"A Lonesome Lord,"  Ch. 06: Party planning & more bonding time, by Gratiana Lovelace, March 12, 2023 (Post #1514)   (all rights reserved by Gratiana Lovelace; copyrighted 2023); [(1) Story Cover, above left]

Illustrations: I cast my stories as I write them. So from time to time, I will illustrate my story with actors or illustrations, including: Richard Armitage as Lord Pendleton MacKittrick (aka Lord Mac to the Carpenter family), Justine Waddell as the widowed Corinne Carpenter, various Noah Carpenter illustrations, Bill Peterson as Dr. Finneas Lively, Samantha Bond as Lady Anne Elizabeth Pendleton, and others as noted.

Author's Notes: This original Regency romance is a work of fiction, and as such, any character names, scenes, locations, historical, medical topics, or other descriptions were made at the creative discretion of this author—visit the reference links to learn more about them. And this is a gentle romance (G to PG-13), but with some frank discussions about love, marriage, and Regency society put to humorous effect. This is my disclaimer.

Ch. 06: Party planning & more bonding time

It takes only one week for planning the Woodbury Castle Garden Party for the Woodbury Village area—with another week of organizing the food, local vendors booths, games , and such to come. And her being now fully recovered from her poison ivy allergic reaction, Lady Anne Pendleton as Lord MacKittrick's closest female relative visiting him for several weeks is his natural hostess.

But with Lady Anne not knowing the details of the Woodbury Village shop keepers and surrounding landowner farmers, she enlists her new friend the Widow Corinne Carpenter for advice on what food and vendor options are available as they take tea together at Woodbury Castle on Saturday, June 15th, 1820.

Lady Anne: "Thank you for visiting with me for afternoon tea today, Corinne Dear, as we sort out the final invitations lists for guests and vendor booths. But where is young Noah?" Lady Anne asks as Corinne sweetly cuddles her dozing baby Nancy.

Corinne: "Oh, thank you for your kind invitation, Lady Anne. And my young son Noah commandeered Lord MacKittrick almost as soon as we arrived. Ha ha ha!" She chuckles. "I believe Noah is looking forward to a pony ride today, due to Lord MacKittrick's kind invitation."

Lady Anne: "Oh yes, my nephew Pendleton mentioned that he and young Noah were going to do that and then devise some children friendly games for Woodbury Castle's fete next Saturday."

Corinne: "Yes, Lord MacKittrick is most patient and encouraging of my young son Noah. And Noah likes his Lord Mac very much."

Lady Anne: "Yes, it is almost as if ..." But she hesitates to reveal her opinion of her nephew.

Corinne: "As if, My Lady?"

Lady Anne: "Well, as if Pendleton were reliving his childhood through young Noah--since with his parents and brother's death, Pendleton's childhood was cut short when he was just eight years old.

Corinne: "How heartbreakingly devastating that must have been for Lord MacKittrick as a young child then—to lose both of his parents and his older brother." She says compassionately. Lady Anne nods somberly.

Lady Anne: "My then unmarried brother Arthur Pendleton became our nephew Pendleton's legal Guardian and lived with him for ten years in Pendleton's childhood. And though my brother Arthur was well meaning regarding the decision to keep our nephew home for his private tutoring as a means of protecting him from harm, it did not allow Pendleton to develop childhood friendships, as boys normally do when they are allowed to attend school. It was only when Pendleton went away to University that he made some ... friends."

[P] Lady Anne was not fond of some of her nephew's university friends, since some of them were big drinkers and gamblers. Though as far as she knows, her nephew Lord Pendleton MacKittrick never crossed the boundaries of being a gentleman noble.

Corinne: "And I understand that Lord MacKittrick has invited three of his old university friends with families to also come for the fete."

Lady Anne: "Yes. We will see if they have matured, since they have families now." Lady Anne raises a censorious brow.

Corinne: "Oh! And I have something for you, Lady Anne." Corinne smiles knowingly. "From ... Dr. Lively ...my uncle." Lady Anne looks up in surprise. "Yes, he told me that he took you into his confidence, so as to allay for you any misconceptions about his and my ... relationship."

Lady Anne: "Yes, Corinne, Dear. And I promise you that I will keep your and his confidence." Corinne holds out a small wax sealed note on fine stationery to Lady Anne. "Oh!" Lady Anne blushes pink at receiving a note from Dr. Lively. And she stares at his missive for a moment, before opening it. Then silently she reads the socially proper message contained therein.

Dr. Lively's note to Lady Anne:
"Dear Lady Anne, I am most happy to see you returning to health after your recent illness. And with you now helping Lord Woodbury with the Woodbury Garden Party for the Village and area planning, I offer my assistance in any way to help with that endeavor. I have been physician to this area but three months, yet I find myself feeling quite at home with its kind and industrious citizens.

And now my acquaintance has expanded to yourself, I find myself looking forward to our next meeting. Since I will be attending to young Noah Carpenter's splinted broken arm whilst he is at Woodbury Castle today, I hope that I might also see you. I have been widowed for ten long years and find that my thoughts have taken a brighter turn now that I have met you. However, if you do not wish to expand our acquaintainceship via courtship, I will respect your decision. You need only reply to me in the negative, and I will cease my overtures to you.

I remain your humble servant, Finneas Lively, M.D."

Lady Anne blushes crimson at the thought of having a suitor in Dr. Lively--at her decidedly spinster age of forty years. Yet, she is intrigued also. And though Corinne has smilingly watched Lady Anne's blushing and smiling in reading her Uncle Finn's note to her with great interest, she will not press Lady Anne to share the contents of the note—unless Lady Anne wishes to share. Then after reading her letter from Dr. Lively a second time, Lady Anne refolds it and places it in her reticule. Sadly, women's clothing do not have pockets, as men's clothing have. But this realization gives Lady Anne an idea that she tucks away.

So the two ladies sip their tea and nosh on their cinnamon [(3)] cakes that the Woodbury Castle Cook made fresh just this morning[.]

Then they get down to business and make short work of creating two lists for the Woodbury Castle Garden Party planning—one list for vendors for food, fabrics, ribbons, candle making, toys making, furniture making and repair, and blacksmithing (for horse shodding, as well as, iron work fencing), etc.; and the other list contains the names of the Woodbury Village and area families and Woodbury Castle Tenants families guests.

***

Meanwhile, six year old Noah Carpenter insists on his promised horse ride first—before garden party games planning for the fete next Saturday—barely allowing Lord Mac a brief nod in greeting to his Mama Corinne, as Noah grabs Lord Mac's hand and heads back out the door to follow the carriage to the stables. Lord Mac finds young Noah amusing, and helps guide him to a short cut to the stables.

So Noah and Lord Mac walk eagerly to the Woodbury Castle stone stables to see the horses. And walking into the Woodbury Castle stables, young Noah is agog with the size and grandeur of the Woodbury Castle stables, with stalls for twenty horses for carriages and riding, as well as, ten empty stalls for guest horses, and a carriages storage area at the back of the stables.

Noah: Tucking his good right hand into Lord Mac's left hand--because Noah is overwhelmed with the size of the Woodbury Castle stables--he asks in wonder at the curious horses waiting at their stable doors to be greeted by their master, Lord Mac. "Are all of these horsies yours?"

Lord Mac: "Why, yes, Noah. And we actually have several families of horses. For example, my current riding horse Victory, here, is ...." He beckons to Victory to come to his top half open stall door, and Victory obliges. Lord Mac gently rubs his nose up to his forehead and ears. "Well, Victory has been my horse since I graduated from University, eight years ago—and Victory is now ten years old. And his parent horses, Victor and Regina—who had been my parents' riding horses—are retired, so to speak, living out their days enjoying the many Woodbury Castle estate horse pastures and streams when they wish." Lord Mac gestures to the two horses sharing a larger stall together.

Noah: "That sounds nice. Does Victory have any horse children?" Noah asks, hoping to find a smaller pony sized horse for himself. Because Lord Mac's horse Victory is a very tall and large brown horse.

Lord Mac: "Indeed he does." Lord Mac smiles knowingly. ["}Victory's son Charger is in the next stall so that his parent horses Victory and Annabelle may see him. You see their son horse Charger is only about a year old, and has not reached his final height, because he is still growing."

Noah: Noah looks warily up at Charger, who is still very tall for a young horse, from the safety of standing slightly behind Lord Mac. "He is too tall for me." Noah pouts, then Lord Mac gently pats his back. And even if Lord Mac were to show him a small pony sized horse, Noah at six years old is still very young and skittish about riding a horse by himself.

Lord Mac: "Perhaps. So let us both ride today on my horse Victory, so you can get the feel of being atop a horse, and I'll hold on to you securely." And Lord Mac fondly remembers this is how his older brother Dart acclimated him to horses when he was a five year old. "Then perhaps this coming week, you might try one of the smaller ponies to ride in the corral, with me walking by your side to watch over you."

Noah: "Alright. But no running with the Victory horse." A sober faced Noah admonishingly wags his finger at Lord Mac, despite his Mama Corinne's efforts to curtail her son Noah's impolite pointing. Noah is only six years old and they live in the countryside, so he can still get away with breaching polite behavior now and then.

Lord Mac: "Understood." Lord MacKittrick suppresses a smile and he nods benignly at young Noah.

So Lord Mac's Head Stable Groom Walker saddles Victory for them. Lord Mac mounts his horse Victory in one smooth motion after stepping into the stirrup and pushing himself up with great strength, and without the aid of a mounting block. Then he walks Victory over to a mounting block that his Head Stable Groom Walker guides Noah to stand upon. Then Lord Mac reaches down and carefully lifts up Noah to sit in front of him on the horse, before the saddle pummel—so Noah has something to hang on to, in addition to Lord Mac Kittrick placing his arms about him, protectively encasing Noah on both sides--with Lord Mac's hands on the reins.

Then Lord Mac encourages Victory to walk slowly out of the stable, to give young Noah time to accustom himself with the horse's motion.

Noah: "I feel so tall on this horsie." And Noah excitedly swings his legs a bit.

Lord Mac: "Now Noah, you must leave your legs still. Victory might think that you want him to gallop if you kick your legs up and down. And you said you do not want him to run and gallop yet."

Noah: "Nooooo! Good to know." Then Noah tenses up and sits very still on the horse. Even Noah's face looks frozen in fright.

Lord Mac: "Relax Noah, and let Victory's lilting walking pace [soothe] you." Lord Mac intones soothingly to the very young six year old Noah.

So Noah tries that, him finding that him holding onto the saddle pummel for dear life with only his good right hand, still doesn't help him feel that he is balancing himself on the horse.

Noah: "I am afraid I will fall off." Noah pleads to Lord Mac. Noah still wears a sling on his left arm, as his broken arm is still healing. So learning to ride a horse might be a bit adventurous for young Noah, at present.

Lord Mac: "No you won't fall off, now that I have you secured with my arm." Lord MacKittrick states confidently, as he gently but securely places his arm under Noah's left arm sling, holding on to Noah's chest to keep him stabilized on top of the horse. Which leaves Lord Mac holding both of Victory's horse reins with his right hand. And Noah relaxes by leaning back onto Lord Mac's chest, as his fear slowly abates.

So though Lord Mac will not have his horse Victory do even a gentle canter yet today--due to this being a fearful Noah's first time on a horse—Noah at least has the experience of starting to learn about riding horses with the gentle horse walk that they are taking toward the back of Woodbury Castle.

***

And as it happens, Lady Anne and Noah's Mama Corinne carrying a dozing baby Nancy in her baby sling carrier walk out onto Woodbury Castle's back terrace to watch Noah's progress riding on the horse with Lord MacKittrick. The two ladies wave at Lord Mac and Noah, who slowly head toward them while riding on Lord Mac's horse Victory.

Lord MacKittrick: "Ladies! Noah and I are glad to see you!" And he especially smiles at Mrs. Carpenter. And Corinne Carpenter shyly smiles back at him.

Noah: "Yes, we are!" Noah grins happily. "Mama! I am riding Lord Mac's horsie Victory!"

Corinne: "I can see that Noah, Dear. How do you like riding a horse?"

Noah: "Well, I was scared at first, Mama. Because the horse is so tall, and I was afraid that I would fall off. But Lord Mac held on to me. And riding Victory is fun! But Lord Mac says that he might have a smaller pony sized horse to let me try riding in a few days."

Lady Anne: "I am glad to hear that you are enjoying yourselves, Noah, and Pendleton." Lady Anne smiles at the small boy Noah, his mother Corinne, and then at her nephew Pendleton. "I have never been much of a rider myself."

Lord MacKittrick: "We are having a very fine day today for our excursions into nature. I only hope the weather will be as fine for all of us on next Saturday for the fete."

Noah: "What is a fet Lord Mac?"

Lord MacKittrick: "Calling something a fete is another way of describing our Woodbury Castle Garden Party and games here next Saturday."

Noah: "Ohhh!" Noah nods his head sagely. Then he startles and looks surprised as he looks over his shoulder at Lord Mac. "Lord Mac! We forgot to decide on what games that children can play next Saturday!"

Lord MacKittrick: "Well let us sit up on the terrace and think about the games. But first, let us remove ourselves from my horse Victory here and let my Head Stable Groom Walker take him back to the stables to be rubbed down and fed. Noah, since we do not have a mounting block here for you to stand on when you get off Victory, I will hand you off to the groom." Then Lord MacKittrick makes his groom aware of Noah's infirmity. "Now be careful of Noah's left arm in his sling. He is still healing from a broken harm."

And Lord Mac carefully lowers Noah to the waiting arms of his Head Stable Groom Walker—who then sets Noah upon his feet on the grass. And though Noah has only been atop a horse for about fifteen minutes, he still feels wobbly now that he is back on solid ground. So Lord Mac easily dismounts his horse Victory and goes to carefully steady Noah, after handing the horse's reins to Walker.

Corinne: "Thank you for your kind solicitude of my young son Noah, Lord MacKittrick, and thank you to your Head Stable Groom." She smiles appreciatively at Lord Mac and then at his Head Stable Groom who leads Victory back toward the Woodbury Castle stables.

Lord MacKittrick: "It was my pleasure, Mrs. Carpenter." Lord Mac gives the widow a shy smile, that softens her perception of the stirringly deep tone and vibration of his voice. He is untutored in conversing and making small talk with women, but he so wishes that he were more socially adept and charming like some of his old university friends.

Noah: "Lord Mac?" Noah tugs at Lord Mac's sleeve and Lord Mac looks down at him questioningly. "The games?"

Lord MacKittrick: "Oh? Right!" Then he rattles off several suggestions to Noah. "For children's games next Saturday, we could have several areas of lawn bowling, foot races, table top draughts, bobbing for apples, and charades. What say you, Noah?"

Noah: "Wellll. Dr. Lively also wants to shoot a bow & arrow." He reminds Lord Mac.

Lord MacKittrick: "Yes, I had remembered that. But with so many children of villagers and tenants likely to be about, I do not think we will have room for an archery field." Nor a croquet field. Lord Mac does not want to risk the childrens' safety by exposing them to sharp or heavy objects, like croquet mallets.

Corinne: "That is most prudent, Lord MacKittrick. And Noah also likes hoops tossing and tree swinging."

Noah: "Thank you, Mama. I had forgotten about those play games!" Noah [(2) above right] smiles sweetly at his Mama Corinne. Then Noah looks expectantly at Lord Mac for confirmation of these latter two play games. And Lord Mac nods.

Lady Anne: "Very well, I have listed those play games and will ask the grounds staff to cordon off a children's play area for this coming Saturday's Garden Party. And we will encourage that families will either have a parent or their child's nurse supervising them." For Lady Anne is as much aware as anyone is of the propensity for children to get overly boisterous, when they are unchaperoned."

***

Lord MacKittrick: "Shall we return inside for some refreshments? Or has Cook prepared some treats for us to enjoy on the terrace?" He looks at his Aunt Lady Anne for guidance.

Lady Anne: "I have asked for refreshments to be laid out for us upon the terrace." Then she looks up toward the terrace. "Ah! And here is Dr. Lively come to visit." She smiles cordially at the distinquished looking 60 year old physician. Though seeing Dr. Lively now after reading his most kind letter makes her blush again.

Dr. Lively: He walks forward, bows to Lady Anne, then he kisses her hand. "My Lady Anne. It is delightful to see you again."

And Lady Anne blushes with Dr. Lively's gallant attentions to her. Then he repeats the same greeting and actions to his niece Corinne. But Lady Anne's nephew Lord Pendleton is still unknowing of the familial connection between Dr. Lively and Corinne Carpenter, so he is a bit annoyed at the Doctor's seeming charm to the ladies—especially with Corinne.

Noah: "Hello Dr. Lively! I rode Lord Mac's horsie Victory today!" Noah grins broadly.

Dr. Lively: "Did you now? By yourself?" He asks in concern.

Lord MacKittrick: "Of course not!" He snaps. "I held Noah securely so that he did not fall off the horse."

Corinne: "Yes, thank you, again, Lord MacKittrick, for taking such good care of my young son Noah."

And though Lord MacKittrick is glad that Noah is healing, he finds Dr. Lively's solicitude and innate charm to the ladies and Noah annoying. And Lord Mac's face betrays his displeasure, though only his Aunt Lady Anne notices that before Lord Mac schools his features back into a benign expression.

Dr. Lively: "Well Noah, since I am here now, let me check your splint to see if it needs tightening." Noah poutingly submits to this splint tightening which makes him a bit sore. "All done, you are healing nicely Noah."

Noah: "When may I fish again, and ride my own horse, Uncle Finn?" Noah's Mama Corinne and Lord Mac's Aunt Lady Anne freeze, And Noah realizes his mistake and winces. "Sorry, Mama."

Lord MacKittrick: "Noah, why did you address Dr. Lively as Uncle?" He wonders if that is a disguise his Mama uses as a ruse to explain Dr. Lively's frequent visits to her home are truly to tend to Noah's splint. Or is something less respectable going on? And Lord Mac feels protective of the Widow Carpenter. Though his jealously threatens to consume him.

Lady Anne: Leaning forward to whisper into Corinne's hear, she advises. "I think you had best let my nephew Pendleton know that Dr. Lively is your blood Uncle--before he challenges him to a duel over you." She adds impishly. Then Lady Anne most assertively walks over to Dr. Lively and places her arm around his arm, and he pats her hand upon his sleeve with a small smile.

Noah: "Mama?"

Corinne: "Well, Noah and Lord MacKittrick. I have been private about my family connections, also for private reasons. But to clarify, Dr. Lively is my Uncle—my mother's brother." She smiles benignly at both her Uncle Finn, and at Lord Mac. "So technically, he is Noah's and baby Nancy's Great Uncle." Dr. Lively nods to Corrine and to Lord Mac.

Lord MacKittrick: Looking astonished at this turn of events, Lord Mac can only nod curtly and reply. "Oh!" And with his mouth still open on that single syllable, his Aunt admonishes him.

Lady Anne: "Pendleton, Dear. You had best close your mouth before some flying insect decides to inhabit it." And Lord Mac promptly shuts his mouth.

Lord MacKittrick: Then rising to his position as host today, he apologizes. "My error, Dr. Lively, and Mrs. Carpenter."

Then Corinne Carpenter walks over to Lord Mac and similarly touches his arm at the elbow, then whispers so that her young son Noah will not hear her.

Corinne: "Lord MacKittrick, I am sorry for the misunderstanding about my Uncle Finn, Dr. Lively. It is just that when I married my husband seven years ago, my parents refused to accept us—them hoping that I would have married a wealthy and titled gentleman of their choosing. And I have had no contact with my parents since, by their choice. It is only through My Uncle Finn and his father my Grandpapa Lord Livingston that I have any familial contact at all." Corinne's face is saddened in recalling this family rift.

Dr. Lively: "There, there, Corinne. You are doing your best with your small family—especially given your recent widowhood. But My Papa, your Grandpapa Livingston sends his regards to you and hopes to visit me soon, as do my own children. So Papa also wants to see you and meet your children."

Corinne: "Oh? Grandpapa is coming here, to Woodbury Village?" She frets, because her secret will come out to her village acquaintances.

Lord Mac: "Why are you distressed by your grandfather visiting? Was he hurtful to you?" Lord Mac asks in a whisper to Corinne.

Corinne: "Oh no! Quite the opposite! You see, when my parents rescinded my dowery when I chose to marry my late husband Franklin Carpenter, Grandpapa generously gave me the same dowry amount from his own funds—which allowed Franklin and I to buy our Carpenter Orchard Farm Estates, buildings, and our snug stone cottage, as well as our saving back monies for any of our future sons' private school & university tuitions and our future daughters' dowries. But I do not want this or my station bandied about the Village. I am the Widow Carpenter, and that is all anyone needs to know."

Lord Mac: "Of course." He nods about her wish to maintain her privacy.

Dr. Lively: "Well, Corinne, though I will ask Papa to decrease his entourage when he visits me in a few weeks, your Grandpapa rarely complies with such requests."

Corinne: "True, Uncle Finn. I was just hoping not to be revealed as Lady Corinne Thackery Carpenter, the daughter of an Earl and the granddaughter of a Marquess." She bemoans the likelihood of her secret getting out to the villagers.

Then Lord Mac exchanges astonished glances with his Aunt Lady Anne and then with Corinne. Yet, the Carpenter Family's previously undisclosed noble connections that are now revealed, puts them all upon an equal footing of honesty with each other. And Lord MacKittrick is even more certain that he does not know how to interact socially with this now revealed Lady Corinne Carpenter—and her forthright independent streak.

And the upcoming Woodbury Castle Garden Party next weekend will prove to be most interesting as several people and guests converge upon the fete.

To be continued with Chapter 07

References for Ch. 06 of "A Lonesome Lord", March 12, 2023 by Gratiana Lovelace 

1. My "A Lonesome Lord " story logo is a composite of a portrait of British actor Richard Armitage from 2020 by An Le, and Harrington text on a teal background.

2. Image representing a smiling Noah Carpenter, and titled Leende Pojke by Maria Wiik, was found on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/pin/314477986471658254/

3. For the history of cinnamon, please visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon

SAL blog Post #1514 link for Ch. 06 "A Lonesome Lord", March 12, 2023:
https://gratianads90.wordpress.com/2023/03/12/a-lonesome-lord-ch-06-party-planning-more-bonding-time-by-gratiana-lovelace-march-12-2023-post-1514/