“We had discussed it, but I didn’t know today would be the time he did,” Harriet said.
Daphne glanced at her husband. “Do we tell Harriet’s parents or should we wait and let them have some time together before that’s done.”
“Please don’t. Mother will demand my father bring her back to London. Let Lucien and me have some time to enjoy this before my mother’s unleashed.”
Arthur snorted. “I couldn’t agree with you both more.”
“You find it humorous?” Daphne asked her husband.
He grinned. Arthur was able to delay his reply for a moment as the tea service was brought in. When the footman left the room, Arthur responded. “You must admit it is funny. We all know how my aunt acts. She will bathe in the glow of Harriet’s beau.”
“She’ll act like it was all her. That she was the one who got us together. Mother must take credit for everything, even if she had little or nothing to do with it,” Harriet replied.
Daphne handed her a cup of tea and then one for Arthur. She sat down next to her husband while placing her saucer down on the table in front of them. “Arthur and I have a dinner to attend this evening. I hate to leave you by yourself.”
Arthur groaned loudly. “Not the Mitchells?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so. You’ll be fine,” Daphne replied.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll just have Cook prepare a tray.”
“What’ll you do?” Daphne inquired.
“I do have some correspondence I need to catch up on, and I have a book I’ve almost finished.”
“Just maybe Lucien will stop by if his meeting with the prince goes well and finishes early,” Arthur said.
“Perhaps, but I’m not going to stop breathing and wait on him. I understand from what I’ve learned about the Prince of Wales is he thinks of no one but himself and his wife. It would be nice to see Lucien, but I know he won’t be able to leave until the prince is satisfied.”
Arthur arched a brow. “Shouldn’t we just cancel or reschedule tonight’s festivities?”
“We can’t. I’ve already rescheduled it once. We’re going, and you’ll pretend to enjoy yourself. I’m sure you and the baron have something in common.”
Arthur sipped his tea for a moment before responding. “Yes, we do. It’s just his wife’s shrill, loud voice I can’t stomach.”
Harriet chuckled. “Worse than my mother?”
“Your mother is nowhere as shrill as the baroness,” Daphne injected.
Harriet didn’t think anyone could be worse than her mother. There would always be people like that. The ones who had to be seen and heard about the rest of the crowd. Her mother helped out at an orphanage once a month. She acted as though she was martyring herself by doing one day. Outside of that, her only other purpose was to go to meet ladies of society at teas andother fun functions so they could indeed gossip about others. A lot of the time she held teas herself at their London home, inviting a dozen or more ladies. One thing that made Harriet smile now was the fact that she didn’t have to go to them. If things worked out with Lucien, she wouldn’t ever have to participate in one again.
“No one knows a thing more than my mother. She is always right, and others are either wrong or have a slightly different opinion of the matter they speak about,” Harriet replied.
“If you ladies will excuse me, I’m going to start to get ready for this evening as it’s later than I thought,” Arther said.
“Yes, I suppose I should as well. You’re going to be all right, Harriet,” Daphne trilled, in an attempt to copy the baroness or even Harriet’s own mother.
“Go. Both of you. I am perfectly able to take care of myself.”
“We’ll see you later, or in the morning. Ask Cook for a piece of her chocolate cake. It’s divine and she only makes it for Arthur. Or so she says.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to ask her for a piece. Now go have a good time.”
Once they had left, Harriet walked to the kitchen. Even though dinner wouldn’t be served for the duke and duchess the kitchen was still busy. Her presence startled a few of the kitchen maids and footmen, but she pretended as though she didn’t see their shocked faces. Finding the cook wasn’t hard. She was sitting at a small table reviewing the meals for the following day.
“Lady Harriet, what can I do for you?” she asked in a firm voice.
“Lady Daphne suggested I come speak with you about a dinner tray since they’ve left for the evening,”
