Star Crossed

Part 6

The next morning at breakfast, the Earl dominated the conversation. Mary, Margaret and Frank ate quietly at one end of the table, communicating mostly with their eyes. Ephraim tried to avoid conversation with the Earl, but it was a hopeless endeavour. Mary ate quickly so she could leave as soon as possible, but just as she finished draining her glass of fresh orange juice, the Earl turned on her.

"You, Miss Adams, are a very fortunate young lady. In fact, you do not realize how fortunate you are."

Mary was surprised and offended. "Don't I, Your Grace?"

"No, indeed. The Colonel is the finest man in the whole of Kent. He has a strong mind, and great social standing. He could be the next prime minister."

"I doubt that very much, Your Grace," Ephraim mumbled.

"He is an asset to his father, and will be an asset to his wife, whoever she will be."

Mr Adams frowned. "But surely you know he is engaged to Mary."

"At this point in time, yes. That is why you are so fortunate, Miss Adams. Very fortunate indeed. You must now live to be deserving of such an honour. The Colonel is far above your rank, you know."

"I think you will discover, Your Grace," said Ephraim, "that Mary is deserving of any honour which could be placed upon her. She is upright, sensible, knowledgeable..."

The Earl ignored him. "You may be capable of inheriting a little adeptness for managing estates. My daughter, Lady Bentley," he smiled proudly, "Now she would make any man an invaluable partner in matrimony."

"And she has," Lord Bentley said sentimentally, and Margaret's ears burned red with restrained anger. Ephraim concentrated on his breakfast[MB1] .

"You flatter me, father," Lady Bentley said. "And I am certain Ephraim would detest marrying a woman like me. I would simply be too much for him."

Ephraim gritted his teeth and said nothing, not making any eye contact.

"Ephraim needs a woman like his sister," Lady Bentley went on, "a woman who is sweet, compliant, meek, patient, restrained."

"The woman to whom you refer," Margaret spoke up, unafraid of showing the tartness in her tone, "can never be me. I have never been restrained in my whole life."

"Oh, but you do not credit yourself, dear. . ."

"If you remember," Margaret raised her voice. "I tore up the gown you wore when you were married to my father. Is that not so, ma'am?"

Lady Bentley hid her anger and humiliation. "Oh, but that was so long ago."

"I was sixteen when I did it, ma'am. That was only two years ago."

The room fell silent and Margaret, satisfied but furious, finished her egg.

"Poor Margaret," Lady Bentley said. "She was so uneasy when I first married Lord Bentley. But she came to learn how happy we could be, mother and daughter, didn't you, Margaret?"

Margaret looked up at Mary, who was dreading what her dear friend would do next.

"Excuse me," Margaret said, and left the room.

Lady Bentley laid a hand on her chest. "Oh, poor child. What could I have done to upset her? I must go tend to her. Excuse me."

She left the table and swished out of the room. Ephraim and Mary exchanged a look, and Mary stood.

"Mary, dear, there is no need for you to go," Lord Bentley said. "Margaret is just throwing a tantrum. It is early, and she is tired from last night's festivities. She is still young and immature, you see. But you are a woman now. Sit down, dear."