With the violent greetings came the comforting scent of lemon biscuits and lavender. She almost sobbed at how much she had missed those and what they represented: a loving home.
“Bring her inside before you all catch a chill!” Lady Marlow called from the house.
It truly felt like a homecoming. Madeline noticed the change as soon as she crossed the threshold into what felt like a different world. While Huntington House seemed like a showcase of wealth and class, her family home felt more alive. Its warmth came not only from the fire crackling in the hearth but also from the sweet aromas and lively conversations among loved ones.
Madeline’s heart ached as she entered the drawing room and felt the subtle signs of her family’s genteel poverty. She wished she could do more for her family, but it felt like a problem that would always be there, since her grandparents were already too old and charitable to a fault. And her father? She scoffed softly at the thought and shook her head.
Soon, they were all seated in the drawing room, enjoying a casual snack of rolls and butter. A tray was placed on the low table surrounded by soft, velvet chairs. Madeline could not help but think that this arrangement would not work in Huntington’s house’s formal setting. She tried to imagine lounging with Kenneth in the drawing room, eating cake. Her head hurt.
“Maddy, please pass the butter before Selina takes more for her third roll,” Portia said from across the table, her voice interrupting Madeline’s thoughts. “She should not be eating too much so close to dinner if she wishes to fit into her future wedding dress.”
“She has a point, Selina. Your betrothed is expected tonight for dinner, and we do not want him thinking of you as an overstuffed piglet,” Lady Marlow said as she took the rolls from Selina.
“Grandmama! I am merely providing myself with enough strength for wedding preparations,” Selina protested. “Also, my betrothed is busy, and he will not be able to make it, so he will send his brother in his stead. Anyway, I do not gain weight easily. I can eat everything and—”
“Do we need to hear all that?” Portia asked, not unkindly.
“Her wedding dress?” Madeline inquired, still caught up in that bit of information. “What have I missed?”
“Yes, our dear Selina has found a husband when she is barely out for her Season,” their Grandmama praised proudly. “They cannot help but notice how lovely our dear girl is. A duke, no less!”
“Selina, I am so happy for you!” Madeline exclaimed, truly happy for her sister, but also felt some anxiety about such sudden marriages. “But are you certain you have found the man for you?”
“I have read somewhere that you cannot truly know a person during courtship because they always put their best foot forward,” murmured Portia.
“Oh, Portia! Enough with those books of yours. If you have to lift a finger to make your own wedding happen, you will need more sustenance—”
“What? A loose fence?” asked Lord Marlow. He was peacefully eating his roll. Then, he realized he needed to hear more of the conversation. She pressed his ear trumpet close. “I had the west fence fixed the other day. That is not your business!”
Lady Marlow sighed softly. “Norman, she said nothing about the fence. You may now lower your contraption and focus on your food.” Then, she turned to Madeline, noticing how her visiting granddaughter had not eaten anything yet. “Now, you may be the one who needs sustenance. You are barely eating! Do you not like the cakes? I know it may not have the same sophistication as the ones at Huntington, but I am certain that we—”
“No, Grandmama, it is not that,” Madeline protested, forcing a tight smile. “I cannot eat anything too close to dinner. It is just... I have missed you all so much.”
“We have missed you, too, Maddy,” Portia said, her face softening as she watched her older sister closely. “We miss you playing the pianoforte. Do you get to play at Huntington House?”
“While the instruments are quite grand, I am still getting accustomed to being there at all. Even if I do play, His Grace is often occupied with his many responsibilities for the estate.”
“Men in such roles are always quite tedious during the Season,” Selina declared, as if she knew all about men at the age of eighteen. “But surely, he also needs time for recreation. What did he say when you told him you were coming for a visit? Did he beg you not to leave?”
Oh, if only that were the case.
“He was... understanding,” Madeline lied, tightening her grip on her cup. “He knows that I am happy visiting my family.”
“Ah. Then, he is a gentleman of the highest order,” Lady Marlow said, looking smug. “A practical man who gives you space is a blessing. A more emotional man would be overly possessive. He would want his bride by his side at all times.”
“Old times? Oh, I do recall how I never let you leave my side when we were newly married,” Lord Marlow said, his mouth full.
“See? Your grandpapa is proof enough of what I mean. You should be glad your husband is not like that,” Lady Marlow complained, but she also patted Lord Marlow on the shoulder.
Madeline simply nodded, trying to swallow feelings of guilt and irony. Kenneth did not love her and would not be as possessive as one might imagine a man would be toward his bride. She was simply there to sort out her feelings. Huntington Housewould clearly survive without her presence for a mere two days, especially with Malcolm sober.
She sipped her tea, letting her sisters’ loud chatter drown thoughts of Kenneth.
Later, while waiting for their guest to arrive for dinner, Portia and Selina went to their bedchambers to freshen up. Lord Marlow remained sitting in his favorite chair, the one near the crackling fire. He had been watching her all evening, and Madeline wondered why.
“Are you quite well, Grandpapa? It seems like you have been staring at me all day.”
Lord Marlow blinked, as if surprised. He hoisted his hearing instrument to his ear. “What is that you say, Madeline? You want a pear? You may get one, dear, but I am afraid I do not recommend it when dinner is almost upon us.”
