Page 29 of Indecent Desires of a Proper Lady
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As they sat down to dinner, Margaret’s mind was on the events of that day, especially seeing Philip and Leonard engaged in a serious conversation. What could it be about? Leonard and Juliet began to discuss the general events of the day, while footmen ladled soup into their bowls and poured wine. As they stepped back to the side of the room, Margaret could no longer keep her curiosity contained.
She placed the cloth napkin onto her lap and asked, “Brother, we saw you and Philip today outside the club.”
“Really?” Leonard grinned and took a sip of soup. “And why did you not come to greet us?”
Juliet chuckled. “I think that dear Margaret may be a little concerned about what Philip will think of her new choice in hair.”
“Ah, now we come to it. At first you acted brazen as if the world was the place to plunge into, doing whatever you liked, but now you pull back a bit, at the thought of what Philip might say?” He winked.
Margaret shook her head. “No, both of you are incorrect. I am proud of my decision. But,” she said with emphasis, hoping to pull them away from the pointless direction of that conversation, “we are worried about the serious expression you both had on your faces in front of your carriage. Is all well?”
A dark look flashed across Leonard’s face, quickly replaced with his old smile. “What do you mean? There are no problems. We were merely having a discussion.”
Margaret didn’t believe him. Even Juliet was eyeing him suspiciously. Margaret took up her wine glass in her hands. She replied, “It is not uncommon for you to have a serious look upon your face, dear Brother, but for Philip to look the same as you? Worried and concerned out in the public eye? It seemed rather odd to me.”
“And to me,” Juliet added, drumming her fingertips on the table while she waited.
Leonard took a large gulp of his wine and sighed. “It has nothing to do with you, Margaret, Juliet. I do not want you to worry about it. It is merely something to do with Charles.”
“Charles?” Margaret annoyingly felt her heart flutter. While she had given up her affection for him, she did still care that he was safe and happy.
Leonard looked between the two women and sighed again. He held up his glass to be filled anew. “Felix was right. It feels as if I am constantly overruled in my own home. Charles seems to be having a little bit of financial trouble. We were merely discussing a solution, a way we could help him. You understand that these words must never leave this room, of course.”
“I see,” Margaret said. “And you did not know of this before?”
“No, Margaret. Perhaps it is now even more for the best that he did not make you an offer of marriage, if he has nothing to offer you as well as entangled himself in some misfortune.”
Margaret nodded her head in agreement, but she knew that she would never marry a man just for his money. That was not what Charles had meant to her or what Philip was beginning to mean to her now. All she was hoping for was a life of happiness and freedom.
Philip could give me that.
The words just popped into her head, and she felt a rush of warmth and excitement. She wanted to huff with impatience, for right then was not the time to think of Philip and what sort of life she could have with him. But still, her thoughts trailed on, and she envisioned them standing on the shores of the ocean, he in a naval officer’s coat, reaching for her hand.
“Margaret?” Juliet asked, and the vision was suddenly gone. “You seem to have drifted away.”
Margaret shook her head. “Forgive me.” She took a sip of her hot soup. “Well, Leonard, you may be right, but perhaps not in the way you imagine.”
“I see. Well I am glad that the news of Charles does not hurt you as it might have done. Perhaps you have other interests at heart these days?” Leonard smiled.
Margaret laughed. “Well, even if I do, I would not wish to share them with my elder brother.”
An image of a smiling Philip came to her mind again, and she dropped her spoon in her soup, the rush of feeling was so strong.
“Are you all right?” Juliet asked, narrowing her eyes at her sister-in-law.
Margaret chuckled nervously. “Of course! I think I am perhaps just tired after everything today.”
Juliet said, “Yes, it has been a while since we have done so much.”
Margaret smiled. But she knew it was more than that. Her hand was trembling, and her heart was fluttering. There was a truth forming slowly in her heart, and it scared her to death. She did not want to believe it, but she feared that she was in very much danger of falling in love with Philip Winston.
Chapter Thirteen
The next few days seemed to go by in a blur. The invitations had been sent out for the ball, and Margaret had attempted to busy herself entirely with assisting Juliet in whatever way she could, so that she did not have to think of anything else.
For many years, it had been her at the helm of party planning, but once Juliet became Duchess Bartley, the great honor had moved to her hands, and each time they gave a ball, Juliet became a flustered mess, despite the calming influence of the housekeeper, and it gave Margaret a little comfort that she could focus entirely on helping her sister-in-law and not on her newfound realization.
