“What were they like? Theo’s parents?” Margaret murmured softly as footmen and maids now entered the room, standing to attention behind tables, ready to serve food and drinks.
Mrs. Lancaster looked Margaret in the eye with such an expression of sadness in her face that it stole Margaret’s breath.
“Has the master not told you about them?”
“I know his father has passed and his mother is still alive, is she not?” Margaret wrinkled her nose. Was it not strange that Theo’s mother was alive but he never spoke of her? Was it not even odder that she had not been invited to this ball?
“Yes. If the master has not told you about them, I should not speak of it.” Yet Mrs. Lancaster’s fidgeting grew all the worse.
Margaret tilted her head to the side, watching her kindly housekeeper with great care. Never before had Mrs. Lancaster retreated so much into herself and looked so nervous.
“Did you not like them?” Margaret whispered.
“What? Oh!” Mrs. Lancaster looked scandalized at the idea. “I have been in service to this family for decades. I am incredibly loyal to them. The Duke is the best master I could ask for.”
“Theo, perhaps, yet you are avoiding speaking of the duke and duchess that came before –”
“Your Grace, your guests have just arrived.” Mrs. Lancaster pointed at the open doors and the people now arriving, in glittering autumnal colors of soft red and golden gowns, and men in black tail suits with copper-hued cravats. “I shall be in the corner if you need me.”
“Thank you,” Margaret hastily added, though she did not turn at once to greet her guests. She stared after the housekeeper, now even more curious at the lady’s silence on Theo’s parents.
Whatever they were like, there was little love for them in this house. The staff never speak of them, Theo certainly never speaks of them… are they all trying to forget the last duke and duchess were ever here?
Theodore appeared in the room beside their guests and began to greet them. Margaret hurried to his side, accidentally bumping his elbow with her own. When he turned and smiled at her, such warmth spread through her that she quickly forgot her curiosity about the past.
They greeted each of their guests with kindness and a welcoming air. There were people Margaret had never met before, and others that she knew all too well.
“My dear! So good to see you at last.” Lady Sedgwick’s voice made Margaret stiffen.
She knew well enough that Lady Sedgwick was on the guest list. Theodore had suggested it.
She commanded the gossip in the ton, and if they were to spread the impression of a happy couple together, completely respected, with any hint of a scandal completely forgotten, then they had to perform for Lady Sedgwick. They had to persuade her to believe there was nothing left to whisper about in this house.
“Lady Sedgwick, you are most welcome,” Margaret said as she and Lady Sedgwick curtsied. “I trust you have been well?”
“Very well indeed. The gossip sheets keep me very entertained, even though your name has been missing from them for some time now.” She angled her head, clearly trying to catch Theo’s attention with these words, but he was busy greeting some gentlemen behind her.
“I am pleased to hear it.” Margaret maintained her dignified air, determined not to shake under the woman’s suspicion. “Well, I suppose gossip sheets cannot write about a couple being happy, can they? Such news would probably bore its readers.”
Lady Sedgwick released an amused giggle.
“Perhaps so.” She sighed, as if she were a child and someone had stolen her greatest toy. “Well, I wish you well with your ball, my dear. It shall be interesting to see just how much of a success it is.”
She walked away, wafting her fan in front of her face in the most animated manner. Despite Margaret’s temptation to let the anger get to her —the fury with which she wished to tell Lady Sedgwick that if she had just come looking for gossip, she could leave right now —Margaret let it go with a shuddering breath.
Such women have to be invited. It is the way.
The next people to arrive made Margaret smile so much that she quite forgot the upset Lady Sedgwick had caused.
“Margaret!” Evelina called as she hurried into the room, Gabriel at her side. At once, Theo and Gabriel shook hands and talked together, as Evelina and Margaret embraced tightly. “How are you?” Evelina whispered attentively in her ear. Clearly, it was no question made just out of courtesy. Evelina genuinely wanted to know the answer.
“I am well,” Margaret assured her, stepping back and looking her sister in the eye. “How are you?” She gestured down to the bump now clearly beginning to show for Evelina.
“Oh, I have some sickness now.” Evelina nodded, a paleness to her skin. “It comes and goes.”
“You need to keep eating,” Gabriel said smoothly, moving to Evelina’s side as Theodore followed them. “If she does not eat for so long, the sickness returns.”
“A lack of eating, eh?” Theodore said with interest. “Perhaps both sisters forget to eat when they are busy.” He looked meaningfully at Margaret. She rolled her eyes at him, rather pleased when he smiled at her.
