AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Well, at least a maid can be spared for someone else other than Louise. Rather a surprise.
Violet kept her thoughts to herself. Louise was the cherished daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Notley, and all their attention and money usually went to her.
Violet stepped back into the shadows of the corridor and peered around the edge of the doorframe, watching as her Aunt Deborah fluttered around the room with a scandal sheet in her hands. The lady’s maid hurried behind her, trying to proffer forward a necklace.
“It talks of the Marquess of Westmond,” Deborah said with a manic wave of her hand. She waved the scandal sheet so hard in the air, it was almost like a lady’s fan, fluttering at her cheeks. “The Marquess, though the younger brother of the Duke of Ashbury, is certainly the much talked of gentlemen of the season. With enough money to his own name and a vast country estate, he has caught more than one lady’s eye.’”
“Mrs. Notley, your necklace.” Mavis tried to offer the necklace another time, but Deborah was so caught up in her own words, she didn’t even seem to notice. Her pudgy hand lifted the scandal sheet another time as she continued to read.
“Whereas the Duke has earned a reputation for travel and can be seen in the corners of balls and assemblies, plainly eager to not be present, his brother is another man entirely. So many dances he has shared with young ladies this season that it is plain to observe his eye could be won by any lady discerning enough to have him. Will the Marquess of Westmond find a bride this season? This writer is sure to write of the gossip when she hears more.’”
Deborah ended her speech by closing up the scandal sheet. “Oh, Mavis, what a thing that could be for the girls.”
“The girls?” Mavis said in surprise, lowering the necklace on her palm.
“Oh, think faster, Mavis. You must realize I am thinking of one of the girls catching his eye. There are three young ladies under this roof that we must see wed.” Deborah crossed the room and threw the scandal sheet down on her dressing table before turning back to take the necklace from her maid.
Violet slowly crept closer to the door, to better listen to her aunt.
“Lord knows it will not be an easy task,” Deborah declared with a grimace. “My Louise is a beauty and has already charmed many a gentleman. Penelope may be a little plainer, but she has demureness I suppose. That will work in her favor. As for Violet, oh! My sister left me with a challenge when she bestowed Violet into my care.”
The words made Violet flinch and reach for the wall beside her. She planted a palm to the plaster, hating the way Deborah spoke.
It was hardly my mother’s choice to pass away, was it?
“That girl can speak without thinking. Heaven knows what some gentlemen think of her.”
“Yet she is a beauty, is she not, Mrs. Notley?” Mavis’ words were clearly unwelcome, for Deborah snatched a ring out of her maid’s hand and made her scurry back.
“I suppose she has a certain charm,” Deborah added reluctantly. “Yet the girls must marry. How can I not think of this Marquess of Westmond? So wealthy, so desired, and respected. Oh, imagine if he caught the eye of young Louise? What a happy thing that would be!” Deborah clapped her hands together in delight, making the extra fat on her arms jiggle.
Violet stepped back away from the door, creeping away on her tiptoes, yet she listened on, reluctant to disappear completely.
“Hear what else it has to say, Mavis.”
“What of your bracelet, Mrs –”
“Shh!” Deborah said firmly and returned to her scandal sheet. “Whichever lady turns her eye on the Marquess of Westmond might be in for a greater challenge than they thought. Allow me to warn any young lady readers out there, for though the Marquess can clearly be charmed by his smile, the older brother does not look so easy to charm. The Duke of Ashbury may have only recently returned from his travels, but he seems reluctant to let his younger brother dance with every lady at a ball.’ How troublesome,” Deborah continued on. “Well, with Louise’s charms, we must hope she can slip by this Duke.”
Violet crept away. Walking on the tiptoes of her shoes, she moved onto Louise’s room, though she paused outside of the door, not quite knocking, for she was deep in thought.
The Marquess of Westmond…
Here was an interesting prospect. Here was a man that was wealthy and had a country estate. It could be the perfect way to hide Penelope away from the worrisome gossip of the ton. With money to their names, Penelope would be well taken care of. Who would care then if she had a child? The rumors would struggle to travel far from the country, and they would have the fortune to care for the child.
“They could be happy,” Violet murmured to herself under her breath. “Penelope and the child… they could be happy.” She lowered her hand from where she had raised it to knock on the door and crossed to the nearest mirror on the landing.
Framed in gold with a beveled edge, the mirror reflected back her image. Violet fussed at her reflection a little. She brushed back the loose golden locks from her updo that framed her face, peering at the green eyes that stared back at her. She had never thought of herself as particularly pretty, rather plain in comparison to her sister, yet Mavis had described her as a beauty.
Violet had always found her green eyes were rather too large on her face, and her lips were far too plump. They were nothing like Penelope’s that were slim and had this habit of curling into an elegant smile.
Could it be possible for me to catch a gentleman’s eye?
She adjusted her Pomona green gown, so bold in color that it matched her eyes, then she tweaked a few of the golden gems in her hair. Once content with her appearance, she stepped back.
“This could work,” Violet muttered to herself. So caught up in her thoughts, she neglected to knock and call for Mary after all. She shot back across the corridor, hastening to her room, and bustled through the door.
She moved so fast that Penelope jumped on the other side, nearly dropping the chamber pot she had balanced in her lap.
