Chapter Six #2
Margaret sat on a sofa designed for two, slowly turning the pages of a scrapbook and taking leisurely sips of a cup of tea. She glanced up as Graham entered and smiled.
“There you are, my dear! Come in, sit down. I thought I would join you for supper.”
“I would like that.”
“I was a little hurt that you did not respond to my note,” Margaret answered, shooting him a brief, reproving glance. “I only wanted to comfort you. The events of last night must have been a terrible shock.”
Graham lifted his eyebrows. “A shock? Not for me, Mother. Lady Ursula was the one who was accosted.”
Margaret gave a knowing look. “That is her story, and I am sure she’ll stick to it.”
There was a pause. Graham frowned.
“What do you mean by that, Mother?”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Nothing to worry about. Now, to business. It’s crucial that you should distance yourself from that scandal, if you are to make a good match this Season.
I have spoken to Lady Annabella’s family, and they are willing to look past the whole unfortunate scene.
I told him that you were the sort of man who simply cannot avoid rushing to a woman’s rescue, and they accepted that quite easily.
However, we must step carefully in future. ”
“Mother…”
“Don’t interrupt. Now, I have plans for a small, intimate soiree tomorrow night.
Lady Annabella and her family will be there, along with a few other close acquaintances.
I took the liberty of inviting Miss Fisher along with her family – she will be a suitable second choice should it all fall through with Lady Annabella.
However, don’t get too close to Miss Fisher.
I know you aren’t the sort of man to try and make ladies jealous, but… ”
“Mother, I really must tell you something.”
“Hush for a moment, Graham! Heavens, you never did chatter this much when you were a boy. As I was saying, you cannot neglect Miss Fisher but be very careful about what attention you show her. Do as I tell you, and you won’t go wrong, I can promise you that.”
Graham sat back in his seat, waiting until the silence stretched out between them. At long last, his mother ran out of words or out of breath and took a long, noisy sip of her tea.
“What was it you wanted to tell me?” she said at last.
Here we go, Graham thought, swallowing down a rush of nerves.
“Mother, I am betrothed,” he said quietly. “I made an offer of matrimony earlier this afternoon.”
Margaret paused; her teacup raised halfway to her lips.
“Betrothed?” she echoed faintly. “To… To Lady Annabella?”
“No, Mother.” Graham took care to look his mother straight in the eyes. “To Lady Ursula Fairmont.”
There was a long, painful pause. No doubt the silence only lasted a minute or two, but it seemed to tick on for an eternity. Then, with elegant slowness, the teacup slipped gently from Margaret’s limp fingers and plummeted towards the ground.
Smash. Delicate china shards flew everywhere. Mud-coloured splashes of tea streaked up Margaret’s skirts, and a pool of hot liquid puddled on the ground.
“Lady Ursula,” Margaret gasped. “That… That hussy? That prancing peacock of a woman who had an assignation with Sir Roderick Black?”
“There was no assignation,” Graham shot back hotly. “She was walking in the garden with her cousin. Her cousin left which I find rather suspicious, personally and Sir Roderick accosted her.”
Margaret gave a cry, throwing up her hands. “She is lying, you stupid boy! It is a lie. She cannot admit publicly to what she has done, so…”
“Stop it, Mother.” Graham rose to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. He couldn’t understand why he was suddenly angry. Everybody was saying these things about Lady Ursula, so why should it hurt him so badly to hear his mother saying it?
“You cannot be serious, Graham,” Margaret pleaded, clutching at his hand.
“After all I have done for you, you cannot throw yourself away on spoiled goods. You could have any woman in London! If you love me at all, if my efforts mean anything at all you, you must break it off with her. Swear it to me, Graham!”
With an effort, he pulled his hand away.
“I cannot, Mother. I am sorry you’re disappointed, but I told you all along that I intended to choose my own bride. I have given my word to Lady Ursula, and I cannot take it back.”
Margaret rose slowly to her feet, eyes glittering.
“You are doing this to punish me,” she whispered slowly.
“You are doing it out of spite. Do you know how hard I have worked to find you a proper wife? Do you know how hard I worked to raise you? And you go and… and throw it all away! This is a mistake, Graham. This is the largest mistake of your life.”
“If so, then it will be my mistake and mine alone,” Graham responded levelly. “I am sorry to disappoint you, Mother, but it’s arranged. The matrimonial ceremony is in three days.”
Margaret gave a wobbly moan. “Three days?”
“Yes, and I must tell you now that you will behave appropriately to my wife. I am your only son, and this will be your only daughter-in-law. For heaven’s sake, please put aside your pride and for once stand behind me. Will you do that for me, Mother? Please?”
There was a long and taut silence. Then Margaret’s face gradually returned to a cool composure once more.
“I shall know how to act,” she murmured, half to herself and half to Graham. “This will not stand. You are my son, and I won’t allow this to happen. You wait and see.”
Before Graham could ask her what she meant by that, his mother turned on her heel and strode away without a backwards glance.