AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was partly amusing and partly annoying. Ellie just wished Lady Mansford would stop upsetting her granddaughter, though; being a first-time parent was hard enough without someone making comments about how she could lose the baby.
Why couldn’t she just be happy? Why did she have to pour cold water on everything? Emma had explained that there was no point in arguing. Her husband Andrew had kept his mother-in-law in line, but since his death, Lady Mansford had become more and more entitled. Emma wasn’t someone who dealt with such nonsense, but she felt it was easier to just go with the flow instead of arguing—especially with Madeline in her current state.
Ellie didn’t know how anyone had the patience for such a woman. She certainly didn’t, and she had only known her for a couple of hours.
“So, Eleanora,” Lady Mansford turned to her, “tell me about this ball Emma spoke about. When is it? It’s at Lord and Lady Yaxley’s house, did you say?”
“Yes, it’s tomorrow evening.” Ellie nodded at her aunt. “Emma said she would chaperone the three of us to meet new people and get settled with everyone.”
“Tomorrow, did you say?”
“Yes…”
Lady Mansford scoffed and shook her head.
“I don’t know how Emma is supposed to do that, seeing as she’s meant to be taking me to the theatre tomorrow.”
Ellie frowned. Regina looked confused.
“Emma never said anything about that, Aunt Diane.”
“Well, she and I are going to the theatre, and I won’t accept her going anywhere else.” Lady Mansford practically stuck her nose in the air. “I come first in this family. While you’re here, you’ll get to learn that, my dear. I only agreed with my nephew that I would let you stay here while you look for respectable husbands, but I didn’t say I would do anything more than that.”
“But Father said—” Ellie began, but she was cut off.
“I’m too old to chaperone you everywhere. And Emma is looking after me. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure something out.”
“But we can’t go out without chaperones,” Dorothea protested. “We would get into trouble.”
Lady Mansford shrugged. “I said I would put a roof over your heads, but as far as you going out… you’re on your own. I don’t know why your father didn’t send you with a chaperone. I did say that I wouldn’t be responsible for you beyond giving you a place to sleep.”
Regina and Dorothea had expressions that said they weren’t entirely sure what to think. Ellie glanced at Madeline, who simply gave her a slight shrug. It sounded like she had heard things like this before and was used to it. Ellie didn’t respond, focusing on her food instead.
She kept quiet until the end of dinner, when Emma had to help Lady Mansford up to her room. Ellie stood in the foyer and watched as the old woman got up the stairs with her daughter’s help, almost swatting at her with her cane. But Emma remained calm and composed. Ellie had no idea how she did it—she certainly couldn’t.
It made her relieved that her father never went after her with his cane when he was up and moving around.
Finally, Lady Mansford was out of sight, and Ellie saw her cousin’s shoulders slump as she came back into downstairs.
“At least she’ll be placated for now. Once she’s asleep, she’s dead to the world. In a manner of speaking.”
“Is it true about the theatre tomorrow evening?” Ellie asked. “You were meant to be going with her instead?”
“Of course not! I was planning to go with you to the ball. Unlike my mother, I promised your father that I would help. But Mother realised that she wouldn’t be able to monopolise my time, and so she created a situation where she could torment me.” Emma put a finger to her lips. “This is why I’m vague on details so I don’t have her trying to take over or make us do something else.”
“Fair point. But does this mean you’re going to have to go with her?”
“I’m afraid so.” Emma clasped Ellie’s hand. “I do apologise for this, Ellie, but it’s best that I humour her. I would have one of my daughters chaperone you instead, but Madeline’s the only one in London, and in her condition…”
“It’s fine, Emma.” Ellie managed a smile. “We’ll figure something out. It won’t hurt to miss one.”
“I did promise…”
“And after meeting Aunt Diane again, you don’t have to explain. We’ll think of something to do tomorrow evening instead.”
Emma still looked uncertain, but she nodded and squeezed Ellie’s fingers before she went into the drawing room. Ellie followed her, unsure how to think about the old lady with her sneaky ways to bother her daughter so much. Part of her was relieved that they had areason not to go, but then there was that small sliver that reminded her why they were in London in the first place.
God, this was a mess, and they hadn’t been in London a day.
