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“Wilhelmina,” Mabel chided. “It is not your place to ask things like that. This is Lord Carson. He owns Terrell House.”
Wilhelmina threw her a dark look but dutifully dipped into a brief curtsey even though her face remained a mask of cold contempt. Cedrick bowed so swiftly that it was over in a blink. Ryan barely threw the young man a second look. His gaze remained locked on the source of the forthcoming trouble; the rotund woman before him.
“I didn’t realise that you needed so much company while you were recuperating,” Wilhelmina began, piercing Sian with a beady eyed glare.
“I didn’t realise that it was any of your concern,” Mabel countered.
Ryan sighed. He eyed his front door but then didn’t want to invite Wilhelmina inside. It was best everyone remain outside where it was easy for them to leave Wilhelmina and her sidekick if they upset everyone too much. Still, he wished they had returned just a few minutes earlier, in time to be able to avoid this confrontation.
“How can we help you?” Ryan interjected before an argument could break out between the warring women.
“I am here to collect the family. Arthur has said they are all to return home at once,” Wilhelmina announced, glaring balefully at her relations.
“Why hasn’t he come to tell them himself? This is a family matter,” Ryan asked quietly.
“I am family. Arthur is a very busy man, as I am sure you are aware. He has business matters to attend to and doesn’t have the time or the intention of pandering to feminine tantrums.”
“I beg your pardon?” Mabel cried. “Feminine tantrums, did you say?”
“If Arthur wants us back then he is to come and tell us himself,” Sian interrupted.
“Like I have said, your father is too busy,” Wilhelmina reported. “Can we discuss this privately?”
She eyed Ryan as if to suggest that he shouldn’t be privy to their conversation. Sian remained where she was.
“Anything you have to say can be said in front of Ryan,” Mabel informed her pertly.
“Ryan, is it? Where are your manners?” Wilhelmina’s voice dripped scorn.
“Look, it is up to me to decide what people call me. I have informed Mabel and her daughters that they can call me by my first name. Now, I think they have made it clear that they are staying here for the time being. If Arthur does require them to return home, I am interested to know where he intends for them to stay because there isn’t the room for all of you.”
“I am sure you don’t need to get yourself involved in the family’s domestic affairs,” Wilhelmina countered. “I am just the messenger. Arthur has said that they
are to cease these feminine tantrums immediately and return home where they belong. They have inveigled themselves upon you enough.”
“But there is nowhere for them to stay seeing as you have taken – Lucinda’s room?” He threw an askance look at Lucinda who nodded.
“Well, she is perfectly able to share with Sian and Mabel.” Wilhelmina’s voice was rife with impatience.
Ryan didn’t miss the dark glare Wilhelmina threw Lucinda. “And sleep where exactly? On the floor?”
“Enough of this nonsense,” Wilhelmina snapped, ignoring him. “You are to pack your things and come home at once. All of you. This is not doing the family’s reputation any good. You don’t belong here. If you want me to be honest in front of the lord, there are rumours going around the village about your presence here.”
“What rumours?” Ryan demanded. “I have been in the village only yesterday as a matter of fact, and everyone was fine. Norman goes into the village daily. I am sure that if my good friend had heard anything he would have told me, and he hasn’t mentioned hearing anything. Besides, what happens in my home is nothing to do with any scurrilous gossips, and I should appreciate you not encouraging idle chatter about matters that don’t concern you.”
“I am merely stating what I have heard,” Wilhelmina countered, doing her best to soften her stance but failing miserably.
“There is no room at the house for us anymore,” Mabel replied, softening her own stance in deference to the uncomfortable position Ryan was now in.
He had warring females on his front driveway, arguing for the servants to hear about who was going to stay at the house. It was humiliating, and not the kind of behaviour one would expect of a family who would, hopefully, be a part of Ryan’s life on a more permanent basis one day. It wasn’t fair on Sian to have to start her ladyship of the house on a bad footing because she was linked to such crude behaviour.
“I think it would be best if you went back to town so you can oversee the repairs to your house personally. You, Cedrick, need to go home to your - family. I am sure you will appreciate that the accommodation at Arthur’s house is not that large, and certainly not suitable for guests to stay long-term. Whatever Wilhelmina has said to you, Cedrick, it is inconvenient for you to stay. I suggest you pack your things and leave.” Mabel’s voice was brisk and businesslike but no less condemning.
“How dare you disinvite him?” Wilhelmina spat, turning on Mabel with a venom that made Ryan step protectively in front of Sian’s mother.
“He wasn’t invited in the first place,” Martha argued. “Neither were you for that matter, Wilhelmina. You just turned up uninvited, and rudely brought him along without any consideration to the people who already lived there.”
“She has no place else to go,” Ryan suddenly announced to the group.
