Catherine had been sipping her wine. “It was pure serendipity. Although I do wish you would have included me in your scheme. When he told me of meeting a lady, and I worked out that it was probably Henrietta”—Catherine took another drink of wine—“It was a bad moment.”
“Fate.” The duchess nodded. “We could not have done a better job ourselves.”
“As I recall”—Cordelia glanced at her mother—“you had rejected one idea after another. Yet the way it happened, they both knew almost instantly the other’s best points.”
“Yes.” Catherine had been so worried it would come to nothing, and her son’s heart would be broken. “I was scared to death that their chance meeting would not work out.”
“She wrote to me immediately, asking me to come directly to Town.” The duchess chuckled. “I thought something had gone horribly wrong.”
“It would have been more helpful if you had told me when you first got your idea about the two of them,” Catherine repeated.
“I am sorry about that.” Her old friend gave her a regretful look. “I should have done so. If I had had any idea they would meet accidently, I would have. I had been sharing your letters with Cordelia, and she agreed Fotherby had turned into the perfect gentleman for Harriett.”
Cordelia glanced at Catherine. “What will you do now? Is there a Dower House? Where will you stay when you come to Town, or will you?”
This was always the problem when one’s eldest son, the heir married. “Your mother and I have decided to go traveling. I have never been to the Continent. I’ll make more decisions when we return.”
“Yes.” The duchess reached over and patted Catherine’s arm. “We will not go too far afield for a while. You will want to be there for the birth of your first grandchild.” “I will indeed. I hope they get around to it soon.”
Cordelia laughed. “If they have not already.”
Catherine’s jaw dropped. “They would not have. They cannot have. I have been very careful.”
The other woman just grinned. “Where there is a will, there is a way. I have a feeling there was a lot of will on both their sides.”
She sat back in her chair and poured another glass of champagne. “Well, I am certainly not going to ask.”
Cordelia and her mother went into peals of laughter.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
The three days after Henrietta’s parents had arrived were frantic. Final fittings had to be done, they had borrowed luggage from Dorie and Alex because it was too late to order their own. Fortunately Henrietta had been correct that Alex and Nate had worked out the details of the wedding trip. As far as she was concerned, the dinner with family and friends was better than any ball could have been. Best of all was that Nate had been accepted by everyone.
Now, today, she was to marry the gentleman of her dreams.
She was awake before Spyer had entered the room with tea, toast, and a baked egg. “I thought you might need something more substantial this morning.” She hummed as she brought out the gown Henrietta would wear for her wedding.
She held up her teacup. “You are happy this morning.”
“Of course I am, miss.” Her dresser blushed. “You will soon be Lady Fotherby and we will be on our way to Paris.”
Hmm. Somehow she did not think that was all of it. “I do hope you and Styles are getting along well. After all, you will be in fairly close quarters for the next month or more.”
Her dresser turned away, but not before she saw the color in the woman’s cheeks deepen. “That will be no problem at all. He is a very nice man.”
So that was the way the wind was blowing. “I’m so glad you think so. I agree. He is a very nice man.”
Spyer was dressing Henrietta’s hair when her mother, grandmother, Lady Fotherby, Dorie, Georgie, and Adeline strolled in, followed by Martha.
“Adeline! You did not even tell me you were coming.” Henrietta tried to jump up, but her maid’s hand was firmly on her shoulder, holding her down.
“I would not have missed it.” Her friend came over and pecked her cheek. “I finally told Fritz that I was going even if he was not.”
He did not want to see her wed? “Why didn’t he want to come?”
“Do you remember Gertrude, the cow I told you about?” Henrietta nodded. “She is getting ready to give birth. Ergo, we are here for your wedding and traveling directly back.”
Dorie clapped her hands. “Henrietta, we had to coordinate how we would do this.” Her friend smiled at Martha. “We will begin with you.”
