“I suppose, but one can’t even move. Your father shouldn’t have to do acrobatics simply to take his seat,” Mother says, leaning around Beth to look at Gwen.
“He doesn’t mind,” Gwen says, smiling brightly back at her. “And he’ll be much better behaved with you. He heckles.”
“What, you don’t egg him on?” Beth returns, swatting her arm and laughing as Gwen blushes.
“She’s worse than I am.”
They all turn to find a slightly winded Lord Havenfort standing at the other end of the row.
“And whose fault is that?” Gwen says.
He rolls his eyes and sits down next to Mother. “Mrs. Gilpe’s,” Lord Havenfort says.
“An aunt?” Mother asks, and Beth has to clench her jaw to keep from laughing at the surprised look on Mother’s face, as if the question just popped out on its own.
“Housekeeper. You met her once,” Lord Havenfort says idly, flipping through his program.
“Yes, with your maid. Lovely women,” Mother agrees, staring straight ahead.
But Lord Havenfort doesn’t seem to notice. “Oh, blast, I didn’t realize this was a Webster role.”
“Really?” Gwen asks, slumping beside Beth.
“What... do you have against Benjamin Webster?” Beth asks, glancing between them. “Isn’t he the talk of the ton? They had a benefit for him earlier this year too.”
“He’s an absolute cad,” Lord Havenfort proclaims.
Beth looks down at her lap, lip between her teeth. The Havenforts certainly are more worldly than they are.
“You would know,” she hears Mother say under her breath.
Beth winces and Gwen huffs as the lights begin to dim.
“Would you like to hit him with a croquet mallet too, then, or was that just for me?” she hears Lord Havenfort whisper.
“This was a mistake,” Beth hisses to Gwen, slipping her arm through Gwen’s amid the coughing and rustling of program pages.
“Give it time,” Gwen says, her elbow squeezing Beth’s to her side a little jerkily before she shifts, slouching down beside her so their heads are at the same height.
“Intentionally hitting a man with a croquet mallet would be battery, wouldn’t it? I can’t abandon Beth to the season alone.”
Beth turns, staring at her mother with wide eyes. Gwen stifles a laugh. Lord Havenfort gapes at Mother, who simply flips a page in her program as if she’s commented on the weather. But Beth can see a little tilt to her mouth.
“That’s your only hesitation, Miss Demeroven’s season?”
“And prison, I suppose. Though they might let me off with a warning, don’t you think?” Mother wonders, glancing at Lord Havenfort. The scandalized look on his face cracks her and she laughs.
He frowns before shaking his head. “You’ve always been incorrigible.”
“One of my better charms,” Mother agrees.
“Despite Father’s opinion,” Beth mutters to Gwen.
Gwen nudges her. “My father clearly thinks it’s charming.”
“What are you girls whispering about?” Lord Havenfort asks while the final stragglers make their way into the hall, muttering excuses.
“Beth thinks it’ll be a morality play. I think it will be a murder,” Gwen says smoothly.
