Blessing frowned. “Another problem?”
“Eleanor is returning for a visit.” Fortuity wrinkled her nose, not caring in the least that it might be petty for her to do so. “Agnus married the local vicar.”
“Agnus Sykesbury? Agnus Sykesbury, who wore nothing but black for three solid years after her husband died?” Blessing held her forehead as if the prospect of Matthew’s cousin’s marrying again had sent her mind reeling. “Remind me how long it has been since they were packed off to the country?”
“Less than two months.” Fortuity threw up her hands. “I know. I thought it another of Eleanor’s lies until we received a separate letter from Agnus bearing her new name.”
“Well then, it must be true, because Agnus was always the light to Eleanor’s dark.” Blessing set her plate aside, scowled down at her loose day gown, then started brushing crumbs off the enormous mound of her stomach. “When is the evil one due to arrive?”
“Today.”
Blessing looked up and ratcheted both her brows higher. “Do you wish to stay here for a while? You could tell Matthew you are keeping me company because confinement is already causing me to teeter on the brink of madness.”
“Is it?” Concern filled Fortuity.
“No… Well, perhaps somewhat. But everyone’s visits help immensely. However, we can use the excuse to your advantage, if need be.”
“I cannot in good conscience saddle Matthew with that little chit.”
“He can go to the club, and the two of you can meet for heated trysts until evil Eleanor returns to the country.”
“I must say, pending motherhood has caused you to become extremely creative.” Fortuity rather liked the idea of heated trysts with her husband and felt certain he would too. Butsleeping without him by her side would not be pleasant at all, not since she’d become so besotted with the lovely feeling of waking up in his arms.
“And why exactly does Eleanor feel she must return to where she is not wanted simply because her mother married?” Blessing sipped her tea, then frowned down at it. “Would you mind freshening this for me with a bit more milk and sugar?”
Fortuity rose, took her sister’s cup to the table, and added copious amounts of milk and sugar. Good heavens, the concoction was already the consistency of syrup, but far be it from her to point that out to Blessing. As she placed the cup and saucer back in her sister’s hands, she said, “Eleanor—in her current persona of thinking of everyone but herself—stated that it was only proper she give her mother and the vicar the privacy a newly married couple need.”
“You and Ravenglass haven’t been married all that long either, at least, not in every sense of the word.” Blessing sipped her tea and smiled. “Perfect. Thank you ever so much.”
“You are quite welcome, and you are also correct, but not everyone is aware that my stipulation in the marriage contract was recently declared null, and that I am now sharing my husband’s bedchamber.”
“So what will you do? Poison her?” Blessing peered at Fortuity over the rim of her cup.
“Blessing!”
“Do not deny you hadn’t already considered it.”
“I do not wish her dead. I simply wish her gone. Forever.”
Blessing grinned. “Sounds like dead to me.”
“I do not remember you ever being so cutthroat.” Fortuity freshened her own tea, wrinkling her nose at the noxious odor rising from the oily kippers. The longer they sat on the table, the fishier they smelled. It was a wonder gulls weren’t pecking at the windows to get to them. “Have you always been so murderous?”
Blessing shrugged, then patted her stomach. “The larger I become, the worse I seem to get, but Dr. Tattersol assured Thorne that it was quite normal. Although I have noticed that the irritating physician makes it a point to never turn his back on me.”
“I do not blame him.” Fortuity returned to her chair. “But to answer your rather interesting question, I have no idea how I shall handle Eleanor. My behavior shall depend upon hers.” Her insides were already twisted in knots over the Duchess of Esterton’s return. She did not need the additional worry of Eleanor, especially not when she and Matthew were trying to settle into their roles as a married couple in every sense of the word.
“Do not trust her under any circumstances,” Blessing advised.
“That goes without saying, dear sister.”
*
“If we marriedher off, she would no longer be our problem,” Fortuity suggested as they descended the stairs after being informed that Eleanor had arrived and awaited them in the parlor. “Might I suggest LordSmellington?”
Ignatius thundered past them with the four cats in hot pursuit.
Matthew shielded Fortuity between himself and the wall until the animals were well past them and did not appear to be returning. Everyone in the household had learned to traverse any staircase with the greatest of care. With any luck, either the pug or one of the cats would trip Eleanor and cause her to break her neck. If they did, Matthew would see to it that they received the very best of treats for the remainder of their lives. Although he did have Eleanor to thank for forcing him to take Fortuityas his wife. There was that, and he supposed her unintentional assistance should count for something and grant her a little grace.
