Lucinda’s eyes filled with tears as she hugged his mother, and Tony could only smile at the tender scene. For once, his mother had said all the right things at the right time. It was quite a proud moment. Then Lucinda hugged Marianne who whispered, “Shall I ring for some tea and cakes?”
“Oh, yes, please. I am suddenly starving.” They all laughed again and Marianne rang the bell. The weight and guilt Lucinda had been carrying lifted from her shoulders. Able to breathe again without the urge to cry was a relief.
At dinner, Lucinda put down her napkin and said, “Can you tell me now who Max is?”
They looked at each other until Marianne spoke. “Max is Maxine. She is Edward’s daughter.”
“Oh, so he is married. Does she live at Ashtonvale?”
“He is a widower. Victoria has been gone these last seven years,” said Marianne.
It made sense now why the duke was often short and cranky. “He must miss her terribly. Poor Edward.”
“He loved her, but she was cold,” Tony said. “She was… a particular person. Not easy to like.”
“Then why did he marry her?”
“Oh, my dear,” the dowager said. “It was the wedding of the year. A grand match in everything but the heart, at least on one side. She was beautiful and accomplished and everything one would want in a duchess, but she was spoiled and petulant and well, they clashed on everything,” the duchess said.
“Oh, the fights they would have,” Marianne explained. “She liked to throw things at him… daily. We lost count of the plates and vases she broke.”
“She sounds positively awful.”
Marianne nodded. “I do not like to speak ill of the dead, but she really was awful. The only good thing that came from that marriage was Max. I fear that Edward still loves her though.”
“If Max is at Ashtonvale, why does the duke not like going there?”
Marianne frowned, which was an unusual sight on her usually serene face. “He has his reasons, not that we agree with them.”
“What could possibly keep him away from his daughter?”
“He is the only one who truly knows why,” Tony said. “Lord knows we have tried but he refuses to let us bring her to London and he will not go to Ashtonvale.”
“Instead, we give all our love to Max, but it is not the same as the love of a parent.”
Tony put his arm around his sister’s shoulder for support. “So, we try not to talk about her in front of him or him in front of her.”
“What a terrible situation. I do hope that someday they will be reunited. How old is Max now?”
Marianne smiled. “She will be seven in November. She is a bright child who yearns to learn and so I have arranged for my friend Rose to come. I am hoping, if they get along, that she stays as her governess.”
“I hope to meet Max soon after this Prussian matter settles. If it ever will be, that is.”
Tony took her hand in his and Lucinda squeezed it back. “It will be. Stafford knows what he is doing.”
“I hope so, my dearest, as we do not want to be stuck here for longer than necessary,” the duchess said.
“As soon as it is safe, we can return to our usual routine. You may return to the ton and make up whatever story you like to cover your absence, although be warned Edward is telling everyone you went to a house party.”
“A house party? At whose house are we guests? They will want to know.”
“I am sure you will think of something, Mother dear.”
His mother did not look pleased, but she said nothing else and spent the rest of the evening playing cards again. Lucinda wished a pianoforte were part of the furniture there. She could while away hours playing, and it would be a diversion from the boredom of this bland house. However, the food from the kitchen was anything but bland, as if the cook was excited to have guests to cook for. Their meals were wonderful, and they went to bed with full bellies every night.
Lucinda sought Tony out, trying to catch him alone so that she could lure him into more kisses. He usually obliged her, and she felt he was coming to understand her more when they spoke together out in the garden.
He was the only lucky one who could leave the house. He brought back Sasha one night and everyone was overjoyed with happiness at having their furry friend to play with. Sasha spent at least an hour sniffing every corner of the house before she was happy to lie down on the sofa and fall asleep with her head in Marianne’s lap.
