Page 107 of The Tartan Trap

“Actually, no.” Callum took a chair and shifted in it. “I’m here on a much more personal endeavor.”

Cavendish’s eyes narrowed. He steepled his fingers together and studied Callum over them. “Is that so?”

He nodded. “It’s regarding Margaret.”

Cavendish leaned back, a speculative gleam in his eye. “So it’s ‘Margaret’ is it?”

“I’ve come to ask for your blessing. We’re engaged and wish to be married as soon as possible.”

Cavendish sighed. “I suppose I should be ecstatic. After all, what’s the point of paying for a Season if there are no marriages afterward? Yet I confess it’s more difficult than I’d imagined to give my blessing for my sisters to marry, even when my approval is well deserved.”

Callum waited patiently. The man had already admitted that the blessing was forthcoming. Being a brother himself, Callum could appreciate the struggle. He couldn’t begrudge Cavendish a few moments of reflection between the question and the answer.

Finally Cavendish looked up and smiled. “If Margaret is happy with her choice, how could I not be?”

They shook hands and Callum smirked. “There’s another gentleman waiting in the hallway, possibly for the same reason. Shall I send him in when I go?”

His eyes went wide. “Who is it?”

“Lord Shaw.”

Cavendish exhaled a gusting sigh. “I have a planned meeting with him, thank goodness.”

“You sound relieved.”

“In the military and then in business, I learned not to be fond of surprises. They’re rarely good.”

“I hope that in the instance of our meeting, you’ve made an exception.” Though Callum absolutely was going to marry Margaret, it would be vastly preferable if her brother was pleased with their match.

Cavendish waved a hand. “Of course. One can never have too many dukes in the family.”

He frowned. “Is my title the only thing that enticed you to give your blessing?”

“It certainly didn’t hurt. But I know Margaret well enough to suspect that our conversation was likely the easiest part of your courtship.” He huffed a laugh. “I am far more likely to be impressed by your title than she is.”

Ettrick gave a smile that felt wistful, even to him. “It was a very entertaining Season, I’ll give you that much. I’m sure we’ll both remember it fondly for the rest of our lives.”

“Welcome to the family. Please send Shaw in behind you.”

CHAPTER 39- MARGARET

That afternoon, Margaret approached the drawing room where her sisters were sitting with timid steps. She intended to break the news of her engagement to them as gently as possible. For although in Margaret’s mind it was the best secret she’d ever had, she didn’t want to disregard their tender feelings.

They had all been excited at the outset of the Season; they all wished to be married—albeit with differing degrees of intensity. Her sisters had experienced a fair start, at least in Margaret’s eyes. Lily had nearly been swamped at the beginning by interested gentlemen, but then her visitors tapered down to a select few, until there were none left at all.

Beatrice hadn’t had many visitors, but Margaret reasoned that she shouldn’t feel at all despondent about the slow start—some ladies needed two or three Seasons to truly come into bloom. Claire, surprisingly, had been visited by many gentlemen, all of them waifish and sun-starved, and had soon fled the crush of the main parlor for a more private one toward the back of the house.

Margaret thought it the height of irony that only the least likely amongst the Prestons had actually made a marital match. She hoped her sisters wouldn’t be too disappointed. She wanted them to be happy for her, to smile with her at her unexpected good fortune. Margaret was radiantly happy. Now all that was left was to hopefully spread that joy to others.

When Margaret approached, Lily gave a tremulous smile and set aside her stitching. “I’m so glad we’re all together.”

“As am I.” Claire gave a regal nod. “I have something very important to discuss with you all.”

Margaret smiled and desperately hoped that this wasn’t to be one of Claire’s lectures. As the eldest, Claire often took it upon herself to issue sweeping decrees or to explain things to all of them. She wondered whether Claire sometimes forgot that they were only separated by a few years in total.

Margaret braced herself for some encouraging remarks regarding all of them still being unattached at the end of a Season that had seemed so full of promise at its beginning. Margaret didn’t know how she would interrupt such a thing with her news, or even worse, announce it after Claire’s lecture was complete.

“I know this might be disappointing, perhaps even hurtful to the rest of you…” Claire began.