4
The day before Hogmanay
Early the next morning,Bea was corralled by her sister-in-law Violet. Vi was married to Wick’s older brother Richard Murray, Viscount Carlisle, and Bea had grown very fond of the vivacious brunette, whom she’d come to think of as a sister. They’d bonded over their love for the Murray brothers…and their frustration over their prickly and difficult to please mama-in-law. Whenever the dowager did something irritating, Bea could count on Vi’s lively sense of humor to lighten the mood.
“Follow me,” Vi whispered now. “We’re having a secret meeting in the solarium.”
Before Bea could ask the purpose of the clandestine gathering, the other was already on the move. She followed Vi’s slender, yellow-clad form to the solarium. Inside the glass-enclosed space, the lush greenery was a dramatic contrast to the winter landscape framed by the floor-to-ceiling windows. They passed a fountain filled with orange and silver fish and entered a citrus grove where a group of Kent sisters and wives had already gathered.
They were a lovely bunch in their colorful dresses, chattering happily with one another.
Bea found a space next to Tessa.
“Any news from Mr. Kent?” Bea asked.
Tessa’s smile was brave. “No…but the snow is probably affecting the mail. Harry promised he would be here by the new year.”
Bea squeezed her hand. “Then I am certain he will keep his promise.”
“I am calling the meeting to order,” Violet called above the din.
The ladies fell silent, except for Rosie Corbett. The beautiful blonde, who much resembled her mama, raised her hand.
“Can we make this quick?” she asked. “I promised Andrew I would spend the morning with him.”
Vi raised her brows. “I’m surprised you would want to after he gave you a proper face washing.”
“He made up for it.” Blushing, Rosie said apologetically, “Between the children and his charity work, we haven’t had much time alone and—”
“Run along, dear,” Marianne said to her daughter. “I’ll catch you up on the plan later.”
With a grateful nod, Rosie dashed off.
“Crumpets, we’re down a set of hands already,” Vi muttered.
“Perhaps you had better get to the reason for meeting then?” Polly, the Duchess of Acton, suggested.
“Right. We’re here to help Emma. As many of us have noticed, our sister is working too hard, and we must stop her,” Vi declared.
Bea had to ask. “Um, how do we do that?”
“By completing the tasks on her list before she gets to them,” Vi said.
“How do we know what is on this list?” Bea asked.
Vi beamed. “Thanks to our ingenious and sticky-fingered Tessa, we have Emma’s list.”
Tessa produced a sheet of paper with a little flourish. The ladies gathered around her to examine the list. As a woman who’d managed her own estate for years, Bea thought herself a mistress of organization, but the Duchess of Strathaven’s long and detailed notes impressed even her.
“How could she possibly accomplish all of that?” Bea murmured as she scanned the lengthy list.
“Trust me, Em can manage anything,” Vi said. “She managed us Kents for all those years. It is time we help her back.”
“How are we going to prevent Emma from getting involved?” Marianne asked. “You know she will not sit idly by while there is work to be done.”
“That is why I sent a decoy.” Vi’s smile was smug. “Thea is keeping her occupied.”
That explained the second eldest Kent sister’s absence.
