Page 89 of Lady for a Season
He shook his head, serious. “No. I will not run away; I will not go to Gretna Green or hide you as though you are someone to be ashamed of. I love you. We will be married at Atherton Park by special license tomorrow morning, and the ball tomorrow evening will be our celebration.”
She stared at him.
“If that plan meets with your approval?” he added.
“I think I am dreaming,” she said wonderingly.
“You are not dreaming. Shall I prove it to you?”
Her lips parted. “Yes.”
He lowered his face to hers again but the sound of a carriage approaching made them both look up. The Atherton carriage came racing towards them, the four horses sweating as the driver whipped them on, then, seeing them, suddenly slowed, coming to a stop a few feet away. The footman leapt down, opened the carriage door and lowered its steps to reveal the Duchess, her expression wrathful as she stepped out.
“Drive to that tree,” she hissed to the driver, indicating a large oak some way further down the road so that they might not be heard.
“I am glad you have found us, Mother,” said Edward pleasantly. “Otherwise, Maggie would have had to ride Merlin back to the inn to wait for me to summon a carriage for her.”
“You are supposed to be on your way to London by now,” said the Duchess to Maggie, ignoring him.
“She was indeed,” said Edward. “A good thing I found her, as we are to be married.”
“You cannot even consider such a thing,” spat the Duchess. “She is nothing but a nursemaid.” She turned to Maggie. “You are not even from a respectable family. You are an orphan, from goodness knows what sort of background. Know your place!”
Edward opened his mouth, but Maggie put her hand on hisarm. She took a long, slow breath, Matron’s “know your place” echoing from her past, and met the Duchess’ furious gaze. “I know my worth.I know that I am wanted. Myplaceis by Edward’s side as his wife.”
“You cannot possibly think –” began the Duchess.
“But she can,” interrupted Edward. “I have asked Maggie to marry me, and she has said yes. She will be my wife, and the Duchess of Buckingham. And you, Mama, with the greatest respect, will become the Dowager Duchess, and you will move into the Dower House as soon as we are wed. And you will treat Maggie with the respect she deserves and stay out of our affairs, unless you can learn to be civil.”
The Duchess stood silent for a moment, so silent that Maggie wondered whether she was going to speak at all. Then a bitter smile spread over her face as she addressed Maggie.
“You played a good game,” she said, her voice tight with anger.
Maggie lifted her chin. “It was never a game to me,” she said. “It was never a game because I cared for Edward and would have done anything to make him happy.”
“And do you think thetonwill accept an orphan from the Foundling Hospital, no doubt a bastard into the bargain, as the Duchess of Buckingham? You will never be received anywhere.”
Maggie couldn’t help it, she laughed out loud. “But I am not a bastard orphan from the Foundling Hospital,” she said. “I am Margaret Seton, a distant cousin of the Duchess of Buckingham, taken into the Duchess’ home out of the goodness of her heart after I lost both my unfortunate parents, and I have just made a love match with her son the Duke of Buckingham. It is a gloriously romantic story which will enchant all who hear it, and it is your game that has turned against you. If you say otherwise, if you tell thetonwho I really am, the scandal will reflect on you.Youwill never be received anywhere. A mother who locked up her son when there was nothing wrong with him that could nothave been cured by stopping his father bullying him. A woman who lied about his wellbeing to try and marry him off to an unsuspecting respectable family, prepared to allow his supposed madness to taint their bloodline? Who passed off a bastard-born orphan maid as her cousin to avoid any suspicion as to her son’s suitability for marriage, all so that she could cling to the estate and title, the wealth, she so much enjoys? I cannotimaginewhat fun the scandalmongers would have with that, Your Grace.”
There was silence for a moment, before Edward spoke. “We have a wedding to arrange, so we must return to Atherton Park at once. Mama, Maggie will go in the carriage with you. You may either be civil to her or say nothing at all. I will know if you are uncivil.” He turned to Maggie and took her hand, kissed it and led her to the carriage, where the footman stood to attention as she climbed in.
Edward stepped aside as his mother was assisted by the footman, who closed the door behind her. Edward looked in at the window. “I will see you at home, Maggie,” he said gently, then glanced at his mother. “Not an uncivil word,” he reminded her.
Maggie watched as he swung into Merlin’s saddle and rode away, back towards Atherton Park, while the carriage was slowly turned around, to follow him.
When he was out of sight Maggie sat back in the seat and looked at the Duchess.
“I will marry him,” she said. “It is not for the money or the title or any of those things that matter to you. It is because I love him. I loved him before I even came here, when he was a nobody and we were happy together in Ivy Cottage. You will not believe that, of course, but it is true.”
The Duchess met her gaze with a stony glare.
“Very well,” said Maggie. “Then we will not speak until you are ready. Whenever that day comes.”
When they arrived at Atherton Park, Edward took Maggie by the hand.
“We have things to arrange, Mama,” he told the Duchess as she emerged from her carriage. “I will see you tomorrow morning in chapel for our wedding.”
“You cannot marry tomorrow. You would need –”
