What could Margaret say?“You did nothing wrong, Mamma, beyond marrying him in the first place. Beyond failing to make it clear your modest marriage settlement would remain modest, that any rumored inheritance from Aunt Josephine would not end in his pockets.”But Margaret could not come out and say Sterling had only married her for money, money that would never come. It would be too cruel.
Her mother clasped her hands together. “I am relieved neither you nor Caroline has married someone who would not love you for yourself.”
Margaret nodded. The poor woman knew too well what that felt like. “How is Caroline?” she asked.
“Heartbroken. Disillusioned. Angry with Marcus, with us. But she is young, and she will recover.”
“I was so relieved to hear the news.”
“As was I. My introduction of Miss Jackson turned out to be quite propitious.”
“Yourintroduction?”
Mrs. Macy-Benton sighed. “Yes. I introduced her to Marcus, Mr. Jackson being an old acquaintance of your father’s. I was almost sorry to do so. But I saw Marcus’s marriage to her as the lesser of two evils. And if I don’t miss my guess, Miss Jackson will keep him on a short tether from nowon.”
Margaret stared at her, impressed.
Her mother retrieved something from her reticule. “This is the card of the solicitor handling Aunt Josephine’s estate. The time has come for you to make your wishes known to someone outside our family. You are a grown woman now, Margaret, and there is no need for Sterling or me to act as your guardian any longer.”
She twiddled the card in her fingers. “I went to see Mr. Ford myself this afternoon and made him aware that, regardless of what my husband has told him in the past, Sterling is no disinterested party who will objectively advise you. Mr. Ford and his partner will be happy to fill that role.”
How careful, how nearly timid she was. It smote Margaret’s conscience.
She reached out to take the card from her mother, gently grasping her outstretched hand. Her mother looked up in surprise.
“Thank you, Mamma.”
Tears brightened her mother’s eyes, and Margaret felt her own fill in reply.
“I forgive you,” Margaret whispered. “And I hope you will forgive me for not sending word sooner, for worrying you.”
“Oh, Margaret.” Her mother held out her arms, and Margaret entered the long-missed embrace.
Margaret went to see the solicitor the very next day.
The grey-haired, bespectacled man rose when she entered. “Ah, Miss Macy. What a pleasure to see you. You gave us all a scare, disappearing the way you did.”
“I am alive and well, as you see.”
He regarded her with small, kind eyes. “I have not seen you since the reading of your great-aunt’s will. You have changed, my dear, if you will allow me to say so. You look very well indeed.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ford.”
They spoke for half an hour about the inheritance, investment options, and the necessary steps to set up a trust for Gilbert and a dowry for Caroline.
“If you would be so good as to return on your birthday to sign the paper work,” he said, “I will have all I need to deposit the funds into an account in your name at the bank of your choice.”
“Thank you. I would be happy to return on the twenty-ninth. Would two o’clock suit?”
“Perfectly.”
She rose and pulled on her gloves.
He stood as well. “In the meantime, is there anything else I can do for you?”
She looked up at him, bit her lip, and considered. “There is one thing....”
When she returned to Berkeley Square, Margaret asked Murdoch if there was anything for her in the post.
