But Marjorie had already left, so Ellen quickly adjusted herself and ran to find her. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and she could not possibly imagine what Marjorie would do. She managed to catch Marjorie just before she entered the ballroom.
“I know what you’re going to say, but before you do, I can explain. Please do not tell anybody,” Ellen said quickly.
Marjorie shook her head vehemently. “He cannot take advantage of you like that, Ellen. Do you not understand?”
“He was not taking advantage of me, Marjorie, I wanted it too.”
Marjorie gasped. “So, this has been happening for a long time?” Ellen nodded guiltily.
“Ellen! Does this mean, you are…you are—”
Ellen hurried to assure her. “No, we haven’t done anything like that, but oh, Marjorie, sometimes I wish we could.”
“What happened tonight cannot happen again, Ellen; do you understand that? Or at least not in public. It is too risky! And you should know better.”
“I know; I know. I am sorry. Promise you won’t tell anyone.”
Marjorie sighed. “If I was going to tell anyone Ellen, you would not have caught up to me.”
“Oh! Thank you! Thank you!”
“Don’t thank me, Ellen. To be honest, it’s because I understand where you’re coming from.”
Ellen felt her eyes widen. What did Marjorie mean by that?
“What it is Marjorie? You can tell me.”
“I have been having an affair with Andrew.”
“You mean Lord Cullingham? Is he not newlywed to Lady Harriet?”
“No, no, not Cullingham.”
“Lord Dexter then.”
“Not him either,” Marjorie replied nervously.
“Then, I am certain it is Lord Mayfair. Which I do think is terrible taste on your part, but I won’t be judging you.”
Marjorie looked down at her feet. “It is not Lord Andrew Mayfair. Ellen, I have been having an affair with your brother, Andrew.”
There was a brief moment when neither of them said anything, and Ellen tried to get a bearing on her surroundings. “But you hate each other!” she gasped.
Marjorie smiled ruefully. “Yes, we cannot stand each other. But our passion has overridden our dislike for each other—”
“Oh Marjorie, you’re in love with him. You have been in love with him all this time?”
Marjorie nodded. “I have been in love with him all this time”
“I realize that my brother is thick-headed, but surely he must have some sort of feelings for you as well.”
“That may be true, but—”
“But what?”
“Your brother is not too keen on marriage. I do not know why. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s his freedom, maybe it’s your mother.”
Ellen noticed that Marjorie said the last part wistfully. In truth, it would not surprise her if Andrew had not asked for Marjorie’s hand because of how Mama would react. There was absolutely no way that Selina Bamber would accept Marjorie as the Duchess of Grant. They were two entirely different people in all the unappealing ways that two different people often clashed.
