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CHAPTER SEVEN
Sissy opened the door several days later to find Morgan’s mother, Alicia, on the doorstep. Dipping into a curtsey, Sissy tried to keep her face impassive and not worry about why the woman had called upon them so unexpectedly.
‘How are you, Sissy?’ Alicia asked as she stalked elegantly into the room.
‘I am fine, thank you,’ Sissy replied as she closed the door.
‘It’s wonderful to see you. My, we are blessed, aren’t we Sissy?’ Norma cried, clearly delighted at having a guest, especially one so esteemed.
‘I came to see how you were doing,’ Alicia explained as she perched elegantly on the edge of a seat before the fireplace.
‘Oh, we are as well as can be expected, aren’t we, Sissy?’ Norma replied. ‘I apologise for not attending the ball. I hope it didn’t inconvenience you too much.’
Alicia smiled at Sissy, who hovered uncertainly at her aunt’s elbow.
‘I will make tea,’ Sissy announced before disappearing into the kitchen.
Alicia watched her go with far more lively interest than she ever had before. It was enough to make Norma a little uncertain about why the woman had chosen to call upon them.
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‘I take it everything went well?’ Norma asked, trying to draw Alicia’s attention back to her.
Alicia jerked out of her thoughts and stared blankly at Norma. ‘Yes, it was fine, thank you. We had a full house.’ She struggled to know what to say. At a time when conversation needed to be free flowing, Alicia had too many thoughts going through her head to know which subject to broach first. ‘We are having a small dinner party next week. I would be delighted if you and Sissy could join us. It is just going to be a few friends. I can send a carriage to come and fetch you.’
Norma opened her mouth to accept. She would have loved nothing better, but the memory of the day that Sissy had been deluged in water by one of Morgan’s friends and then scorned made her hesitate.
‘I don’t know what our diary is for next week. Thursday, did you say?’ She clutched at her pearls with gnarled fingers and looked hesitantly at the kitchen door.
Sissy, having heard the conversation while she had been preparing a tea tray, tried to think of an excuse but her mind was blank. The second that Alicia had mentioned dinner she had immediately thought of Morgan and had been unable to contemplate anything beyond that. It was annoying, disconcerting, and more than a little worrying because she so desperately wanted - needed - to see him even though she knew it was wrong.
‘Sissy, dear? What are we doing next Thursday?’ Norma called.
‘We were going into town to do some shopping and won’t be back before tea-time,’ Sissy replied.
‘Oh, but there will be plenty of time for you to get changed and be at ours for dinner, won’t there?’ Alicia pressed.
She saw the look the women shared but struggled to read it. Sissy’s face revealed nothing of her inner thoughts. It was a calm mask of politeness. Alicia opened her mouth to press her advantage home when there was another knock on the door.
Sissy jerked in surprise. The tea tray rattled alarmingly. Again, her thoughts immediately turned to Morgan. Carefully sliding the tea tray onto the table between the women, she hurried to the front door. Her breath left her in a whoosh of disappointment when she found Mr Lauden, their landlord, on the doorstep.
‘Hello? Mr Lauden. I-I-’ Sissy threw a worried look at Norma, and reluctantly stepped back. ‘Come on in.’
Both Sissy and Norma stared at their landlord, who sauntered into the room and promptly bowed when he saw Alicia.
‘Oh, please forgive me. I didn’t realise you had company,’ he began with another bow at Alicia. He was so pleased to see her that he promptly ignored Norma and Sissy who were used to the slight given their lower social status. ‘And such refined company it is.’
Alicia, who also noticed the man’s inattentiveness to Norma and Sissy, suddenly decided she didn’t like him. The only people she had ever seen be so dismissive to others had been the guests at the ball with Morgan’s staff.
Servants are dismissed that way not my connections, she thought in contempt.
‘Shall I pour?’ Alicia offered when a heavy silence settled over the room, doing her best to be as dismissive of him.
Norma continued to flick the pearls at her neck, the only outward sign that she was worried. ‘Is everything all right, Mr Lauden?’ She looked at Sissy enquiringly. ‘We have paid the rent, haven’t we, dear?’
‘We always pay the rent on time,’ Sissy replied smoothly.
‘No. No. It is nothing to do with that. You are fine tenants, and that is a fact. The rent is paid,’ Mr Lauden announced. ‘I just came to inform you that I intend to sell the property. My dearest wife is not well, as I am sure you have heard. Well, she has gotten considerably worse and has been advised by the doctor that taking the sea air might help her with her breathing.’
