“And what did you say?”
“I said that the two of you are content in your match, and that we will see how it progresses. I did not know what else to say.”
“That was perfect. Do not worry about that.”
“But I must. We must consider it all now, Margaret.”
The carriage wheels struck a rut in the road, and both sisters shifted with the movement. Margaret kept her voice steady.
“Lady Norwood is unkind, and that leads to many people not caring what she has to say. I would not be too hurt by her words.”
“She has daughters, Margaret, and they are my age.”
Margaret absorbed that quietly. With how their circumstances had been, her sisters were already at a disadvantage, and she would not help matters by inviting scandal.
“They believe you are fortunate,” Emily continued. “They say that your match was unexpected.”
“That is not inaccurate.”
“They believe we are fortunate.”
Margaret met her gaze.
“We are. Many families would like to be in our position. It is not cruel to say such a thing aloud.”
Which meant that it had to be something else. Emily’s expression flickered, and Margaret wished that she understood it.
“You stood beneath that tree as though you belonged there,” she said.
“I did.”
Emily leaned forward slightly.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation, but her sister was unconvinced. Emily’s eyes searched her face in silence, and thenshe looked away again. Margaret decided that, whatever the problem was, it had to be bad, for her sister had never been one to hide her thoughts on a matter.
“Margaret?” she asked as they neared their home.
“Yes?”
“Remember your place.”
The words landed harder than Margaret expected.
“My place?” she repeated.
“Yes.”
“And where is that?”
“You know where.”
“I do not, so you ought to tell me.”
“Very well. You are not in a position to invite scrutiny. You never have been.”
