“Yes,” the cook replied, “things were vastly different when Lady Margaret and the late earl and his wife were here. Theyused to make a happy family, all of them together. It all feels empty now, as if something is missing from the house.”
“Happiness is what is missing from the house.”
“I think so too,” the cook agreed with Mrs Connor.
“I really wish Lady Margaret was still alive and had not died in the consequences that she did. She was born with such promise and beauty, yet she had such a tragic end. It is extremely unfair.”
“It is, is it not?”
Ophelia was filled with curiosity at the remarks, Margaret’s death turning into an even bigger mystery for her. She could see that Edward’s sister was clearly well loved by all, and Edward loved her as well. But Ophelia still felt as if she hardly knew anything about the matter.
Not wanting to stand there and intrude on their conversation further, she emerged from the shadows and entered the kitchen. Both the cook and Mrs Connor stopped speaking the moment they entered, eyeing each other. Ophelia was certain they were wondering if she had heard anything, but she simply smiled at them, completely nonchalant.
“I could not fall asleep,” she said when neither of them spoke. “I was hoping a glass of warm milk might help.”
“Of course,” the cook replied, immediately beginning to fetch a bottle.
“Oh, please do not worry about it,” Ophelia quickly interjected, “I can warm it up myself.”
“Do not worry, Miss Jennings. I will do it for you,” the cook said warmly, already pouring the milk into a pan. “You stand there comfortably.”
“Thank you so much.” The ensuing silence in the kitchen made her uncomfortable, and she spoke again. “Why are the two of you awake at this hour? Is it not much too late?”
“It is.” Mrs Connor nodded. “But we were just discussing how we miss the times when the house was filled with happiness and laughter, and Lady Margaret used to be alive.”
The cook turned to pin Mrs Connor with a look, who shrugged as if it did not matter much and turned back to look at Ophelia.
“Amy’s mother, you mean?”
“Yes,” the cook chimed in, keeping the pan on the burning stove, “Lady Margaret was everything a young woman ought to be. She was beautiful and charming and always laughed. If you had met her, even you would have appreciated her kindness.”
“Lord Cavendish told me his sister was the sweetest young lady in the ton, and I truly hope Amy grows up to be just like her mother.”
“Lord Cavendish talked about Lady Margaret with you?” Mrs Connor asked, suddenly straightening.
Ophelia graciously took the glass of milk from the hands of the cook, sensing eyes on her. She wondered if she had said the wrong thing or why they even appeared shocked. Was it not normal for a brother to remember his sister fondly? Especially a sister who had passed away?
Ophelia was confused.
“Yes,” she said honestly, “Lord Cavendish has discussed his love for his sister with me. He sounds like an excellent brother, and they must have clearly shared a close relationship.”
Both Mrs Connor and the cook looked at one another at the exact same moment, clearly privy to something Ophelia did not know.
She could not understand what was happening.
What is this about?
“Oh, Miss Jennings, you truly do not know anything that has gone on in this house in the past few years.”
Ophelia’s curiosity was piqued. She sat down at the table, sipping her milk while the cook sat beside her. Ophelia could see the sadness in their eyes, as if remembering those incidents was extremely painful. Mrs Connor finally spoke with a loud sigh.
“Lord Cavendish is correct, he did love Lady Margaret very much. While the late earl and his wife were still alive and Lord Cavendish and Lady Margaret were young, the house was always filled with chatter and noise from those two. They would play together and go out riding together. They would be seen involved in all kinds of mischief, and their parents loved them very much.”
“So what happened?”
“After the earl and his wife passed away, Lord Cavendish had the utmost love for his sister, and both were inseparable. They respected each other, and Lord Cavendish always took Lady Margaret’s advice into account on every matter. Eventually she turned of age, and he escorted her all through the Season, hoping for her to find the perfect gentleman to marry, but Lady Margaret liked no one.”
As Mrs Connor stopped speaking, the cook continued.
