Page 9 of A Brilliant Match
“I encouraged nothing. She followed me,” Joanna said, going over to the sideboard. She was in riding dress, with the mud still caked on her habit from her ride with the groom.
Not to be distracted from the earlier topic, Dorothea ignored the mud and instead signaled to Sophia for the milk.
“What do you mean I look a fright?” She added more milk and sugar to her coffee to make it drinkable, although their governess had clearly stated that only black coffee would work.
“Joanna, you took all the eggs, and now there are none for me.” Tilly dropped her plate on the table with a muffled thud and sat with a pout, punctuated by folded arms.
“Here, take mine, Tilly. I don’t want them.” Sophia pushed the plate over with one hand and paused in the act of bringing her teacup to her mouth. “Forgive me, Dorry, I did not mean for the words to cause pain.”
Dorothea closed her eyes to the chaos that had erupted in the breakfast room. She knew what her sister meant. It had taken one look at her puffy face and dull eyes in the mirror that morning to know she looked her worst. Like someone who had endured incessant banging on the right side of her head all night, which was exactly what her headache felt like.
When she opened her eyes again, Sophia continued. “It is just that I cannot bear to see you suffer.”
“I know you meant well,” Dorothea said, swallowing the waspish urge to fight pain by inflicting it.
Of all the days she should have a headache! She might easily have one later in the season when she had secured her future husband. Once the contract had been drawn up, he would already have counted the costs for better or for worse on the weaknesses of his betrothed. And she could assure him that the headaches were only a few times a year, although they did sometimes last for more than one day. And she could promise him that she would continue to run the household without any hindrance. After all, look at her today. She had risen at her habitual hour, had clothed herself with the help of her maid, and here she was, the first of the family to take breakfast.
“Perhaps you should think about retiring to your room. It is not such a shocking thing to turn visitors away,” Sophia reasoned. “The important thing is that you get your rest and are quickly returned to good health. Who knows but that we might be invited to some other event you would not like to miss and would be forced to do so, only because you are being obstinate today.”
Her sister could be quite loquacious when she was with family only. Why in the world did she clam up so spectacularly when others were around? For it wasn’t simply the gentlemen. She fell silent even when there were other women present outside of the family or her one close friend in Surrey.
“I cannot think of going back to bed. You must know as much.” Dorothea rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward to rub her temples with her fingertips. She opened her eyes wider than mere slits to the most amiable view of her sister sitting hunched over her breakfast as she shoveled the eggs in.
“Joanna, your mouth should be nowhere near your plate. Kindly sit straight and spare us that sight.”
Tilly giggled at the remonstrance that wasn’t directed at her, and Dorothea turned back to Sophia.
“We must begin the season properly, right from the beginning, and with the correct behavior.” She glanced at Joanna, hoping she was listening to that last bit. “If we begin turning away callers before the season gets fully underway, people will label us conceited. You and I will find ourselves without a husband.”
She closed her eyes, adding in little more than a mumble, “And then we shall be in the suds.”
“Dorry!” Sophia chuckled at the unexpected slang coming from Dorothea’s mouth. Joanna began telling Sophia about her ride that morning, and Tilly asked when she might be allowed to ride out, prompting a hearty refusal from both Sophia and Joanna.
Leaning her face into her hands, Dorothea tuned out the chatter and hid the bright light streaming through the windows of the breakfast room, which of course was situated to receive the sun coming in from the east. She allowed herself a few moments to rest like that, knowing she should be up and doing something. For instance, was Cook preparing the cakes for their visitors as Dorothea had instructed her yesterday? Had the housekeeper overseen the drawing room arrangement to make sure it was ready to receive callers? It was still too early in the season for them to go without fires in the chimneys. There was much to prepare, but she couldn’t seem to move.
“Joanna, Tilly, have a care for Dorry’s head and keep your voices low.” Sophia turned to Dorothea. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Dorothea kept her face in her hands. “Will you go and see that Mother is out of bed? She must be in the drawing room with us to receive callers, and you know as well as I that she does not perform that duty unless she is brought to do so. If I had to guess, I would say she is still sleeping.”
“Of course,” her sister replied, adding after a pause, “Is that all?”
Dorothea looked up at her, blinking to bring the world into focus. Her sister was dressed properly at least. Dealing with her mother was what Dorothea liked to do least of all. She could oversee the household matters, but not cajole her mother to be up and doing. Not when her head pounded so.
She shook her head, immediately regretting the movement. “No, I need to see Cook and Mrs. Platt. And do warn Camilla, if you please, that breakfast will be removed soon. If she wants any, she must come.”
“Camilla never misses breakfast,” Joanna said with a smirk. “I am sure she has been down to the kitchen already.”
Sophia frowned at Joanna, then stood and placed a soft kiss on Dorothea’s head before leaving. “Very well.”
Miss Cross entered the breakfast room, followed by Camilla, and bid everyone good morning. Dorothea stood. It was time to see to everything that needed doing. She must conquer this weakness.
With her steps steady and head lifted high, she went to the kitchen where Cook was pulling a pan of fairy cakes out of the oven.Blessed woman!Mrs. Platt was coming out of the stillroom, and Dorothea conferred with her on the details of the drawing room and the appropriate time to bring the tea tray, once the knocker sounded on the front door.
After that, she went upstairs, holding her head still with great care. Perhaps she did have some time to rest before people arrived. Perhaps there were even flowers waiting for them now, although she had not heard the promising sound of anyone knocking at the door. That happy noise would surely chase away any headache.
“Turton, has anything been delivered?” she asked, hoping against hope, as soon as she saw him standing by the door.
“Nothing, my lady.” He waited a moment, then turned his face away again, stoic and ready for the deluge of visitors that would arrive at any minute.
