Page 95 of Lady for a Season
Maggie grinned back. “I hope with Edward out of the way they might allow their daughters a say in who they marry, and perhaps allow them to marry for love.”
“Hardly likely,” Lady Honora sniffed. “Doesn’t work that way round these parts, or are you new?”
Maggie couldn’t help laughing. “I think I must be new.”
“Ah well, you’ll learn. Congratulations, Your Grace.” Lady Honora offered a curtsey.
“Promise me you won’t call me that,” said Maggie. “I would prefer you call me Margaret.”
“I think you’ll find that’s only for family and the most intimate of friends.”
Maggie hooked her arm through Lady Honora’s. “Then you must promise to be my most intimate friend,” she said. “And right now, my intimate friend Honora needs to help me find an ice before I melt.”
“Right you are,” said Honora, steering her through the crowd. “Step this way, Margaret.”
“And have you found someone yourself this season, Honora?”
“Hard to tell,” said Honora, adroitly avoiding the dancing couples and guiding them to a table piled high with tiny glasses of shining colourful ices. “Let’s just say there’s a chance I’ve found what I was looking for.”
“Mowatt?”
Honora laughed. “You haven’t been paying enough attention these last few weeks,” she said. “The uncle died and Mr Mowatt is now Lord Barrington, and engaged.”
“Then I hope to meet whomever you have in mind, one day soon.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” said Honora, waving her hand at the selection before them. “Lemon, rose or elderflower?”
As the evening progressed Maggie smiled graciously at the many congratulations she received and even responded when someone called her Your Grace rather than thinking they were speaking to Edward’s mother, who was standing to one side, her face expressionless as she watched Maggie and Edward circulate.
Maggie made her way over, put out a hand and touched the Duchess’ arm, noticing as she did so the stark contrast of the white and pink silken gauze of her dress against the near-black of the Duchess’ purple silk.
The Duchess turned her head, face turned stony. “Yes?”
Maggie stepped closer to her, so that she could be heard, even at a murmur. “I hope you will find it in you to be glad for Edward.”
“Glad?How can you –”
“Edward is marrying someone he loves and who loves him in return,” interrupted Maggie. “I know on your wedding day you hoped for the same.”
The Duchess’ shoulders stiffened. “How dare you –”
“I am sorry your hopes were not met,” said Maggie, her hand still on the Duchess’ arm. “I am sorry your married life was spent in thrall to a man who was rough, and unkind and did not know how to love or care for you. Who modelled your first son in his image and made you doubt your second son, even though he was born in your image.”
The Duchess stared at her, but she did not move away and, emboldened, Maggie took her hand.
“Edward is not mad. He never was. He was broken. As you would have been, had you not built a wall about yourself, a fortress to keep you safe. I am sorry you had to do that. I am sorry you felt you had to give up your son to keep him safe. I am sorry for all you have been through. Edward is mending now,you can see for yourself how he grows in strength, day by day, yet keeps his gentle nature. Perhaps you can begin to take down the walls of your fortress, one stone at a time and show some of your gentleness. I will help you, if you will let me.”
“You have… said enough,” said the Duchess, but her voice cracked. She had not withdrawn her hand.
“I do not want to be enemies,” said Maggie. “I want a family. I have never had a family. I hope Edward and I will have many children. We will make our own family since we have so little between us. But I hope you will come to be a part of it. There will always be room for you.” She pressed the Duchess’ hand and felt the tiniest response, hardly there and yet there. “I must find Edward now,” she said, letting go. “It will be the waltz soon. Excuse me, Aunt Caroline.”
“Mama.”
Maggie turned back. “Excuse me?”
The Duchess lifted her chin. Her eyes did not quite meet Maggie’s. “You should call me Mama, now.”
Maggie smiled. “Would that be the correct thing to do, do you think?”
