He swallowed hard and led Margaret inside. Ah, yes, he ought to have noticed. Crepe on the door, the windows covered with dark heavy drapes. He ought to have realized immediately, by Margaret’s mode of dress.
She leaned upon him heavily. “Dearest,” he said, “have you had any rest?”
“I could not sleep. I was hoping you would arrive today.” The tears still fell, although she was no longer weeping.
Hugh sat his sister down on the sofa and rang the bell for some tea.
There would be so many details to attend to. He would need to make arrangements for the funeral, send out notices, suffer condolence visits.
He’d been the viscount for his entire adult life, but for the first time, he felt the full mantle of responsibility fall upon him.
The staff had already begun to prepare the house. He must send word to his other residences. He would have them observe the mourning period as well.
“I cannot bear it, Hugh!” His sister was completely done in. She buried her face in her hands as her body shook. “I wasn’t ready for this.” For the millionth time, he chastised himself for his absence at such a tragic time.
“Where is she?” Hugh had to ask.
Margaret knew exactly what he was asking. “She’s laid out in the morning parlor. I figured since it was her favorite room… She just had it redecorated after the holidays.” Another low moan.
All he could do was pat her hand and then pour her a cup of tea after the servant brought it in. He coaxed her into a drinking a little and then sent her upstairs to get some sleep. “I’m here, now, Margaret. You needn’t worry about anything. I will meet with the vicar.” He would also be called upon to meet with solicitors, acquaintances, and all of those neighbors who would feel it was their duty to visit after the funeral.
He wished Penelope were here.
Not that he wished to hand these details off to her, rather so that he could discuss them with her. He’d never planned a funeral. When a death occurred, such details had always fallen upon others.
Margaret was in no frame of mind to cope with all of this. She’d buried her fair share of loved ones already.
He retired to his study and, sitting atop the desk, discovered the most recent of his mother’s journals. The sight of his mother’s nearly illegible scrawl was bittersweet. Wishing for any sort of connection with her, he touched the paper with the tip of one finger.
On February 23rd, she’d written about an order she’d placed for new drapes. March 3rd,she wrote,Hugh promised to meet with Miss Radcliffe and Mrs. Merriman in England. This is the one for him, I can feel it!On March 28ththe writing was even more impossible to read.Blood on my handkerchief this morning. It is as I’d feared.
April 4th,I have barely reached my sixtieth year. I had not anticipated such an early demise for myself. If only Hugh had married and found happiness, it would be far easier to say farewell to this world.April 22nd–It is becoming difficult to write, even. Perhaps this shall be my goodbye to this world. To my darling children, I love you more than life itself. You have made this world a place of peace and joy for me. Be happy, loves…
And that was the last entry. That had been two weeks ago.
A knock sounded on the door as the estate’s ever present butler looked in. He, too, looked older and tired. “The vicar is here to see you, my lord.”
And so, it began.
* * *
It had been Penelope’s plan to embark upon the journey to Land’s End as quickly as possible, but matters could not be dealt with so easily. Firstly, since she’d arrived in London a few weeks ago, her mother had once again begun to take an active interest in her only daughter’s marital prospects.
If she only knew!
And unfortunately, Penelope had made commitments to attend several functions over the next few weeks. How could she convince her mother that leaving London had become most imperative? She’d tried explaining that Lilly needed her, but unfortunately, Lady Eleanor had been visiting and disputed such a statement emphatically.
“Glenda and Lord Spencer left for a visit just yesterday,” Lady Eleanor helpfully provided. “You stay in town, dear. You’re causing quite the stir!”
“Oh, yes. Finally, I no longer find myself apologizing for you.” Penelope knew her mama meant no offense. Penelope had been something of an embarrassment to her parents by refusing to play the part of debutante. “More than one gentleman has gone out of the way to pay you his compliments, and the flowers… Eleanor, you’d never believe how many have been arriving on a daily basis!”
This was exasperating! For the briefest of moments, Penelope contemplated telling her mother the truth.Mama,I need to track down Lord Danbury before the babe I’m carrying, his, mind you, begins to show any more than it already is! And, oh, by the way, he does not know the baby exists. He doesn’t even know of its possibility. You see, Mama, I seduced the man after he’d had too much to drink and he remembers nothing of it. Now, may I be given leave to escape London or would you prefer I go for a ride in the park with one of the dandies who’s been hanging about?
But she could not. She was still hoping to get herself out of this situation with some semblance of dignity.
She’d never had difficulty going where she pleased before. It was just that her mother wasso pleasedwith her recent transformation into something of a lady.
She needed to un-transform, somehow. She needed to be the embarrassment that she’d always been in the past. So, instead of the truth she said, “Mother, I believe I wish to open up our home in the evenings to host some progressive forums of discussion. We can discuss philosophy, history, science, and even the social sciences. Just last evening, I came across a piece of literature about a new method of thinking, which is in opposition to Unitarianism, called freethinking. Mother, it is earthshattering and involves rationalizing what we believe through logic and empiricism rather than tradition and religious dogma. I’m planning on sending invitations out to all of our acquaintances. If I cannot go to Lilly and discuss this, I’d like to begin discussing it with our peers, right here, now, in London.”
