Her gaze swung across the room and stopped on Tobias’s parents, who seemed altogether a different sort from her own parents. They wore very finely tailored clothing in dark colors. His mother’s hair was still yellow with white streaks running throughout. She had a slight smile on her face, as if enjoying the whirl of the revelry around her. Mrs. Blake peeked happily at her son for an instant, then looked away as if scared she might be caught.
Tobias’s father’s hair had gone entirely gray. But Maggie could see in his flashing blue eyes a bit of his peacock son. Granted, Tobias’s sense of humor seemed completely lacking in Mr. Blake’s austere profile, as if the man had never laughed at a joke in his entire life.
Tobias had introduced them both to Maggie at the beginning of the wedding breakfast. But a deep curiosity pushed her to find out more. With only a cursory glance at her new husband, she left his side and wove her way across the room to her new parents. Mrs. Blake saw her approach and nudged her husband with a shoulder to get his attention. By the time Maggie stood before them, they both had been watching her for some time.
She smiled and dipped a curtsy, unsure what else to do. “Hello again. I came to see if you need anything. More cake?”
“No dear, thank you,” Mrs. Blake said.
Mr. Blake gazed across the room, not paying either of them a bit of attention.
“I would also like to—”
“Tell me.”
Mr. Blake’s sudden interruption startled her, but she swallowed her gasp. “Anything I can tell, Mr. Blake, I will.” Not quite true.
“Will you keep your honorific,LadyMagnificent?”
Maggie relaxed. “I do not think so. I prefer to go by Mrs. Blake now. But you both must call me Maggie.”
“Why did you marry my son?”
His mind moved so quickly, from one topic to another, rather like his son’s mind. Maggie let him wait for her answer.
“Well?”
“I’m trying to catalog all the reasons. But he makes me laugh. That’s the biggest reason, I suppose. And he’s clever.” And a talented artist. And ambitious. But she likely was not supposed to mention those things.
Mr. Blake grunted. “Clever. Humorous. Ha. Do you know you’ve married the least industrious man in all of England, possibly the world?”
“Oh, no!” Maggie rushed to correct Mr. Blake but then stopped herself. How could she defend him properly without saying things Tobias did not wish her to say? She snapped her mouth shut, then said hesitantly, “He’s quite industrious in creating jokes. He’s a very prolific tease, Mr. Blake.”
“I see you know my son well, and yet still, you married him,” he grumbled. “I suppose you had no choice. I heard about the situation, orsituations, I should say.”
Maggie blushed. It was one thing to be caught kissing the man you would marry in front of an assembled group of artists who could then clap you on and draw pictures in honor of your romantic moment. It was quite another to be reminded of your social faux pas by your husband’s father. One was adventure, the other judgment.
Mrs. Blake rushed in to fill the silent void swallowing them whole. “Tell me, Maggie, areyouindustrious?”
Maggie pulled her composure up and stitched it back together. “I hope so. I try to be.” Her failed attempts at blackmail mocked her. She tried … but not always with much success.
“Very admirable. What do you use your industry to achieve?” Mrs. Blake asked.
“I am open to suggestions,” Maggie said truthfully, an idea forming in her mind. Her blackmail scheme had not been successful, but she had, at the end of the day, helped provide financial relief for her family. Perhaps she could be of service to her new husband as well. He still needed a business partner. He refused to ask for help from his father, but perhaps she could gather information from Mr. Blake without him knowing why she gathered it. She glanced at her new husband. He would likely not approve, but he didn’t have to know, and if she used what she learned to help Tobias find the perfect business partner, he’d be better off for it.
“Lady Maggie?” Mrs. Blake laid a hand on Maggie’s arm. “Are you well? You’re awfully silent.”
Maggie put a hand to her cheek. “Pardon me. I was woolgathering.” She smiled brightly. “Mr. Blake, I greatly admire the work you’ve done. I would very much enjoy a tour of your factory one day. I would like to learn about the family business.”
“I think,” Mr. Blake said slowly with clipped tones, a voice that indicated only bad tidings, “that somehow Tobias has chosen well for himself.” His face softened suddenly like the sun peeking out from a cloud, and he offered Maggie his hand. When she placed her fingers on his, he grasped her fingers tightly and shook them. As his smile deepened, so too did his resemblance to Tobias. “Welcome to the family. I for one am glad to have you with us. My son is one lucky devil. Let’s hope he does something, anything, in his life to deserve you.”
Maggie warmed, smiling a real smile.
Mr. Blake nodded slowly, thoughtfully. “You shall have your tour. And you need not come to Manchester for it, either. I’ve a facility right here in London. We can tour it this week if you like.” His voice was gruff, but she knew him better now. He hid a lamb behind his wolf’s exterior, just as Tobias hid a serious, honorable man behind a jester’s façade.
“I’d like that very much.” Spending time with her father-in-law would help her learn her way around the textiles industry so she could help Tobias find a partner. She just had to make sure she gathered information only and kept all of Tobias’s secrets to herself.
* * *
