“You are impossible. We have hardly seen you, and so you have not yet told me of your promenade with the Duke of Ravensmere. You must tell me everything.”
Emily appeared at the top of the stairs, descending more slowly than the youngest.
“Leave her long enough to remove her gloves at least, Poppy.”
Poppy ignored this entirely.
“Well, you cannot actually tell me of the promenade yet, for Mama has news.”
“That sounds ominous,” Margaret said lightly.
“No, it is wonderful,” Poppy insisted. “You will see. She has asked that you see her as soon as you return. Then, you must tell me about the Duke.”
Margaret handed her cloak to the waiting maid and followed her sisters toward the small drawing room. The furniture had been rearranged again to disguise wear along the carpet. Margaret noticed automatically. She always did.
Their mother sat near the window with a letter folded neatly in her lap. She looked composed. Too composed.
“Margaret,” she said. “You have had a busy afternoon.”
“So I am told.”
Poppy dropped onto the settee without ceremony.
“Tell her, Mama.”
Their mother’s gaze shifted briefly to Emily before returning to Margaret.
“A modiste will call tomorrow.”
Margaret stilled.
“For whom?” she asked.
“For all three of you. Myself too, it would seem.”
Poppy clapped her hands once.
“New gowns, Sister!”
“For all of us?”
“Yes,” her mother replied.
Poppy leaned forward eagerly.
“Not alterations, not reworked sleeves. Entirely new gowns that we may choose for ourselves. Can you believe it?”
Margaret felt something tighten in her chest. She knew that it would come eventually, for the Duke had promised her that he would care for her family, but she had not anticipated that it would happen so quickly.
“That is unnecessary,” she said carefully.
“It is not,” Emily reminded her. “Appearances matter.”
“They have always mattered.”
“They matter more now.”
Silence stretched between them. Poppy looked between her mother and sister, impatience flickering across her features. Poppy would simply believe that it was meant as Margaret being on the arm of a duke, and therefore them all being under more scrutiny, but it was more than that. It was a reminder toMargaret that she had to act accordingly, and not to question anything when so much was at stake.
