The Bachelor's Bride (The Thompsons of Locust Street #1) - Holly Bush Page 0,31
him, he could have laid down for a nap, but he knew he had to get home. His housekeeper would be wondering where he was as he always told her and the staff when he would be gone overnight. God forbid she sent a note to his mother.
“Can you walk yourself?” Robert asked.
“I can. Where’s the closest trolley stop? Or does your family keep a horse that I could get myself home on? I’ll have one of my men return him in short order.”
“We don’t keep horses. James says they’re too much trouble, and Muireall says they’re too much money. Aunt says we’re sheep people, whatever that means,” Payden explained.
Alexander smiled and accepted the boys’ hands to help him up. “Then I’ll have to get myself to a trolley station.”
“Mrs. Murdoch says you are to come downstairs directly to the dining room,” Robert said. “It’s never good to cross Mrs. Murdoch, so you’d best go.”
“I don’t suppose it is. Lead the way men,” Alexander said and limped along slowly. He eased his way down the staircase, Robert steady at his side and Payden clamoring down the steps to announce his coming and then back up the steps again to ask why it was taking so long.
Alexander finally found himself at the dining room table with the eldest sister at one end, the aunt at the other, and the other Thompsons seated between. He was seated as far away from Elspeth as was possible to be. She did not even glance his way.
“Just soup for Mr. Pendergast,” Mrs. Murdoch said to the woman serving—Robert’s mother, if he wasn’t mistaken.
He took a deep breath and reached for his water glass.
“Please wait for the prayer, Mr. Pendergast,” Mrs. Murdoch said and proceeded to give the blessing followed by a few sentences in a language Alexander did not recognize.
Mrs. Murdoch dipped everyone’s soup from a massive tureen brought from the kitchen on a cart. A basket was passed to him with hot, sliced, yeasty-smelling bread. He felt as if he could eat a loaf of it.
He picked up his soup spoon and was mortified to see that his hand was shaking, but he got the chicken soup to his lips. It was delicious! So good, in fact, that he could say he’d never tasted anything as good. The bread was just as good too, hard crusted and thick and warm in the middle. Conversations were happening at the table, but he heard little of it, concentrating on his food until he heard his name mentioned and looked up at the elder sister.
“I imagine someone will be here for you shortly, Mr. Pendergast.”
“Excuse me?”
“I sent a note to your parents’ home a few hours ago informing them that you were injured and would need help getting home. The messenger said that the woman who read the note told him to wait for a reply and the message she sent said someone would be over as soon as she could reach her husband at his factory.”
“You contacted my mother?”
“I did, Mr. Pendergast. Did you think we were some family of barbarians? Unable to be Christian-like in our thoughts and deeds? You are unable to travel on your own and don’t have a conveyance.”
Then they heard a knock at the front door and heard the housekeeper open it and speak to visitors. Shortly after, the dining room door opened and his mother, father, and Annabelle followed the housekeeper inside. The eldest sister rose and went toward his family. He rose as well, flinching as he tried to straighten his back. He put his hand on the table to steady himself.
“Mr. and Mrs. Pendergast? I’m Muireall Thompson. I sent you the note.”
“Stand up, Payden,” Mrs. Murdoch hissed. “There are females standing in the room.”
Alexander caught Payden’s eye as he stood quickly. The boy grinned and then looked down when he realized his aunt was still watching him. The housekeeper was adding chairs to the dining room table, and his sister had already seated herself beside Kirsty and accepted a cup of coffee. She glanced at him in concern. It was then Alexander realized his mother was hurrying around the table even as the eldest sister was introducing everyone.
“Oh my goodness! Alex! What happened? We shall call for a doctor immediately!”
“I’m fine, Mother. I’m going to be sore, but I don’t think there’s anything life threatening.”
“Did you break a rib, Alex?” his father asked and gestured to the side he didn’t realize he was holding.