Martha looked up quickly to see that her lady’s maid was holding up one of her favorite dresses. It was red, which was her favorite color, it was form-fitting in the bodice with a flowing, silk A-skirt, and was gathered at the snug waist with a lace ribbon that was a shade darker than the dress itself. It had matching gloves and shoes, and a small, red-lace bonnet with ribbons that flowed down the length of her hair.
“Yes?” she asked, briefly confused. Then, she understood why Lily had the dress in her hands and she chuckled nervously. “Oh, yes, that one will do just fine.”
Lily nodded, but she had an expression of concern on her face. She placed the dress on the bed on one side of Martha and then sat beside her mistress on the other side.
“What’s the matter?” she asked. “Are you not looking forward to this dinner?”
Martha sighed heavily and shook her head.
“It’s not just an ordinary dinner, Lily,” she said. “Tonight is the night that I will meet my future betrothed.”
Lily’s face lit up and she patted Martha’s back as she smiled.
“That is happy news, Miss Elwood,” she said. “Congratulations to you and your intended.”
Martha shook her head again, looking helplessly at her lady’s maid.
“That’s the trouble,” she moaned. “It’s an arranged marriage. Tonight is quite literally the first time he and I have ever met. I don’t know a single thing about the gentleman, apart from his name. What if we can’t even get along in the same room? What if he can’t stand the sight of me?”
Lily nodded thoughtfully.
“I see,” she said. “I understand why you would feel trepidation. Well, tell me his name. Perhaps, I have heard of him, and can tell you something to allay your fears.”
Martha bit her lip and nodded.
“His name is Lord Billington,” she said. “He is viscount of the county of the same name.”
Lily’s expression changed. Her eyes widened, and her cheeks grew impossibly pale. She stared at Martha long enough to make the young woman uncomfortable.
“What?” she asked. “Why have you grown so pale?”
The maid rose quickly from the bed, shaking her head. Martha waited for her to say something, but she instead began bustling about, making a basin of fresh water and setting out the accessories that went along with Martha’s dress.
When Martha could not stand the suspense a moment longer, she also rose and approached the maid. Lily avoided eye contact with her, to the point where Martha had to reach out and gently grab the maid by her shoulders.
“You’re scaring me to death,” she said. “What’s wrong? Please, tell me that Father hasn’t promised me to some horrible criminal or something.”
The maid looked at her, and Martha was sure she had never seen such discomfort and fear in the woman’s eyes. Dread formed in the pit of her stomach, as cold as snow and as heavy as a boulder.
“Miss Elwood, really, it’s not my place to gossip,” she said. “It is inappropriate for us servants to have loose lips, especially with our masters and mistresses.”
Martha sighed. She knew well that what Lily said was true. It was frowned upon for servants to gossip, especially to the nobility and wealthy men and women they served. A single piece of false information spread by a household’s servants could ruin a family’s reputation forever, even once it was proven to be untrue. However, it was well known that servants did gossip often, most often amongst themselves. And sometimes, the servant’s information was not only accurate, but it was also invaluable.
“You are an honourable maid, Lily,” Martha said, reaching for her hands. “And you are my most trusted confidant. As such, if you know anything about the viscount, you ought to tell me. It isn’t unsolicited gossip if I order you to tell me. And that is precisely what I’m doing. I am ordering you to tell me what has you so upset about Lord Billington. This is my future on the line, Lily. I must know what could bother you so much about him.”
Lily relaxed, if only a little, as she considered Martha’s words. She eventually nodded, leading Martha over to the small sofa in Martha’s chambers.
“Of course, you’re right,” she said. “Now, bear in mind that I have never met the viscount myself. Nor have I laid eyes on him. However, my cousin used to work as a scullery maid at Lord Billington’s country-seat. And she had plenty to say when he terminated her employment suddenly, and without severance pay or references.”
Martha’s eyes widened. That was typically only done if a servant committed a crime while in the employ of a ton member or family. She didn’t want to pass judgment, however, until she had heard the whole story.
“Why?” she asked. “What happened that led to all this?”
Lily shrugged.
“Well, according to my cousin, the servants were forbidden from making eye contact with the viscount,” she said.
Martha shook her head in disbelief.
