he had, radiating from Torrington. It felt almost as if the mother hen would peck the eyes or hands or feet of anyone that dared give too much attention, or inappropriate even more so, to his little chick.

He straightened again. "Your brother has spoken much of you, and fondly." He spoke again, and smiled.

Vickery bowed as Emma curtsied, both murmuring, "My Lady" as they did so. Vickery sent a slightly amused smile in Torrington's direction as he straightened up - from the expression on the Engineer's face, it appeared that he felt much about his sister as Vickery felt about Emma.

Bella curtsied, nicely capturing the difference in ranks without making it more then a formality. To Emma, she said, honestly delighted:

"Oh, Miss Vickery, how nice that you could come as well! Will you sit with me?"

Emma smiled and crossed the room, pleased that she was not the only woman in a roomful of men. "Nothing would please me more, my lady," she replied. "No doubt our brothers will prefer to discuss the war rather than the play last night, after all."

Bella dimpled.

"Oh, have you seen it? And please call me Bella."

She invited Emma to two chairs at the table at a corner where the sun fell over it. Immediately the butler appeared and inquired into their wishes for this late breakfast.

Now that the women were seated, Edward made an inviting gesture for the men.

"Shall we sit down as well, gentlemen? I must admit I'm rather eager to hear what you are doing in town, but please let that not stop you from sampling everything my modest kitchen has to offer."