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Chapter 10
“A picnic,” Lady Rachel said, finishing the grand announcement she had mentioned, looking between each of them at the table. Charlotte certainly appeared pleased, but Mary was dubious.
“A picnic?” Mary’s father asked, barely glancing up from the paper in his hands.
“Yes! Of course! It would be ideal. We shall have a grand time and we will invite only the most prestigious of guests. I expect that there will be a great many people who will desire to come, but we must ensure that we are showing only the grandest of our acquaintances.
Anyone who might impress. What say you, Henry? Are you ready to present this family as we deserve? Do you think that we might have the chance to show just how grand we are? I would hate to think that we are not doing our absolute best to ensure that society knows who we are,” Lady Rachel said, going on and on about her plans.
But Mary simply sat there, much like her father. She understood the importance of events like this one, but she did not wish to be forced into this role that Lady Rachel desired for her.
It was very difficult to try and show herself as something she was not. She didn’t like to be false, and this was a time when she would have to pretend that everything was perfect and lovely at home; while they were surrounded by so many people, she would need to speak highly of her stepmother.
“If you insist upon it, my dear, I suppose we shall have to do so,” Mary’s father said.
“Wonderful. Now, there is a matter which must be addressed, unfortunately,” Lady Rachel said, continuing.
“Yes, of course there is,” Mary’s father said.
“That is the fact of Mary’s behaviour at the ball. Now, I do not wish to alarm anyone, but I expect that I shall be inviting Lord Hanbrooke and he was the man Mary danced with,” she said.
“Lord Hanbrooke?” Mary’s father asked, looking up from the paper with interest this time. He was clearly intrigued.
“Yes, indeed. The very Lord Hanbrooke who is worth a fortune,” she replied.
“But you told me that Mary danced with some strange man we knew nothing about. Lord Hanbrooke may keep to himself, but he is a good man. And you think of him as worthy to invite to this party,” Mary’s father said, clearly confused by Lady Rachel’s previous discontent.
“Yes, yes, I know. But listen and allow me to explain. You see, I was concerned before because Mary’s behaviour was shocking at the ball. We did not know then that he was a duke or that he was even a decent gentleman.
At the time, I was very concerned for the safety of your daughter as well as her lack of thought in dancing with a man she did not know,” Lady Rachel began, scarcely acknowledging that Mary was even present.
“As it was, I managed to fix things. I spoke with him that evening, found out who he was, and later I was able to find out that he was a reasonable man.
It took me a few days to ensure that I had heard rightly about him and now I am relieved that Mary chose to dance with him as opposed to a man of far less character, but it may not have happened with such fortune. Anyway, that is all beside the point,” she said.
Mary was frustrated, listening to her stepmother spinning the circumstances so that it seemed as if she had simply been lucky that she had not agreed to dance with a charlatan instead of a duke.
As though she would not be careful enough to ensure that she had chosen a decent man. But her father was listening to his wife and there was nothing that Mary could do.
“Now, as for the picnic, we need to keep an eye on Mary. I should hate for the Duke to come under the wrong impression since you were so willing to dance with him despite the fact that he had not spoken with me first and that you did not know him prior. I fear that he may have a very poor opinion of you now,” Lady Rachel said.
Mary had said nothing of the ride two days prior and she was glad that Miss Anne had not mentioned it either. It was a small mercy to know that Lady Rachel and Charlotte were not privy to everything and that they had no reason to be more concerned after Mary’s opportunity to spend some time with Lord Hanbrooke.
If they had been made aware of that, they would have been furious with her—even more than usual.
“I am to be monitored?” Mary asked, trying to maintain an even tone.
“You mustn’t behave as though it is such a tragedy, Mary. It is for your own good and we are simply looking out for you. I want to be sure that you are given every good chance to succeed and that may only happen if you are trusted by the proper members of society. We need to give you a solid reputation if you are to be desired,” Lady Rachel insisted.
“Father…” Mary began.
But he silenced her with a single look and then gave a nod to her stepmother.
“You must listen to her, Mary. She knows what is best and I believe that you, as well, need to understand that there are a great many things which will benefit you if you only listen and do what you are told.
I know that society can be difficult, but you are so fortunate to have someone looking out for you. She simply wants to ensure that you are treated well and that you may find a suitor who is able to look after you as well,” he said.
Mary wished she could plead with him and tell him how miserable she was under the guidance of Lady Rachel, but it would surely fall on deaf ears. She could never convince him to watch closely enough to see what was really happening.
