Page 26 of Married to the Duke By Midnight

“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.