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“We do not expect company on Sundays, as a rule,” Theo said. “It is the servants’ day off, and—”
“Do you mean there is no one to help us take our luggage to our room?”
Such selfishness. Theo rolled her lips inward to keep the observation inside.
Mama cast Theo a swift look, before lifting her hands helplessly. “My dear. We were not expecting you, and it seems there may be some trouble, as, well, dear Becky is in your room—”
“Oh!” Seraphina exclaimed, petulance twisting her mouth. “Very well, then. The spare room will work, I suppose.”
“But—” Mama’s hands wrung as her eyes pleaded with Theo.
“But we have a guest installed in there already,” Theo interposed.
“Well! Move them on. I am back, and my husband and I need a room to stay in.”
“The other guest chamber is available.” Mama glanced over to where Roger stood motionless at the window. “It will need to air, as it hasn’t been used in some time, and—”
“The one that faces the east and has that horrid slanting roof? No, I thank you. We shall manage quite well in the real guest chamber.” Seraphina settled back in her chair.
Becky inched toward Theo and murmured, “I could move, if that would help.”
“Aha! The very thing.”
How unfortunate that her sister still possessed the hearing of a hawk.
Seraphina unpinned her hat and tossed it on the sofa beside her. “That would suit us perfectly.”
“No,” Theo said. “Becky has all her luggage there and should not be disturbed.”
“I truly don’t mind—”
“See? Why do you always think you know best, Theodosia? Besides, you are not the mistress of this house. Mama is. And I’m sure Mama would agree I should be in my former room.”
“My dear, the other guest room will be perfectly adequate, I assure you,” Mama said, her eyes anxious behind her fluttering fan.
“It most certainly will not,” Seraphina snapped. “If I cannot stay in my room, as I really ought, then I at least shall not be relegated to some second-best chamber. Do you know how insulting that is?”
They were sure to be told soon in no uncertain terms.
Seraphina’s blue eyes narrowed. “Just who else is staying here, Mama?”
Mama tossed Theo another helpless look, which her sister seemed to notice, as she pivoted to face Theo.
“Who? Who is it?”
Oh, how tired she was of this. “An injured man. He came to escort Becky back to London but was injured in a fall and has been laid up in the guest room for several weeks.”
“Truly?”
Theo nodded wearily, as a gentle thump beat behind her eyes.
“And you choose a stranger over kin!”
Had her sister heard nothing of what she’d said? “He is injured, Seraphina. The doctor has advised he can’t be moved due to his broken leg.”
“I don’t believe you. You have never liked me getting what I want—”
Only because Theo did not always approve of Seraphina’s way of getting what she desired.
