“Duke, you are too kind to me!” Lily said, her eyes filling with sudden tears. “You are the most generous man alive.”
“For you, my dear, nothing is too generous. Whenever you choose to go to Cheshire to look at your new property, I suggest you take Payne and Chamberlain with you, to advise on the necessary improvements. It will be an amusing project for you, I hope, and you may visit your family while you are there. And even if you never choose to live in the house, you may rent it out or allow your family to make use of it. Whatever you wish, my dear. But you must allow me to tell you how happy it makes me that you will continue to make Staineybank your home. You bring the greatest pleasure to an old man.”
And then Lily wept in earnest, and the Merrington ladies sighed in sentimental fervour.
Georgie settled down after dinner with her embroidery, letting the ladies’ conversation waft around her. Lily and Charlotte were the focus of their effusions as they waited forthe gentlemen to join them, and there was much pleasure expressed that neither would leave Staineybank after all. Only Mrs Merrington sat, rather glumly, beside Georgie, sharing the light of a candelabrum, stabbing with swift strokes of her needle at the fire screen she was working on.
When the others moved to the instrument and began a series of cheerful Scotch airs, Georgie noticed Mrs Merrington surreptitiously wipe away a tear. Little as she wished to pry, Georgie could not ignore so obvious a sign of distress.
“Are you… quite well, ma’am?” she said tentatively. “May I fetch you anything? A glass of wine, perhaps? Some brandy? Jamie thinks brandy makes everything better.”
That brought a slight smile. “Oh… no, I am not unwell. Not at all. But… I do not quite know what to make of this. I thought shewantedto marry him.”
“Perhaps she did, but Staineybank was a bigger draw.”
“What sort of girl prefers to be a housekeeper — for that is all she is — rather than a wife? Is that not the purpose of a woman’s life, to marry and nurture the next generation? And if not, if she ignores all efforts to improve her lot, what ismypurpose, as her mother? Sophia rejected the obvious choice to settle on Mr Payne, which was disappointing but at least she has a husband. But Charlotte! And what of Augusta and Maria? None of them take the least notice of me, and what is to become of me now?”
“You will become a much-loved grandmother to your grandchildren,” Georgie said firmly.
Mrs Merrington sighed. “Look at this,” she said, gesturing to her embroidery. “I have gone quite wrong and now this petal is green and the leaves are pink.” Another sigh. “I am a little tired, I think. I shall retire early tonight. Pray make my apologies to the duke and duchess.”
For some time, Georgie was alone, stitching steadily and humming under her breath to the music, when the tune wasone she recognised. After a while, Rowena moved to sit beside Georgie. “You are always busy with your embroidery,” she said, with a little smile. “What is it? Another cushion cover? Such beautiful work! Do you still sell them?”
“Not any more. I have no need for the extra money now. This one is for our apartment, and after that, I’ve promised Mr Godley I’ll make some more kneelers for the chapel.”
“I wish my fingers were so skilful,” Rowena said. “The little blanket you made for Caroline’s crib is exquisite. I beg your pardon — I am interrupting your work.”
“I’ve only stopped because this green thread is quite finished,” Georgie said. “I need to get more from the morning room.”
“Then let us both go,” Rowena said equably. “It will be refreshing to stretch my legs.”
The two women left the drawing room and crossed the Marble Hall, following a succession of rooms made gloomy by the gathering dusk outside. The morning room was even gloomier, its curtains still drawn to exclude the sunshine when the ladies had sat there after breakfast.
“I shall not be a moment,” Georgie said, opening the drawer of the silks box to retrieve a new skein.
“Do not rush,” Rowena said, sitting down at the worktable and twisting her hands together. “I am glad of a moment alone with you. Georgie, I owe you an apology.”
Georgie looked up from the drawer in surprise. “I can’t imagine what for.”
“I was unspeakably rude to you when you and Mr Hammond first married, and I was not much better when you criticised my favourite tea. As if you cannot have different tastes from mine, and naturally your affection for Mr Hammond needed to be kept secret, since you had no idea if it was reciprocated.”
“Oh, Rowena! That wasn’t why I didn’t tell you — there was nothing to tell! No secret affection, no reciprocation. Do you want to hear what really happened? It was the day Sophia told everyone she wasenceinte.I was… a bit upset. Babies have that effect on me, so—”
“Even Caroline?” Rowena said hoarsely.
“I adore her, of course, but the whole time until your confinement and… afterwards, seeing her in her crib, watching her change and grow… it just reminds me of all I have lost.”
“Henry’s baby — of course! How thoughtless of me. Not that I forgot, precisely but… I must have been unbearable.”
“You were excited, naturally, but at the time I assumed I’d never have a child, so… it hurt, I can’t deny that. So when Sophia announced her happy news, I crept away to my room, to weep and be miserable. Jamie… we’d talked about it a little, so he brought a bottle of brandy to cheer me up. He thinks brandy makes everything better, idiotic man! All it made us was drunk and not very sensible. We ended up in bed together.”
Rowena squeaked, her mouth wide open. “You did not! Georgie! I am astonished! And Mr Hammond is the quietest, most well-behaved man in Christendom. I would never have supposed—”
“Neither of us was well-behaved that night, and then I found I was with child, so—”
“Oh! So you rushed off to Oxford to marry in haste, and concocted the story about secret affections. Oh, Georgie, what a thing to happen. But you seem so happy.”
“I’m very happy, and so is Jamie. It’s all worked out for the best.”
