Page 44 of Miss Ashbury and the Anatomy of Mending a Heart

Vera stammered, “This…this is for me?”

“I certainly hope so,” Percy said. “Otherwise we’ve wasted a perfectly good bellow.”

Adelaide jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. Her soft-waisted gown barely hid the condition that had brought them back early from their honeymoon.

“Happy birthday, Vera.” Candace rushed forward to kiss her cheeks. “I can’t believe you never told me the date.”

“Ridiculous girl.” Jacqueline nodded her agreement. “Trying to keep such a thing from us.”

Vera didn’t have time to contest the statement—she was passed around and hugged and greeted. Even Stephen stepped forward to tell her happy birthday and give her an enigmatic look.

They were seated. Candace ended up on Vera’s right, and by some odd twist, Stephen sat on her left.

“How did you know my birthday was today?” Vera murmured to Candace.

There was a foolish fluttering of hope within her heart that perhaps her mother had written to inquire after Vera, that perhaps her family was softening toward her.

Candace nodded toward Stephen, who was distracted by the footman serving the first course. “The baron invited us. I’m not sure how he found out.”

“My brother told me,” Stephen said a moment later. Apparently, he hadn’t been as distracted as he appeared.

“Oh.” Vera smoothed the linen napkin that lay over her lap. “Well, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He dipped a nod and smiled.

Vera turned her head and blinked at her plate, discomfited. What was he on about, inviting people to celebrate her birthday? It was difficult to reconcile the action with Stephen—this was a decidedly kind gesture.

Unless it wasn’t. Unless he means to embarrass me in some way.

Vera frowned at the thought, but it was impossible. None of her friends would agree to such a scheme. Even if Stephen stood, rang a spoon against his glass, and told the entire sordid truth—that her family had disowned her—Candace would still be her friend. So would Jacqueline. Percy would most likely toast her on principle—the marquess enjoyed anything that was a bit out of the norm, societally speaking.

“How did you find India?” the Duke of Canterbury was asking Stephen. “My friend Lord Cavendish spent a great deal of time there. I wonder if you ever met him?”

“Not that I recall, though that’s not so surprising. The Company has several physicians on staff in Calcutta. I mostly helped the natives of the country.”

“Ah. How was your return home?”

Stephen answered the question, but Vera didn’t catch it—Candace touched her arm to gain her attention and asked, “Have you heard that Dahlia is to come and stay with Adelaide for awhile?”

“Is she?” Vera smiled across the table at the new marchioness, who was listening. “You must be delighted to have your sister in the house.”

Adelaide shifted in her chair. “I feel a bit guilty, pulling her from the society of town like this, but I’m thrilled to have the company. She’s going to stay for at least a month.”

“I’m sure she’s happy to come. When does she arrive?”

“Within the week, if the weather holds. Percy’s sent the carriage.”

“What of Hannah and Rachel?” Candace asked.

“They’ve been invited to accompany the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire to their country estate. We truly thought they’d come and stay with us, but with the baby on the way…”

She trailed off awkwardly, and Vera understood. It was a rule of society that expectant mothers were shuttered away, closed off from all but their closest friends and family until their child arrived. It was a topic few felt comfortable speaking of, and even Adelaide’s presence at dinner tonight would have raised more than a few society maven’s eyebrows.

But Vera was very happy she’d come. “I’m sure they’re excited to meet your child.”

Adelaide nodded, the light returning to her eyes. “They are. Though I think at the moment, they’re far more excited to see the duke’s estate, Chatsworth. The duchess has promised they’ll get to help her bake for the village, and Hannah is ecstatic to learn. Rachel’s just excited about the library.”

“I’m glad to hear she still enjoys reading as much as ever.”