For a long moment, no one said anything. The sisters were all looking down now, none at her, which only made Emery more uncomfortable.They are just like him,she realized suddenly.Steel traps of impenetrability.
At last, Lady Leah looked up. “Shall we have tea?”
Emery, surprised by this response, merely nodded, and watched as Leah rang for tea. No one said anything after this, and silence reigned for several minutes, until the tea arrived. Once it was setin front of them, Leah leaned forward to pour it, then hesitated. She glanced up at Emery.
“Forgive me. This is your house now. Would you like to pour the tea, Y-your… Grace?”
Emery could see it was difficult for her to say the words, and she felt herself blush in shame.Who am I to take over this house and act as if I am its mistress? I don’t belong here.
“You can do it,” she said, leaning back on the divan. “I’m quite tired after the day’s events.”
Leah nodded and began to pour the tea. She was very good at it, Emery had to admit. She looked as if she had been trained by the finest governess imaginable.She’s much better than I am,Emery thought, rueful again.She’s clearly been trained up to impress gentlemen of theton, whereas I never had to be trained because I was just shoved off on Henry. I didn’t have to impress anyone.
Once the tea was poured, Leah handed cups to each of them. Each sister politely sipped their tea, fingers out, without making any impolite sounds or spilling a drop. They didn’t even blow on the tea, nor did their eyes fill with tears when it was too hot.
Gosh, they really are good,she thought depressingly.They’re the ones that should be duchesses; not me.
Eve’s stomach rumbled at that moment, and her eyes slid over to the cakes in the middle of the food tray. However, when she did reach for food, it was for a small cucumber sandwich, which she ate delicately, nibbling on the ends, before setting down, unfinished.
“You know, you can eat as much as you want if you’re hungry,” Emery said. Eve stared at her as if uncomprehending, then looked at Leah, who sighed and shook her head.
“Ladies do not stuff their faces at teatime,” she said, setting her cup down. “It’s important Eve learns that now, before she is out in Society.”
“Who taught you that?” Emery asked. “Your mother?”
“Our mother died when we were very young, so she never got the chance,” Leah explained. “It was Lucien who taught us this.”
Of course. If Emery remembered correctly, Lady Eve had only been one or two when her parents had died. Of course the girls had been raised primarily by their brother.
Instead of answering, she reached across the table, took a cake from the middle, and put the whole thing in her mouth. Slowly, she chewed it, savoring every flavor and sensation, even closing her eyes as its deliciousness washed over her. When she opened them again, all three sisters were staring at her. Leah looked horrified, Eve in awe, and Celeste appraising.
“You can eat as little as you want when you’re out in Society in London,” Emery said to Eve, after she’d swallowed. “But when you’re here at home, I hope you will eat as much as you want. Food is meant to be appreciated and enjoyed.”
Eve glanced again at Leah, as if unsure which of them to believe, then nodded, but she didn’t reach for a cake.
Emery sighed. “So… are any of you going to ask what happened today? Why Henry and I didn’t marry?”
“It’s not really any of our business,” Leah said at once, though not unkindly.
Celeste shifted slightly, and Emery could tell she was curious. But she said nothing.
“The Duke compromised me and I was forced to marry him,” she said, just to see if they’d react with shock, but when all three of them continued to stare at her with bland politeness, she sighed and shook her head.
“Of course the Duke didn’t compromise me. But I must say--I’m impressed. Even a confession of such a scandalous nature did not break your defenses.”
“Our… defenses?” Leah asked, her brow knitting together slightly.
“Yes, your defenses.” Emery raised an eyebrow. “Do you not think you have defenses?”
Celeste fidgeted again.
“We are just being proper young ladies,” Eve said after a moment, sounding uncertain.
“Proper young ladies do not pry,” Leah agreed, although for a moment, a look of doubt crossed her face.
“I hardly think it’s prying to ask your new sister-in-law why she came home with the wrong husband!” Emery nearly laughed. For the first time, she was beginning to see the humor in this situation, even if it was dark humor. The Duke’s sisters had been so clearly trained--dare she say brainwashed?--in the kind of propriety he wished she had that they seemed devoid of all personality or curiosity!
“Well, since you won’t pry, I’ll just tell you,” Emery concluded, looking between the three sisters. “You’ll know soon enough anyway. Henry has--”
