Marquess and Tell by Ebony Oaten

Author:Ebony Oaten
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ebony McKenna

Chapter 5

The sun, although weak, shone brightly the next day. The perfect opportunity to engage in a picnic. Provided the rugs were thick enough and they dressed warmly.

Amelia wore her warmest everything to join in the ‘pleasantries’ outside. It felt incredibly silly to be venturing out of doors at this time of year, but the Marquess deemed they should engage in a ‘Hunt for Treasures.’

The men and women were divided into four groups, two groups of men, two of women. Amelia’s competitive spirit kicked in as she read the list of ‘treasures’ to be found.

It began in the pinery, which delighted all gathered. What a marvellous way to enjoy the outdoors, even though they were walled in and the roof was domed with glass. So lovely and warm. And light.

Here, raised beds of fruits grew, even in winter. There were orange trees, with large green fruit that were nowhere near ready for picking. But that didn’t matter, as she’d spotted a lime as well – although come to think of it, how did the limes look any different to the oranges at this time of year?

And then she saw it, the first clue on a list of treasured items.

Something to pine for.

This is where the pinery received its name. The Marquess was growing actual pineapples. Produce from the tropics, growing here in southern England! What a marvellous thing to see!

Amelia had heard about similar exploits produced by a Duke in Scotland, but she’d never seen it for herself.

The ladies in Amelia’s group gasped at the sight of the tall, spiked grasses sitting in their pots, buried deep in chunks of bark. There, in the middle of each grass nest, grew the smallest, most adorable pineapples. Utterly green and not ready for picking at all, how were they to take the item to the Marquess without destroying it?

Katherine asked, ‘Should we lift it out, including the pot?’

Mary said, ‘Would that harm the roots, perhaps? I wouldn’t want to disturb them.’

Katherine considered this. ‘We’d get our clothes dirty.’

Amelia suggested, ‘I’m more concerned about gashing my face against those spiked leaves.’

Mary said, ‘We could gather a pine cone instead?’

Ah yes, but that meant braving the true outdoor weather, instead of this protected space. Could there be another way?

The pineapple bush was so spiky, defending its precious baby in the centre, they didn’t dare approach it lest they cut themselves or their clothing.

‘I have it,’ Katherine said. ‘The one we pine for is the Marquess, so let’s grab him!’

The rest of the ladies readily agreed and darted off to the centre of the picnic area, giggling at their target.

They grabbed the elderly gentleman standing beside the true Marquess, and declared themselves the champions of finding the first clue.

‘We declare that we pine for you, My Lord!’ Katherine said.

Amelia cast a shy look towards the Marquess-in-butler’s-clothing and caught a wink in return. She blushed.

The other teams had darted outside and gathered a sprig of pine needles, and the men had outdone themselves and pulled out an entire pine sapling, roots and all.

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