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The door opened, and Arnaud came in, holding a calling card. She went to Lady Dunley with a bemused frown.
“My Lady, there is a Lady Blythcourt at the door. She’s accompanied by a Lady Hester.” She handed the card to her mistress. “They say they’re relatives of yours.”
“Oh, Lady Blythcourt is.” Lady Dunley frowned. “But I asked them to visit once we were settled in, not the morning after.”
“Do you want me to send them away?”
“No, Arnaud, that would be unkind. Ask them to go into the morning room. We’ll just finish our breakfast.”
Arnaud curtsied and left the room. Isabel frowned.
“Lady Blythcourt is a relative? Have I met her?”
“When you were very little. Elizabeth Blythcourt spends her time between London and Carlisle. She doesn’t venture much, if at all, towards Devon. I asked her if she could help me train you as she knows London Society better than I do.” Lady Dunley shook her head. “I was hoping she would allow us to settle in more first.”
“Shall we go to them now, then?”
“No, dear, just eat your breakfast. It’s too early to be calling, anyway.” Lady Dunley cut into her bacon. “I will warn you, though, that while Lady Blythcourt means well and she knows what she’s talking about, she can be a little overbearing. Just make sure that you don’t let her get too close as she’s quite a tall woman.”
“Is she always overbearing?”
“Not in a bad way, but it can come off the wrong way with people.”
Isabel picked up her coffee cup.
“Does she know about our situation?” she asked. “The exact details, that is.”
Lady Dunley sighed.
“I’m afraid she does. Even if I’d kept it quiet, it would have made its way through Society. Something like that won’t be kept quiet for long.”
“So, how am I supposed to find a husband who knows we’re broke? Nobody’s going to want to marry me if they know that I’ve got practically nothing to my name.” Isabel scowled. “It makes what we’re doing training me feel rather superfluous.”
“I think we’re going to be fine. And not all gentlemen are going to look at you and see money.” Her mother’s mouth twitched. “I can see young men finding you very attractive. You might even find someone who wants you for love, and that would be advantageous to you as well.”
“But …”
“Do you want to be in a marriage where you and your husband aren’t getting on?”
“Of course not.”
“Then a loving marriage would work. I’m sure there’s a gentleman out there who will take one look at you and want to marry you regardless of your social status.” Lady Dunley sighed. “As long as he doesn’t lie to you. That is a recipe for disaster.”
Isabel knew her mother was thinking about her own husband. They had married for love, and they had married young. Lady Dunley had given her heart to her husband for more than half her life. It was all she had ever known. To have that ripped away and to know she had been lied to for a long time had to be painful.
Isabel didn’t want that for herself.
Then she found her thoughts drifting towards Richard, and her mood dipped a little. She hadn’t seen him since he had rescued her from falling in the river. And she hadn’t been able to accept his calling card, not after the shock of finding out her father had squandered everything they had. Isabel didn’t want Richard looking at them with pity.
Richard wouldn’t have judged her for her father’s actions. He probably wouldn’t have cared except to be certain that she was safe and secure; he was a good friend like that, and it was appreciated. But Isabel was too ashamed. She couldn’t bring herself to be around him; otherwise, the situation would have been more overwhelming.
She hadn’t even said goodbye. Maybe she should have done.
Isabel made a mental note to find time during the day to write a letter to Richard. She could, at least, give him an explanation. Maybe this time they would be able to write to each other, or Isabel would see Richard when he came to London. It would be nice to see a familiar face.
She was going to need a friend while she went through what would feel like torture.
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