Page 24 of Her Summer Duke

Chapter Ten

Margaret pulled her handkerchief from her sleeve and blew her nose in a quite unladylike manner. Tears were not the solution, no matter how heartbroken she was. The thought of Brighton tempted her still, the thought of meeting Captain Halstone as he had asked, yet she spoke sternly to herself. She would not be so fickle. Saltonbury deserved her loyalty.

A knock came at the door. Had Saltonbury responded?

She went to the door and whispered, “Yes, who is it?”

“It is me, Phoebe.”

“Phoebe?” She swung open the door and pulled her cousin’s arm to draw her into the chamber. “What are you doing out so late in the day?”

Phoebe collapsed into her cousin’s arms and began to sob.

“Oh dear Margaret, I am in such a quandary and I cannot sleep, I cannot eat.”

“Phoebe, Phoebe dear, pray tell me what weighs so heavily on you and let me help ease your burden.”

Margaret studied Phoebe’s distraught face – this was terrible timing, yet what could she do but try to help?

“No one can help me, dear Margaret. It is all set in stone. It is in stone.”

“What is in stone? You are not making any sense, Phoebe.”

Phoebe sobbed so loudly that Margaret was sure that the wailing sound was bound to draw Lucy’s attention.

“Come, come. Shh. Come sit. Tell me what has happened to distress you so.”

Phoebe allowed Margaret to lead her to the chair, but mid-way there she exclaimed, “You are leaving?”

“Uh, no, I, uh…” Margaret stammered.

“Your bag is out, you are packing. Oh, please do not leave me cousin!” Phoebe wrapped her arms around Margaret and held on tightly whilst she continued to sob loudly. “I could not bear it if you left. Where are you going?”

Margaret dabbed at her cousin’s eyes with a handkerchief.

“There, there, I am not leaving. I…” She looked into her cousin’s red and swollen eyes. “Tell me what is the matter, Phoebe. Tell me at once.”

“Lord Montpelier has set our wedding date as October sixteenth. In stone, Margaret. It is set in stone. I am to marry the corpse-man!”

This time her sobs did awaken Lucy.

The maid came rushing into the room.

“What is wrong my Lady? Why is Lady Phoebe here? Lady Phoebe, why are you crying? What is going on?”

Margaret looked at her sleepy-eyed maid.

“Lucy, your line of inquiry is much too much.”

“But my Lady I only…” Lucy’s eyes glanced at the bag sitting atop the bed and then her eyes bounced back to her mistress’s face. She announced, “There is definitely something afoot.”

Margaret and Phoebe stared mutely into each other’s face, then they both commenced sobbing at once. Try as she might, Lucy could not console the two young women. Neither of them told her why they were crying, but in between their sobs they muttered such things as, “Set in stone… lost forever… bound forever”.

A sharp knock at the door brought their sobs to an abrupt halt. Lucy went to the door, grumbling under her breath

“Now what is it at this ungodly hour? Who goes there?”

“I have brought a message back from His Grace of Saltonbury for Lady Margaret.”