“Well.” Margaret clasped her hands in front of herself. “Mrs. Lamont just gave me her notice.”
“What?” Athena was on her feet in a second, her eyes wide with dismay. “Why on earth would she do so now when she obviously returned with every intention of continuing her employment?”
“I’ve no idea. When I asked about her reasoning, she did her best to avoid the subject.” Margaret thought back on Mrs. Lamont’s rigid posture and how she’d averted her gaze to avoid meeting her own head on. “She seemed uncomfortable, which troubles me. I know you consider her a friend, so I was hoping you might be able to enlighten me.”
“No. I...” Athena stared at Margaret. “She loves working here so if she’s leaving it’s not because she received a better offer, in which case it can only be because of William.”
Margaret hadn’t thought it possible for her confusion to deepen further and yet it did. “What on earth can William possibly have to do with Mrs. Lamont leaving us?”
“I don’t believe she’s leavingus, Mama. I believe she’s leavinghim.”
Surprise caught Margaret completely unawares. Her mouth dropped open and a prickly heat settled against the back of her neck. “Please tell me he hasn’t made untoward advances. Good grief. I’ve done my best to raise him well, with the right moral compass, and dear heaven I thought I’d succeeded. But does a parent really know their own child? One would like to think so, and yet it is clear from what you are saying that—”
“Mama?”
Margaret blinked. “Yes?”
“You’re babbling.”
“Well of course I am. What else do you expect me to do when you’ve just informed me that one of my sons has behaved so deplorably, he’s managed to frighten away my cook?”
Athena sighed. “It’s just a theory, Mama. We’ve yet to prove it. And if her leaving does have something to do with William, then I believe it has more to do with her fondness for him and his dimwitted inability to recognize his own feelings.”
Fearing her legs might give way beneath this added piece of shocking information, Margaret crossed to Athena’s bed and lowered herself to the edge of it. “They’ve formed an attachment?”
“I believe so. Yes.”
“But how?” Margaret tried her best to grasp what her daughter was saying. “She works in the kitchen, and he’s been so busy since he returned from Lisbon,we’vehardly seen him. So when on earth would he even have managed to speak with Mrs. Lamont for long enough to allow a tendre to develop?”
“I, um...I’m sure I don’t know,” Athena said.
Her cheeks were a shade too pink for Margaret’s liking. She narrowed her gaze on her. “What aren’t you saying?”
“Nothing.” She coughed. “From what I gather they met in the kitchen a couple of times. He escorted her to the market once.”
“And?”
Athena puffed out a breath. “Very well. If you must know I may have orchestrated a private meeting between them before Eloise left for France. William joined Eloise and me for our morning outing one Sunday while you, Papa, and Sara were attending church.”
Margaret felt her eyes widen in dumbfounded shock. “Have you learned nothing from meddling in other people’s affairs?”
“Only that it can have an excellent outcome.” When Margaret opened her mouth to comment, Athena hastily added, “Charles and Bethany would have been miserable had I done nothing to help them. You know it’s true.”
“While I may be willing to agree, this situation is entirely different.”
“Why?”
“Well, because...” Margaret stared into Athena’s fiery gaze and sighed. “Class differences matter whether or not they ought to. You cannot pair a servant with a nobleman, Athena. Not successfully, at least.”
“I don’t see why not as long as they care for each other more than about what other people might think.”
Margaret slumped. “I’ve always prided myself on my strong constitution, but I may need smelling salts to get through this.”
Athena sat. She took a deep breath and expelled it. “There’s something else.”
“If you tell me she’s with child I’ll—”
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. It’s just...” A defeated look overcame her. “Eloise made me promise not to say anything because she feared she’d lose her job if you knew.”
