Chapter Two #2
After another half-hour, both girls had completed their fittings. They returned to their mothers, who seemed to be getting along well, and Mama introduced Tia to Lady Merriman, who introduced Delilah to Mama.
Lady Dilly said, “Mama, I think Lady Tia and I are going to be close friends. Might she and Her Grace come to tea tomorrow?”
Tia looked to Mama, who said, “We would be happy to accept your invitation to tea, Lady Merriman.”
The countess smiled. “Then we are happy to host you and your lovely daughter, Your Grace. How fortunate we were that our paths crossed today. Why, we might have gone through half the Season before being introduced.”
Madame Laurent hovered nearby, and Mama asked, “Are you finished with Thermantia’s wardrobe now, Madame?”
“Yes, Your Grace. I will have everything delivered to His Grace’s townhouse by the end of the day.”
“I will return for my own fitting in two days, then,” Mama told the modiste.
“We look forward to serving you, Your Grace,” Madame Laurent said. “Have a lovely day.”
They said their goodbyes to Lady Dilly and her mother, and Tia and Mama returned to their waiting carriage.
“Did you practice your pianoforte this morning?”
“I did, Mama. I have mastered three pieces. Why, you will think you are listening to Lia instead of me when you hear me playing them,” she bragged.
Her mother nodded, satisfied, and then asked, “What did you think of Lady Delilah?”
“I find her quite nice. She is the first friend I have made this Season.” Tia frowned. “However, she told me she has met other young ladies during the fittings for her gowns. Not one of them wished to be friends with her.”
Mama nodded sagely. “That is because you are all on the Marriage Mart, Thermantia. You are rivals, trying to win the favor of the eligible bachelors in attendance. While it is good to make the acquaintance of many young ladies, you must always keep in mind that you must place yourself first. You must be the one who walks away with the best available gentleman.”
Her mother’s attitude irked Tia. “Mama, I want—”
“I do not wish to hear anything about love matches, Thermantia. Yes, your three siblings have made them, and I am actually happy they did so. You, however, have never been one who was overly sentimental. I expect you to make a brilliant match because of your looks and family’s standing.
As the daughter of a duke and the sister to another, there is no limit as to the match you will make.
I am advising you to aim no lower than a marquess.
A duke would be preferable. I believe there are a couple of eligible dukes who will be in attendance this Season.
Valentinian, of course, will assist you in narrowing your marriage choices, as will I.
He did so for Ariadne, and he will do the same for you. ”
Tia did not remind her mother that Val had little to do with Ariadne’s marriage.
She and Julian had met and fallen in love quickly.
Yes, Val had liked Julian, making a friend in him, and Val did approve of their union, but he had told Tia he would not interfere with her choice, unless the man she chose was horribly unsuitable.
Her brother knew that Tia was not ready to settle into marriage yet.
While Lia had always dreamed of being a wife and bearing children, Tia was the more outgoing of the twins.
She wanted to simply enjoy the many social events of the Season without worrying about finding a husband.
Not every girl wed at the end of her first Season.
Some came back and did another—or another.
Of course, there were some girls who, after four or five Seasons, simply gave up hope and were placed upon the shelf by others.
Those were the wallflowers, and Tia did not expect to be in that category.
She was outgoing and friendly. While she was not vain in regard to her looks, she knew others found her to be quite attractive.
She planned to enjoy as many activities as possible.
When the time came to take a husband, she hoped, liked her siblings, that she would know in her heart which gentleman was the one for her.
If it were a love match, that would be all the better, but she did not wish to hold out for one.
After they returned home, Tia started a letter to Verina and Justina.
Her cousins had come with their mother to Millbrooke and stayed several months after her father’s death, and she, Lia, and Mama had accompanied Aunt Agnes and the girls back to Cumberland for another two months.
In those months, she had grown close to both these cousins.
She would finish the letter after she had seen the others at tea, so that Verina and Justina would have the most current news regarding the extended family.
She made her way downstairs and met Mama in the foyer so they could go to tea.
They were admitted to Julian’s townhouse after their arrival, and the butler led them to the drawing room.
She was eager to visit with her older sister, knowing Ariadne would be able to tell her more about what to expect during the Season, and she was also looking forward to seeing Penelope.
Most of all, though, Tia was ready to be reunited with her twin because she had missed Lia more than she ever could have imagined.