Page 6 of A Perfect Engagement
She took a deep breath in through her nose. She glanced over at her mother. Lady Markham sat reviewing menus, a frown deeply etched on her face. Despite her current expression, Charlotte’s mother was in heaven. There wasn’t anything her mother loved more than being the center of attention. She saw Charlotte’s marriage to the marquess as her crowning achievement as a mother.
“What do you think about having fowl for dinner on day three? Is it too pedestrian?”
“Is that the day of the hunt? If so, it goes nicely with the day’s theme,” Charlotte replied.
“There, I’m finished.” The seamstress gathered her things from the floor and stood.
Charlotte knew better than to move before her mother inspected the length of the skirt. She held her breath.
“Yes, perfect.” Lady Markham nodded.
Freedom at last! Charlotte stepped down off the stool she had been standing on and hustled over behind the dressing screen. Her maid, Lizzie, helped her remove the dress. She jumped when her mother’s face popped around the partition.
“Mother!”
Her mother’s gaze roamed over her from head to foot. “Perhaps we should get you into a full boned corset. You are eating too much before the party. You want to portray a svelte elegance for your new husband, don’t you? We don’t want him changing his mind before the wedding.”
Charlotte turned from her mother to slip on her day dress.Thank you, Mother, for your endless encouragement.She must escape this room. She tied the ribbon around her waist herself while she waited for Lizzie to finish buttoning up the last few buttons.
“There, miss. You look lovely.” Lizzie gave her an overly bright smile.
“Thank you, Lizzie. I will wear the bronze dress for dinner tonight.” Charlotte stepped out from behind the partition just as her father strode into the room. Lord Markham never knocked. He felt every inch of the house was his. Why should he have to gain permission to enter any room?
“Lady Markham, there you are.” Her father’s dark eyebrows slashed down as he scowled. “Why are there men moving furniture through the front hallway? Dobbs said it was on your orders.”
Her mother rose, her hands fluttering in the air. “Markham, I told you yesterday the house would be in upheaval today as I get ready for the party. The most efficient way to bring in the extra tables and chairs I ordered is through the front.” She gathered her notes from the desk and bustled over to her husband.
“Hello, Father.” Charlotte walked over to give him a smile. “This is all so exciting. Thank you for throwing this engagement party for me.” She slid a glance at her mother, who nodded approvingly.
Her father glanced down at her as though surprised to find his daughter standing next to him. “Yes, yes. We must make a good show of it, mustn’t we? I’m very pleased you found such a fine match.” He reached out and patted her upper arm awkwardly. Then he turned to his wife. “I shall be hiding out in my study if anyone needs me.” He turned and left as abruptly as he had appeared.
“Oh dear, now I must contend with your father’s foul mood in addition to all the planning.”
“Mother, how can I help?” Charlotte asked as she observed her mother’s flushed face.
“Would you be in charge of these menus? It would be a huge help.” Lady Markham shoved the sheath of papers at Charlotte. “Now make sure you cross-reference the notes I have made about the dislikes of important guests. And don’t choose anything too ordinary. We want to impress our guests. Thank you, dear. I think I will go have a lie down for a bit.” She exited the room after her husband.
Charlotte looked down at the stack of notes in her hand then up at the empty doorway. Brilliant. Why had she opened her big mouth?
*
“There, that’s thelast day.” Lady Olivia Rivenhall gathered the menus scattered in front of her into a neat pile.
“Thank you so much for coming to help me plan and organize all the food. It would have taken me days otherwise.” Charlotte sat back in her chair and let out a long breath. It had taken four hours, but with her friend’s help, they had sorted out the menus for the entire ten days. “Olivia, you are a godsend.”
Olivia was the fourth member in Charlotte’s circle of friends. A small circle to be sure, but what their circle lacked in numbers they made up for in much more important traits, like loyalty, support, and a mutual love of Gothic novels. Their favorite author, Mrs. Radcliffe, mixed ardent romance with a good dose of mystery. Olivia loved a book that included ghosts. She routinely scared herself silly with a good murder mystery. Her husband was often in London, leaving her and her imagination to run wild in the ancestral castle here in Hertfordshire. Rivenhall was a dear, but a mostly absent husband.
“Anytime. You know I do enjoy organizing a good party.” Olivia grinned. “Besides, I was able to sneak in all my favorite delicacies. Rivenhall and I will be in heaven.”
Feeling grateful to have good friends in her life, Charlotte reached out to give Olivia’s hand an appreciative squeeze. “Mother is in rare form these days. She is half-mad with preparations but also ecstatic to show off her new son-in-law to all her friends.”
“Speaking of your fiancé, you were very stingy with details about him. What does your London hero look like?”
“The first thing I noticed about him was his eyes, a warm chestnut brown. He has a nice face, long straight nose, strong chin, and sandy-blond hair. And Hawksridge is tall, broad-shouldered.” She gestured wide with her hands, remembering how, for the first time, she hadn’t felt like a towering oaf standing next to a man. “He made me feel almost petite. He always dresses quite elegantly and has the manners to match.”
“A handsome husband is a bonus. Do you have anything in common? Trust me when I say it is important to have something to converse about across the dinner table.”
“He took me to the opera, and I believe he enjoys music, as he has a regular box. But I must confess most of our conversations have been in the presence of my parents. He certainly spoke about politics a good bit with my father. It shows he cares about his country. He also spoke quite a bit about his tenants and issues about his estates. It is nice to know he takes care of his responsibilities.”
