Page 112 of The Earl's Bluestocking Bride
She jolted upright. “Brigid?”
Lady Drake’s sharp gaze took in the sherry glasses, and her lips quirked. “This looks like a good time. May I join you?”
Amelia knew she ought to stand, but her legs were shaking. She felt like a little girl who’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t.
“I’m s-sorry,” she stuttered. “I know this isn’t entirely proper. I—”
“Balderdash,” Lady Drake said bluntly. “Some days, sherry and friendly company are the most proper solutions to our problems. So, can I join you?”
“Of course you may,” Mrs. Babbington answered for her. “Shall I pour you a glass?”
“Please do.”
Lady Drake sank onto the armchair that Mrs. Babbington had vacated. The proprietress left the room and was back a moment later with a wooden chair. She positioned it in front of Amelia and Lady Drake, then hurried over to the desk to retrieve the bottle of sherry and pour another drink.
“It isn’t often that I’m graced with the presence of two aristocratic ladies in my shop,” Mrs. Babbington said, carrying the glass over and offering it to Lady Drake. “I hope you won’t mind if I mention it to my husband tonight. Iwon’t share your personal business, but I think he’ll be quite tickled to hear what elevated company I entertained.”
Amelia shook her head. “I have no issue with you telling him we were here. Lady Drake?”
Lady Drake was in the midst of swallowing sherry, so she nodded and gestured that her mouth was otherwise occupied. When she’d finished, she cradled the glass in her hands and gazed at Mrs. Babbington.
“Am I correct in assuming that my daughter-in-law has confided in you?” she asked.
Mrs. Babbington didn’t answer, instead looking to Amelia for guidance.
“I have. She knows most of the details,” Amelia said. “You can speak freely in front of her.”
Lady Drake set her glass down and reached across to take Amelia’s hand. “In that case, please allow me to apologize for any emotional pain you’ve experienced because of my family using you as a financial resource. You helped us, and we should have protected you better.”
Amelia looked down at their joint hands and shrugged. “I was the one who proposed a marriage of convenience. I have no right to be upset because Andrew used to have a mistress. Even if he still did, I never asked for fidelity.”
Lady Drake squeezed her hand. “You’re such a strong woman. But even strong women can get emotionally involved when they don’t expect to. Your expectations and desires don’t have to remain static. They can change. An entire lifetime can’t be anticipated or summed up in a single signed agreement.”
“Ugh.” Amelia buried her face in her hands. “I know. But I’m used to being practical. I don’t know how to deal with this.”
“With more sherry?” Mrs. Babbington suggested.
Lady Drake snorted. “An excellent idea. For what it’sworth, Amelia, I don’t believe my son has been unfaithful to you—or that he ever intends to be.”
Amelia raised her head and blinked, her bleary vision slowly clearing. “I don’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I’m falling in love with him, but I’m afraid he’ll grow bored with me.”
“Do you expect to grow bored with him?” Mrs. Babbington asked, picking up her sherry glass and studying the remnants of liquid inside.
Amelia frowned. “No.”
Mrs. Babbington met her eyes. “Then why do you expect him to tire of you?”
Caught off guard, Amelia just stared at her. The proprietress made a good point. She was trying to predict the future, but her assumptions were flawed.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’ll think on it. Perhaps I ought to be more trusting of the connection between us.”
“Good.” Lady Drake rested her forearm on the arm of the chair. “In the meantime, let me tell you about our plan to minimize the damage done by Miss Giles.”
Amelia and Mrs. Babbington listened as she explained her plan to throw an extravagant ball and then retreat to the countryside, where Amelia would have all the time and space needed to work things out with Andrew.
Apart from the ball, which she’d be quite happy not to attend, Amelia liked the sound of the plan. She could gladly spend lazy days with her new family at their country estate.
“Don’t worry.” Lady Drake released Amelia’s hand and patted the back of it. “You are far from being one of the most scandalous couples of recent times. Has Andrew told you about the Duke of Ashford’s marriage?”
