Love At Last (Endless Love #4)

Chapter One

What was the world coming to? To be precise, what was going on in the world of her mother, the Marchioness of Blackpool?

The woman demanded perfection out of her child.

To be honest, her mother regarded her as anything but perfect, and after the disastrous first season she’d had, it didn’t surprise Harriet at all that the marchioness would resort to pulling in other family members to help her prepare her daughter for the upcoming season.

After all, her mother had been embarrassed and mortified by Harriet’s dismal performance last season.

Not one suitor or offer of marriage resulted from all her mother’s hard work. It had been an utter failure.

Now here she sat with her mother in the drawing room of Jameson House waiting for Lady Daphne, her cousin Arthur’s wife, to join them. Her mother was certain a fresh pair of eyes could help turn Harriet into a swan. With Lady Daphne and her cousin Roxanne’s help, this would happen.

The door opened and Lady Daphne appeared and walked across the room to where they were sitting.

“Lady Margaret, it’s wonderful to see you again.

” She glanced at Harriet, who was standing next to her mother, staring down at the rug.

She had felt her mother nudge her with her elbow.

If she had seen it, Lady Daphne acted as though she hadn’t. “Lady Harriet?”

Harriet nodded her head and raised her gray eyes to meet Daphne’s and took a seat in an ivory-colored wingback chair.

“I ordered tea. It ought to be here momentarily,” Daphne said. “So, Harriet, your mother says your first season didn’t go well?”

“It was a huge disappointment,” Lady Margaret trilled.

“No, it didn’t,” Harriet replied softly.

“That’s part of the problem. She is extremely shy. Won’t say a word hardly.”

That’s because you won’t let anyone get a word in, Harriet thought as she tried to focus on Daphne.

The duchess saved her from her mother. “That’s fixable. Some young women take more than one season. What else?”

Harriet forced herself to answer before her mother did. “No one signed my dance card. Ever. One or two did ask me to dance at the beginning. Sons of my father’s friends. I had no callers, no suitors, no flowers or chocolates, nothing. Men avoided me like the plague.”

“What about other girls? Did you make friends with any of them?” Daphne asked.

“Heavens no!” the marchioness replied. “Nor was she permitted to keep company with the wallflowers.”

“How did you spend your evenings if I may ask?”

“She stayed with me of course.”

Harriet could feel her cheeks heat up. In a matter of one or two minutes her mother had managed to mortify her in front of their hostess.

Thankfully, she didn’t need to say anything.

Two footmen brought in a tray with a tea service, sandwiches, cakes, and other tempting treats, diverting the focus of the conversation from her to the tea cart.

Lady Daphne began to prepare to serve tea to her guests. Rather than pour the tea, she allowed her guests to prepare their own cups, leaving them a chance to choose their choice of sandwiches or sweets and cakes.

Holding her breath, Harriet stood in front of the cart and prepared her mother’s tea with milk and sugar.

She passed the tea to her mother and listened to her instruct her on what sandwiches and cake she wanted.

Harriet prepared a plate and once again she handed it to her mother.

The marchioness nodded and Harriet went to fix her own cup of tea.

She picked up the milk pitcher, when her mother cleared her throat.

A reminder telling her no. Harriet picked up her tea and sat back down.

“Lady Harriet, wouldn’t you like a piece of cake or a sandwich? The marmalade cake is delicious,” Daphne said stirring her own tea.

“Harriet must decline. Food is not her friend. If she eats one slice of cake, she’ll eat five more. Self-control is one of her weaknesses,” the marchioness replied.

Once again, her mother was exaggerating, but Harriet decided she had no choice but to say something. “Mother thinks I am overweight and should avoid temptations like sweets.”

“Do you think you are? Overweight?” Lady Daphne asked.

“Not at all,” Harriet replied.

“That’s because of the strict dietary restrictions I have her on,” Lady Margaret said sniffing. “Isn’t that correct, Harriet?”

“You know best, Mother.”

That infuriated her mother and Harriet noted she was trying to restrain herself from reprimanding her daughter. Instead, the marchioness changed the subject to ignore her insolent daughter.

Finally, Lady Daphne pulled their conversation back to what Lady Margaret expected of her. “I thought I made that clear. You are to ready her properly for the upcoming season. I don’t care what needs to be done, just have her ready.”

Harriet pretended she didn’t hear how she just spoke to the duchess. That showed utter disrespect from her mother. Fortunately, Lady Daphne appeared to ignore the slight.

The bit of silence that was happening right now was interrupted by the sound of a bird squawking somewhere in the room. Daphne rose from her chair.

“That’s Sam. He’s bored,” she explained.

“Sam is your parrot?” Lady Margaret asked with a horrified look on her face.

“Yes, Sam is a macaw.”

A moment later Lady Daphne returned from the other side of the room, parrot riding on her forearm.

“You actually touch that bird?” Lady Margaret said with a horrified look on her face.

“Of course I do.”

“Bloody hell! A stranger,” Sam exclaimed.

“You must excuse Sam’s colorful language. He’s very smart and picks things up easily,” Daphne said before scolding Sam. “Sam, what have I told you about cursing?”

The macaw said nothing and made strange noises as he jumped onto a nearby perch where he could watch them. Harriet wanted to laugh at her mother’s discomfort, but instead she heard her mother ask Lady Daphne if she had a retiring room.

Lady Margaret looked pityingly at her daughter before lifting her skirts and walking across the room and out the door. Harriet picked up her tea and took a swallow.

“I like Sam. Mother was not expecting a talking parrot. She was flustered.” Harriet knew she probably should not say what she was thinking, but it was the truth. Her mother had been upended by a parrot.

“No, she wasn’t. I take it you don’t have any pets?” Lady Daphne asked.

“Absolutely not. Mother thought dogs and cats were filthy. She was not happy when my father brought one of his hunting dogs to stay in the house. I played with him endlessly, but mother was not swayed.”

“I take it the dog went back to the kennel?”

Harriet shook her head. “Oh no. Father overrode her and Rosco stayed a house dog until he died three years ago of old age.”

Lady Daphne was about to say something when the drawing room door opened.

She glanced Harriet’s way, not expecting the butler.

“I apologize, Your Grace, but Lady Margaret has left. She had trunks unloaded from her carriage before she climbed in. The only thing she said was the trunks belonged to Lady Harriet.”

“Would you place the trunks in the periwinkle guest room?”

“Your Grace.” The older gentleman bowed slightly and closed the door behind him.

The two women stood staring at each other for a moment. “I can’t believe her…no, I take that back. I do believe she left me here. Now I’m not her concern,” Harriet said.

“She didn’t tell you she was going to leave you here today?”

Harriet shook her head. “No. I thought my trunks were packed to bring things I would need when I did come to stay.”

Lady Daphne sat down and motioned to Harriet to sit next to her. She handed her a plate with two sandwiches and a piece of marmalade cake. “I think you’re due a treat or two.”

“Oh, I couldn’t.”

“Of course, you can. There is nothing wrong with your weight. I believe your mother does that as a way to keep you away from sweets,” Daphne replied.

“I was afraid of that.” Harriet accepted the plate. “This looks scrumptious.”

“Enjoy it. Do you have any gowns?”

“Mother made me bring four of the ones I used this last season, but nothing new.”

“I made an appointment with my modiste as I had a feeling from the way your mother talked, she hadn’t had any new gowns commissioned,” Lady Daphne said. “We’re scheduled for day after tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“No need. We have plenty of time and you’re going to be the talk of the ton you’re going to be so beautiful.”

“I don’t know about all of that.”

“Look, you can’t let someone like your mother drag you down. We’re going to work on everything before the first ball. By the time it comes around, you’re going to be more confident,” Daphne said.

“I appreciate you taking this task on.”

“You’re Arthur and Roxanne’s cousin. How could I not?”

Harriet said nothing. She finished her cup of tea and sandwiches before eating the cake. After one bite she sighed. It was heavenly. “You must have a very talented pastry chef.”

“She’s good, isn’t she. Myrtle is the daughter of the last pastry chef. It seems to run in the family.”

Placing the empty plate on table, Harriet sat back, contented.

“Would you like me to show you to your room?”

“Please. I didn’t bring a maid. Mother’s never thought I needed one until I was older.”

“I’ll talk to the housekeeper and see who she thinks would be a good fit for you.”

Harriet nodded. “Please, don’t go to any trouble. I know how to manage on my own.”

“I’m sure you can, but you shouldn’t.”

Daphne stood up and Harriet followed suit. “Come, I’m sure you’d like to settle in.”

“Yes, I didn’t realize I was tired.”

“Take off your shoes and lie down for a while. No one will disturb you,”