Penelope took her eldest daughter’s arm and dragged her in the opposite direction to the veranda. She did not let go until they were out of the room and halfway down the corridor.
“You were causing an unpleasant scene,” she hissed.
“What do you mean, Mother?”
“Don’t play coy with me. What are you up to?”
“Was I not pleasant or polite enough?” Bridget asked.
“Is this some kind of joke, Bridget?” Penelope demanded. “I know you, and that was not you back there. What was that comment about there being two polite men in the house? Was that aimed at your father?”
“What?” Bridget sputtered, suddenly confused. “No, of course not.”
“Then why were you acting like that back there?”
Penelope looked at her wits’ end. Bridget knew her mother was stressed about the wedding, even though it would be wonderful and easy. Now, Bridget was adding her personal vendetta against the Duke to her mother’s list of worries.
“It was nothing,” Bridget assured her. “I promised Margaret that I would be on my best behavior during lunch, and I must have gotten carried away. Would you rather I was my argumentative and opinionated self?”
Penelope put her hands on her hips and thought about it. “No, I guess not.” She shook her head. “I am so unused to you acting like that that I believed you were up to something, but it is nice to have two polite and agreeable daughters for once.”
“Mother, that was not a compliment, even though you made it sound like one.”
“I am trying to be nice!”
“Where is Father, anyway?” Bridget asked.
“Goodness knows,” Penelope sighed. “He was supposed to be here, and I was terrified he would be. Perhaps it is for the best that he is here as little as possible. I feel awful for saying that.”
“I fully agree,” Bridget assured her.
“It is why I am so on edge,” Penelope told her. “This marriage means a lot to our family, and I can’t have anyone ruining it. Not you, and not your father.”
“Don’t group me with him,” Bridget said angrily.
“No, you are right. You are nothing like him, thank the Lord. His drinking and gambling have put us in quite a hole, but this marriage will strengthen our family, and we will be able to get back on our feet. And you know how your father is. He does not listen to women. He will not listen to you or me, but with Lord Michael joining the family, he might listen to him. I hope he is so ashamed of his behavior that he takes it as a fresh start without Lord Michael seeing him at his worst.”
“You deserve better, Mother,” Bridget said, taking her mother’s hand.
Her father had been estranged from their family for three months and counting. He had become abusive and indifferent due to his addiction and had been living still on the estate but apart from everyone else.
“I chose him, and I will have to deal with it,” Penelope muttered.
“Not alone,” Bridget assured her.
“Just please try and be on your best behavior for the rest of our time here. All we have to do is get to the wedding, and everything might work out.”
“We will make it,” Bridget insisted.
“And Margaret can never know. It would kill her if she knew what her father was doing to this family.”
“We will fix everything together, and she will never have to know. She is an idealist, and she is happy, and she should remain that way. Come on, Mother. Let’s get back in there and enjoy ourselves. You deserve an extra glass of that exquisite wine.”
Penelope placed her arm around her daughter’s waist as they walked back toward the veranda.
At least the Duke did one thing right by bringing the wine with him.
CHAPTER5
