There was something pointed in her tone that Lydia didn’t recognize or understand, but it didn’t alarm her—not understanding Margaret was something she had grown used to. It was difficult to figure out the Dowager Duchess’s motives sometimes, and Lydia supposed that was because she had been a duchess far longer than Lydia herself. She had grown used to life in these circumstances, and she did things without having to think about them. Lydia was still learning to be the kind of lady Margaret already was.
“Good morning, Margaret,” Lydia returned. “It’s a pleasure to see you, as always.”
“You look lovely,” Margaret told her. “But then, you always do. Hasn’t Lydia done a marvelous job presenting herself since she’s become your duchess, Edward?”
“Very good,” Edward agreed.
His shoulders had tensed, and he wasn’t looking at Margaret. Lydia frowned, wondering what the problem was. What had made him so unhappy all of a sudden?
“What were you two talking about?” Margaret asked, helping herself to some bread.
Lydia glanced at Edward, but he didn’t appear to be interested in responding, so she spoke, “Edward was just saying that the two of us ought to attend the Hartford ball next week.”
“Was he! Well, isn’t that a marvelous idea? We’ll all go,” Margaret replied briskly. “It’s been so long since I was able to attend any balls. I’m so glad you came up with that idea, Edward.”
“I’ll need you to take Lydia into town so that she can get a gown,” Edward requested.
“Of course, I will,” Margaret agreed. “That’s not only my duty as Dowager Duchess, but it’s also my privilege. And a gentleman could hardly be counted on to help his wife choose the right gown, could he? No, that’s a task that requires the hand of a lady. You’ll need me, and I’ll be happy to help.”
“Good, then,” Edward said shortly. “You can take her into town sometime in the next few days. And, Margaret, do make sure you choose somethingappropriate. I know how you like to show off, but we want to portray Lydia modestly for her first outing as Duchess.”
“Edward, don’t be so negative,” Margaret scolded. “You would have her in a plain brown gown with nothing to draw the eye if it was up to you, but sheshouldcatch people’s attention. They’ll be paying attention to the new Duchess anyway. They should see her outfitted in something lavish and fashionable.Thatis what’s appropriate in this situation, not modesty.”
Edward rose to his feet. “You two make whatever arrangements you deem fit,” he said. “I’ve got to go.”
“Where are you going?” Margaret demanded. “Breakfast isn’t over, Edward.”
“I have work to do,” Edward said. “You know I can’t sit here at the table all day, talking about parties.”
A sadness swept through Lydia. She didn’t understand quite what had gone wrong. The two of them had been enjoying their conversation. Yes, she had known that Edward wouldn’t be staying at the table for very long, but even so, the energy between the two of them had been good. They had been having a good time talking together. She’d thought he had seemed a bit regretful at the notion that he would have to leave quickly. That had changed when Margaret had come in. Now, it was as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.
He left the dining room, and the door slammed shut behind him as if to punctuate the fact that he was ready to go and didn’t want to be with them a moment longer than he had to.
“Well,really,” Margaret huffed, turning her attention back to her plate. “I don’t know why he’s always like that. It’s quite unfathomable—and unpleasant, too, isn’t it! But you mustn’t worry, Lydia, darling. It has nothing to do with you. He’s always been that way. He’s simply not a sociable fellow. I must say, I do hope you’ll be able to bring out another side in him.”
“Do you think that’s even possible?”
Lydia felt despair building up in her heart. It seemed such a big thing to ask—that she would be able to change Edward if this was the way he had always been. How could she?
“He’s different already if he’s willing to take you to a ball,” Margaret assured. “I never could have imagined such a thing. If he had been asked a month before your marriage to attend a ball—well, he wouldn’t even have laughed at the idea. He would have mocked it. He would have told the person who dared to ask him that he was far too busy for such frivolities. And now you ask him to attend—”
“Oh, I didn’t ask,” Lydia said. “It was his idea.”
“His idea?” Margaret’s eyebrows shot up. “Was it, really?”
“Well, I think he felt sorry about the way the wedding went,” Lydia observed, wondering why this was so surprising to Margaret.
It was a surprise, to be sure, that Edward would be willing to attend a ball. But was it that much less shocking that he would say yes to one than it was that he would suggest it himself? Lydia didn’t think so. To her way of thinking, it made perfect sense that he would be the one to come up with it. He might not like parties very much, but hedidlike being in control, and Lydia found it easy to believe that he would be the one to make a suggestion like that.
“What was wrong with the wedding?” Margaret asked. “I thought the wedding was perfect. Everyone had good things to say about it.”
“Oh, there wasn’t anything wrong with it,” Lydia said quickly. “That’s not what I mean. I wasn’t trying to be critical of that event. I know how hard you worked.”
“Then what do you mean?” Margaret asked. “What is it about the wedding that leads you to feel you need to attend a ball to make up for it?”
“All I meant was that—well, Edward and I didn’t really spend that much time together on our wedding day,” Lydia explained. “He knows I was a bit let down about that, and I think he wanted to provide an opportunity for us to spend a bit of time together at a party as compensation. That’s all it is.”
“Well, I suppose I can’t complain,” Margaret said. “The important thing is that you’re getting him out of the house. You know, I care deeply for both of my late husband’s children, but they have both given me reason to worry about them from time to time, and the biggest concern I have about Edward comes from his inability to socialize.
