12
“Why the haste though, Duchess?” Lady Clopton asked and looked at Jo with curious eyes.
The ladies of the party were gathered around them, all listening curiously as they had retired to a splendidly decorated drawing room.
The room was well-lit and had fashionable furniture in dark wood and forest green wallpaper with threads of some sort that shimmered like emeralds in the flickering lights from the fireplace and numerous lamps.
“Yes, depriving us of the wedding of the century,” Lady Thistleworth chimed in with a smile.
“The decade at least, my lady. I dare say that the century is still young. But you could at least strive for it,” Lady Clopton’s eyes twinkled as she spoke.
She was in her fifties, Jo believed, a robust lady with dark-gray curls covered by a bright green turban.
She was nosy and forward, which was both unnerving and comforting, since there could be no question as to what the countess believed.
“Eh…” Jo said and looked at Helena for help.
She was uncertain of how much to share of the stipulations of her father’s will. She and Robert should have agreed on which story to tell beforehand; instead, Jo had spent the carriage ride here fretting over one day potentially meeting the queen.
It was evident what Lady Clopton believed to be the reason – that Jo was with child – and it was not a rumor she wanted circulating. For her own sake, but especially for Robert’s. He had rescued her, and he did not deserve anyone spreading rumors and besmirching his honor.
“My son and his bride felt there was no reason to wait. When you know, you know, don’t you?
” Helena answered diplomatically and led the women to the seating area with the air of a practiced host. She was wearing a beautiful crimson dress and delicate jewelry in gold with rubies.
Jo was glad that Beatrice was taking her to the milliner tomorrow.
Her dress could not do the beautiful diamonds justice, and she had felt both Lady Clopton’s and Lady Thistleworth’s eyes on her dress.
“I suppose. I became betrothed to Clopton only two weeks after my debut. Poor fellow still believes he chose me of course, but I had had my sights set on him from the moment I stepped in front of the queen,” Lady Clopton said with a knowing smirk.
Jo was uncertain whether it was polite to laugh out loud, but when the other women offered varying degrees of mirth, she opted for a light chuckle as well.
She had never thought of herself as sheltered before, but she could see now that she still had a lot to learn in regard to behaving in London society.
In Hampshire, Beatrice had been her only friend her age – and she had moved away six years ago. Jo observed longingly how Beatrice was talking to another young matron about their children across the room.
“Where are you planning on going on honeymoon, Duchess?” Lady Thistleworth asked.
She was not as round as Lady Clopton, but the volume of both her dark brown hair and her spring green dress made her look like it. Jo was not certain whether the effect was intentional.
“Lady Barforth is planning our honeymoon as a present to us. We are leaving in a couple of weeks, when the duke has tied up all loose ends here in London,” Jo offered amicably, glad that it had all been settled beforehand and she knew how to answer.
She sent Helena a grateful smile which her mother-in-law returned.
“And where do you plan to send them? France is out of the question, is it not? But perhaps Italy?” Lady Clopton inquired, leaning forward to better see Helena as she spoke.
“Nothing so far away,” Helena answered levelly. “My son would prefer that it is only a couple of weeks. He is anxious to show Riddlesmarsh Hall to the new duchess.”
“Oh, you have not even been, Duchess? It is a marvelous estate. So large, so bright, certainly nothing like Barforth Castle,” Lady Clopton cooed.
“Barforth Castle has its own charm,” Helena offered in a clipped tone.
Jo did not miss the protective note in her mother-in-law’s voice which made her almost as interested in seeing Barforth Castle as Riddlesmarsh Hall.
“Indeed, indeed, I was only saying. Riddlesmarsh Hall, that is a splendid estate. You will enjoy living there immensely, Duchess. So modern, so much air. The duke’s grandfather had the whole house redecorated. It is absolutely marvelous.”
“Have you been, Lady Clopton?” Jo asked curiously.
“Oh, no, but I have seen paintings of it. Given that the duke was a bachelor, he did not host a lot of parties there, but I daresay that Clopton and I are hoping for an invitation.”
Jo offered her a smile and frantically searched her brain for a change of topic that did not sound rude. She did not want to promise to host a house party without having spoken to Robert first. Nor did she particularly relish having to host one for a group of people she hardly knew.
“Perhaps next year,” Jo offered feebly and felt the dampness at her hairline.
Lady Thistleworth came to her rescue.
“Let the young people settle in before you invite yourself, Countess,” she said to Lady Clopton, before turning to Maggie who had been quietly observing the ladies around her thus far. “With your brother settled, I daresay it will be your turn next, Lady Margaret.”
Maggie offered her a catlike smile.
“If I meet a man I can persuade to propose within two weeks, you will be the first to know, my lady,” she said in a saccharine voice that did not hide her claws underneath.
Jo was happy that she had not made an enemy of Maggie. Her new sister-in-law seemed to at least tolerate her. Which was a start, Jo told herself. She needed to make a list of ways to win over Maggie as well as the rest of Robert’s family.
Lady Clopton laughed loudly at Maggie’s comment, while Lady Thistleworth offered an insincere-sounding chuckle. Jo caught the disapproving look on Helena’s face and the eye roll Maggie offered in return.
She was dressed in a beautiful emerald dress that brought out her green eyes and the coppery notes in her hair.
There was something about the sleeves and the neckline that suited her hourglass figure very well, although Jo was not certain what it was.
She had never paid much attention to the cut of a dress.
If Maggie had been a little easier to read, Jo might have asked if she wanted to come with her to the milliner tomorrow.
She could certainly use her sister-in-law’s keen eye for fashion when trying to dress like a duchess.
“Tell me, Viscountess, I have been wondering: Your ball is always the last of the season, in fact I have heard you pride yourself of the fact several times before, but this year it was several weeks early. Why?” Maggie asked Lady Thistleworth in a way that told Jo – and probably all the ladies around them – that Maggie already knew the reason.
Lady Thistleworth certainly did, judging by the way her lips pursed, before her features softened and she placed a hand on her lower belly.
“The usual reason, Lady Margaret.”
Now that she was holding her billowing dress close to her body, it was evident just how large her stomach was.
Jo was surprised that it was possible for her to still be able to carry a child; she had judged Lady Thistleworth to be in her mid-forties.
Perhaps it was possible for women to conceive longer than Jo had expected.
Helena immediately offered her heartfelt congratulations, Lady Clopton cooed delighted, Beatrice, the young matron and the rest of the ladies were all drawn to offer felicitations as well. Jo muttered one of her own.
“You must be so excited that you are still fertile at your age,” Lady Clopton told Lady Thistleworth in her loud voice.
“I daresay Clopton and I were always sad that we only had two children. It was not for a lack of trying, I will tell you as much.” Lady Clopton chuckled and looked around as if to see whether people had understood her meaning.
Jo felt her cheeks heat slightly and hoped that no one would notice.
“Well, we cannot all be so lucky, Countess,” Lady Thistleworth told her dryly and emptied her glass of madeira.
“What is it? Number nine?” Lady Clopton continued.
“Eight,” Lady Thistleworth said as she stared at the dregs in her glass.
Jo saw Maggie visibly shudder beside her.
“A July child then. Or perhaps early August,” Maggie mused and drained her own glass of madeira. “Weren’t you at the Wadham’s house party in November, my lady? But your husband was not as far as I recall.”
Lady Thistleworth glared at Maggie, and Helena swiftly changed the topic. Maggie was more dangerous and more formidable than Jo had ever imagined.
Jo was relieved when the gentlemen finally joined them a couple of minutes later.
Robert steered directly to her side. Jo was surprised when he indicated that he wanted to sit next to her on the rather narrow settee.
She moved aside as much as she could, but his thigh was still lined with hers.
The heat from him felt overwhelmingly good, almost forbidden.
She briefly looked at him and offered a friendly smile but did not let her eyes linger on him.
Yet Lady Clopton still cooed:
“Oh, young love.”
Jo tensed at the words and felt Robert do the same as he moved away from her slightly as much as the settee allowed him to.
Jo did not dare look at him. She had no idea how the older woman had gotten the impression from their brief interaction.
She had certainly not meant to imply anything by smiling at Robert.
She would hate if he thought she had insinuated that they were in love when he had not been present.
“The duchess tells me that you are leaving for your honeymoon in a short while, Duke,” Lady Clopton said, and luckily Jo did not have to participate in the conversation as Robert once again told the countess that his mother would be arranging their honeymoon.
Jo looked at Helena who was speaking to a couple of other ladies.
Perhaps Jo should tell her that she would like to stay close to the sea.
She still missed the long walks by the beach, and it would give her much-needed time to clear her head.
A meadow or a forest did not offer the same kind of respite for her mind as the sea and beach did.
It made her feel small in a way that the others did not.
It seemed rude though to make demands on Helena in terms of where they would go. Jo had only met her yesterday and even though Helena had more welcome than Jo could have hoped for, she did not want to burden her. She already felt like an intruder in their lives.
No, it was best to keep quiet and wait. Riddlesmarsh Hall was only a day away from the sea. When they went there after the honeymoon, she could make a day trip alone. There must be days when Robert was busy, and she had handled all her duties, so she could sneak away.
“Lady Riddlesmarsh?” Robert asked gently and drew her attention away from Helena and toward him and Lady Clopton again.
They had been joined by both Lord Clopton and Lord Thistleworth now and Lady Thistleworth was also paying attention to her again. Jo could feel herself blushing slightly at all the attention on her. Especially since she had no clue as to what was being asked of her.
“I was just saying that we would be delighted to attend the Cloptons’ soiree tomorrow night,” Robert told her.
Jo offered him a relieved smile, before she turned to Lady Clopton and readily accepted the invitation, even though she would much rather have spent the evening at home.
There was still so much she did not know about Robert, and she could tell with his busy schedule that it would be difficult to find the time.