Page 66 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
In the week since the duke had proposed, her family had received more visitors than she could count but when Jenkins came to them this time to announce new callers, Melody was shocked beyond belief.
"Forgive the interruption, ma'am, miss," Jenkins said as he entered, bowing in the doorway. "Lady Mary Thornton, the Countess of Faversham and Lady Florence Thornton, for you."
Melody looked to her mother and her mother looked back, their expressions mirroring shock.
"Please, send them in!" Her mother insisted, jumping to her feet, and gesturing for Melody to do the same.
Jenkins dipped his head and disappeared, leaving Melody's mother just enough time to close the distance between them so that she could whisper, "Be on your guard."
"Of course, mama."
Melody didn't need to be told to be on guard when it came to the wife and daughter of her uncle. Lady Florence's manipulative streak had to have come from somewhere and she couldn't imagine that her uncle had taken too much interest in raising his daughter. He did not appear to be the family type.
"Lady Faversham, Lady Florence, what a pleasure to see you both," Melody's mother said with a curtsey, the moment the two women were shown in. "Can I offer you some tea?"
The question was clearly probing, looking to find out how long the ladies planned to remain.
"Oh yes, thank you,sister," Lady Faversham responded, "That would be lovely."
Melody bit her lip, struggling not to laugh. There was only one reason that Lady Faversham would refer to her mother as sister. Of course, they were indeed sisters-in-law, but the countess had never acknowledged the fact before now.
"Jenkins, please fetch tea and perhaps some biscuits as well?"
"Of course, ma'am," Jenkins bowed and left the room, leaving the four women alone with only a maid to watch over them.
"Please, sit." Melody's mother insisted, gesturing the two women to the couch opposite her and her daughter.
"Thank you," Lady Faversham smiled. "Most kind."
Melody watched the two women closely, noticing how much like her and her mother, they were practically the image of each other with black hair, green eyes, and pale olive skin.
Melody suspected that somewhere along the countess' line there was Italian nobility, though dressed as they were they looked entirely English, with their frill lace dresses and their modest necklines.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Melody's mother asked as soon as they were all seated. Melody noticed how her cousin cringed. It was clear that she did not find it a pleasure at all, and she was perhaps the quietest that Melody had ever seen her.
"Florence and I have come because we cannot take this silly family feud any longer," Lady Faversham insisted with a plainly forced smile upon her face.
Melody's entire body tensed, and she had to hide her hands in her skirts to stop them from seeing how they curled into fists. After all these years, she could never have imagined this would come to pass.I should have known.
"It is time we women come up with a way to get the earl and his brother on fair terms once more," Lady Faversham announced, her head held high and proud at her suggestion as though she were the only one who could have come up with it. "This feud ought to have died with our dear father-in-law."
"I have to quite agree," Melody's mother announced and had Melody not known her quite so well, she might have believed there was no malice to her tone. Her mother had become quite good at hiding her true feelings, at smiling at those who smiled to her face and gossiped about her behind her back. This would be no different.
"I think perhaps this is the perfect time," Lady Faversham added, glancing between her daughter and Melody, "What with your upcoming wedding."
"Yes, weddings have a funny way of bringing people together," Melody said, her tone masking her true meaning. Were it down to her she would have had an entirely private wedding with only her family and the duke's family in attendance.
She would not have sought to have a wedding for the masses to appease theton.Yet marrying a duke, she knew it was to be expected, and the last thing they needed was more scandal and rumour surrounding them.
"I do believe that your invitation has already been sent out, has it not, Melody?" Her mother suggested and Melody nodded, clenching her jaw shut to keep from revealing her thoughts.
Though she had not liked to add them to the guest list after her last encounter with her uncle, she had known it was expected.
"Well, in that case, we shall endeavour to be sure that the earl accepts, shan’t we, Florence?" Lady Faversham stated.
"Yes, Mama."
Lady Florence's simple responses were beginning to get on Melody's nerves. It was quite clear that her cousin was there against her will.
