George spoke up, “Because she has been assigned the status of a servant rather than as a member of this family—as I have pointed out many times before. But my objections have always been ignored.” He looked pointedly at his mother. She caught his eye and quickly looked away.
“Please, I do not want to cause any disruption in the family. If it would suit you better for me to stay where I am, I do not object,” Harold said to Matthew.
George again spoke up, “No, Mr. Brighton, you are a welcomed guest and deserve the best accommodation we can offer.” He turned to Lucy. “And Miss Lucy, it is about time you claim the status that you deserve—as one of the family.”
Her Grace flipped open her fan as a protest and said, “But what about me? How am I to do without Lucy’s help?”
“You have Flossy, do you not?” George asked.
“Well, yes… but… well… she is not the same. Lucy understands me,” she wailed.
Matthew stood and came forward. “I believe we best sort this out at another time. Judith, for now, Flossy will attend to you.” He turned to Lucy. “And Miss Lucy, I suggest you take some time to get reacquainted with your brother. I imagine you have a lot to talk about.”
Lucy curtsied. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
Matthew then turned to Harold and George. “George, Harold, I should very much like to meet with the two of you sometime tomorrow. I have some thoughts that might interest the both of you. George, what do we have planned during the morning?”
“I believe you wanted us to oversee the work on the south field wall.”
“Then let us meet in my study after lunch. If that is satisfactory to you, Mr. Brighton?”
“It is, Your Grace.”
* * *
“Can you just imagine?” Charlotte said in a whisper as she and Ann headed toward their chambers. “Lucy in the Swinton suite? What is the world coming to? And the son of a tenant farmer… an honored guest!”
Ann threw her hands up in the air in disgust. “I cannot wait to get married and get out of this horrible house. Our father behaves more like a peasant than a Duke. How ever shall we live this down once this news becomes known in society?”
“But what do you think is keeping Mr. Beaumont from asking me to marry?” Charlotte asked. “Do you suppose he is considering other young ladies?”
“There is no one else in the entire county nearly as suitable as we are—well, at least until now. I cannot help but think of the horrible stain that will besmirch this family once it is known we are hosting such unsuitable rabble.”
“Then what do you suggest, Ann? Our Sunday open houses are not working. And if Miss Lucy is now to be included as a guest, instead of as a servant, how can we compete?”
“What do you mean?” Ann asked angrily.
Charlotte turned to her sister. “Oh, Ann, you know very well the way gentlemen look at her. And Beaumont, whenever she is in the room pays us no attention, whatsoever. I am certain the only reason he has not asked her to marry him is that he sees her as a servant. But now, if her status is elevated… who knows what might happen?”
Ann had never wanted to voice these thoughts—even though she had had them—but now that her sister had said them, she needed to acknowledge the threat. “Then we must act.”
“How?”
“We must contrive a situation where we are alone with Mr. Beaumont. Lucy must be nowhere in sight, and we must give him every opportunity to choose one of us. We must make certain he understands the substantial livings we bring with us.”
Charlotte was thoughtful before asking, “And just how do we do this? It is not all that easy to get him alone, with us constantly chaperoned.”
Ann gave a sly smile. “Let me think on it, and I will come up with a plan.”
Chapter 23
Lucy was almost giddy with the freedom she was now enjoying. She did not need to report to the kitchen to help prepare breakfast. She did not need to attend to her Grace. And she could sleep as late as she wished. When she awoke, she lay on the bed feeling the fine quality of the sheets. She stretched and when she was good and ready, she threw back the covers and put on her robe and padded out of her room to the sitting room she shared with her brother.
“You are finally up.” Harold teased. “Would you like some tea?” He was seated at a table with a tea tray before him. “They came to me after I was awake and asked if I wanted breakfast served in these rooms. I said we did, but I asked them to wait until I rang. I wanted to wait for you.”
“I should love some tea at a proper table, with a proper breakfast, that I did not need to prepare myself.”
“Then you shall have it.” And he pulled the bell on the wall to summon their breakfast.
