“It is all right,” Lady William replied with a wave of her hand. “We are just newly married and I am not naive enough to think he married me for anything but my dowry.”
Octavia pressed her lips together, afraid of saying something that might hurt Lady William’s delicate constitution. It was evident that she was hurting, but what advice could she offer her? They were hardly in the same situation, and she didn’t want her words to sound ingenuine.
Lady William gestured towards the tea service. “Would you care for a cup of tea?” she asked.
“I would,” Octavia replied.
Her hostess leaned forward and picked up the teapot. As she went to pour, her hand started shaking and she placed theteapot down. “I do apologize but I’m afraid my emotions are getting the best of me.”
“You did nothing wrong,” Octavia encouraged.
With a glance at the door, Lady William asked, “How do you suppose I can convince my husband to be…” she hesitated, “intimate?”
“I’m afraid I cannot speak on that.”
Lady William let out a despondent sigh. “I know I shouldn’t say anything, but I don’t know who to talk to about this. My husband and I haven’t even kissed each other, and he hardly touches me. I can’t help but wonder what I am doing wrong.”
“I don’t believe you are doing anything wrong.”
“Clearly, I am doing something wrong because I suspect my husband is with another woman right now.” Lady William clamped her hands over her mouth. “I shouldn’t have said such a thing.”
Octavia’s heart dropped for Lady William. She was trying so hard to win her husband’s favor but Lord William was being a jackanapes.
Reaching for the teapot, Octavia poured two cups of tea before handing one to Lady William. In a soothing voice, she attempted, “Just give it some time. You and Lord William are just getting to know one another, and it should get better with time.”
“But what if it doesn’t?” Lady William asked softly. “Did my father doom me to a loveless marriage?”
“Your father pressed you into this marriage?”
“I’m afraid so,” Lady William admitted. “He told me that this would elevate my status in high Society, but I do not believe it worked. You saw how everyone shunned me at the soiree. I will always be an outcast to them.”
“Do not give up just yet,” Octavia encouraged. “Thetoncan be manipulated, just like anything else.”
After she took a sip of her tea, Lady William said, “In myboarding school, I was teased relentlessly by the other young women because my father was just a merchant. It didn’t matter to them how rich we were. And now, those same young women have made their debuts right alongside me. I will never be free of them and their condescending words.”
“Words are just words until you start to believe them. Don’t give them the power to hurt you,” Octavia stated.
“I appreciate what you are attempting to do, but until I can win over my husband, what chance do I have with theton?” Lady William asked.
Octavia had a thought. “I can help you win over theton.”
“How?”
“What if you and Lord William hosted a ball?” she asked. “It could be in celebration of your recent wedding.”
Lady William looked doubtful. “What if no one wishes to attend?”
“People will come; they always do,” Octavia replied. “Members of high Society love nothing more than a reason to dress up and drink excessively.”
“I will need to ask William about his thoughts. I do not wish to upset him,” Lady William said. “But it would be fun to host a ball. It would be my first as a married woman.”
Octavia bobbed her head. “Furthermore, I shall start introducing you to some of my friends. Their association will go a long way in helping you become accepted by high Society.”
“Thank you,” Ruth gushed. “I could always use more friends.”
“Couldn’t we all?” Octavia asked.
The long clock in the corner chimed, alerting Octavia of the time. Spending time with Lady William was far preferable to working on her embroidery with her companion.
