She could only do that for a few mere seconds, however, before her door flew open.
“She iscruel,” Emily thundered. “Can you imagine? She has spent our entire lives telling us how vital it is to make a good impression, and now she is preventing us from making any at all. Does she hate us?”
“Not at all, Sister. Come, now, you must understand her reasoning, surely?”
“No! If it were an improper event, then nobody would be in attendance at all. It is no excuse to keep us from going. Do you suppose she has other reasons?”
She did, of course.
“No, you know Mother. If she has a reason, she is not one to shy away from giving it to us. It may not be ideal, but it is how things must be and we have to trust her. She has more experience in society than the two of us.”
“Well, I do not think it is fair and neither will Poppy.”
“Does she not know?”
“Not yet. She shall be devastated to miss her first ball, and it is not as though Mother will be particularly kind about it. She will simply tell her that it is what must be done and refuse to hear anything more.”
She was astute, Margaret had to admit that much. All that Emily was missing was who their mother truly was treating that way. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her.
“Then we will tell Poppy ourselves,” Margaret suggested. “In fact, let me take the blame.”
“But that is not fair, either!”
“There is not a lot about the world that is. Now, either we have our sister angry with our mother, or we have her be understanding of a predicament. Have her told that I am unwell, and that we shall be foregoing tonight’s festivities so as not to explain my condition to every person there.”
“But you are not unwell.”
“I am an excellent actress, I shall have you know. Besides, I can conceal myself in my room and she shall be none the wiser. I will speak with Mother while you ensure word spreads. Can you do that for me? For Poppy?”
Emily sat quietly for a moment as she considered it. She had such a strong sense of justice that Margaret half expected her to refuse, but after a moment she nodded her head slowly.
“I suppose it is better this way. If we are all angry with Mother, she will be less likely to let us attend the next ball. I do not know how you do this so easily, Maggie. You are so…”
She did not finish her sentence, and simply left the room without another word. Margaret wondered just what her sister thought of her. To Emily, was she a brave older sister that was happy to make sacrifices, or was she a weak little girl that did not want to have conflict at any cost to herself?
She hardly knew the truth herself.
She found her mother in the drawing room, darning a sock, and entered, closing the door firmly behind her. The plan had already formed in her mind, though she was not certain that she could go through with it.
“This is for your sake,” she began. “We are going to tell Poppy that I am unwell.”
“Margaret, I do not need your interference.”
“If you do not want your other daughters to be made aware of our situation, you most certainly do need me. Emily was prepared to tell Poppy that you have put an end to this evening out of cruelty. I have managed to explain it away, but we wish to keep Poppy out of it. You know that she thinks more than you need her to.”
Her mother truly did consider that for a moment. It was infuriating for her to say that she did not need Margaret, for she always had. Margaret had saved her more times than she could recall, and she had had to be a mother in her place for much of her life, but she had never been allowed any of the privileges that accompanied such a task.
“I do not need your judgment,” her mother huffed. “I am well aware of my failures, and how I cannot allow your sisters to see them. When you are a mother, you will understand that–”
Margaret bristled. Her mother faltered for a moment, aware that because of her decision Margaret would never be a mother, and then cleared her throat.
“Very well,” she said, her gaze dropping to the floor. “We shall claim that you have suddenly taken ill. You will stay in your room, and I shall entertain your sisters myself.”
“Thank you. I do not want you to think that I am taking your place. I am only asking that you trust me to make the right decisions.”
“And I do. After what you have promised me that you will do for our family, I know that I can trust you. I know that I have not always been fair to you, Margaret, but you must know that I have always seen greatness in you. It may not be shown as it is in other ladies, but it will come from you one day.”
It was rare for her mother to compliment her as she had. It had always felt as though she was not quite good enough, and so for her to acknowledge that Margaret was trying meant the world to her.
