Page 43 of Indecent Desires of a Proper Lady
Sarah laughed and linked arms with Margaret and pulled them toward the music hall doors. “Now, Juliet and I are well-experienced in such matters, but I should tell you, dear Margaret, that I do not think it’s your hair which interests the others very much. I do not think it is that which makes their tongues loose.”
Margaret froze. “If not that, then what could it be, Sarah?”
Sarah leaned close to her and smiled. “Why, they do discuss you and Mr. Winston, of course. After the ball, the whole town is buzzing with thoughts! Are you engaged, courting, or what?”
“Oh, dear,” Margaret said, sighing more out of resignation than any sort of fear.
“I think I know what this is about. Juliet, tell me at once. Are they engaged?”
Juliet laughed. “That is for my sister-in-law to tell, for it is not my news.”
Margaret whispered, “We have begun to court. He has asked me of course, but we cannot make it official until he returns from the Navy. Oh, Sarah, please say you will not say anything to anyone. I do not wish for any more trouble for Leonard if there is a scandal afoot and no Mr. Winston to help me prove our betrothal.”
Sarah chuckled and pulled Margaret even closer. “Your engagement is safe with me. What lovely news, though! Margaret, you have made a fine choice, and such a handsome one too!”
Margaret blushed, and looked away, all to Sarah’s and Juliet’s further merriment. He was a very handsome man indeed, and the memory of that fact only made her feel feverish and wonder what it would be like once they were married. Lucky for her, Juliet helped to allay Margaret’s embarrassment.
“Sarah, with whom have you come to the opera?” She looked around and then pointed over to the corner as they made their way through the aisles of seats. “I see Felix over there talking to another man.”
“My dear aunt and Felix of course.”
Juliet frowned. “Hmm…he does not look very happy. I hope all is well. I do wish my brother would come and greet us.”
Sarah frowned. “I am certain he will come and make his greetings when he is finished with business.” She sighed. “It is always business, you know. Juliet, I feel overrun with talk of business of late. It is the wine. You know my struggles, I am certain.”
Juliet nodded, her eyes wide with understanding. “It has consumed our men’s minds. If they drank wine as much as they discussed it, they would never be able to lift their heads from their desks!” Sarah and Juliet laughed.
Sarah added, “But there does seem to be something worrying him, of late. I think he is concerned for Charles.” Both Margaret and Juliet froze, and Juliet tapped Margaret’s elbow, warning her not to say anything about the debts.
“Oh? Why should that be?”
“Well, he has been gone for some time now in France, or so he says. But Felix has spoken to him before he left. He was a little distressed then, and he has not yet received a letter from him, even though Felix has written a few times.”
“Ah well, he should speak to Leonard, or to Philip. They have both received letters, I believe, but Leonard would be the more applicable as his relates to the business, I am sure.”
Sarah sighed. “He will have to be content with that. I never understood the fuss about Charles, really. Margaret, I think you have made a fine decision to leave him behind. You have selected a far more amiable and well-mannered gentleman.
The orchestra began to play, and the women could see the singer make her way to the center of the stage. Sarah jumped to join her husband after leaving Juliet and Margaret with a sweet goodbye. The two ladies found their own seats, and Margaret perused the program.
Margaret leaned in to whisper, “Juliet, something troubles me about this Charles situation.”
“Well, of course, he is being very mysterious about his finances, even though he is in some trouble.”
“Yes, but there is something more. I can feel it in my gut. Why should Charles’ finances trouble Leonard and Philip so? It is not them who must recompense for their errors. Philip’s face that day; it has stuck with me ever since. He was so worried.”
“You have not spoken to him on the matter, correct?”
“I have not, but perhaps we ought to.”
Juliet shook her head. “I think not, Margaret. I do not think that Leonard would take kindly to us burrowing ourselves even deeper into Charles’ business, especially when it is not he who has shared it with us.”
The conductor began to introduce himself, and Margaret nodded, but still felt unsatisfied. Something was wrong there, and she wanted to find out what it was. Especially since it gave her dear Philip so much grief. What could it be?
* * *
The next day, Philip found himself in a place he had sworn to Charles he wouldn’t return to: the gaming hell. He was fiddling with poker chips in his hand while the man across from him made his decision. Philip was doing well in the game, but that was not why he had come. He needed to ask the game hall owners about Charles, and whether his debts truly lay at the gaming hell and not elsewhere.
“I fold,” the man said, and the game moved to the next person. Philip wondered idly about why he had been so fond of the hall in the past months. Now that he was a newly engaged man, the thought of throwing everything away on a simple game terrified him to no end.
