“Wouldn’t that be a world,” Montson says.
“Actually, they did used to murder people for being sick. It’s a large part of how the plague was eradicated,” Beth chimes in.
She shrinks a moment later when all of the eyes in the circleswing to hers. Gwen fights against laughing. Beth is just so stupidly funny and charming. It’s terribly unfair.
“Quite right,” Montson manages, looking a bit alarmed at his future bride. “We should all be grateful there’s no longer a plague.”
Beth opens her mouth, and Gwen oddly hopes she’s about to go on one of her rants about plague isolation islands. But this isn’t a month ago, and they’re not tipsy and pressed up against the wall. “I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Beth says instead, meeting Gwen’s eyes. “You’ve been ill a lot recently. I do hope you’re firmly on the mend.”
Gwen meets her look, that momentary hope seeping out of her. Is that a veiled reference to her drinking? “Thank you. I’m sure I’ll get over the last of it soon enough,” she says, feeling a swell of both pride and pain as Beth’s look hardens.
“As long as you stay away from the source, I suppose that’s the natural way of things,” Beth says.
“The source stays far from me now,” Gwen returns.
Albie’s hand slips higher up her arm, squeezing, but Gwen’s attention is firmly on Beth’s disapproval.
“Are you being stalked by a disgruntled, diseased chicken?” Montson wonders.
Gwen forces a laugh for his sake. “No, no, just... sometimes it seems while I’m avoiding further disease, it’s actively seeking me out, like it’s drawn to me, somehow.”
“Perhaps it can smell weakness,” Annabeth puts in.
“That must be it,” Meredith adds quickly.
“Or that I’m ready to fight it when it comes,” Gwen counters, not liking the insinuation that she’s at fault here.
Lord Montson and Beth approached her circle, after Bethmade it so abundantly clear that any association with her would ruin her engagement. Is she supposed to take the high road, when Beth’s flaunting her new, happy life in her face?
“And how would you fight it?” Beth prompts.
“Oh, I can think of a number of ways to—”
“Montson?”
Montson turns and takes the hand of a tall, mustachioed man. “Rodgers, good to see you.”
“Your father sent me to fetch you, if your lovely fiancée can spare you for a bit,” the man says.
“Yes, of course,” Montson says immediately. “You’ll keep Beth entertained, won’t you?” he asks the group.
There are nods around the circle. Montson smiles before setting off with Baron Rodgers without even a glance at Beth. Beth watches him go and then looks back at them, putting on a brave, unbothered face. But Gwen can see the cracks. Her world has narrowed now to just Lord Montson, and without him, what does she have? Who does she have?
It makes Gwen feel just a little bit mean.
“I’m sure it’s very important, whatever they’re talking about,” Gwen says, and even she can hear how snide she sounds.
“Yes, it’s about the Matrimonial Causes Act, I’m sure,” Beth returns. “Lord Montson’s working hard with his father to see that it doesn’t pass. Your father is desperately trying to hold on to his votes, I expect?”
Gwen curls her fists into her skirts, even as Albie keeps hold of her arm. She knows Beth supports the act. Remembers her saying everything could have been different if Lady Demeroven could have escaped her father’s hold. How dare she throw it around so casually—like the act passing wouldn’t also protecther from the miserable life she’s bound to have with Lord Montson. The man just abandoned her to a group of people his father has forbidden her from speaking to. Hardly a great protector.
“He certainly hasn’t struggled to get them. The lives of unhappily married women and women to be unhappily married depend on it, don’t you think?” Gwen tosses back.
“All right, I can’t do this anymore. Let’s go to the gardens. It’s stifling in here,” Albie says, a little overloud.
“I need the lavatory, actually,” Meredith says, exchanging a very unsubtle look with Albie before grabbing Annabeth and Eloise and marching them off.
“You two, outside, now,” Albie says gruffly, nodding to Bobby to escort Beth while he all but manhandles Gwen around and toward the open patio doors.
