Cederick looked up from his paper, "Good morning, Elisabeth. I'm more than pleased to see our tyrannical son hasn't scared you away from us." he grinned. "Kyier has always had a way with the ladies, after all." Anita pursed her lips, rolling her eyes at her husband's poor sense of humor. "Cederick." she scolded, shaking her head. The Duchess lay her book on the table, "Lydia, Dear?" Anita asked, "Might you put breakfast off for just a short while so I might help Elisabeth?" The young maid with soft, light brown hair smiled, "Of course, Lady Cross. Take as long as you please, and good morning to you, Lady Rose." Lydia smiled, offering a swift bow of respect. Anita glided over and placed a gentle hand on the small of her god-daughter's back. She led her back up the wooden staircase, humming softly to herself the sweet lullaby her best friend had sung to her infant daughter. Elisabeth made no mention to it, but Anita could see the curiosity it peaked in the young lady's eyes. The gentle brown pools reflected a memory so far hidden that Elisabeth no longer had the ability to reach it. "It was your favorite lullaby as a baby. Your mother used to sing it to you every night before you went to sleep." Anita smiled fondly at the warm memory, "Sometimes I would join in too... On the nights where you were especially upset. Your mother would send messengers at all hours to fetch me, and sometimes she'd show up on my doorstep with you in her arms in the midst of the night. She was always so scared to do wrong by you." Anita lay her hand on the dress Elisabeth had picked out, "It was on those nights that I had to keep Cederick from attacking her. He and Geoffrey were the best of friends, but I always got the most enjoyment out of watching he and your mother interact. Cutthroat, I tell you. She laughed then, "It's funny because I-" Anita shook her head at her own foolishness as she lifted the dress from the bed, "Gods, I've always hated getting dressed up. Don't you dare feel ashamed for not knowing how to get into these damnable things." The Duchess sighed. "Have you ever worn a corset, Sweetheart?"
Anita smiled as she went to work, making sure to not pull too tightly as her own mother always had. Her heart whelmed with happiness when Elisabeth asked in eager for her to continue speaking of her parents, "Ah, yes. You see, Dear, when Seraphine and I were your age, I had tried to set her up with Cederick." The bright eyed woman chuckled at Elisabeth's shocked expression, the young lady's mouth nearly dropping to the floor. "Oh, if there were ever two people less suited for the other. Gods, Ced would light fires to your mother's hats for fun." She blinked, waving her arms in the air, "Oh! No, no, no... Cederick would never actually hurt her. I promise, Dear. And it wasn't that he didn't like Seraphine... per say... It was just, well, together they were a match made in Hell." Anita chuckled, "Cederick's sense of humor forced Seraphine into tears and straight into my arms on so many an occasion until... Well until your Pa'pa came into the picture." she smiled. "The bustle...I know it's ridiculous." she mentioned after noticing Elisabeth's attention being drawn to the extension at her rump. "You look beautiful, though. But then, seeing that smile on your face this morning, you looked beautiful then too." Anita brought the girl in for a hug, closing her eyes as her heart just about quaked with all the love it held for this child she hardly knew. "Oh, how I wish I didn't have any blasted responsibilities so I could be the one to take you into town. I promise there will be plenty more stories tonight when you come home. I'll even see about digging out everything I saved of your parents." Anita took a moment to collect herself as she took a step back, now holding Elisabeth's hands in her own, "I'm so sorry I ever stopped searching for you. I- Cederick and I tried for a year but everyone- they were relentless in telling us all was for naught and you were probably...probably..." The Duchess' lip quivered as her eyes glossed over with unshed tears, "I'm so sorry, Elisabeth. So, so sorry."
Anita wasn't entirely sure why she was getting so worked up. Certainly the parents she had been left with loved her dearly. She hadn't been lost or hurt, she had been loved. But even still... The Duchess couldn't shake the feeling of having failed her and her best friend...She covered her mouth, taking a deep breath to collect herself. "I would have never given up on you if there had been the slightest hope that you were alive. Cederick and I wanted you more than anything. You and Kyier would have been our world." Anita touched the girl's face, "The two of you used to get along back then. Never tell him I said this if you value my life in the slightest...But being next to you was a lot of the time the only thing that would calm Kyier down." The Duchess winked. "Now then, enough chatter, the sun only warms us for so many hours, after all." Anita glided over to the wardrobe and pulled out a tiny hat that she secured to the side of Elisabeth's head. She smiled, "Your mother had quite the love for oddities in fashion, so I thought she perhaps may have passed that to you."
Downstairs, the Marquess stood scowling with his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't even privilege a single glance to that stupid girl as she descended the stairs. "Ah, Elisabeth! You look beautiful." Cederick beamed, inclining his head. "I hope you enjoy Landon, and here... You mustn't go about the shoppes with no coin." Elisabeth tried to refuse him, but the Duke shook his head. "Please. For all the Birthdays Anita and I have missed over the years. And I suggest The Secret Garden. It's a lovely restaurant, and I know for a fact it was Seraphine's favorite." Kyier groaned at his father's sincerity. It was disgusting how they fawned over her. Pathetic. "Oh, Elisabeth... Be sure to find yourself home before nightfall. It pains me to say so, but the streets of Landon are no longer safe at night. It's due to such that neither Cederick or I can escort you today. We hope to work with your Uncle to find a solution to the matter, but please do be careful." The Duke smirked, "No need to look so worried, Anita. Elisabeth will be in good hands that I assure you will get her home more than safe." Anita looked rather perplexed, "Were Chrystiem and Raina able to gain leave of the conference?" she asked. Cederick chuckled, "I'm afraid not, but it just so happens that our son as graciously volunteered to be the Lady's escort." Kyier remained silent, his eyes working on a stare so concentrated and lethal that it threatened to burn a hole straight through the bowl of fruit he seemed so very interested in upon the table. Anita blinked, her brows furrowing in a disbelief directed to her husband, "Is that...so?" she asked. Cederick only smiled, placing a hand on the Marquess' back to encourage him forward. Kyier closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Why yes, Ma'ma. I so nobly agreed to chaperon your honored guest as I have realized the folly of my previous attitude during dinner the previous night." he growled through clenched teeth, his body tense and rigid. The great respect Kyier held for his father faltered that day...
The Duchess smiled at her son, moving in to plant a soft kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, Dear. Truly." The Marquess rolled his eyes, "Lets go, Girl." he snapped. Anita giggled, waving to her god-daughter sympathetically as she tried to convey that everything would be okay to her through her eyes. He led her to the carriage, not bothering to help her up the step like any half gentleman would. In fact, Kyier jumped up before her, his action throwing her off balance enough that she tripped backwards in the dress that so wasn't at all accustom to wearing. He had never seen anyone walk so awkwardly, so obviously uncomfortable. "Lets go, you fool. I don't have time to babysit you. I agreed to take you into town out of respect for my father, but don't think for a second you'll be getting any sort of mind numbing tour from me. You're on your own until we are to return home, then you will be at lion fountain by four." he explained with swift word. Kyier turned to the window, propping his chin upon the palm of his hand as he watched the world pass by...