“I do not care about his position in society,” Henrietta said. “I just don’t want an arranged marriage with my cousin.”
“Second cousin,” Marjorie reminded her. “That does make a difference.”
“Does it?”
“Perhaps once I make an auspicious match, the gossips will leave you be and you can resume your place in society.”
Henrietta ran her fingers over the ribbon. “If I am lucky, Mother and Father will send me to our country estate for the remainder of the Season.”
“Is that what you wish?”
“It is.”
Marjorie sighed. “We were supposed to have such fun together this Season,” she declared, “but that was before you fell off your horse.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I know, but it couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because Lady Rochester was in Hyde Park and witnessed the whole thing,” Marjorie informed her.
Henrietta let out a groan. “Lady Rochester is the worst gossip of them all.”
“Precisely.”
“How did you discover that she was there?”
“When we were walking down Bond Street, Mrs. Johns stopped us and offered her sympathies,” Marjorie said. “She informed us that Lady Rochester has been talking about nothing else since yesterday.”
“That is most unfortunate.”
“It is,” Marjorie agreed, “especially since Lady Rochester cannot abide Mother. I have no doubt that she is enjoying this tasty piece of gossip.”
Her mother stepped into the room and said, “I can assure you that the feeling is mutual.”
“Why do you two despise each other?” Henrietta asked.
“It all started when we first made our debut in Society,” her mother revealed as she came to sit by Marjorie.
“That long ago?” Marjorie asked.
Her mother frowned. “It wasn’t that long ago,” she said. “I was the diamond of the first water. I was dignified, poised, and well-spoken. Lady Rochester was not. She was envious of me from the moment we stepped into our first ballroom.”
“We both set our caps at your father,” her mother continued, “and it wasn’t long before he started showing me favor.”
“Lady Rochester still did well for herself,” Henrietta said.
Her mother huffed. “Only because she trapped her husband into marriage.”
“How so?”
“Lady Rochester and her mother conspired together so she could marry Lord Rochester, and she snuck into his room while they were at a house party,” her mother shared.
“She snuck into his room?” Henrietta asked in disbelief.
Her mother bobbed her head. “When he discovered her there, Lady Rochester made such a scene that it woke up the entire household. He had no choice but to marry her. It was the only honorable thing to do.”
