They rose to greet her and the duchess said, “Lady Ryland, how gracious of you to call during what I am certain is a busy time.”
Lady Ryland laughed and said, “If you mean the ball on the morrow, I can assure you that my husband has things well in hand. It is his evening, after all, and he has planned it down to the silverware.”
The duchess nodded. “He is a careful host. Carlson, do bring a tea tray in for Lady Ryland and Lady Isabel. I will leave the two young ladies to themselves, as I ought to write a note to Lady Rembly. And perhaps send flowers…or something.”
The duchess sailed from the room and Carlson sent a footman for a tray before closing the doors behind him.
“It really is very good of you to call, Lady Ryland,” Isabel said.
“Nonsense,” Lady Ryland said, “and you’d best call me Prudence. We, along with four other ladies, will be forever bound together as being the projects ofThe Society of Sponsoring Ladies.”
“It still is very kind,” Isabel said, “and do call me Isabel.” She had not yet made a female friend in London, and she found she missed the intimacy of exchanging given names and sharing confidences.
“Tell me, how does it go for you, and I will be astonished if there is not some upheaval to discuss. All of us projects have been settled through the most unlikely of situations.”
Isabel had not imagined that she would say what was really on her mind to such a new acquaintance, but the lady had all but said there must be a problem. She’d hinted that every one of the ladies sponsored by the society had encountered some difficulty. Of course, it would be such a relief to unburden herself and hear what another would say of it.
“I do not know how much of my circumstances you are aware of,” Isabel said. “My life with my father has been one of privation, as the estate does very poorly. In truth, I have never known what’s to happen next nor whether there will be adequate food on the table. As that has been my experience, I have vowed that I will make a sensible choice of a husband. A choice that is unassailable…so that I never have to fear such again.”
“That sounds entirely sensible,” Lady Ryland said. “So why do I have the feeling that there is something that disturbs you about that firm resolve?”
Isabel was silent for some moments, searching for just the right words to articulate the problem. Finally, she said, “I am afraid that my head is all firm resolve, but my heart leans in another direction.”
“Ah, your heart leans toward someone not so unassailable.”
“Yes.”
The drawing room doors opened, and Carlson and a footman came through with the tea trays.
Isabel and Lady Ryland were silent until the tea things were laid and the doors shut once more.
As Isabel poured the tea, Lady Ryland said, “I will presume your heart does not lean toward some sort of jackanapes or somebody society would shun?”
“Goodness no!” Isabel said. “The leaning is toward a gentleman. A fine gentleman in fact, who will inherit a title. But his circumstances are not as…predictable as I would wish. They are not for certain safe. At least, they are at this moment, but I cannot be absolutely sure of what the future might hold.”
Lady Ryland nodded and said, “Only you can decide of course. However, I will just say that I resisted my own heart’s inclinations out of fear.”
“Fear of Lord Ryland? But he is a marquess. I would have imagined his circumstances very secure.”
“Oh yes,” Lady Ryland said laughing. “He will never be short of money and will always have a place in society.”
“But then—”
“It was not his circumstances I feared. I was afraid of losing myself in marriage. From a past experience, I was terrified of marrying a gentleman who would be forceful and take over my opinions. Therefore, I came to Town fully resolved to look for a lamb, and Lord Ryland is rather more like a lion.”
“I see,” Isabel said slowly. “How did you decide to change your mind?”
“I did not really decide—I was in love and that was all there was to it. As it turns out, I was right about him. He is forceful and irascible, and he takes orders from nobody. That is, nobody except me. He is an absolute lamb with me. I had to take a leap of faith to find it out, though.”
“So you are happy?”
“Exceedingly so,” Lady Ryland said. “All I say is, remember that it is all well and good to use your mind and be sensible, but fighting your heart is a difficult matter. A heart is not the weak creature you might imagine it to be.”
This was not the sort of thing Isabel wished to hear. She would have been buoyed in her confidence if Lady Ryland had agreed that she must think only of safety.
“Goodness,” Lady Ryland said, eyeing Lord Lymington’s bouquet, “that is…original.”
“Lord Lymington sent them,” Lady Isabel said, “we are hoping he does not know what they mean.”
